Looks like we have an exciting Harry Potter movie to look forward to. I haven't been overly impressed by the past two Harry Potter films due to their loss of whimsical magic and not replacing it with anything interesting. This time around it looks like they have replaced whimsical magic with a young Tom Riddle who seems to draw his character out of Damien from The Omen. Plus we see Dumbledor perform some Gandalf like wizardry.
This may not mean much to anyone, and it isn't movie related, but just for your awesome reference, I have added a del.icio.us account and a technorati account that can be accessed through the links at the bottom of the page. If you use del.icio.us or technorati, add me to your network/list...and be sure to check out my links as well!
Coming soon! Audio/video movie reviews and possibly a weekly live television show! Yay!
Derek 8-Track and I have done a decent job of keeping you folks up to date with crappy leaked trailers that were screened at ComicCon so far. So in keeping with that tradition - At the Friday the 13th panel they showed the first trailer for the new F13 remake. Here in all its crappy handheld camera glory is the trailer. Being produced by Michael Bay and his company Platinum Dunes, you can expect lots of lens flare and even some explosions (all available to your eyes in the trailer! Lens flare galore! Yes!)
They also showed a poster for the upcoming remake:
I just got wind that the teaser trailer for Oliver Stone's film W. has hit the web. This is not a film I am incredibly looking forward to..but I can't say I haven't been extremely curious to see some footage of Josh Brolin as the man in the Oval Office. Take a look.
So this is how the build up went for me. I heard about a sequel and was like “ok, the first one was pretty good, not my favorite by any means but I’ll take another one.” Then I heard about Heath ledger being the Joker. I was like “The guy looks nothing like I would ever picture the Joker to look like, but he is an awesome actor so I guess I’ll have to wait and see.” Images of Ledger as the Joker begin to pop up around the Internet. “HOLY CRAP! He looks Brutal!!!” needless to say I was getting hyped. Ledger Dies. “Ah crap I hope they finished the movie. Plus this sucks because he was a rockin’ actor. I feel robbed” They finished the movie. “whew!” Time goes on. “Goodness sakes, I think this movie might be being over hyped. I’m beginning to lose interest.” Amazing reviews start flowing out of the woodwork. “Whelp, maybe it is going to be amazing. I better buy my ticket for the midnight showing a week in advance.” Week goes by. “Due to all of the good reviews and expectation I had better get in line around 10:00pm.” Drive to the theater. “Oh crap! I’m 25th in line! I should have gotten here earlier. Oh well, I should still be able to get some good seats.” Waiting in line. “Alright I’m on the news!” They let us walk in. I sit down. “Awesome I got perfect seats.” Previews. The movie starts. This is my review.
The Rockin’
Starting with the actors.
Christian Bale was just as perfect as he was last time around. He has done the best job at portraying both Batman and Bruce Wayne. I would put him a little above Val Kilmer for best Bruce Wayne and a little below Michael Keaton as the best Batman. Keaton also has the better bat suit in Batman Returns.
Maggie Gyllenhaal was the perfect replacement for Katie Holmes. Was it because she did a great job mimicking what Katie Holmes had done in the first film? No, It was because she made the character Rachel Dawes not suck. I don’t even know how she did it. She just somehow put together a character that was worth watching and worth the love of Bruce Wayne. She grounded and matured a character that was already pretty believable. Maggie made me care about the fate of Rachel Dawes, whereas I could have given a crap in the first movie.
Aaron Eckhart was very convincing as both Harvey Dent and Two-Face. I read Dent as an optimistic idealist politician you could believe in and I read Two-Face as a guy who relied on his coin for answers. Based on the story that’s all I needed out of him, and that’s what they gave me.
Michael Cain and Morgan Freeman did a great job providing Bruce with the rules and morals that should be Batman. The think they surpassed everything they did in the first film.
I feel like the talents of Gary Oldmen were wasted on James Gordon. He was perfect in the movie. He nailed the role. I just feel like he is too good for the role and would make and even better Riddler if they ever choose to go that route in a future movie. If they don’t make another, which I hope they don’t, I’m fine with him as Gordon. He was just a really really really good actor to portray Gordon. If they do make a third with the Riddler… go with Jude Law.
