I wrote an article entitled "Wisconsin's Film Identity" for a Milwaukee Website called Suburban Bully. This might turn into a weekly thing, so I hope people get into it. Here's the link:
Suburban Bully
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
TITANIC: THE ANIMATED MOVIE
TITANIC: THE ANIMATED MOVIE, a product of Italy, might just be a the most insane, awful, brilliant, funny thing I have ever seen. It can be watched on YouTube, but I thought it was worth compiling in order here. Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hey! Look At This: CROPSEY
Whilst checking out trailers today, this one caught my eye.
Here's the description from IMDB:
"Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the urban legend of "Cropsey." It was a cautionary tale invented to keep them out of the abandoned buildings that remained of the Willowbrook Mental Institution. Cropsey was supposedly an escaped patient who would come out late at night and snatch children off the streetssometimes with a hook for a hand, other times with a bloody ax. But in 1987, Jennifer Schweiger, a 13-year-old with Down syndrome, disappeared from their community. For Zeman, Brancaccio, and the other kids of Staten Island, their urban legend became real."
Looks spooky, especially for a documentary. The film is currently making the film festival circuit. I'm not sure if a theater or DVD release is imminent, but the trailer making its way to Apple must mean something.
CROPSEY was awarded the Hammer to Nail's Grand Jury Prize for best documentary at 2009's Tribeca Film Festival.
Here's the description from IMDB:
"Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the urban legend of "Cropsey." It was a cautionary tale invented to keep them out of the abandoned buildings that remained of the Willowbrook Mental Institution. Cropsey was supposedly an escaped patient who would come out late at night and snatch children off the streetssometimes with a hook for a hand, other times with a bloody ax. But in 1987, Jennifer Schweiger, a 13-year-old with Down syndrome, disappeared from their community. For Zeman, Brancaccio, and the other kids of Staten Island, their urban legend became real."
Looks spooky, especially for a documentary. The film is currently making the film festival circuit. I'm not sure if a theater or DVD release is imminent, but the trailer making its way to Apple must mean something.
CROPSEY was awarded the Hammer to Nail's Grand Jury Prize for best documentary at 2009's Tribeca Film Festival.
New INCEPTION Trailer
This is worth its own post. Yesterday marked the release of the new INCEPTION trailer. Details on the next Christopher Nolan project have been kept fairly secret, but now a bit more light is starting to get shed. This new trailer reveals a bit more of the plot, what the title means and who some of the characters are. Take a look:
With each preview, I'm starting to get a bit more excited about this film. In fact, my expectations are just about reaching their limits. July 10th seems very far away at the moment, but I'm hoping it goes by fast. Nolan is a true legend in the making. If one film has the potential to 'wow' me this year, it's this one.
*In other trailer news, those who didn't see IRON MAN 2 this weekend can catch the special SUPER 8 teaser over at Apple Trailers.
With each preview, I'm starting to get a bit more excited about this film. In fact, my expectations are just about reaching their limits. July 10th seems very far away at the moment, but I'm hoping it goes by fast. Nolan is a true legend in the making. If one film has the potential to 'wow' me this year, it's this one.
*In other trailer news, those who didn't see IRON MAN 2 this weekend can catch the special SUPER 8 teaser over at Apple Trailers.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
This Week in Movie News (Nerd News)
There's been some interesting news this past week, so let's get to it before the new week starts:
- Toby Jones to appear in CAPTAIN AMERICA as the villainous Arnim Zola. Hugo Weaving was cast as Cap's nemesis Red Skull last month, but it seems as though one antagonist isn't enough for Joe Johnston's film. For those unfamiliar with Zola - he's another Nazi, but instead of the physical terror that Red Skull brings to the table, Zola offers a more intellectual terror. He's a mad scientist type who carried out devious experiments for the Germans in WWII. His greatest feat is that he was able to project his lifeforce into some sort of robot. When said robot is damaged, he can just transport himself into some other form of technology, essentially making him immortal. I'm interested to see the relationship between the two villains in this film, but I can only assume it will be an amiable one (Nazis of a feather). For those unfamiliar with Jones, he's got an impressive resume. He's appeared in FROST/NIXON, W. and FINDING NEVERLAND. He's also an interesting looking fellow with a lot of character to him. I can imagine he'll make for a perfect mad-nazi-scientist.
- RISE OF THE APES, formerly CAESAR, formerly GENESIS: APES has a release date - June 24, 2011. That's soon! This film is truly going to get made after being dismissed so many times. APES will be helmed by British director Rupert Wyatt (THE ESCAPIST) and should start production fairly shortly. I've mentioned before that I'm pessimistic about this film considering its ridiculous plot, but there is some potential. Basically, I'm of the opinion that if it's bad (which seems about 90% likely) it's going to be very very bad, but if it's good it could be quite good. One bit of promising news to come out of this announcement is that WETA (LOTR, DISTRICT 9) will be creating the CG apes for the film. Also, it seems as though they're going to go with a story about genetic tampering instead of the time-travel plot from the original CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. I'm very curious to see how this will turn out.
