You Can Watch Joss Whedon's New Film RIGHT NOW

We interrupt the usual Monday morning water cooler talk about last night's Game of Thrones for an important announcement: Last night Joss Whedon premiered his new film, In Your Eyes, at the Tribeca Film Festival, and then announced that as of this morning, it's available worldwide for digital download for the princely sum of five bucks.

You can see his announcement here, and go here to rent the movie.

I know what I'm doing tonight!

Joss Whedon's Commencement Speech

A few years ago, I blogged about my experience of meeting Jeanine Basinger and listening to her give a talk at the third Slayage conference in Arkansas. Basinger is Joss Whedon's mentor, his professor in film school at Wesleyan, and the woman to whom he turns whenever he's working on anything new. This year she brought him back to Wesleyan to give the commencement speech, and it was amazing, even if he did open it by telling everyone they were going to die. At least he was being honest. Recalling his own commencement, where Bill Cosby told all of them they weren't going to change the world, so don't even try, he said he could see where the legendary comedian was going with that, but he wanted to do better. And he did:

So here’s the thing about changing the world. It turns out that’s not even the question, because you don’t have a choice. You are going to change the world, because that is actually what the world is. You do not pass through this life, it passes through you. You experience it, you interpret it, you act, and then it is different. That happens constantly. You are changing the world. You always have been, and now, it becomes real on a level that it hasn’t been before.And that’s why I’ve been talking only about you and the tension within you, because you are—not in a clichéd sense, but in a weirdly literal sense—the future. After you walk up here and walk back down, you’re going to be the present. You will be the broken world and the act of changing it, in a way that you haven’t been before. You will be so many things, and the one thing that I wish I’d known and want to say is, don’t just been yourself. Be all of yourselves. Don’t just live. Be that other thing connected to death. Be life. Live all of your life. Understand it, see it, appreciate it. And have fun.

Go here to read the entire speech.

Much Ado About Joss Whedon

So yesterday I had the delight and pleasure of attending the world premiere of Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing, at the Toronto International Film Festival. I couldn't get tickets at first, but thanks to a group of Buffy fans I've been hanging around with for about a decade, I was able to get my hands on one (thank you Alex, Cindy, and Colleen!) When I arrived, Yonge Street had been closed off for the red carpet (ie SUVs showing up to drop off the stars of the show).

The view of the red carpet from back in the line. That's Yonge
Street for the non-Torontonians, and it crosses Queen just south there.
SUVs came from the south and up the part-block and dropped them
off under the lit-up marquee.

There was a kerfuffle about 20 minutes before the movie started, and we couldn't see from way back in the line (here's a gripe for TIFF: You put the moviegoers standing in line WAY back so they can't actually see the stars of the movie they paid to see, but the fans who didn't get tickets are standing way up next to the red carpet getting photos and autographs). Luckily, we were in a group so we could send people up a few at a time. The first person came back and didn't know who it was, and showed the rest of us the pic on her camera and it was Tom Lenk and Reed Diamond. When the next kerfuffle happened, I went up, and saw the wonderful and amazing Alexis Denisof (in the Whedonverse, he's Wesley Wyndham-Pryce and the Senaterrrrrr) and Sean Maher (Simon Tam).

Sean Maher signing autographs.

Alexis signing. He did almost the entire round. 

As everyone was mooning and screaming over these two, there was suddenly screaming from behind me. And I realized that if I'd stayed in the line, I would have seen Joss Whedon nonchalantly wandering down Yonge Street, not arriving in an SUV like everyone else. Right behind him was Nathan Fillion, with Clark Gregg.

Joss as I first saw him, turning and acknowledging a fan
who recognized him right away, while everyone else wondered
who the guy in the suit and sneakers was.

Joss as he walked by me. He actually looked right at me
and waved, but my stupid camera delayed and I didn't get
that shot. 

And here's Nathan. I apologize for the extreme fuzziness, but
aside from the delay, my camera can't change the zoom from one
photo to the next apparently. (Note to self: NEW CAMERA.)

 Joss went into the building pretty quickly, but Nathan walked around the crowds and took pics with people and signed autographs in that dashing and charming way of his, completely making everyone fall in love with him again.

Nathan leaving the crowds after being told he needed
to get into the theatre.

Afterwards a few others came, but I noticed the women didn't stop outside and sign autographs at all: they went straight in. I caught a glimpse of Amy Acker, but not the rest of them. Perhaps the women had been counselled that it wasn't safe for them? Not sure.

