Saturday, August 19, 2006
Meet TFL #4 - The Tiki Terror
A deity of sorts, our next purveyor of fakery dishes out interesting and smart like you only wish you could. I mean, I wish I could.
Chris Oliver
Favourite Movie: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Favourite Director: Terry Gilliam
Favourite Quote: "Dolemite is my name, and fuckin' up muthafuckas is my game."
Who I Am: Chris Oliver (born December 30, 1928), "The Originator", is an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was born Ellas Bates and later took the name Ellas McDaniel, after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel. He adopted the stage name Chris Oliver, which is probably a southern black slang phrase meaning "nothing at all", as in "he ain't chris oliver". Another source says it was his nickname as a Golden Gloves boxer.
He is best known for the "Chris Oliver beat", a rhumba-based beat also influenced by what is known as "hambone ", a style used by street performers who play out the beat by slapping and patting their arms, legs, chest, and cheeks while chanting rhymes. The Chris Oliver beat is often illustrated with the phrase: "shave 'n' a haircut - two bits".
Where I Live: Los Angeles, CA
Be sure to check out our previously featured contributors here, here, and here. They'll kill you if you don't. No joke!
Continue reading Meet TFL #4 - The Tiki Terror
Friday, August 18, 2006
The Man With The Golden Gu... Erm... Compass!
Looks like we have another fantasy series adaptation coming down the pike. I'm not sure why it is that these books have flown completely under my radar. Based on the synopsis they seem right up my alley. Anyway on to the specific news of today. Daniel "Bond" Craig will be playing Lord Asriel in The Golden Compass, first in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Asriel is a "ruthless and mysterious adventurer who is the uncle of Lyra Belacqua, the young girl who journeys to a parallel universe to save her best friend."
From Variety:
Craig will be reunited with Eva Green, who played the Casino Royale Bond temptress Vesper Lynd. In "Compass," she plays a witch who helps the young girl navigate a world filled with shape-shifting and otherworldly creatures.
Craig also previously starred with Nicole Kidman in The Visiting, which Warner Bros. will release next year. Kidman plays the villainous and glamorous Mrs. Coulter in "Compass."
If New Line goes forward with all three installments of Pullman's literary trilogy, Craig's character will be a fixture of each, based on Asriel's role in the Pullman books.
The trio costar with newcomer Dakota Blue Richards in the film, which begins production September 4 in the U.K. and is scheduled for a November 16, 2007 release.
Craig will shoot the film and then return for the 22nd installment of the James Bond series, which has already been scheduled for a May 2, 2008 release.
He's going to be a busy man and if he's smart I think he'll just need to ride these two waves as long as he's able. Playing a lead character in two separate franchises could be an excellent gig.
Chris Weitz - the writer/director - was involved with American Pie, co-wrote Antz, and co-wrote and directed About a Boy. That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence regarding his ability to handle something like this (something which admittedly I don't know much about). But if he nails it then a fantasy that's more kid friendly than the Rings trilogy, doesn't carry Narnia's religious baggage, and doesn't seem to be ripping off young Harry could make some big bucks for New Line.
Source: Variety Continue reading The Man With The Golden Gu... Erm... Compass!
Musical Two-Fer: Shave And A Hairspray
Because we're all manly men here (well except for you Brits) I thought I'd kill two Birds with one stone, and give you a slice of two forthcoming musical adaptations, Sweeney Todd and Hairspray.
First up, Johnny Depp will once again be working under Tim Burton as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (a right old maniac this one) in the Film version of Sweeney Todd. The Stephen Sondheim musical on which this is based is practically an opera with very little spoken dialogue, and tells the long-known British tale of a barber who killed his patrons, which his wife then baked into meat pies. Given the dark nature of past Burton/Depp projects (Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride)I think this should turn out well enough. We should see this around the end of 2007.Source: ComingSoon
Harry at AICN gives us more Christopher Walken news, revealing he'll be replacing Jim Broadbent in the movie version of Hairspray. He'll be joining John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Billy Crystal, James Marsden, and Zac Efron. This movie musical will be based on the stage musical which was based on a non-musical movie. Confused yet? Apparently Travolta will be taking the role made famous by Divine and cross dressing for this, so that just ramps up my desire to see it although I doubt he can ever be more camp than he was in Staying Alive. Hairspray takes place in circa-1962 Baltimore, and is a big meditation on racism and integration.Source: AICN Continue reading Musical Two-Fer: Shave And A Hairspray
Silver Underwear...
...must really chafe. Maybe we'll find out in the Fantastic Four sequel, which has now been given the title of Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer. The film will probably mirror in some respects the original comic run that Surfer appeared in, where he he surfs the galaxy looking for planets to be consumed by his gigantic master and fashion plate, Galactus.
The team will not only have to deal with a beach bum with the Power Cosmic, but also their old buddy Dr. Doom. That's right! We can't have a superhero film these days with just one villain. Gotta give the audience their money's worth. If they really do it right then they'll kill him off at the end of the movie. Okay, turning down the sarcasm for a minute, it's going to be interesting to see how they manage to stop SS and Galactus from looking dangerously cheesy.
I enjoyed the first one when I saw it on video, because it didn't take itself seriously at all. I didn't much care for what they did to Doom, but at the beginning of this one he should be ensconced in his castle in Latveria (god I'm glad everyone else here is just as geeky as me). Still if they don't handle their new villains right it could push all the fun right out the window.
Source: Superhero Hype Continue reading Silver Underwear...
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Review: Pusher
By Alex Riviello
A film set in the gritty crime underworld of Denmark, Pusher is the first film by director Nicolas Winding Refn. The man dropped out of film school to make the film (his debut) - shooting it on a very low budget and opening in 1996 to surprisingly huge attention. He soon became the hot director in his country, leading to him releasing such films as Bleeder and the American John Turturro-vehicle Fear X. That last film put him into a large amount of debt, and to cover his losses he decided to revisit the Pusher world, releasing two sequels in 2004 and 2005 thus creating the Pusher trilogy, which became huge beyond belief, being both critically acclaimed and attracting large box office draws.
Over there, that is. It's a damn shame that no one seems to know about these films out of Denmark, because they are instant classics- some of the best crime dramas ever put to film. But that's all going to change- as they're all getting a limited theatrical release, and the sequels are finally ending up on R1 dvd later this year with any luck (Anchor Bay put out the first Pusher in 2000).