- A trailer was released this week for Robert Rodriguez's next film MACHETE. The film actually began as a fake exploitation trailer featured in his and Tarantino's GRINDHOUSE double-feature, but Rodriguez was passionate about fleshing out the ideas full potential. To me, it looks like a lot of fun. The cast is crazy and when am I going to get the chance to see character actor Danny Trejo headline a film again. The trailer's release is incredibly appropriate considering Cinco de Mayo and that it seems to be addressing issues that are currently ongoing in the backwards, prejudice state of Arizona (which the trailer briefly addresses). MACHETE will be in theaters this September.
- Steven Spielberg has picked out his next live-action project: WAR HORSE. I say live-action because his next film is actually the first installment in the animated series TIN TIN based on the popular French cartoon. Spielberg has entertained numerous projects over the past couple years and his decision has been closely watched by his fans and film enthusiasts. Frankly, I'm not terribly interested. Despite his legendary status, Spielberg has been faltering this past decade. Since 2000, he's directed seven feature films and I only like two of them (MINORITY REPORT and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN). Particularly despicable was his last outing with the Indiana Jones series. I'll see what he's putting out, but I'm not getting my hopes up. The film we be based on a novel of the same name, a description of the book is as follows:
"In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer’s son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?"
Look for WAR HORSE in August of next year.
- Speaking of Spielberg - For everyone who went out to see IRON MAN 2 this weekend (which was a lot of us) there was quite a treat in the form of a trailer for an upcoming film called SUPER 8. The debut of the teaser was not much of surprise considering its existence and spot in the trailer lineup was revealed earlier in the week, complete with wild speculation about what the film will be about. Entertainment site HitFix actually managed to guess everything incorrectly about the nature of the film. They thought it might be a CLOVERFIELD sequel - it's not. They thought it was likely not the film that J.J. Abrams was working on with Steven Spielberg - it is. They also assumed that Abrams would likely not be in the director's chair for this film - he is. This will be Abrams next project before he moves on to do the STAR TREK sequel. I'm not a huge follower of his, but he certainly made me a fan with STAR TREK last year. Its appropriate that he and Spielberg are in cahoots as it seems likely that Abrams might be the Spielberg of tomorrow.
The trailer for SUPER 8 caught my attention (and imagination) to say the least. Abrams seems to be returning to the same advertising tactic he utilized with CLOVERFIELD. Like CLOVERFIELD, the details gleaned from SUPER 8's trailer are a bit vague, but it looks to be a promising monster movie. I imagine the preview will hit the internet shortly. You can either wait for this, go see IRON MAN 2 (not a bad option), or just watch the bootleg versions available on YouTube. I won't describe the trailer because you can find that somewhere else, but I will say this - Area 51, train crash, something violently escaping train car.
The official plot description for the film as of today is this: "In 1979, a train carrying important cargo from Area 51 is destroyed, causing all contents to be unleashed upon the world." SUPER 8 hits theaters in Summer of 2011.
- Toby Jones to appear in CAPTAIN AMERICA as the villainous Arnim Zola. Hugo Weaving was cast as Cap's nemesis Red Skull last month, but it seems as though one antagonist isn't enough for Joe Johnston's film. For those unfamiliar with Zola - he's another Nazi, but instead of the physical terror that Red Skull brings to the table, Zola offers a more intellectual terror. He's a mad scientist type who carried out devious experiments for the Germans in WWII. His greatest feat is that he was able to project his lifeforce into some sort of robot. When said robot is damaged, he can just transport himself into some other form of technology, essentially making him immortal. I'm interested to see the relationship between the two villains in this film, but I can only assume it will be an amiable one (Nazis of a feather). For those unfamiliar with Jones, he's got an impressive resume. He's appeared in FROST/NIXON, W. and FINDING NEVERLAND. He's also an interesting looking fellow with a lot of character to him. I can imagine he'll make for a perfect mad-nazi-scientist.
- RISE OF THE APES, formerly CAESAR, formerly GENESIS: APES has a release date - June 24, 2011. That's soon! This film is truly going to get made after being dismissed so many times. APES will be helmed by British director Rupert Wyatt (THE ESCAPIST) and should start production fairly shortly. I've mentioned before that I'm pessimistic about this film considering its ridiculous plot, but there is some potential. Basically, I'm of the opinion that if it's bad (which seems about 90% likely) it's going to be very very bad, but if it's good it could be quite good. One bit of promising news to come out of this announcement is that WETA (LOTR, DISTRICT 9) will be creating the CG apes for the film. Also, it seems as though they're going to go with a story about genetic tampering instead of the time-travel plot from the original CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. I'm very curious to see how this will turn out.