Heath Ledger. Was he even in this movie? I only saw the Joker. Pure genius. People were talking Oscar buzz for his portrayal before the movie even came out. Then early reviews started to say the same thing. I didn’t agree. I thought they were only saying it because he did a good job and that he was dead. After seeing the movie. I TOTALLY agree! He should be nominated, unless 5 other performances come out before the year ends that are better than his. I just can’t see that happening though. Creepy. Maniacal. Murderer. Tormented. Fun. sLAUGHTER. Dark. Intelligent. Evil. Insane. He truly went all out. Its like he was the kid who had fun burning ants with magnifying glasses and lighting fireworks in chipmunks buttholes and then eventually graduated to terrorizing humans. Flawless.
This movie was so much better than I had expected it to be. I’ve never seen a movie surpass this amount of hype. It’s the only movie this summer I will willingly pay to see a second time in the theater. The action sequences were amazing. Christopher Nolan is a genius when it comes to grounding a comic book adaptation in reality in movie form. There are so many epic speeches in this movie. Look to Caine, Freeman, and Oldman for those. When I was researching the movie I had come to hate the bat suit. I didn’t think about it negatively once while watching the movie. The choices Batman makes are bold. Bruce Wayne and Batman have progressed amazingly in this franchise. The writing and characters were so goof that I don’t think it could ever be topped with a third movie.
The Not So Rockin’
This is just me nitpicking
I wish Joker wouldn’t have credited his dad with the lines “Why so serious” and “Lets put a smile on that face.” Yes I realize they were lies making them Jokers lines. I just wish he came right out and said them instead creating a lie that gives his father credit for making them up
I didn’t think of this until I heard John Campea bring it up during TMB’s The Dark Knight Podcast on themovieblog.com. But even though I cheered when Batman bent the barrel of a gun at the beginning of the movie, in reflection I don’t like it. Like Campea says, that’s not Batman’s job, that’s what Superman does.
The cell phone machine was a little hokey
The Overall
The overall is that this movie is absolutely amazing. For me, when it comes to amazing superhero films this movie clogs up the constantly rotating number 1 spot with the likes of Spiderman 2 and Superman Returns. But I still have to wait for the DVD release to see if I can watch it over and over and over and over and over and over again. As for now, I’m with Richard Roeper in saying that this movie needs to seriously be considered for an Oscar Nomination for Best Picture. Even if you aren’t into Superhero movies you should check it out. If you are into crime dramas check it out. If you are into cop movies check it out. If you are into romantic comedies check it out anyway. EVERYONE SEE THIS MOVIE!
When I first heard about Hellboy II: The Golden Army I was slightly skeptical but all around excited. I know what Guillermo Del Toro is capable of when it comes to creature effects. I also know that his movies aren’t really packed with huge amounts of action, which I feel you need in a superhero movie. Because of the sweetness of the makeup and creatures in Hellboy and the total rockingness of Pan’s Labyrinth I figured Tel Toro would graduate to bigger and better things with Hellboy II: The Golden Army. This is my Review.
The Rockin’
This is one of the most visually stimulating movies I’ve seen in recent years. The creature effects and fantastic atmospheres surpass anything that Del Toro has done in his previous films. This movie also gives anything Jim Henson put together a run for its money. There is nothing better that man-in-suit character in a world full of CGI. This movie totally delivers man-in-suit creatures. The action sequences in this movie are a definite upgrade from the first Hellboy movie.
A few quick comments on the Rockin’ -I cannot stress enough how awesome the creatures look in this movie. -An amazingly imaginative art direction -Johann Krauss is one of the greatest new characters we’ve seen this summer
The Not So Rockin’
I don’t think there was any real emphasis on why Hellboy deems the human race so worthy of saving. I understand why he does; I just would have liked the movie to go into that a little more. It’s obvious the love he has for his adoptive father is why he believes humans are worthy. I just think that if a nice little flashback with Hellboy and his father was placed during those pivotal moments when Hellboy has to make a choice of where he stands in the world would have helped give a visual picture as to why Hellboy deems us worthy of saving. If you think about it, Prince Nuada has a good point. I need Hellboy to convince me that I don’t deserve to die, and he didn’t deliver that. I had to go back and watch Superman Returns to remember why I’m worthy.
A couple quick comments on the Not So Rockin’ - The action sequences are only kicked up a few notches compared to the first Hellboy. I want to see my demon doing a little more when he is trying to save the world. -I miss David Hyde Pierce doing the voice for Abe Sapien A LOT!
The Overall
I suggest everyone see this in the theater with a digital projection so you can witness the full majesty that is Guillermo Del Torro’s imaginative vision. After that buy the movie on dvd/blu-ray and watch it when you are lounging around with your friends. That’s kind of what I felt like I was doing in the theater, lounging around. It wasn’t so much the story that was captivating. It was the imagery. It will be the perfect movie to add to your collection so that you can pop it in the player, turn the volume low, and talk with your friends while drifting in and out of the movie.
