- As promised, Kevin and Scott deliver SModcast #81 fresh to the net today, with the episode now available for your exclusive listening pleasure via Quick Stop Entertainment:
SModcast 81: Satan’s Dookie. –
In which our heroes throw their support behind the controversial PreCrime Bureau.
The SMod is super-sized this week, too, running in at a hefty 1:11. Grab it, and enjoy some early week entertainment from Smith and Mosier.
- “Clerks” shows up in Entertainment Weekly’s Popwatch Quote of the Day today:
“All those innocent contractors brought in to do the job were killed — casualties of a war they had nothing to do with. All right, look: you’re a roofer, some juicy government contract comes your way. You got a wife and kids, the two-story in suburbia. This is a government contract, which means all sorts of benefits. Along come these left-wing militants that blast everything within a three-mile radius with their lasers. You didn’t ask for that. You have no personal politics. You’re just trying to scrape out a living.” — Randal (Jeff Anderson), on why the destruction of the second Death Star was unfair, in Clerks.
Surf on over to watch the clip.
- A game design contest at last week’s Game Developers Conference inspired one developer to consider using “Zack & Miri Make a Portal” as his entry. The idea didn’t pan out as licensing two different intellectual properties would have been too cost-prohibitive. Too bad – You know you’d have played.
- Director David Wain has some nice things to say about “Zack And Miri Make a Porno” and Elizabeth Banks on his commentary track for the recently released “Role Models”:
“It [Role Models] came out the same time as Zack and Miri Make a Porno, which is, to me, a wonderful lead performance from Elizabeth Banks and if you haven’t seen it, I would highly recommend it.”
We’ve been fans of Wain’s work since way back in “The State” days, so very cool to hear that.
- Pop Culture and movie fansite “Bag of Mad Bastads” catches up with the Bluray release of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and scores the flick a solid BUY IT rating.
Archive for March, 2009
Vancouver Q&A: What We Learned…
- Reports are coming in on Kevin’s return to Canada this week, as he appeared onstrage for another packed Q&A session — This time, in Vancouver. Of particular note, some major news broke here for the first time. Here’s a quick rundown of what may interest you…
- The rarely-seen “Oh What a Lovely Tea Party” documentary, which follows the making of “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”, will be included in full on the upcoming Bluray release of “Clerks X”. It will also feature all the great stuff from the most recent “Clerks” release, including “Snowball Effect”, the brilliant documentary from Zak & Joey.
- In other Bluray news, Kevin and the cast are currently recording new material (another documentary perhaps?) for a “Chasing Amy” Criterion Bluray, making it sound like this dream will finally become a reality. Kevin has in the past revealed he wanted to repackage all the great Criterion stuff that already existed along with new stuff on top of that.
- On the “Jersey Girl” front, the must-see extended cut of the film is “very possible” for next year, on both DVD and Bluray. We’ve seen the extended version a couple times, and really dig it — It gives a lot more depth to the characters and is our preferred cut. Let’s hope this one comes to pass, as it’s been years since we’ve seen it this way.
- The new comic book project from Kevin and Walt Flanagan will be unveiled at the San Diego Con this July.
- Kevin would one day like to make a hockey-themed film.
Fans are reporting that Kevin once again (as always) brought his A-game, with stories old and new, and more talk of the Walter Gretzky tournament and his admiration. No new details about “A Couple of Dicks”, though it’s going to be a while before that one gets in front of cameras. Fans are also mentioning a dude who asked to get naked on stage last night, whom Kevin apparently allowed to do so. Sounds like another crazy one, which just goes to show, no Kevin Smith show is ever the same, and you never can predict what you’ll be in for. Keep your eyes on our upcoming events calendar, and don’t miss your chance to see Kevin live on stage if he’s near your town.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Kevin conducted a new interview with the local Brantford press regarding View Askew’s participation in their upcoming street hockey tournament. Here’s a few select quotes:
“I have really gotten into Wayne and Walter in the last six months, I’ve been reading a lot about them and found it really inspiring,” he said.
