Okay, so I had REALLY low expectations for this film. Basically, Bubble is a low budget movie directed by Steven Soderberg (Traffic, Ocean's 11, Erin Brockovich, a shitload more). It is being simultaneously released in theaters, HDNet, and on DVD. I'll save my issues with that for later.

The movie is about the employees of a doll factory at the Ohio-West Virginia border. It's a very simple, very real movie, and nobody in it had any real acting experience from what I gather. I could tell you about the plot, but there really isn't much of one. Anything I could say would pretty much give it away.

I can't really flat-out endorse this movie. I can tell you that if you're into Steven Soderberg, low budget filmmaking, or slightly experimental film then you should check it out. If you're looking for big, arching plot, or even character development, this isn't going to cut it. So I dunno. But I liked it.

Here's some reviews.

"This is a fascinating drama for Right Now."
-- Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

"The characters are so closely observed and played with such exacting accuracy and conviction that Bubble becomes quietly, inexorably, hypnotic."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"Thrifty but also skimpy at 73 minutes, Soderbergh's movie ambitiously focuses on movie-rare Americans ... but never wonders what makes them tick."
-- Michael Atkinson, VILLAGE VOICE

"An odd little movie and a good one, worthy for what it is and potentially groundbreaking for how it's being made available."
-- Michael Phillips, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

3/4 "A haunting film, made all the more intriguing by the use of ordinary people, not actors, in all the roles."
-- Claudia Puig, USA TODAY



So anyway. Starts today at Galaxy Cinema in Cary. And I guess on TV and at Best Buy.

But come see it at the theater. Because I say so. Showtimes at 2:10, 4:15, and 7:20. Student tickets are $5.50. HOLLA.

1/27/2006 1:07:38 AM

they said last night on nightline that it would be a staggered release on HD pay per view and dvd over the enxt 4 days.

not sure of the order however.

1/27/2006 8:24:33 AM

^Mark Cuban is behind this

theatres across the country are closing their doors to this movie in an attempt to freeze out this new method of release....fearing that it will ruin their current business model, and erode profits

1/27/2006 9:37:08 AM

^^ Theaters and TV today, DVD on Tuesday.

^ Yeah, honestly, I couldn't tell you why we're showing it. It's mainly just showing in Mark Cuban's chain. It's being distributed by a company we do a lot of work with, though, and it's Soderberg so it'll probably make a buck or two. Well, probably not. We'll see.

1/27/2006 12:31:11 PM

i find it sad that people assume because they have a 50" widescreen tv and a surround sound setup they don't need to go to theaters anymore

i mean, i have a real nice tv and a decent surround sound setup, and i still treasure the theater experience

i mean, as long as there are creative or adventurous movies out there
i'll be going to theaters

hell, i'd love to be able to live in LA or NY, where they have the "Luxury" theaters, where they charge like $5 more than the average cost and don't allow children in and shit like that

1/27/2006 12:35:00 PM

I know exactly what you mean.

At the same time, with how shitty the experience has become at a lot of theaters (can I see one fucking mainstream movie without somebody talking through the whole damn thing?), and the fact that some people just don't give a shit about presentation, I'm afraid it's the way things are going to go (at least experimentally) for a handful of companies in a few years.

It's sad, really, that people care so little about the filmgoing experience. And it's sad, too, that I give a shit what people think about the filmgoing experience. So basically there's some sadness all around.

1/27/2006 12:40:13 PM

oh yeah

thas exactly why if a movie plays at a theater like the galaxy AND concurrently at a theater like crossroads

9 times outta 10, i'm going to the galaxy, so that i won't have to fuckstomp anyone for ruining the movie for me

weekday matinees are still the best; as long as there ain't no kids

1/27/2006 12:42:31 PM

Same-time release is one of the dumbest ideas to come out of hollywood in a long time.

There's really no logic for it but whatever.

1/27/2006 12:42:31 PM

It's basically killing the Indian movie film system in America. Without going into the boring details, basically a lot of Bollywood movies come out of DVD a week or two after they're in theaters. This forces the exhibitor to pay incredibly high film rental rates, and the print (for like a three hour film, this is very expensive) becomes effectively worthless in less than a month. It's an idiotic system, and I would have thought American distributors would realize this, but, well, I guess I overestimated American distributors.

