Chat Details

TWT entertainment reporter Sonny Bunch

This chat will begin at noon on Friday, May 15, 2009.

Read the transcript of the live chat with Mr. Bunch.

Transcript

1. • Sonny Bunch, an entertainment reporter for The Washington Times, joins us at www.WashingtonTimes.com for a live chat. Good afternoon, Sonny. Thanks for being with us again. by Jilly Badanes
   • Answer: Always a pleasure to interact with fellow movie fans. Let's get to the questions... by SONNY BUNCH
2. • Are you more or less excited to see Terminator Salvation after hearing the clips of Christian Bale going ballistic on set after the DoP stepped through his scene? Personally, I loved the profanity-laced tirade and its made me want to see the movie even more. by Alexandria, VA
   • Answer: I actually got a kick out of the tirade myself. I'm something of an apologist for Mr. Bale on this issue...I mean, if your every waking moment at work was captured on camera, don't you think you'd come off as a jerk sometimes? (I mean, I'm an angel, but I'm sure others have difficulty controlling their temper.) Plus, having been on a movie set I can tell you how stressful it gets. I was actually on the receiving end of one (far less profane) outburst myself a couple years back... As far as my excitement level for the movie, I don't think the audio outburst changed that too much for me. I've been gradually getting more and more into it -- wary, at first, because this is a McG (the auteur of "Charlie's Angels," among other films) picture, but more excited as more footage and more trailers have come out -- and am really excited for the press screening this Monday. by SONNY BUNCH
3. • Do you predict 'Angels & Demons' will be as big a hit at the box office as 'The Da Vinci Code'? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: Playing the box office guessing game is always dicey. I wouldn't be shocked if this movie did numbers similar to that of "The Da Vinci Code," which grossed $217 million domestically and $540 million internationally for a total of more than three quarters of a billion dollars overall. But, then again, "Angels and Demons" was less popular than its predecessor, and the movie its following was generally panned by audiences and critics alike. If I was forced to make a guess, I'd say it tops out in the $165-$180M range. It'll have a nice opening weekend against limited competition, but drop off pretty quickly in the weeks to follow. by SONNY BUNCH
4. • You wrote a story this week about the politics surrounding the president's choice of mustard on his burger. Why did this get so much attention in the media? What is your condiment of choice? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: You never know what's going to strike people's fancies, but people are clearly fascinated by this president, to the point where even the smallest items catch the public imagination. I'm a spicy mustard guy myself, just not on hamburgers. Hamburgers are the province of ketchup and French's Yellow (and, sometimes, mayo). The spicy mustards should be saved for Brats and other delicious sausages... by SONNY BUNCH
5. • I'm definitely no trekie, in fact, I've never any of the old movies or tv shows. Is it still worth seeing the new Star Trek film? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: I think that the new Star Trek movie is divorced enough from the original series and its spinoffs that newcomers will enjoy it. If you go into it expecting a solid science fiction action movie, I don't think you'll be disappointed. That being said, there's a lot of interesting stuff in the movie for fans of the original properties. Where do Kirk and Spock come from? How did the crew originally get together? There's a lot to enjoy here for fans new and old... by SONNY BUNCH
6. • What movie are you most looking forward to seeing this summer? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: As I said, I'm definitely looking forward to the new Terminator movie. That might be the highlight of the summer for me...After that, I'm not sure. Nothing looks all that promising, to be honest. The "Transformers" sequel looks much like the last one: loud and semi-coherent. GI Joe just looks awful. (I mean, really? You're going to take the Real American Hero and headquarter him in Brussels? C'mon.) Does anyone want to see Will Ferrell in "Land of the Lost"? I guess the new Tarantino flick will be fun, but it's a while until "Inglourious Basterds" hits the big screen. Could be a long, annoying summer. by SONNY BUNCH
7. • Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: Hmm...I'm not sure. I was pretty excited to interview Danny Boyle (the director of "Slumdog Millionaire") and Darren Aronofsky (the director of "The Wrestler") within a couple of weeks of each other. As far as I'm concerned they're the two best youngish directors working in the business today: They both have a unique sensibility and a real passion for film that came through during their interview. James Toback was another interesting guy; we talked for almost an hour about his new documentary, "Tyson," and the general state of filmmaking in today's world. by SONNY BUNCH
8. • The Cannes film festival is this week. Are there any good movies we should look out for? Will you be doing any special coverage of the festival? by Washington, D.C.
   • Answer: No plans for special coverage, but there will be some interesting stuff to check out. The new Pixar movie, "Up," debuts there, as does the aforementioned Tarantino flick. I've seen "Up," and can tell you that it's another winner for Pixar, right up there with "Wall*E" and "Toy Story." It's very moving; one of my fellow critics at the screening I attended left the theater with watery eyes... If you're interested in a more in-depth look at the festival and the selected, check out Jeffrey Wells' blog, "Hollywood Elsewhere"; he's in Cannes this week and updating pretty frequently. by SONNY BUNCH
9. • I was just wondering who your favorite actor and actress is, and why? Thanks! by Washington, DC
   • Answer: I'm a pretty big fan of Russell Crowe; I'm definitely looking forward to he and Ridley Scott's take on Robin Hood. Amy Adams might be my favorite actress at the moment -- she slips seamlessly between comedy and drama, not the easiest of tasks. She's a bright spot in "Night at the Museum 2," opening next weekend... by SONNY BUNCH
