In "Piranha 3D," an outlandish and all together brilliant new shock-a-palooza from French director Alexandre Aja, Richard Dreyfuss, as a Matt Hooper-like schlub (he's dressed like the character and singing "Show Me the Way to Go Home"), unwittingly triggers some kind of seismic activity when he drops his beer into a lake. The beer, of course, is given the yuk-yuk in-joke name Amity Beer after the besieged island in "Jaws." And the seismic activity unleashes a swirling mass of killer, prehistoric, flesh-devouring fish. It's a slam-bang opening, for sure, and sets the tone for the rest of the film well: this movie is going to be silly, gory, and a whole lot of fun. The beer bottle is telling too, since much of the movie is spent as both a celebration and ruthless take-down of over-the-top American hedonism.
After the initial prologue we're quickly introduced to the movie's set-up and cast of characters-cum-fish food. It seems that every spring break the sleepy town of Lake Victoria (state: unknown, although it was filmed in Arizona) is besieged by horny, hopped-up coeds looking to party. In a way, the updated setting is an ingenious solution to one of the problems of the original Roger Corman-produced, John Sayles-scripted, Joe Dante-directed "Piranha." By making the movie take place at spring break, you have a surefire reason for there to be a whole bunch of people in the water.
It's around the spring break festivities that we meet our characters - there's Elisabeth Shue as a tough-as-nails sheriff, Ving Rhames as her deputy, Steven R. McQueen as Shue's son Jake, Jerry O'Connell as a Joe Francis-like pornographer, Adam Scott as a nerdy seismologist, and Christopher Lloyd as a cantankerous, Doc Brown-ish fish expert. There's also British Lad Mad icon Kelly Brook and adult film actress Riley Steele, who spends much of the first act cavorting naked underwater to the tune of "The Flower Duet" from opera "Lakme." The cast reaches a Richard Kelly level of WTF randomness, but they end up cohering way better than they have any right to. Once Eli Roth, fresh from his Screen Actor's Guild-ensemble-award winning performance in "Inglourious Basterds," shows up as a wet T-shirt contest impresario, everything makes perfect sense.
Of course, once the nibbly piranhas, created by "Cloverfield" concept designer Neville Page, get out into the lake, everyone turns into mincemeat. The prolonged sequences of carnage have a giddy, inventive kick. Dozens of comely coeds are sliced and diced as the tiny, fanged fish rocket through the water. Giving away any of the grisly gags, courtesy of KNB Effects, would dampen some of the gore-drenched fun. But any expectation you have about what a chompy piranha can do to the human body will be exceeded to the nth degree.
One of the purest pleasures of "Piranha 3D" is the way Aja, who previously directed the slasher masterpiece (slashterpiece?) "High Tension" and the underrated "Hills Have Eyes" remake, manages to squeeze in set pieces of genuine suspense amongst all the go-for-broke craziness. There's a great bit where a young girl (wholesome Jessica Szohr) is trapped in a sinking boat, the rising water filled with swarming fish, and another where a group of trapped survivors have to crawl along a cable inches above the infested water.
And while not as politically minded as Dante's original (people seem to be willfully ignoring the direct-to-cable remake that aired on Showtime in the mid-90s), there is a fair amount of cultural criticism, with Aja seemingly commenting on the way that Americans, always under the thumb of a puritanical society, break away in wildly unhealthy, hedonistic ways when given the chance. At one point, the party-goers are confronted with a barge full of evangelicals, carrying signs about how the nubile revelers are going straight to hell. Ving Rhames, attempting to round everyone up and get them back to terra firma before they get gobbled up, looks at the bible thumpers and yells, "I don't give a fuck about Satan, get back to land!" In Aja's worldview, both sinner and saint are equally edible.
There's more blood, boobs and bacchanalia packed into the film's sleek 87 minutes than exists in an entire season of "True Blood." The "3D" part of its title is even more impressive. Even though it was converted after-the-fact (the reflection from water created some kind of problem with the 3D cameras), the filmmakers worked for a better part of a year on the film's dimensionality. Sometimes the results are a "you are there" level of immersion, other sequences have a goofy, pop-up-book quality, but both work incredibly well. There's a whole lot of stuff that zooms out at you, right in the middle of frame, but it hearkens back to the more zingy 3D horror movies of the '50s and '80s. This isn't trying to be "Avatar;" it's just trying to goose you.
And goose you it does, time and time again. It may not have the puzzle box intricacy of "Inception" or the heart-tugging emotionality of "Toy Story 3" or "The Kids Are All Right," but you'll be hard pressed to think of a movie released this summer that so relentlessly (and wittily) entertains. All the actors know what movie they're in (particularly Adam Scott's priceless line readings and everything associated with Christopher Lloyd), Aja directs the action scenes with energy to spare, the funny-scary tone is spot-on and the bargain basement special effects have a handmade charm that rarely betrays their obvious cheapness. Maybe "Piranha 3D" feels like such a home run because it's a surprise; in a season where everything is endlessly hyped, this micro-budgeted schlock, which didn't even screen for critics, has come out of nowhere and totally fucking rules. Dive in. [A-]
8/21/2010
Review: 'Piranha 3D' Is Three Dimensions Of Outlandish B-Movie Awesome
8/20/2010
Bryan Singer Spills The Beans On 'X-Men: First Class'; '60s Setting, Hellfire Club As Villains
Despite casting being mostly wrapped up this week, and filming kicking off any day now for a release date next June, surprisingly little has been known about the actual details of "X-Men: First Class." We were aware that it would pick up aspects of the abandoned "X-Men Origins: Magneto" script, featuring Professor X and Magneto as young men, friends and allies, facing a greater threat, but, considering the wide-ranging cast and ragtag group of characters, taken from various incarnations of the X-Men, we weren't quite sure what to expect.