- A trailer was released this week for Robert Rodriguez's next film MACHETE. The film actually began as a fake exploitation trailer featured in his and Tarantino's GRINDHOUSE double-feature, but Rodriguez was passionate about fleshing out the ideas full potential. To me, it looks like a lot of fun. The cast is crazy and when am I going to get the chance to see character actor Danny Trejo headline a film again. The trailer's release is incredibly appropriate considering Cinco de Mayo and that it seems to be addressing issues that are currently ongoing in the backwards, prejudice state of Arizona (which the trailer briefly addresses). MACHETE will be in theaters this September.
- Steven Spielberg has picked out his next live-action project: WAR HORSE. I say live-action because his next film is actually the first installment in the animated series TIN TIN based on the popular French cartoon. Spielberg has entertained numerous projects over the past couple years and his decision has been closely watched by his fans and film enthusiasts. Frankly, I'm not terribly interested. Despite his legendary status, Spielberg has been faltering this past decade. Since 2000, he's directed seven feature films and I only like two of them (MINORITY REPORT and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN). Particularly despicable was his last outing with the Indiana Jones series. I'll see what he's putting out, but I'm not getting my hopes up. The film we be based on a novel of the same name, a description of the book is as follows:
"In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer’s son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?"
Look for WAR HORSE in August of next year.
- Speaking of Spielberg - For everyone who went out to see IRON MAN 2 this weekend (which was a lot of us) there was quite a treat in the form of a trailer for an upcoming film called SUPER 8. The debut of the teaser was not much of surprise considering its existence and spot in the trailer lineup was revealed earlier in the week, complete with wild speculation about what the film will be about. Entertainment site HitFix actually managed to guess everything incorrectly about the nature of the film. They thought it might be a CLOVERFIELD sequel - it's not. They thought it was likely not the film that J.J. Abrams was working on with Steven Spielberg - it is. They also assumed that Abrams would likely not be in the director's chair for this film - he is. This will be Abrams next project before he moves on to do the STAR TREK sequel. I'm not a huge follower of his, but he certainly made me a fan with STAR TREK last year. Its appropriate that he and Spielberg are in cahoots as it seems likely that Abrams might be the Spielberg of tomorrow.
The trailer for SUPER 8 caught my attention (and imagination) to say the least. Abrams seems to be returning to the same advertising tactic he utilized with CLOVERFIELD. Like CLOVERFIELD, the details gleaned from SUPER 8's trailer are a bit vague, but it looks to be a promising monster movie. I imagine the preview will hit the internet shortly. You can either wait for this, go see IRON MAN 2 (not a bad option), or just watch the bootleg versions available on YouTube. I won't describe the trailer because you can find that somewhere else, but I will say this - Area 51, train crash, something violently escaping train car.
The official plot description for the film as of today is this: "In 1979, a train carrying important cargo from Area 51 is destroyed, causing all contents to be unleashed upon the world." SUPER 8 hits theaters in Summer of 2011.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
IRON MAN 2 - A Piece of the Puzzle
Despite some less-than-kind reviews, I was still very excited to see the IRON MAN sequel on its opening day. I left satisfied. This is a fine film, you just have to see it for what it is. What is it exactly? I'll get to that.
Most critics seems to be complaining about things that I wouldn't myself. It seems that the biggest issue with IRON MAN 2 is that it didn't quite live up to its predecessor, even the positive reviews made this assessment. I agree with that to some extent, it does lack a certain "zazz", but the sequel also had the burden of very high expectations that IRON MAN lacked. I think most people, myself included, didn't expect a whole lot out of IRON MAN when it was released two years ago. Who the hell is Iron Man anyway? Sure, he has his dedicated followers, but he lacks the popularity of A-list superheroes. The trailers looked good and I was excited by Downey Jr. being on the marquee, but I only expected a decent movie. What we got was a very good movie. I, like most of the film-going community, love to have my expectations surpassed. This resulted in an enormous amount of buzz and praise. Unfortunately, this has been somewhat of a curse for IRON MAN 2, at least critically. I expected IRON MAN 2 to be a very good movie, but the early reviews adjusted my hopes to just "good movie" and that's exactly what I got. Anybody expecting to be blown away is setting themselves up for a disappointment.
