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Channel: Cinematical
- Review: Green Zone
The Oscar nominated British director Paul Greengrass seems drawn to "issue" movies. His feature directorial debut was the disease-of-the-week movie The Theory of Flight (1998), and he found acclaim with the explosive Bloody Sunday (2002) and the gripping, grueling United 93 (2006), though none of those exactly resulted in a bonanza of ticket sales. He seemed to come closer to his true calling with the second two Bourne films, The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), bringing his gift for tense action as well as uncommon intelligence to a pair of summer action films. If there were any "issues" in those movies, they were buried deep in the kinetic plots.
Now we find Greengrass at a crossroads. Clearly the issue movies bring more glory and more personal satisfaction, but the action movies bring in happier customers and more riches. It's a conundrum many artists have faced since the days of Sullivan's Travels (1941), when a comedy filmmaker hit the road to make a film about the "real America." But Greengrass has asked an interesting question: why not do both at once? The answer to that question is Green Zone. Loosely based on a nonfiction book by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, it's a fictionalized thriller with fictionalized characters, taking place in a realistic setting. (Greengrass credits the 2006 book with helping him jump-start a project he had begun working on in 2004.) Filed under: New Releases, Universal, Theatrical Reviews, New in Theaters, War Continue reading Review: Green Zone Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- Cinematical Seven: Movie Employees Who Go Off Task
I really want to see Green Zone. Not because I'm dying to see Matt Damon go all Jason Bourne on some WMDs (though I am), but because I have a huge soft spot for movies about employees who go off task. I'm not talking about the simple movies that feature employees having fun at work (here's looking at you, Empire Records), I'm talking about movies that feature employees going totally rogue, sticking it to the man and so forth.
Why do I love movies like this? I don't know, really. I've got no complaints about any of the jobs I've ever held, so it's not as though I have contempt for the workplace establishment. I've always had a great relationship with my bosses, so I'm not out to see the big man up top get shafted in the end. I guess I just like to see employees having fun, be it by shooting terrorists in the face or giving the metaphorical finger to their corporate overlords. Considering I could have filled this list 3 times over with the roster I jotted down, I'm not the only one. But these are indeed my favorite employee cutups. Filed under: Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Cinematical Seven, Lists Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Movie Employees Who Go Off Task Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- SXSW Interview: 'The People vs. George Lucas' Director Alexandre O. Philippe
 Those of you who only see the Star Wars fans playing dress-up at premieres and conventions are only seeing one half of the story. A whole generation has grown up, but while they still remain loyal they have a few beefs with the man responsible for framing their childhood. Alexandre O. Philippe's documentary, The People vs. George Lucas, takes a look at the fans behind the masks and why they are so angry. Before the film has its world premiere at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival, Alexandre answered a few questions for this loyalist over the years.
Cinematical: What was the straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back moment that inspired the genesis of this project?
PHILIPPE: I first had the idea of making this film approximately five years ago, but it really came to life during the summer of 2007 while we were in Texas working on several other projects with our crew. Robert Muratore (our Director of Photography and one of our Producers) seemed really enthusiastic about making it, and he's the one who convinced me to move forward with it.
The concept was a no-brainer. Put two Star Wars fans in a room together, and they'll start arguing about the Special Editions, the prequels, who shot first, whether or not George Lucas owes them a DVD release of the restored Original Trilogy... they'll even talk about Indy 4, Howard the Duck, you name it! Fans love to debate and vent about George Lucas. Here's a fun little experiment, which I first attempted when we were developing our film, and tried again today. I just Googled "I hate Gene Roddenberry", and got 61 hits. Then, I Googled "I hate George Lucas", and 112,000 hits came up! Filed under: SXSW, Interviews Continue reading SXSW Interview: 'The People vs. George Lucas' Director Alexandre O. Philippe Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- 10 Films (And More) To See At The 2010 South By Southwest Festival
With over 110 features, not to mention short films, panels and all the social gatherings at the annual South by Southwest Film Festival, how does one decide how to make a schedule. In the five days that I will be there, I will be attending at least two panels. One by my friend and colleague, Cinematical's Scott Weinberg, who will be moderating Directing the Dead, a look at the horror genre through the eyes of panelists Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds), Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Neil Marshall (The Descent), Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and Ti West (The House of the Devil). Personally I will also be taking to moderation when I examine Hyperbole In Film Criticism with not only Mr. Weinberg, but also film critics Drew McWeeny, James Rocchi, Marjorie Baumgarten and Jen Yamato.
