You know him as the tough-talking car thief from the 'Fast and Furious' franchise, but before he becamePaul Walker'snemesis-turned-best-bud,Vin Dieselwas a badass B-boy.
Should Vin have given up creating instructional break-dancing videos for the silver screen? Our friends from5Minhave it all on video -- watch it for yourself and decide:
Some other interesting facts about Vin Diesel you may not know...
1. His real name is Mark Sinclair Vincent.
2. He worked as a bouncer for the now-defunct NYC nightclub Tunnel.
3. He's a twin; his brother, Paul works as a film editor.
4. His mother was an astrologer; his sign is Cancer.
5. He's a real-life hero, too. In 2002, he witnessed a car crash while cruising around Hollywood on his motorcycle. He pulled the family from the car before the car was destroyed by flames.
Transpose Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski to the Old West and you get 'True Grit's' Rooster Cogburn. Transpose Rooster Cogburn to the spirit world and you get ...Jeff Bridgesin'R.I.P.D.,' a supernatural action comedy about a ghost-busting police force.
According toDeadline,Bridges is in final negotiations to star oppositeRyan Reynoldsin the Universal film, based on the Dark Horse comic written by Peter M. Lenkov.
R.I.P.D. stands for Rest In Peace Department, a police force comprised of ghosts who battle spirits unready to depart this world. Reynolds will play Nick Cruz, a recently slain cop who joins the force to find his own murderer. Bridges would play Cruz's very old partner, a gunslinger from the Old West who's been hunting spirits since the 1800s.
The second lead role was originally to be filled by Zach Galifianakis, but the deal fell through and Bridges is stepping in. Robert Schwentke ('Red') is attached to direct.
Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run today in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8,Moviefone Canadawill be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.
A movie about selling ad-space within a movie seems like a curious and potentially boring premise. But it's brought to life thanks to the hilarious personality and ambitious creativity ofMorgan Spurlock, the man who brought us the experimental McDonald's doc 'Super Size Me.'
The sensational documentary filmmaker is back, and this time, with 'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,' he wants to play in the vast and cash-flush sandbox of advertising. More specifically, he wants to sell product placement spots in his 90-minute feature film.
The art of co-promotion being used to get a film off the ground is explored to the point of absurdity and alarm in this commerce adventure, and Spurlock comes at the project with both humility and confidence.
The doc starts with what you might expect: failure. It seems most of the ad execs who give him a meeting (usually on their lunch hours, from the looks of it) are suspicious of what Spurlock is up to. The idea of making a movie about product placement by using money made from product placement is too meta for the safe-betting Madison Avenue types.
After some work with lawyers, a few favors from big thinker Richard Kirshenbaum, and the first sale to Ban bath products, things start to get interesting. For one, the title sponsor POM Wonderful comes on board. Lynn Resnick looks every part the unsure guinea pig when Spurlock first asks her team at POM Wonderful to be his sugar mama. While the title of this film gives away the outcome, it is a blast to see the entrepreneurial spirit of Spurlock at work.
Enter the cautionary figures of Ralph Nader and Noam Chomsky. While both men are having fun as Spurlock tempts them with sips of pomegranate juice and points out his brand new Merrell Shoes (a sponsor), they remind him that this farcical project could end up with corporate mega-brands using him, rather than the other way around. This is about as high as the drama reaches in 'Greatest Movie Ever Sold,' but the point comes across when Spurlock runs into some frustrating demands from his sponsors.
'Greatest Movie Ever Sold' builds before your eyes. When word gets out that a few brave brands have rolled the dice with the mischievous documentarian, the calls start coming in. Is the idea still pure? Or is the joke now on him? While dealing with his own troubles, Spurlock takes a few side trips to speak with other pillars of business and public life that are struggling with an ad-heavy world. Musicians, public school trustees, and even Donald Trump weigh in on the current state of brands and billboards.
One thing is for sure: This is not the serious tome that is Naomi Klein's 'No Logo.' Here Spurlock is fully engaged with brand partners, has corporate commitments, and while he is pouring hot sauce all over the big enchilada, he slowly transforms into an ingredient himself.
Screenings: Thursday, April 28– 6:30PM– Winter Garden Theatre Friday, April 29– 4:15PM– Isabel Bader Theatre
For complete schedule and movie listings, visit theHot Docs website.
There's no term limits on killer cyborgs. Just ask ex-California governorArnold Schwarzeneggerwho,Deadlinereports, is eyeing his return to the big screen by taking on his most iconic role: the Terminator.
What's more, directorJustin Lin,whose'Fast Five'is expected to open with a bang at the box office this weekend, is part of a package that is being shopped around to the studios today by CAA, which represents Schwarzenegger. Robert W. Cort is producing, though no screenwriter has been hired. Universal, Sony, and Lionsgate are already interested.
Since leaving Sacramento, Schwarzenegger has been interested in several projects, including Summit's 'The Tomb' and Lionsgate's 'Last Stand,' but this is, obviously, the role that tickles his fancy.
Are we ready for a fifth Terminator film? Are we ready for an old Terminator (Schwarzenegger turns 64 this July)? It will be interesting to see what a studio comes up with, given the sketchy track record of the last two entries in the franchise. But if there's anything we've learned from Hollywood, it's that with the proper care and feeding, anything old can be made new again -- tinseltown's mantra of remake, redo and reboot can bring bust or boom.
You've seen'The Godfather,'right? Of course, you say. The horse head in the bed. The shoot-out in the Italian restaurant."Leave the gun, take the cannoli."You know it all by heart.
Unless, that is, you're among the film fans who've been lying about having seen the crime classic. According to a new U.K. poll, 30 percent of respondents confessed they've never actually seen the Oscar-winning film.
Like, 'The Godfather,''Casablanca'is another film that's so heavily quoted ("We'll always have Paris,"etc.) and prevalent in pop culture that many people feel like they've seen it even if, as 13 percent admitted, their claims don't amount to a hill of beans.
Check out the rest of the"must-see"films that are really"must lie about seeing,"among them two Martin Scorsese classics. OK, we get that you might not have the stomach for all that mob violence, but honestly, how hard it is it to watch the hilarious 'This Is Spinal Tap'? For shame, film fibbers!
The birds of'Rio'continued to feather their nest this weekend, holding on to the top spot at the box office for the second straight week with an estimated $26.8 million. Not flying quite so high was'Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family,'which had been expected to soar to No. 1 but had to settle for opening in second place with an estimated $25.8 million.
'Rio' held up remarkably well, losing just 32 percent oflast week'sbusiness; $26.8 million is a figure most movies would kill for during their first weekend. In ten days, the cartoon has racked up $81.3 million. Since it should continue to hold up over the next couple of weekends, in the absence of much family-friendly competition, 'Rio' could end up one of the biggest hits of the year.
Tyler Perry'ssixth movie featuring him performing in drag as gun-toting granny Madea had been expected to open between $30 and $34 million. After all, the last movie with"Madea"in the title (2009's 'Madea Goes to Jail') debuted with a whopping $41 million, albeit on a less crowded weekend. While 'Big Happy Family' premiered with an impressive per-screen average ($11,254 per venue, more than that of any other wide-release movie this week), its weekend total was more in line with Perry's average opening of $23.7 million over his last nine movies. Perry's popularity may not be slipping, but it seems he can no longer guarantee a $30 million-plus opening just by putting Madea's name in the title.