Pusher revolves around a week in the life of Frank- a smalltime drug dealer. He's a real scumbag. The world he knows is full of lowlifes just like him- all of them heavy drug users and just as manipulative and skeezy. His best friend and partner Tonny is really his only back as he runs deals and bilks people out of money.
We meet him right before he's about to overstep his bounds. Frank gets a request from an old friend for some heroin- lots of it. It's more than he can scrounge up, but he doesn't want to let this deal go. He contacts a drug boss named Milo and sets up a meeting with him to see about getting some product. He makes the deal to pick it up from Milo, sell it to his contact, and bring the money back to the drug baron- promising to bring it back in a few hours.
Things don't go as planned. Tonny injures his leg and sits the deal out, letting Frank get in the contact's car to do the trade. That's when the cops show up. Franks bursts out of the car and books for his life down the street- eventually ending up in a lake where he throws the powder, dispersing it completely. The cops grab him out of there and bring him in to the station.
Although the police try numerous scare tactics to get a confession out of him, even telling him that his buddy Tonny flipped on him, they know they have nothing solid on him since the drugs were all lost. They hold him the maximum allowable 24 hours and set him free.
The first thing he does upon release is get in touch with Milo to explain his situation. Milo of course doesn't believe a word of his story, and since he doesn't have either the money or the drugs he demands Frank pay him in a few days... or else he's got a few henchman that will work him over. One of them is very skilled at cutting kneecaps out.
The rest of the film finds Frank on a mad scramble to get the money. We follow him as he hits up people who owe him, and watch as he gets more and more violent and out of control as the deadline approaches.
I unabashedly love this movie. It's the kind of film that will stick in your head for days after you watch it- you'll go over every nuance and just love how well it's put together. Yes, it's low budget.... it's very rough- but that all works in its favor. The entire film is shot on a frantic handheld cam - leading to insane amounts of tension in every scene. There's a constant threat of violence throughout everything- and the stuff that's there is very realistic- exploding in a second with no warning. These are not levelheaded individuals you're dealing with- they all live by the sword and have no qualms about getting into dangerous situations.
The fact that all of the actors are amazing is what really makes this movie work. Milo (Zlatko Buric) became famous for this role- so much so that he ending up playing a small role in Pusher 2 and the lead in Pusher 3. Frank (Kim Bodnia) is the anchor in this film- and thankfully he's completely convincing in his role- since this film is all about him.
There is honestly no limit to the amount of praise I can give this film. The only thing I regret is not hearing about it sooner. Thankfully, that's all changed- and I can tell you that my one wish right now is to own this for myself. Pusher 2 and Pusher 3 somehow manage to be completely different films than the first, while still dealing with the same dirty characters from the first. They're all great- and it's arguable that the series gets better as it goes on. This is an amazing trilogy that everyone needs to experience.
9.5 out of 10
Pusher is released in limited theaters on August 18.
Continue reading Review: Pusher
Trailer: The Pursuit Of Happyness
To be honest, the sap from this trailer for Will Smith's new vehicle made a mess of my mouse and keyboard, but as I'm a sucker for both Will and cinematic treacle I'll no doubt check it out. In an interesting note, Will's son Jaden Smith is making his big screen debut in The Pursuit of Happyness as shock, horror... Will's character's son. Sage Stallone my still-beating heart.
This movie is apparently drawn from Chris Gardner's autobiography. "Chris who?" you say? Well, Amazon tells me that, "At the age of twenty, Milwaukee native Chris Gardner, just out of the Navy, arrived in San Francisco to pursue a promising career in medicine. Considered a prodigy in scientific research, he surprised everyone and himself by setting his sights on the competitive world of high finance. Yet no sooner had he landed an entry-level position at a prestigious firm than Gardner found himself caught in a web of incredibly challenging circumstances that left him as part of the city's working homeless and with a toddler son. Motivated by the promise he made to himself as a fatherless child to never abandon his own children, the two spent almost a year moving among shelters, "HO-tels," soup lines, and even sleeping in the public restroom of a subway station.
Never giving in to despair, Gardner made an astonishing transformation from being part of the city's invisible poor to being a powerful player in its financial district.
More than a memoir of Gardner's financial success, this is the story of a man who breaks his own family's cycle of men abandoning their children. Mythic, triumphant, and unstintingly honest, The Pursuit of Happyness conjures heroes like Horatio Alger and Antwone Fisher, and appeals to the very essence of the American Dream."
Naturally it hits theaters this December. As usual, click the picture to see the trailer.
Source: Apple Continue reading Trailer: The Pursuit Of Happyness
Keep Repeating... It's Only A Remake
Good afternoon, you're just in time for the weekly TFL remake rant!
Up today: Another Wes Craven shocker. According to Coming Soon, Craven and Universal offshoot Rogue Pictures will produce a remake of one of the most notorious movies ever - The Last House On The Left.
In case you didn't know, The Last House On The Left - known in Germany as the splendidly-titled Mondo Brutale - concerns a couple of teenage girls who fall in with a bunch of sleazy perps while trying to score weed. Said perps rape and kill the girls, before seeking refuge in a nearby house that happens to be owned by the parents of one of the girls. The parents, thirsty with rage, kill the killers, and it's this big whole meditation on the savaged becoming the savager, the same essential theme of The Hills Have Eyes.
As for the rant... I can't really be bothered. While LHOTL is impressively sadistic and quite horrible, it's a bit of an unbalanced film, with the horror and scares intercut with two bumbling cops that wouldn't look out of place in Smokey and the Bandit IV. But if it has to be made, I say go for Rob Zombie, who is currently working on the Halloween redux. He is the only director that I've seen pull off the real sense of disgust and horror that the original conveyed in spades, and I firmly believe The Devil's Rejects is the best horror movie in decades.
Craven will produce with his partner Marianne Maddelena and original producer and Friday the 13th creator Sean S. Cunningham, in accordance with Rogue. Rogue's co-presidents Andrew Karpen and Andrew Rona apparently said "We're excited about working with this talented team of filmmakers to create a new take on this seminal movie that will scare the wits out of a whole new generation of filmgoers."
The Last House On The Left is set to go into production in early '07.
Source: Coming Soon
Continue reading Keep Repeating... It's Only A Remake
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The Depart-ed One Sheet
Using your text like this is a tricky business. It's certainly a step above the floating heads that we're usually treated to, but the way they've broken it up is beyond annoying. I also don't get following it with the title in white. Department of Redundancy Department?