And then the line was ushered in quickly, so we didn't get to see the rest of the arrivals. But imagine my delight when we walked in and saw this:

The media line inside the theatre. That's Alexis in the foreground,
obviously, and in the back is Nathan, and Joss is against the
doors (and that appears to be Cynthia Loyst from Space
interviewing him).

Again, as we went by I held up my camera and said, "Alexis!" and he looked right at me, paused for a moment to give me the perfect pose and my camera didn't take the pic immediately, so as he glanced to the side assuming it had been taken, I got this one instead. I'm still happy. ;)

Oh, Wesley...

Once inside, we grabbed our seats in front of the reserved section and waited a while for everyone to come in. Eventually the stars filed in from outside and it was immediately apparent that they were ALL THERE. Every last one of them. Amy Acker came by me, and I finally got to see her close up:

No, she really doesn't age.

And I even spotted someone from Whedon's acting troupe who wasn't in the film, but was probably in something else at the festival: Olivia Wiliams:

Adelle cut off all her hair! Maybe she's in hiding.

Joss Whedon then took the stage the place ERUPTED. Standing ovation, screaming, applause, shouting. He looked really floored, grinning and almost speechless. Then he stepped up to the podium and said a few things about the movie ("I hope you feel the same way about me two hours from now") and called Much Ado About Nothing "the most bipolar text on love and marriage I've ever known."

He said he's a huge fan of William Shakespeare, adding that he's written some pretty good stuff and he predicts big things for the guy (but that he's really difficult to get a hold of when you try to reach him). He promised a Q&A after the film (YES!!! I've only been to the Elgin Theatre during TIFF one other time where there was a Q&A — Michael Moore — because it's one of the few places that doesn't allow them, so I was a little worried the day before when I realized the venue.) And the lights went down, and the movie started.

I won't spoil it for you (as much as one can spoil a 400-year-old text) but I will say a few things:

The movie was filmed at Joss's house. His house is GORGEOUS.

That said... and I have to say this... I cannot describe the feeling that came over me during the scene where Benedick confronts Claudio and threatens him after Beatrice has asked Benedick to do this for him. It was shot in the study, which is wall-to-wall built-in bookshelves. I'm assuming the books on the shelves are Joss's, and you know me: I paid more attention to the background than what was happening in the foreground (I know the play, I know what's being said). And imagine my shock when I saw one particular book cover on the top shelf behind Benedick: Twilight.

Freakin' TWILIGHT. I... have no words. Was it a joke? Please tell me it was a joke.

OK, back to the film. I'm thrilled to report that it's wonderful. It's well known about Whedon fans that Joss Whedon would film the TV shows during the week, and on weekends would invite the cast over to his house and they'd all read Shakespeare and act it out. As a result, the cast of the film — largely consisting of members of Whedon's TV troupe — knows the material so well it just comes out of their mouths as easily as modern-day English does. The film is a modernized version of the play, and to be honest, I find many modern-day interpretations to be rather tedious and the contrasts clash too much to make it work. Shakespeare's language isn't what's in the way — I think his words can be translated into any setting if done properly — but sometimes the director is just trying too hard. Not so with this. Joss knew the strengths of each of his cast members, and used it. The scene where Claudio, Leonato, and Don Pedro all pretend to not notice that Benedick is eavesdropping while they talk of Beatrice's love for him is BRILLIANTLY handled, mostly because Alexis Denisof — who has been shown to play the deepest, saddest character imaginable — started out on Buffy by being a goofy Watcher known more for his slapstick than his seriousness, and Alexis pulls them all out here. It was like watching early Wesley again, even though for most of the movie he plays the dashing Benedick unlike any other character he's done in the Whedonverse.

Amy Acker similarly handled herself well, and in the mirror scene where Hero is tricking her into thinking Benedick is in love with her, Acker pulls off a pratfall that outdoes everything Denisof had pulled off in the previous scene.

Fran Kranz is Claudio, and we finally get to see him in a Whedon production where he isn't jittery and nerdy, but at ease with himself, albeit one who is easily manipulated. (And in case, like me, you were wondering what the heck is on the poster for the film, that's actually Claudio, super-drunk, in a pool just before Don John (Sean Maher) and Conrade begin their deceit.