Debuting in third place was'Water for Elephants,'with an estimated $17.5 million. That's a tad higher than expected for theRobert Pattinson-Reese Witherspoonromance. It's also a very good number for a Pattinson movie that doesn't involve vampires. And it should continue to be a hit over the next few weeks, as there'll be little prestige-drama fare or romantic movies targeted at women as we transition into the summer popcorn season.
'Hop'hung around long enough to take advantage of Easter. In its fourth week, the bunny cartoon actually saw an increase in business (up 16 percent), which is rare. Its estimated take was $12.5 million, good for fourth place and a four-week total of just over $100 million.
'Scream 4,'on the other hand, lost a drastic 62 percent of its business since its debut last week, falling three spots to No. 5 on an estimated $7.2 million. Poor word-of-mouth has held the long-awaited horror sequel's two-weekend total down to $31.2 million.
For the third Earth Day in a row, Disney has released a nature documentary that opened in the $6 to $9 million range. This year's was'African Cats,'which clawed its way to a $6.4 million opening, debuting at No. 6.
Total box office for the top 10 was about 9 percent higher than the same weekend last year. That's two straight weekends of improvement over 2010, suggesting thatthe long slump of 2011may finally be on its way out.
Who knew thatRowan Atkinson, aka bumbling Mr. Bean, was a close friend of Prince Charles? If you did, then you're not as surprised as we were to learn that he, along with such celebrities as Elton John, Guy Ritchie and David and Victoria Beckham, has been invited to the royal wedding.
Of course, this brings to mind another Atkinson role, that of the speech-challenged priest at the second wedding in'Four Weddings and a Funeral,'who manages to flub both the bride and groom's names and invoke"The Holy Spigot."
Happily for William and Kate, Atkinson (who we also loved as supercilious royal butler Blackadder) is attending, not officiating the ceremony.
Watch the hilarious Atkinson scene from 'Four Weddings' after the jump.
And we just had to include a clip where Mr. Bean has a disastrous meeting with the Queen.
The full guest list for the royal wedding can be foundhere.
As the opening credits roll in the new Canadian film 'Textuality,' an entire relationship begins and ends, from courtship to proposal to wedding day to... being left at the altar.
The dumpee, Breslin (played by Jason Lewis of 'Sex and the City'), re-enters the dating world six months later with his head and heart still damaged. Carly Pope ('Young People F---ing') co-stars as Simone, a guy-juggling painter/blogger. She longs for the married Clive (played by Eric McCormack of 'Will& Grace'), but is intriguing and endearing enough to pull Breslin out of the dumps.
Heavy-handed references to texting, BBM, Facebook and other social media bring this oft-told love story, directed by Warren P. Sonoda, into the digital age, hence the title. Moviefone interviewed Lewis and Pope separately in Toronto to get a fun he said/she said perspective on the film (which opens today), dating and technology.
If anyone is stuck in line for popcorn, they will miss crucial plot details, which make Breslin likeable. Otherwise, we might just think he's an ass.
Jason Lewis:And a player, yeah. I don't think that that's what Breslin is at all. He's indicative of so many people. You go through an emotional upheaval like that and you tend to act out in one way or another. What he's doing isn't so much being a player -- and it's actually brought up in the film -- but that he's keeping himself so hyper-occupied that he's hiding from looking at himself.
Carly Pope:It gives you the set up. He took this chance and has the love of his life really hurt him. So now he is cut off, which makes sense why he's using his phone as the middle man in all of his dealings.
Why is Simone, who is sleeping with four guys, likeable?
Lewis:Because what comes out of her mouth is something that I always like in people, the zero-filter people. You know where you stand with them. There's an honesty and a straight-forward decency to her. She's not misrepresenting anything herself. She's not being maligning. So there's really nothing not to like about her.
Pope:For me, I felt like I connected to her because, for one {laughs}, I was not operating my life unlike Simone's at the time, especially while shooting. So I understood that mentality a little bit more. Also, I looked at the artist who did all of Simone's artwork, Elizabeth Dyer (a Toronto artist), and that helped to inform the character. Her artwork, she's either painting solitary figures or empty rooms. And that to me spoke to Simone's loneliness, her genuine isolation. Even though she's distracted by all these other things, it's like she's not getting what she wants, and I feel like Simone's a real romantic at heart. She wants people to call; she wants people to be in her life. She wants all those things.
Even though it's called 'Textuality,' how crucial is technology to the film?
Lewis:It's married to it, but it's not a film about technology; it's a film about that ever-present difficult issue, love. And, in today's day and age, texting technology in and of itself is a wonderful thing, but in a character like {Breslin}, here's a person who doesn't want to face certain things and realities and go deeper. He's able to do it in a way that he probably wouldn't have been able to do back in the day because there's an expectation of communication that he can satisfy very easily, as he doesn't have to get as serious because of that expectation.
What appealed to you about the film?
Lewis:They are very relatable characters and I think there's something going on right now -- I can't imagine what it's like to be 16 and trying to develop your personal relationships. In some ways, there are some great advantages for the younger generations because of the amount of information they have access to, but in other ways they are so cut off from practical experience and I like that about this film. At some point, you gotta get face-to-face and get it done.
Pope:It's so rare to not see people with phones in their hands so I do feel like it's apropos for our time. I also think Liam Card wrote such a phenomenally strong female lead. All the women in the movie are strong. They all know exactly what they want and they all change their course when they're not getting what they want. So I really appreciated how refreshingly honest Simone was and how confident she was, despite being unlucky in love.
Are you caught up in texting and technology?
Lewis:I definitely use the hell out of it, but I'm definitely old school. I'm like, 'Hey come up and have some beers.' I also do mad texts. (Looking at his phone) My last email is about my new surf board. This is important stuff and thank god I have my email. My buddy Frank, at Lighning Bolt Surf, he shapes over in Maui. So I'm very much on the technological tip, but I took stock a while ago and you can't have a decent level of communication and relationship with everybody you're trying to; it's not fair to you or the people you really care about.
Which relationships do you feel texting and email improves?
Lewis:Business. Business and tasks. Like Frank and I are good friends. We go and surf. But we don't need to have a 20-minute conversation about the surf board.
Pope:I think when you're starting up a situation, it's really fun texting or BBMing or whatever. It's really fun and flirtatious and it's cheeky and you can get creative, and you can safely -- because you're not there in person -- let your freak-flag fly {laughs}. You can get a little bit more expressive than you would straight-up in-person right off the bat. But I do think we've become so reliant that the phones are never out of our reach. We're always trying to stay connected that way and the irony is that it's actually disconnecting us from everything else because we're not just focused on what's in front of us; we focus on what's in our hand or off to the side.
It's almost a guy's dream when it comes to dating that these things were invented. You don't have to have a proper conversation. All you need to type is a"baby"or a"honey"and an xo or heart emoticon and we're happy.
Lewis:I get plenty of emoticons. Listen, I never got dating. I just don't. I'm not a good dater. Some people date quite well and I'm like, 'Really? This is like trying to shove a square into a round. Why are we doing this?'
You've obviously dated pre-all this nonsense. Do you embrace texting and all these emoticons?