IRON MAN 2 is a good in-between film. It's apparent that Favreau is trying to make his own series that will stand apart from the other Marvel films to a certain extent. However, he cannot escape the current of the Marvel Universe. I didn't find this movie to be an advertisement for the impending AVENGERS film, like some critics did (I could have actually used a bit more of the Avengers plot), but it's certainly made itself part of the background. I'm psyched about this because it means that Marvel is serious about making their ambitious experiment in serial narratives work. Nothing like it has ever been accomplished. Crossovers with this level of detail and public interest are unprecedented. Sure, IRON MAN means a lot to them, both creatively and monetarily, but THE AVENGERS and the overarching picture means more. IRON MAN 2 might be a little scatterbrained for some, but I didn't mind. It's just part of a very elaborate puzzle. Whatever risks there might have been in making a film like this have most likely been justified by the impressive box-office it is doing this weekend.
I suppose I should note a few things about the film itself:
The performances are all good. Downey is great again as Stark. Mickey Rourke's blunt and violent Ivan Vanko is deviation from the cunning Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), but a welcome one. He certainly seems to be having a lot of fun with it whilst also taking the role quite seriously. Stark's new corporate rival, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), is humorously despicable and a nice addition. He's sort of a Tony Stark without any talent or genius intellect. Anybody who knows me knows how under-appreciated I think Rockwell is. Perhaps this will get him more of the exposure he rightly deserves. I didn't know what to expect from Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff. I thought she might be more of the villainous Black Widow, but her as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Tony Stark babysitter was fine too. It's hard not to like her. She's a nice juxtaposition with the physically reserved Pepper Potts. I didn't miss Terrence Howard as Rhodie, Cheadle makes a suitable replacement. The action was fun. The Nick Fury appearances were delightful. Vanko's appearance at the racetrack was just as cool as expected. There's a lot to enjoy about the film. If I had one technical complaint it's that there seemed to be way too many close shots. I would have preferred if the camera had been pulled back a bit on a few occasions. But on the overall I liked it, almost as much as the 1st film. Make sure to stick around after the credits.
Most critics seems to be complaining about things that I wouldn't myself. It seems that the biggest issue with IRON MAN 2 is that it didn't quite live up to its predecessor, even the positive reviews made this assessment. I agree with that to some extent, it does lack a certain "zazz", but the sequel also had the burden of very high expectations that IRON MAN lacked. I think most people, myself included, didn't expect a whole lot out of IRON MAN when it was released two years ago. Who the hell is Iron Man anyway? Sure, he has his dedicated followers, but he lacks the popularity of A-list superheroes. The trailers looked good and I was excited by Downey Jr. being on the marquee, but I only expected a decent movie. What we got was a very good movie. I, like most of the film-going community, love to have my expectations surpassed. This resulted in an enormous amount of buzz and praise. Unfortunately, this has been somewhat of a curse for IRON MAN 2, at least critically. I expected IRON MAN 2 to be a very good movie, but the early reviews adjusted my hopes to just "good movie" and that's exactly what I got. Anybody expecting to be blown away is setting themselves up for a disappointment.
IRON MAN 2 is a good in-between film. It's apparent that Favreau is trying to make his own series that will stand apart from the other Marvel films to a certain extent. However, he cannot escape the current of the Marvel Universe. I didn't find this movie to be an advertisement for the impending AVENGERS film, like some critics did (I could have actually used a bit more of the Avengers plot), but it's certainly made itself part of the background. I'm psyched about this because it means that Marvel is serious about making their ambitious experiment in serial narratives work. Nothing like it has ever been accomplished. Crossovers with this level of detail and public interest are unprecedented. Sure, IRON MAN means a lot to them, both creatively and monetarily, but THE AVENGERS and the overarching picture means more. IRON MAN 2 might be a little scatterbrained for some, but I didn't mind. It's just part of a very elaborate puzzle. Whatever risks there might have been in making a film like this have most likely been justified by the impressive box-office it is doing this weekend.
I suppose I should note a few things about the film itself:
The performances are all good. Downey is great again as Stark. Mickey Rourke's blunt and violent Ivan Vanko is deviation from the cunning Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), but a welcome one. He certainly seems to be having a lot of fun with it whilst also taking the role quite seriously. Stark's new corporate rival, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), is humorously despicable and a nice addition. He's sort of a Tony Stark without any talent or genius intellect. Anybody who knows me knows how under-appreciated I think Rockwell is. Perhaps this will get him more of the exposure he rightly deserves. I didn't know what to expect from Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff. I thought she might be more of the villainous Black Widow, but her as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Tony Stark babysitter was fine too. It's hard not to like her. She's a nice juxtaposition with the physically reserved Pepper Potts. I didn't miss Terrence Howard as Rhodie, Cheadle makes a suitable replacement. The action was fun. The Nick Fury appearances were delightful. Vanko's appearance at the racetrack was just as cool as expected. There's a lot to enjoy about the film. If I had one technical complaint it's that there seemed to be way too many close shots. I would have preferred if the camera had been pulled back a bit on a few occasions. But on the overall I liked it, almost as much as the 1st film. Make sure to stick around after the credits.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
30th Anniversary ALIEN at Union Theatre this Weekend
Well, this'll be a treat. Ridley Scott's classic horror sci-fi film ALIEN will be played at the UWM Union Theatre this weekend. If I had to compile a list of my favorite films, ALIEN and its sequel would easily make the top 10. Even though they are numerous, I love those space films where one crew chooses to answer a distress signal from another and terror ensues. The lesson: don't help anybody. ALIEN maintains a tone from the opening moments that has never and likely will never be duplicated. Jerry Goldsmith's quiet and moody score seems to foreshadow the carnage that the xenomorph will eventually carry out. This, coupled with the juxtaposition of industrial and futuristic set pieces really take Scott's film to the next level. You could just watch this film at home, but why pass up the opportunity to see it in a theatre. That's an experience I've always wanted. To sweeten the deal, the version being presented will be the newly-restored 30th Anniversary 35mm print.
