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Peter Jackson to Direct The Hobbit… in 3D

by Marina Antunes
November 30th, 2007

Peter JacksonUmmmm. I’m hoping this isn’t some sort of sick joke.

The folks at the very reliable MarketSaw have insider news that Peter Jackson has not only signed up to direct the long debated The Hobbit but that the story will actually be broken up into two parts. If that’s not enough, there’s also news that both films will be shot in 3D. Need more? Apparently New Line and Jackson will also be converting the Lord of the Rings trilogy into 3D for re-release in theaters between 2012 and 2014.

I’m not quite sure what to make of all this. Jim over at MarketSaw has always been very good with his news and I can’t imagine him posting this if it wasn’t true but I find it extremely difficult to believe that Jackson and New Line have buried the axe so quickly when, it seems like just months ago, they were at each other’s throats.

No mention on whether this will be live action, motion capture or animation though my money is on live action, especially if they intend on tying the second of the movies with LoTR but we’ll have to wait and see. I assume the studio will be making the big announcement soon.

Filed under: Rumors
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Michel Gondry’s Behind the Scenes Video

by Marina Antunes
November 30th, 2007

OK. So maybe this isn’t completely movie related but it does involved one of those directors that around here, is highly regarded.

Michel Gondry is currently working on a music video for Björk’s “Declare Independence” and the guys over at Paste dug up a behind the scenes video for our viewing pleasure. In the short clip (it’s only about 5 minutes long), Gondry talks about what it’s like to work with Björk, how he approached the project and you get a cool look at the video. All in all, not a bad way to kill a few minutes on a Friday afternoon. Enjoy!

Filed under: General Ramblings, Video clips
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Outsourced Trailer

by Marina Antunes
November 30th, 2007

Outsourced Movie StillOne of the things that pisses me off most is when I call (insert company name here) and I get some guy (or girl) who’s obviously not in the same country never mind who speaks the same language. I put blame on the (company) for outsourcing the jobs to people who may not be qualified to deal with the problems which are coming up and though I sometimes get angry at those poor folks thousands of miles away I do, in the back of my head, know that they’re just doing their job. But in the heat of the moment, I can’t help but flare.

And then someone comes along and makes a comedy about the whole experience - from the other side of the phone line. Outsourced sees a typical office dude’s job being outsourced to India and to make matters worse, he’s sent out there to train his replacement. Craziness ensues, he finds himself and falls in love, The End. But it still looks damned funny and this was one of the films they kept adding screenings for at VIFF – Vancouverites simply couldn’t get enough.

The film is now available on DVD.

Filed under: Trailers
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I Am Legend Banners

by Andrew James
November 30th, 2007

We in the third row, make it our credo to sort of avoid the big budget, special effects movies that lack any true depth. Sometimes however, we can’t help but excited about certain things… or at least I do. Case in point, one of the movies that I’m realy looking forward to this holiday season is I Am Legend. Apocalypic stuff is most definitely on my favorite genre list. Big budget, well done, apocalyptic stuff is even better. The marketing thus far has intrigued and impressed me and today I’m even more impressed.

Up until now, we’ve known Will Smith’s character is all alone in New York City and it appears no one is left… except for some blood thirsty vampires. All of the marketing has revolved around NYC. Well I found some banners today that broaden the scope of the apocalyptic devastation. Each banner showing images of various cities aorund the globe. Damn cool.

Click any of the image for a hi-res version:


Hong Kong:

London:

Lisbon:

Sydney:

Paris:

Madrid:

Tokyo:

Osaka:

Reykjavik:

I Am Legend opens in wide release on December 14th
SOURCE: Movie Poster Addict

 

Filed under: Posters, Upcoming movies
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The Golden Compass Sneak Previews

by Andrew James
November 30th, 2007

Golden CompassThis Saturday night, according to New Line Cinema, special, sneak previews of their fantasy/adventure film, The Golden Compass, will be screening in 800 theaters nationwide. The film’s official release date is not until next Friday, December 7th.