Fortunately, Bryan Singer gave Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News a ring, and filled in some of the blanks. First of all, the film, as previously speculated, will take place in the 1960s -- the era of JFK, MLK and significant social change -- ensuring a civil rights undertone and for the story to tie in with the continuity of the existing films; hence why, aside from Beast and Mystique, who were theoretically older, or at least caked under enough make-up that it doesn't matter so much, none of the other mutants from Singer's films have been announced for the film (indeed, Singer confirms that Cyclops and Jean Gray won't appear at all).
Furthermore, Singer confirms that Kevin Bacon, who was announced as playing the film's villain, will, as rumored, be playing Sebastian Shaw, the leader of the Hellfire Club. For those unfamiliar with the comic books, the club are a secret society, made up of influential members of society, with sinister plans, and Shaw, a mutant with the power to absorb kinetic energy and use it to increase his strength, was their leader (or at least, was most frequently the leader in the comics' tortured continuity).
Emma Frost, the role being taken by January Jones of "Mad Men," is also a member, although she goes on to become a key member of the X-Men. It's a little unclear from Knowles' report, but it seems like the villains will retain the 18th century costumes they've traditionally worn, something that perhaps makes more sense within a period setting anyway. (We'd heard reports that Bacon would be a CIA agent, and, while we're told that the CIA do play a part in the plot, it seems that Oliver Platt, as 'The Man in Black,' is in that role)
Singer also reveals that we'll see Xavier (the role that James McAvoy has taken) beginning as a young man at Oxford University, with hair and the ability to walk, removing (at least at the start of the film) the two most recognizable aspects of the character. Furthermore, the costumes will be closer to the comics than in Singer's films, and director Matthew Vaughn is being inspired by 1960s Bond movies in terms of the technology, so we'd expect a kind of retro-chic feel to the production design. There'll also be a Bond-esque globe-trotting feel, with the story taking place in England, the United States and the then USSR, with other countries also featuring in somewhere.
It sounds rather bold and ambitious, and certainly a risk which should see it standing apart from the legion of other superhero movies next summer ("Thor," "Green Lantern" and the similarly period-themed "Captain America" all open within a few weeks of the film). We're certainly looking forward to it more than we were yesterday, even if the still-in-flux nature of the script (which has changed hugely since Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman came on board) is a concern.
Filming kicks off on August 31st in the UK, with McAvoy, Jones, Bacon, Platt, Michael Fassbender, Caleb Landry, Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till, Jennifer Lawrence, Edi Gathegi, Jason Flemyng, Rose Byrne, Zoe Kravitz, Bill Milner and Morgan Lily making up the extremely promising cast. If Vaughn can overcome the tonal uncertainty that's marked most of his work so far, this could well be one of the better superhero entries of next year.
Pedro Almodovar Finalizes Cast For Revenge Thriller 'The Skin I Live In,' Shooting Starts Next Week
Next week Pedro Almodóvar will begin shooting his new film, "La Piel que Habito" (translated, "The Skin I Live In"), which means we're going to be adding another pic to our most anticipated of 2011 list. Starring the previously announced Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya, the film has the potential to be one of the most provocative of the director's career.
A revenge picture based on crime novelist Theirry Jonque's 2005 book, Tarantula, the film is essentially about a plastic surgeon's revenge on the man who raped his daughter. But really, that's just scratching the surface. You can read the full synopsis of the book here, but in short, this is a film that has a loathsome protagonist who, while seeking justice for his daughter, keeps his wife imprisoned and subjects her to humiliating sexual acts with strangers. The story also apparently features a wide variety of characters whose lives end up intersecting so it's not a surprise to see the number of new names attached.
Marisa Paredes (Almodóvar's "All About My Mother" and "The Flower of My Secret"), Jan Cornet, Roberto Alamo, Blanca Suárez, Eduard Fernández, José Luis Gómez (Almodóvar's "Broken Embraces"), Bárbara Lennie, Susi Sánchez, Fernando Cayo and Teresa Manresa are all reported to have joined the cast. Longtime collaborators such as composer Alberto Iglesias, DoP Jose Luis Alcaine and editor José Salcedo will return to work with the director. The film has a tidy budget of 10 million Euros and will shoot for 11 weeks throughout Spain.
Obviously, it's too early for release dates, but surely the film is a lock for Cannes 2011. We can't wait. [LaRaza via Bleeding Cool]
Jim Carrey To Star In 'Mr. Popper's Penguins'
Earlier this year, it looked for a brief moment like the "Greenberg" team of Ben Stiller and Noah Baumbach were going to reunite for the kids' film, "Mr. Popper's Penguins." Unfortunately, they both left the project and suddenly the lead role became a hot item with Jim Carrey, Owen Wilson and Jack Black being eyed as top contenders for the gig. Well, one has emerged victorious.
Jim Carrey will star in the film about "a modest house painter who receives from Admiral Drake's Antarctica explorations a penguin in the mail. Well, one penguin turns into 12 Adelie penguins and the Poppers find the only way to keep everyone fed and a roof over their heads is to turn the penguins into performers." Sounds cute. The film will utilize a draft by Jared Stern ("Bolt"), who is reworking the script written by Sean Anders and John Morris ("Sex Drive," "She's Out Of My League"). Mark Waters ("The Spiderwick Chronicles") will direct.
