andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Since the term “bromance” entered the zeitgeist, I’ve been adamantly rejecting the phrase, along with “showmace” and “homance” and really, any other word conglomeration ending in “mance”. But recently, I’ve come to realized precisely why the idiom exists. Two reasons. Two men. The perfect example and epitome of a true bromance. Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Not only are they two of the sexiest men alive. Literally. Just hands down, universally gorgeous. Not only are they ridiculously good-looking but they are witty, laid-back and just plain cool. And if they aren’t all of the above things in reality, they are just really good actors- on and off-screen.
Off-screen the stars appear to be best buddies, like the two popular jocks in high school, fun-loving frat boys, sitting on top of the social food-chain hamming it up for the little people. They laugh; they take lighthearted jabs at each other; they play their roles (Brad the family man and George the eternal bachelor) and most importantly, they know how to work a press conference.

While promoting their latest flick, Burn After Reading at the Venice Film Festival, Pitt and Clooney have been practically inseparable, leaving behind a trail of drooling paparazzi and salivating reporters.

The fascination is self-explanatory. Brad has six incredibly cute, multi-cultural kids with the Sexiest U.N Ambassador Alive. George is, well, George Clooney- the guy who will forever be every woman’s fantasy and no one’s reality since he’s determined to stay single for the rest of time. Together, they are the Batman and Robin of Hollywood, the dynamic duo of Tinseltown.

And at the press conference in Venice, like true cronies, they had each other’s backs. When reporters inevitably asked the two personal questions, the responses were funny, on-point and of course, evasive.

“I am so surprised to hear that question,” George quipped when some genius asked him when he’d be starting his own family. “This honestly is the first time I’ve ever been asked that question. I’m getting married and having children today. Brad?”

To which Brad responded: “And until then I’ll be sharing mine with him. I’ll have two more by next year.”

The reporters didn’t let up of course and continued to ask about the Twins, aka The Chosen Ones. Clooney didn’t miss a beat and intervened with: “The twins are fine,” then joked that he and Pitt were sitting at opposite ends of the table because of a restraining order. Pure hilarity. I just wonder who would win in a game of beer-pong.

I don’t even care if this Cohen Brothers’ movie they are pushing is even remotely good. I don’t care if the Ocean’s franchise has been exhausted beyond its limit. I want more Pitt-Clooney shenanigans.

They’ve got the whole world eating out of their sexy, sexy hands – yes even their hands are sexy. It’s making me giddy just thinking about when the boys will be in town for TIFF. Throw in Matt Damon and Don Cheadle (who will be here for the annual OneXOne gala) and we’ve got ourselves a big bromantical soiree. I’ll bring the keg stand.

HOLY HANCOCK, BATMAN!

Should we believe the hype? If we go by the immortal words of Chuck D and Flava Flav (oh wise ones they were) no, no we shouldn’t. But we aren’t talking about media-driven political propaganda or even anything remotely similar to what the boys of Public Enemy were poetically protesting. We’re talking movie hype people and this summer has been chalk full of it.

Indiana Jones: SO MUCH hype, The Hulk: ridiculous hype, Iron Man: belated, but hyped nonetheless and then, there’s Hancock. Without Will, the hype would have been far less substantial but when you decide to mix Big Willy and the celebration of America’s independence, the premature excitement is inevitable.

Never mind the critics. Will’s got no love for the haters, the haters. They’re just mad cause he’s got floor seats at the Lakers (g’head, take a break and get jiggy with it). The reason why the onslaught of bad- REALLY bad- reviews that preceded Hancock’s release didn’t matter was because his name is Will Smith and he’s the hype machine. The hypest of all hype- if you will. I may be the only person who thinks Hancock lived up to its promotion cinematically, but no one can deny it lived up to monetary expectations. And that, my friends, is all that matters in the movie business. Get excited for Hancock 2! Yeah boooyyyyyy (second Flava Flav reference of the post. Score!) On that note, let’s move on to the movie that will surely live up to and surpass all box office expectations.

The Dark Knight.

Dun Dun Dun.

Christian Bale is no Will Smith (speaking strictly in terms of opening weekend stats of course) however this weekend; he will see Big Willy size numbers. But, going back to the looming question, should we believe the hype? On the eve of what has already been hailed by many movie geeks as the greatest superhero film ever, I’m hesitant to buy into the frenzy. The. Greatest. Superhero. Movie. Ever. Like ever ever? Big words. While I loved LOVED (yes loved) Batman Begins, it still falls a little behind some other great superhero flicks in moviedom. Namely, the original Batman and Superman. It’s probably considered on the same level as X-men and X 2 (note: I can’t even discuss Brett Ratner’s X-Men 3 without going into a Kanye-inspired caps filled rage). How would Christian Bale’s first stab at the caped crusader stack up again this summer’s superhero overload? Probably pretty well. It’d kick the shit of Indiana Jones and the Hulk, (though both deserve kudos for entertainment value) it would have been right on par with the amazingness of Iron Man. But, and I ask this a super serious, existentialist tone, what if Batman Begins had had the same media craze behind it as The Dark Knight does? Would we be looking back on it as one of the greats of all time OR would we be remembering failed expectations?

I have no doubt that The Dark Knight will be a good movie- great even but the hype is just too much to handle. Let the movie speak for itself. I’m sure a lot more people would have liked Hancock if they hadn’t entered the theatre already waiting for the worst.

So my solution is this: NO promotion. Yes movie execs, I’m talking to you. Especially (or specifically) with superhero flicks as I’m sure there are many more to come. You don’t need to PUSH PUSH PUSH movies on us when these franchises already have a following. We all knew we wanted to see The Dark Knight in the first 5 seconds of the original trailer. Forget extended trailers; forget releasing the first 5 minutes. The people will come. And we’ll be shocked, surprised and excited in all the parts where we’re supposed to be shocked, surprised and excited. Don’t get me wrong, I do love me some trailers but not when the trailer takes away from the actual movie.

ANYWAY, I could be eating my words in mere hours. The ball is in your court Batman. Move me. Excite me. Thrill me. I dare you.