Ah, so "The Reader" is a love/robbing-the-cradle love story set in Nazi-centric WWII. Details were scarce before other than "WWII epic romance," but the trailer lets us in on what it's really about. Kate Winslet plays a nurse who falls for a teenager named Michael who's half her age (a relatively unknown David Kross, who's very much a lead actor here) and the story is told through flashbacks via the perspective of a grown up Michael as played by Ralph Fiennes. The film is directed by Academy Award-nominee Stephen Daldry ("The Hours").
Hmm, the trailer looks good, but doesn't necessarily look home run good, though we won't be surprised if Kate Winslet nabs a Best Supporting nomination for this one and a Best Acting nod for "Revolutionary Road." Unless, the Academy does something bold like give Kristen Scott Thomas or Sally Hawkins a shot, this could easily be Winslet's year. She's been nominated like four times and has never won. Then again KST has been in the industry for a long time and this might be her only shot at an Oscar, where as Winslet could presumably keep getting nominated often for the next ten years. A good example how Oscar is much more about politics than it is about performances at the end of the day.
As for it's Best Picture nomination chances, hmm, if the chorus for "The Dark Knight" Best Picture nomination continues, a classic drama like this could see itself left out in the cold (same goes for "Slumdog Millionaire" too). "The Reader" comes out in limited release on December 10 and doesn't go wide until January 9, 2009.
The film's synopsis:THE READER opens in post-WWII Germany when teenager Michael Berg (David Kross) becomes ill and is helped home by Hanna (Kate Winslet), a stranger twice his age. Michael recovers from scarlet fever and seeks out Hanna to thank her. The two are quickly drawn into a passionate but secretive affair.
Michael discovers that Hanna loves being read to and their physical relationship deepens. Hanna is enthralled as Michael reads to her from “The Odyssey”, "Huck Finn", and “The Lady with the Little Dog.” Despite their intense bond, Hanna mysteriously disappears one day and Michael is left confused and heartbroken.
Eight years later, while Michael is a law student observing the Nazi war crime trials, he is stunned to find Hanna back in his life – this time as a defendant in the courtroom. As Hanna’s past is revealed, Michael uncovers a deep secret that will impact both of their lives. THE READER is a haunting story about truth and reconciliation, about how one generation comes to terms with the crimes of another.
11/01/2008
Trailer: The Lovelorn May-December WWII Romance Of 'The Reader'
Was Terrence Howard Too Difficult, Too Well Paid On 'Iron Man'? Or Was Favreau Unhappy With His Performance? Possible Reasons He Got Booted From 'IM2'
Terrence Howard got the boot from "Iron Man 2," right? Lots of speculation into why, right? He apparently wanted too much money, and he didn't even know he was getting the boot and replaced with Don Cheadle until it was announced in the trades and he read about it like the rest of us, yeah?
Entertainment Weekly takes a look into what may or may not have happened. Essentially they have three posits/rumors/ what have you.
1.) Howard was difficult."Hollywood insiders believe the exit stems from Terrence Howard's difficult behavior on the set of 'Iron Man.' "
However, those with an apparent intimate relationship to the production, claim it was something else.
2). Howard was paid too much initially"Howard was the first actor signed to the film and, on top of that, was the highest-paid. That's right: more than Gwyneth Paltrow. More than Jeff Bridges. More than Robert Downey Jr. And once the project fully came together, it was too late to renegotiate his deal."
3) "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau wasn't exactly super keen on his performance."It didn't help that, according to one source, Favreau and his producers were ultimately unhappy with Howard's performance, and spent a lot of time cutting and reshooting his scenes. As such, when Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux went to map out the sequel they found themselves minimizing Howard's story line. Once Marvel learned that Favreau was thinking of curtailing the role, the studio went to the actor's agents with a new and drastically reduced offer — a number that's similar to what supporting cast members were paid for the first movie. The agents, according to sources, were so taken aback by this new figure — estimated at somewhere between a 50 and 80 percent pay cut — that they questioned it. Why did they blanch? Multiple sources say that Marvel execs never told Howard's reps that they had issues with the star's on-set conduct."
Sounds like it was a bit of all three elements. Either way, can't be great for Howard's career or the "Iron Man," franchise, but what's done is done. Somewhere along the line Jon Favreau is going to have to talk about this and if he indeed have problems with Howard, one can presume it will be pretty awkward to talk about. Favreau seems like a nice guy too and doesn't seem like he could lie rather well about it.
10/31/2008
Late-Day Inspiration For The Best Of The Best
Some late day inspiration hit us (relatively of course). We saw that David Fincher wrote up a offhand, semi-spontaneous list of his favorite films which inspired Jeffrey Wells to do the same. So we thought, hell, why not. The Playlist (RP), decided to write up our (my) favorite films pretty quickly. Probably took us about 3-4 minutes, work distractions aside and when at a slight loss we just thought about what stuck out in our DVD collection.
Checking Fincher's list afterwards, we wish we would have mentioned, "Being There," (or maybe "Harold & Maude" we totally forgot Hal Ashby), perhaps "Alien," and 'Butch Cassidy' (though give Cameron his due, "Aliens" is amazing too).
On Wells' list we really like that he included the phenomenal Romanian movie, "4 Months, 3 Weeks and & 2 Days," and give him big ups for "Paths Of Glory," "Point Blank" (the Boorman/Marvin version no doubt) and "Blow Up" (though one of our lesser favorite Antonioni films actually). This also reminds us that we were going to put, "A Woman On The Verge Of A Breakdown" and then it escaped us. Must have Cassavetes somewhere.