In spite of that glitch, Boston cops against the Irish mafia, starring a host of Hollywood's A-list guys and directed by Scorsese seems like a lock. Maybe the next poster will unleash that potential on our eyes. It'll hit theaters October 6th of this year here and in the UK so they have time.
Source: ComingSoon.net Continue reading The Depart-ed One Sheet
Robin Williams For President
Robin still hits more than he misses and judging by the trailer (dangerous business I know) Man of the Year looks like it could be a hit.
Imagine if Jon Stewart ran for President... and won. Looks like that's the premise of this politically charged comedy. It gives RW the opportunity to get on stage at a debate and riff on politics. That's GOT to be a good thing.
Christopher "I'll Do Anything For Money" Walken seems to be his campaign manager. Laura Linney (The Squid and the Whale) plays Robin's dutiful wife. Jeff Goldblum is in it as someone named Stewart and who cares what he does 'cause he the coolest man of his generation.
The release date is October 13th according to Moviefone.
Source: Applegeeks of all places. Continue reading Robin Williams For President
DVD Releases - Week of 8/15/06
Here's your list of great, good and really quite terrible DVD choices for this week...
RV (stands for Re-Volting)Okay, this one is probably not as bad as all that. But, from all indications the similarities to National Lampoon's Vacation are easy to spot, which is extremely annoying to me. You've got the same two spoiled kids, the hesitant but supportive wife, and the overly-enthusiastic dad who thinks he can draw his family closer together by forcing them to have fun. The biggest difference obviously is that an RV is much bigger than Vacation's Family Truckster. I could see that being a bad thing though, since the closed confines of the smaller vehicle created many funny situations that the expanse of an RV can't quite match. One would have thought that maybe Robin Williams would have learned to pick his projects a little better by now, especially after some career resurgence in films like One Hour Photo, House of D and most recently The Night Listener. But I see that he's signed on to do Mrs. Doubtfire 2, so perish that thought in a hail of hot flubber.
Gas-guzzling features include the featurettes "On Set With Director Barry Sonnenfeld", "JoJo: The Pop Princess," "RV Nation: The Culture of Road Warriors," "Robin Williams: A Family Affair" and "The Scoop on Poop". Also you will get an audio and telestrator commentary with Sonnenfeld, storyboard-to-film comparisons, alternative scenes and a gag reel.
Safe MenI'm putting this movie near the top of today's update to let you share more immediately in my surprise that a film with some hefty star power is just now making its DVD debut 8 years after its theatrical release. Starring Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Sideways), Steve Zahn (Saving Silverman, Joyride) and Sam Rockwell (Matchstick Men, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) just before they all became officially famous, this 1998 film may finally get the attention it deserves. The story centers on two untalented lounge singers, played by Zahn and Rockwell, who find themselves caught up in a case of mistaken identity by a Rhode Island gangster (Giamatti). He thinks the crooners are actually safe crackers and enlists them in a string of robberies, which sets up a bunch of hilarious situations. When the hapless pair tries to open a safe with a Norelco Triplehead electric razor, you will bust a gut laughing. Okay, skip that last sentence, I made it up. The film also stars Mark Ruffalo (In the Cut, Just Like Heaven) before he was well-known. Go get it, already. You know you want to.
Boosted features include commentary by Director John Hamburg and actors Sam Rockwell and Steven Zahn, a few deleted scenes and Director Hamburg's student film "Tick".
Scary Movie 4I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer
Oh Jesus. Alright look, in terms of real, physical damage, no one is really going to be hurt by watching a couple of lame movies like these. There are far worse movies in the world, no doubt. But these two are still not worth your time. I am fond of spoof movies. I grew up on Airplane! and The Naked Gun. David Zucker, the creator of those classic films, has directed the two most recent Scary Movie films, and I can't figure out why he bothered taking over this series. There is not much levity contained in Scary Movie 4 that cannot be experienced in real time just by watching and making fun of E! Entertainment News for a few hours. The channel covers all of the most popular movie releases (War of the Worlds, The Grudge, Saw) and the celebrity minutiae (Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, the president) that fuel this installment. Watching this movie is the cultural equivalent of sitting in a large room and having the daily comic strips projected on a wall and read aloud to you. You just read the same comics that morning, but now you get to see them all big and bright on a screen and someone is asking you to laugh at them again, even though it is material you already know.
Played-out features include a commentary track with the filmmakers, 15 deleted and extended scenes with commentary, a bloopers reel, "The Man Behind the Laughs" featurette with director David Zucker, a "Zany Spoof Humor - Zucker Style" featurette, an "Interviewer's Worst Nightmare" featurette, "The Youngbloodz" featurette, a "Rappers & Actors" interview featurette and "The Visual Effects of Scary Movie 4" featurette.
Wow. It's not often that I watch rehashed, direct-to-video sequels of a sequel like this one, but after learning the plot for this third movie in the "...know what you did last summer" series, I'm intrigued by how gloriously dumb it sounds. This time around a few more teens have a little too much fun and accidentally kill one of their friends. They vow to keep the death a secret, but a year later their lie comes back to haunt them when someone starts with the taunting and killing. That stuff makes up the common formula for this series. But, and this is the part I like because it is so fucking stupid, the fisherman from the other movies is still the killer. This mother gets around! I guess he's like the Tooth Fairy, just roaming from a coastal sea port in part one to a deserted island in part two and now the Rockies, waiting and watching for someone's death to get covered up by some horny teenagers so he can swoop in for the revenge kills. The second movie in the series was released in 1998, so it makes sense that none of the original actors (including the none-too-fresh but still bodacious Jennifer Love Hewitt) showed up for this one. Makes me wonder why this was made. I assume there was a small cult of fans for these movies last century, but I doubt anyone cares now.I Know You Won't Watch This features include a director's commentary track and a "Making Of" featurette.