No word yet on a production start date but we won't be surprised if it gets rolling before the end of the year. Just this morning we reported on a number of potential Carrey films in the works, including the Larry Charles-directed comedy "Pierre Pierre," "Damn Yankees" (which seems stuck in development hell), "Burt Wonderstone" and "Under Cover," but "Mr. Popper's Penguins" looks like the one that will be next for the rubber-faced comedian. [Deadline]
Maggie Gyllenhaal & Hugh Dancy Join Vibrator Comedy 'Hysteria'
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy are joining the already cast Jonathan Pryce and Rupert Everett in the period-based sex comedy (never thought we'd type that out), "Hysteria."
The interesting premise will feature Dancy and Pryce as doctors in Victorian-era London "treating cases of hysteria, a condition said to be characterized at the time by a woman's irritability, anger or unexplained tears. Dancy's character and his best friend, portrayed by Everett, experiment with a new electrical device for treatment for the ailment. Gyllenhaal portrays the daughter of Pryce's character."
Interesting to say the least. The film was written by Stephen and Jonah Lisa Dyer and will be directed by Tanya Wexler. The concept actually sounds pretty good, but we hope it's not just not your average sex comedy with the actors in wigs and costumes. But we like the talent involved, so we'll wait to see how this turns out.
Shooting will take place in October in London and Luxembourg.
Exclusive: Werner Herzog Says He's Working On Non-3D "Big, Epic" Desert Picture & Film Set In A Maximum Security Prison
Werner Herzog's strange and deadpan 2009 film, "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done," didn't receive the biggest theatrical release last year, but the picture -- starring Michael Shannon, Chloe Sevigny, Willem Dafoe, Michael Pena, Udo Kier and Grace Zabriskie (perhaps known best for her memorable appearances with David Lynch, who produced this picture) -- will hit DVD on September 14th thanks to Absurda, Industrial Entertainment and First Look Studios.
We had a chance to speak to Herzog this morning and while the director told us all about the film, his collaboration with Lynch on the project, and his upcoming 3D-shot documentary, "Cave Of Forgotten Dreams," he also told us about some upcoming projects we did not know about.
Herzog says he has two new feature-length projects in the works, but wouldn't give away too many details, but hey, he brought them up first. "I have written a screenplay now for a big epic, which certainly will not use 3D," he said when asked if he would use the technique in the future, noting he would only use the technology if it suited the material. "We're in the first phase, but it's a big epic film set in the desert and I've also started another film in Texas, in a maximum security prison." [Editor's note, it's unclear whether this is a documentary or not.]
And while he's listed several place as being the c0-director of the documentary, "Happy People: A Year in the Taiga" -- about "hunters in Siberia" -- Herzog says it is complete, but he was only a producer on the project. Directed by Dmitry Vasyukov, there's no release date on it yet, but Herzog seems to think it will be hitting theaters soon. More from this interview next week.
Updated: Meanwhile, while some sites have speculated this "epic desert film" could be the long-rumored biopic of explorer Gertrude Bell, when asked about that particular project the filmmaker said the picture is, "not [happening] yet, we'll see." He also noted that the long-in-the-works "Piano Turner" project has "fallen dormant."
Trailer & Photos For Christophe Honoré's 'Making Plans For Lena'
The trailer for the latest from director Christophe Honoré has arrived, and if you don't know his name, you might recognize some of his films. His 2007 film "Love Songs" was nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes while his 2008 film "La belle personne" has its champions (including a few of us here at The Playlist; lovely Lea Seydoux is great in it) so this is one we're definitely curious about. Unfortunately, no publicists told us about the film. Or anyone? There's been virtually no buzz, marketing or push of any kind. We just realized the film was coming out.
The film -- which opens today in New York and is available right now on VOD -- stars Chiara Mastroianni, Louis Garrel and Jean-Marc Barr in a story about a woman in the midst of familial discord and an affair while trying to find her place in the world. It sounds pretty much right in our dorky arthouse wheelhouse so we're going to track this one down.
You can check out more photos from the film, the trailer and the official synopsis after the jump:
On The Rise: 5 Cinematographers On Their Way To The A-LIst
A couple of months ago, we took a look at five of the screenwriters that we're most excited about making their big screen debuts in the near future. For the next step in our semi-regular series, we wanted to look at another job that sometimes doesn't get the credit that it deserves. If the layman is struck by a film's imagery, the most common response is "That was well directed." But while a handful of directors have the technical knowledge necessary (Steven Soderbergh comes to mind), most filmmakers will admit that one of the most vital collaborative relationships on set is between them and their Director of Photography.
Just to try to think of the Coen Brothers without Roger Deakins, Christopher Nolan without Wally Pfister or Paul Thomas Anderson without Robert Elswit, for instance. While few cinematographers are household names, the above names, along with the likes of Christopher Doyle, Emmanuel Lubezki, Rodrigo Prieto, Ellen Kuras and Anthony Dod Mantle, are normally enough to get us into theaters on their own. But what of the next generation? Who are the directors of photography that look likely to take their places among the masters in the next few years? Below are five cinematographers who've made a major impression in the last few years, and who have a strong chance of creating some of the killer big-screen images in years to come. Fair Warning: this may get a little technical in places, but probably not technical enough for anyone who actually works in a camera department...