We're forgetting a lot more, sure. But that's the whole point of the spontaneous excercise, it's impossible to write out all your favorite films because a) there's too damn many and b) you're bound to forget something (Peckinpah for example! "After Hours"! "The King Of Comedy"!). If close friends of ours read this they could surely remind us of other film's we've gone on about at length.
Feel free to discuss in the comments what we missed and or should have included (No Kurosawa!?)
The Playlist's Gives It Up For The Best Horror Films Of All Time
Speaking on behalf of the The Playlist team, it's hard not to have disdain for modern horror. It's devolved into the cheapest of genres: a means to get lowest-common denominator ham n' eggers into movie seats and generally it works (hell, it keeps companies like Lionsgate totally afloat). But when it's at its best and firing on all cylinders, true horror is an incredibly visceral experience that penetrates us at our most primal, basic core. Fear is a universal feeling and when a director can artfully pull that off and genuinely instill terror into the mind of a person, perhaps even scarring or traumatizing them, even if for a brief moment, well, hell, that's a beautiful thing to witness. We generally don't like Halloween or theme-week features either, but here's what we feel are the Rosetta Stones of the fright genre. They skew towards the disturbing and the psychological (and generally from the 1970s — the genres peak period), because that disquieting resonance is what pure horror is really about.
"Suspiria" (1977) is less about what happens at a murderous, possibly haunted ballet academy and more an exhibit of Italian horror connoisseur Dario Argento mastering the ability of mise-en-scene, score and dramatic visuals to blur the line between reality and reverie. Argento juxtaposes colors and light like an artist on canvas - transporting the viewer to a disturbing dreamscape of surreality and horror. Jessica Harper plays Suzy Bannion, a naive American who arrives in Germany to study at the prestigious Tans Ballet Academy. Following the murders of several people in the school, Suzy becomes increasingly aware of the institution's disturbing history, as her own paranoia mounts in to hallucinatory frenzy. At a certain point the plot becomes secondary here, as Argento ambushes the viewer with nightmarish visuals and Goblin's haunting, minatory score, which was rumored to be played on set constantly at full volume. The result is a disturbing mindfuck that captures everything that was successful about Italian horror in the '70s - almost kaleidoscopic, psychedelic imagery, visceral prog-rock, and genuine, psychological scares.
"The Shining" (1980)
What possibly could we say that hasn't been already written about Stanley Kubrick's unsettling psychologically masterpiece (the twins! the fellating bear! the ocean of blood!). Almost a comedy of horrors, there's a wicked sense of malice when Kubrick flashes to the days of the week throughout the film as jarring, fake-scare transitions (WEDNESDAY!) as if the master is toying with you, the hapless viewer ("I'm even going to make this cheesy technique terrifying, watch me."). One cannot dare speak of this disconcerting creepshow without mentioning the music of Wendy Carlos and Krzysztof Penderecki's discordant and spidery score — music so unnerving it arguably does much of the films heavy lifting and leaves you gasping for respite — and the steadicam tracking shots which brought a whole new level of terror to riding around on a big wheel. This tale about the worst family cabin trip in the history of family cabin trips leaves you with a haunting anxiousness, the silence of which is far more reaching and disturbing than any surprise fright or shocking bloodbath could ever hope to provide. To this day, it still raises the hair on the back of our necks.
"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974)
Perhaps Toby Hooper visited a mental ward before shooting his blisteringly lo-fi, disgusting and beautiful freaky-horror urtxt, heard the ghostly shrieks and screams from within the walls and thought, "This is the noise of terror." One could just listen to the sound of 'Massacre' with no visuals, and still want to shit their pants in panic-y fear. Leatherface is a maniacal evil straight from the base depth of humanity, but it was his wailing banshee screams that left audiences emotionally terrorized and distressed for years on end. And will anyone ever forget that indelible final shot of feral, howling abandon? Leatherface pirouetting about with his chainsaw— simultaneously a gorgeous sun-stroked ballet and the most chilling dance sequence ever put to celluloid.
“Alien” (1979)
The story of a team of space miners and the really, really unfriendly extraterrestrial that they find on a deserted planet, Ridley Scott's "Alien" remains one of the most bloodcurdling monster movies of all time. The genius of the movie is in its atmospherics which balance striking shock moments with long, moody scenes building to an acutely orchestrated crescendo of tension. The crew includes Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), one of the toughest heroines in cinema history who isn't exactly inclined to sit back and let this intruder make mincemeat of the ship (the wonderful thing about Ripley is she's real — she's brave, but scared shitless too).The ensuing battle is as thrilling as it is downright alarming. Also of note is the disquieting, grotesque scenic designed by H.R. Geiger, including the just-humanoid enough to be totally horrifying alien. The film also boasts a remarkably restrained subplot concerning corporate malfeasance which gets increasingly exploited in the movie's sequels. This one deserves iconic status, if for nothing other than the “Chestburster” explosion, in which all of the actors' reactions are real — they didn't know that the blood effects would be so gruesome. Nightmare-inducing and still an undeniable classic.
“Rosemary's Baby” (1968)
The mother of all demon child movies, Roman Polanski star was beginning to rise when he wrote and directed this almost comedic-grotesquerie starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes about a young couple struggling to make a living in New York City. “Rosemary's Baby” is one of a handful of examples of horror films that hold up as actual cinema. While most horror flicks are good for a scare or two, few are enjoyable on an aesthetic level. 'Rosemary' is a rare exception, with a stellar cast under the direction of one of the medium's true masters. To wit—watch the brilliant, surreal and perennially scary dream rape sequence. Polanski is a talented enough director to eschew gore in favor of an arresting psychosis which in of itself is delivered with a sinister, but creepy smirk. This (along with the presence of uber-stud Cassavetes) is what makes “Rosemary's Baby” so great: it's as beautiful as it is frightening. And god, that spooky lullaby theme!