Mostly though I will be there for the movies. In-between the camaraderie of my fellow film lovers and more than a few meals at the Alamo Drafthouses, I am looking forward to the likes of major releases such as Kick-Ass (the opening night film) and the feature-length version of SNL's MacGruber and documentaries such as James Franco's Saturday Night, about what goes into the preparation of the legendary sketch show and Steven Soderbergh's tribute to Spalding Gray in And Everything Is Going Fine. That's just the tip of my schedule, though, and I want to help you with yours. Certainly I concur with the positive sentiments offered by the Cinematical staff on SXSW showings of Cyrus, The Freebie, The Runaways, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and Winter's Bone and echo that they should be seen. But I am going to offer you ten more suggestions to help put you on the road to the best possible fest experience.
Filed under: SXSW, Fandom Continue reading 10 Films (And More) To See At The 2010 South By Southwest Festival Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- The Keeping Score Interview: Music Supervisor Randall Poster
Away We Go. The Hangover. Up in the Air. Jennifer's Body. Whip It. Gentlemen Broncos. Fantastic Mr. Fox. What do these 2009 films have in common? Randall Poster.
Poster, for folks who don't pore over the below-the-line folks who are as much if not more responsible for the artistry that goes into the films we watch and love, is a music supervisor. The producer and developer of the musical backdrops, if not backbones, of countless films over the past two decades, he's responsible for pairing some of the movies' most indelible images with its most unforgettable songs, from Kids to Rushmore to School of Rock to virtually any scene in the above films in which music is played. He's worked with Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes; Harmony Korine and Martin Scorsese; Todd Phillips and David Fincher.
Two of Poster's most acclaimed films from last year arrive on DVD and Blu-ray this month: Up in the Air debuted March 9, while Fantastic Mr. Fox is being released March 23. Cinematical was lucky enough to speak to Poster earlier this year when the native New Yorker was visiting Los Angeles for work. In addition to talking about his collaborations with directors Jason Reitman and Wes Anderson on these two particular projects, Poster discussed the process of cultivating long-term relationships with various filmmakers, and reflected upon the work - and the way of working - that he's found most satisfying during the course of his accomplished and remarkably eclectic career.
Cinematical: Just to get started, how did you get started as a music supervisor and what's involved in it as a job?Filed under: Fandom, Home Entertainment, Interviews Continue reading The Keeping Score Interview: Music Supervisor Randall Poster Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- Exclusive: Kristen Stewart Reacts To The 'Eclipse' Trailer
Earlier today, Cinematical sat down with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning to talk about their new movie The Runaways, in which the actresses play Cherie Currie and Joan Jett, two of the founding members of the eponymous all-girl rock band. (Look for a full-length, exclusive interview with the duo in the weeks to come.) Following our discussion of the ins and outs of playing real-life rock stars, talk turned to the new 90-second trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which debuted online this morning.
When I asked if either of them got to see the trailer, Stewart and Fanning turned to one another for reactions. "Did you watch it?" Stewart asked Fanning.
"No, I didn't," Fanning replied. "I watched it," Stewart said with enthusiasm. When I prodded her for specific feelings, she said, "Well, it's really fast, isn't it? It's sort of like a couple of pictures strung together. But it looks good - it looks good! I think Taylor [Lautner] looks really great. Like, he looks very strong and I love his voice in it," she said. "He's good in it."