Apocalypse Now: The Complete DossierThe hellish nature of the shoot for Director Francis Ford Coppola's thoughtful Vietnam War story powers its mystique almost 30 years after it was released. If you have read about the cursed production or seen the amazing documentary Heart of Darkness that details all of the various catastophes that nearly caused Coppola's complete mental breakdown, it's very hard to concentrate on the film without thinking about the anecdotes that enrich one's enjoyment of nearly every major scene. From Martin Sheen's drunken escapades to Dennis Hopper eating every type of hallucinogenic substance he could find to Brando's infuriating acting process, the legend almost engulfs what is truly an amazing movie. Sadly, though there are a lot of extras included with this "complete dossier", the Heart of Darkness documentary is not part of this set. The 2-disc set does include the original 1979 cut of the film and the extended 2001 "Redux" edition with 49 minutes of added footage. The two versions of the film are each split over both discs, which may be annoying to some viewers. Napalm-smelling features include:
* Commentary by Francis Ford Coppola on both films
* Lost "monkey sampan" scene
* Marlon Brando's complete reading of T.S. Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men"
* 12 never-before-seen segments from the cutting room floor
* A/V Club featurettes: "The Birth of 5.1 Sound," "Ghost Helicopter Flyover," "The Synthesizer Soundtrack by Bob Moog" and "Technical FAQ"
* The Post Production of Apocalypse Now featurettes: "A Million Feet of Film: The Editing of Apocalypse Now," "The Music of Apocalypse Now," "The Sound of Apocalypse Now" and "The Final Mix"
* "Apocalypse Then and Now" retrospective
* "PBR Streetgang" - cast members' reunion
* "The Color Palette of Apocalypse Now"
* Redux Marker - special function to mark the added scenes and expanded scenes of Apocalypse Now Redux.
Rome - The Complete First SeasonWhen HBO and the BBC combine forces to create an original dramatic series based on the history of ancient Rome, you can expect a whopper of a show. Historical figures Pompey and Julius Caesar are present here, but the major focus of the series is on the lives and families of two Roman soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo (played by Kevin McKidd of Dog Soldiers and Ray Stevenson of King Arthur, respectively). Caesar's neice Atia, played by Golden Globe nominee Polly Walker, serves as the power-thirsty schemer and central villain. Amid all of the requisite sex and violence, there is plenty of political meat to chew on as well, both interpersonal and governmental. The show garnered eight Emmy nominations, including nods for some truly amazing art direction and set designs. The quality and depth of this program is not surprising, given the excellent track record of other HBO dramatic series.
The Complete First Season contains 12 episodes on six discs. Grappa-drenched features include:
* Commentary by Bruno Heller and Jonathan Stamp on "The Stolen Eagle," "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic," "Pharsalus," and "Kalends of February"
* Commentary by Steve Shill on "Caesarion"
* Commentary by Jeremy Podeswa on "Utica"
* Commentary by Ray Stevenson on "The Ram Has Touched the Wall"
* Commentary by Kevin McKidd on "The Spoils"
* "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" - Introduction to the characters of Rome.
* "All Roads Lead to Rome" - interactive onscreen guide prepared by the series' historical consultant, Jonathan Stamp
* "Shot x Shot: Caesar's Triumph" - detailing the production of the epic Episode 10 triumph scene
* "Shot x Shot: Gladiator" - A closer look at the thrilling Episode 11 fight sequence
* "The Rise of Rome" - Behind-the-scenes featurette on sets, wardrobe, and actors' boot camp
* "When in Rome" featurette on the culture of ancient Rome
* Photo gallery with over 50 never-before-seen images.
* Eight-page Roman Character Guide booklet featuring names, profiles, relationships, and other key historical information
Other diversions:
I don't know about you, but I'm buying some Hong Kong Phooey. Like today. Also, Heart Like a Wheel is an enjoyable biopic of "First Lady of Drag Racing" Shirley Muldowney's life and career. She was the first woman to qualify for an NHRA drag racing license, and here she's played by Bonnie Bedelia (Holly McClane in the first two Die Hard movies). That Rohmer Criterion set is tempting too. Until next week... Continue reading DVD Releases - Week of 8/15/06
Ventura's Son
Another Carrey-less sequel to one of the spastic comedian's movies is in the works announces Morgan Creek. The third movie in the Ace Ventura series will follow his son.
Why God? Why are you doing this to us? Weren't Son of the Mask ($57 mil) and Dumb and Dumberer ($39 mil and I got dumbererer just typing that) proof that THIS WOULD NOT WORK?!?!
Well who knows, maybe this one will be a hit if they get the right... Okay no, there's no way. Jeff Sank and Jason and Justin Heimberg, you guys just need to put your pens down and step away from this script.
Source: FilmForce Continue reading Ventura's Son
RIP Bruno Kirby
(1949-2006)
Bruno Kirby, perhaps best known for his role as Ed Furillo in City Slickers, died on Monday from complications related to leukemia. He also played the annoying, humorless Lieutenant Hauk in Good Morning Vietnam and did character work in mob films like Donnie Brasco and The Godfather Part 2. He was most recently seen a few weeks ago on HBO's Entourage in the episode "Guys and Doll" where he played a Jewish movie producer with a thing for Shrek.
We'll see his last performance in Played, due to be released in the US next year.
Source: BBC News Continue reading RIP Bruno Kirby
X-Men IV - The Voyage To The Bank
I don't think this really surprises anyone, but Producer Lauren Shuler Donner says that getting the OGs from the first three X-Films will be bloody expensive. "The newer cast members are signed, and the older cast members are not."
Halle Berry wants to do it. Of course after Gothika and Catwoman I doubt anyone is banging down her door. Jackman is signed on for Wolverine, a movie I at least would love to see (NINJAS vs Wolvie!!!). David Benioff who wrote 25th Hour and Troy has got writing credit on this one. I can't see why Jackman would want to price himself out of this character in the main movie, especially since he was the one with the most... character.
There's also a Young Magneto script in the works. It's being written by Sheldon Turner who wrote The Longest Yard remake. As long as they don't try and youthify Sir Ian that could be fun.
Given the three year span between each of the first three I guess they're shooting for 2009. We'll see.
Source: FilmForce and Life Style Extra Continue reading X-Men IV - The Voyage To The Bank
Phillippe Is Two-Faced?
The internets are always swirling with all kinds of speculation, rumour and geek hopes when it comes to a new Batman movie, and when it comes it, it's usually wrong. After all, the rumour mills were throwing around all sorts of names for the Joker, and I don't remember one bringing up Heath Ledger. But enough about him, here's more casting "news."
I'm not sure exactly whether I should consider this in any way possible or just idle gossip, as the IMDB are universally known for not exactly being the most dependable sources of truth, but they're reporting today that Mr. Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe, has been given the role of Gotham DA Harvey Dent, i.e. the future Two Face, in The Dark Knight.