The following quotes are from the UWM Union Theatre's website:
"Thirty years after its initial release, Alien remains a benchmark for the sci-fi genre, and bears little relation to its space-thriller contemporaries. From its ominous opening, unsettling production design (both realistic and creepily unearthly), realistic dialogue (much of it improvised); to the unexpectedness of the first entrance — or exit — of the eponymous creature. Starring Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, and Sigourney Weaver as the unforgettable Commanding Officer-by-default Ellen Ripley in a crucial role, challenging gender stereotypes both on and off the screen."
“(Alien) still vibrates with a dark and frightening intensity…It is a film that absorbs us in a mission before it involves us in an adventure, and that consistently engages the alien with curiosity and logic, instead of simply firing at it.”
– Roger Ebert
Friday, May 7 at 11pm
Saturday, May 8 at 9pm
Sunday, May 9 at 4:30pm
Runtime: 117 minutes
The following quotes are from the UWM Union Theatre's website:
"Thirty years after its initial release, Alien remains a benchmark for the sci-fi genre, and bears little relation to its space-thriller contemporaries. From its ominous opening, unsettling production design (both realistic and creepily unearthly), realistic dialogue (much of it improvised); to the unexpectedness of the first entrance — or exit — of the eponymous creature. Starring Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, and Sigourney Weaver as the unforgettable Commanding Officer-by-default Ellen Ripley in a crucial role, challenging gender stereotypes both on and off the screen."
“(Alien) still vibrates with a dark and frightening intensity…It is a film that absorbs us in a mission before it involves us in an adventure, and that consistently engages the alien with curiosity and logic, instead of simply firing at it.”
– Roger Ebert
Friday, May 7 at 11pm
Saturday, May 8 at 9pm
Sunday, May 9 at 4:30pm
Runtime: 117 minutes
Monday, May 3, 2010
MOTHER meh I?
This weekend I had the opportunity to see Joon-ho Bong's lastest film, MOTHER. The film has a one-week limited engagement in Milwaukee and comes with a lot of hype and positive reviews. I'm not a big follower of the Asian film market; I'm even less familiar with the South Korean film market, but I am acquainted with Bong's films, so I was very excited to see his latest. His last feature THE HOST gained a lot of attention and for good reason. It's a touching, scary, and funny monster movie with a great cast. MEMORIES OF MURDER precedes it and is just as good, if not better. I went into the MOTHER screening with high expectations, thinking I would see something similar in quality. I was underwhelmed.
The film has been marketed as a thriller and often called one in reviews. I didn't find it to be all that thrilling. Bong is visually brilliant, creating a dark, moody atmosphere with some great compositions of rural landscapes, but the content is just so empty. For a while, the film seems to be subtly hinting at a story about dubious police work and the subjugation of the lower-class, but it shifts into a story about the Mother's hair-brained investigation into the murder that her mentally-challenged son is accused of. It's supposed to have this noirish feel (which I felt was forced), but the clues and interrogations are just so convenient and accessible. Mother doesn't really seem to struggle for the information she obtains, nor does she take very much time. The "twisted" revelation at the end has been called "hitchcockian" by some reviewers, but I found it all-to-expected. The red herrings are telegraphed because it doesn't seem as though the film wants to commit to exploring them. The first outcome that I predicted is the exact one I got, which is sad, I like surprises.
I know it's supposed to be a big deal how Mother goes above and beyond for her son through the very end, but since no one else in the film acts like a real human being would, it makes her actions seem empty. There's no gravity to her behavior because it's only to be expected out of the film's zany characters. The ending bit about memory was also heavily telegraphed and seemed to be taking a cue from MEMENTO, a legit noir.