What did you think of the trailer? Let us know with your comments below! Filed under: Interviews, Trailers and Clips Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- Pitch of the Day: 'The King of Kong Too'
 There was at one point talk of a remake of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Seth Gordon, who directed the documentary, was going to helm the redo, which would turn his non-fiction cult hit into a dramatized feature scripted by Michael Bacall ( Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). Plans for that have -- thankfully -- been put aside, at least temporarily, while Gordon tackles other fiction and non-fiction projects, such as Four Christmases and the upcoming anthology documentary Freakonomics, as well as a ton of in-development stuff he's been attached to in the past three years. Well, I'd like Gordon to put down whatever he's doing and return to the subject of Donkey Kong records for a film that's part sequel, part remake: The King of Kong Too: For a Few Quarters More.
Here's why: the NY Daily News reported yesterday that Dr. Hank Chien, a 35-year-old plastic surgeon from Queens, has become the new King of Kong. He broke the arcade game record a few weeks ago during one of the city's snowstorms, and last Friday the Twin Galaxies board of referees confirmed he'd broken the world record. Like Tom Ganjamie at Best Week Ever, I'm a bit disappointed that original King of Kong protagonist Steve Wiebe didn't finally take the record, but just knowing the film's baddie Billy Mitchell has gone down is pretty cool. But even cooler will be the documentary that follows Mitchell's attempt to again take back his throne (he previously did such following the event of the first film), this time from Chien, in a sort of Empire Strikes Back meets Joysticks. Well, actually just Empire Strikes Back meets The King of Kong.
Gordon, get yourself to Hollywood, Florida. And this time, show us how evil Mitchell really is. Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Remakes and Sequels, Cinematical Indie Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- Milo Ventimiglia Runs a 'Criminal Empire for Dummys'
 What happens when a hero goes bad and heads up a criminal empire? We're about to find out. Variety reports that there's a new indie gangster film in the works called Criminal Empire for Dummys, which might be yet another irritatingly misspelled title, but also boasts a bad-ass cast. Milo Ventimiglia, Gary Oldman, and Malin Akerman will star, with Michael Clarke Duncan and Harvey Keitel also on the roster. Cliff Dorfman ( Entourage) wrote the script, and will make it his feature directorial debut.
The film will focus on a "charismatic young man" played by Ventimiglia, "who relates the do's and don'ts of running a criminal empire through a flashback to his own rise from a tragic childhood and life in the ghetto to eventual position as a multinational drug and criminal kingpin." Last year, however, things were playing out a little differently.
During TIFF, Arclight Films was pushing the feature as a vehicle for Chris Evans, Keitel, and Rachel Bilson. Somewhere along the way, the Human Torch exited, a hero without a spunky name entered, Akerman slipped into Bilson's spot, and this is the big surprise: Keitel got downgraded from co-star to supporting gig. The same Arclight blurb also gave a whole different tone to the project as well. "Lesson One -- If you're gonna be a gangster, you're gonna get caught. Not a matter of if. Just a matter of when. Thus starts our journey as we follow the rise of the infamous Ray Ford. From his severely fractured home, to the U.S. Marine Corps, to the housing projects of the deep south, to running the largest criminal empire known worldwide."
Production will kick off later this month in New Orleans. Ventimiglia... Evans... Which hero do you prefer as criminal kingpin? Filed under: Drama, Independent, Casting, Deals, Scripts Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- Quentin Tarantino Gets Smurfing Smurfy in 'Smurfs'
 Quentin Tarantino may not have won an Oscar last Sunday, but according to IGN, he won a role in Raja Gosnell's live-action movie The Smurfs instead. Small consolation, there, I guess. Tarantino will be joining a cast that includes Neil Patrick Harris, certifiably insane comedy legend Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf and part-time lesbian Katy Perry as Smurfette. Tarantino will of course be playing the most annoying smurf of them all -- Brainy Smurf.
I could not stand Brainy Smurf when I was a kid. The bespectacled know-it-all demanded respect from the other smurfs in a whiny, nasal twang, always warning against some calamity that was sure to befall the smurfs, or thinking of himself as the second-in-command to Papa Smurf. The other smurfs never seemed to like him much, and who can blame them? He could've ended up in the bottom of Gargamel's kettle, and I wouldn't have cared.