Pope:I had to just update my phone and I was like, 'Oh My God, the raised eyebrow, the dancing icon!' That speaks to the creativity of it. You can actually have fun with your messages.
And not get misinterpreted.
Pope:And not get misinterpreted. People are totally overusing LOL and a wink– and I'm very guilty of using the wink– that's probably my favourite emoticon to use because 'I'm being sarcastic, don't misinterpret; don't misconstrue; I'm just kidding.' Again, for as many benefits as it has, also picking up the phone and having a conversation speaks volumes.
Which hot young actor should take over the 'Bourne' series from Matt Damon? That question has been settled, at least in Universal's mind, with the offer of the plum part to 'Hurt Locker' starJeremy Renner.
Of course, Renner might only be borrowing the franchise: If he accepts the lead in'The Bourne Legacy,'he won't be playing Jason Bourne, but another highly trained assassin who went through the same brutal Treadstone program. That leaves the opportunity for Damon -- whose character was very much alive at the end of 'The Bourne Ultimatum' -- to return.
Renner's shown his mettle against unexploded bombs and armored cars (in his other Oscar-nominated role in 'The Town,'), but will audiences buy him as a super assassin?
Tony Gilroy, who'll write and direct the next film, is banking on it. He chose Renner over such other up-and-comers as Garret Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, Luke Evans and Joel Edgerton. More established stars Shia LaBeouf and James McAvoy were also said to be considered for the role, but were probably busy enough with their own franchises.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but we'll expect the same level of globe-trotting and ass kicking that Damon delivered in the first three films.
What do you think, 'Bourne' fans, do you approve of Renner's casting?
Although'Thor'has garnered mega-buzz in the weeks that have been leading up to its release May 6 -- the Kenneth Branagh comic flick even hasreviewers wonderingif it's better than 'Iron Man' -- its franchise future was murky until recently. After all, it's been known for months that Marvel stablemate Captain America was already set for a sequel.
While Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus, the writers of'Captain America: The First Avenger'(due July 22), were signed on for the Captain Americasequel in February, the real mystery about that project had been the time period in which the film would take place: WWII or modern times.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige came to fans' rescue on both questions in an interview at Disney'sD23(Marvel was bought by Disney in 2009, but other studios have pre-existing deals for Marvel adaptations), revealing that"Thor will go off into a new adventure, and Captain America will continue to explore the modern world in another film of his own."
In addition to their solo sequels, Captain America and Thor will be featured inThe Avengers'next year.
'Family Guy' creatorSeth MacFarlane'sfirst live-action film,'Ted,'is coming together nicely with the recent addition to the production ofPatrick Warburton,a long-time member of the 'Family Guy' voice cast. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as John, a man who wishes his childhood Teddy bar would come to life -- and when it does, it turns into a pot smoking, booze-swilling slacker who gets in the way of John's relationship with his girlfriend, played by Mila Kunis. MacFarlane will voice the CGI-Ted. Warburton will play Guy, a sexually confused co-worker at the Enterprise Rent-a-Car front office where John works. According toDeadline,MacFarlane wanted Warburton for the role long before this casting; in the script, when Guy is first introduced, the character is described as"a burly Patrick Warburton type."Giovanni Ribisi and Joel McHale are also in the film, which sounds to us like 'Calvin and Hobbes' meets 'Chucky.'
The Ouija pointer is moving to"yes."Universal has picked Disney direct-to-video animation veteranEvan Spiliotopoulosto work on the script for'Ouija,'Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes' take on the Hasbro board game. McG is will direct the movie, which is described as a supernatural adventure centering around a family, with influences from 'The Mummy' and 'Indiana Jones,' according toThe Hollywood Reporter.Spiliotopoulos' credits include 'The Lion King 1 1/2,' 'Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie,' 'The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning' and 'Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,' among other family features.
Rosemarie DeWitt, John KrasinskiandOlivia Thirlbyare in talks to headline'Nobody Walks,'an indie drama that follows a Los Angeles family who invite a young, charismatic artist into their home, only to find her disrupting their lives. The film, directed by Ry Russo-Young ('You Won't Miss Me'), is scheduled to begin production in late May in Los Angeles. {Variety}
And we close Early Edition by calling your attention to"Disney Princesses 'Objectified',"a series of drawings that transpose -- what else -- Disney princesses into household objects. These are weird, off-the-wall renderings that are clearly the dark side of the household objects that inhabited 'Beauty and the Beast.' Check them out atBuzzFeed.
The 2000 teen comedy'Bring It On'has become something of a cult-classic cheerleading movie, inspiring some less-than-stellar direct-to-DVD sequels.
StarringKristen Dunst,Eliza DushkuandGabrielle Union, 'Bring It On' is about two rival cheering squads from different high schools competing for the national championship.
It's campy and fun, so it's not hard to see how someone could think,Hey! This would make a great musical ...
'Bring It On: The Musical'
And it looks like someone did.
The 'Bring It On' musical, by Alliance Theatre, looks full of cool stunts and the characters we know and love from the film. But it begs the question: Does every beloved movie franchise need to be turned into a stage production?
'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' should be a lesson learned.
If you're down to cheer, 'Bring It On: The Musical' comes to the theater fall 2011.
The family audience that made'Hop'the top movie of the last two weeks finally went south. To Brazil.
The macaws of'Rio'can crow over the year's biggest opening weekend so far, debuting with an estimated $40 million. Belated horror sequel'Scream 4,'which some experts thought would give 'Rio' a run for its money, settled for about half as much, premiering with an estimated $19.3 million.
Some pundits expected 'Rio' to fly even higher than it did, as high as $45 or even $50 million. After all, it's from Blue Sky (the animation house behind the 'Ice Age' franchise and 'Horton Hears a Who'), it got excellent reviews, it has a family-friendly G rating, it opened on more than 3,800 screens, and it's getting 3D ticket prices. On the other hand, it wasn't based on a familiar property, and it was competing against 'Hop,' which still has a few jumps left in it during its third week. Still, 'Rio' edged out another talking-critter cartoon, 'Rango' (which opened at $38.1 million) as the year's biggest debut, and its per-screen average (an impressive $10,455 per venue) suggests that these birds will be nesting at the upper reaches of the box office for a while.
There had been a lot of anticipation for 'Scream 4,' which reunited the director, writer, and principal cast of the franchise for the first time in 11 years. Reviews were decent, and there was little other horror competition this weekend. But would the latest installment of the landmark horror/comedy series draw young audiences as well as viewers old enough to remember the original films? As it turned out, the Weinstein Company (which predicted a more modest mid-$20s take than the overly optimistic $40-million-plus predictions some industry watchers made) reports that 'Scream 4' drew an audience that was 54 percent under age 25. That's pretty good, considering that the R rating kept a lot of younger viewers out. But there weren't enough younger viewers to replace the older ones who've abandoned the Ghostface chillers. If 'Scream 4' had sold as many tickets as 'Scream 3' did when it opened in 2000, it would have grossed $50 million (due to inflation). At least its per-screen average (a strong $5,833) and the relative dearth of horror films due out in the coming weeks suggest that 'Scream 4' could have some staying power.
'Hop' lost about 48 percent oflast week'sbusiness and fell to third place with an estimated $11.2 million. That was about what was expected, given the arrival of 'Rio.' Still, that was enough for the bunny feature to leap to a three-weekend total of $82.6 million.