Needless to say, I was surprised at how much I disliked this film. I'm disappointed in Bong as I believe he's a much better craftsman than this film showed. It just seems as though disappointment is becoming a trend among 2010 releases. I still suggest you see the film yourself, if you find the time. Chances are you'll disagree with me as most critics are singing MOTHER's praises. The film currently holds an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes with only five negative reviews.
On the docket for the next couple weeks (hopefully):
IRON MAN 2
ROBIN HOOD
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Oscar's Best Foreign Film)
Maybe I'll get out to see KICK-ASS finally, but my interest is waning.
Perhaps BIRDEMIC too if I'm bored.
That's right, BIRDEMIC - check out the trailer!
BIRDEMIC will get its Milwaukee Premiere at Midnight on May 15th at the Oriental.
The film has been marketed as a thriller and often called one in reviews. I didn't find it to be all that thrilling. Bong is visually brilliant, creating a dark, moody atmosphere with some great compositions of rural landscapes, but the content is just so empty. For a while, the film seems to be subtly hinting at a story about dubious police work and the subjugation of the lower-class, but it shifts into a story about the Mother's hair-brained investigation into the murder that her mentally-challenged son is accused of. It's supposed to have this noirish feel (which I felt was forced), but the clues and interrogations are just so convenient and accessible. Mother doesn't really seem to struggle for the information she obtains, nor does she take very much time. The "twisted" revelation at the end has been called "hitchcockian" by some reviewers, but I found it all-to-expected. The red herrings are telegraphed because it doesn't seem as though the film wants to commit to exploring them. The first outcome that I predicted is the exact one I got, which is sad, I like surprises.
I know it's supposed to be a big deal how Mother goes above and beyond for her son through the very end, but since no one else in the film acts like a real human being would, it makes her actions seem empty. There's no gravity to her behavior because it's only to be expected out of the film's zany characters. The ending bit about memory was also heavily telegraphed and seemed to be taking a cue from MEMENTO, a legit noir.
Needless to say, I was surprised at how much I disliked this film. I'm disappointed in Bong as I believe he's a much better craftsman than this film showed. It just seems as though disappointment is becoming a trend among 2010 releases. I still suggest you see the film yourself, if you find the time. Chances are you'll disagree with me as most critics are singing MOTHER's praises. The film currently holds an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes with only five negative reviews.
On the docket for the next couple weeks (hopefully):
IRON MAN 2
ROBIN HOOD
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Oscar's Best Foreign Film)
Maybe I'll get out to see KICK-ASS finally, but my interest is waning.
Perhaps BIRDEMIC too if I'm bored.
That's right, BIRDEMIC - check out the trailer!
BIRDEMIC will get its Milwaukee Premiere at Midnight on May 15th at the Oriental.
Paramount Not Staying Classy
I had meant to have this as part of my last post, but I forgot. Apparently, Paramount has passed on a sequel to 2004's ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY. Director Adam McKay wrote on his twitter account that the studio had passed on his proposed follow-up to the intensely popular film. He followed up his comments several hours later with some more bad news: Paramount owns the rights to the film, therefore he will not be able to shop it around at other studios. ANCHORMAN 2 will never get made.
I'm disappointed by this. I'm not a huge Will Ferrell supporter. It was actually my dislike of him that kept me from seeing this in theaters. However, I caught it on DVD and was completely blown away. This is one of my favorite comedies of all time and, to me, a sequel sounds like a great opportunity. The important members of the cast are enthusiastic about the project and though their price tags might be a bit higher than when they did the first film, I can only imagine it would be worth the extra money. Paul Rudd and Steve Carell now rival, if not surpass, Ferrell in popularity, but that just means more interest and better box-office returns for the film. Yes, Ferrell's movies aren't always a success at the box-office, but that doesn't mean he still can't draw a crowd. Again, I'm not a huge fan of the actor, but his Ron Burgundy character won me over. Some of his films do so poorly because they look stupid or are completely pointless. I've oftentimes thought to myself "he should just put the mustache back on and go back to doing what he did best". I guess he won't get the chance and he'll be relegated to making more crummy and pointless films.
This decision says one things to me: Paramount doesn't know what people want. It's as if they have a computer making their decisions for them. It sees that ANCHORMAN didn't make a TON of money and that Ferrell's movies haven't done too well lately and it decides "pass". It doesn't see that the film has done huge numbers on DVD, that it possesses an enormous following and that the demand for a sequel is actually quite high. This might be the reason for another decision coming out of Paramount today: a ZOOLANDER sequel has also been passed on. I don't love the film, but it's another good example of a movie with a huge following that would likely play very well in theaters. The film's star, Ben Stiller, wrote on his Twitter account, addressing both films' fates: "Ron Burgundy and Derek Zoolander looking to appear in sequels. Both men destitute, without means or intellect to fund their own comebacks." I only hope that Paramount reconsiders or that someone else gets a chance to make these films and allow Burgundy and Zoolander the chance to shine again.