The obvious joke here is to re-imagine Tarantino's trademark dialogue, replacing "smurf" (as smurfs do) for some of his choice expletives, so please allow me to make the obvious jokes now.
"Lemme tell you what 'Like a Smurfette' is about. It's all about this smurf who's a regular smurf machine, I'm talking morning, day, night, afternoon, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf, smurf." (from Reservoir Smurfs)
"I don't need you to tell me how smurfing good my coffee is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Smurfette goes shopping, she buys SMURF. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it, I want to taste it. But you know what's on my mind right now? It ain't the coffee in my kitchen, it's the dead smurf in my garage." (from Smurf Fiction)
Or you could just watch someone's homemade parody video after the jump.
Filed under: Animation, Casting, Family Films, Newsstand, Quentin Tarantino Continue reading Quentin Tarantino Gets Smurfing Smurfy in 'Smurfs' Permalink | Email this | Comments More
- What Does 17 Directors + 15 Actors Equal? 1 Sketch Comedy
As further proof that nothing's ever dead in Hollywood, Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media has signed on to co-finance an untitled sketch comedy film so old that it was once killed by Tipper Gore. Kavanaugh stepped in after Overture recently lost the project, and will be producing with comic buddy Charles Wessler, Pete Farrelly and GreeneStreet Films' John Penotti. Tim Williams and Tucker Tooley will executive produce. Wessler's project was ditched by Paramount ages ago after old Tipper said it wasn't family friendly -- 17 directors and 15 actors later here we are.
So far Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Gerard Butler, Banks, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Emma Stone, Matt Walsh, Tony Shalhoub, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kieran Culkin, Chloe Moretz, and Patrick Warburton have signed on to the project which is being shot on the fly with a variety of directors. Pete Farrelly, Brett Ratner, Elizabeth Banks, Bob Odenkirk and Griffin Dunne have directed segments so far and Relativity has confirmed they are still gathering more names to throw into the pot. Shooting is expected to wrap up in May.
Is there still an audience for thematically-connected sketch comedy film in a world of Date Movies or has its time passed? Will the punchline be Brett Ratner's involvement?
Filed under: Comedy, Casting, Deals Permalink | Email this | Comments More
Channel: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily
- Top Stories: March 12, 2010
• Watch Lady Gaga, Beyoncé’s “Telephone”
• Phil Spector Appeals Murder Conviction
• News Ticker: The Clash, Metallica
• Conan O’Brien Announces Bonnaroo, Tour
• Pearl Jam Plot May Tour Dates
• Corgan on Mayer’s Career-Destruction
• Idol to Tackle Rolling Stones Songs
• Pink Floyd Halt Single-Song Downloads
• Strokes Confirm Lollapalooza Slot
• Actor Corey Haim Dead at 38
• Kate Nash Talks [...] More
- Phil Spector Appeals Murder Conviction Citing Error, Misconduct
Lawyers for producer Phil Spector have appealed his 2009 murder conviction, claiming he didn’t receive a fair trial. Last May, Spector, now 70 years old, was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion in 2003. Citing judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct, his legal team requested [...] More
- News Ticker: The Clash, Ray Charles, Amy Winehouse, Metallica
Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
The Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon both play on Gorillaz’s new Plastic Beach, and Spinner reports the pair might be considering joining Damon Albarn’s outfit on a brief tour. If true, it would mark the first time the former bandmates have shared a stage in public since 1983.