The only reason I wanted to see this movie was because the trailers looked funny and Will Smith tends to deliver. Because I have let this movie simmer so much my review will most likely be short and not very in depth. Look, I watched it weeks ago, how am I supposed to remember everything.
The Rockin’
Will Smith delivers an awesome new take on superheroes. What happens when a superhero knocks a few holes in a building? This movie lets us know how much they owe the city. -Will Smith does a wonderful job acting like a careless superhero with a negative attitude. -Jason Bateman rocks the house as usual. The guy was in Teen Wolf Too, what do you expect. -This was the first time I’ve found Charlize Theron attractive in a long time. -Good humor -Good action -References a classic Universal Studios monster movie. -The so-called “twist” didn’t bother me like it did many others
The Not so Rockin’
The movie does not blend comedy and drama. It switches them on and off. You get pure comedy followed up with some Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington style seriousness with no effort to blend them together
Other than that the only things I can remember not liking is how Hancock defaced our Moon, Theron’s character, Mary, dressing like a slutty hero out of nowhere, and the over foreshadowed connection between Hancock and Mary… It was way to obvious early on.
The Overall
This movie is a lot of fun; the actors do a great job. The action in very comic book like and heavy on the CGI I recommend this movie. I don’t think it would be a favorite for anyone but its supplies the fun for sure.
Two Sherlock Holmes films are on the horizon with completely different motivations behind them and I'm sure will be dueling for the #1 Sherlock Holmes spot. (Reminds me of when The Illusionist and The Prestige came out within a few weeks of each other).
The first film is an untitled comedy that will star Sacha Baron Cohen as master detective Sherlock Holmes and Will Ferrell as Watson, his crime-solving partner.
Etan Cohen ("Tropic Thunder") is writing the script, and Judd Apatow and Jimmy Miller will produce.
It is bound to be an AMAZING comedy.
The second film starring Robert Downey Jr. is a drama that Guy Ritchie will direct for Warner Bros.
Downey committed to the pic, which begins shooting in October, after Ritchie turned in a polish of the latest version of the script, written by Anthony Peckham. The basis for the film is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic tales, but also the comicbook Sherlock Holmes from producer Lionel Wigram which portrays Holmes as less stuffy and more adventurous, using physical prowess along with intellect to solve mysteries.
Harold and Kumar are ready to smoke up a third time on the big screen. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who wrote "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay" and directed the latter, will return to write and direct a third installment for Mandate Pictures.
Greg Shapiro will return as producer.
Storyline is being kept under wraps.
Stars John Cho and Kal Penn are expected to reprise their roles as the ganja-loving duo because Mandate has options on the actors for the third installment.
New Line, which was folded into Warner Bros. in February, distributed the first two films. Warners will likely distribute the third "Harold and Kumar."
I really loved the first film, but thought the second was below par when compared to the first, although many people loved it just as much. It will be interesting to see how a third one goes and what can possibly happen storywise.
Something I have been hearing about for quite a long time is a Ghostbusters video game which will essentially serve as a Ghostbusters III. It is an all new story and all four Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson) were reprising their roles (in voice form) for the game. Not only that, but Annie Potts, William Atherton and Brian Doyle-Murray lent their voices too. Sadly, both Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis did not join the party. The script for the game was written by Ramis and Aykroyd (who wrote both Ghostbusters live-action movies).
I know, it sounds good and all, but a film would have been sweeter. I agree. Derek and I actually came up with an idea a while back to have a "new" Ghostbusters team made up of today's greatest comedic minds - I don't remember exactly who we decided would be great - but in any case it was awesome. The trailer for the game can be found below which is pieced together as if it were actually a film trailer. Kinda neat.
According to iFMagazine, Fox has given the green-light for a live-action version of the classic animated series, Cowboy Bebop. During the Television Critics Association press tour, producer Erwin Stoff let it slip that he now has a deal in place with Fox studios to bring the popular series to the big screen. Stoff told journalists, "I'm developing COWBOY BEBOP for Fox, but doing it as a live-action film, so I'm working on that at the moment, I'm really excited to be working on it, and it's in the really early stages. We just signed it the other day."
Stoff promised that, "I have such an enormous admiration for its creators, that our first and foremost concern is going to be a real degree of faithfulness to the tone of the movie, to the mix of genres, and so on and so forth," -- I don't want to sound too cynical, but it's not like we haven't heard that one before.