Based on author Philip Pullman’s bestselling novel, The Golden Compass tells the first story in the “His Dark Materials” trilogy. An exciting fantasy adventure, the film is set in an alternative world populated by talking bears who fight wars, witches, Gyptians, and daemons. In the world of The Golden Compass, a person’s soul lives on the outside of their body in the form of a daemon, an animal spirit that accompanies them through life. At the center of the story is Lyra (played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend — and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well.



Check MovieFone or Fandango for showtimes near you.

 

Filed under: News
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Best Rumor of the Year: Lestat Makes a Return

by Marina Antunes
November 30th, 2007

Tom Cruise as LestatOh dear god. If you want to see me get squealing excited for a movie this is certainly the way to go about it.

When Neil Jordan’ Interview With a Vampire came out in 1994, I was at the peak of my Anne Rice obsession. I’d discovered “Interview with a Vampire” a few years before and had been devouring her catalog like it was the only sustenance that would keep me alive. I was young but not so young that I couldn’t appreciate the richness of language and character that she brought to her books. That all changed a few years later but in ’94, I was in heaven.

I went opening night. I clearly remember not being allowed into the movie (I was 15) but I’d started a good conversation with a much older lady in line and she was kind enough to be my guardian for the night. And it was a glorious night. From the opening credit sequence with the soaring music to the closing scene on the bridge, it was and continues to be one of my favourite films.

The follow up, 2002’s Queen of the Damned, wasn’t nearly as good, in all honesty it was pretty damned bad, and I’d pretty much given up all hope of ever seeing another big screen adaptation of Rice’s vampire saga.

But this morning, the guys over at Bloody Disgusting posted a rumour that United Artists is looking to buy the rights to the fourth entry into Lestat’s saga “Tale of the Body Thief”. Yes, it’s a rumour and as much as I’d like to hold off on getting excited until there’s confirmation or denial, I simply can’t help myself. The thought of seeing the story of Lestat trading bodies with a human is too good to pass up.

Filed under: Rumors
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Urban Explorers

by Andrew James
November 30th, 2007

Urban ExplorersDocumentaries aren’t my thing. Most of them start off interesting then lose me after about 30 minutes; or they try to shove some political agenda down my throat that I have no interest in listening to. Urban Explorers looks totally different though.

As the trailer opens, I thought, “oh God, here we go;” another movie about terrorist suspects who aren’t really terrorists and the homeland security and the FBI tortured them and blah blah blah. But no, it turns out these guys just sort of appear terrorist-like with all their bad ass equipment and supplies. This neat intro to the film makes these guys just that much more interesting. What I can gather from the trailer, is that these thrill seekers just explore abandoned mine shafts, construction yards, castles, sewers, etc. “Exploring our environment…anything that’s man made,” explains one explorer.

Check out the trailer below. I think it looks pretty wicked. Or interesting and fun if nothing else. Apparently I’m going to get a chance to see this next week some time, so I’ll drop back in with my review.

 
icon for podpress  Urban Explorers Trailer: Play Now | Play in Popup

Other Info:
more clips over at the Official Site
screening Thursday, December 6th - Riverview Theater, Minneapolis

Filed under: Documentaries, Independent, Trailers
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After the Credits Episode 1 - December Preview

by Marina Antunes
November 30th, 2007


 
icon for podpress  After the Credits Episode 01 - December 2007 Preview [42:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Dale, Colleen and I look ahead to the films opening in the month of December. Not quite as crowded as I first thought but still a fairly busy holiday season.

Row Three:

RSS Feeds:

Subscribe to ALL the RowThree Podcasts on one feed
Subscribe to “The Cinecast from the Third Row” (Andrew and Kurt - formerly “MoviePatron Cinecast”)
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No iTunes link yet, but if you go into iTunes, click “subscribe to podcast” and then enter in this URL: http://www.rowthree.com/category/podcast/feed, you will get all the Third Row Cinecasts through iTunes.

We can also be contacted via email - marina@rowthree.com!

