Archive for July, 2009

  • 23 Jul

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    Campion’s Bright Star Trailer

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    Bright Star Movie StillEarlier this week, the Anne Thompson shared the first gorgeous one sheet for Jane Campion’s Bright Star. The film had its debut at Cannes earlier this year where it garnered a fair bit of praise though I was more interested in the fact that Campion seemed to be back on track (she lost me with In the Cut).

    Written by Campion, the film is a drama based on the three-year romance between poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, a romance which was cut short by Keats’ death at the young age of 25. Not only does the film look fantastic but the casting of the brilliant Ben Whishaw as Keats and up-and-coming Australian actress Abbie Cornish as Brawne is, in and of itself, a win but the prospect of seeing these two talents on screen together is exciting and the trailer certainly suggests there is a whole lot to be excited about.

    At the moment, Bright Star doesn’t have a release date but it is scheduled to play TIFF and if all goes well, I hope a release will follow shortly thereafter. For now, feast your eyes on the beautiful trailer.


  • 23 Jul

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    Who wants a Roger Rabbit sequel?

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    One of my favorite movies from the 1980s is one that still holds up surprisingly well, considering that it was a film about a detective investigating the wife of a cartoon rabbit. Who Framed Roger Rabbit would be one of the movies, along with the likes of Indiana Jones and Star Wars, that was played so often in my VCR that the tape wore itself right out. A Chinatown for children and adults alike, I couldn’t get enough of the stuttering Roger and the jaded Eddie Valiant, played by one of the greats, Bob Hoskins. It has all the elements of a classic noir, but with the whacky and inspired idea of making it a world where cartoons and real people live amongst each other.

    Now with news from /Film that Zemeckis has been talking a little bit about the potential for a sequel, I’ve been wondering a bit about if this classic is one that should be left alone or if a sequel could really work. While Zemeckis says that he would absolutely keep all of the characters from the original 2D and that Hoskins is very interested in reprising his role, it would be refreshing to see such a successful movie – one that admittedly has plenty of potential for a sequel – be left alone for once. It’s a great and unique stand-alone classic as it is. Do we really need another, especially over twenty years after the original?

    Although, with that said, I’d certainly be following this project very closely were it to be greenlit.

  • 23 Jul

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    Intrigued… not Excited

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  • 22 Jul

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    Review: The Hurt Locker

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    The Hurt Locker One Sheet

    Director: Kathryn Bigelow
    Screenplay: Mark Boal
    Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, Greg Shapiro
    Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Finnes, Guy Pearce
    MPAA Rating: R
    Running time: 131 min.

    (4.5/5)

    Welcome to hell. A hell where you wake up daily not knowing whether you’re going to live or die; a hell where an explosion or a sniper shot could end your life before it even begins. That’s the reality for some but for others, they were made for this. Their heads are wired for the constant danger and the unknown; for the adrenaline rush of diffusing a trunk full of bombs as possible killers look on. It’s one of these renegades that we meet in Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker.

    The Hurt Locker Movie StillStaff Sergeant William James isn’t just a renegade, he’s reckless. The first time we meet him he’s asking fellow officer Sanborn to help him remove the plywood covering the window of his barrack. It’s there to protect him from flying shrapnel but James is having none of it and his explanation is enough to give anyone pause. It’s small moments like these combined with high tension and knock you out explosions that make The Hurt Locker such a fantastic film. Part action, part thriller, part commentary and all entertainment, this is the type of film I long for.

    Written by Mark Boal who was also behind the story of Paul Haggis’ In the Valley of Elah, this is, all at once, a story of war, friendship, family, survival and politics. What’s most impressive is that with all of this meta information floating around the film never dwells on it. Present idea, let it sit for a moment and move on. As if that amount of restraint and faith in the audience isn’t impressive enough, there is also a little something to be said for the film’s entertainment quotient which is turned up to 11.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 22 Jul

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    Burton’s Alice Gets a Teaser

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    Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland Art Image

    “Alice in Wonderland” has long been one of my favourite children’s stories. From old tattered copies of Lewis Carroll’s novel to Disney’s brilliant 1950s adaptation, I longed for the days when I too could go down the rabbit hole.