Now the big question is: Who should take on the roles of beloved favorites Spike Speigel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward, Vicious, and Ein? Any thoughts?
Tim Burton has cast the title role in the new adaptation of Alice in Wonderland he's working on for Disney. It is not, as was rumored a couple weeks ago, Ryan Nikole Parker, but it's not anyone more well-known, either. The role has gone to Australian actress Mia Wasikowska. Here is a pic of Mia Wasikowska - not a bad choice, but I still think he should have gone with someone a little more well known.
I wonder if Depp will make an appearance, Mad Hatter maybe? I also think it is interesting that this film is getting much buzz after Sarah Michelle Gellar has been trying to get her take on Alice (based on American McGee's video game of the same name and features an extremely dark almost Tim Burton-esque vision of the classic story) up and running with not much success.
New Star Trek Posters released. There are 4 individual posters that when put together form one gigantic Star Trek Poster. Now I am no Star Trek fan really (I can/have watched the show and movies, I'm just not huge into it) But Abrams reboot really interests me and the cast is looking amazing. Check it out.
Here is a bunch of news from the San Diego ComicCon that is currently under way. Now since I am not there, all of this is news I am pulling from fellow resources. Enjoy!
- Disney suprised folks with some screening footage from Tron 2. Read more about it here.
- Robert Rodriguez announced Red Sonja is go and Barbarella is no. "Director Robert Rodriguez will be producing a comic cult heroine "Red Sonja" into a live action movie with lots of blood and guts, as revealed during a panel at the San Diego Comic-Con International.
It will star Rose McGowan as Red Sonja herself. The new movie was based off books and characters by Robert E. Howard and follows the Arnold Schwarzenegger's Red Sonja movie.
"This is an original story of a heroine who became a larger than life character," said Rodriguez. "We've decided to do [this movie] instead of Barbarella."
- Hugh Jackman surprised people at the Fox panel with a guest appearance and screening footage of Wolverine Origins. I cannot find the bootleg footage for it, but a nice description of the footage can be read here. And a nice poster below
- MGM has confirmed via press release that Darren Aronofsky will officially helm a Robocop remake. It is apparently going to be a bit more of a sequel than a remake - same storyline new visuals is what I assume
- News from the Marvel panel "Kevin Feige said that they want to hire filmmakers and get the scripts in order before casting their upcoming high-profile movies despite there being a lot of rumors and speculation going on right now.
Feige also affirmed that The Incredible Hulk lived up to their expectations and the response from the audience was generally good, and he said that the Hulk will certainly return.
When asked whether Marvel Studios might ever get some of the other characters back in order to make their own movies, he said that there were very specific contractual obligations and he didn't think Sony or Fox would let go of Spider-Man or The X-Men anytime soon.
It certainly seems like Thor and Ant-Man will be the movies that Marvel Studios will be focusing on for the rest of the year from the way they were paired together in the slides and mentioned, but maybe that's just this writer's speculation. (Yeah, probably.) He wasn't able to comment on whether Jon Favreau is officially signed to Iron Man 2 (so basically, that holding pattern continues to hold.)
Dr. Doom won't be in the Avengers movie since he's part of the 20th Century Fox contract with Marvel, though he couldn't say whether he might be in future "Avengers" sequel. (Of course, this all depends on whether Marvel ever gets those characters back from Fox.)
As it's been reported, there's a script for a Silver Surfer movie, but Feige believes that Fox will wait and see how X-Men Origins: Wolverine does before committing.
That is what I have right now of news from ComicCon, more will be posted as it trickles in. This years ComicCon seems to be a large one.
Since I have been away from the blogness for a while, I also haven't had the opportunity to post my list of movies that I have been watching week by week. So with no delay, here are the films I have been engrossed in for the past few weeks (almost a month actually)
Talladega Nigh The Machinist Wanted Neverwas Southland Tales Funny Games I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Bonnie and Clyde Sweeny Todd Conversations with Other Women Vantage Point Win A Date With Tad Hamilton Spiderwick Chronicles Back to the Future Part II Domino Hellboy II: The Golden Army Hancock Margot at the Wedding Dark Knight Batman Forever Batman and Robin Dynamite Warrior Repo Man King Kong Persepolis Mystic River
That turns out to be 25 movies in 27 days. Not too shabby considering how busy I am - and granted that at times I would watch 4 movies in one day and none the next. Man I love movies.
