The Starting Lineup

Not exactly a great week to head for the movies, but here we go anyway...


The Aristocrats (R)
Starring: Gilbert Gottfried, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, George Carlin, Phyllis Diller, & many more
Director: Paul Provenza, Penn Jillette
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Must Love Dogs (PG-13)
Starring: Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Plummer, & Stockard Channing
Director: Gary David Goldberg
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Sky High (PG)
Starring: Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Lynda Carter, & Bruce Campbell
Director: Mike Mitchell
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Stealth (PG-13)
Starring: Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, & Sam Shepard
Director: Rob Cohen
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AeonFlux (Poster)

Not too sure about this one...

Underworld Evolution (Poster)

The picture says it all.

DVD Rundown

Now available on DVD!

The Upside of Anger (PG-13)
Starring: Kevin Costner, Joan Allen, Erika Christenen, Evan Rachel Wood, & Keri Russell
Director: Mike Bender
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XXX: State of the Union (PG-13)
Starring: Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson, Scott Speedman, & Willem Dafoe
Director: Lee Tamahori
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King's Ransom (PG-13)
Starring: Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Kellita Smith
Director: Jeff Byrd
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Box Office Deals

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory held on to first place followed by The Wedding Crashers. I hope this goes a long way to prove two very important points to Hollywood moguls. First, well-done family films will always bring home the green. Second, there is still a place for the true adult comedy.

There has been a disturbing trend for several years now in which a studio takes a screenplay obviously written for adults and waters it down in order to achieve a PG-13 rating. Let's face it, adults like going to movies where there aren't any kids around, but they also like taking their families to the movies. the biggest failures at the box office have been films that should have never been rated PG-13. For instance, this weeks bomb The Island, finished in fourth place. Based on the premise, and the sexual tensions inherent to the plot, that film had no business seeking a PG-13 rating. The Bad News Bears came in fifth. In order for that film to truly work, it needed to be rated-R. (Granted, the original scored a PG. However, that was back when nudity was about the only thing that necessitated an R-rating.)

Movie goers are not stupid. They know when a film has been watered-down to meet that precious PG-13 rating and would just as soon wait to rent them at the local video store. If the moguls aren't willing to take a chance on the audience by delivering the kind of film the story dictates, then the audience simply won't be there.

The third place finisher this weekend was the Fantastic Four. Of the three PG-13 films in the top-five, it is the only one aptly rated. Which might explain why the movie has stuck around for so long. See, teenagers also know when a movie has been compromised just so they are able to walk in without a parent or guardian. Maybe they're getting tired of being used?

Let's hope the top-two send Hollywood the message they need to hear.

The Lingering Absence of The Bull

Things pretty much haven’t gone according to plan this summer. I want to apologize to the few hundred loyal visitors who pop by each and every day just see if I’ve written anything.

I’ve done quite a bit of writing this past summer, it’s just that most of it hasn’t taken place on The Hot Corner.

Several weeks ago I finished my screenplay LDR, which was inspired by Kristen Friend. Kristen was my old high school sweetheart. She somehow managed to ignore the fact that I was a total jerk to become one of the most important and influential people in my life. Unfortunately, ten days after I finished the project and submitted it persons hither and yon, Kristen lay down for a nap and never opened her eyes again. See, Kristen had been fighting brain cancer for the past six years. She didn’t even get to read the story. Heck, I don’t think she even knew I was writing the story.

LDR is a romantic comedy that tells the story of Kiran and Dalin, who finally meet and immediately fall in love. Unfortunately, they’ve both just graduated and their lives are taking decidedly different turns. In order to see one another they realize they must overcome many obstacles, not the least of which is the matter proximity. Dalin is arrogant and aloof, Kiran, stubborn and talented. Even their closest friends have their doubts. How could two such people ever make a relationship work? As Dalin's financial successes mount and Kiran's career as a television news reporter takes off, the challenge to keep their love alive becomes more and more problematic. LDR tells the story of their romance, through the good and the bad; a long distance relationship that spans a decade, defies logic, and transcends expectation. The script is copyrighted and registered with the WGA. If you are interested in producing this film, or representing me, please email your credentials to bulldurhamshotcorner@gmail.com.

I’ve also agreed to allow a local producer to film another project of mine—Coffee, Tea, or Me. Me (the main characters nickname is “Me”) is a waitress who is stuck working in a truck stop in barren West Texas, but she doesn’t seem mind. All her friends or there and she’s perfectly happy to stick around as she attempts in vain to help them with their problems. When a transient college dropout arrives with a journal in tow Me, and several other regulars, finally begin to question their place in world. Coffee, Tear, or Me, is comedy about friendship, love, and life in West Texas. My final draft is due mid-September, we’ll be casting in February or March of next year, and then we’ll begin shooting out here next June. We’re optimistic that we will be able to pull together a six-figure budget for this project. If you are interested in investing in this effort you should contact my producer at jeff@eljefeproductions.com, or, if you’d like to learn more you can Email me at bulldurhamshotcorner@gmail.com.

Both projects, and Kristen’s death, have had a lot to do with my inability to get to the movies this summer. They also forced me to put aside my plans to convert The Hot Corner into a full-fledged movie magazine. I still believe this is going to happen, it’s just going to take us quite a bit longer.

Also, I finally reached another milestone. I have my own page over at IMDb. I didn't even know it was there. A friend of mine was over for a visit and said, "Hey? Did you know you have an IMDb page?" I was just shocked so off we went and sure enough, here it is: Chad's IMDb page. But even that has been bittersweet as Rick Owens, the film's producer and director, was involved in a serious accident and has had to postpone his shoot. We're just glad he's going to be okay. Right now, word has it, he's on the mend and he's in our prayers as always.

I just hope things become less adventuresome for a while, that way I can spend some more quality time with you! Thanks for reading and thanks for sticking around! We’ll get more out there soon!