You’ve probably seen this Relay Race been going around in the past few months. I love this brilliant idea, courtesy of my pals Nostra and Terrence which started back in late November. Here’s the gist:
It’s time to put some movie people in jail. The object is to give a prosecutor’s argument as to why these movie people belong in “Movie Jail” whether it be for violating the integrity of the content source of one their films, or being a sell-out, just making bad movies overall, getting worse as time goes on or not being in a good movie for many years.
The baton will be passed to another blogger who will have to do the following:
In order to free someone from Movie Jail they have to do 2 things
1 – Give a defense attorney argument defending the plaintiff
2 – Pay bail: the cost of which is another case for the court and a prosecutor’s argument against the actor/director of their choice that will replace the one set free.There must always be 10 people in Movie Jail.
Thanks to Diana from Aziza’s Picks for passing this to me last Thursday. At this point, I’m the 12th person on the relay race, here are the previous participants from the starting point:
- My Film Views/The Focused Filmographer
- Cinematic Corner
- And So It Begins
- Surrender to the Void
- Cinematic Paradox
- The Cinematic Spectacle
- Being Norma Jean
- Defiant Success
- …let’s be splendid about this
- Lime Reviews and Strawberry Confessions
- Aziza’s Picks
So let’s take a look at the current 10 inmates, shall we?
Diana rescued George Lucas [glad she did, I would’ve rescued him too] and put K-Stew in. I absolutely concur with her choice and rationale. Stewart was already a prisoner right from the original relay race but got rescued [Sati, though I enjoyed reading your argument, sadly I don’t think K-Stew deserved your eloquent defense], so I’m glad she’s back in! The thing is, I’m totally stumped as to who I should defend. As Diana said before, everyone here seemed to merit their penalty. I wasn’t aware of who Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer and Raja Gosnell before but that’s because fortunately, I have never seen any of their movies — except for Gosnell’s Never Been Kissed — but man, those are awful, awful movies.
After much deliberations, I’ve decided that I’d give my defense not for a complete release but to put said actor on probation. I simply can’t think of anyone here that I’d give a get-out-of-jail free card because their ‘offense’ is quite tremendous.
The actor I choose to defend is:
Yes I know, I’m quite shocked myself that I’d actually pick her as I’ve said it several times on this blog that she can’t act. But she’s generally pretty likable and I feel that she just need to find the right project and be more willing to venture out of her comfort zone [The Good Girl, Horrible Bosses]. For what it’s worth, at least she’s been consistent in her career, I mean, it’s not like she was an Oscar-winning actress who suddenly start making bad choices. Now, that doesn’t excuse her role choices – hence I still put her on probation – but I think she still could make good movies down the road and the right director could perhaps coax a good performance out of her.
The actor I’m putting in jail:
It pains me to put Nic on here as I quite like his earlier roles. I mean, this guy won a darn Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, and his action movies following that was great: The Rock, Face/Off, Con Air, and his dramatic roles in The Family Man and Adaptation displayed his acting chops. But then his piles of debts pretty much reduced him to a ‘yes man’ who takes every single freakin’ role without bothering to read the script. I mean, other than maybe his supporting role in Kick-Ass, he hasn’t starred in anything decent for as long as I can remember. He’s been so prolific and not in a good way, starring in one bad movie after another, with seemingly no end in sight. I thought the first Ghost Rider was absolutely horrid and he’s made a sequel of the darn thing!! You’d think he’s hit rock bottom when he starred in a Taken rip-off called Stolen [seriously Nic, that is low even for you], but I think that’s still not his worst yet. He’s attached to no less than nine movies just in 2013 alone, according to IMDb, who knows how many of those turn out to actually be remotely watchable?? I could go on but I think most moviegoers could see he’s lost his integrity as an actor. I do hope he could still turn things around though.
P.S. I was actually considering putting Gerry Butler in jail, but I think that Nic is far more guilty than him at this point. But the fact that I’m even considering GB, it goes to show how I feel about his career right now.
Ok, now I’m passing the torch to Iba @ I Luv Cinema.
Curious what she’d do with this list 😀
Well, are you surprised by my picks? Sound off in the comments below.
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
At least Cage can be entertaining when he fails. A lot of these others have to be one their A Game or its unwatchable.
Dont get me wrong, Cage is awful. Frequently. Far more often than he’s any good. But at least when he sucks you can laugh. As opposed to say… Sandler.
Good choice though, Ruth, he belongs. 😉
It really pains me to put Cage but I feel that he NEEDS to get this debt thing over with and become an actor again, y’know. I used to think that he’s still fun enough to watch even when he’s bad, but Ghost Rider was excruciating. I’d love to see him make a good comeback though, I’m still hoping for another Con Air or Face/Off 😀
Heck Ruth personally I’d put him in jail just for Con Air or Face/Off. LOL. How about Moonstruck or Leaving Las Vegas? Even The Vampire’s Kiss where he was way better than the movie. Now he’s gone to the Al Pacino school of overacting Hall of Fame. Jail!
Ahah, you don’t love Con Air or Face/Off? Come on Dave, those are fun action flicks! 😀 Yeah, Pacino was on here but someone freed him I think.
I really wish Nic Cage would try to star in a good movie again. He really hasn’t done anything noteworthy since Adaptation.
Yeah I hope he gets his debt paid off soon so he could actually pick good roles again. Hope he still has some good sense left in him!
Nicolas Cage over Jennifer Aniston… I’m fine with that. Aniston does have her moments as an actress. Yet, Cage is wasting away in shit films. Great pick.