Show Notes:

(more…)

Filed under: After The Credits, Podcast
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Edward Norton to Direct and Star in Comedy

by Jonathan B.
November 30th, 2007

Edward NortonNo doubt about it, Edward Norton has one of the finest minds in Hollywood today. While I admit I’m a little more than weary over his choice to star in The Incredible Hulk (although hey, he gets some credit for going in and taking over the script, right?), I’m glad that he has other promising projects lined up, like the political thriller State of Play (which it was just officially announced yesterday that Russell Crowe will replace Brad Pitt, if you haven’t heard). I’ve also been waiting eagerly over three years now for his adaptation of the detective drama Motherless Brooklyn to get off the ground, which he has been planning to direct himself.

I’m not entirely sure what’s holding up Motherless Brooklyn, but I know I’m going to have to wait even longer for it, because I found out today browsing Coming Soon that Edward Norton is going to star in and direct a comedy titled Leaves of Grass that will also have his Hulk co-star Tim Blake Nelson in it. In the film, Norton will play two characters that are twin brothers. The one is a bright philosophy professor and the other is a career criminal who gets his straight-laced brother mixed up with some “murderous potheads.”

Well… I love the idea of Norton playing two very different characters in the film. If nothing else, I’m sure his brilliance will be even more apparent when the two very different Nortons are acting on the screen at the same time. You might remember that the only other time he was in the director’s chair was with another comedy, Keeping the Faith, which was an above-average comedy, but one I still felt was a little lacking and below what I like to think Norton is capable of as a director. Acting-wise, he has no problem with the comedy thing though, that’s for sure, and I am glad that he is willing to take on such risky and diverse projects.

Really though, Norton can’t seem to do much wrong so I’ll always keep my faith in him until he gives me a reason not to. Yeah, there was The Italian Job, which sucked pretty bad, but I give him a pass because he had to fulfill a contract he signed with the studio from back when he did Primal Fear. He gets a free pass for The Score too, which oddly enough I enjoyed for Norton’s hilariously great work, because who in their right mind wouldn’t sign on for a film that already had De Niro and Brando aboard? A sane man wouldn’t even need to read the script first. I’ve enjoyed all of his other films (yes, even the widely debated Ratner infested Red Dragon), many of them being among my very favorites, and the man just lights up the screen every time he’s on it. He’s one of those actors that are just on a completely different level.

Which is why I’ll be keeping my eye on Leaves of Grass like a hawk, which begins shooting this March in New Orleans.

Filed under: Upcoming movies
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Finite Focus: Oh Danny Boy! (Miller’s Crossing)

by Kurt Halfyard
November 29th, 2007

Miller’s Crossing One SheetIn a recent Time Magazine article, the elusive Cormac McCarthy and the Coen Brothers sat down for a little chat. At one point in the conversation, McCarthy praises The Coen’s 1990 Miller’s Crossing by saying simply “I don’t want to embarrass you, but that’s just a very, very fine movie.” To which Joel Coen replies, “Eh, it’s just a damn rip-off.” And McCarthy concludes, “No, I didn’t say it wasn’t a rip-off. I understand it’s a rip-off. I’m just saying it’s good.” A pastiche of modern and classic gangster conventions, film noir and even Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo set to the rhythm of the Coen’s mighty gift for good gab, to say there is a lot going on in Miller’s Crossing is a bit of an understatement. Story, characters, production and cinematography are all spot on. The feather in the cap, however, is how almost every scene has touches that amp things up to 11 without spoiling the flow, feel or texture of the film. Along with the ridiculously quotable dialogue (”Now take your flunky and dangle”), this becomes the essence of the film.

The scene which comes the closest to running the film off the rails, almost becoming a cartoon (It’s operatic and silly in the way the Warner Brother’s Looney Tunes did Wagner), is one that sticks out on first viewing, but then becomes something that you just cannot help but look forward to on subsequent viewings.