The article also says Philip Seymour Hoffman is in line for the Penguin, which has been going around in recent internet circles, but also cites "internet reports" as being the source for Phillippe, which is interesting as I haven't really seen or heard anything to support that, so it could be "late breaking story," or just as easily "rabid nerd Batfan."
Phillippe is a decent actor with a lot of promise I don't think he's fulfilled, but he seems a bit young for Dent. Maybe it's just how he looks, as even at 32 he still looks 15 years old, but I'd much rather go for someone like Guy Pearce, although it's hard to imagine anyone who could really do a great Two Face as it's a hard character to really nail down. They could always go and cast Tommy Lee Jones again, as he was an amazing choice let down by an awful script and director, or just go back and get Lando. I'm sure that outside of UgnaughtCon Delaware 06, he's probably not doing much.
Source: IMDB Continue reading Phillippe Is Two-Faced?
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Trailer: Flags Of Our Fathers and Red Sun, Black Sand
Clint Eastwood has been working in films since he was 25. Chances of you or anyone else doing half as much awesomeness as him by the age of 76 is depressingly slim. However, to make it all better you can watch this non-Quicktime Japanese trailer for Eastwood's dual film project Flags of Our Fathers and Red Sun, Black Sand. You will then realize that it does not change the fact that the only good you will hope to do at 76 is not make your adult sized diaper too messy for the nurses.
If you didn't already know Flags of Our Fathers is the American half of what is essentially the same war film, the Japanese one being Red Sun, Black Sand. Both flicks follow the exploits and events that took place during the Battle of Iwo Jima. I believe Flags of Our Fathers follows the six men in the rather iconic image of the American flag being raised over Iwo Jima while Red Sun, Black Sand will be a slightly wider scale following General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, the Japanese commander that ran the garrison when the Battle for Iwo Jima took place. The general is played by the criminally underappreciated Ken Watanabe who along with Hiroyuki Sanada were the only really good things about The Last Samurai. It is incredibly refreshing to see someone like Watanabe have such a meaty role since Kuribayashi was always pretty sure all the Japanese were going to die on Iwo Jima, but fought viscously to the last man regardless of that fact.
The trailer, however, suggests what has come more apparent over the years ever since Saving Private Ryan, which is that contemporary war films can be just about as formulaic as romantic comedies. The muted colors coupled with the somber yet patriotic tone of the music and pacing show the same emphasis of every other war flick in the last decade or so . This could partially be because WWII as a whole has been awesomized by Hollywood and video games for quite some time now. It was joked that video games had turned D-Day and the storming of Omaha Beach into the new Hoth, and really a year or two later that isn't far from the truth.
I could be wrong about this and Eastwood's two flicks won't be the same. Hopefully it won't have the clumsy archetypes synonymous with war flicks today like the grizzled but tortured soul of a commander, the nerdy fellow who is unsure of himself but proves his bravery near the end before he is shot to squeeze some sympathy out of the audience, or the angry and vindictive guy who has to learn a lesson of unity and compassion before he's shot too. This might all be remedied by the perspective being switched to the Japanese in one of the films.I always wondered if someone might have the balls to do more war films that aimed from the perspective of the other sides other than America (including our often ignored allies of Britain and Russia (no, Enemy at the Gates doesn't count)). Especially considering a lot of them are more interesting than the American accounts. Unfortunately, if Omaha is the new Hoth than the Nazi regime is certainly the evil and dumb Stormtrooper. Shooting Germans or Japanese in WWII is supposed to be like shooting an evil robot or ferocious alien invader, no one really cares as long as it was a sweet headshot. Some films have broken away from this mold like the small and appreciative Saints and Soldiers, but not enough to make any noteworthy change.
In the end I kind of trust Clint Eastwood as both a director and actor. When he's good he is really good, and in the last few years he has been the walking handbook on how to direct good drama. Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River may be the usual Oscar pap you would often ignore, but they really are great films with an attentive nature towards very sympathetic and human characters. This is also the same guy who breathed perfection into the Western formula for so many years in both acting and directing. One wonders why he couldn't do the same with war films.
Flags of Our Fathers will supposedly be released for both Japanese and American audiences in October. The same will happen in December for Red Sun, Black Sand. I'll probably be punching people to get to the front of the line for this one (especially Red Sun, Black Sand) so you can expect me to keep an eye on the film's development.
Source: AICN Continue reading Trailer: Flags Of Our Fathers and Red Sun, Black Sand
Merry F'ing Christmas
Researching the Definitely, Maybe story lead me to another discovery. Elizabeth Banks has a role in the movie Joe Claus.
Like some bastard child of Bad Santa and Elf, it follows Santa's bitter older brother as he has to move back home. Originally titled Fred Claus but "changed due to a potential rights issue". Gotta love those clever screen writers.
With Paul Giamatti (Ant Bully, Lady in the Water) as Santa, Kevin Spacey (Superman Returns), and Vince Vaughan (The Breakup, Wedding Crashers) playing Joe I expect that they'll make with the funny.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Continue reading Merry F'ing Christmas
Make Up Your Mind
Rachel Weisz (pictured) from The Mummy and Constantine and Elizabeth Banks from The 40 Year Old Virgin and Slither are both in talks to do Definitely, Maybe, a romantic comedy from Universal/Working Title Pictures.
The film "centers on a soon-to-be-divorced political consultant who has to answer some hard questions from his 11-year-old daughter as he explains his promiscuous past. Ryan Reynolds, Derek Luke and Isla Fisher already have been cast. Banks will play Reynolds' college sweetheart who dumps him for his brother, but the two reunite years later. Weisz will play a woman Reynolds dates after Banks." After dating a woman like Weisz I can't imagine him finding someone else.
Adam Brooks will write and direct. His credits include Wimbledon and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. With a cast like this he'd be smart to include a pudding wrestling scene. You know, for the kids.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Continue reading Make Up Your Mind
The Big Screen: 8/15/06
DVD's are great and all, but if you really want to get the full experience of a movie, you have to see it projected larger-than-life, surrounded by fellow movielovers. Easy for new movies (or at least the big ones, depending on where you live), but what about the classics? If you live in the boondocks, you're out of luck, but if you're within driving distance of a major city, there are plenty of opportunities to catch old favorites or obscure classics in the theaters. With that in mind, we present a new column: a rundown of what's playing in your area this week.
Los Angeles:
The American Cinematheque is wrapping up its Mods and Rockers festival at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood with a double feature of Viva Las Vegas (featuring Ann Margrock, the Michelle Yeoh to Elvis' Jackie Chan) and the documentary Altered by Elvis, "An acclaimed documentary exploration of lives deeply and permanently affected by Elvis Presley."