Displaying very strong legs was'Soul Surfer,'which lost just 30 percent of last week's business to come in at No. 4 with an estimated $7.4 million. The family drama may have taken a hit from 'Rio' as well, but it still has earned a hair shy of $20 million in ten days.
Riding 'Soul Surfer's' tail was'Hanna,'down 40 percent to an estimated $7.3 million. That's close enough to 'Soul Surfer' that the two may switch ranks when final numbers are released on Monday. In ten days, the teen-assassin thriller has earned $23.3 million.
Also new in the top 10 was'The Conspirator.'Robert Redford'sindie drama about the aftermath of the Lincoln assassination opened on just 707 screens, but it earned an average $5,550 on each of them, good for an estimated total of $3.9 million and ninth place. That's a healthy showing for a limited-release drama in the doldrums of April, and it bodes well for the movie's wider release.
The other new indie drama that earned a lot of buzz this weekend,'Atlas Shrugged: Part I,'boasted a similar per-screen average ($5,590). Opening on just 300 screens, thelong-awaitedAyn Rand adaptation took in an estimated $1.7 million, debuting in 14th place. Whether that's enough for the film to earn back its reported $10 million budget (and ensure that the other two parts of the projected trilogy get made) is unclear. After all, if everyone who'd purchased a copy of Rand's popular novel just in the last two years had bought a ticket, the movie would have earned $4 million.
Total box office for 2011 is still down about 20 percent over the same period last year, but this was one of the first 2011 weekends that saw higher sales (about 10 percent) than the same weekend last year. With summer blockbuster season right around the corner, Hollywood is crossing its fingers that these fallow first four months may have finally finished.
'Rio' - Trailer No. 2'
The full top 10: 1.'Rio,'$40.0 million (3,826 screens),new release 2.'Scream 4,'$19.3 million (3,305),new release 3.'Hop,'$11.2 million (3,608 screens), $82.6 million total 4.'Soul Surfer,'$7.4 million (2,214), $20.0 million 5.'Hanna,'$7.3 million (2,545), $23.3 million 6.'Arthur,'$6.94 million (3,276), $22.3 million 7.'Insidious,'$6.86 million (2,233), $36.0 million 8.'Source Code,' $6.30 million (2,557), $37.0 million 9.'The Conspirator,'$3.92 million (707),new release 10.'Your Highness,'$3.90 million (2,772), $16.0 million
When he broke through with the Oscar-nominated 'The Sixth Sense' in 1999,M. Night Shyamalanwas proclaimed the next Steven Spielberg. He had no idea it would all be downhill from there.
After increasingly savage reviews for his films and sweeping the Razzies this year with 'The Last Airbender,' can it get any worse?
Chris Baker, a copywriter and author, was first inspired last summer at a screening of 'Inception' when a trailer for'Devil'drew howls of laughter at the phrase"from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan."
He was quickly joined by two more advertising buddies, one of whom proposed calling the project"M. Night School."The site wasn't ready to go, but when the news broke that Shyamalan wasplanning to step behind the camera again, the trio went live with their cinematic campaign. As of today, a total of $520.33 has been raised.
Baker admits that Shyamalan"will probably be a little hurt"when he finds out about the site, but points out,"his movies do make money, for better or for worse, which is kind of the irony of the whole thing."
Even if they do succeed in raising $150,000 towards such a dubious goal, they expect Shyamalan to turn it down."We want to do a stunt where we present him with a giant check. Obviously, the guy's a multimillionaire, he'll refuse it."
Their backup plan: Hold a festival in New York for aspiring filmmakers hoping to attend NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. The winner will receive the money raised by M. Night School as a scholarship in Shyamalan's name.
Hey, it just might be the greatest contribution to the movies Shyamalan will ever make.
Today on indieWIRE: Celebrating Super 8,Sean Pennas Robert Smith, the Titanic encourages bad taste and more.
This Sunday marks the 10th anniversary ofFlicker NYC,New York's only Super 8 film festival.indieWIREspoke with festival programmer David Teague about why he believes so strongly in the medium."Super 8 provides a look you just can't approximate digitally,"Teague said."It offers something that can't be done in any other way."
Clio Barnard's'The Arbor'is gaining attention for its use of lip-syncing in depicting the life of late British playwright Andrea Dunbar.indieWIREcaught up with Barnard to talk about her unconventional approach to the biopic genre.
Eric Kohn was a big fan ofZeina Durra's 'The Imperialists Are Still Alive,'championing its groundbreaking depiction of post-9/11 Middle Eastern life."The first-time director's refreshingly credible portrait of a boho character with Middle Eastern origins rectifies the aforementioned canonical gap,"enthused Kohn,"in a witty, naturalistic generational snapshot."
Kohn also reviewed'The Double Hour,'analyzing how successful it is in making use of the unexpected plot twist.Click hereto find out whether or not Kohn thinks the movie pulled off taking surprising narrative turns.
Today brought an indieWIRE introduction tothree more Tribeca Filmmakers: read the interviews withMarie Losier, Joshua NealeandPaula Van Der Oest.
Excitement has been brewing over pictures ofSean Pennas The Cure's Robert Smith in the upcoming'This Must Be the Place.'The Playlistraised the level of fervor by posting a clip featuring outtakes and footage of Penn in character.
The sinking of theTitanicalmost 100 years ago not only made history but also lead to some seriously questionable depictions of the tragedy.Spouttakes a look at some of the entertainment industry's more notorious lapses in taste.
Not sure which film to see this weekend? Check outThompson on Hollywood'srundown of noteworthy indie and foreign films hitting theaters this week.
'Cowboys& Aliens'has to be one of the better movie titles to come down the pike in quite a while, hearkening back to a past era of genre exploitation ('Earth vs. the Flying Saucers') and mixed genre mashups ('Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter' and 'Billy the Kid vs. Dracula').
But titles alone don't make the movie. That's up to the directors and stars and, in the case of 'Cowboy's& Aliens,' it has a lot going for it: There's hip director Jon Favreau and an all-star cast including Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Walton Goggins, Keith Carradine and Adam Beach.
The film -- about aliens invading the Earth in 1873, with only ragtag cowboys and Apaches standing in their way -- has been getting a lot of buzz, to say the least and, now that its release date of July 29 is fast-approaching, DreamWorks/Universal has released a new trailer. Let's just hope the movie is as good as it's title.
Russell Brand, who made a very convincing rock star in 'Get Him to the Greek,' has joined the musical'Rock of Ages' as Lonny, the manager of an '80s-era rock club.
Director Adam Shankman tweeted the news Wednesday, saying,"I can officially announce Russell Brand as your Lonny in #rockofagesmovie! I see a mullet in his future...maybe a Nikki Six?"(FYI, that's NikkiSixx, Shankman. Better bone up on your rock trivia!)
The movie, based on the hit Broadway musical, will also star newcomer Diego Gonzalez Boneta as well as Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti and Julianne Hough.
In other casting news,Rufus Sewell(last seen in 'The Tourist'), will play Adam, the head vampire, in 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.' He joins a cast that includes Benjamin Walker (in the title role), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie and Dominic Cooper.