Gang boss Leo, played by the great Albert Finney, who is a bit of a bumbler and a blowhard in the film up to this point, is ambushed in his mansion by two assassins as he settles down in his bed with a cigar. Noticing smoke coming up from the floor boards (the result of a slaying in another part of the house) he springs to action resulting in a vicious head shot of one of the killers (considering the constant hat motif in Miller’s Crossing, any head shot probably isn’t by accident). Seizing the dead mans Tommy Gun and diving out a window (still in his nightrobe), Leo opens up on the other assassin and fires and endless stream of bullets first at the man, then at the getaway car and driver. He just keeps firing and firing (and firing) until the car finally crashes and explodes. The whole scene plays like orchestrated slapstick with a gory grace note or two and Irish ballad “Danny Boy” crescendos on the soundtrack. But the thing that really and truly makes the scene own the screen is that all the gunplay and murder is for Leo like great sex (or it is just the thrill to be alive?) In a bit of movie-only foresight, just before the shooting must have started, Leo thoughtfully kept his extinguished cigar close at hand. At the end of the rumpus he produces it from his nightrobe and plants it in his mouth with pure satisfaction.

There are hundreds of moments, both large and small, in Miller’s Crossing worthy of comment and consideration, but the joyous lunacy of this sequence is a signature Coen Brothers invention. Hardly the rip-off that the brothers themselves self-deprecatingly consider it. Heck, Miller’s Crossing might just be the best American Film of the 1990’s *Wink Wink*

Filed under: Finite Focus
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Finally: English Trailer for 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

by Marina Antunes
November 29th, 2007

One of the films that keeps coming up in conversations of ‘best of the year’ is Cristian Mungiu’s Palm D’or winning 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days. There’s a reason for that too: it’s a fantastic film. Mungiu’s quietly controlled film is an intimate look at life in Romania during the closing years of Communist rule with particular focus on one woman’s struggle to help her best fiend.

By no means is this a happy film but it’s also not completely void of humour and Mungiu’s script walks a fine line between the two while his actors, particularly Anamaria Marinca in the lead role of Otilia, capture the essence of living in this place, at this time and under these circumstances.

There are no fancy camera angles or movements, no elaborate sets but this doesn’t mean that the film isn’t cinematic. Shot on location in Bucharest, everything about this film feels real – oh yes, this is cinéma vérité at its best.

This trailer is perhaps one of the best I’ve seen for the film. My only complaint is that it suggests that there is a mystery to the story which is in fact, not true. This is about as linear a narrative and as dramatic of a film as one could get yet, the way this trailer is edited, along with the music selection, reads mystery/thriller. Misleading, true, but the film is well worth a view and if this is what it takes to get people into theaters, so be it.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days is scheduled for limited release on January 25th. It’s a film I highly recommend but be warned, it was the difficult and emotionally draining film I’ve seen this year and yes I’ll see it again. It’s well worth a second look.

Filed under: Trailers
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Sundance 2008 Line-Up: Observations

by Marina Antunes
November 29th, 2007

While most folks are getting prepared for the holiday season by making shopping lists and New Year’s resolutions, cinephiles the world over are making their own lists: best and worst of 2007. In lieu of resolution lists we start to make lists of films to watch out for in the year to come and what better place to start than with the first prestigious film festival of 2008: Sundance.

This year’s event will run January 17-27 and if you’re lucky enough to make the press cut or rich enough to make the trip, the upcoming festival lineup is looking rather amazing. The full line up can be found in the recent press release but below is a list of a few that caught our eye.

Steven Sebring’s documentary Patti Smith: Dream of Life sounds great because let’s face it, Patti Smith absolutely rocks. The Brits mark off another notch on the bedpost with Chris Waitt’s A Complete History of My Sexual Failures, a documentary which follows a ‘useless boyfriend’ through various steps that may, or may not, make him better boyfriend material. Sounds rather sad but it could make for fun viewing.

The other three documentaries to note are the Canadian entries which made the cut including Yung Chang’s Up the Yangtze which was very well received at VIFF, Isaac Isitan’s The Women of Brukman which chronicles the rise of working women from employees to business managers in a Argentinean clothing factory and Patrick Reed’s Triage: Dr. James Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma which follows former Doctors Without Borders head Dr. James Orbinski on a trip to Africa and an exploration of what it means to be a humanitarian.