Eduard Grau 
Considering it was directed by noted aesthete and fashion designer Tom Ford, it was no surprise that virtually every frame of "A Single Man" was heart-stoppingly gorgeous. But Ford can't claim all the credit; the lion's share must go to 28-year-old Spanish DoP Eduard Grau, who was shamefully overlooked at both the Oscars and the Independent Spirit Awards for his work on the film. Grau trained at both ESCAC in his native Barcelona, and at the NFTS in London, with the film "The Natural Route," made at the former by director Alex Pastor (who went on to make the Chris Pine horror flick "Carriers"), winning the Best Short Award at Sundance in 2006. Grau went on to be director of photography on the BBC drama "Kiss of Death," and the British film "Kicks." We saw the latter at the London Film Festival last year and, while we weren't overly impressed by the film, Grau's digital work stood out.
First Review Of David Fincher's 'The Social Network' Is A Rave
The first review of David Fincher's "The Social Network" has arrived and it's an unequivocal rave. In case you haven't already heard, the film is about the betrayal and greed surrounding the Harvard grads who created Facebook and it stars Jesse Eisenberg ("Zombieland"), the new "Spider-Man" Andrew Garfield ("The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"), Justin Timberlake and the new 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Rooney Mara (talk about a prescient breeding ground of talent).
Interestingly enough, no one has really mentioned where the review came from. It's from Film Comment and the writer is Scott Foundas who is also on the selection committee for the New York Film Festival, that was able to see the film months in advance (and they were so blown away by it they snagged it as their opening night film). Doesn't that raise interesting conflict-of-interest questions? If you're on the committee for this film festival, but also a freelance journalist for a magazine (that happens to be co-owned by people that put on the festival), doesn't proper ethical decorum suggest you don't come out with the very first review on the film? Todd McCarthy is on that committee and he hasn't written a review for IndieWire yet and probably with good reason. It would be weird. It's something that those that didn't mention when flagging this review, should at least stop and think about for a moment. Regardless, here's an excerpt of Foundas' review.
Léa Seydoux Joins Ensemble Cast Of Woody Allen's 'Midnight In Paris'
Well, though she was in the running until the last possible moment, Léa Seydoux unfortunately didn't make the cut for David Fincher's "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" but she will get to work with another acclaimed director. Toue le Cine reports that Seydoux has joined the extensive cast of Woody Allen's currently filming "Midnight In Paris."
The film stars (deep breath) Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody as well as the lesser-known likes of Nina Arianda, Corey Stoll, Mimi Kennedy, Kurt Fullerby, Carla Bruni and French comedians Gad Elmaleh and Manu Payet. The official synopsis describes the picture as "a romantic comedy that follows a family travelling to the city for business. The party includes a young engaged couple that has their lives transformed throughout the journey. The film celebrates a young man’s great love for Paris, and simultaneously explores the illusion people have that a life different from their own is better." So yeah, your standard Allen film.
Don't except her part to be very big in the film; Léa Seydoux is still a relatively unknown actress and she'll probably get a couple of lines here. North American audiences might known her best from her roles in "Robin Hood" and "Inglorious Basterds" while arthouse fans might have noticed her in "La Belle Personne."
"Midnight In Paris" will be out in 2011 and will most likely premiere out of competition at Cannes. Allen's next film "You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger" opens on September 22nd.
Robert Schwentke To Shoot 60-Second Epilogue For 'Red' With Bruce Willis & John Malkovich
Pretty much confirming that Summit that has a lot faith in the upcoming and buzzed about adaptation of the DC/Wildstorm comic "Red," they've sent director Robert Schewentke and stars Bruce Willis and John Malkovich out to shoot one more scene that might tagged onto the end of the movie (our guess is that it'll be an post-credits bonus scene). The film is still being fine tuned so it may not end up in the final cut at all. But don't fear, that the film is in trouble. It has apparently tracking very well, and this is not a reshoot or additional photography. View it as an extra treat for when you see the movie in October.
The film follows Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), a retired black-ops CIA agent who finds that his former bosses are trying to kill him. Scrambling to survive and to protect the woman he loves (Mary Louise-Parker), he reassembles his old team (Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich, who is at his free-wheeling eccentric best) for the inevitable one last job. The cast is rounded out by Brian Cox, Karl Urban, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine and Julian McMahon.
Schwentke seems to be riding high on the buzz around the film with a number of projects crossing his plate lately including "The Osterman Weekend," "R.I.P.D.," "Shadow Divers" and "Wolverine 2." All we'll see if he's worth they hype when "Red" opens on October 15th. [Heat Vision]
In Theaters: 'The Switch,' 'The Lottery Ticket,' 'Piranha 3D'
It's an almost ridiculously weird weekend at the box-office. Five films are opening wide with little to no buzz are going to hog up screens for a few weeks before they can sneak away to DVD. It may not be Thanksgiving yet, but someone let the turkeys run wild. Actually, some of them aren't terrible, but "The Expendables" in its second week should mow over the competition. "The Switch," "Piranhas 3D," "The Lottery Ticket," "Nanny Mcphee and the Big Bang," and "Vampires Suck" graze pastures across this great land starting today. In much brighter art house news, we've got a few solid releases to look forward to including a couple of docs getting much critical love "A Film Unfinished" and "The Tillman Story."
Review: 'Lottery Ticket' Isn't Much Of A Winning Pick
What can we say about Erik White's "The Lottery Ticket" starring Bow Wow, Ice Cube and Brandon T. Jackson? Unfortunately, not much. Opening up harmlessly enough, we were sort of just hoping for a simple diverting comedy with no deeper expectations, but aside from an excellent bit-part by T-Pain in as a bodega clerk who sells lotto tickets to the neighborhood, "The Lottery Ticket" has a paucity of memorable laughs.
