If it's a performance piece, I think the better analogy is Andy Kaufman, who made himself the "bad guy" so convincingly that a lot of his audience ended up legitimately disliking him.

But I don't think this is a "performance" either, it's just that the alternative seems just as crazy.  How is it possible that this guy, who's been working in showbiz at the highest levels since he was a damn kid, could think he could make a ripoff of somebody else's thing and get away with it?   

The only reason a ridiculous explanation sounds almost plausible is that so far there's no non-ridiculous explanation.

Now he's getting warmer....

https://twitter.com/thecampaignbook/sta … 3649496064

That's ri- wait, what?  *runs away*

Anyway, it's just so odd to me why he would think he'd get away with it.   Even if he'd plagiarized something one-tenth as well known as Clowes' comic, THIS IS THE INTERNET.  There's always somebody who'll recognize it.    "Naivete" just doesn't seem like enough to 'splain it.

Those are 4x4 double-net flags, usually they get hung up in front of lights to soften the output a bit.   In this case I think your guess is most likely correct- they're cutting the sunlight so the camera op can see his screen better.

Philosopher + Sorcerer = Philoserer

Personally I would have gone with Philocerer, but that's me.

I now live in a world where those are the "mainstream guys"?

Truly, I have lived too long and seen too much.

Unless he's making a Batman flick, Nolan movies never have a conventional bad guy.   Memento and Insomnia certainly don't, and who's the bad guy in the Prestige?   Both main characters, pretty much.  Maybe one of them is a tiny bit less crazypants than the other, is all.

Another thing I love about Nolan is he has no use for the Campbellian "call to adventure/refusal of the call" standard opening act.  Nolan protagonists know what they want and are already going after it at full throttle when we see them for the first time.

Which goes to show that you really don't have to follow the "rules" of movie storytelling to be successful.  But you better be Chris Nolan.   And that's why you don't see Inception ripoffs.  No one knows how to make one. 

Or at least no one has the clout to get one made.  There was a very insightful article written awhile back (i forget where I saw it) that said Inception is the kind of flick that studios don't want to make.   It's unconventional and complicated, and requires the audience pay attention.   

Sure, it might be a good movie but that's the problem - it'll actually have to be a good movie to work.   Studios would much rather risk their 100 million on an Avengers sequel or whatever, because that doesn't have to be a good movie to make money.

Looks good to me, and I like Liman's stuff in general.  Cautiously optimistic.

btw, "Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise" sounds like the title of a syndicated talk show that would air around 2 AM.

Didn't hate it, liked a lot about it - mostly the period re-creations.  Coupla good jokes, Emma Thompson is fun and Hanks Hankses as good as always. 

Obviously a Disney movie isn't going to take a warts-and-all approach to a Disney story... I was a bit surprised how far they did go with showing that not everything was perfect during the making of Poppins.  But ultimately the movie couldn't seem to decide if it wanted be cynical or uplifting, and ends up neither/nor.   

Mostly it made me think how Disney is lucky that their studio looks almost exactly as it did when Walt roamed there - it makes an ideal location for a movie about Disney history.  Maybe they should use this as the start of a Hanks-as-Walt franchise.  Next Christmas:  the hilarious tale of Walt's struggle to make The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin.

Not sure I've ever seen all of Brain Donors, but I know I've seen some of it.

Is there a sight gag where one of the characters crosses his fingers and they're all twisted up in an impossible way?

That's also possible.  It'll probably get a few acting nominations as well, especially Oprah for Supporting Actress, which she deserves.