On the dramatic side of things we have a couple of great choices. Kurt and Jonathan are pretty excited about Clark Gregg’s adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s Choke starring Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald and Brad Henke. Johan Renck’s Downloading Nancy with the fantastic Maria Bello and Rufus Sewell sounds like it could be interesting as does Geoff Haley’s The Last Word which is sporting one of my favourite underrated actors Wes Bentley, alongside Winona Ryder. Rawson Marshall Thurber’s The Mysteries of Pittsburgh doesn’t sound particularly appealing to me but it stars another of my favourites, Peter Sarsgaard with the wonderful Mena Suvari who’s been off the radar for a few years.

I know Andrew’s digging Christine JeffsSunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn and Alan Arkin and with that cast, I can’t say I blame him (not to mention that Jeffs was behind the fairly good Plath biopic Sylvia). And no, Andrew didn’t miss Paul Schneider’s Pretty Bird which sports his main man Paul Giamatti.

And that doesn’t even include a look at the World Cinema selections most of which sound like they could be hits.

If this Sundance line-up is any indication, we’re in for a great year of film. Let’s hope that’s the case because most major Hollywood releases aside, 2007 has been a fantastic year.

Filed under: Film Festivals, News
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Not Cronenberg’s CRASH

by Andrew James
November 29th, 2007

I wish Marty Moose was here, he could explain this better than I, but sorry folks! We had a major meltdown with our server this morning. All posts and comments seem to be intact, but much of our coding and images have disappeared. This means things might not look exactly right for a few hours as we try to fix things and reupload image files.

We’re really frustrated by this horrible timing as Row Three is less than a week old. but hey, we all go through growing pains and the good news is that the site is at least functional. So feel free to comment away on anything you see fit. Even if you can’t see any of the images.

Again, sorry for the inconvenience this morning and we’ll have everything back up and running at 100% as soon as humanly possible.

Pardon Our Dust.

The Row Three Team.

Filed under: General Ramblings
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The Orphanage - Full Trailer

by Kurt Halfyard
November 28th, 2007

The Orphanage The same company (Picturehouse) that put out Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth is releasing another Spanish children in peril horror/drama/thriller called The Orphanage. I’ve seen the film and it has one of the best jump-scares of the past 10 years.

Seriously.

The Orphanage is a classy and handsome production that is darn effective at what it does. Don’t let the overblown trailer (which features Mr. Movie Voice overkill like no other - See In A World Where… for my beef with this) scare you away. And don’t let the subtitles scare you away either - That will make me reach through the screen and box your ears.

This one is a winner and comes with the highest recommendation if it opens up in your neighborhood.

Full trailer is up at Yahoo.

Filed under: Trailers
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Cinecast Episode 69 - Play Misty for Me

by Andrew James
November 28th, 2007


 
icon for podpress  Cinecast Episode 69 [92:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

this episode:
Enchanted, The Mist, DVD picks and tangents.
WARNING: Our review of The Mist does get a little spoilerific, this was unintentional, but unavoidable in picking the film apart.

Unwrap the complete Show Notes by clicking on this link…

(more…)

Filed under: Cinecast, Podcast
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Finite Focus: Shame on You! (Magnolia)

by Kurt Halfyard
November 28th, 2007

Magnolia One SheetJulianne Moore’s fragile and foul (or is it foully fragile?) trophy wife in Magnolia has a whopper of a break-down/snap at while getting a drug prescription filled out at a pharmacy in Magnolia. Her character and this scene in particluar is like a very, very aggressive riff on her introverted wilting flower character in Todd HaynesSafe (a movie that might possibly be the best American film of the 1990s). Note the somewhat upbeat and amusing yet driving musical score in the background here. Certainly another American director that specializes in this sort of laugh-and-empathize-with-the-character-simultaneously style is Alexander Payne, but he has yet to achieve a scene as riveting as this in any of his films. There is so much guilt and truth and emotion (and visual information in the form of body language) in this scene. Quite simply, it does the great thing that movies can do.