And yes, while there are some amusing moments courtesy of comedians like Mike Epps and Charlie Murphy (who was so good on "Chappelle's Show," he may never get out from under that shadow), laughs are more like mild guffaws and chuckles then any deep-seated gutbusters and most of it it is far too broad for true enjoyment (luckily, it's not very offensive).
The film does have a great premise, transposing a Cinderella-like story to the ghetto in Atlanta when a young man living in the projects (a serviceable Bow Wow) has to survive a three-day l0ng-weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's holding a winning lottery ticket worth $370 million. And while mildly entertaining at first, especially in celebration of African-American stereotypes -- trying lovingly to take them back, rather than grotesquely exploit them like some black comedies are wont to do -- the picture quickly falls into a rote malaise that's all too familiar and predictable (it also stars Keith David, Naturi Naughton, Loretta Devine and Bill Bellamy).
Jim Carrey Might Go 'Under Cover' For New Comedy
Things have been slowly building on the Jim Carrey front lately. He recently signed on to star in the Larry Charles directed comedy "Pierre Pierre" as a foul-mouthed Frenchman and has been offered or attached to a handful of films including "Damn Yankees" (which seems stuck in development hell), "Burt Wonderstone" and "Mr. Popper's Penguins" (which originally had Ben Stiller in the lead). Now another project has come his way.
Pajiba reports that Carrey is being sought to star in the comedy "Under Cover" for Summit. The story follows "a recently divorced father of two who joins a youthful cover band so he can earn enough money to win his custody battle against his ex-wife." So like a cross between "School Of Rock" and "Mrs. Doubtfire"? Anyway, it definitely sounds like it has the family friendly, broad appeal of Carrey's mainstream fare. The film has a script by Amy Talkington, who is currently writing remakes of "Valley Girl" and "Private Benjamin."
No director is attached yet and it remains to be seen if Carrey will bite, but it certainly sounds right in his wheelhouse. While "Pierre Pierre" is presumably his next project, last we heard it still needs to find financing and given that it's a high concept, hard-R script, cash might be hard to come by.
'Twilight' Helmer David Slade Front-Runner To Direct 'Wolverine 2,' Robert Schwentke Also In Contention
With "X-Men: First Class" finally locking its cast down and going before cameras shortly, we thought that things might quiet down on the mutant movie news front. But of course, Fox have a few X-Men spin-offs in the works, and are keen to show momentum on them. With Ryan Reynolds taking on the thriller "Safe House," "Deadpool" won't start filming until next year, so it looks like the next batch of mutant mayhem will come from the sequel to last year's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," and that project may have found a director.
Vulture are reporting that two directors have been approved by the studio -- David Slade, the British helmer of the terrific "Hard Candy," and the significantly-less-terrific vampire flicks "30 Days of Night," and "Twilight: Eclipse," and German director Robert Schwentke, who broke through with the thriller "Tattoo" before going on to make "Flightplan," "The Time Traveler's Wife" and the upcoming Bruce Willis action-comedy "Red."
Star Hugh Jackman is meeting with the pair next week, and is expected to have final approval, but Vulture have been assured by a studio insider that "it's going to be Slade," who's clearly riding high after the success of his tween vampire romance, the highest grossing of the three films in the franchise, despite rumors of trouble during post-production. We'd heard a month or so ago that Fox were looking at Tony Scott and "Let Me In" director Matt Reeves, but with Scott taking on a whole host of projects of late, he's clearly out of the running, and Reeves may be busy wrapping up his own vampire flick. It's clear between the four, however, that Fox are looking for strong visual stylists who can handle action, but don't necessarily have a strong voice of their own.
The script, from "The Usual Suspects" writer Christopher McQuarrie, will pick up from the coda of the first film, which saw our favorite clawed hero in Japan, where he'll become involved in a a forbidden romance with a local girl promised to another. It's a familiar plotline from the comics, and should hopefully mean the film won't suffer from the same over-stuffed feel that the first one did. Jackman dropped the romantic comedy "Avon Man" from his dance card earlier in the week in order to focus on training for "Wolverine 2," so it's clearly a major priority for both him and the studio, if not necessarily for the audience...
Carla Gugino Is A 'MILF'
Anytime there is a story about Carla Gugino some of our colleagues who shall remain nameless don't hesitate to use the opportunity to post every scantily clad picture of the actress ever to hit the internet (though to be fair, it's not like she needs much convincing to show skin on screen). That said, when there's a potential film in the works called "MILF," the internet (and ourselves) can't be held responsible for the visual imagery that will come forth....
The irony is that the movie isn't about what you might think at all. "Mother I'd Like To Fight" (eyeroll) is "a revenge story about a woman who, recently released from prison, returns to the street to take care of some unfinished business." Sounds like it could be a decent B-grade piece of pulp, but with Franck Khalfoun ("P2") directing and Alexandre Aja ("Piranha 3D," "The Hills Have Eyes") and Alix Taylor ("P2," "Piranha 3D") producing, we're not expecting much.
For now, Gugino is in talks for the part but we think she's a lot better than this low-rent sounding project. [24 Frames]
'Iron Man' (Sub) Writers Hired To Write Platinum Dunes' 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Reboot
What's funnier: The fact that there's going to be another "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie? Or the fact that Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes company is going to reboot the franchise and presumably make it dark and gritty like all other Platinum Dune failures. Sorry, movies.
And just how many damn people wrote Jon Favreau's "Iron Man"? We swear, while only four people are credited, it feels like we're always hearing someone was a writer on "Iron Man." So while Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (they also wrote "Cowboys & Aliens" with count 'em, five other writers, oof), are credited as the writers, so are Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, the hired guns on the TMNT reboot.