On Thursday, they're showing the only surviving print of Frank Zappa's Baby Snakes. To be honest, this is a three-hour movie, and the first two hours consist of more bullshit than interesting footage, but there is at least an hour of great footage from one of his legendary NYC Halloween shows, and some claymation sequences that will make your brain drip out through your ears.
Friday and Saturday, double features from director/producer Ram Gopal Varma, apparantly the Tarantino of India. On Friday, you get Varma's 2006 corrupt cop flick Shiva followed by Ek Hasina Thi (aka There Was a Beautiful Girl), a Varma-produced flick that sounds like a Bollywood version of Kill Bill. Saturday, it's Varma's 2002 mafia epic Company, followed by what sounds like a James Ellroy-esque noir called Ab Tak Chhappan (aka 56, SO FAR).
And on Sunday, prove how lame you are by coming out for a "sing-along" print of Grease!
Meanwhile, across town at The Aero, there's a double feature of Beach Party movies on Saturday (a great topper to a day at the beach), and Viva Las Vegas with Kid Creole on Sunday.
The UCLA Film and Television Archive is showing the original, silent version of Chicago. No song and dance, but the same Women's Prison drama that won the Oscar a few years back, accompanied by a comedy short. Friday, they've got a couple period epics from the 30's (Under Two Flags and If I Were King), and Saturday, Seymour Cassel, Gena Rowlands and Al Ruban will be there in person for a screening of John Cassavettes' raw indie Faces.Also on Saturday night, Cinespia will be screening John Ford's masterpiece The Searchers at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, an evening of film "above and below the stars."
The Nuart hosts a midnight screening of Office Space Friday night--wear your flair! And Saturday at midnight, check out Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal at The Rialto in South Pasadena.
If you feel like taking the short drive to El Segundo, The Old Town Music Hall is showing Dangerous When Wet, a 1953 aquatic musical starring Esther Williams, and featuring an animated sequence with Esther swimming around with Tom & Jerry.
One more thing worth mentioning: Czech animator Jan Svankmajer, master of surrealist stop-motion (Alice, Little Otik) combines Edgar Allen Poe with The Marquis De Sade in his new film Lunacy, which will be opening at The Nuart this Friday for a one-week engagement.
New York City:
At Film Forum, you can watch Douglas Fairbanks swash through The Black Pirate and Errol Flynn buckle in The Sea Hawk on Sunday, and Buster Keaton bumbling through Seven Chances, Three Ages and Hard Luck on Monday, while a regular program of Jan Svankmajer's new surrealist work, Lunacy, screens the rest of the time.
MoMA has a tribute to John Huston (who may have directed more films I love than any other director) and his family (Walter, Danny, Anjelica) going on right now. Between Thursday and Sunday, you could take the opportunity to catch Key Largo, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, Prizzi's Honor, and more, but I strongly reccomend the Monday night program: Beat the Devil, in which Huston parodies his first feature The Maltese Falcon, and the bizarre Flannery O'Connor adaptation Wiseblood, with Brad Douriff (Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings) in his only starring role.
Friday and Saturday at the Museum of the Moving Image, catch the wonderful Spanish film Spirit of the Beehive, a tale about two young girls during the Spanish Civil War who become obsessed with Frankenstein's monster (a likely inspiration for Guillermo Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone and his upcoming Pan's Labyrinth). This is a simple, beautiful film. And on Wendesday, Beat Takeshi's roadtrip movie Kikujiro is showing in the sculpture garden.
At the Castro, a chance to see Baraka, The Doors, South Pacific, Tron(!), and Bill Murray in his first non-comedic role in The Razor's Edge, all in 70MM!
At the Cinematheque, a week of Samurai, Geisha and feudal Japan, including Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron and Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. But check out some of the less bloody ones, too.
Austin:
It would really be more efficient for me to just point you toward the Alamo Drafthouse website than to try to list the interesting events going on there, but a Beastie Boys rap-along, an HP Lovecraft festival (to celebrate the man's birthday), Mexican wrestlers vs. deadly apes, and a chance to meet someone from the cast of Zoom! (the 70's PBS show) are among the hilights.
Meanwhile, the Alamo's Rolling Roadshow tour plows through Estes Park, CO (see! The Shining in the hotel that inspired it), Monument Valley, UT (See! The Searchers in the terrain wherein it was filmed!), and Apache Junction, AZ (See! Raising Arizona in...Arizona!).
Now here's where you come in. If you know of a revival theater that has a schedule listed somewhere I can see it (ie, on the web), drop me a line or a comment and let me know. Together, we can make this your one-stop shop for revival screening info. And not just in The Americas, either--we can get international with this. Hit me! Continue reading The Big Screen: 8/15/06
Black Flies
Safelight aka Black Flies a novel by Shannon Burke is being adapted into a movie. Darren Aronofsky is set to direct and produce.
The novel follows a young EMT, Frank Verbeckas, who is working in Harlem as a stepping stone to med school. Frank also apparently likes to take pictures of his clients. Sounds like an icky conflict of interest. "Don't bleed too much while I get this shot."
Todd Kessler is adapting the novel to a screenplay. Given his work on the Sopranos and Robbery Homicide Division I would imagine he'll be able to get the feel right and Aronofsky can certainly do gritty. Sounds like and interesting project.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Continue reading Black Flies
Trailer: Right At Your Door
I went to see Lady in the Water last night (shit) and by far the most interesting part of the evening was seeing a trailer for Right at Your Door (directed by first timer, Chris Gorak), a movie about a dirty bomb attack on Los Angeles. Apart from the minor thrill of never having heard of the film before seeing the trailer in the theatre, what was interesting thing about it is its use of a terrorist attack on an American city as a dramatic backdrop. Trailer here, homepage here.
9/11, as a part of our cultural lives, has become something of a sacred cow. Images of the Twin Towers were removed from films (Spiderman being the most high profile) disaster movies stopped getting made (Rememebr the opening sequence of Armageddon where the Chrysler building collapses in a beautiful fx shot complete with plummeting, screaming people?), planes tended not to get hijacked anymore. Terrorism became the elephant in the living room of pop culture.
And not talking about it is bad. It doesn't help to deal with the very real shock of that attack. The silence allows politicians and other opportunists to fill it with their agendas. In a country so defined by its mass media, not having those events seep into the fabric of its programming can only lead to a cultural schizophrenia.