The scene gives the viewer the context of why she melts down (as in pharmacists are condescending jerks), yet also puts them in the shoes of just seeing some half-crazy person tee off in a pharmacy. People that would have you look away in awkward social embarrassment (as in ‘whoa, back off there lady, too much!’) in real life, yet it is all so riveting on the big screen. Like reading Elmore Leonard novels. Lowlifes and recovering burnouts that you wouldn’t give a second glance to, or steer clear of them completely now become like ‘best friends’ from reading about their scheming trials and tribulations. Furthermore, if you ever encountered Bubbles from HBO’s The Wire, you probably wouldn’t even give him loose change, yet he is perhaps the stand-out sympathetic/compelling character in a show full of fascinating individuals. Magnolia may be one of the great reminders that melodrama and art-film are not mutually exclusive (Hmmm, there’s Haynes and Moore again with Far From Heaven). In the end, I just love Ms. Moore in full-on unhinged mode and it is unlikely this scene will ever be topped in her career.

(Note: Before you click below, Fair Warning on the Strong Language in this Scene.)

Filed under: Finite Focus
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My So-Called Life: Past, Present and Future

by Marina Antunes
November 28th, 2007

It’s safe to say that I stopped watching TV on any sort of regular basis about two years ago when between work, school, a relationship, friends, movies and running a website took over my life and all the little things fell away. I stopped even trying to keep up with anything when Six Feet Under went off the air and since then, I’ve only managed to catch an episode here or there of shows friends recommend.

One would assume that would make me the perfect candidate for TV on DVD but that hasn’t happened either. I don’t believe in spending money on shows I may not even like and to rent them – let’s just say that my time is better spent watching movies (plus they require less of a time commitment). It all changed a few weeks ago when I noticed that one of my earliest obsessions was coming to a special edition DVD. To be honest, I hadn’t even though about the show until the moment I saw the announcement and then, it all came rushing back to me.

I was 15 when I first met Angela Chase (also 15), her band of brethren and, most importantly for a shy and awkward girl (yes, hard to believe I was ever like that), Jordan Catalano. Watching My So-Called Life (from here on in referred to as MSCL) was like watching what I hoped my life would be. It wasn’t so far off from real life that I couldn’t imagine it really happening but it was distant enough that it was still a dream.

A few weeks back I curled up with the pilot and from the opening scene, I was instantly sucked back into Angela, Rickie and Rayanne’s adventures through school life and to my own miserable existence those first few years of high school. Things did get better for me later, as I’m sure they would have for Angela but we never had a chance to live those moments with her. Not to mention that the show was canceled on one of the biggest cliffhangers in TV history.

(more…)

Filed under: Television
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Will Paul Newman Ever Act Again?

by Jonathan B.
November 28th, 2007

Paul Newman

I don’t ask this question looking for a definite “yes” or a “oh, he’ll be back, he’ll miss it,” because the truth of the matter is that Paul Newman is retired from acting. He said himself last May: “I’m not able to work anymore as an actor at the level that I would want to. You start to lose you memory, you start to lose your confidence, you start to lose your invention. So I think that’s pretty much a closed book for me.” So, why do I ask the question if I’m not really looking for an answer?

I guess it’s just a matter of human nature. There’s a kind of “oh… that’s it?” feeling, an emptiness like the premature end to a television series, unarguably attributed to the sudden out-of-nowhere announcement by Newman who had said only months earlier that he had at least one more film left in him. Then add in the fact that he and good pal Robert Redford had announced they were going to re-team for an adaptation of the novel A Walk in the Woods and the project had a 100% complete script and even went as far as having director Chris Columbus signed on. And then *poof* Newman says he just doesn’t have it in him - and at 82 years-old and over fifty years of acting under his belt (not to mention nine well-deserved Oscar nominations), he unquestionably has that right and truthfully it’s not as though his career needed one more film to solidify his legacy. That doesn’t make it hurt any less though, like a kid who’s parents tell him he’ll get a car for his sixteenth birthday and he doesn’t even get a bicycle. Or even rollerskates. Awful analogies aside, you get the point. As Redford put it, “It breaks my heart.”

