Buffy started as a fairly campy, albeit loved, film of the early 90s starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry. I remember the movie being pretty bad, though I haven’t seen it in ages. When a television spin-off was announced, I thought to myself, “seriously!? There were enough people who cared about that movie and it had enough of a story to base an entire series on?” Of course, this was before I knew who Joss (NOT Josh) Whedon was and what his brilliance is capable of.
I never checked out the show until about halfway through the second season. Then I caught another episode by chance. From there on out I was hooked. It’s campy, corny, bubblegummy and teenie bopper-ish… but it worked; and it worked well (nominated for Emmy’s and Golden Globes and countless other awards). The dialogue is just hip enough, the girls (mmm Charisma Carpenter) were hot enough, the characters were deep enough and the storyline was solid enough to get people really involved in the show and even become obsessive about it. Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar breathed life into a character that I would’ve sworn would be unwatchable.
So the show lasted for 7 terrific seasons with FANTASTIC characters coming and leaving throughout and ended when it needed to and on a high note. So now the question is, should there be a feature film? Bloody Disgusting caught up with SMG and asked her what her thoughts would be on reprising the role of Buffy Summers:
“I have to be honest. That thought really scares me. Buffy was a movie and it didn’t work because her story was longer than that.”, Gellar said. “This was about a girl that you had to get to know and it took so long to figure out how to crack the ending so that people weren’t upset. Of course I never say never, so I’m not saying no, but my fear would be to open something like that up again, to only end it again.
“Like Sex in the City is such a great ending, so I’m curious to see now how they’re going to open it up and how to shut it for us again. I feel like a show you love ends, you have like a mourning period, so do you open yourself up to that again, to wanting it but knowing it’s going to end? That whole thing worries me a little bit.”
For me? YES! I don’t care if it’s going to end. I would love to see Buffy back for another round of slaying action. If there’s a thirst for something out there (which I’m sure there is where Buffy is concerned) and cast and crew are interested, I say bring it back. Why does it have to be “shut off” again? Her “Sex and the City” reference is a perfect example. I think “X-Files” or even “Star Trek” are two other examples of franchises that work; even if they are “opened and closed” several times.
And I’m sorry, but you get Whedon behind this project as a writer and hire a good director, I’m sure Gellar’s fears would be put on the back burner in favor of some great exposure and a hefty paycheck. As would the rest of the cast I’m sure (Eliza Dushku, James Marsters, Allison Hannigan, Seth Green… the list is nearly endless). I just about guarantee a sell out at theaters across the country on opening night should this ever be brought to fruition. I know I’d be there.
Taking place almost 30 years ago in the dry, rugged terrain of western Texas, No Country for Old Men is just as sweltering as the arid wastes of the landscape. Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss comes across a drug deal gone bad while hunting antelope. There are bodies scatterd everywhere and of course an unclaimed satchel full of money. In spite of his better judgement, Llewelyn grabs the loot and heads home; knowing full well whoever lost it will be coming back to find it. Hot on his trail is Anton Chigurh, a relentless psychopath, played deliciously by Javier Bardem, who is hell bent on retrieving his money – and killing anyone who gets in his way. Add to the mix, Tommy Lee Jones, as an aging sherriff caught in a world uncomprehensible to him and you’ve got stellar roles by stellar actors all playing their part in top notch form.
Lars, played by the always brilliant Ryan Gosling is a socially troubled young man who has problems interacting with others. He lives in a bunk house attached to the garage of his brother Gus and sister-in-law Karin; played terrifically by Paul Schneider and Emily Mortimer respectively. While they worry for his social life (or lack there-of), Lars gets up, goes to work in a cubicle and comes home by himself everyday and seemingly just wants to be left alone. Until one day he brings a “guest” over to his brother’s place for dinner. This guest, to the shock and worry of his siblings, is actually a high-priced, anatomically correct love doll called Bianca. Lars treats Bianca like he would a real person – he has conversations with her, dresses her and eats with her.
Carrell plays Dan, a widower of three girls with whom of course he can’t relate (or even get a long with). Every fall the foursome heads north to Dan’s folk’s house on the lake to see all the relatives. While at the lake Dan’s mother orders Dan out of the house for some “me” time. At a local bookstore Dan runs into the lovely Marie and the unlikely pair hit it off for several hours until Marie announces she has to rush to her boyfriend’s house. When Dan arrives back to the lake house, there he finds marie and her boyfriend is Dan’s younger brother Mitch (Dane Cook). So sets off a series of uncomfortable mishaps and comedic (and I use that term loosely) moments. 
Russel Crowe plays Richie, an almost too honest of a cop trying to maintain justice and order in a cop corrupt New York City. Near the beginning of the film he’s ostracized by his fellow officers for doing the right thing and turning in some confiscated drug money instead of keeping it for himself. Meanwhile, his home life is in shambles; an ongoing divorce trial, fighting for custody of his son and general financial woes.
Gone Baby Gone is the story of 4 year-old Amanda McCready. Abducted from her home one night while her mother is out galavanting around town. The cops seem to have very few leads and so the family decides to hire a couple of private detectives who specialize in missing persons. Affleck and Monaghan play the two leads searching for clues about Amanda’s disappearance. They know the people in town who might reveal something that they normally might not to the police. And so starts a series of clues and investigations that lead our protagonists and the audience down a road you won’t believe.
With no opening title credits, we’re thrust right into the heart of the story and all of our main characters. The James gang is about to break up. They’re planning on pulling off one more train robbery before hanging up the spurs and guns for a simpler life. Young Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) has looked up to his hero Jesse (Brad Pitt) since he was a boy and this last robbery he plans to show what he’s made of and earn the trust and friendship of the notorious outlaw. Earn it he does and he tags along with Jesse and various gang members as they set off in search of a better life. No sooner has the gang split, than the law starts finding some of the members and bringing them to justice. Jesse, paranoid as a deer at wolf creek, stalks his ex-members that he feels he can’t trust and does away with them one by one. This leads to more paranoia, double-crossing and general “familial” chaos that weaves a heartbreaking and tension filled story of the dying glory of the fabled old west (or in this case, mid-west). As Jesse’s delusions and paranoia grow deeper. Ford’s resentment of the hero begins to grow, until he too begins to fear for his life which leads Ford to his destiny.