10. • Do you think they are charging too much for movies these days? Is the price shutting out a large segment of the market? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: I certainly wouldn't be opposed to movies being cheaper. But the studios feel that this is the only way to fund the ever-increasing budgets the execs are greenlighting. Making a summer blockbuster isn't cheap these days... I'm interested to see what the market will bear in terms of upcharges. There's a $5 premium for 3D movies already, and that hasn't stopped consumers. Imax is opening a bunch of screens in AMC and Regal theaters which will also sport a $5 premium -- I don't think moviegoers are going to put up with that, because the "Imax" screens being put into these theaters aren't much bigger than standard screens. They're charging $5 more for slightly better projection and sound quality. Audiences have been less than impressed with what they're getting for the 50% premium they're paying... by SONNY BUNCH
12. • What made you decide to become a movie critic? And who inspires you in your work? by Atlanta, GA
    • Answer: You know, it's one of those things where I just kind of fell into it. I've always loved movies, took a few classes on film and film history in college, and started writing about it. I honestly never thought I'd get someone to pay me to do it full time, but here we are... Of my fellow critics, the two I most admire are AO Scott at the NY Times and Anthony Lane at the New Yorker. They're both incisive and witty, and I always enjoy reading them even when I don't agree with them. by SONNY BUNCH
13. • Has the recession influenced the types of movies that are being made? Are people losing their appetites for excess and luxury - making films like Slumdog Millionaire more successful? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: The box office has been largely recession proof--revenues are way up over last year. Plus, we're still seeing movies hit the theater that were greenlit months and months (if not years) ago ... there's a little lag. The only movie that I've seen that's really dealt with the recession is Steven Soderbergh's new picture, "The Girlfriend Experience," which is set a few weeks before the 2008 election; some of the characters are financial types in New York who talk about how tough times are in between ordering 20 year old bottles of Scotch. (Tough is relative, I suppose.) I don't think audiences are losing their appetite for luxury; what you tend to find during moments like these is more escapism. If you can't be rich, at least you can live vicariously through other people's wealth... by SONNY BUNCH
14. • What is your favorite television show? Do you have time for TV? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: I'm sad to see "Lost" wrap up for the year. No new episodes until 2010? Boo! The only shows I watch from week to week are "The Office," "My Name is Earl," "Lost," and "24." The DVR is a lifesaver; since I spend so many nights at the theater watching new movies, it can be kind of tricky watching TV shows every week. A lot of the time I'll wait for something to come out on DVD and watch it all in one go: It's what I did with the first season of "Mad Men." I just wrapped up the first season of "True Blood." It's kind of a shame, because we really are in a golden age of television. Look at the great shows of the 2000s: "The Shield," "The Sopranos," "The Wire," "Deadwood" ... and these are just the ones that aren't on the air any more! The hour long drama has never, ever been better. by SONNY BUNCH
15. • Who is your pick for best up and coming director? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: Chandler Tuttle, whose "2081" is debuting in a couple of weeks at the Seattle Film Festival. Some studio head needs to get that kid behind a camera, quick! by SONNY BUNCH
16. • Do you think 'State of Play' will start a new trend of movies being made or taking place in D.C.? by Washington
    • Answer: Well, probably not since it tanked at the box office (only $34 million or so, thus far). But there have been a few successful movies shot here in recent years -- "National Treasure," for example -- and a couple of productions have swung through town ("Night at the Museum 2," "Salt"), so you never know. I'm sure the District would love to get the business (and the dollars) that Hollywood studios bring in... by SONNY BUNCH
17. • Where is your ideal spot to watch a movie? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: The front row of the stadium seating section. Actually, the best spot in the region for watching movies is in the big auditorium at the AFI SIlver: There are a row of big, plush seats in the back, separated from the rest of the seats by a little wall. If you slouch down a little, the wall blocks out the seats in front of you and it looks as though the screen just kind of floats there. I saw "2001: A Space Odyssey" on a 70mm print in that fashion, and it was pretty amazing. (Sound snobs sometimes find it a little distracting, because the wall creates the tiniest bit of echo from the rear speakers. But that doesn't bother me too much...) by SONNY BUNCH
18. • What kind of prep work do you do before reviewing a film? Is it as simple as watching the movie and deciding on the number of stars? by Washington, D.C.
    • Answer: It depends. Sometimes I'll go back and rewatch a director's work to see how he's evolving as a filmmaker; sometimes I'll read up a little on the genre in question. Though the number of stars a picture gets often comes down to a gut reaction, the actual criticism that accompanies the ranking takes more thought than you might expect: It's not enough to say something is "good" or "bad," but to explain why it's good or bad. Explaining why a movie does or doesn't work is trickier than most people think... by SONNY BUNCH
19. • Sonny, that's the end of our chat for today. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions. Do you have any final thoughts for our readers? by Jilly Badanes
    • Answer: Just to have fun at the movies. by SONNY BUNCH