"Carrie" (1976) begins and ends in a bloodbath. From the unforgettable opening scene as bullying girls unmercifully taunt the titular menstruating outcast with tampons ("Plug it up!") in the high school locker room to the prom night cataclysm that leaves Carrie soaked to the skin in pig's blood before unleashing her telekinesis for ultimate revenge against her vindictive classmates, this film remains today one of the most effective cinematic tragedies. Stephen King's first novel-to-film adaptation directed by Brian DePalma is not your standard horror flick, obviously, and the fact that Carrie is both the sympathetic protagonist and demonic villain — leaving the delineation between good and evil unclear — makes this film so powerful and classic. And who could forget Piper Laurie's bone-chilling performance as Carrie's bible-beating, devil-fearing, lunatic mother, in particular, the orgasmic exhalations of her kitchen knife crucifixion?
Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (1960) is not just a horror movie. It's an institution, the gold standard against which psychological thrillers are measured and part of a frightening tour at Universal Studios. What makes "Psycho" truly disturbing is a combination of the real-sight presentation (the movie was filmed with very specific camera lenses to emulate human vision) and its exploration of a villain who was truly a psychotic madman with no redemptive qualities. A killer transvestite with a battery of psychological problems and in the throws of a break with reality does what was, at the time, unthinkable and kills lead actress Janet Leigh in horror's most iconic slaughter - The Shower Scene.
"Halloween" (1978)
Relying on acute suspense rather than graphic bloodshed, wide screen lensing to create a seemingly ubiquitous villain and a certain theme song, "Halloween" not only established itself as a pillar of the horror genre, but a great film. John Carpenter turns faceless, inhumane psychopath Michael Myers loose in the suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween - the anniversary of when he killed his teenage sister years ago. Myers follows his youngest sister - the bookish, high school aged Laurie Strode and her friends throughout the day - leading up to a frantic night. By having Michael appear and vanish while stalking, Carpenter creates an escalating sense of dread. One of the first true slasher flicks, "Halloween" also turned the camera around and put us in the voyeuristic perspective of a killer, watching his vulnerable victims. The foreboding, perpetual piano theme intensifies throughout the movie, building towards a frantic conclusion. Released in 1978, the film managed to capture the timely psycho-sexual confusion of suburbia, reflecting societal themes that many of its subsequent knock-offs and sequels were unable able to achieve. Carpenter's finest film is organic, relevant and classic.
"The Exorcist" (1973)
The hubristic William Friedkin was at the height of his filmmaking prowess during, "The Exorcist" (the first true blockbuster before "Jaws" and before "Star Wars" in 1973), but even he wouldn't comprehend what he had truly tapped into. Upon its release, the film was a movie-going cultural phenomenon and generally terrified audiences like never before. Full of unspeakable revulsion and religious abomination, based on a relatively true story this twisted escapade chronicled the gruesome tale of a mother (Ellen Burstyn) whose innocent 12-year-old daughter soon turned over to full-on, raving demonic possession The supernatural forces are executed with such gritty realism that audiences became unglued, some even fainting over each appalling event (the child spewing vile expletives, masturbating with a crucifix, her spinning head). If you think the religious right was offended now, you can only imagine the speechless shock and awe some of them must have felt witnessing these unholy aberrations. The stentorian Max Von Sydow has never been so perfectly cast as the priest desperately raging against the spiritual violence — imploring to save the young girl's soul. And those flash sequences in the dark, never cease to petrify and paralyze one in their tracks.
"Dawn of the Dead" (1978)
This 1978 horror film (not to be confused with Zack Synder’s 2004 remake) directed by zombie-king George A. Romero continues to scare the shit out of audiences today, over 30 years after its initial release. The film examined what the apocalyptic effects of a zombie epidemic would have on society, by following several survivors who find refuge from the zombie infested society in a deserted shopping mall. The mall was meant to act as a comment on the over-the-top materialism and consumerism in American society, but it was lost on most viewers who thought that being trapped in a mall during a zombie epidemic look pretty badass and a great way to finally get all that shit you couldn’t afford. Even though the premise has been spoofed numerous times (most notably in Simon Pegg’s hilarious “Shaun of the Dead”) and the zombie make-up is absurdly low-budget, the film will forever remain to be the gold-standard for every other walking-dead-themed film.
- David Stromberg, Seth Valentine, Spencer Martin, Grace Brodie Cruz, Astrud Sands and The Playlist
How You Know You're Lame: Predictable Halloween Costume Ideas, The Movie Edition!
A happy All Hallow's Eve to you all. You have all likely already planned your costume for this evening's festivities/partying but a few of you might still be trying to think up that perfect disguise. Thus, as a part of our unflagging dedication to public service and staunch belief that you always avoid being a predictable twat whenever possible, we have decided to warn you away from what will likely be the most played-out Halloween costumes this year. Best of luck out there!
1) Anyone from the Batman Universe
We shudder to imagine how many Jokers and Two-Faces will be unleashed on the cities of America this evening. The unfortunate truth is that most of these supervillains will look exactly like what they are: comic book nerd-o's dressed in one-size-fits-all drugstore ripoffs of "The Dark Knight's" antagonists. Yes, "TDK" was impressive and Heath Ledger's Joker was a revelation in comic villains, but it doesn't really need any additional tribute in the form of your subpar Halloween get-up and lisping, Sylvester the Cat attempt to sound like Ledger did (basically sounding like he was eating wet potato chips while talking). Without the aid of several Hollywood makeup artists and costume designers, your own re-creation of the Joker or Mr. Dent will probably just make you look like a sad, stupid goon. And as for the Dark Knight himself--well, that would only be slightly less played out. Even in the Adam West throwback costume.