And lastly,Hugh Jackmanwon't be playing the huntsman to Kirsten Stewart's Snow White after all. Jackman was in talks with Universal, but, like Viggo Mortensen before him, has passed on the project.
Our suggestion? The studio might want to tap another hunky Aussie, Eric Bana, for the part, who makes quite a convincing hunter-slash-trainer in 'Hanna.'
Universal's 'Snow White and the Huntsman' is one of two competing movies about the fairy tale princess: Relativity is working on its own version with 'The Social Network's Armie Hammer as the prince, Lilly Collins as Snow White and Julia Roberts as the evil queen.
The Universal project has Charlize Theron on board as their evil queen. She's the only player who's confirmed so far, as negotiations with Stewart are not yet finalized.
Blond, hot bodyBradley Cooperas a Goth action hero? We can't quite picture it, yet, but the 'Limitless' star is in talks to headline a new version of 'The Crow.'
Variety reports that Cooper is in"early negotiations"for the lead role with Relativity Media. He recently flew to Spain to meet with director Juan Carlo Fresnadillo ('28 Days Later'), who was impressed with Cooper's take on the character.
Brandon Lee starred in the first 1994 Crow film as a musician who returns from the grave to avenge his own murder; the son of Bruce Lee tragically died in an on-set accident. He was followed by Vincent Perez in 'The Crow: City of Angels,' then Eric Mabius in 'The Crow: Salvation.'
It's not clear if Fresnadillo will be using the script Goth rockerNick Cavewrote when director Stephen Norrington was attached. Last fall,Mark Wahlbergwas mentioned as the actor who would restart the franchise but 'The Fighter' star ultimately passed on the project.
Is Cooper a good choice for the role? Who would you cast in a 'Crow' reboot?
Jones (who also happens to the the son of David Bowie) is considering taking over for Darren Aronofsky on the sequel, in which Hugh Jackman will once again star as the mighty mutant.
Speaking at the Kapow! convention in England last week, Jones confirmed to IGN he'll be meeting with Fox about the gig.
"{Wolverine is} more interesting to me than Batman,"Jones said at the event."A good Wolverine film could be an amazing thing."He compared the character's appeal to Indiana Jones,"He's got a sense of humor and he's gruff and he's kind of p---d off at everyone and I like that."
Aronofsky had to pull out of the project in March due to scheduling issues.
Since his impressive 2009 debut, 'Moon,' (which he also co-wrote) Jones has been sought for several sci-fi projects, including a 'Judge Dredd' remake and 'Superman: Man of Steel' (which went to Zack Snyder).
Jones is also planning another original story, titled 'Mute,' that sounds very promising: It's described as"Blade Runner-esque,"but set in a future Berlin instead of Los Angeles. Jones said he's not sure if he'll ever get it made and might take a page (literally) from Aronofsky's 'The Fountain,' by launching it first as a graphic novel.
What do you think, is Jones the right guy for 'The Wolverine?' Or would your rather see him do something more original, like his 'Mute' project?
We're always on the look out for the cool and unusual around the big World Wide Web and today we bring you -- viaSlashfilm-- a gallery celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pixar, hosted by an art blog called Planet-Pulp.
But first -- yes, that's right, it's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since Pixar was founded -- and 16 years since the release of 'Toy Story.' Pixar was founded February 3, 1986, when Steve Jobs bought the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm and made it into an independent company. Pixar's first short was 'Red's Dream' in 1987; for the next eight years they concentrated on commercials until the release -- with Disney -- of 'Toy Story' in 1995. And the rest, as they say, is history. You can find a neat, officialPixar timelineat the company's site.
Back to Planet-Pulp. The site was created by Jayson Weidel as an online pop culture gallery with a new theme every 30 days."We are an intergalactic online gallery ... Here you will discover a collection of talented Rogues bound together by sheer awesomeness, illustrating and designing monthly themes as we celebrate our shared love of Pulp Culture. Some of the interwebs hottest artists have joined PLANET-PULP as members, talents such as Tom Whalen, Dave Perillo, Steven Dressler and Katie Cook, just to name a few. Most of our members are currently working in the comics and entertainment field at places like Disney, Lucasfilm, Pixar, IDW, Marvel and DC."
This past week on indieWIRE, the Motion Picture Academy shocked the industry,Todd Haynesdished on'Mildred Pierce,'Greta Gerwigwent Hollywood, and much more.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made waves this week when it announced thatDawn Hudsonwould succeedBruce Davisas the Academy's new CEO.Thompson on Hollywoodreportedon how this change will shake up the Academy.
In His Own Words:'Henry's Crime'director Malcom Venville analyzed a climactic scene exclusively forindieWIRE.Click hereto watch the pivotal scene and read Venville's description of how it all came together.
HBO's five-part miniseries'Mildred Pierce'is generating some of the greatest buzz ofTodd Haynes'career. In thefirst installmentof a two-part interview withindieWIRE,Haynes reflected on working within the realm of television, comparisons between 'Pierce' and 'Far From Heaven,' and the power of the melodrama.
Max Winkler,son of Henry, makes his directorial debut with'Ceremony.'Winkler sat down withindieWIREto discuss his love for the Big Apple, replacing his lead actor and ignoring his father's advice.
João Pedro Rodrigues''To Die Like a Man'has finally found its way to U.S. theaters.indieWIRE'sEric Kohn decided the film was worth the wait."It took some time, but 'To Die Like a Man' deserves your attention for showcasing a filmmaker with the capacity for bold narrative trickery that doesn't come at the expense of emotional investment."
Eric Kohn paired up the just-released trailer forLars Von Trier's'Melancholia'with another one for the Sundance sci-fi breakout'Another Earth.'Watch bothhereand decide which one has a leg up.
Today on indieWIREJoe Wrightturns violent, Cannes and Ashland film festival news, project roundups and more.
Coinciding with the release of the uber-violent, action-packed'Hanna,'directorJoe Wrightmet withindieWIREto comment on his departure from the more restrained period films he is known for."I wanted to smash it all up a bit, really,"Wright said."I felt like deconstructing myself and my filmmaking."
Speaking of'Hanna,'iPopsummed uplast night's New York premiere.
Today'sMeet the Tribeca Filmmakersinterviews put the spotlight on Alexandra McGuinness ('Lotus Eaters'), 'The Last Rites of Joe May' director Joseph Maggio and 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' director David Gelb.
This week's'In the Works'highlighted five more projects worth getting excited about, including documentaries about artists Ai Weiwei and Kenny Scharf;'Pig,'a film set to premiere at this year's Nashville Film Festival; and 'Facing East,' Will Swensen's directorial debut.
João Pedro Rodrigues''To Die Like a Man'has finally found its way to U.S. theaters.indieWIRE'sEric Kohn decided the film was worth the wait."It took some time, but 'To Die Like a Man' deserves your attention for showcasing a filmmaker with the capacity for bold narrative trickery that doesn't come at the expense of emotional investment."
Israeli actor, peace activist and star of 'Miral'Juliano Mer-Khamis was murdered in Jenin yesterday, right outside of the drama and cultural center he established in the Palestinian refugee camp. Mer-Khamis, the child of a Jewish mother and Palestinian father, had been receiving death threats because he was opposed to the military occupation of the region.
