KEANU REEVES IS A MEMBER OF GENERATION UM

Keanu Reeves is best known now as an A-list star who stars in big-budget movies like the Matrix trilogy, Constantine and The Day the Earth Stood Still. So, it's possibly easy to forget that Keanu's roots include a fair number of indie-style movies like River's Edge, Feeling Minnesota, and My Own Private Idaho (regardless of whether or not those movies were technically "indies"). More recently, Keanu has appeared in small roles in Thumbsucker, Ellie Parker and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and is also starring in the upcoming Henry's Crime. Keanu's latest indie movie is called Generation Um, and it also features Bojana Novakovic (Edge of Darkness) and Adelaide Clemens (currently unknown but she's got an upcoming role in Mad Max: Fury Road). Keanu Reeves will star with those two young actresses in Generation Um as a man who spends a day immersing himself in "sex, drugs and indecision." Generation Um was written by and will be directed by Mark L. Mann, whose only feature length film to date is the documentary Finishing Heaven about a man trying to finish filming the movie he started 37 years earlier. Filming of Generation Um started in New York City this week on September 9th.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_king_dvd_collector_set/news/1920697/weekly_ketchup_ron_howard_takes_on_the_dark_tower/

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The only thing Keanu is selling is his movies. If he wants anything from the fans he wants us to see his movies.

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But in my book what Anakin wrote is not called criticizing, it's called voicing an opinion. If she doesn't want to see the movie due to its content, she's free to do so.

I've not seen any of the Sex And The City movies. I don't find their premise interesting enough to watch them. That doesn't mean that I'm criticizing them.

It's perfectly OK to not watch a movie or not read a book or not try a restaurant because one doesn't find them interesting based on trailers or reviews or whatever. Some might say that one should give them the benefit of a doubt, but why?

I haven't seen The Last Time I Committed Suicide, even if Keanu's in it. I didn't think it sounded interesting enough. Haven't seen Pippa yet, either, but I *think* I will. Eventually. For the Keanu content, that is. I don't think it's really the kind of movie I would otherwise see. Doesn't mean I'm criticizing either, though.

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That is called criticizing.

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:\ How so? I'm just not into films about sex and drugs and I'm personally averse to pee-pee showing; but that's just me stating my personal preference.

You run a fan board and you don't see his movies? Hell, we don't even know if there will be nudity. There are things to be learned in all Keanu's movies. Some might not be our favorite but that is because its not for our demographic. I myself watch some of his movies much less than others.
His movies are the only thing he's selling and having a little trust in the actor that you've dedicated a website to, seems reasonable. Or at least don't advertise your not seeing his movies on a fairly public board. Bad form.

btw inkhuldra, I understand Anakin is your friend but what are you saying? You have not dedicated a website to SEx in the City have you? (I agree those movies are nonsense) My point is dualistic message.
Please keep in mind that TLTICS is about the beat generation and a valuable bit of culture. If you are not familiar with the genre this movie will be a crash course. And he does some of his very best vomiting. :)
To say nothing of the "little lady lust dressed in black" speech.

The best part of keanu fandom is discovering each one of his movies and his take on each of his characterizations.

Remember this?

FREE YOUR MIND

Me being a fan of Keanu does not extend to me being a fan of every single thing that he's done, and I doubt that any fan enjoys every single piece of his work. I have my favourites (The Matrix, Bill & Ted, Hardball, Devil's Advocate, The Night Before, Feeling Minnesota, Speed) and my non-favourites (Dracula, Point Break, Life Under Water, MOPI). I'm not a completist; I'm content with having seen the majority of Keanu's work, which has been more than enough for me to conclude that much of the anti-Keanu bashing is unwarranted.

I created this website to support Keanu as an actor and as a person and because I think he's been unfairly criticised by the pop cultural masses. I enjoy the bulk of his work as an actor and greatly respect and admire him as a person. This is why I'm a fan, and this is why I created this website.

I have trust in Keanu and in fact I have trust that he chose this particular script for a reason. I have trust that Generation Um will, probably, be good.