2) Juno MacGuff/Paulie Bleeker
"Edgy" teenage girls and skinny Williamsburg rocker boys will no doubt be tempted to go in tandem as the sickly sweet couple from last year's hit "Juno." You remember--that was the one that was the indiest film since, like, whenever. As it's fairly simple--stripey shirt, jeans, skirt and hoodie for the girl, shooooort shorts, headband and hoodie for the boy--this get-up will no doubt attract a lot of the same people who liked this nauseating movie. The real problem with this one, though, is that all the Kimya Dawson-loving hipsterettes who decide to shove a beach ball under their t-shirts will probably want to act like Ellen Page's character as well. Frankly, the idea of spending the night with a hamburger phone-using "sass" monster makes us want to keep our pork swords at home.
3) Indiana Jones
A nation full of geriatric creak-meisters who felt empowered by Harrison Ford's return as adventuring archaeologist Henry Jones might just break out the ol' bullwhip tonight. Planning on an adventure called "Indiana Jones and the Search for the Replacement Hip," these rejuvenated oldsters will hit the streets in droves. The good news here? They'll all be home before the rest of us even make it to the second bar.
But even stupid toddlers will think dressing in khakis and a leather jacket will get them more twizzlers and other shit that will rot your dentures toothless and leave you with a painful stomach ache. What? We told you to stop eating that shit hours ago. What? Christ! Serves you fucking right for eating it all in one sitting. No, we can't go the park. What? No, we're not renting "Wall-E" again. Just be sick in your room already.
4) James Bond
Daniel Craig looks like a well-oiled government killing machine in his close-fitting tuxedo. You will look like a lonely teenager whose prom date just called and canceled. While the image of a well-dressed gent crying into a pint of rocky road is quite hilarious, it might not be the look that you want to conjure up for a night out on the town. Also: just because you're pretending to be the debonair 007 does not mean you can spend all night ordering martinis "shaken, not stirred" and hitting on anything with boobs. And unless you actually carry a gun around all night, most people will think you're just going as "Creepy Millionaire."
5) Wall-E
For kids: cute, clever, forward-looking. For an adult: weird, upsetting, potentially disturbing. The titular hero of Pixar's agitprop masterwork would, with enough work, make an amusing outfit for a youngster. If, however, you're over the age of eighteen, people will just think you look homeless and or just lace your vodka with cyanide. Basically this costume assures you of never getting laid on Halloween.
[ed. blame the extra nastiness on me, not Seth ;) ]
Ron Howard's Absurd 'Angel and Demons' Teaser Trailer Released
Ron Howard, the reigning patriarch of bland, crowd-pleasing cinema and director of the latest Dan Brown adaptation has released a teaser trailer for "Angels and Demons." The book by Dan Brown accomplishes an amazing feat, it is more historically inaccurate and absurd than his wildly popular book, "The DaVinci Code."
The movie follows a naive American scholar, played by Tom Hanks as he stumbles upon an international conspiracy on the eve of the election of the new pope. He attempts to foil it but may be in over his head putting his life in danger. The trailer, even with its cheesy voice over and see-through special effects will most certainly have the mid-westerners creaming in their pants and thinking how great it is that someone has finally made a film exposing those evil Illuminati. 
Ultimately it won't matter how ridiculous this thing is because like "The DaVinci Code" it is probably going to make close to a billion dollars and continue this vicious cycle by causing another one of Browns books to be adapted into a yet another Ron Howard movie. When will this madness end? Probably no time in the near-future, oh movie going American public, how we loathe you.
Darren Aronofsky Wants To "Reinvent" 'RoboCop', Brandon Routh Seems Unsure Of A "Darker" Superman
Darren Aronofsky talks "RoboCop" again. Not saying anything really new, he says it'll be a "real reinvention." “Me and David Self are working on the screenplay. He's a great, great writer and we're trying to do something new and fresh. We'll see what happens when the screenplay comes.” Would Peter Weller make a cameo? He remained vague. “I'm a big fan of the original. It still holds up as an amazing film, and I think it's more just looking at that same type of material in the 21st century and seeing where it leads us.” [Empire]
Brandon Routh talks the next "Superman" movie, but he still doesn't know much other than what we already know: Warner Bros. is still interested in him. He isn't neccesarily all for the "darker" Superman. "I don't think the character necessarily has to be darker, I think he is kind of dark in a sense, emotional dark, in 'Superman Returns,' and the movie as a whole was slightly dark, they could have had more prowess in it I suppose, and I think that's one thing that can be done in the sequel, so I don't know how much darker you want to make it necessarily. There are all kind of dark places to explore. But, I don't think Superman should ever be dark and brooding, that's not is nature. And that's now what people what to see." [IESB]
"Fanboys" has a new poster. This film will appeal to super-dorks and no one else. The poster could easily be dismissed as some sort of comic-convention rather than an actual movie. They might want to put some of those Judd-Apatow-related stars (Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell) on the next version since it already seems to be apeing, "The 40 Year Old Virgin."
The poster for "Seven Pounds" has been released. It basically screams (or says politely): "Hello, I'm Will Smith and this time in a serious role. You might remember me from "Hancock," but you may want to seriously consider me for an Oscar for my dramatic portrayal of the human condition in this film, thank you." Pretty much like that. It's as dry as the Sahara.