    That trip down the hole is still a few months away but good news! Disney has seen fit to share more of the excitement (those images from a few weeks ago simply aren’t enough) and the result is this teaser for one of my most anticipated films in some time.

    Alice In Wonderland Teaser

  • 22 Jul

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    WoW Movie Forges Ahead With Sam Raimi

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    Sam RaimiThe web is trying to give me a heart attack today. How else would you explain news, first from Omelete, and then from Gamers Game, that Sam Raimi will be directing the (a) World of Warcraft film?

    And here I thought this project was a bit of a joke; a passing trend that would never catch on. Looks like I was dead wrong.

    According to Variety, Raimi will develop the film to be shot after the completion of Spider-Man 4 which means it’s still a few years away; this gives the team a bit of time to work out the details (like the story). But what of the simple fact that he’s directing a movie based on a video game? Aren’t the results of these adaptations usually mediocre at best? Can Raimi create a new breed of video game movie? I’m not sure but this could certainly be the place to start. I’m not well versed in the WoW universe but it seems to me like there is a fair bit of mythology in the universe which could make for the basis of an interesting film and perhaps even a franchise if the production plays its cards right.

    Now that WoW is taken care of, I wonder if that proposed Halo movie is next. Though we haven’t seen District 9 yet, few people seem to be complaining about Neill Blomkamp’s abilities…

  • 21 Jul

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    Review: Valentino: The Last Emperor

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    Valentino One Sheet

    Director: Matt Tyrnauer
    Producer: Matt Kapp
    Starring: Valentino Garavani, Giancarlo Giammetti
    MPAA Rating: PG-13
    Running time: 96 min.

    (4/5)

    Growing up, fashion was always an art form. In part it was my mother’s love for all things beautiful and the fact that we simply could never afford the latest to come off the French or Italian runways. That didn’t stop us from growing up surrounded by beautiful fabrics, a mother who constantly designed and sewed her own clothes and who often referred to the latest fashion magazines for inspiration.

    Valentino Movie StillShortly after a move to Canada and a job which sucked up all her free time, clothing became more of a necessity than something to enjoy and though I didn’t see another roll of fabric in the house, we still took in a weekly dose of Jeanne Beker and Fashion Television. Ferragamo, Gaultier, Gucci, Chanel, Galliano, YSL. All masters of their trade. Individuals who create art from fabric. I l have always loved to take in the lines, the colours, the movement; to look at couture lines over the years and see not only the changing times but also the growing and changing of artists is nothing short of bliss.

    Long revered as one of the masters, Valentino was never my favourite though over the last few years I’ve come to love his long, classic flowing style. Not one I often saw interviewed, I knew very little about the designer and when the opportunity presented itself to catch up with Valentino: The Last Emperor, I seized it.

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  • 21 Jul

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    Stiljagi: Russia’s Answer to Grease?

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    Stilijagi Movie Still

    Earlier today, Kurt sent me an email saying “I want to see this.” Enclosed was a Screen Daily review for Stiljagi (will be known to us non-Russian speakers as Hipsters). The winner of four Nikas (Russia’s Oscars), the film was a hit at home and according to the review, should play well to international audiences. But will it really have cross over appeal? It certainly seems like it might.

    Set in 1955, it’s the story of a group of young Russian rebels (referred to as “hipsters”) who copied American fashions, hairdos and slang to separate themselves from communist uniformity. This is anything but grey drab. It’s bright, it’s loud and the trailer certainly suggests a good time. Sadly, we may need to chalk this up to “movies we’ll never get to see.” It’s already on DVD in Russia, though the only release I’ve found lacks English subtitles, and to make matters worse, I can’t find any listings for upcoming festival release either. I just burst my own bubble. Still, the trailer is worth checking out.