In the meantime, I can still keep hoping that he does feel that urge to give the acting thing one last shot, and maybe relight the fire under A Walk in the Woods, because wouldn’t it be a pretty cool feeling to see the two acting side by side one final time? It’d be a fitting ending to Newman’s career, that’s for sure. While you’re waiting for this, pop open your Netflix or Blockbuster queue and rent yourself some underrated Newman classics like Hud, Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Long Hot Summer, Hombre, and The Young Philadelphians. If you’re more of a modern film kind of person, then check out Road to Perdition, Empire Falls, The Hudsucker Proxy, and The Verdict. And of course, if you haven’t seen his extremely popular and iconic films like Cool Hand Luke, The Hustler, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, well, do yourself a favor and have a Paul Newman marathon.

And I’ll sit here, reading Newman’s book on his experiences in the business world Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good: The Madcap Business Adventure by the Truly Oddest Couple, selfishly waiting for him to change his mind.

Filed under: General Ramblings
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Top 10 (or 12) Chase Sequences

by Andrew James
November 28th, 2007

Steve McQueen in “Bullit”

     Quite often in films, there is a chase sequence. Most of the time it involves a couple of cars - the bad guy trying to get away from the good; or vice-versa. Sometimes it is more than one car (Italian Job) and other times there aren’t even cars involved at all, but trucks, ships or something else entirely. Here are my ten (or 12) favorite chase sequences:

12) Terminator 2: Judgement Day
- - The T-1000 drives a semi truck off a bridge in an effort to kill John Connor who is frantically trying to escape on his little 100cc dirtbike through the dried up spillways of Los Angeles. Luckily Arnie saves the day on his Harley. Nothing overly special; just an exciting scene utilizing unique vehicles and characters in an equally unique environment. This is pure diesel power at 100 MPH.

11) Face/Off
- - When our hero and villain “face-off” in a couple of Scarabs on the open water. It’s just a fun boat chase with high intensity unrealistic action. Boats jumping and exploding: always a good thing.

10) The Matrix Reloaded
- - The high speed chase down the expressway is VERY fast and very intense with some pretty interesting characters that help make the chase that much more memorable. Major crash ups with a lot at stake. The only thing keeping this from being higher on the list is the obvious use of too much CGI. Had it been more “real”, it’d be higher on the list.

9) Tomorrow Never Dies
- - We’ve seen James Bond in car chases a hundred times with his unique cars and gadgets. Here though, 007 drives his car using a smal iPod-like device while laying on the floor in the back seat. Screaming around a parking garage shooting missiles and evading obstacles and booby traps is one of the more memorable Bond sequences ever.

8 ) The Bourne Supremacy
- - The way Greengrass is able to pull this off in such a believable manner is fascinating. It’s intense as hell because we have the camera inside the car as both vehicle and passenger take massively huge hits from oncoming and side traffic.

7) Deja-Vu
- - This chase isn’t even really a chase. But it’s easily the most original and innovative car “chase” I can think of. Denzel is chasing a guy that was there 102 hours ago using advanced, “see into the past” technology. It’s a total mind trip and exciting as hell. Especially given what is on the line. One of the best sequences of 2006.

6) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
- - The mine shaft chase on carts. So much fun, because they can’t steer and they can’t slow down. Some track missing? Tough luck, you’ll have to jump the tracks. With agents of death hot on their trail, Indy has to be as innovative as ever to get away. Did I mention they’re riding over molten lava?

5) Raiders of the Lost Ark
- - Once again Indy finds himself in a tight spot and must be innovative. And innovative he is in one of the most iconic images of the decade… maybe ever, as Indy goes UNDER the moving truck to come up safe on the back end. Yeah.

4) The French Connection
- - It’s been a while, but I remember the chase through NYC; weaving and dodging traffic and the narrow lanes beneath the L trains as Hackman tries desperately to keep up with the fast moving train in his Pontiac GTO. Some narrow misses and near death for a baby in a stroller made this one a chase to remember.

3) Bullitt
- - My dad told me to watch Bullitt for the car chase, so I did. Man, he was right. Through the streets of San Fran over those huge hills, Steve McQueen and his speed machine gets some serious air. Not the best chase ever, but it probably was at the time. And damn cool it is.

2) Return of the Jedi