"Wendy & Lucy" gets an R-Rating. It's not like its going to hurt the films chances or anything, but we're hard pressed to remember any substantial reason why the film received an R other than it might contain an F-bomb or two. God, are we such puritans? It's such a minimal story with zero violence and hell, arguably, zero going on. [Spout]
Is 'The Wrestler' Inadvertently Shortchanging 'Slumdog Millionaire'?
Ok, a thought after having watched the "Slumdog Millionaire" trailer. Without getting too pissed about it, one can't help but feel slightly annoyed at "The Wrestler." It's another Fox Searchlight film which they're probably pushing harder because of Mickey Rourke and its Oscar chances (which frankly, outside Rourke aren't exactly amazing), and we liked the film and all, but it's not as good as 'Slumdog' (though it is admittedly oranges and apples, but if we had to choose...). One can't help but thing the rush-job (which includes a haphazard poster and not the greatest trailer on earth, not bad either, but...) for Danny Boyle's film is not only because of Searchlight's last minute acquisition of the film (which included a rapid, turn-around date of November 12), but because their key resources are probably moving towards Darren Aronofsky's film which is inadvertently shortchanging 'Slumdog.'
It's a minor quibble and probably one that comes out of economic results, plus it makes sense - "The Wrestler" is probably going to speak to mainstream, English-speaking audiences in a way that Boyle's film can't (it's 40% Hindi, 60% English, is set in India and features no well-known stars), but we can't help but be a little bummed about that prospect. Still Foxlight admirably does a great job of pushing indies into the mainstream and we dug both films, so there's no hate there. We're just hoping all their eggs don't have to go in one basket. But something to think about, the economy is fucking up everyone's world, including the film one. Still, we hope to see Danny Boyle and 'Slumdog' at the Oscars.
Weekend Box Office Options for October 31st: 'Zach and Miri,' 'Changeling,' 'RockNRolla,' More
Well, another week behind us and another weekend of film-going ahead. Though it seems unlikely that "High School Musical 3" will abdicate its top spot at the box for any of this week's challengers, there's a few new pictures out there that should definitely appeal to those of us who have already navigated the tricky waters of puberty. So, without further ado, this weekend's openings:
"Changeling," the newest effort from American cinema stalwart Clint Eastwood, opens in wide release this weekend. Critics remain split over its virtues as it currently sits at a lukewarm 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Star Angelina Jolie has generated a small amount of Oscar buzz voltage, but we felt a little mixed about the whole thing. Regardless of your feelings on Eastwood and his latest Oscar-bait pic, this is a pleasant enough alternative to some of the schlock floating around out there.
"Zach and Miri Make a Porno" finally makes its way to theatres this weekend on the back of a whole heap of ratings "controversy." Helmed by longtime bozo Kevin Smith, this picture seems to eschew his normal tack (i.e. throwing a lot of big words at the page to give the illusion of realistic dialogue and hoping that the audience is confused/nervous enough to laugh) in favor of the Judd Apatow method (zany buddy comedies with equal amounts of heart). It's sophomoric, but it's sweet and innocuous enough not to completely hate on. Using Apatow staple players Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks and Craig Robinson, as well as Smith regular Jason Mewes, the movie chronicles the adventures of two longtime roommates as they venture into the world of pornographic filmmaking to help cover their rent. With a solid 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, this should do to tide over fans until Apatow and his followers crank out their next real film.
Guy Ritchie is back this weekend after his past film, "Revolver," failed to even get U.S. distribution following the "Swept Away" disaster. His new picture, "RocknRolla," looks like a more typically Ritchie-an effort, with the story focusing on a Russian mobster and several members of the London underworld scrambling to get their hands on some dirty money. "RocknRolla" stars just about everybody on the planet, including Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Tom Wilkinson, Jeremy Piven, and Idris Elba of "The Wire" fame. The picture opens wide this weekend, though it has performed respectably in limited release thus far. Critics are fairly split between calling the film a return to form and a predictable crime drama, though it currently has a not at all discouraging 60% on RT. So, basically, if you liked "Snatch," you'll probably dig this one too, but we didn't think much of it at all.
For the four of you out there who have never seen "Rosemary's Baby," "The Exorcist" and/or "The Omen," this Halloween offers yet another chance to see one of the endless ripoffs of these that are churned out each year at this time. This year's contestant is called "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" and seems to be about a girl whose parents made some sort of ill-advised Satanic pact that causes the dark lord to get the teenager's soul upon her eighteenth birthday. Starring the generic Haley Bennett and Chace Crawford of "Gossip Girl," the movie looks pretty fucking abysmal. Also, the total lack of ratings on Rotten Tomatoes doesn't bode too well. Still, if you're in the market for a scare this weekend, "Molly Hartley" may be a better bet than the unnecessarily gory entry in the Saw series currently festering in theatres. 
At the other pole of cinema, this weekend sees the limited opening of the hotly anticipated "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father." A smash hit at this year's Slamdance Festival, "Dear Zachary" is a wrenching emotional meditation on life, love and loss. Following the murder of his best friend Dr. Andrew Bagby, filmmaker Kurt Kuenne set out to make a testament to his departed comrade. Upon discovering that Bagby's murderer and former lover Shirley Turner was carrying the couple's unborn child Zach, Kuenne began to craft a film that would show the young boy the kind of man his father was. Confronting issues ranging from the flaws of the American justice system to mental illness and the bond between humans, "Dear Zachary" is a definite Oscar contender in the ever-engaging Documentary category. With a stunning 100% rating on Tomatoes, this is one not to miss.Make Your Own Soundtrack: David Wains' 'Role Models'
Yesterday we wrote David Wain and asked him if there was going to be a soundtrack to "Role Models," his upcoming comedy with Paul Rudd, McLovin' (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Elizabeth Banks and Sean William Scott and he said, "hmm, probably not." We were bummed, but then we thought, hell. Well, what songs are in the movie? This way if you can get your hands on some of the tracks, you can make your own soundtrack. And well, Mr. Wain was kind enough to oblige. The film features a score and songs by Pete Salett ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), who we interviewed earlier this year, tracks by indie artists Cool Kids, and the Black Kids, rockers like Kiss, Studio K, ElO, and Lynyrd Skynyrd and even songs written and or just performed by Wain himself and Paul Rudd (who covers Kiss' piano tear-jerker "Beth"; we assume those will be a little hard to come by unless someone floats us some mp3s for people to preview, hint hint). Enjoy.
"ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE"
Written by Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine, Herman Rarebell
Performed by Studio K
"LOVE TAKE ME DOWN (TO THE STREETS)"
Written by Charles Gansa and A.D. Miles
Performed by Joey Curatolo, Amy Miles and Charles Gansa
Produced by Charles Gansa
"ASS BUTT SONG"
Written by David Wain & Ken Marino
Performed by Bobb'e J. Thompson
"MY AIN HOOSE"
Performed by Allie Stamler
"LADISLAS OF LEISURE"
Written and Performed by Peter Salett
"LOVE GUN"
Written by Paul Stanley
Performed by KISS
"KUMBAYA"
Arranged and Performed by David Wain
"DANNY BOY"
Written by Weatherly, Samuels
Performed by A. D. Miles
"MR. BLUE SKY"
Written by Jeff Lynne
Performed by Jeff Lynne
"I'M NOT GONNA TEACH YOUR BOYFRIEND HOW TO DANCE WITH YOU"
Written by Black Kids
Performed by Black Kids
"CHEDDA"
Written by L. Fernandez, C. Bullock, B. Smalls
Performed by Big City
"88"
Written by Evan Ingersoll, Antoine Reed
Performed by The Cool Kids
"BEST BELIEVE WE GOT HIGH"
Written by P. Philips, L. Jones, R. Noble
Performed by Pete Rock Featuring LD
"BROKEN AND BENT"
Written and Performed by Peter Salett
"DETROIT ROCK CITY"
Written by Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin
Performed by KISS
"CALL ME THE BREEZE"
Written by J.J. Cale
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"BETH"
Written by Peter Criss, Bob Ezrin, Stanley Penridge
Performed by Paul Rudd
Listen: Peter Criss of Kiss plays "Beth" on Halloween night.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright To Pen, 'Spider-Man 4'?
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire is in talks with Sony to write the screenplay for "Spider-Man 4." It's not the first script for Lindsay-Abaire and not the first time Sony has tried to tap A-list writers for their Spider-Man franchise. Honestly, we don't care too much. Michael Chabon was hired to write "Spider-Man 2," and look how that turned out: while a fun ride, ultimately, the movie was pretty forgettable. The playwright also wrote, "Robots" and "Inkheart" neither of which we've seen or care to.
THR says director Kirsten Dunst is expected to sign back on with Tobey MagGuire and director Sam Raimi which is news cause her involvement seemed iffy at best. Whatever, more power to Sony with these films, we're sure they'll make a bundle, but unless they can reach the quality of "The Dark Knight," you can count us out. Perhaps you can tell the only reason we really wrote this story is because we wanted to post this silly-looking graphic.
Lindsay-Abaire is best known for his plays "Fuddy Meers" and for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Drama, "Rabbit Hole," which starred starred Cynthia Nixon and Tyne Daly.
Final 'Valkyrie' Trailer Suggests Nazis Trying To Kill Hitler Might Not Be As Bad As We Inititally Thought
Bryan Singer's WWII suspense drama, "Valkyrie," has itself a final trailer and a final poster. Note who they switched out the yellow-ish, orange for a red in this final poster. We wonder who many focus groups had to be tapped to tell them red was the better color (and did the designer get paid an additional $5,000 for that 2-second photoshop job?). We never liked the poster much, it's far too austere and modern for this story about a rogue group of Nazi officers that plot to kill Hitler. Even something like the fake posters for "Inglourious Basterds" are far closer in tone to the Nazi/WWII mood and tone that "Valkyrie," should be shooting for, but oh well. We can say, that this final trailer is better and perhaps that mediocre script has been hammered down, and the creases in the third-act have been ironed-out.
Singer's film stars Tom Cruise, Terrence Stamp, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branahgh and Eddie Izard. The gorgeous Dutch actress Carice van Houten ("Black Book") plays Cruise's wife. On paper, "Valkryie" is aces. It's got a great director, a great writer (the guy who penned, "The Usual Suspects") and a great cast, but we're still wait and see with this one as the aforementioned script was a convoluting and anti-climatic read ultimately. Stamp is a terrific actor though and we're definitely going to be watching him closely as his role is a rather integral one on paper.
Christopher Nolan Says 'Batman' Wont Do Superhero Team-Ups; At Least Not In His Universe
We knew there was a reason why we liked Christopher Nolan. Even before he got on the Batman merry go-round the director was a bright guy and an artist with integrity - whether they know it or not, this is why the geeks adore, "The Dark Knight" - cause there's a truthfulness to it created by a masterclass filmmaker.
And Nolan is sticking to those smart filmmaking roots. Marvel may want to testosterone-up their franchises, with supergroup team-ups like "The Avengers," but Nolan doesn't want any of that nonsense and told the L.A. Times, in his Batman Universe, you're not going to see Superman or any other D.C. Heroes. And thank god, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know other caped crusaders would put Batman in another place far from Nolan's realistic and reality-centered world.
