- Kevin’s running hot with the Twitter to kick off the week (close to 50 tweets yesterday, and well over that number today already), so let’s take another look at some of the more interesting tweets from the last 48 hours. In instances where major news drops, we’re still going to split those tweets into their own headlines. Lots of love continuing for the New Jersey Devils — It’s great to see that he’s continued to keep hockey on the brain, which should put him in the perfect state of mind as he continues writing “Hit Somebody” this winter. Let’s take a look at some of the more newsworthy tweets:
- Via @courtenaymmkay “whatcha doing today?” Signing mountains of merchandise for http://www.jayandsilentbob.com – Christmas rush is coming…
- Via @movieinsiders “Check out this Amazon deal: Dogma(Bluray) $7.99 http://bit.ly/28a7fM ” That’s a pretty sweet deal and a packed disc.
- Via @dvdmike “Dave: getting in the ASC” HUGE congrats to Baby Dave Klein (my eyes), invited 2 join the American Society of Cinematographers.
- Via @timmcknightUK “does Jason Mewes have twitter?” Yes, but be warned: it’s a lot of “Mmm..coffee” and “Love the Puggle” Tweets. @JayMewes
Hit up the official twitter page for detailed tweet sessions on some recent couples times with the wife, and his thoughts on attending the recent “Twilight: New Moon” premiere with his daughter. WireImage has the photos.
You are at the archive for the Chasing Amy category &rarr
Stream The View Askew Classics On Hulu, Netflix…
- When the early Askewniverse films were made, the idea of streaming them real-time to a computer screen was a foreign concept. Today, with a couple mere clicks, you can watch these classics, within seconds, completely uncut and commercial free. Sure, you’ll need a Netflix subscription, but it’s one of the best bargains out there. And Hulu, though ad-supported, is free for viewers in the US. Here’s some links to get you watching these flicks even easier:
It’s been great to see how well these films have held up over the years — Kevin recently tweeted that he began negative cutting on “Clerks” an astounding 18 years ago. And now, you’ve got two ways that the film can be spooling on your computer or mobile device screen in mere seconds. Ah, technology.
Bluntman & Chronic to Return In Animated Form…
- Our longtime scooper and fan John Couture had the pleasure of introducing Kevin to the crowd in Indianapolis last week, and now has the pleasure of bringing a new scoop to us here at News Askew and via his own site, VideoETA. It seems that Jason Mewes will produce a new animated series, to be released online, featuring Bluntman and Chronic. As we recall Bluntman being mostly a silent partner, naturally, the key voice needed to make this happen IS Mewes, so it makes a lot of sense. This, from the Q&A after the Indy show:
The other news item that I hadn’t seen mentioned anywhere was the reveal that Jason Mewes was producing (yes, you read that right) an animated Bluntman & Chronic feature film that would be released online in serial form. As I’m sure you remember, Bluntman & Chronic were comic book alter egos of Jay and Silent Bob that make their first appearance in Chasing Amy
In fact, the whole plot of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back revolves around Jay and Silent Bob making their way to Hollywood to stop production of a Bluntman & Chronic movie. I guess you can say that life is imitating art yet again. I’m really excited to see what Jason Mewes will do with the project. He’s come a long way personally and professionally and this would be a home run and a way to keep the View Askewniverse alive.
No word yet on an ETA, but this one sounds like a very real possibility. If we get details on production starting, a potential venue on the web for it (S.I.R.’s first video offering, perhaps?), you’ll know via News Askew.
View Askew NewsBites™
- This week’s new episode of Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken was entitled “Big Trouble in Little Clerks 2”. No references during the actual show, though.
- Hmmm, anyone notice a familiar figure on this t-shirt? Kevin Smith gonna sue somebody?
- Back even before the days News Askew existed, a little program called Squirt TV made it from host Jake Fogelnest’s bedroom and onto MTV. Back then, in 1996, Kevin and Joey Lauren Adams visited Jake’s room just before a little flick called “Chasing Amy” was about to be introduced to the world. You know the rest! Fogelnest now hosts a nice show on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation, and our favorite director’s re-inventing the independent film distribution model as we speak. Watch and peep history.
“Chasing Amy in 60 Seconds” – Vote Now!
- Support these guys whose entry in the 2011 “Virgin Radio Fake Film Festival” in Vancouver is inspired by their favorite film – “Chasing Amy”. Not only did they do a pretty decent job of encapsulating some of the most memorable beats from the flick in just one minute, they seemed to travel all over to find locations and angles that really matched up with what Kevin and crew did back in 1997.