Speaking of Conrade, he's played as a woman in this version (Riki Lindhome), which changes the interpretation of some of the language completely; they're not comrades, but lovers. And the way Joss plays with the language to make it suit that sort of pairing is hilarious.

I remember wondering what Joss would do with the line where Claudio insists he'll marry Hero's sister to make amends, even "were she an Ethiope." Some directors now choose to omit it, but Joss leaves the line in, and makes it laugh-out-loud hilarious.

However, pretty much everyone in the film is upstaged by Nathan Fillion as Dogberry, the bumbling detective, and his sidekick Verges, played by Tom Lenk. They are screamingly funny, and the audience was in stitches throughout (there were definitely plenty of Browncoats in attendance, for when Fillion makes his first appearance about 1/3 of the way into the film, the place erupted with screams and applause).

Check out Lenk's porn stache. 

I would watch this movie over and over if for nothing but their scenes. They were amazing, and there was one moment where I actually thought Fillion was making up lines, because they seemed too modern-day to be real. But no, he just used his body language and inflection to make them seem modern, but they were indeed word for word from the play.

And, of course, the Whedonite in me can't help but almost weep when Benedick and Beatrice finally open their eyes and get together:

I wanted to shout, "FRED AND WESLEY FOREVER!!" but didn't want to be that annoying person at a premiere. ;) But still, you can't help but watch these two together if you're an Angel fan and NOT think, "Sigh... this is what it would have been like if Illyria hadn't shown up."

After the movie (which had a long standing ovation and shouts and cheers from the audience), Joss got back up on stage, once again overwhelmed by the love (I think he might have been a little teary!)

I love this photo, because if there's anyone who embodies
"When Indie Meets Epic," it's Joss.

Then he invited his cast on the stage, and they all joined him, barely fitting up there from one end to the other.

L-R: Joss, Alexis, Amy, Clark Gregg, Reed Diamond, Fran
Kranz, Kai Cole (exec prod and also Mrs. Joss Whedon),
Jillian Morghese (Hero), Nick Kocher (First Watchman),
Joshua Zar (Leonato's aide), Emma Bates (Ursula), Brian McElhaney
(Second Watchman, who was very funny), Sean Maher

The second half, taking a bow, and I apologize I didn't get a
better pic, but the Q&A started and I wanted to record it.

And then the Q&A started, and here it is!



Afterward, the cast went out the back door and I saw most of them again, and once again Alexis and Fran stopped to sign for everyone, while the women shot straight into a cab. (Oddly, there were no preassigned vehicles to pick them up; the volunteers were desperately trying to hail cabs for them while they waited inside the doorway).

The crowd waiting for them to come out (I didn't want any
autographs so I took pics from across the street).

Fran and Alexis heading straight for the crowd.

Fran finished, and then had to stand and wait
while Alexis took on the other side of the crowd.

Alexis being swarmed. He was on his phone
when he walked out... could he have been chatting
with Alyson? (Asks the Buffy ubergeek.)

Olivia Williams, Jillian Morghese, and Kai heading to the cab.
Kai is the one in front holding the coat.

And that was that! I hope I was able to give you some sense of having been there, and here's hoping Joss's new Hollywood clout will get this film released, because it's a wonderful adaptation.

SCARY SMASH!!!

(Thanks to Nikki Faith for this link.) I loved it for so many reasons, not least of all because this is how storytelling happens in my house, too. My son or daughter comes up with the basic premise and I start asking leading questions to make it go in different directions, and my husband and I are often in stitches at the result. The idea to take that story and animate it — starring Joss Whedon as "Gerald" — is genius. Also, watch how the SQUAT team is always squatting, hahaha!

"Based on a Play..."

I just saw this a few minutes ago, and thought, "Wait, what?!"



I did some quick searching and it seems news sites are as surprised as I am, and still trying to suss out if this is real or not (I thought he was working on another little thing called The Avengers?). I'm guessing it is... although it just seems too good to be true. (Please be true, please be true!) Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion, AND Tom Lenk? My little Whedony fan heart just burst with happiness.

I think I may need an ambulance... ;)

UPDATE: I just checked Twitter (I mean, if it's there, it MUST be true, right??) and Nathan Fillion is saying it totally is. YAAAAAAAAAY!!

Cabin in the Woods: First Look

Thanks to Michael Holland for the heads up... here's the first still from the lost Joss Whedon film, Cabin in the Woods, which might get released... one of these years.