Last year's War of the Worlds gently introduced post 9/11 imagery into blockbuster cinema, but still hid it behind sci-fi concepts and the famous 'common cold' ending that broke down any current-affairs mirroring subtext.
This year, five years after the event, saw the first attempts to tackle 9/11 head on, with the films United 93 and World Trade Center, both very respectful and diligently unsensationalist accounts and both met with cries of 'too soon'. Both however, are very much 'testament' films. They are records of the events, as much memorials as entertainments.
What has been missing in mainstream cinema is the direct use of terrorism on US soil as nothing more than a juicy plot point, something that Right at Your Door, finally, seems to be doing.
This is not to say that the film will be any good, or even that it will be in good taste - its title seems fear-mongering and sensationalist in the very best exploitation movie tradition, and it seems too much of a coincidence that it is being released on 8th September - but it is important in its marking of a change of attitude towards fictionalising tragedy in a post 9/11 America.
Once the floodgates open and films, both good and, even better, bad, are made about the attacks, the event itself will lose its reason-destroying power. This can be seen as devaluing it, so going against all those 'never forget' posters, but what it actually represents is an important part of healing the wound. Until a tragedy becomes simply 'something that happened' and a part of a country's living history, the greiving process has not been completed and the wound is still open. This is dangerous, harmful and only useful to those who would seek to take advantage of that wound.
So let the crappy movies be made. Let the exploitation, horror and action movies be made. Let the teen comedy be made. Take 9/11 out of the hands of the few and into the hands of the culture at large, where it will be thrown about, used, abused, memorialised, respected, mocked, analysed and manipulated, and people will be free to approach it on their own terms, rather than with the pain of loss or the fear of being called a traitor.
Japan made Godzilla only eight years after atomic bombs destroyed two entire cities. Hollywood, for its part, needs to do the same before 'too soon' becomes entirely 'too late'.
Source: Rightatyourdoormovie.co.uk, TheMovieBox.net Continue reading Trailer: Right At Your Door
Second Opinion: Miami Vice
As you'll have hopefully noticed, Carlton had a long look at Miami Vice recently, but we thought we'd see what some of us have to say as well, so click on for the thoughts of some of our staffers on Michael Mann's expensive redux...
Andrew Clarke:
I'm worried. I'm worried that Michael Mann is very close to disappearing up his stylistic arsehole. The focus on experiential moments rather than narrative is breath-taking at times, but if he takes it any further he's going to shoot an entire film with just a close up of a bead of sweat running down a cheek, at which point I'm going to call shenanigans, especially if it's scored to another fucking Audioslave song.
Compared to Mann's The Insider, which managed to be a both an intimate drama and mythic American parable while being effortlessly gripping over its three hour run time, Miami Vice sometimes seems to be working very very hard for its emotional beats. It's entirely awesome when it works, which is most of the time but, when it slips, the amount of deadly serious effort going towards such a very slim narrative can make the film turgid and overwrought.
Also I never really bought squat hairy pudding, Colin Farrell, as either a super cool cop or getting anything as hot as Gong Li. I guess he's not my type.
George Merchan:
Colin Farrell sizzles, Andrew. Just look at those emotive eyes. You're missing out.
But it's funny, because I actually feel Miami Vice has more in common with The Insider and Ali than it does with Heat and Collateral. I suppose it's the uber realistic approach Mann takes with the film, the docu-style he implements. And like I was originally going to write in my review for the film before I suddenly lost the ability to form proper sentences, I really think Mann has perfected this fictionalized documentarian style with Miami Vice and his use of digital photography. What does it really add? Apart from it being a ridiculously immersive aesthetic that other filmmakers are trying so hard to nail down, it's actually making the proceedings real. And I mean real. I mean, there's immersion into a story and then there's actually being there.
It's that voyeuristic quality that I think elevates the film and its drama. I guess that's the real nature of digital. And I think because of it, when shit does go down, such as the sniper shoot-out near the start, the trailer park assault at the end of Act 2, and the final shoot-out by the docks... you fucking feel it. Dead serious and brutal. I haven't exactly been in a shoot-out like the one depicted, but knowing Mann's penchant for research, accuracy, and realism, I get the feeling that those scenes are prime examples of what would really go down. And that's scary. Those scenes, as exhilirating and "oh shit" inducing as they are, truly are horrifying. As they should be.
And what does it do for the drama? By all accounts, the internal struggles inherent to undercover work that Tubbs and especially Crockett face throughout the film are not new ones and not necessarily very deep ones either. But they're never played simple and they're never not played in a mature fashion. Add to that, the fact that the film really doesn't use much in the way of dialogue when addressing character moments, and I think it's that which ultimately makes the film very compelling, despite its somewhat slight nature. It's visual, and up for interpretation. This is what annoyed a lot of people, those who need their shit spelled out for them (that and "Where's the action?", "Crockett and Tubbs didn't act like partners!", and "Where art thou, Elvis?!"). And it's unfortunate too, because even moreso than either The Insider and Heat (arguably Mann's two best films), Vice completely nails the concept of storytelling through entirely visual means.
It's also got a GREAT soundtrack. I think Andrew mentioned somewhere before that it's funny how Mann uses the same type of rock music a lot of crap action films use, but Vice makes it not only interesting, but more importantly, emotional. There are too few directors today with that sort of sense. And it's one of the many little elements in Miami Vice which help to elevate it from very good to simply great.
Michael Mann is a director of precision. Narratively, thematically, and aesthetically. Miami Vice, though simple, may be the culmination of all those things.
Charlie Brigden:
I call shenanigans on Andrew calling shenanigans on the sex scene. That was pretty much the most adult scene I've seen in a mainstream thriller in a while. But, I digress.
Miami Vice is the best feature-length episode of COPS I've ever seen. There was barely a moment in the film where I ever thought this was anything less than real, and that was what impressed me most, the reality. From the grainy night shots to the reliance on actual body language and emotions as opposed to explanatory dialogue, the lack of any showiness whatsoever, it just pulled it together as a huge broody masterwork.
I've heard people call the movie confusing and character-less, but that seems to be missing the point. That's the greatness of the movie, that nothing is explained explicitly, that the characters aren't straight-out rounded-off people with expositional backstories, but instead bare souls floating in the night, with their strengths and weaknesses clear for anyone who actually pays attention. The two performances of the lead are so good and so different, with Farrell throwing up his emotions for everyone to see, his aggressiveness and determination always reflected in those explosive eyes, while Foxx is so understated as the seemingly stable one of the pair.
