Foolish and Beastly

Once again, it's time for the White Elephant Film Blogathon. Last year, when Paul Clark asked for volunteers to take over hosting duties for the big event, I drew the short straw. So here is where we find ourselves.

Paul ran the last four White Elephants. Before him, Benjamin Lim (the originator of this whole affair) oversaw four more. This makes it our ninth time out (and, perhaps, means that White Elephant organizational responsibilities run for the same term length as US presidential administrations).

I can thank White Elephant and the Muriels (Paul, in other words) for helping me begin my scattershot career as an amateur film writer. No amount of bad film assignments will make me less grateful for the community of people the White Elephant has introduced me too.

Tomorrow, I'll post a roster of all the links for this year (three people have already posted their write-ups but, if you're that impatient, I'll leave it to you to suss out whom). Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to watch and write up my assignment. Until tomorrow then...

While you wait, here are a few links to choice pieces from the first year I joined the blogathon (2010):

"Then Donald gets sacked by a parrot, which was when I poured myself a large glass of whiskey. It would be the first of many."
- Ali Arikan (on THE SURVIVORS)

"Have people actually seen this film? Granted, it's not a hidden masterpiece, but the idea that this is some kind of comedy nadir is absolute rubbish, especially since Ashton Kutcher is still making movies." - Kent Beeson (on ISHTAR)

"Supposedly Joe Estevez is running an amusement park, but I’m pretty sure the filmmakers just paid admission (or hopped the fence – I wouldn’t put it past them) and shot Joe shouting dialogue to himself on what looks like a late-80′s camcorder." 
- Brandon (on ROLLER GATOR)

"I don’t think any movie has ever taken four hours of my life and given me less during that time."
- Victor J. Morton (on L'INTRUS)

"... he of the designer dashiki, eyeglasses shaped like hairdressers’ scissors and a battery of saucy jokes meant to assure Middle America that homos are harmless but funny."
- Dennis Cozzalio (on MANNEQUIN 2: ON THE MOVE)

"... but then, maybe lines like 'Don't listen to me; just wait until he kills you' and 'Kissing you made me want to vomit' wouldn't do even the most experienced of actors any favors."
- Kenji Fujishima (on SCREAM FOR HELP)

"Cut to “FORTY YEARS LATER” (or “ORTY YEARS” as the title card on the old poorly cropped VHS copy used to read). ... Of course, it’s folly to expect a film like this to not be in the business of making a quick and dirty buck, but did it have to be so dispassionate? Even the silliest Italian horror films tend have a deluded auteur at the helm to claim some sort of thematic coherence or hidden agenda."
- Matt Lynch (on PIECES)

"... there seems to be no reason for it to exist – nobody involved in it really seems to know what they’re doing. I'm guessing there was a lot of awkward silence around the craft services table, a lot of furtive glances and avoidance of eye contact."
- Jeff MacMahon (on SWEPT AWAY)

For further reading, here are the links to Paul's master lists for the last four years (it would appear that Ben's White Elephant internet presence has -- whether through his intention or not -- disappeared):

2010 -- 2011 -- 2012 -- 2013