Week Ending 17th February, 2002	Page 1
The Next Big Film Genre... Movies About Scrabble!?	posted 15 Feb 2002
I kid you not... According to the Internet Movie Database, not one but two movies based around that popular crossword-based boardgame are currently under development. The first concerns a writer investigating Scrabble obsessives who becomes one himself. The second is, quite predictably, a romantic comedy. I'm hoping for some strip version of it in that flick, but I suspect I may be disappointed... With these in the works can movies based on Trivial Pursuit, Othello or even Pictionary be far behind? Any other ideas for board games with the necessary star quality?
The Top Five Off-Beat Romances	posted 14 Feb 2002
It is Valentine's Day, and I am a sad bastard with no love life who is stuck at home writing dumb postings for a website... You probably aren't, so I suppose I should make something of an effort to mark this "special" day. Whatever... Here's a list of Entertainment Weekly's top 5 offbeat romantic flicks. I hope they completely spoil the mood for you and someone you love.
And The Nominees Are...	posted 14 Feb 2002
In an ideal world, no one would give a tinker's cuss, but the Americans are the pre-eminent military/economic/cultural power in the world, so mention should be made of that recently unveiled prelude to their self-adulatory night of nights... the Oscar nominations. Predictably, A Sanitised Mind threatens to give Richie Cunningham artistic credibility and ensure that "our Russell" gets all the plum roles for the next decade. Meanwhile, a Tourism New Zealand fantasy epic and a diamonte-encrusted turd of a musical will fight it out for the arty-techy awards that no one cares about. (The best thing about all this was The Australian's Lynden Barber chucking a wobbly because Baz Luhrmann didn't get a Best Director nod. Get real, Barbs! He deserves a tarring for taking that stillbirth of a film full term!) Thank Heavens for the Razzies!
I'd Like To Thank My Dealer...	posted 11 Feb 2002
Awards, awards, awards... Around this time every year, it seems that any group with an opinion about film is announcing nominations for their annual awards ceremony; including that esteemed journal of pot culture, High Times. On March 3, they will be presenting the 3rd annual Stony Awards, honouring filmmakers and stars who celebrated The Weed in 2001. Snoop Dogg will be on hand to present them and categories include Stoner of the Year, Best Pot Scene and Best Psychedelic Scene. In addition, Apocalypse Now Redux will receive a special achievement award.
Jedi Mind Tricks, Enron Style	posted 11 Feb 2002
The folks at Enron may have been evil robber barons but, at least, they had a sense of humour. Among the dubious corporate entities that were set up to siphon off company funds, were groups with names like OB-1 Holdings, Joint Energy Development Investments (JEDI) and Kenobe Inc... Get it? Naturally, LucasFilms are less than impressed. (Thanks To James for the link.)
Scooby Dooby Dyke	posted 11 Feb 2002
In an attempt to arouse some sort of interest in what is bound to be a dog of a movie (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun), it has been announced that Velma, the bespectacled pudding-head from Scooby Doo, is to be outed as a lesbian in the film version of the cartoon... I hope this means there will be a Scooby Doo float in the Mardi Gras this year. (thanks to James for the link.)
Media Scam of The Year	posted 11 Feb 2002
I know it's a week old, but the efforts of the Dole Army could never be applauded loudly enough. On Monday last week, A Current Affair and Today Tonight presented articles about a shadowy army of dole bludgers who lived in the sewers and returned to the surface only to scavenge for food and work on a website that encouraged that most mortal of sins, rorting the system... The only trouble was it was a complete hoax set up by the Dole Army to suck in the tabloid media. Well done! Every member of the Dole Army deserves the Young Australian of the Year award!
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