My reasons for choosing not to watch it are wholly individual and due largely out of highly personal issues and triggers surrounding sex and/or nudity that have yet to be looked at by a trained therapist. Several years ago I saw another favourite actor in an unexpected nude scene and was basically traumatised, and I don't want to run the risk of this happening with Keanu. I realise that this might not have come across in my earlier post, but again, I'm not condemning the film or Keanu's role in it, or people who choose to watch it. This is something completely personal.

I've been a fan since 1993'ish, and I got on the internet in 1994. The first thing I did was make a fansite. I still had no problem voicing my opinions (good or bad) on his movies in fan forums. Never did anyone chastise me for it.

Keanu movies I have not seen: TLTICS, Freaked, and Pippa, and his cameos in Ellie Parker and Me and Will. And I never finished watching Hardball. I've seen everything else he's starred in. Everything. There are plenty of his movies that I'll gladly never see a second time.

Fandom takes many shapes, and it's sad if some fans start criticizing others for not having seen all his work, or for choosing not to see some of his movies. The "you're not fan enough because you do this or don't do that" attitude is off-putting and confrontational, and I had rather hoped that we'd be spared of such sentiments on WINM, which has a very clear live-and-let-live attitude.

Anakin
I am sorry for your trauma, we all have them. I do hope you are not condemning a film that's not even filmed yet but I will continue to take exception in your POSTING that you will not see it. That is buzzkill. Clear and simple.
Your reasons for creating your website are your own. And certainly I do not require your reasoning. Sometimes what we do not post is more important than what we post.

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/keanue-reevess-vibrant-acting-style-tapped-for-um.php

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Also,

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I'd rather interpret that as Ani saying that she's not particularly interested in the premise of the movie.

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I don't know: I haven't seen The Replacements because I'm not that in to sports movies; haven't seen Even Cowgirls Get the Blues because I've heard it's absolutely cringe worthy; or most of his movies from the 80's since the plots don't interest me. Does that make me a bad fan?

And I agree with Arya, TLTICS is indeed a crash course about the beat generation - heck, it made me discover Kerouac's novels. that, AND a different side to Keanu's acting.

But I am a completist. I've seen almost all movies Keanu was in, with the exception of a few made for TV from the 80s which I simply could not find. I will watch every movie he'll ever make, because his character choices are so eclectic that watching his filmography is almost like attending film school. And because I choose to.
But that's just me, my own private take on fandom, and I'm not forcing it on anyone else.
Again, live and let live.

And WINM is not Keanu's PR board, so I really don't see how anything Anakin or anyone else's posts can be considered 'bad form'. What each individual posts here is just that individual's opinion. Some people like it, some people don't. ;)

Donna donnajherren
My mom bought The Lake House. I spoiled that whole damn movie for myself b/c I'd recognize Keanu's butt in jeans ANYWHERE. Sigh.

same here. eh, the downside of being a completist ... ;) :D

This movie sounds intriguing to me only because of the thought of Keanu in an erotic situation - I'm a woman, I'm human, what can I say? As far as the "self-discovery" crap they're trying to sell us - I doubt it. It will probably just be replete with lesbian porn and gratuitous drug use. I'm still weary of all that stuff from my college years ;P From what I've read so far(not that they are telling us much yet) it doesn't sound very intelligent, but then again, Keanu is a fascinating, enigmatic individual. If he saw something meaningful in it, then there probably is. Of course he could also just be doing it for fun for all we know.

I admit that I'm kind of an addicted to horror movies, movies with elaborate special effects and mundane plot, and movies that deal with esoteric themes. My favorites will always be Constantine and the Matrix. Those are my ideas of fabulous, must-see-over-and-over-again movies. I did not like A Walk in the Clouds, I did not bother to see the Lakehouse, because I think romance movies are tripe. I don't think this makes me a bad fan, it only means that I don't like romance movies, that's all. Anyone reading my posts on this forum can tell that I am absolutely enthralled with Mr. Reeves and I don't really have anything bad to say about him.

