Posted by Gift For Fiction (Bankyrox123) at spider-wa043.proxy.aol.com on February 11, 2002 at 02:54:23:
I recently saw 'Waking Up in Reno' in its west coast premiere here. When I saw it, I went in expecting the worst. I mean, its been moved 4 times, which is hardly ever a good sign. It was supposed to come out on Feb. 22nd. The posters had been pressed, the trailers had been released, but lo and behold, it was moved again. This normally wouldn't matter except for the fact that 'Waking Up in Reno' is a really good movie. It is a movie that is better than a lot of crap that hits the screen these days. It is better than 'Slackers' or 'Orange County,' or any of the other tired "comedys" released to theaters every month. It is a biting, viciously intelligent and incredibly funny send up of country lifestyles. It is full of good performances and is directed with a whole lotta skill. The director Jordan Brady is a great guy who really knows what he is doing (for those who haven't seen his first movie, 'Dill Scallion,' check it out, now!). He really loves film and he knows how to make good ones. He'd have a promising future in the industry if only Miramax would release his stuff. I found out while talking to him that 'Reno' isn't the only film of his that Miramax hasn't released. He also directed a film called 'The Third Wheel' with Ben Afflec, Matt Damon and Luke Wilson that they haven't released either. I'm not sure on the quality of 'Wheel,' but 'Reno' is the best movie of 2002 so far. Although I may have to take that back if they bump it back to 2003. Let me say here and now that I am beginning to hate Miramax. With a few exceptions, every film I've seen that they have shelved and not released to the general public have been good films. 'Birthday Girl' is an example of this type of shit. I saw that back in 2000, shortly after it had been produced and it would have made my best list had they released it then. Instead they shelved it for three years for no good reason. Now it appears that the same thing is gonna happen to 'Reno,' and qite frankly that pisses me off. I have written an article in my paper requesting that people interested in seeing this very good film e-mail Miramax saying that they want this film released. I now ask the same thing here. Miramax is in my opinion, one of Hollywoods greatest evils, constantly promoting itself as the studio that gives true artists a voice and then turning around and muzzling those voices if what they are saying isn't popular or easily marketable. They need to be stopped, they need to be, in effect told off. They need to be told that if they are going to make a film, they should stick by it as the ethical, right thing to do. They need to release Jordan's flicks, and any other of the countless other good movies no doubt gathering dust in storage as we speak. I have to wonder if they'd even bother releasing 'Clerks,' or 'Pulp Fiction' now that they are so sucessful. I mean, after all, those films are hard to peg, hard to market, and for some people hard to accept. Please e-mail them, please help me out in my quest to get good films to the theater where they belong. Thanks for your time.
Mike Olinger