The guys have made it into the top 20 already, but to get into the top 10, they need your votes. The top prize is $10,000, which they’re pledging to donate 100% of to The Wayne Foundation if they can take the top prize. So, not only would your vote help get an Askew themed winner to the contest, but you’ll be benefiting a favorite charity of Kevin’s in the process.
Watch and rate/vote for “Chasing Amy in 60 Seconds” right now! Voting ends at 5 PM on Tuesday, so don’t delay.
UPDATE: Only a few hours left! You must register at the site to cast a vote, but it’s quick and easy. Help ’em (and The Wayne Foundation) out!
“Red State”: Sundance Screening Times & More…
- We loved this series of tweets from Kevin’s recent tweet-a-thon, which covers his reasoning for no longer entering his films into competition at festivals. Great stuff, which we’ve cobbled together for you here straight ahead:
I asked Harvey if we could compete with CHASING AMY back in ’97. I knew we had something special & I figured we could’ve walked with at LEAST an acting award. Said Harvey “Sundance is about emerging filmmakers. You’re already established. You gain nothing by competing, even if you win an award.” But it was @TheJonGordon who put it best, re: AMY competing. Jon had been Harvey’s assistant for years before being promoted to an exec. It was @TheJonGordon who got Harvey to re-watch CLERKS at Sundance, after he’d passed months before & walked out during the third scene. And when @TheJonGordon was made an exec, one of his first moves was to sign me & @SMosier to an exclusive overall deal at Miramax. That deal wound up running from fall of ’95 to the end of ’07 – 12 years. Under that overall deal, I made everything from CHASING AMY to ZACK & MIRI.
So it’s December ’96 & Harvey’s just urged me not to submit CHASING AMY for the competition category at Sundance. He’s urging premiere only. But it was @TheJonGordon who said the thing that made the most sense, re: competing. “You’re a returning alumnus. You can probably get AMY into any of the other sections. If you compete, you hurt a freshman’s potential to show THEIR Clerks.” @TheJonGordon was right. And human.
So if I go to any film festival, I try not to compete. Harvey’s reasoning was right, but @TheJonGordon hit the nail on the head. Competition categories are where dreams come true & lives can be changed with a screening. All my dreams started coming true in January of 1994. And the thought of gilding the lily by competing unnecessarily & possibly robbing someone like me of THEIR shot? That’s too Gordon Gecko for me.
So, years later, @TheJonGordon is my RedState producer – the guy who found the loot & made it happen when nobody else could or wanted to. And there we were, looking at the Sundance paperwork for our RedState submission. And someone else in the room asked “Competition, right?” And I smiled at the guy who’d helped give me & ViewAskew a home for 12 yrs & who sweated RedState into existence and said to @TheJonGordon, “I can’t fuck a freshman.” The 20 year old Kev cried betrayal at this sentiment, but fuck him. So competition was never a consideration.
Later in January, during the festival, “Red State” will mark its public world premiere, where Kevin still plans to auction distribution off like so:
Via @pklain “Will you determine RedState distributor at Sundance by highest bid, marketing strategy, or what?” Biggest balls. And checkbook.
Here’s a new Sundance article in anticipation of the big premiere. Minor plot spoilers ahead:
Ever since Clerks (co-winner of the Filmmakers Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival), Kevin Smith has been known for his sharp, subversive, comedic writing. He shifts from comedy to horror with Red State and aptly demonstrates that good writing transcends genre.
Red State begins by following three horny high school boys who come across an online ad from an older woman looking for a gang bang. Boys being boys, they hit the road to satisfy their libidinal urges. But what begins as a fantasy takes a dark turn as they come face-to-face with a terrifying “holy” force with a fatal agenda.
Instead of relying on archetypes and predictable formulas, Smith meticulously fashions all-too-real characters, utilizing exceptional performances (notably by Michael Parks) and an intelligent script. His realistic style gives the film an intimate feeling, heightening the terror to biblical proportions. Red State is a shocking new kind of horror film that aggressively confronts higher powers and extreme doctrines with a vengeance.
Festival attendees can now login to the site and add a screening to their calendar. 3 shows are currently on the books: Sunday, January 23rd at 6:00 PM, Monday January 24th at 8:30 AM (both in Park City), and Wednesday, January 26th at 9:00 PM (Salt Lake City).
View Askew NewsBites™
- Many shows for Jay & Silent Bob Get Old have quietly been placed on sale — You can now purchase your tix for shows as far out as May 2011. Visit the official site for all dates and shows. Don’t miss a rare chance to catch Smith and Mewes onstage together. At presstime, 8 dates in Spring 2011 are available, more could be added in the future. And don’t forget, Kevin does the solo tour with dates in December and April, with more on the way.