I'm disappointed by this. I'm not a huge Will Ferrell supporter. It was actually my dislike of him that kept me from seeing this in theaters. However, I caught it on DVD and was completely blown away. This is one of my favorite comedies of all time and, to me, a sequel sounds like a great opportunity. The important members of the cast are enthusiastic about the project and though their price tags might be a bit higher than when they did the first film, I can only imagine it would be worth the extra money. Paul Rudd and Steve Carell now rival, if not surpass, Ferrell in popularity, but that just means more interest and better box-office returns for the film. Yes, Ferrell's movies aren't always a success at the box-office, but that doesn't mean he still can't draw a crowd. Again, I'm not a huge fan of the actor, but his Ron Burgundy character won me over. Some of his films do so poorly because they look stupid or are completely pointless. I've oftentimes thought to myself "he should just put the mustache back on and go back to doing what he did best". I guess he won't get the chance and he'll be relegated to making more crummy and pointless films.
This decision says one things to me: Paramount doesn't know what people want. It's as if they have a computer making their decisions for them. It sees that ANCHORMAN didn't make a TON of money and that Ferrell's movies haven't done too well lately and it decides "pass". It doesn't see that the film has done huge numbers on DVD, that it possesses an enormous following and that the demand for a sequel is actually quite high. This might be the reason for another decision coming out of Paramount today: a ZOOLANDER sequel has also been passed on. I don't love the film, but it's another good example of a movie with a huge following that would likely play very well in theaters. The film's star, Ben Stiller, wrote on his Twitter account, addressing both films' fates: "Ron Burgundy and Derek Zoolander looking to appear in sequels. Both men destitute, without means or intellect to fund their own comebacks." I only hope that Paramount reconsiders or that someone else gets a chance to make these films and allow Burgundy and Zoolander the chance to shine again.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
This Week in Movie News (Nerd News)
I'd just like to highlight a few interesting stories from this past week:
- The IRON MAN 2 reviews are rolling in and they aren't great. The first film currently holds an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, with only 15 negative reviews. With less than 50 total reviews, the sequel already has 12 'rotten' ones. The film still holds a mediocre 74%, but even the 'fresh' reviews aren't overly positive. A vast majority of them feature some sort of admission of the first film's superiority. This is very disappointing. There's a chance that the total percentage could turn around significantly (in either direction), but the ratio of good to bad reviews usually holds steady by this point. The trailers really make this seem like an awesome film. I'm not going to let the bad reviews effect my view of the it. I'm still very excited to see the movie, but I'll be greatly disappointed if my expectations aren't met. I guess I'll just have to wait until next Friday to see for myself.
Side note: I'm starting to get pissed off by how much IRON MAN 2 is selling out. All the Burger King and car commercials featuring the character are very irritating. This, more than anything, will effect how I perceive the film.
- The third installment in Nolan's Batman trilogy has a release date: July 20, 2012. There isn't a whole lot of information about the project yet, but pinning down a release date just means that those details are imminent. Nolan is apparently working out the story right now that would provide his series and the Batman character with some closure. This sounds very interesting and I can't wait to see what this film will be about. If he intends to upstage THE DARK KNIGHT, he must have something fantastic in mind.
Many of the commentators who broke this news were quick to point out what a nerdy year 2012 is turning out to be. The STAR TREK sequel (which I'm equally excited for) has a tentative release date of June 29. THE AVENGERS (if all goes as planned) will come out May 4th of that year. Other 'big' films mentioned alongside these are BATTLESHIP (May 25th) and the Spider-Man reboot (July 3rd). I know I'm being petty as I'm really just critiquing the journalists who broke the news, but I don't think either of these films deserves to be mentioned in the company of the other three. Is the BATTLESHIP film really going to be that big of a hit? I don't think kids even play Battleship anymore. And the Spider-Man reboot - I know it's early, but I have very little faith in this project. Marc Webb, an unproven director as far as big-budget films, is at the helm and all early reports indicate that the little tweener from PERCY JACKSON is likely to play the web-slinger himself. I don't love the character or the Raimi film trilogy that much, but I feel as though Webb won't be able to improve on anything that Raimi accomplished. We've already seen the origin story, I have no interest in going back there and putting Peter Parker in high school. It's just a feeling I have, but I tend to be wrong about these things.
News also broke recently that the much-anticipated adaptation of Tolkien's "The Hobbit" is being delayed until 2013. This is a huge letdown as this film would have likely been the icing on the proverbial nerd-cake (a D&D or BSG themed cake no doubt) in 2012. I don't care when it comes out, I just hope it still gets made.