Since I haven't posted in a while, we have a mega-update of awesome new trailers for your eyes to feast upon! If you haven't seen some of these, be sure to check them out as they are chock full of awesomeness!
I know that I haven't posted in a while, I've been quite busy. I had an exhibition go up here at Ohio State that I was working to put together, I'm teaching, I'm partaking in the filming of a movie (I have a small but incredible role in this film) and my girlfriend, Connie, was getting ready to move back to Illinois to begin her MFA program at Illinois State. In any case, it's not an apology for the lack of posts, but I am back and will hopefully be posting a bit more frequently. In simpler movie news: Comic-Con has been going on this week so we receive lots of new great news about awesome geek films which I'll be sharing with everyone.
Dark Knight rocked my socks off (and the box office's underwear) (Review coming soon)
This might be the best news Ive heard since Mt Dew came out with 3 new flavors for the summer. It seems as if a remake to the 1987 movie Monster Squad is in talks right now. Here's the news from Bloody-Disgusting...
This afternoon SpookyDan conducted an exclusive one-on-one interview with Rob Cohen, director of Universal's upcoming The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, who revealed some interesting news about Fred Dekker's classic '87 movie. Cohen tells Bloodyy-Disgusting that Paramount Pictures has acquired the remake rights to Monster Squad, which followed a group of kids hunting down Dracula and his minions who are attempting to take over the world. Cohen also reveals that he is planning to produce the remake, but does not intend on directing. Read on for more info straight for the horses mouth.
Cohen is one of the original executive producers of The Monster Squad, directed by Fred Dekkar in 1987.
Why am I so pumped? It's possible TheMonster Squad was the first movie I saw in a theater... at least that I remember. Its either TheMonster Squad, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, The Blob, Willow, Masters of the Universe, or No Holds Barred. I still have yet to do the research to see which one came out first. Regardless, one of them was my first theater experience... that I remember. For all I know my parents could have taken me to see Footloose when I was in diapers.
Anyway, even though its a personal classic, it could use a remake. I feel like it should be written by Seth Rogen. That way we are assured many cuss words coming out of the mouths of today's youth. There is nothing funnier than a kid who cusses.
The people over at comingsoon.net have this exclusive one-sheet for the upcoming movie The Duchess. I don't know why but I sure do love me some costume dramas. Always have. I think its because my Mum partially raised me on them. She watched other movies too, but costume dramas always stood out to me because it seemed like something she wouldn't want to watch. I guess deep down everyone woman wants some huge gown with crazy lace and bead sequencing or whatnot.
Hell Ride is a film I have been pumping up for quite some time, and we finally get a Red Band Trailer for this rockin' grindhouse throwback.
"Hell Ride" is a raucous throwback to the days of the Sergio Leone spaghetti western, with a heaping helping of testosterone-fueled chopper action thrown into the mix. Writer/director Larry Bishop (and presented by Quentin Tarantino) takes on a third role as Pistolero, head honcho of the Victors, a group of badass bikers who are out to avenge the murder of one of their members at the hands of the 666ers, a rival gang whose actions live up to their hellish moniker. Along with his cohorts, the Gent (deviously portrayed by Michael Madsen) and the mysterious Comanche (Eric Balfour), Pistolero aims to take down the Deuce and Billy Wings, menacing leaders of the 666ers, but a mutiny looms on the horizon when his commitment to profit is questioned by a few of his fellow Victors. An even larger story unravels when previously unknown information about Comanche resurrects ghosts from Pistolero's past.
I got wind of a film that has been in the works for quite some time but has escaped my radar a bit. It is called Outlander and stars Jesus (James Caviezel, John Hurt, and Ron Perlman. This film is not to be confused with 2007's Karl Urban film Pathfinder (although the look is quite similar). The plot synopsis is this:
During the reign of the Vikings, Kainan (Caviezel), a man from a far-off world, crash lands on Earth, bringing with him an alien predator known as the Moorwen. Though both man and monster are seeking revenge for violence committed against them, Kainan leads the alliance to kill the Moorwen by fusing his advanced technology with the Viking's Iron Age weaponry.
Here I have an image from the film, a poster, and the new trailer that just made it's way onto the web. It looks a bit generic, but at least it has that rockin' plot of Vikings battling Aliens.
I think I posted this a while back, but it may have been a Spanish version. Anyway, the Official Trailer for the upcoming horror film Quarantine has been released by Screen Gems.
Television reporter Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) are assigned to spend the night shift with a Los Angeles Fire Station.