Unchain My Heart, a [...] More
- Lady Gaga and Beyonce Unleash Orgy of Sex, Violence, Product Placement in ?Telephone? Video
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s anxiously awaited video for their The Fame Monster collaboration “Telephone” has arrived as a nine-minute-and-thirty-second mash-up of lesbian prison porn, campy sexploitation flicks and insidery winks at the two divas’ public personas. If Quentin Tarantino and Russ Meyer remade Thelma & Louise as an orgy of product placement with fiercely choreographed [...] More
- Tour Tracker: Elton John, Diana Ross and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Photo: Venema/WireImage While Billy Joel takes the next few months off, Elton John soldiers on with a new round of April dates. Plus, Diana Ross announces her “More Today Than Yesterday” greatest-hits tour and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony reveal a fresh trek in support of their upcoming reunion album Uni5: The World’s Enemy. Full details for all [...] More
- Pearl Jam Announce May U.S. Tour Capped By Two MSG Gigs
Photo: Dyson/WireImage
Missed Pearl Jam live during the band’s run of Backspacer tour dates last year? Eddie Vedder and company are giving you another chance to see their legendary live show in action with a month-long slate of U.S. shows that kick off in May. The trek launches at New Orleans’ Jazz Festival on May 1st [...] More
- ?American Idol? Set to Tackle Songs By the Rolling Stones
Photo: AFP/Getty
Two years ago American Idol celebrated the music of the Fab Four, and next week the show’s Top 12 will pick up that rockin’ tradition by belting out songs by “the Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World,” the Rolling Stones. Host Ryan Seacrest made the announcement of next week’s musical theme on [...] More
- Billy Corgan on John Mayer: ?He?s Trying to Destroy His Career?
Photo: Bedder/WireImage (Mayer), Mayer/WireImage(Corgan)After reading John Mayer’s controversial recent interviews, Billy Corgan is convinced Mayer is trying to self-destruct. “He’s trying to destroy his career,” Corgan told Rolling Stone’s Brian Hiatt in an interview outtake from RS‘ revealing new Corgan feature in the new issue, on sale now. “Rather than take a year off or [...] More
- Conan O?Brien Joins Bonnaroo, Announces ?Legally Prohibited? Tour
Photo: Brown/Getty
NBC may have stripped Conan O’Brien of his Tonight Show and contractually barred him from temporarily appearing on television, but the red-headed host has found another way to get in front of his legion of fans: Bonnaroo. O’Brien posted on his newborn Twitter page today to reveal he’s hitting the road. “Hey [...] More
- The Strokes Confirm Lollapalooza Slot, Report In on Next Album
Photo: Bedder/Getty With the Strokes in the studio hard at work on their long-awaited follow-up to First Impressions of Earth, frontman Julian Casablancas has reiterated drummer Fab Moretti’s prediction about when the album will be released, telling the Chicago Tribune, “I think it’ll be out in September.” Casablancas added, “I’ve written a lot of melodies [...] More
Channel: Variety.com
- Russia's TV system needs a refit
International News: European Union report criticizes legal framework -- Russia's outdated broadcasting regulatory framework has come under the spotlight in a report from European Commission body, the European Audiovisual Observatory.  More
- The Round Up ((La Rafle))
Film Reviews: Turning one of the darkest moments in modern French history into syrupy historical drama, writer-director Rose Bosch's "The Round Up" is a polished, pathos-driven re-creation of the Vichy regime's mass imprisonment and disposal of 13,000 Parisian Jews in summer 1942. With impeccable production values and all-around stirring performances, pic emphasizes the unbearable emotions caused by "events, even the most extreme, that actually happened" (per opening credits), though it often oversimplifies them into a framework of good vs. evil. Following wide local release March 10, this ?20 million ($27 million) co-production should round up ample worldwide biz.  More
- Obama effects change on stage
Legit News: New spate of legit offerings tackle race in America -- There's an ironically presented black minstrel show at the Vineyard Theater.  More
- Sons of Tucson
TV Reviews: Fox hasn't enjoyed a live-action comedy hit since "Malcolm in the Middle," and has learned that incorporating flesh-and-blood characters into its Sunday animation block poses a considerable challenge. So the network reaches into an old bag for the "Malcolm"-like "Sons of Tucson," whose timely premise -- well-to-do kids need an aimless loser to masquerade as their father because real dad, a banker, is in prison -- possesses more pop than the actual episodes. Tyler Labine brings manic energy to his role as the pseudo-pop, but the three brothers register closer to the bottom than middle of the sitcom-kid scale.  More