Joss Responds to the Buffy Reboot

As you've probably heard, as of yesterday Warner announced they are officially going forward with their idea of a Buffy reboot, using none of the cast... no Joss Whedon... and hell, let's not put her in high school, either. I mean, it's not like the high school actually played into the metaphor or anything, right? We'll call it "Resident Evil: Sunnydale Edition."

As you can probably tell, I won't exactly be the first person in line.

Anyway, Joss responded to the news late yesterday:


This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths—just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.

Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, "Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER." Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, "I'll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!" Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?

I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death. But, you know, AFTER. I don't love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I'm also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can't wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I'm making a Batman movie. Because there's a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.

Leave me to my pain! Sincerely, Joss Whedon.

Thanks to Sagacious Penguin for the link!

Grr... Argh...

SFX Magazine has a Joss Whedon special this month, and to celebrate, on their website they've presented 9 potential incarnations of the only monster that appeared in every episode of Buffy -- the Mutant Enemy guy. For example, at the end of Villains (which, in the article, they incorrectly identify as the episode Seeing Red), he could have looked like this:



LOL!! (Only Buffy fans will get that joke, and I won't spoil it for the rest of you who aren't up to season 6 yet.) Check out the full gallery of little "grr, argh" men here.

Comic-Con: The Joss Whedon Experience!!!

Another fantastic upload, here is the Joss Whedon-only panel at Comic-Con. Dying here. DYING. (You can see the panel he did with J.J. Abrams in full here.)

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Part 5:

J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon at Comic-Con!! UPDATED

To help lessen the angst I'm feeling over NOT being at Comic-Con, here is the panel with J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon (honestly, I think I would have passed out with sheer glee so maybe it's best I'm NOT there), being interviewed by the one and only Jeff Jensen. Thanks to Femme Bot for uploading these!!!!
UPDATE: This now includes all 6 parts.


Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Part 5:


Part 6:

Reason #40,678: Why I Love Joss Whedon

(Thanks to Elizabeth R. for the link!)

Slayage... Is Coming...

And no, I'm not talking about the inevitable death toll that looms on Lost (waaaah... oh PLEASE Darlton, SPARE THEM!) No, I'm talking about SC4, the upcoming Slayage academic conference on the Whedonverses (remember long ago when it was just about Buffy? No more...)! I haven't been this excited since, well, the last Slayage!

This is where academics from around the world descend on the historic town of St. Augustine, Florida, to talk about all things Whedon for three days. Can you even imagine anything more glorious? No. You can't. We've been discussing on this blog the possibility of doing a Buffy rewatch (or, in the case of the unanointed, a Buffy first-watch) with all of us discussing the show as we go, probably starting at some point in August, and if we do that, it would be a great boon for your analytical skills to attend this conference first.

The keynotes will be Janet ("Steve") Halfyard, author of Music, Sound, and Silence in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, delivering a paper entitled "Listening to Buffy: Music, Memory, Meaning, and Moping"; Lorna Jowett, author of Sex and the Slayer, on "Stuffing a Rabbit in It: Character, Narrative, and Time in the Whedonverses"; and Dale Koontz, author of Faith and Choice in the Works of Joss Whedon, whose paper is entitled, "Twelve Steps Forward, One Step Back: Redemption Through Recovery in the Works of Joss Whedon."

The draft of the program of presenters is now available here, and you'll see the wide array of topics and papers, some of which look absolutely divine.

But of course, what you'll REALLY be there to see is the banquet talk, which is where the name of the conference becomes a literal one. Oh yes, folks, for one night only, you can see a steel cage death match between Nikki "The Slayer" Stafford and Matthew "Silly, Silly British Man" Pateman!! In this corner, standing at 5'6" and boasting a black belt in AWESOMENESS, it's the author of Bite Me!! And in this corner, standing at 6'4" (wait, what?) and specializing in tea drinking and Man U hating, it's the author of The Aesthetics of Culture in Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!

We all know who's gonna win this one.

OK, maybe it won't quite be a steel cage death match. Possibly more like poking each other annoyingly. Or a re-enactment of the Harmony/Xander slap fight. But, you know, I think there will be roast beef. So... yay?

There's still time to register to come and listen. Seriously, this conference is SO much fun, I can't recommend it enough. Hope to see some of you there!

Yes, Joss, You DO Deserve It

Thanks to fb for the heads-up on this story. The Producers Guild of America will be honouring Joss Whedon with the Vanguard Award at the PGA Awards in January 2010, saying “Joss Whedon has mastered the art of melding the newest technology with inspired storytelling, truly exemplifying the spirit of the Vanguard Award.”

