A couple meets at a restaurant and begins to engage in mundane conversation. However, the mundane for them is lying to one another. And seemingly with each lie, the man and woman take turns pointing a gun at each other, spinning the weapon’s chamber in which there is a single bullet, and then pulling the trigger. Thankfully we don’t hear the firearm discharge.
The lies include the woman saying she cannot get together that night with him as originally planned because she has to have drinks with a friend at work. “I’ve been blowing her off,” she says, “explaining” why she feels obliged not to back out of the commitment yet again.
What about the following night? The guy would love to but he has to work late.
A series of supered messages sum up the infidelity scenario as the perverse game of roulette goes on.
“You might not hurt anyone by cheating,” reads the first super, referring to having sexual affairs with other partners.
“You might kill them,” reads the next message.
“Be monogamous or be safe. Prevent HIV.”
The last super is accompanied by an MTV-sponsored Web site, staying-alive.org.
The spot was directed by Baker Smith of Santa Monica-based harvest for Young & Rubicam, New York.
The harvest support team included executive producer Bonnie Goldfarb and exec producer/producer Scott Howard. The DP was Eric Treml.
The creative ensemble at Young & Rubicam consisted of creative director/art director Gabe Hoskins, creative director/copywriter Darren Moran, production director Dante Piacenza and producer Tennille Teague.
Editor was J.J. Lask of P.S. 260, New York.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More