- Thesp duo set to topline 'Truckstop'
Film News: Jackson Rathbone, Jennifer Lawrence will star in indie drama -- Jackson Rathbone ("The Last Airbender") and Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone) are set to topline indie drama "Truckstop."  More
- ShoWest to honor Seyfried
Award Central: 'Dear John' star to get breakthrough award -- Amanda Seyfried will receive the 2010 Sho-West Breakthrough Female Star of the Year Award.  More
- SkyTag offers $12.5 mil to Save the Peak
Web Exclusive: Industry heavyweights pitch in for Hollywood sign -- SkyTag, the innovator of large scale Supermurals, will donate $12.5 million to purchase the 138 acres of land surrounding the Hollywood sign.  More
- Variance picks up 'Park Bench'
Indie News: Company nabs N.A. rights to indie musical -- Variance Films has acquired theatrical rights to indie musical "Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench."  More
- Noyce to direct 'Wenceslas Square'
Front Page: Endgame is fast-tracking scribe Phillips' spy thriller -- Phillip Noyce will direct spy thriller 'Wenceslas Square' for 'This American Life' producers Ira Glass and Alissa Shipp, and Endgame Entertainment's James D. Stern.  More
- Conan O'Brien's 'Funny' fans
TV News: The comedian hits the road on a 32-city tour -- Will Conan O'Brien fans be able to sit back at home and watch new footage of the ex-"Tonight Show" host sooner than expected?  More
Channel: Gawker
- Why You Shouldn't Give an 8-Year-Old An Uzi [Obvious]
A Massachussetts gun club has settled with the parents of Christopher Bizilj, a child who lost control of an Uzi at a gun fair, while aiming at a pumpkin, and shot himself in the head. He died shortly afterwards. More »
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- Heidi Fires Spencer: 'We Are No Longer Speidi' [Gossip Roundup]
An "intuitive psychic" healer named Aiden is her new manager. James Brown's body goes missing from its crypt. Socialite shocked to discover racism, anti-semitism, homophobia make you unpopular. Corey Haim died of a too-big heart. Friday gossip is so alone. More »
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- Fiery Tribeca Party Den Brings Heat on Smut Peddler [Ouch]
A sex toy dealer invites you to play with fire, slides and a stripper pole in his loft? for $15. A Burning Man version of Mike's Apartment, Dmitri's Apartment has attracted "partygoers clad in spikes and rubber." And the cops. More »
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- Mississippi Prom Canceled Over Lesbian Fear [Medieval]
A school in the south freaked out when an 18-year-old student wanted to bring her girlfriend to senior prom. They canceled the event altogether "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events." More »
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- Fawning Political Interviews Have Ruined American Politics [Softball]
- Sex and the City 2 Sneak Peek: All the Jihadtinis You Can Drink [Caption This]
Ooh, new stills from the SATC sequel, set now in Morocco because Carrie Bradshaw is too sexy for Dubai and because, unlike designer labels, foreign locales are interchangeable. We have enhanced these images with exclusive leaked text from the script. More »
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- Gavin Newsom Too Busy with Family to Run for Governor, But Not for Lt. Governor [Politics]
- Is Johnny Weir Too Gay for 'Stars on Ice'? [Discrimination]
That would be impressive. GLAAD says the Lady Gaga-loving Olympian was excluded from the money-raking figure skating tour because he is "not family friendly." More »
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- The Taste of an Illegal Sushi Bar [Forbidden]
- Blog Wunderkind Has an Adventure with the Word 'Nigga' [David Karp]
Channel: EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines
Channel: /Film
- Rupert Wyatt to Direct Planet of the Apes Prequel
20th Century Fox has hired Rupert Wyatt to develop and direct a prequel to Planet of the Apes. Wyatt directed The Escapist which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival to medium buzz and decent reviews. I wasn't taken by the movie, but I know it was one of Alex from FirstShowing's favorite movies of that year. The screenplay, titled Caesar (named after the ape who leads the rebellion against the humans in Conquest), was written by screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, The Relic).