In a typically hilarious response, Joss said, “This is an honor I didn’t expect and probably don’t deserve. The truth is, I’ve never actually guarded a van. But I am a super-total visionary, so that fits. I’m ready to take my place next to the guys who made ‘THX 1138’ and ‘Tin Toy’ (Did they ever do anything else, btw? They showed such promise.). This is a time of radical change in media delivery and content, and I’m honestly proud the PGA has singled me out as someone who sort of knows what’s going on.”

There Is a God...

And he LOVES me. This my bible tells me so. No, not THAT Bible. Entertainment Weekly. Just announced on Ausiello: Joss Whedon is going to direct an episode of Glee! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Now THIS is a Magazine Cover I'd Kill For

Sometimes I think that the TV Addict and I were separated at birth. Angry with YET ANOTHER Twilight cover on this week's Entertainment Weekly (dude, I am SO with you on that one...) he decided to fashion a cover that he'd like to see. How many takers out there? Let's hope EW is listening.

30 Rock vs. The Muppets

What? A post that's NOT about Lost?! Yes, let's talk about one of my other billion favourite shows for a change. Thanks to Jay for sending me this hilarious link. If there's anyone out there who is a big fan of 30 Rock and The Muppets (me! me!) then you probably adored the scene near the end of this season, where Jack asked Kenneth the Page what the world looked like through his eyes, and we saw... Jack and his tailor as Muppets (pictured). For me, one of the funniest 30 Rock moments ever.

Well, it turns out, this might have been a hint at a much bigger connection between 30 Rock and The Muppets. Blogger (and co-creator of the Whedon-driven Angel: After the Fall comic book series) Brian Lynch has uncovered a conspiracy: that, in fact, 30 Rock is nothing more than a rip-off of the Muppets! Okay, it's all tongue-in-cheek, but his evidence is pretty compelling -- and awesomely funny. Go check out his post here, and get ready to laugh!

Oh, and while you're there, check out his post on what a movie poster of a reimagined non-Whedon-helmed Angel might look like. A badass Jorge Garcia as Gunn had me doubled over. :) (Check me out: I STILL brought it back around to Lost.)

Jossless Buffy = INSANITY

So there's lot's more hatred out there for the new Jossless Buffy idea. You probably all read the one about Joss Whedon being asked for a comment, in which he said, "I hope it's cool." The end. And then hung up his cellphone, threw it against a wall, ran to the closest wooden chair, ripped off one of the legs and staked himself in the heart with it. OK, maybe that last part didn't happen, but I know I certainly felt like doing that to MYSELF. GRR... ARGH.

This comic made me laugh LOTS. Especially because of my love for Twilight (see profile pic for proof of that love). :)



You can read the illustrator's thoughts at his site here.

I hope the Kuzuis hear the outcry of the enraged fans and media. I've yet to see a SINGLE article that says, "You know what? This could be a really good idea." Because it's not. And everyone except the money-hungry Kuzuis knows that. Part of me hopes they do it, that they sink $100 million into it and lose every penny. But then the movie would still be out there. And then, needing more money, they'd probably sell the Buffy rights to Michael Jackson or something.

We need to keep opposing this. No Jossless Buffy! No Jossless Buffy!

Help me out here. What would a Jossless Buffy be like? How about:
• Lost without Darlton
• A car without a steering wheel
• The Fellowship without Gandalf
• Bohemian Rhapsody sung by Screech from Saved by the Bell
• Macaroni without cheese
• Galactica without Adama
• Opus without Berke Breathed
• Alice in Wonderland written by Bobcat Goldthwait
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer without JOSS frickin’ WHEDON

Dollhouse!! Tonight!!

In honour of tonight's series premiere of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, tonight at 9 on FOX (SQUEEEEEEE!), here's a very bad scan (I need a new scanner) of me with some guy.

Joss Coming to NYC

In anticipation of Dollhouse beginning on February 13 (squeeeeeee!!), Joss Whedon is going to be appearing at the New York Comic Con. According to this article, he will be screening the pilot of Dollhouse, and will then sign autographs immediately following the show.

Drat. Just another reason why I need to move to NYC. Sigh...

Photo of the Day

How much do I love Joss's tortured auteur look in this photo?! Brilliant.