The MPAA isn't just urging authorities to go after people who download movies illegally -- now they'veasked congress to help them eliminate"rogue sites"that share links to pirated movies and television shows or stream them without permission.
The long-in-development sequel to Zack Snyder's '300' is no longer called 'Xerxes.' Producer Mark Canton says the project is currently untitled, but still being developed.Check out a video interview on the sequel here.
The Weinsteins are in the news again. This time the brothers havesettled with producer Cathy Konrad-- for $3 million. Konrad alleged the Weinsteins developed 'Scream 4' behind her back. The film opens next week.
Some inventive fans havemade their own groovy introfor the upcoming 'X-Men: First Class.' Hopefully Matthew Vaughn has seen it and is taking notes.
We've always had a sweet spot forMeg Ryan(particularly after her uber-adult acting turn in Jane Campion's 2003 'In the Cut'), so we were quite pleased to discover that she'll transfer her talent and charisma to a role behind the camera. According toVariety,Ryan will make her feature directorial debut on 'Into the Beautiful,' a comedy-drama described as a contemporary 'Big Chill.' The project is being produced by Wendy Finerman, whose record includes 'Forrest Gump' and 'The Devil Wears Prada.' Casting will begin soon, with shooting scheduled to start in September in New York.
IsDavid Heyman-- producer of all eight Harry Potter films -- latching on to another gold mine of a franchise? Warner Bros. hopes so. The studio has acquired the FrenchOscar Pillyouth-fantasy novel series for Heyman's Heyday Films to produce. There are five books in 'The Adventures of Oscar Pill' series, which chronicles the adventures of a 12-year-old boy initiated into the Council of the Medicus to fend off the Black Prince of the Pathologus, who want to destroy humanity. Pill's special power: He can travel inside living beings, including other humans. A young, unusual boy battling evil forces. Sound familiar? Author Eli Anderson has been dubbed a French J.K. Rowling. {TheWrap}
R.J. Cutler,director of such documentaries as 'The September Issue' and '"Hick"Town,' will take his first crack at a fiction feature by helming the indie film'Fabulous Nobodies,'based on a novel by fashion journalist Lee Talloch about the life and times of Reality Nirvana Tuttle, a shallow doorgirl at an exclusive New York club. {TheWrap}
Short Takes Universal Pictures has acquired a spec script, titled'Bait& Switch,' to develop forMark Wahlberg.No word on what the movie will be about {TheWrap}...Craig Gillespie('Lars and the Real Girl') has been tapped by Lionsgate to helm'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,' the Seth Grahame-Smith novel that mashes up the living dead with the Jane Austen classic {Deadline} ...Tyler Perrycranks them out faster than you can say, well, Tyler Perry. He's signed on with Lionsgate to direct and star in 'Good Deeds,' a romantic drama about a successful entrepreneur about to get married who falls for a down-on-her-luck single mom. {Deadline}
Marvel Studios has a full plate at the moment;'Captain America: The First Avenger'and'Thor'are set to release this summer, and work is already afoot on 2012's'The Avengers'and a third 'Iron Man' movie. That hasn't stopped Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige from thinking about what comes after those titles, though, and in past interviews he's returned to one lesser-known character time and time again: Dr. Strange.
The comic giant's Sorcerer Supreme might not be a household name (at least not in households without extensive comic book collections), but there's no doubt that could change if a film was made about the character -- one featuring just the right actor. EnterPatrick Dempsey.
Dempsey, who's one of television's highest-paid stars thanks to his role on 'Grey's Anatomy' is eager to expand his artistic horizons, and he thinks donning the Marvel Magus's cloak would be a step in the right direction. Based on looks alone, Dempsey could be on to something.
The actor told the L.A. Times'Hero Complexblog that it's a role he's definitely interested in:"I've been lobbying for that. There's a whole bunch of people {among the 'Grey's' crew} who are into comics and Marvel, too, on the set and they're like, 'Doctor Strange, that's the one you should do.' It would be fantastic."
It would also be the next step in the 45-year-old actor's attempt to reinvent himself, coming on the heels of 'Flypaper,' a darkly comedic bank-heist film that premiered at Sundance (Dempsey produced and starred) and his role in Michael Bay's 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' later this summer. Dempsey lays out his rationale for the move with this logic:
"Hopefully, doing something like 'Transformers' is about to show myself in an action situation where I'm not mister-weepy-doctor guy, you know, not McDreamy. You have to change that in people's view. I'm still hungry for other things. I'd love to play Doctor Strange."
Of course, the road to film stardom, even for a mega television star, can be a perilous one -- just ask David Caruso. Dempsey seems different, though. He has a genuine interest in playing thischaracter,not in merely playing Dr. Strange in a film. He'd be just as willing to tackle the role in a television series as he would on the big screen."It'd be a great TV show, especially for HBO or something like that,"he tells Hero Complex. We agree with that sentiment. A 'Dr. Strange' cable series could turn into something like AMC's 'The Walking Dead' with a proven commodity like Dempsey in the lead role. In fact, a series might be an easier sell to audiences than a film. Even casual comics fans aren't overly familiar with the character.
We like the idea of casting Dempsey as Dr. Strange and have been in favor of it since rumors first emerged that he'd landed the part at last year's Comic Con. All we hope for is that if they do make this project for television, it turns out better than the 1978 version. What say you guys?
WonderCon, the annual pre-summer comics and film convention, kicked off Friday in San Francisco. WonderCon's first day is perfect for first-time con-goers or for con-goers hoping to ease themselves into the con experience. The con opens later, the lines are more manageable, the exhibitor's hall actually walkable. Con-goers can check a variety of comic book related panels, including several by the Comics Art Conference, pop-culture academics that take comics and the effects of comics on popular culture, seriously. Many con-goers, however, come to Wonder-Con for the movie panels. Con organizers usually pack the Saturday with five or six (or more panels), but usually save a spot for a summer tentpole for the last Friday panel. This year, the organizers gave 'Green Lantern' (out June 17th, pride of place).
The 'Green Lantern' panel (and the roundtable that followed), however, closed out a long day that began with a roundtable dedicated to 'Hanna,' the action-thriller out next Friday starring Saoirse Ronan and directed by Joe Wright ('The Soloist,' 'Atonement,' 'Pride& Prejudice'). In the roundtable, we delved into Wright's influences (Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, and David Lynch, among others), the script-to-screen process, and his fondness for long takes. Interestingly, it was Ronan who brought Wright into the project, sending him Seth Lochhead's script. Once Wright signed on, he worked bring the script back to Lochhead's original, more ambiguous vision while also making the fairy tale elements more explicit.
Wright, lauded for his use of long takes, specifically an eight-minute, Dunkirk-set sequence in 'Atonement,' talked about two long takes in 'Hanna.' In one, he follows Ronan's character as she makes her way through a crowded, congested Moroccan market and, later, a sequence involving Eric Bana's character that tracks him through his arrival in Berlin and a confrontation with several armed men. For the latter sequence, Wright cited budgetary concerns dictating the single-take approach. The single take allowed him to shoot the sequence in one day (rehearsals in the morning and afternoon, takes in the late afternoon/early evening) what would have taken him four days and forty set-ups.