The film won't have talking monkeys and will not end with chimps taking over Earth. Instead the film will be a hard science fiction film about humans that use science to create hyper-intelligent chimpanzees. Fox's Tom Rothman has said the film takes place before the first film, and that it will be "a return to the social thematics that mark ... More
- VOTD: 4-Minute Iron Man 2 Extended Fan Edit Movie Trailer
Marvel has released two movie trailers for Iron Man 2 thus far (first on here, second one here). Our friend Vic from screenrant decided to edit the footage from both trailers into an extended trailer that runs almost four minutes in length. The result is surprisingly pretty cool (but obviously, the collective footage nothing we haven't seen before). You can watch it now, embedded after the jump.
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- First Look: Pixar?s Day & Night
ComingSoon has an exclusive first look at Pixar's new short film which will be attached to Toy Story 3 on June 18th 2010. As we previously reported, it is titled Day & Night, and was directed by Teddy Newton, a storyboard artist on The Iron Giant, Character Designer for The Incredibles and Presto, who makes his Pixar directorial debut. What isn't expected:
We had assumed, probably incorrectly, that the short film has something to do with the boy and dinosaur art that was spotted on sculptor Greg Dykstra's wall in behind the scenes b-roll footage for Pete Docter's Up.
While this is unconfirmed, the title graphic gives the impression that the shot could be a 2D animated film, and not the computer animated short film we're use to from Pixar. If so, this wouldn't be Pixar's first attempt at 2D animation (see Your Friend the Rat, the short included on the ... More
- Hugo Weaving Cast as Red Skull in Captain America
While Marvel Studios still has yet to announce their final choice for Captain America, they have revealed their choice to play the film's villain. HeatVision reports that Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Lord of the Rings) is in final talks to play the villainous Red Skull in The First Avenger: Captain America.
In the comic books, Red Skull is Johann Shmidt, appointed by Adolf Hitler as the "head of Nazi terrorist activities with an additional large role in external espionage and sabotage." According to Marvel.com:
"Hitler gave Schmidt an unique uniform with a grotesque red skull mask, and he emerged as the Red Skull. His role was the embodiment of Nazi intimidation, while Hitler could remain the popular leader of Germany. ... He was spectacularly successful, wreaking havoc throughout Europe in the early stages of World War II. The propaganda effect was so great that the United States government decided to counter it ... More
- Casting Bits: Barry Pepper in True Grit, Ryan Reynolds and Jason Batemen in The Change-Up, and Three Join A Horrible Way to Die
A.J. Bowen, Amy Seimetz, and Joe Swanberg have been cast in Adam Wingard's thriller A Horrible Way to Die. Written by Simon Barrett (Dead Birds), the story follows an escaped murderer (Bowen) in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend (Seimetz), who has fled to start a new life in a small town. Swanberg plays the ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend. The photo above is from the movie, which is currently shooting in Columbia, Missouri.
Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, 25th Hour) joins Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin and Hailee Steinfeld in the Coen brothers' adaptation of True Grit. Pepper will play "Lucky" Ned Pepper, the notorious outlaw played by Robert Duvall in the 1969 film adaptation. [Variety]
Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman will star in Wedding Crashers helmer David Dobkin's body-switching comedy The Change-Up, written by The Hangover scribes Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Bateman plays a responsible family man who switches ... More
- Cloverfield Screenwriter Hired For Robopocalypse, Will Steven Spielberg Direct?
While there is nothing concrete, industry insiders and Deadline are speculating that Steven Spielberg might make Robopocalypse his next directorial feature film. DreamWorks Studios and Doubleday have acquired the property in November in a pre-emptive deal. Daniel H. Wilson's unpublished manuscript (due in 2011), Robopocalypse tells the story of "the fate of the human race following a robot uprising." Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard has been hired to pen the big screen adaptation. Spielberg directing a film about the robot apocalypse written by Goddard? Consider me excited!