He went as far as to say he “kind of fell in love in a big, bad way” but not in a romantic sense – like so many people, he found Walter and Wayne to be very inspiring individuals.
Smith said he then felt he may be going through a mid-life crisis because “at 38 I found Gretzky to be an ideal role model” but that his admirations were solidified when he was speaking at Roy Thomson Hall and Bloor Cinema in Toronto and found those present understood his idolization.
…
So far there has been enough fan response on the View Askew message board to form three teams. The teams have been named after hockey jerseys featured in Smith’s films – The Vulgarians, The Leonardo Reapers and the Monroeville Zombies.
…
“Brantford produced Wayne Gretzky, perhaps one of the only viable role models of the last 50 years … the world needs more Wayne Gretzkys and I figure – why wouldn’t another come out of Brantford? So I thought, why not put money into Brantford athletics.”
The tournament, which is a fundraiser event for the Sports Facilities Infrastructure Legacy fund, runs June 5-7, with each ball hockey team guaranteed at least three games at Lions Park Arena.
- Part 5 of Stranahan’s excellent sit-down interview with Kevin Smith is now available. This 5-minute segment focuses on “Chasing Amy”, where Kevin details some of his regrets on what many fans call their favorite of his work: “Chasing Amy”. While we love the flick just the way it is, Kevin reveals he may have made some different edits. The first film they cut on an Avid system, “Chasing Amy” was pieced together in just 9 days. More segments are on the way in the coming days.
- “Clerks” is seeing some tough competition against “Empire Records” in the second round of the 90’s movies battle at VH1’s Best Week Ever website. You need to go on over, and cast your vote! Help “Clerks” move on to the next round! Our flick is currently winning at 51% at presstime, but that margin needs to be a little less scary. Go go go!
- Those of you watching Fox’s new Joss Whedon series, “Dollhouse”, may have chuckled a bit in this week’s episode, which featured a backstory of Eliza Dushku’s character attempting to release caged animals being used for medical experiments. The plot point was similar to the reasoning behind the C.L.I.T. organization (of which Dushku’s character was a member) in “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”. The show, is uneven at times but shows promise. However, from the look of early ratings, like the superior “Firefly”, this one’s likely to only run for its original half season order. After shaky starts, though, both “Buffy” and “Angel” turned into some of the best TV of all-time, so here’s hope this one might slip through and give Dushku some continuing work.
- The Canadian version of Amazon is now taking pre-orders for a Chasing Amy Bluray at $17.95 CDN. The disc will be released on April 7, 2009. We have very few details on this one, so buy with caution. No telling if a remaster was done. And as far as we know, this does not include any new material, possibly not even all of the extras from the Criterion version (currently the best home version of the film).
Kevin & Co. At the Gretzky Street Hockey Tourney!
- A lot of chatter has been happening over at the immortal View Askew WWWBoard regarding the upcoming “Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament” taking place in Brantford, Ontario on June 5th, 6th, and 7th. This all-ages charity event will feature teams battling it out by age bracket.
View Askew has put together their own team (“Puck U.”), featuring Kevin Smith (in goal), Jason Mewes (C), Bryan Johnson, Scott Mosier, Jen Schwalbach, Ming Chen, Jon Gordon, Jim Jackman, Malcolm Ingram, and Walt Flanagan. Talk about an all star View Askew team! Wow!
They’ve also sponsored 2 teams of board members, the Monroeville Zombies and the Leonardo Reapers. A possibility for a third team exists as well, which you can follow on the official thread.
You can also learn more on the official event page for the tournament at View Askew.
The 3rd annual Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament will be hosted in Brantford from June 5 to 7, 2009 at the Ball Hockey International (BHI) venue located at the Steve Brown Sports Complex / Lions Park, 20 Edge Street. Learn more (or start your own team) at the official site for the event.
Watch a video of what last year’s event looked like. If you can make it up there in June for the beautiful Ontario weather, head on up and cheer our teams on!