Back at Wonder-Con proper, the con center's biggest room, the Esplanade Ballroom, hosted the first panel of the day, 'Falling Skies,' the forthcoming science fiction/action series produced by Steven Spielberg. 'Falling Skies'starts from a"what if?"premise: What if, instead of successfully beating back and defeating an alien invasion (e.g., 'Independence Day,' 'War of the Worlds'), the aliens win, defeating the military (ours and everyone else's), shattering the political structure, and, through the use of an electromagnetic pulse, knocking out all electrical equipment. With executive producer Mark Verheiden, writer Melinda Hsu-Taylor, and actor Drew Roy on hand, con goers saw several extended clips from the series debuting on TNT in mid-June, beginning with a teaser (already seen in promos) that leads to a sequence featuring Noah Wylie as Tom Mason, a history teacher turned guerilla fighter and resistance leader, and his son, Hal (Roy), as they attempt to retrieve food supplies (it fails miserably). Other extended scenes introduced a love interest for Hal,Moon Bloodgood'scharacter, a pediatrician-turned-resistance-physician, and an attempt to save the son of another resistance member from the aliens that featured our first glimpse of the aliens' mech suits.
In follow-up comments, Verheiden and Hsu-Taylor (a former 'Lost' writer) mentioned a key editorial mandate: No flashbacks to life before or immediately after the alien invasion. Verheiden also described the"no electricity"rule (due to the aforementioned EMP), nature of the resistance movement dubbed the"Massachusetts Militia"(the original title of 'Falling Skies' was 'Concord'), and the decision-making process behind the aliens' appearance (they have six legs) and the challenge of mixing CG aliens with their practical counterparts. Other questions and comments focused primarily on the characters, their backstories, and their relationships.
A key question that wasn't asked or discussed (but should have been) was whether subsequent episodes and, presumably seasons, of 'Falling Skies' can retain the high-end production values shown in the pilot. For better or for worse, TV viewers have come to expect film-quality visual effects. A TV series that promises to show us aliens and human vs. alien battles, not to mention interpersonal conflicts between the various human characters, on a weekly basis has to deliver on that promise, both dramatically (e.g., characters, story) and visually (e.g., effects, practical and otherwise).
After showing an unseen episode of 'Nikita,' the Maggie Q-starring spy-thriller TV series that airs on the CW, Wonder-Con turned the floor to Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer for DC comics and current 'Green Lantern' scribe (Johns is considered instrumental in reviving Green Lantern, co-executive producing the live-action feature),Ryan Reynolds, the star of 'Green Lantern,' andBlake Lively, Reynold's co-star and the one-time love interest (as well as employer) of Reynold's Hal Jordan character.
With so little 'Green Lantern' footage seen so far, due presumably to unfinished visual effects, raucous cheers understandably erupted from the several thousand con-goers in attendance when the lights dimmed and the phrase"Sector 2814"appeared onscreen. The first scene focused on Jordan's predecessor, Abin-Sur, his brief, but ultimately deadly battle with a barely seen force, his escape to Earth, and Hal Jordan's Abin-Sur's ring, a ring that grants its wearer superpowers. The next scene showed Jordan attempting to activate the power battery that, in turn, powers the ring before being whisked off to the Green Lantern Corps' home planet, Oa. There, Jordan meets Tomar-Re (voiced byGeoffrey Rush), takes in the sights and sounds of Oa before listening in to Sinestro's (Mark Strong) speech to the assembled Corps about one o the film's villains, Parallax.
Although some of the footage on Oa still looked unfinished and/or under-rendered, everything else looked polished (or close to polished). (Non-con-goers can find an abridged version of the WonderCon footagehere). The rapid-fire shots that ended the extended clip also looked just as polished. That alone will help settle some of the concerns expressed on movie blogs since Reynolds covered in a CG Green Lantern suit graced (if"graced"is the right word) and the first teaser trailer gave moviegoers and web surfers pause about the visual viability of a Green Lantern film, even one months away from completion. Whether 'Green Lantern's' mix of effects-driven space opera and earthbound conflict will succeed is still anyone's guess.
The subsequent Q&A and roundtable allowed Reynolds to display the rapid-fire wit, self-deprecating humor, and charm that make him a likeable, popular performer, one likely to become even more popular after the debut of 'Green Lantern.' Despite insistent pleas, Reynolds refused to show off his six-pack, but he otherwise answered the questions offered up by con-goers with aplomb and, at times, humility. He ably dodged questions about the big-screen appearance (or rather re-appearance) of Deadpool, the supporting character that appeared in 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' and Marvel Comics staple. Asked about the humor seen in the clips, Reynolds said they didn't want to make 'The Dark Knight.' They also didn't want to make an out-and-out comedy, but rather something in between, tone wise.
Unsurprisingly, Lively received less attention from con-goers, but cited her character's positive qualities as a central reason for taking the role. She repeatedly cited working with the"Matrix rig,"a device first created for the 'Matrix' films that allows harnessed users to engage in above-the-ground acrobatics as one of the highlights of her experience working on 'Green Lantern.' If 'Green Lantern' succeeds at the box office, Lively will get the chance to use the rig more fully as Jordan's future nemesis, Star Sapphire.
With a summer season looking to be stuffed to the bursting point with geeky goodness, 'Green Lantern' often feels dangerously close to being lost in the shuffle. Aside from the controversial costume reveal and a now 5-month-old trailer, things have been pretty quiet on Warner Bros.' end. After all, 'Thor' just debuted its 857th poster -- where is 'Green Lantern'?
In a move that feels like a very loud"You want some 'Green Lantern'? Here's some 'Green Lantern'!", a slightly shorter version of the 'Green Lantern' footage that recently played at WonderCon has made its way toApple Trailersfor your viewing pleasure. Whether you like what's on display here or not, it's obvious from the get-go that this movie has something that most of this summer's releases seem to lack: a truly epic sense of scope.
Click that link to check it out!
Seriously: this movie looks flippin' huge, an unapologetic space opera filled to the brim with hundreds of unique aliens and all kinds of strange visuals. Sure, some of it looks a little shaky -- as would all effects in a trailer for a summer blockbuster still a few months away -- but it's safe to say that director Martin Campbell and Warner Bros. have made the risky decision to not play this one safe. This looks like one geeky movie.
Sure, the movie nerds and the comic fans are going to be sold after seeing this (and let's face it, if you're reading this site, you were probably going to see it anyway), but how are the, ahem,normalfolks going to react to something like this? Will audiences be willing to embrace a superhero movie that's not afraid to dive headfirst into a dense and detailed science fiction world (of course,we are fully prepared to help non-fans know what's going on here)? Is Ryan Reynolds -- who looks fantastic in the role of Hal Jordan -- enough of a popular counterbalance to the overabundance of geekery on display here?
Those are questions the marketing departments should be asking. The important thing is that 'Green Lantern' looks bigger and more exciting than any other mainstream movie hitting multiplexes this summer.
Zip out for the weekend before our great Friday night content? Miss a day of movie coverage? Check here every Friday afternoon for all the great original content Cinematical published over the last week and play catch up!
Reviews
'Tyrannosaur' Review: Like a Boot to the Head Jenni Miller reviews Paddy Considine's film, noting:"While the film moves towards a sort of higher meaning about damaged people finding solace in each other or some such mumbo-jumbo, the ending feels like an empty coda meant to placate the viewer."