“I don’t think our Batman, our Gotham, lends itself to that kind of cross-fertilization. It goes back to one of the first things we wrangled with when we first started putting the story together: Is this a world in which comic books already exist? Is this a world in which superheroes already exist? If you think of “Batman Begins” and you think of the philosophy of this character trying to reinvent himself as a symbol, we took the position — we didn’t address it directly in the film, but we did take the position philosophically — that superheroes simply don’t exist. If they did, if Bruce knew of Superman or even of comic books, then that’s a completely different decision that he’s making when he puts on a costume in an attempt to become a symbol. It’s a paradox and a conundrum, but what we did is go back to the very original concept and idea of the character. In his first appearances, he invents himself as a totally original creation.” … “It’s a different universe. It’s a different way of looking at it. Now, it’s been done successfully, very successfully, in the comics so I don’t dispute it as an approach. It just isn’t the approach we took. We had to make a decision for Batman Begins.”
Whew, great. That would cheese up the series and we'll leave that to Marvel. So what's up with Christopher Nolan-'Batman 3'? Warner Bros. want him to make another one so bad they're not pressuring him and giving him time to breathe. It's a smart move, if they began crowding him, he'd surely bail.
“They’re being extremely gracious. I have a very good relationship with the studio. They know that I really needed to go on holiday and take some time to figure what I want to do next. They’ve been very respectful of that, which is terrific and one of the reasons I enjoy working with Warner Bros.”Again, smart. Push him and he'll jump ship. We'd love to see Nolan do one more Batman film, but after that it has to be move-on time and no that doesn't mean another comic-book franchise film. He's has to return to smaller filmmaking cause he excels at it. Films like "The Prestige" and "Memento," are incredible and he needs to tell more rich stories in that vein.
10/30/2008
Exclusive: Samuel L. Jackson & Maggie Cheung Join Tarantino's 'Inglourious Basterds'
Finally, we beat Tarantino Archives to some big news. We too have friends in places, :) and we have it on good authority that the final casting pieces of Quentin Tarantino's sprawling WWII saga, "Inglourious Basterds" have fallen into place.
Wait, what's left? Well, Maggie Cheung has evidently been cast as Madame Mimieux, the French matron of the Cinematheque that takes in the protagonist Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) when she is homeless and being sought by the Nazis. Wait, Cheung is Chinese, right, born in Hong Kong? Yes, but she speaks fluent French, so evidently that role will have to be adjusted ever so slightly, but a Chinese woman who lives in France during WWII and owns a prestigious cinema? Seems a little odd, no? Perhaps not in "movieness" Tarantino world where the same rules don't apply.
OK, wait, so that's it, right? Nope. Who wanted a role really badly and called up Tarantino himself when he heard he wasn't up for any casting spots? Looks like Samuel L. Jackson has weaseled his way into the film as the narrator who's present only in a few spots (beginning page 24), but mostly pops up at random time in the script to add some context and background info.
Interesting, huh? We actually prefer Jackson's involvement than the news of Cheung (who's a fine actress, but seems out of place here), but again, in Tarantino movies, it's a separate world and hell, maybe he can make it work. Still we would've much rather seen a classic French actress in the vein of Catherine Deneuve (once rumored), Nastassja Kinski (up for another role and then dropped out), or Isabelle Huppert (who was apparently up for the role and then quit-fired or something close to it).
Trailer: 'Slumdog Millionaire' Finally Hits With No Time To Spare
The trailer for Danny Boyle's festival-pleasing "Slumdog Millionaire" is finally online and with almost no time to spare. The film comes out November 12 and it's been a bit of a rush job. The trailer isn't spectacular, the poster is a poorly designed eye-sore that looks like a comp of something we made in 1995, BUT, the film is fantastic. Mark our words. Like many other critics who saw it at Telluride or the Toronto Film Festival, we pretty much adored the fast-moving and electrically vibrant love story that spans about 10-years-plus. There's a reason why there's so much universal love for this film - it's very winning and pleasing in a way that never stoops to pander. It makes one smile in the most life-affirming genuine ways. We can't say enough good things about it.
Set in the slums of Mumbai, India with no stars, the film is a bit of a hard sell to North American audiences, but just look out on the web, the film is unanimously adored and with any luck, Fox Searchlight could have a Best Picture Nomination on their hands - it's that good and that deserving. Dev Patel is great, the children in the film you just want to adopt and take home on the spot, they're so amazing and the love interest in the film, Freida Pinto is just drop-dead gorgeous. Irrfan Khan from "The Darjeeling Limited" is also in the film as a cop, who doesn't believe who the protagonist won the "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" challenge and assumes he cheated (after all, he's only a slumboy).
A.R. Rahman's score is brilliant too and there's a musical moment at the end that we won't give away that will have you grinning from ear-to-ear at the end. Oh yeah, and of course M.I.A's "Paper Planes," pretty much the movie song of the year is featured in the movie too. One could think, "hey, 'Pineapple Express' did that first!," but knowing the British Boyle, he was rockin Kala way before the Apatow/DGG crowd was (no offense). If for whatever reason the trailer doesn't do it for you (it doesn't quite capture the vim, spark and thrills the film delivers), give this movie a shot anyhow. Trust us. Hopefully, it's wonderful tone forces people to give Boyle's "Millions" another shot — his kid's film from 2004 that was equally joyous and alive.
The first song in the trailer is the The Ting Tings' "Great DJ" and the second, Sigur Ros' "Hoppipolla" from their album 2005 album Taak. "Slumdog Millionaire" opens in limited release on November 12 and then expands each week after that slowly rolling out into new markets. /Film has a good run-down of its expansion plans, plus a there's a bunch of free screenings across the U.S. that everyone should take advantage of.