After a routine 911 call takes them to a small apartment building, they find police officers already on the scene in response to blood curdling screams coming from one of the apartment units. They soon learn that a woman living in the building has been infected by something unknown.
After a few of the residents are viciously attacked, they try to escape with the news crew in tow, only to find that the CDC has quarantined the building. Phones, internet, televisions and cell phone access have been cut-off, and officials are not relaying information to those locked inside.
When the quarantine is finally lifted, the only evidence of what took place is the news crew’s videotape.
There is a website that has begun to sell collectible Back To The Future License Plates. Not really about a film, but because I'm slightly obsessed with Back To The Future, I just had to post this.
“Get the Flux Capacitor ready and start your DeLorean, because the Back to the Future “Outatime” License Plate Replica is ready for your collection! Recreating the legendary DeLorean DMC-12’s famous tags, this full-size replica features window-box packaging perfect for display or wall mounting. Not for street use after 1985.”
There has been a spoof of what a Michael Bay script for The Dark Knight would look like floating around. As a fan of both Michael Bay and Batman, I couldn't resist. Before I post, you should know that this isn't real, but just a spoof of what a script by Bay would look like. I must say, it reads pretty accurately. It's not a full script but a few select pages.
There is a really great "documentary" about the upcoming film Tropic Thunder which will be released August 18th. It is titled Rain of Madness and here is the general synopsis:
"German born documentarian, Jan Jürgen blows the lid off Hollywood, exposing the frenzy, the insanity and the madness surrounding the filming of " Tropic Thunder". One of the most ambitious war films ever made."
The trailer can be seen full quality over at RainofMadness.com or below:
If the music in the trailer is like the music that will be in the actual movie, it makes me feel like they are going for a 28 Day Later feel, only for sci-fi instead of horror.
I thought Brian Singer was in line to make another Superman film but we find from /film that Mark Miller may be planning next project as a revamp:
“Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century,” said Millar. “I’ve been planning this my entire life. I’ve got my director and producer set up, and it’ll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost [a good chunk of change], but in 2011 we’re hoping to restart it. Sadly I can’t say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas.”
This may be the worst news I've heard all year. I love what Bryan Singer did for the Superman Franchise. I think it's terrible he gets so much flack for Superman Returns. He created the movie as a nostalgic experience to bring Superman back into the limelight by recalling what Superman meant in the older films. Sure that nostalgia doesn't really apply if you haven't seen Christopher Reeves in the tights, but it is completely functional for those who have. If you haven't, I suggest you watch all 5 in a week span and come back and tell me your opinion His entire plan for that film was to bring back a feeling that Superman hasn't given us years. I think WB needs to take a look at what Singer did for X-Men 2 and realize that this second time around he can create pure Superhero gold. I'm pulling for Singer all the way.... actually I'd like to see them both. BUT, if I had to choose one person to head the project over another, it would be Singer.
I guess I should start off by saying Angelina Jolie is really skinny in this movie. Now that that's been said, I'll add that I wasn't initially too hyped to see Wanted. Don't get me wrong I still wanted to see it, after all Timur Bekmambetov is one of the masters of color when it comes to film making (Check out Day Watch and Night Watch). On top of that I pretty much want to watch every movie ever made. I even went to see Halle Berry in Catwoman. WOOF! Anyway, after seeing the first trailer like a billion years ago my interest slowly decreased as time went on. I was thinking about the film less and less. After reading some good reviews and getting a phone call from an exuberant SX0T saying how awesome the movie is and that I should check it out right away, I did just that... and this is what I thought.
The Rockin'
The movie is just that, Rockin'. The movie surrounds Wesley Gibson, played by James McAvoy, who is plucked from his pathetic office job to follow in his fathers footsteps as an assassin for a group know as "The Fraternity". Let me tell you, not only is Berkmambetov the master of color, the guy is a master of action as well. One of the biggest complaints I hear about the movie 300 is the over use of slow-motion during the action sequences. While in 300 they may have over used this technique a little, Wanted thrives because of said technique. The use of slow-motion allows us to read every inch of detail from the selected sequences portrayed in slow-motion. We see broken glass, heightened facial expressions, blood splatter, basically everything Berkmambetov wants us to take note of. There are car chases, shoot 'em up sequences, and some of the slickest special effects we've seen yet. I have to give credit to the writing along with the amazing action sequences as to why the movie was so rockin'. The attention payed to the back story of The Fraternity is great. The back story is a unique one that has a lot of mystical and religious undertones about destiny and blind faith. And that's just the back story! The plot of the film is full of twists and surprises to keep you engaged the whole way through. Some other fun elements include- - The Konstantin Khabensky cameo (Night Watch, Day Watch) - The fact that I wonder if McAvoy got voice lessons from AchtonKutcher - Mice - Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman playing during an assassination - Breaking the 4th wall - Morgan Freeman's Language
The Not So Rockin'
Only because I have seen some of Berkmambetov's other work, I would like to have seen more play with overly saturated colors like we see in Night Watch and Day Watch. Since those movies involve vampires and Wanted tries to ground the movie in reality (slightly), I can't fault him for that much. Plus its nice to see that he is stretching his wings and giving us something new. But, his amazing sense of color is what I miss most. Other than that the movie has very few faults.