'Hop' Review: The Easter Bunny Lays an Egg Eric D. Snider wasn't thrilled with 'Hop,' and noted the flick's faulty history:"it's probably good that the current Easter Bunny is about to retire (or die?), as he doesn't seem to grasp some of the fundamentals of the holiday he represents. He is mystified at not being beloved in China, evidently unaware that Easter is a Christian observance and the vast majority of Chinese are not Christian. He also tries to appeal to E.B.'s sense of duty by reminding him of the Easter Bunny's 'four thousand years of tradition' -- which means they started delivering candy and eggs to commemorate the resurrection of Christ some two thousand years before the birth of Christ, which demonstrates remarkable foresight."
Plus past film fest reviews:
'Super'offers up satire"with a good deal of vim, vigor, and uniquely twisted jokes."{Scott Weinberg}
'Source Code'is"not nearly as original as his first film, but it is the next best thing to unique: it's two or three familiar ideas tossed into a blender, whipped into a tasty concoction, and delivered with a great deal of style and confidence."{S. Weinberg}
'Insidious'"dares to be different, and that's enough to forgive it some of its tonal indiscretions."{Joe Utichi}
Original Columns
Top 5 Blu-ray Picks of the Week: 'Black Swan,' 'The Ten Commandments' Peter Martin writes of 'Commandments':"This writer will not argue that the last feature by the legendary Cecil B. De Mille is agoodmovie, but it is filled with a multitude of visual delights and is a stirring tale."
Girls on Film: Faux Feminism in 'Sucker Punch' After seeing Zack Snyder's latest, Monika Bartyzel writes:"Snyder doesn't only keep the story from ever definitively offering freedom, he also goes so far as to tear apart every female connection -- mother to daughter, sister to sister, doctor to patients, madam to mistresses and even dragon mother to dragon child. At every level, interpersonal female contact must be destroyed."
Shelf Life: Kill Bill Vols. 1& 2 Todd Gilchrist revisits Uma Thurman's sword-wielding power and determines:"Genre pastiche had certainly become more commonplace in the time since Tarantino made his industry-breaker 'Pulp Fiction,' but he proved that no one could do it better, grander or more effectively."
Doc Talk: What's the Most Important Ethical Concern for Documentary Today? Christopher Campbell talks to movie types and filmmakers about the ethics of documentaries:"Basically the most important ethical concern for the majority of people can be boiled down to what a well known director, who requested anonymity, replied: 'arguments are fine; propaganda is not.' This documentary filmmaker clarifies that the issue isn't about objectivity, 'which is ridiculous and impossible,' but rather 'the need to be fair and to embrace the contradictions of everyday life' without distorting the truth."
Criterion Corner #6: The 10 Best Criterion Covers David Ehrlich digs into ten stellar Criterion covers that"speak to their respective films. The illustrations actually deepen and clarify the movie masterpieces they represent. The greatest designs not only allow Criterion collectors to better display their cinematic classics, but to better understand them as well."
Framed: Bright Star Alison Nastasi basks in Jane Campion's 'Bright Star' and writes:"Any given frame from 'Bright Star' could be an Impressionist painting or a watercolor brought to life. This week's image of Brawne reclining in bed, luxuriating in the warmth of her romance with Keats is no different. The whispering air and soft light from the window are as palpable as the emotions felt during this scene."
OriginalFeatures
Actors We Miss: Robert Culp Monika Bartyzel reminisces about Robert Culp, stating:"Perhaps it was this heart that made Culp's impact so notable for his fans -- there was never a sense of overtaking his co-stars, though he certainly had the charisma to follow through."
The Basics: 'Used Cars' and Satisfying Endings For his last post of the series, William Goss discovers this forgotten Zemeckis film, noting:"Few modern comedies bother with such a calculated and satisfying sense of escalation, instead dawdling their way to the two-hour mark (I'm looking at you, Judd Apatow)."
Stars in Rewind: Jake Gyllenhaal, Age 10, Meets the Press Well before 'October Sky' and 'Donnie Darko,' Jake was making the rounds for 'City Slickers.' Peter Martin writes:"Gyllenhaal, even as a child dressed up in a cowboy hat, looks very serious as he discusses his craft, and displays an engaging smile. Could anyone imagine that, 14 years later, he would be nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in 'Brokeback Mountain'?"
Is The Criterion Collection Too Cool? In response to a piece that labels the collection as hipster, resident Criterion fiend David Ehrlich argues:"Their cumulative output has become synonymous with the idea that filmmakers who remain true to their voices are the ones who continue to rock the cinema and change the world, and that's something that will never go out of style."
Scenes We Love: Moon Perri Nemiroff gushes over a scene in 'Moon,' stating:"This moment pops up a little way into Sam and Sam's relationship, but beautifully highlights the dynamic between the two as well as their dire situation. It's a mere 42 seconds of the film, but if you're looking for a sample of what Jones and, more so Rockwell, have to offer in this unique sci-fi experience, this is it."
Their Best Role: Barbara Hershey in 'The Portrait of a Lady' Peter Martin gushes about Hershey's best role:"There's not a more perfect example of her ability to sketch a portrait in shades of gray than in her portrayal of Madame Serena Merle in 'The Portrait of a Lady,' based on the classic novel by Henry James. Watch it and you won't question why Hershey was nominated for an Academy Award for her supporting role." Their First Time: Q&A With Duncan Jones, Director of 'Source Code' Erik Davis chats with Duncan Jones for our new interview series, offering up goodies like:"My first paying job as a director was for MTV for an advert for a dating game show they had. I got paid peanuts and had to rope all my friends into doing it, but I remember being so excited that I was finally going to earn money for directing."
Cinematical Seven: Of Time Travel and Paradoxes (Among Other Things) Inspired by 'Source Code,' Mel Valentin digs into time travel and paradoxes like 'The Time Machine':"Wells' novel caused little consternation or frustration on its release more 116 years ago, most likely because Wells' unnamed time traveler and the titular time machine don't journey into the past, but 800,000 years into the future."
Transpose Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski to the Old West and you get 'True Grit's' Rooster Cogburn. Transpose Rooster Cogburn to the spirit world and you get ...
There's no term limits on killer cyborgs. Just ask ex-California governor
You've seen
Debuting in third place was
Who knew that
Which hot young actor should take over the 'Bourne' series from Matt Damon? That question has been settled, at least in Universal's mind, with the offer of the plum part to 'Hurt Locker' star
Although
'Family Guy' creatorSeth MacFarlane'sfirst live-action film,'Ted,'is coming together nicely with the recent addition to the production of
And we close Early Edition by calling your attention to"Disney Princesses 'Objectified',"a series of drawings that transpose -- what else -- Disney princesses into household objects. These are weird, off-the-wall renderings that are clearly the dark side of the household objects that inhabited 'Beauty and the Beast.' Check them out at
Also new in the top 10 was
When he broke through with the Oscar-nominated 'The Sixth Sense' in 1999,
Blond, hot body
We've always had a sweet spot for
With a summer season looking to be stuffed to the bursting point with geeky goodness, 'Green Lantern' often feels dangerously close to being lost in the shuffle. Aside from the controversial costume reveal and a now 5-month-old trailer, things have been pretty quiet on Warner Bros.' end. After all, 'Thor' just debuted its 857th poster -- where is 'Green Lantern'?