Cheer On Kevin & Co. At the Gretzky Street Hockey Tourney!
- A lot of chatter has been happening over at the immortal View Askew WWWBoard regarding the upcoming “Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament” taking place in Brantford, Ontario on June 5th, 6th, and 7th. This all-ages charity event will feature teams battling it out by age bracket.
View Askew has put together their own team (“Puck U.”), featuring Kevin Smith (in goal), Jason Mewes (C), Bryan Johnson, Scott Mosier, Jen Schwalbach, Ming Chen, Jon Gordon, Jim Jackman, Malcolm Ingram, and Walt Flanagan. Talk about an all star View Askew team! Wow!
They’ve also sponsored 2 teams of board members, the Monroeville Zombies and the Leonardo Reapers. A possibility for a third team exists as well, which you can follow on the official thread.
You can also learn more on the official event page for the tournament at View Askew.
The 3rd annual Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament will be hosted in Brantford from June 5 to 7, 2009 at the Ball Hockey International (BHI) venue located at the Steve Brown Sports Complex / Lions Park, 20 Edge Street. Learn more (or start your own team) at the official site for the event.
Watch a video of what last year’s event looked like. If you can make it up there in June for the beautiful Ontario weather, head on up and cheer our teams on!
View Askew NewsBites™
- SModcast is taking a week off next week, but will be back with #81, on schedule, next week. Kevin says “Time just got away from us”.
- “Clerks” is trouncing “Mortal Kombat” in Best Week Ever’s March Madness bracket on 90’s movies. They’re having a vote between flicks to
ultimately determine the best movie to represent the 90’s. Surf over HERE and continue voting for “Clerks”, show us some love all the way through the end of the bracket! - Blockbuster’s website reveals that some previously viewed copies of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” may now be on sale, in stores, on DVD. This is significant because this is the only place you can get Part II of the Rogen/Long improv battle. Collectors, take note — And grab them up while ya can. We believe this feature is exclusive to the BB’s DVD version, and not included on BB’s Bluray. Supplies vary, so check your local Blockbuster and ask if you don’t see any on sale shelves.
View Askew NewsBites™
- We’re kicking off the ‘bites today with a bunch of video for you to enjoy. First up, Kevin’s interview with Lee Stranhan continues this week with Part 4 today, titled “The Dark Side of the Internet”. In this clip, Kevin discusses reading fan/critic reviews and comments on the web. Once again, this series remains exclusive to YouTube.
We’re told, by the way, the interview is planned to run at least 7 or 8 segments, so we’re only halfway there. Search our archives if you missed any of it — Our plan will be to write an all-inclusive post of the segments once the saga is complete, also. For now, check out Stranahan’s YouTube page for previous segments and other examples of his work.
- Next, Corey Taylor of the (Grammy-winning) hardcore metal band, Slipknot, wants to write a song specifically for a Kevin Smith movie. Last month, he listed writing a song for a Smith flick as one of his all-time goals to achieve. Check out the video from this recent interview with WJRR radio (click the “His Influences” link and hang in ’til the end).
- And in our final video of the day, Jason Mewes discusses adversity and redemption with “The Hour”‘s George Stroumboulopoulos. This was recorded last month during his trip up to Canada. The clip runs around 13 minutes in length and features the dude in quite a fashionable cap.
- Up-and-coming rap artist Kid Cudi, who was signed by Kanye West’s music label, had a few kind words for “Zack and Miri” in a recent blog post. Apparently he watched the film during a recent plane trip.
- “Zack & Miri Make a Porno” is headed to DVD in Australia, and we’ve got the box art right here! Looks like folks there are going to get the awesome, uncensored Star Wars parody cover, along with all the region one extras on this 2-disc set. Nicely done — And certainly something you collectors may want to pick up as well.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Part Three of Kevin’s recent sit down chat appears on Stranahan’s YouTube today, where he contines to speak his mind about the recent announcement of his directing gig on “A Couple of Dicks”. In this clip, Kevin reveals his rationale for accepting the gig, connecting it with his thoughts on the legacy he’ll leave behind when he looks back on his film career. More to come, though we’re not exactly sure just how many segements the interview will run. Quite enjoyable so far, though.