  • 21 Jul

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    Saw VI Motion Poster

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    Don’t know what’s wrong with me. I constantly bitch about how much I usually hate these things, yet I keep posting them. I actually had made a pact with myself not to post anymore. Then something strange happened. I actually really like this one.

    Aside from the music that auto-plays (so turn down your speakers while at work!), the look of this one creeps up on you. You’ll see what I mean. Because the damn thing automatically plays music, I stuck it under the seat. The visual is really neat though.
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  • 21 Jul

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    Mr. Nice

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    mrniceWhile I’m pretty sure if I bothered to look around the web at all today, the comparisons with Ted Demme’s Blow are going to abound after seeing this trailer. But in my eyes that a good thing. It looks like pretty damn near the same film to me, just with different accents. But hey, since I love the wild, fun, glamourization of selling illegal drugs and the subsequent fall from grace (but hey, it was worth it) type of film, this one looks like it has loads of chic and charm.

    I’m not a 100% knowledgeable on the Rhys Ifans filmography (which looks to be surprisingly epic), the two or three things I have seen him in have been rip roaringly funny. Here, he just looks like a stoner having the time of his life (at least for a while) as Howard Marks, an Oxford grad who became a major marijuana importer in the 1960s in the U.K. and managed to escape jail time by posing as an agent for MI5. Add indie icon (rapidly taking the place of Parker Posey for that title) Chloe Sevigny and Knox Harrington the famous video artist (aka David Thewlis) and it’s strong cast with a strong premise. It just look like they had a load of fun putting this together and quite often that makes for some great chemistry and a fine on-screen sparkle. Can’t wait for the final product.

    Trailer is tucked under the seat.

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  • 21 Jul

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    TIFF Brings the Madness!

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    tiff09_header

    One of the very special treats at the Toronto International Film Festival is the midnight programme. Here, with 1000+ energetic movie goers, the chance is offered to take in the latest of wild and crazy genre fare from around the world. Horror, Martial Arts, Rockumentaries, and usually a zany asian bit of full on weirdness. Programmed by Colin Geddes for the past decade or more, the diversity and quality of the line-up (somehow!) improves year over year, and this one looks fun.

    BITCH SLAP (The riff on Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill!)
    A TOWN CALLED PANIC (animated French stop motion animation)
    ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING (Title says it all, bone crunching mayhem from Thailand’s Tony Jaa)
    SYMBOL (Where the director/star Hitoshi Matsumoto of DIANIPPONJIN tries to one-up himself for strangeness)
    THE LOVED ONES (Aussie Horror from the guy who directed ‘self help mumbojumbo, The Secret)
    SOLOMON KANE (A 17th century Puritan, Solomon Kane is a somber-looking man who wanders the world with no apparent goal other than to vanquish evil in all its forms.)
    [REC]2 (Just like the first one, but with more guns and military types)
    SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD (New Romero film. Local filmmaker alert!)
    DAYBREAKERS (Bigger budget, star laden (Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Ethan Hawke) followup by the Spierig Brothers to Undead)

    and…

    Opening Midnight Gala: JENNIFER’S BODY (Diablo Cody + Megan Fox + Karyn Kusama = buyer beware!)

    (Oh and in the non-midnight programs, several media outlets have let titles ‘slip’ prior to press release, MidnightMoviesBlog has the goods on the ‘unofficial at this time’ titles, here)

  • 20 Jul

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    Cinecast Episode 131 – Visually Elegant

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    Episode 131:
    Back to our roots with a classic shoot the proverbial shit episode. Just Kurt and Andrew with a short review of a mediocre film and then our general rambling of this and that complete with a debate on Boyles and Fresnadillos. Have a ball. We did.

    Click the Audio Icon below to listen in:

    Cinecast Episode 131 [ 1:56:07 | 66.45 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup


    show


    show

    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_09/episode_131.mp3

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