And since Fergus & Ostby are pretty much involved with everything Favreau moving forward, and have credits like "Children of Men" to their name and Marcum and Holloway are not and have credits like "Punisher: War Zone" to their name... well, we don't need to spell it out any further for you, right?
Paramount and Nickelodeon bought the rights to this one for a whopping $60 million last year, so let's hope that turns out to be a good investment for them (ok, with Nick involved, it likely means it won't be so dark and gritty). The studios want to hire a director as soon as the script is delivered (and if it's "good") and then put the movie into production next year. Marcum and Holloway also wrote a "Highlander" reboot and a new version of "Buck Rogers," both of which are still in development. Good luck to everyone involved in this one. We can't say you'll be getting our money.[THR]
Garrett Hedlund Only Wanted To Be The Hero Of 'Tron,' Turned Down 'Captain America'
It's kind of a miracle that his agents didn't spontaneously combust, but in an interview with Fade In (via Movieline) Garrett Hedlund revealed that he didn't particularly want the burden of two franchises -- he stars in the upcoming and most likely mega-blockbuster "Tron: Legacy" -- and removed his name from the "Captain America" shortlist.
“To be in something that had a second and a third film following it, we felt that Tron already had that, you know,” he said. “To mix in another heroic character with that was not necessary. In short, we kind of always passed on it. I didn’t really think that was my gig.”
We applaud the decision, as it's a smart move that will keep the actor free to do different projects and won't confine him to standing in front of green screens for the next decade. Hedlund has two non-franchise movies coming up including the curiously not-really-talked about but supposed Oscar contender "Country Strong" with Gwyneth Paltrow, and Walter Salles' adaptation of "On The Road" with Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Steven Buscemi, Viggo Mortensen and more.
"Tron: Legacy" will upload into theaters on December 17th.
New Photos: 'Due Date,' 'The Town' & 'Yogi Bear'
Look, we're no fans of pimping one studio or doing fall previews from one studio (you know who you are), but Warner Bros. have released a few new images we haven't seen yet of some upcoming films, it's Friday and we thought we'd drop 'em in one post.
First we have two new photos of Todd Phillips' "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" comedy, "Due Date" starring Robert Downey Jr. as a high-strung man forced to hitch a ride with an aspiring actor (Zach Galiafinakis) and his cute French bulldog on a road trip in order to make it to his child's birth on time. The picture also co-stars Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan and has appearances by Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, RZA and Alan Arkin. While it sounds like a regular comedy, in the latest issue of EW (print edition, not online), Downey Jr. says the film strays into some dramatic zones, " It could have been so two dimensional," he explained. "It's not that oh-my-god-we're-doing-a-dramedy-horeshit. But I think it's a step forward for Todd as a filmmaker as far as the emotional depth and complexity." The film is "due" pardon the pun, on November 5.
Rob Zombie Is God In James Gunn's 'Super'
Move over Morgan Freeman, you may have pretty much every voiceover gig locked, but there's at least one you weren't able to score.
James Gunn hit Twitter recently and casually revealed that rocker, director, actor and all around badass Rob Zombie is the voice of God in his upcoming film "Super" tweeting, "Cutting @RWZombie's voice into SUPER as the Voice of God! Typecasting, I know."
The film stars Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, Nathan Fillion and Linda Cardellini and follows the story of an average guy (Wilson) who transforms into pseudo-superhero The Crimson Bolt after his wife Sarah (Tyler) leaves him for a smooth-talking drug dealer Jacques (Bacon). Joined by sociopathic teen-turned-sidekick Libby (Page) the two begin to wage war on crime and plot to bring down Jacques.
The film will premiere as part of the Midnight Madness slate at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. [Bleeding Cool]
Jim Jarmusch Working On New Film With Tilda Swinton, Michael Fassbender & Mia Wasikowska, Also Prepping Stooges Doc
Geez, ask a simple question, get a simple answer. Jim Jarmusch recently sat down with Pitchfork to talk about his work curating a day at the upcoming All Tomorrow's Parties festival in upstate New York (his pretty great line up includes Girls, Fucked Up, Kurt Vile, Vivian Girls, Raekwon, GZA, DJ Kool Herc, Sunn O))) and Boris) and it didn't take much prompting for him to drop some pretty big news about a couple of forthcoming projects he's working on.
Most excitingly, Jarmusch has lined up a helluva cast for his next film. Three of our favorites, Tilda Swinton, Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska are tentatively slated to star in the director's next film. He reveals that while it isn't "quite financed yet" he does "hope to shoot early next year." No details on what it's about but frankly, who cares. That lineup sounds extraordinary and we hope some investors out there start writing some checks to make this happen. For Swinton, it will be her third film with Jarmusch following 2009's excellent and under-appreciated "The Limits Of Control" and 2005's "Broken Flowers." And if it all comes together it will be a re-team for Fassbender and Wasikowska following their work on Cary Fukunaga's forthcoming "Jane Eyre."
Also on Jarmusch's busy plate is a gestating documentary on punk legends The Stooges. "It's going to take a few years. There's no rush on it, but it's something that Iggy asked me to do," Jarmusch reveals. Perhaps it's something like "Coffee and Cigarettes" that the director will dip in and out of for the next little while?
And if that isn't enough to keep him busy, Jarmusch is also working on a non-traditional opera about Nikolai Tesla with composer Phil Klein, has a new EP by his band Bad Rabbit (featured on the soundtrack of "The Limits Of Control") coming out in time for ATP and is hoping to do some silent film score work.