Anakin, I'm very much in agreement with you. You most certainly do not have to love all his movies to be a good fan. I'm sure KR himself would completely and totally respect your opinions about his movies, good, bad or indifferent. We are fans, not cultists. A person should never be coerced into seeing a movie that contains elements with which they are uncomfortable, and they shouldn't have to explain themselves to anyone either. Even I have some apprehension and mixed feelings about seeing a movie featuring Keanu in all his raw sexuality, believe it or not. I've been telling myself how much I want to see My Own Private Idaho, yet part of me, I admit is a little bit intimidated and I still haven't gotten around to it. Keanu exudes so much sexuality fully clothed, standing still and saying nothing. I can't even imagine what it would be like to see him fully disrobed and in action. It's scary, I might die of desire or something. . . lol. There's also the thought of seeing him portrayed as a human being who has sex and gets naked and does drugs, - that I can see being unsettling, when we are used to seeing him portrayed as a hero or demigod. It's very complicated. Anakin, you shouldn't do anything you aren't comfortable with. I believe most people on this forum would respect you decision either way.

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I see no chastisement in my post. [...]

My concern is unmindful speech in a public forum by a fan named Anakin with their name all over the internet.

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Plus I'm also decidedly disheartened that he's working on this and not Constantine 2 :(

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You and me both. Seems we have pretty much the same tastes: horror/special effects/esoteric gets my upvote, romance usually get my thumbs-down.

However, I liked The Lake House. It took me years to actually see it because it didn't sound like something I'd like. But then there's the whole two-people-in-different-times/realities, which I always love. I watched Frequency more times than I'd like to admit. I also watched Jumper twice because I love anything to do with "jaunting" (the word for teleportation in Bester's "The Stars My Destination").

But, to get back on topic:

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As far as the "self-discovery" crap they're trying to sell us - I doubt it. It will probably just be replete with lesbian porn and gratuitous drug use.

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This is what I, too, read out of what's known about the movie at this point. Plus the fact that the two actresses are young, pretty no-namers. I image-googled the name of one of them (I forget which one) and found nude pics from a racy sex scene. Yup, I suspect that there'll be lesbo-erotics in a steamy three-way scene somewhere in GUm. However, the script was co-written by a female, so maybe there's some hope yet.

Oh well. I just need to get through the next few days of PMS moodiness, and then I'll try to think of how GUm can potentially be great.

I have seen all of Keanu's films. Just cause as Luca said - I too am a completist. I enjoy watching his early films just to see how he progressed and sometimes you get a real gem. My favorite is The Prince of Pennsylvania - you really can see the beginnings of several characters in that movie.

I am on standby at the moment and am considering exactly what he himself has said - " the second stage of his career" etc. So I am willing to wait and see what comes of this.

My worry however is age. The value of age has changed a great deal, to the point where both in the industry and media anyone over 40 is "old". I personally resent that. I don't want to see exclusively 20 somethings. I always wondered how he feels about his age because for him I would think it would be bizzare to be thought of as old. He doesn't look it, he has no known health issues other than bad knees, and he has said that he hangs with many of his sisters friends that are much younger than him. Perhaps with GUm he feels that he can relate to that sort of philosophy? I am worried however that he will begin to look creepy if they keep putting him with 20 somethings in a sex drugs and careless romp. Perhaps it is marketing? Perhaps lead to something brighter?

I for one wish that he would recognize his age and carry that into a character. He has all the stuff to be a very powerful presence on screen - age gives confidence and distinction, rather than an aimless wanna be twenty something trying to find himself. And as well he has learned a lot more control over the years he would make one fine uber bad ass alpha male - intelligent and scary!

Indie Sex (2008)

This four-part miniseries from IFC explores the intersections of sex and cinema. With a particular focus on independent film, it delves into how sex is depicted onscreen and its history, examining issues surrounding the portrayal of unsimulated sex, taboo behavior, and teenage sex. Featuring candid interviews with filmmakers and actors, this comprehensive program makes for an eye-opening experience.

I'm starting to notice a recurring theme...