- The immortal “poopietrim” appeared once again in “My Name Is Earl” last night — For those who may not be familiar, the term dates all the way back to “Mallrats” as a phrase uttered by a person normally being suddenly awoken from a sound sleep. On the show, Ethan Suplee’s character has said it countless times, but not for a while (always when he’s startled awake). Ethan was also the first character to use this phrase in the Asknewniverse, though Chris Rock then continued the tradition in “Dogma” (on the train). If anyone sees video clippage as evidence on Youtube or elsewhere, let us know. If you have “Earl” on your DVR this week, listen closely when Randy wakes up in the basement. Kudos once again to the guys for sneaking this nice View Askew easter egg into the show.
- Texas’s Alamo Drafthouse will run “Mallrats” on Sunday, March 29th, in what we’re guessing will be a sold out show. The drafthouse is one of the most beloved fan theaters in the country, as well as a place where you can drink alcohol AND take in a flick (so really the perfect spot to partake in the “Mallrats” Drinking Game. To sweeten the deal, the first 25 fans through the door for the show will receive a free bag of chocolate covered pretzels. Gotta love that.
- The Flying Car was just successfully tested in Syracuse, New York. That car’s getting closer to Jersey — Makes you wonder if Randal might have been nearby, eh?
- Have a fantastic weekend in case we don’t talk to ya — And for those of you that are as rabid of fans us (and Kevin) of Battlestar Galactica — Enjoy what’s sure to be one of the best series finales of all time, as SciFi airs the two hour final episode this evening at 9. We’re counting the minutes…
SModcast Turns 80: Celebrate By Writing A Good Review!
- SModcast #80 hits the airwaves today exclusively via Quick Stop Entertainment with an ominious title and logline:
SModcast 80: R.I.P. – In which the future dies.
Grab it now, and listen before the rest of the world — As readers of our sites, you’re the first to get SModcast every week, before the iTunes folks get it. And speaking of iTunes…
While SModcast remains one of the most popular and downloaded ‘casts on the net, the show’s only got a mere 248 reviews (at presstime) over at iTunes. While many users are commenting on Quick Stop Entertinment and Kevin’s blog, we’d like to encourage you to PLEASE take a moment, if you like the show, to write a nice review for iTunes exclusive. You can do it right through iTunes (assuming you are running the app) in the Podcast area.
As always, enjoy SModcast and thanks for listening — Keep on supporting our sponsors, Omni Consumer Products — They help keep QSE coming your way week after week. And of course thanks to Kevin and Scott for the ongoing entertainment, helping make Mondays a better day around the world.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Part TWO of Kevin’s recent sit-down in his home is now available via the magic of YouTube. This time, Kevin delves into the background of his beginnings in the world of writing and making films. And hey, the feedback below the video is quite kind as well, so thanks to all the fans and even those discovering Kev for the first time.
- As promised, take an exclusive look here at the 5 new collector’s cards created for Australia’s upcoming release of the Dogma 10th Anniversary collection on DVD. Each card features a photo and an interesting fact on the film. We can totally vouch for the Paltrow factoid as well, as Mr. Affleck was kind enough to introduce us to her that very day on set. Still a fond memory. The cards will be available only as a part of this new DVD release, though the disc itself does not feature any new footage.
- You gotta chuckle at the humor that ERC Box Office used in choosing this headline and photo to accompany their story on his next directorial effort. Maybe not intentional, but still – Geez, guys.
- Check out TV fansite JoeOnTheTube.com for a giveaway of Season One of the Starz Original series “Head Case” — Jason Mewes appears as a guest star on one of the episodes. Enter via twitter or their comment blog. And hey, give their site a gander too, it’s quite cool and very well written for fans of the tube (as we are).
- Editor’s note: If anyone owns any Onkyo electronic components, can you drop me a line? Thanks.