And when he's not taking calls from Iggy Pop, writing music and getting together film projects, Jarmusch tries (like all of us, really) to get in some quality hang time with Bill Murray, "I invited Bill Murray to come to ATP just to hang out, but I haven't heard back from him. I think he'd dig it, but I don't know where he is at the moment."
As a side note, the August 16- 23 issue of the New Yorker has a fascinating and tragic profile on John Lurie, Jarmusch's collaborator on his early films "Permanent Vacation," "Stranger Than Paradise" and "Down By Law." It's a fascinating must-read if you ever wondered what happened to the jazz musician, artist, actor and New York City personality.
Big Screen Version Of British Cop Show 'The Sweeney' Moving Forward, Ray Winstone Attached
One of the seminal moments of 1970s British TV drama came with "The Sweeney," a violent, fast-paced cop show that briefly revolutionized the genre in the UK, following the no-nonsense, heavy drinking, womanizing pair of Jack Regan (John Thaw) and George Carter (Dennis Waterman), members of the London's Flying Squad, which specializes in armed robbery and volent crime. It was huge hit at the time, spawning two big-screen spin-offs, and serving as one of the major influences on the recent hit BBC show "Life on Mars."
A film version's been in the works for a few years now, with DNA Films ("28 Days Later") initially developing it, with British director Nick Love set to write and direct. It was only a few weeks away from filming, with Ray Winstone set to play Regan and Michael Fassbender attached as Carter, but DNA's parent company Fox Searchlight got cold feet about the international appeal for a film with a relatively hefty $16 million budget, and the plug was pulled.
Two years on, and DNA's option on the project have lapsed, and Vertigo Films, Love's long-time partners, have picked it up, with Love set to write a new version of the script, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Winstone is still on board, although there's no word if some of the names rumored to be joining him, which included Daniel Craig, Tom Hardy, Ewan McGregor and Orlando Bloom, are in the mix (we were a bit skeptical about that report to begin with, particularly regarding Craig, who's now a three-franchise man between Bond, "Cowboys & Aliens" and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo").
First Trailer For Mike Leigh's 'Another Year' Appears
While the line-up at Cannes this year was generally deemed to be something of a disappointment, with high profile films like "Fair Game" and "Biutiful" failing to meet expectations, one of the few films that was deemed to have delivered was Mike Leigh's latest, "Another Year." While our man on the Croisette didn't manage to catch it, it picked up mostly excellent reviews, and was generally seen to be a step up from the divisive "Happy-Go-Lucky."
The film's going to play at the Toronto and New York Film Festivals, and hits theaters December 29th, but in the meantime, The Guardian premiered the first look at the trailer for the film today, and, as a result, it's cemented its place as one of our most anticipated films for the rest of the year. Typically for Leigh, it looks warm, funny and humane, and the performances, particularly from Jim Broadbent and Lesley Manville, look to match their early awards buzz.
If you weren't already aware, the film follows an elderly couple (Broadbent and Ruth Sheen), and their family and friends, over the course of a year, and features a who's-who of British character actors in support, including Manville, Peter Wight, David Bradley, Karina Fernandez, Phil Davis and Imelda Staunton. It hits theaters in the UK on November 5th, and we hope to catch up with it near then. In the meantime, check out the embed below, courtesy of Rope of Silicon.
'The Tree Of Life' Should Open By End Of Year, "Will Change The Language Of Cinema," New Set Photos Surface
Terrence Malick's long-awaited "The Tree of Life" had been expected by many to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this year. But Cannes came and went with no sign of the film, so most shifted their expectations a little, suggesting the film would make its debut at Venice, Toronto, Telluride or New York. Some have even predicted a Rome Film Festival premiere, after Malick appeared there in 2007 for a rare Q&A. Guessing when Malick's film would appear has become a parlour game among film fans to rank alongside "What does the end of 'Inception' mean?' and 'How much worse can M. Night Shyamalan get?'
Todd McCarthy of Indiewire, who's on the selection panel for the New York Film Festival this year, reported a couple of days ago that he believed that the film wouldn't even open this year, and would most likely premiere at Cannes in 2011, leaving most of us a little deflated. But now, his Indiewire colleague Anne Thompson has seemingly talked to some sources within the film's distributor Apparition, and the news is a little better.
Following the departure of his Apparition colleague Bob Berney a few months ago, the distributor's owner Bill Pohlad owner hired a consultant, Tom Ortenberg, a veteran of Lionsgate and the Weinstein Company, to aid in the release (and presumably the Oscar campaign) which means that the company's staff are more or less on hold until "The Tree of Life" is released. With that in mind, holding the release until next year is a bit like putting money in a bin and setting it on fire, so Thompson believes that it will hit before December 31st.
8/19/2010
Tim Burton Re-Teams With 'Ed Wood' Writers For 'Addams Family' & 'Big Eyes' Project
Aw, remember "Ed Wood" a.k.a. the 1994 black and white film about the titular B-movie director that's the last great film Tim Burton made? It's been fairly slim pickings since then Burton-quality wise and that's excluding this year's clamoring and obnoxious "Alice In Wonderland."
For us, "Ed Wood" pretty much signaled the beginning of the end (ok, "Sweeney Todd" has its moments), but in a move that could be a last minute desperate plea for quality control (or one conceived by reading our site), Burton will be re-teaming with the two writers behind that wonderful film, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.
To Burton's credit though, 'Wood' is not only brilliantly written, it's masterfully directed with a quiet and measured hand that gives the film and its performances (Johnny Depp is tremendous as is Martin Landau who received a much deserved Academy Award for his supporting turn), but we can't help but wonder if these days are behind Burton.