The way the movie immediately slams into the story in media res, without any titles whatsoever, projects the film as less of a movie and more an immediate window into these operations, which themselves are never ever presented in the glossy and digestible style we're used to. Even the gunfights, which are a trademark of Mann after Heat, are here so stripped down and broken free of the usual heavily-staged shots even Mann often uses. They're almost the equivalent of what we see in the videos from the modern wars, where all we get is a glimpse of missile hits through night-vision goggles. What we get here is instant and brutal, with little to no flailing bodies to be seen.
Mann's work here is so purely visual it's almost a silent film. So much of the dialogue is taken up with codewords, either pertaining to the talk about drug-running, or the operational vernacular that the Police use, terms that we barely understand sometimes, but which sound all the more real for it. The emotions and character are presented here in body language, and because of that it's all the more powerful.
Heat is a genius, epic piece of work. But I get the feeling that in years to come, Miami Vice might be seen as his most important piece. Hell, it's been three days since I saw it and I can't stop thinking about it. That's a testament to how good this movie is. Continue reading Second Opinion: Miami Vice
Monday, August 14, 2006
What's Left? - Going Ape! (1981)
In 1981, Jeremy Joe Kronsberg was riding high on the success of his first two features, Every Which Way But Loose and the sequel, Any Which Way You Can. The world was waiting for his next project. But after two movies about the friendship between a man and an orangutan, Kronsberg was out of ideas. To cure his writers block, he allegedly traveled to Mexico and spent a week ingesting peyote and datura root with an ancient Brujo, and, as the legend goes, on the fourth day he received a vision that would inspire his next movie: a story about the friendship between a man and THREE orangutans. Thus, Going Ape! was born.
Tony Danza (star of Who's the Boss?) plays Foster, who stands to inherit $5 Million when his father, the owner of a circus, dies. But this money comes with a deadly price. Foster must care for three orangutans--Winky, Sweetie and the suggestively-named Randy Bananas--for a year. If anything happens to them--if they so much as catch a cold--the money goes to the zoological society. Kronsberg pulls no punches in his depiction of a corrupt, cynical society in which even the zoological society president will hire Mafia thugs to try and thwart Foster's efforts in the hope of securing the cash, and he keeps the tension ratcheted to white-knuckle levels through the running time.
This mixture of comedy and noir baffled audiences, and the film was met with outright hostility by the critical community upon its release. Recently, however, there has been a revival of interest in this title, with many revisionist critics coming to the films defense. This rethink has been lead by the maverick internet critic known as Calinara, who published her defense of the film on Amazon.ca. "Goin Ape was not received well by the professional critics when this movie was released to theaters in 1981 but I watched it on HBO and I thought it was a very cute movie with some really funny scenes," Calinara argues. "This movie is cute and has some slapstick humor and I recommend it to people who like movies featuring animals and movies with slapstick humor and also to fans of the actors in Goin' Ape." Taking up the torch, online writers have been dissecting the subtext in the film, and fans have been fervently discussing it on message boards. Now the ball is in Paramount's court. If they want to cash in on this wave of interest with a DVD release, now is the time. Two of the three orangutans are still alive to provide a commentary (Sweetie having taken her own life in the early 90's after years of unemployment and depression). In the words of Calinara, "I would like to see this movie put out on a DVD (Widescreen). But even a DVD that has widescreen on one side and fullscreen on the other side would be ok." Continue reading What's Left? - Going Ape! (1981)
Weekend Box Office: Ricky Bobby Barely Out-Krunks Gyrating Teens
In what would've been a somewhat interesting turn of box office events, the almost exclusively MySpace-promoted Step Up lost only by a few hairs and a couple of pop 'n locks to Will Ferrell's racing comedy Talladega Nights, trophy holder for the now second weekend in a row.
The Top 10 (n00bz in white):
1.) Talladega Nights - $23,000,000 (Weekend), $91,217,000 (Total)
2.) Step Up - $21,065,000 (Weekend), $21,065,000 (Total)
3.) World Trade Center - $19,016,000 (Weekend), $26,818,000 (Total)
4.) Barnyard - $10,069,000 (Weekend), $34,085,000 (Total)
5.) Pulse - $8,456,000 (Weekend), $8,456,000 (Total)
6.) POTC: Dead Man's Chest - $7,207,000 (Weekend), $392,400,000 (Total)
7.) The Descent - $4,600,000 (Weekend), $17,527,000 (Total)
8.) Zoom - $4,600,000 (Weekend), $4,600,000 (Total)
9.) Miami Vice - $4,547,000 (Weekend), $55,112,000 (Total)
10.) Monster House - $3,300,000 (Weekend), $63,678,000 (Total)
Will Ferrell is a king among men, both dumb and intelligent. Expect his star to shine for quite some time. Hopefully.
And I guess one thing's for sure; People would rather see good-looking guys and gals gettin' jiggy and formulaic than see a maudlin re-telling of America's darkest hour. Well, duh. I think I myself would rather see Jenna Dewan's hips in motion than the collapse of the South Tower.Step Up is terrible, though. So think I'm endorsing it in any way.
Again though, back to my boring MySpace promotions talk. I think we'll probably see more and more that marketing dollars will be getting re-routed to the infamous online social network for films of this type. And by more and more marketing dollars, I mean less and less dollars overall. I mean, Step Up didn't even have it's own offical website. Its MySpace page was its official website. Less cost for programming, easier and more effortless exposure to key demographics, word-of-mouth, etc. Also, you can't beat having friends like BBoY4LyFe818 or DaNCiNHoTTnEss leaving generic, vapid, and/or compeltely and hilariously retarded comments. You just can't.
Pulse was just sort of there. And just like that it'll soon dissappear. Hopefully along with every other J-Horror remake, for the love of fucking Christ.
Lastly, Zoom once again proved that Tim Allen is a waste of money and air. I hope someone was taking notes this time.
Next weekend FINALLY brings movie fans what will either make or break the internets in terms of filmmaking influence with the long-awaited Snakes on a Plane. Also, look for Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti's The Illusionest, the craptacular-looking Accepted, and the Duff-heavy Material Girls.
Sources: Various Continue reading Weekend Box Office: Ricky Bobby Barely Out-Krunks Gyrating Teens