Glad you agree. I’m still not ‘freeing’ Aniston though, she’s on probation 🙂
I agree with both of these picks. In fact, since they could both use a good movie right now,perhaps they could find one to co-star in?
Ahah, now that actually would be interesting to see!
I think Cage is the better actor, but he does deserve to be in there over Aniston. I liked her in Horrible Bosses and Wanderlust recently. Plus, I haven’t been able to watch a new Cage film since Knowing in 2009. (I do want to see him in Bad Lieutenant from that year though.) Good call Ruth.
I think Bad Lieutenant is the last good Cage movie right now
It’s precisely because Cage is the better actor! I mean he’s wasting his talents in below sub-par movies because of his piled-on debts. I was in Bath, England a few years ago and the tour guide pointed to a house that he owned there. I mean, why the heck would he need a house in Bath??! I doubt he’s Jane Austen fan 😉
Oh Nic. The rage video montages on youtube bring me joy, but you’re right, Ruth – he definitely deserves to be in here! Though I will freely admit to enjoying National Treasure on a rainy day 🙂
I’ve got to see those rage videos! He does ‘deranged’ very well, ahah. I do like the first National Treasure, that’s actually quite fun.
The Wicker Man. That is all.
Ahah, so you love that movie eh Terry? 😉
You know what, I’ve not actually seen it so that’s slightly unfair but having seen some of the ‘best’ bits on YouTube it looks like simultaneously the best and worst film ever.
Surprising choices! I guess you could change the name of Nic Cage into Gerard Butler and there wouldn’t be much different (except for the tax situation) 😉 And no matter what, I’ll watch Cage in almost anything he is in.
Happy to see you are also part of the race!
Well, I did consider putting GB in but as I said, I think Nic has been guiltier for much longer. True though, GB has no excuse to pick the roles he did. In any case, I still like Cage, I just hope he turn things around soon.
haha. Nice choice Ruth! So glad you were a part of the Relay Race! Poor Nic! I want another Face/Off or The Rock myself. It’d be great to see him come back to form.
and Jennifer Aniston is freed. I am def okay with that! 🙂 I was waiting for Cage to be “caged.”
Yeah, thanks to Diana! I hope Nic’s still got some years on him to actually get a proper comeback, T. Btw, I didn’t really ‘free’ Aniston, I put her on probation, hope that’s ok 🙂
Bloody good choice on Nic Cage. God he’s awful! He has the potential to be great but he makes dire choices consistently. Apart from Bad Lieutenant I have no idea when he was last in a good film.
Yeah, he’s definitely got the potential to be great, that’s why I think his offense is so great. I don’t know how many actors are in such a huge debt predicament like him, it’s ridiculous!
Oh, come on! Nic Cage brings so much joy with his bad movies that are so bad they turn into hilarious comedies. And Aniston shat under the bush in her latest movie 🙂
Ahahaha, glad I didn’t see that Aniston movie, Sati. As I mentioned above, it pains me to put Nic on here as I generally like the guy. I didn’t find his terrible movie hilarious though, it was excruciating!
Yeah Nic Cage needs to be put in jail, he doesn’t care what kind of movies he’s in anymore, he’s only in it for the money. He used to be my favorite actor but I couldn’t respect him anymore after the awful Ghost Rider. Hopefully once he paid off all of his debts, he’ll think twice before accepting another straight to video action movie.
It’s really too bad. I think he’s already ‘imprisoned’ by his debt. I used to like his movies but like you, after Ghost Rider I gave up.
I’m very surprised that Cage isn’t in there already. Nice choice Ruth. 🙂
It pains me to do so, and I almost put GB in there too Mark 😀
Oh dear, my favorite Family Man who’s had me giddy and Moonstruck for so long is behind bars (sob sob). His Adaptation to bad movies has got to change. I agree there is still hope that once again he will be a National Treasure ;-D
Ahah yeah, it’s too bad really, Becky. But he hasn’t made any decent movie [forget good, just decent] in soooo long!
Working on it now Ruth! Will have it posted tomorrow. Thanks. This is fun!
All of the people that are currently in Movie Jail certainly deserve to be there for one reason or another. Your rationale to “defend” Jennifer Aniston instead of Nic Cage also makes sense to me in the way that we all know that Aniston is doing exactly what she can given her limited range. To me, it is far more “criminal” to have the talent and throw it away considering there are hundreds upon hundreds of people that would give anything to have some of these people’s opportunities. It’s really too bad Cage has been forced to lose track of his very promising career given his very serious money troubles and messy personal life. Lets all hope that at least some of those future releases bear something good.
Good job Ruth !
Hi Niels, glad you like my reasoning. Yes to me it’s more of a crime when people waste their talents. I do think Aniston could still be more versatile than she is if she tried, but Nic Cage is just wasting his talents and opportunities as an actor. Yeah lets hope a few of his upcoming movies are decent, but I’m not holding my breath.
Ahh, that would have been something if ol’ GB got the boot! 😀 Poor Nic Cage. I can’t believe he has nine movies on his slate this year, wow! Guess he’s gotta pay off his debt somehow.
Y’know I might have put GB if I did this AFTER I saw the Olympus Has Fallen trailer, ahah. Still though, Nic Cage has been making bad movies for far too long, and he’s not done yet it seems 😦
Good call there! Nic Cage deserves to be in movie jail! And glad you saved Aniston. She does a lot of stinkers, but she’s talented and she gave a fantastic performance in Horrible Bosses that was COMPLETELY against type.
Hi Fernando! I hope Aniston step out of her comfort zone more, she’s proven that she could do it, but then she reverts back to her usual rom-com type again.
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