Anyway, the two scribes will be penning Burton's adaptation of "The Addams Family" which will be in polar opposition to the Disney-like live-action films made by Barry Sonnefeld in the early '90s (the most insanely ridiculous aspect of the pictures perhaps being the "Whoomp [There It Is]" spin-off song; and yes, it's actually a Paramount film). The film will be a stop-motion animated affair utilizing the original black-and-white New Yorker cartoons as inspiration. And how much do you want to bet that it will be in 3D?
Bruce Willis & Danny Trejo May Join Carey Mulligan & Saoirse Ronan In 'Precious' Writer's 'Violet & Daisy'
Going from screenwriter to director isn't easy. That Deadline article about writer Jeremy Garelick having to go through some considerable hoops to make the transition is a pretty good example.
But when you win an Academy Award (for your first screen credit no less), things change and you make that leap as soon as you possibly can because you may not have another shot (see Dustin Lance Black after "Milk").
Thus it was announced in April that Geoffrey Fletcher, the screenwriter of "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" (he took the adapted screenplay award last year much to Jason Reitman's shock), is already moving into the world of first-hand filmmaking.
The project, "Violet and Daisy," has Carey Mulligan and Saoirse Ronan attached to star in a project being called a new "Thelma & Louise" mixed with "Superbad" and a soupcon of "Pulp Fiction." That's pretty much enough to interest any studio, but now that curiosity will be fully piqued as Bruce Willis and Danny Trejo (the star of "Machete") are also circling the project said to have "plenty of girl power and action."
The soon-to-be feature film director is also collaborating with Doug Liman on the prison riot story, "Attica," but "Violet and Daisy" will go before cameras first as it's scheduled to shoot this fall (and who knows when Liman will get around to "Attica," frankly; our guess is not soon). And yes, we realize while having only one screen credit to his name so far, Fletcher likely has sold many a screenplay beforehand.
Contenders For Love Interest In 'Spider-Man' Include Emma Roberts, Imogen Poots,Teresa Palmer & More
We're sort of tiring of this trend of news stories about the casting process for high profile films, but since it's becoming an easy way for studios to market their films, we guess we'll have to live with it. Anyway, after an exhausting and lengthy process to land Andrew Garfield in the lead role as Peter Parker, Marc Webb and Sony are beginning to whittle down the names for who will play the love interest in the upcoming film. In an interesting twist, it appears that Mary Jane Watson won't be the one to steal Parker's heart in Webb's film and there is no confirmation if that means Gwen Stacy is the object of his affection, but regardless, it looks like every young actress wants the part.
Among the names lined up for the part are mostly, not surprisingly, relatively unknown or on-the-cusp actresses. It's more or less the same strategy Sony used in hiring Peter Parker. And oddly enough, the list appears to be Brit heavy with Imogen Poots ("Cracks," Cary Fukunaga's "Jane Eyre"), Ophelia Lovibond ("Nowhere Boy," William Monahan's upcoming "London Boulevard"), Teresa Palmer ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice," the upcoming "I Am Number Four"), Emma Roberts ("It's Kind Of A Funny Story," "What's Wrong With Virginia") and Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World," "Death Proof") listed as contenders.
Heat Vision goes on to reveal that Winstead is out (not quite sure why they bothered mentioning her in the first place) and also suggest that there are even more names they weren't allowed to mention.
Readings and meetings are set to take place over the weekend and bear in mind, they've been testing for the role for a while now. Actress Elena Satine tweeted back in July about auditioning for the part, and there could be further rounds to come. Essentially, things are in the early stages so none of these names could end up getting the part. Production isn't set to start until December, so Webb and Sony still have time to find the right girl.
If they need any help, they can check out a couple of suggestions from our list (and it looks like they already have). Our phone lines are always open guys.
As a side note, David Fincher recently sounded off on the reboot. Speaking with MTV he revealed that was approached early on to direct, saying he's not really a fan of the genre, "I took a meeting and I easily got myself out of that one," said Fincher. "I've never been interested in [superhero movies]. I just could not imagine someone getting bit by a radioactive spider."
He also commented on Andrew Garfield's role as Peter Parker and seemed somewhat concerned about the amount of time the actor will spend wearing tights, "I can't imagine [Garfield] in spandex, I can't imagine him being comfortable," said Fincher. "He's a wonderful actor, he's incredibly skilled and empathic and a lovely guy. So it's nice to see that." So yeah, don't expect David Fincher to direct any comic franchises, ever.
Take That Facebook! The Story Of Google Headed To The Big Screen
Well, that didn't take long. With all the positive buzz surrounding David Fincher's forthcoming Facebook story, "The Social Network," it was pretty much only a matter of time before some other popular website got picked up for a movie. Hell, if board games ("Battleship") and Internet phenomenons ("Shit My Dad Says") can be turned into celluloid, why not websites?
Anyway, the grand-daddy of them all Google is going to take a bow on your local multiplex. The film will be based on the Ken Auletta book Googled: The End of the World As We Know It that "tells the story of Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and the fast rise of the juggernaut web business that made them billionaires." While there probably won't be the sort of college-level debauchery hinted at in Fincher's film, the crux of the film will surround Brin and Page as they "tried to hang onto their idealism as Google became a global phenomenon" and also presumably as they fell asleep on beds made out of piles of money.
Groundswell Productions and investor/producer John Morris are producing the film. No word on directors and actors yet but we would imagine "The Social Network" is the benchmark for talent being sought. [Deadline]
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