- “Chasing Amy” is cited in this article on “The Evolution of the Hollywood Gay Joke in Three Easy Stages”:
“…And for all of the homophobic barbs that Jason Lee’s character unleashes upon the queer folks in Smith’s Chasing Amy, the movie is constantly telling us that it’s Lee’s character who’s got the issues and not his supposed targets. (The fact that Lee’s character is revealed to be gay himself at the end of Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back brings the whole point home.”
- And finally, here’s a fun one today — Video game developer Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M for short) changed their name to “Behaviour”, and the company’s CEO says “Clerks II” was to blame.
“Behaviour CEO Remi Racine tells Eurogamer that initially, the team was unaware of any other meanings for the studio name, until the “issue became known to us five years ago. It was mentioned in a movie and it started to grow from 2005/2006.”
The story links directly to a YouTube video from none other than “Clerks II”.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Malcolm Ingram’s “Bear Nation” premiered at the SXSW 2010 film festival, and Malcolm Ingram had a few words to say about it on the scene. Check out the trailer HERE. Plug In Music also has a nice piece on the band “The Order of Good Cheer”, whose track “Be My Cub” serves as a theme for the film.
- FilmSnobbery Live recently interviewed producer Bob Hawk, who is often credited as the reason “Clerks” got seen by the Weinstein’s and thus the world. Check out the full length video via blip.tv. Bob had a ton to say, and chatted for a full hour and 4 minutes – Lots about Clerks and Kevin, and just overall interesting info. In August, they’ll sit down with director Malcolm Ingram — We’ll let you know when you can catch that, as well.
- Finally today, due to Banky’s classic “Archie” comics rant in “Chasing Amy”, we found this panel particularly amusing. See ya next time…
View Askew NewsBites™
- Don’t forget, the View Askew loyal and true take over Brantford, Ontario this weekend. Seven teams are coming in to participate, and you can now view the awesome logos for all of ’em. Gonna be a good time.
- Looks like someone bought a pretty darn cool poster for Affleck to sign at a recent Matt Damon tribute.
View Askew NewsBites™
- The Montreal Gazette confirms that Kevin will be featured in a program called “A Late Afternoon With Kevin Smith” as part of its Insider Series at the “Just For Laughs” festival. A Late Afternoon with Kevin Smith takes place July 15 at 3 p.m. in the Grand Salon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. You can get a pass that covers this event and a TON more for just $99. For information and reservations, go to http://www.hahaha.com/fan.
- Watch for Kevin’s small role in Noel Clarke’s “4321”, which ironically takes place on an airplane of all places (this was pre-Southwest and pre-tour bus, of course). You can briefly spot him about halfway through the trailer located at the official site http://4321movie.com/.
- Marilyn Ghigliotti (“Clerks”) will be a featured guest at Wizard World Philly from June 11-13 this year. She’s very kind and generous with her fans, so it’s totally worth stopping by to see her, say hello, and get an autograph. You can currently hear her on Retro Radio.
- Another attempt to bring Kevin to a popular program as a host appears on Facebook with attempts to get him running an episode of WWE Raw on Facebook this week. Meanwhile, the efforts to get him hosting Saturday Night Live next season are now up over 1,100 already and can easily grow with your tweets and posts of support.
- Mania has an article featuring fan-made poster images of “10 Video Games That Should Never be Made Into Movies”. #5 features Seann William Scott in the View Askew production “Paperboy” directed by Kevin.
- Movies.com cites the great Jason Lee in “Chasing Amy” as one of “8 Great Sarcastic Sidekicks”:
Sometimes, the sidekick can be the devil on the hero’s shoulder, as in Kevin Smith’s game-changing 1997 comedy about comic book artist Holden (played by Ben Affleck), who falls in love with lesbian cartoonist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams). Lee’s Banky objects to the relationship for many reasons, most of them bigoted and shortsighted–Banky doesn’t just have issues with lesbians; he’s such a misogynist that it’s hard to imagine him approving of a relationship with any woman. But Smith makes this character hilarious even if you wind up hating much of what he has to say. (A few years later, in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, the writer-director provided a neat–and hilarious–little coda to Banky’s frothing homophobia.)
- Second City Hockey recently named Kevin as “Beard of the Day”. Speaking of hockey, our precious Flyers start their quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup on Saturday. Cheer for them.
- Finally today, a moment of silence for “Law and Order”, who concluded their record broadcast run this week. Kevin, a fan of the program, appeared as a special guest a few years back. Case closed.