The Overall
This movie is a pleasant surprise. I had no idea that it was going to be one of my favorite movies of the summer. The cast was great, it's action packed, has slick special effects, a rockin' story, and it's definitely capable of being watch again and again. DVD purchase for sure.
Plus, below I posted a live performance of Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman sing Time To Say Goodbye.
Here is my review for the recent action flick Wanted. I should start by saying that before I had seen the Red Band Trailer for this film, I had no real interest in it. I would have seen it, but I wasn't super pumped or anything and had never even heard of the graphic novel that the film is based on. The cast I thought was excellent, but I couldn't really get a sense of what the film was about and it just felt kinda Matrix-y to me. After seeing the Red Band Trailer, my view totally changed and I was pumped as hell to see this film. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed.
The Awesome
Let me first off say that James McAvoy was ridiculous, but in a good way. The film has a semi cheesy plot and some semi cheesy moments. But he pulls them off. I absolutely loved the cinematography happening in this film. If you have seen Night Watch/Day Watch (director Timur Bekmambetov's other films). You will recognize some similar elements (shaky cam, color effects, blurring, slow-motion etc.). All of the effects in the film were generally above average. There were only a few things that felt kind of out of place. The rest of the cast was great and we had some interesting characters also. The mythos behind the whole assassin group is explained in enough detail to actually care (something I was worried would get ignored). The action delivers on so many levels in this film. It features some of the greatest action sequences that I have seen in quite some time.
The long training sequences brought up in this film are awesome and give you exactly what you want to see. I feel like nothing in this film is hidden from view. You want blood - check. Fighting - check. Ridiculous Action - check. It delivers on almost all levels and even offers some humor. Quite a few parts that made me laugh. Morgan Freeman has a line that destroys the world. I also like that there are a few times that address you personally as a theater goer or as an audience, usually just a line of dialogue or two, but it is fun.
I was shocked when I found out Danny Elfman did the score for the film because it is not his typical fanfare of music. During the credits I was finally able to tell that it was him who was responsible for the original songs in the film.
The Not So Awesome
Not too many complaints about this film. If I had to be kind of picky I would say that some of the other assassins played a relatively small and insignificant role that could have been made a bit more interesting. I would also say that there are a few effects that seem a little off. Once again, this is all being picky. There are also a few moments of the film that still resemble The Matrix sequences a bit too much which kind of takes me out of the film when they occur. Also I hate the movie poster and think it deserved much better.
Overall
I have been hearing a few comparisons of this film to last years Shoot 'Em Up. Now keep in mind, I fully enjoyed Shoot 'Em Up. I think it is the first film to emulate a video game world (AND IT ISN'T EVEN A VIDEO GAME!!). The problem with this statement is that although there are some similarities in the action, Shoot 'Em Up lacked any sort of a deep plot development whereas Wanted delivers in both the action sequences and in having a plot that is interesting and motivated. I may be exaggerating just a bit, I would have to see the movie again. But I would say that this is my second favorite summer blockbuster movie so far this summer (Iron Man being my first favorite). I would advise you to see this film - ESPECIALLY if you are looking for a great summer blockbuster with enough action to keep you satisfied until The Dark Knight. As of this moment I would give this film a 9 out of 10.
Speaking of Tarantino and his Grindhouse fueled world, we have a new behind the scenes production featurette on a film Tarantino is "presenting" called Hell Ride. I made mention of this film a while back and it's good to see some footage now. I am pretty pumped for this biker film.
A trailer for Joss Whedon’s (Firefly, Buffy, Serenity, Astonishing X-Men etc.) 36-minute three-part SCi-Fi internet musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog has hit the interwebs.