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Collaborate on "Woyzeck" Music
Kevin Smith Has Weighty Issues With Judd Apatow, New 'Sherlock Holmes' Photos Suggest RDJ Is A Fey Dandy Detective In Film
Kevin Smith won't stop thanking god for Judd Apatow, i.e., "Damn, someone actually go successful with my formula. Maybe that helps me out." He's correct to an extent, but we mostly loathe Kevin Smith films and mostly adore Apatow comedies, which basically shows you how entirely different these two types of "similar" branded comedy actually are. [NYTimes/Cinematical]
Meanwhile, Smith's doctors say he's morbidly obese and the director says he may take a break to get himself back into shape. We hate to be a weightist, but this might be a good idea. We saw Smith talk at the Woodstock Film Festival and dude looked like he was pushing 350lbs on the scale and he was practically rocking a muumuu. Dude was immense. [L.A. Times] Lastly, Smith picks his five favorite films. And it's a surprisingly good list that includes, "JFK," "Do The Right Thing" and Fred Zinnemann's "A Man For All Seasons." Wait, where's the films that inspired all the fart and dick jokes? Apparently, Spike Lee's joint did that, what? [Rotten Tomatoes]
Remember that recently announced Hughes Brothers film, "The Book Of Eli," starring Denzel Washington? The film has a villian now and it's Gary Oldman. We hope he's nice and psychotic, we havent' seen Oldman play a looney in some time now and we miss it dearly. [Variety]
New pics of Robert Downey Jr. from the "Sherlock Holmes" set. Is Guy Ritchie positioning the detective to be a Dandy? [BandandUgly]
The documentary, "Meditate & Destroy" apparently merges buddishm and punk rock. Aren't those two ideologies totally antithetical to one another? [MTV]
David Wain tell us that there's probably not going to be a soundtrack to "Role Models." Too bad. :(
"Ballast" director Lance Hammer and others talk distributing their own films and the learning curve inherent of assuming your own marketing, distribution role. [L.A. Times]
Paul Schrader's "Adam Resurrected" is throwing its hat into the Oscar ring. Best of luck there. [THR]
We just wrote about him yesterday, music video director Marc Webb ("500 Days of Summer" with Zooey Deschanel) will write and direct "Age of Rage" for Fox Searchlight. It's supposed to be apocalyptic and like "Children Of Men," evidently the new bench mark for all post-apocalyptic films. [THR]
More Halloween Fun: "Repo! The Genetic Opera" News
Movies that aim for cult status are always a risky proposition and here comes another one. After some delay, "Repo! The Genetic Opera" will get a November 7 release in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the sunny gentleman who directed the first four entries in the dependably unappealing "Saw" franchise, the movie is a rock opera set in a dystopian future. Written and composed by relative unknowns Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich (whose credits come mostly as a member of various art departments), 'Repo!' tells the story of an earth where, following a global pandemic of organ failures, an evil corporation called GeneCo offers organ transplants at a hefty fee. When the clients fail to pay for their innards, then the company sends out one of its "organ repo men" to reclaim the defaulted-upon items. Over this backdrop occurs a sweeping story of fatherly love, revenge and a blind opera singer. If this sounds stupid, that's probably because it is.
Shorcuts: Love For 'Che', Love For 'Happy-Go-Lucky,' & More...
Some love for "Che" from England. In Contention's Guy Lodge goes to bat for the film and is totally on the money. "I find it difficult to square with the critics who have called “Che” a “mess,” or variations of the term. Dense and inescapably large, yes, but hardly messy. This is no-frills, narrative-oriented filmmaking, straightforward in its construction and unfussy in its aesthetic. Even the time jumps of “The Argentine” are negotiated with practicality; if anything, I could have stood a little more auteur flair. Nonetheless, in its balance of intimacy and breadth, this is a Soderbergh work through and through, and I applaud him for evidently yielding to no-one in his conception of the project." Well said, we couldn't agree more and essentially already said as much at TIFF. Let's hope the Academy doesn't forget Benicio del Toro around Oscar time, but it seems that everyone has decided that Best Picture is out of the question and we think that's unfortunate. Hell, IFC should campaing Steven Soderbergh for Best Director, but we're not sure they have that kind of pull.
Roger Ebert is championing "Happy-Go-Lucky" and we think Oscar voters should listen. We loved the film, thought Sally Hawkins was stellar and were completely bowled over by the amazingness that was supporting actor Eddie Marsan (in fact we started our own campaign for him). Ebert says of Hawkins, "[hers is a] star-making role. She was named best actress at Berlin 2008. I will deliberately employ a cliche: She is a joy to behold." Seriously. Likewise, he calls Marsan “spellbinding.” People take notice please. [Ebert]
David Fincher lists out his Top Movies of All Time in "no particular order." It's a solid list with films that should be on your all-time list ("Dr. Strangelove,""The Godfather II," "Being There") predictibility be damned (a ridiculous argument) and gives love to lesser-adored films like Woody Allens' "Zelig" and Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon." We loved the fact that Bob Fosse' "All That Jazz" makes his list. It's a stellar film that seems to be lacking in appreciation from the new school. [/Film]
Anne Thompson delivers her newest Oscar thoughts. Like us, "Gran Torino," and "Frost/Nixon" are absent from her top-tiered Best Picture thoughts. We haven't seen them yet, so take lightly, but last year everyone thought, "Charlie Wilson's War" was going to be a big contender and we called that it wouldn't, months out. Oscar is slowly getting more bold we think. But then again, there's regression every few years. It's all politics anyhow.[AnneThompson]
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