1/27/2006 12:46:30 PM

Quote :

"It's basically killing the Indian movie film system in America"

THANK GOD

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:47 PM. Reason : heh]

1/27/2006 12:47:27 PM

THAT'S MY BREAD AND BUTTER, SON!

Dude, we've got this movie now, Zinda, and I swear to god, no lie, it's a Bollywood remake of Oldboy. I am in no way shitting you.

1/27/2006 12:48:30 PM

hahahahahhaahhha

the flashback, where he remembers why dude hates him so much, seemed very bolly'ish to me

i wonder if anywhere has a good deal on that for dvd

1/27/2006 12:53:43 PM

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=TLA003004

1/27/2006 12:56:16 PM

Why are people getting so bent out of shape b/c of the simultaneous release? Ya know, this isn't exactly the type of movie that the theatre would add anything to the experience. It's not a drama, nor comedy, nor action. I mean, it looks almost like a quasi-documentary.

Plus its like only 1 hr and 15 min run time. HDNet here we go!

1/27/2006 3:17:23 PM

as a couple have pointed out, this (the simultaneous release deal) is in large part of Mark Cuban's doing - the owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team billionaire - one of the people who sold his companies and cashed out at the exact right time before the internet bubble burst.

Anyway, he keeps a blog here - http://www.blogmaverick.com
He's entertaining to read and talks about his team, his business, investing, business ideas, etc. Here are several posts on the simulaneous release idea:
http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000443053436/
http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000887073501/
http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000010073495/

1/27/2006 3:24:47 PM

Quote :

"It's not a drama, nor comedy, nor action."

It is most definitely a drama. It is in no way a documentary.

1/27/2006 3:39:10 PM

Sometimes I wish I was a rich bastard who could finance movies and bitch about calls against my NBA team all day, THEN go home and write exhaustive blogs about it.

1/27/2006 3:41:18 PM

I read that as Stephen Sondheim and was going to ask when spookyjon joined the gay musical cult.

1/27/2006 3:42:57 PM

On that note, someone needs to make a movie of Assassins.

1/27/2006 3:50:46 PM

I'm in the gay musical cult? SWEET?

What's a gay musical cult?

1/27/2006 4:07:15 PM

I have no idea.

1/27/2006 7:36:32 PM

I saw this on HDNet last night and am thrilled that I didn't pay to see it in a theater. It's not the type of movie that is a must-see in a nice theater. It was okay. It was presented with only 3 audio channels instead of 5.1 surround sound - one other method to try to get ppl to see it in the theater, I'm sure. Besides a lot of people don't have HDTV so if they don't want to wait for the DVD (and I doubt Blockbuster is going to get a whole lot of copies) they'll see it in the theater.

I have to agree though - I would love to have one of those theaters you guys mentioned, where you're guaranteed to be there with ppl that take movie viewing more seriously than those that just use it as a meeting place to chat throughout the movie, or that are stupid enough to bring toddlers to a rated R movie.

1/28/2006 10:41:27 AM

It's called Galaxy Cinema, yo.

1/28/2006 12:58:37 PM

^ Seconded. When I went there to see Junebug, I thought about talking at one point, and spookyjon used his telekinetic powers to short out the nerve endings in my tongue.

1/28/2006 3:52:59 PM

It's called Galaxy Cinema, yo.

1/28/2006 4:14:23 PM

I thought this movie was terrible. The fact that ebert called it his 'masterpiece' just proves to me how full of shit critics are. They see something slightly different and subversive in any way (in this case, him making a lowbudget movie about WV workers) and they just fucking lube it up and down.

Anybody that would actually buy that DVD is a moron - theres no redeeming qualities about the picture, I would have though it was at least ok til it turned into a 'whudoneit' like droves of other movies.

If you havent seen this yet I strongly urge caution. It's awfully flat.

1/29/2006 12:19:35 PM