Neil Patrick Harris stars as the title character, a low-rent supervillain who’s trying to impress the cute girl from the laundromat he’s too shy to talk to (Felicia Day of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), defeat his nemesis, superhero Captain Hammer (played by Firefly’s Nathan Fillion) and gain entry into the Evil League of Evil. Whedon penned the musical with his brothers (Zack and Jed Whedon) during the writers’ strike earlier this year.
No news on when the full thing or webisode installments will drop.
Quentin Tarantino has given us some more info about his upcoming redesign/reboot/expansion/tribute of Inglorious Bastards. Quentin Tarantino did a 40-minute interview with Enzo Castellari, the director of the original Inglorious Bastards (which Tarantino’s film is very loosely inspired by) for the three disc special edition dvd release.
Here are some of the main news points brought up in this interview
* Two Films: Quentin says the story is too big for one movie, and will be split into two films, ala Kill Bill.
* The Story: Set in World War II, Tarantino’s screenplay begins with a bunch of hardened criminals on a military transport that gets ambushed by Nazis. The prisoners escape and must fight the Nazis and the Allies on their journey to neutral Switzerland. How cool is that?
* Casting: Over the years many names have been mentioned as being involved in the film. The list has included: Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Paul Walker, Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp, John Travolta, Harvey Keitel, Fred Williamson, John Jarratt, Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken. Tarantino now claims that the names were just conversations and nothing more. Apparently, Tarantino, who usually writes his characters with specific actors in mind, he decided to go the more traditional route with Bastards by characters unlimited by dream castings.
“I don’t want it to feel like a period film. I want it to feel current,” says Tarantino. “I want it to feel right now. One of the things I have to battle against is 30 years of Nazi-occupation TV movies where we’ve all seen the big streets and the vintage cars and the Swastikas, and we’ve just seen that ad nauseum. This is a modern, in-your-face movie. This is not a TV movie period piece.”
We originally heard that Quentin stated at Cannes that he would be bringing the film (assumed to be only the first part) to the Cannes film festival in 2009. Most people are skeptical of this, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. I am a Tarantino fan, and I think that the man is just BURSTING with ideas, most of which turn out pretty good. HOWEVER, I am getting kind of disappointed with him recently in terms of this epic 2 part split film business. I mean I'm glad he has loads of ideas...but might it be a good idea to just calm down a bit and decide if ALL of those ideas are good ENOUGH? I don't know...maybe I'm wrong and he will rock it like usual. I hope so.
Robert Downey Jr. is currently in talks, according to The Hollywood Reporter, to star in Cowboys and Aliens, DreamWorks' adaptation of Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley's graphic novel. The project has been in and out of development for years, but apparently the latest draft is catching some A-list interest. As it was written by Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus, who were behind Iron Man and Children of Men.
The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz. The story draws a parallel between the American imperialist drive to conquer the "savage" Indians with its advanced technology and the aliens' assault on Earthlings, who must join together to survive the invaders' attack.
DreamWorks has tentatively set a release date for 2010.
You can read the ENTIRE graphic novel for free online over at drunkduck.com
Or view this really crappy trailer for not the film, but the comic.
Mark Millar creator of the series Wanted and Kick Ass has spoken about a possible Wanted sequel as well as developments surrounding a screen adaptation of one of his other works, 'Kick-Ass'.
Millar said on his message board the other day,
Wanted 2 already being planned and they've asked me how I can develop some of the other stuff from the book into the sequel. We'll see what box office is like at the weekend, but everyone knows this is going to make a LOT of dough
This is what was said about his series Kick-Ass becoming a film,
"The casting's all been done, and everything's all in line now with that. There's two big names attached, which I can't mention so we can get on the cover of 'Variety.' And now we've got everyone. The kids who show up at the end of issue #3 - we just cast the girl, and that was a really tricky one because we needed to find someone who could do martial arts stuff."
The story of Kick-Ass is a little different from your average tale of a caped crusader. Instead, Kick was told through flashbacks about a 15-year-old kid named Dave Lizewski. Dave is just a regular kid with no special powers or abilities, but he makes the incredibly dangerous decision to become a superhero. Early speculation has Matthew 'Layer Cake' Vaughn handling the script and directing duties, but so far nothing has been confirmed -- and Millar has kept quiet on that front.
I haven't seen Wanted yet, but may be seeing it tonight (Tuesday). But be sure to check out my review once my eyes have feasted on it's glory. I will weigh in on my thoughts about a sequel then.
.jpg/399px-Tarantino,_Quentin_(Scream1).jpg)