- KICK-ASS director Matthew Vaughn has been offered X-MEN: FIRST CLASS. I don't know how to feel about this. I have faith in Vaughn as a director, but not in this project. I'm a bit of an ageist, but I'm not interested in seeing the X-Men as kids. It just seems as though Fox intends to pander to a teenage audience. I hated this even when I was a teen. If they want to make a serious film, that's fine, but It'll be a hard sell when they fill it up with a bunch of unpolished unknown kid actors. The only thing keeping me from writing the film off completely is knowing that Bryan Singer is involved in some capacity. Singer did a great job with the first two X-Men films (especially X2), but when he left everything went downhill. X MEN: THE LAST STAND was terrible and the WOLVERINE film was even worse. I'm hoping this film gets called off altogether, but if it does get made, I'll be interested to see where it stacks up.
- Lastly, if you're looking for something to do when you're bored, I suggest you travel on over to Rotten Tomatoes and check out the FURRY VENGEANCE reviews. They are hilarious! The movie is currently sitting on an embarrassing 2% with only one positive review in nearly fifty. HA!
- The IRON MAN 2 reviews are rolling in and they aren't great. The first film currently holds an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, with only 15 negative reviews. With less than 50 total reviews, the sequel already has 12 'rotten' ones. The film still holds a mediocre 74%, but even the 'fresh' reviews aren't overly positive. A vast majority of them feature some sort of admission of the first film's superiority. This is very disappointing. There's a chance that the total percentage could turn around significantly (in either direction), but the ratio of good to bad reviews usually holds steady by this point. The trailers really make this seem like an awesome film. I'm not going to let the bad reviews effect my view of the it. I'm still very excited to see the movie, but I'll be greatly disappointed if my expectations aren't met. I guess I'll just have to wait until next Friday to see for myself.
Side note: I'm starting to get pissed off by how much IRON MAN 2 is selling out. All the Burger King and car commercials featuring the character are very irritating. This, more than anything, will effect how I perceive the film.
- The third installment in Nolan's Batman trilogy has a release date: July 20, 2012. There isn't a whole lot of information about the project yet, but pinning down a release date just means that those details are imminent. Nolan is apparently working out the story right now that would provide his series and the Batman character with some closure. This sounds very interesting and I can't wait to see what this film will be about. If he intends to upstage THE DARK KNIGHT, he must have something fantastic in mind.
Many of the commentators who broke this news were quick to point out what a nerdy year 2012 is turning out to be. The STAR TREK sequel (which I'm equally excited for) has a tentative release date of June 29. THE AVENGERS (if all goes as planned) will come out May 4th of that year. Other 'big' films mentioned alongside these are BATTLESHIP (May 25th) and the Spider-Man reboot (July 3rd). I know I'm being petty as I'm really just critiquing the journalists who broke the news, but I don't think either of these films deserves to be mentioned in the company of the other three. Is the BATTLESHIP film really going to be that big of a hit? I don't think kids even play Battleship anymore. And the Spider-Man reboot - I know it's early, but I have very little faith in this project. Marc Webb, an unproven director as far as big-budget films, is at the helm and all early reports indicate that the little tweener from PERCY JACKSON is likely to play the web-slinger himself. I don't love the character or the Raimi film trilogy that much, but I feel as though Webb won't be able to improve on anything that Raimi accomplished. We've already seen the origin story, I have no interest in going back there and putting Peter Parker in high school. It's just a feeling I have, but I tend to be wrong about these things.
News also broke recently that the much-anticipated adaptation of Tolkien's "The Hobbit" is being delayed until 2013. This is a huge letdown as this film would have likely been the icing on the proverbial nerd-cake (a D&D or BSG themed cake no doubt) in 2012. I don't care when it comes out, I just hope it still gets made.
- KICK-ASS director Matthew Vaughn has been offered X-MEN: FIRST CLASS. I don't know how to feel about this. I have faith in Vaughn as a director, but not in this project. I'm a bit of an ageist, but I'm not interested in seeing the X-Men as kids. It just seems as though Fox intends to pander to a teenage audience. I hated this even when I was a teen. If they want to make a serious film, that's fine, but It'll be a hard sell when they fill it up with a bunch of unpolished unknown kid actors. The only thing keeping me from writing the film off completely is knowing that Bryan Singer is involved in some capacity. Singer did a great job with the first two X-Men films (especially X2), but when he left everything went downhill. X MEN: THE LAST STAND was terrible and the WOLVERINE film was even worse. I'm hoping this film gets called off altogether, but if it does get made, I'll be interested to see where it stacks up.
- Lastly, if you're looking for something to do when you're bored, I suggest you travel on over to Rotten Tomatoes and check out the FURRY VENGEANCE reviews. They are hilarious! The movie is currently sitting on an embarrassing 2% with only one positive review in nearly fifty. HA!
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