Robopocalypse won't be a hugely fantastical tale of the robot uprising, but aims to be more realistic. Wilson has a background in robotics and artificial intelligence which Doubleday Executive Editor and Vice President Jason Kaufman claims "grounds his story with a frightening level of realism and he has created an exhilarating story that we think audiences will really respond to." Wilson has a Ph.D. in robotics ... More
- Titanic 3D Coming Spring 2012? Plans for a Possible Avatar Extended Cut Theatrical Rerelease?
USA Today got a chance to chat with filmmaker James Cameron who filmed the unannounced Black Eyed Peas concert with 3D cameras in New York's Times Square on Wednesday night. Cameron dropped a few interesting news tidbits, including information on the 3D release of Titanic, a possible extended cut rerelease of Avatar this Fall, more critical comments on how Hollywood is doing 3D wrong, and his thoughts on authorship of older catelog titles.
Fox is targeting Spring 2012 release for the 3D version of Titanic, to coincide with the "100 year anniversary of the sailing of the ship."
He's hoping to release Avatar on 3D Blu-ray in Fall 2010 but says that might get pushed as they are considering rereleasing the film in theaters during that time. Exhibitors think they have "left a couple of hundred million dollars on the table" by moving the film out of theaters to make room for ... More
- Shrek Forever After Movie Trailer #2
DreamWorks Animation has released a second movie trailer for Shrek Forever After, the fourth and final installment of the Shrek franchise. The full length trailer will be attached to How To Train Your Dragon, which hits theaters on March 26th 2010. I probably shouldn't say anything about that film, but I will say this -- it is my favorite DreamWorks Animated film thus far. And if you see it in 3D, you'll also see this new Shrek trailer attached in 3D as well.
Shrek on the other hand, I'm not really looking forward to. I've never really been a fan of the series (aside from the first film) and the new trailer hasn't convinced me this is anything but another cash grab. It is interesting that they're marketing the hell out of this sequel being "the final chapter" when it seems obvious to me and most everyone else that Dreamworks will ... More
- The Phenomenon of Emma Clark: The Twilight Viral Video Woman
The new trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse just hit the internet this morning and fans all over the world are collectively flipping out about it as usual. But there is one fan whose reaction I actually took time out of my day to watch on Youtube, as I have in previous years: Emma Clark, AKA nuttymadam. Hit the jump to see her reaction to watching the Eclipse trailer several times, and for some thoughts on what her rise on the internet represents.
Clark's videos have been viewed millions of times. Frequently, they just feature her speaking excitedly into what appears to be a low-res webcam. The sound quality is bad and her volume level causes distortion in the audio output, most likely due to a low-quality microphone.
Initially what drew me to these videos was the bizarre juxtaposition between the low-quality of the Twilight films/books, and the intensity of her completely ... More
- Peter Farrelly, Brett Ratner, Elizabeth Banks and Bob Odenkirk Directing Sketch Comedy Movie
Relativity Media announced today that Peter Farrelly (of the famous comedy directing team The Farrelly Brothers), Brett Ratner, actress Elizabeth Banks, Bob Odenkirk and Griffin Dunne (The Accidental Husband) are directing a sketch comedy feature film. More directors are expected to be announced shortly. Originally set up at Overture Films, the yet-to-be-titled comedy project takes a unifying storyline for a series of sketch comedies in the vein of the 1970s hits Kentucky Fried Movie and Groove Tube. Not much more is known about the premise.
The growing cast includes Elizabeth Banks, Gerard Butler, Kieran Culkin, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, Liev Schreiber, Sean William Scott, Tony Shalhoub, Emma Stone, Matt Walsh, Patrick Warburton, Naomi Watts, and Kate Winslet. The producers will announce additional cast members as further deals are solidified, and production will continue thru late May 2010.
I expect that we'll be seeing more and more movies like ... More
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