Posts Tagged ‘period’

  • 09 Nov

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    It’s here! Trailer for Cary Fukunaga’s “Jane Eyre”

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    Jane Eyre OnesheetIs it spring yet? Can it be spring already? Please? Pretty please?

    Yes, I’m begging for spring for good reason. I promise. That reason? Cary Fukunaga’s follow up to Sin Nombre (review). A take on the famous Charlotte Brontë romance. Jane Eyre stars Mia Wasikowska as Jane, the “mousy” governess, and Michael Fassbender as her beloved Rochester along with Judi Dench, Jamie Bell and Sally Hawkins in an assortment of supporting roles.

    I was already keen on seeing the film and the release of the gorgeous poster, seen to the right, yesterday peaked my interested and now, quick on the heels of the poster release, we get a trailer for the production which features everything I could have wanted and more. Lots of grey, a little melodrama, a bit of mystery and enough Fassbender in period drab to make me smile from ear to ear.

    You’d better believe that Michael O’Connor, who won an Oscar for his costume design in The Duchess (review), will be a front runner yet again in 2011. As for the use of the Goblins’ Suspiria theme at the beginning…an odd but effective touch.

    Jane Eyre opens March 11, 2011. Not soon enough.

    Trailer tucked under the seat!

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 20 Jan

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    Andrea Arnold Tackles Doomed Romance

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    Andrea ArnoldAndrea Arnold is one of the most well respected, up-and-coming female directors of the past few years and for good reason. Though Red Road still alludes me, having seen Fish Tank I can’t help but think it too is nothing short of a masterpiece. But we’re not here to muse over how outstanding her career is shaping up to be but rather to share some news which frankly, have me a little surprised.

    Arnold has built a reputation for herself by telling stories of strong, female protagonists so it may not come as too much of a shocker that she’s been hired to adapt Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights.” For those who may not have read the classic it’s the tragic love story (many argue it’s actually a tale of revenge) which follows the life of Heathcliff, a mysterious gypsy-like person, from childhood to his death in his late thirties. Heathcliff rises in his adopted family and then is reduced to the status of a servant, running away when Cathy Earnshaw, the young woman he loves decides to marry another. He returns later, rich and educated and sets about gaining his revenge on the two families that he believed ruined his life.

    It’s a rough book, one I really disliked the first time I read it but I can see why it would be appealing to Arnold. It’s a difficult love story which, at its very center, focuses on something at the core of both of her films: class divide. I’m a little disappointed to discover that Arnold isn’t adapting the novel herself but rather taking on a script written by Olivia Hetreed. Either way this is starting to shape into a not-to-be-missed period romance and knowing Arnold, one that doesn’t rest solely on its good looks but which will also provide more than a few uncomfortable moments.

  • 12 Nov

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    Ben Kingsley Goes Epic

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    BenKingsleyI love period epics, especially those that incorporate romance with action over a sweeping story from some period of time I’m not familiar with and it looks like Sir Ben Kingsley is about to fulfill that void.

    According to Variety, Kingsley and his gorgeous wife Daniela Lavender are on board to star in one such epic. Taj is the story of Shah Jahan, a 17th century Indian Mughal emperor and his rocky relationship with Persian princess and wife Kandahari Begum. Jahan is best known for building the Taj Mahal as a gift to his beautiful wife and if the building is any indication of their relationship, this is new project is bound to be a glamorously gorgeous epic (plus the budget of $25 to $30 million doesn’t exactly suggest this will be shoestring budget though for an epic it’s also not a whole hell of a lot of money).

    There’s no word on who’ll direct the project but Kingsley is on board to star and produce and British playwright, novelist and actor David Ashton has written the script which, I assume, will also be directed by a Brit.

    Can’t wait to see who they rope in for directing duties!

  • 29 Oct

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    Zhang Yimou’s Baffling Blood Simple Remake Trailer

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    Zhang_Yimou_BloodSimple

    Not exactly what one would expect, and a little context may help on this one. Earlier this year the news broke that after producing the spectacle of the Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou was already shooting a loose remake of The Coen Brothers’ debut film, Blood Simple. The film is now titled San qiang pai an jing qi (English Title, Amazing Tales: Three Guns) . And it is set in the middle of the desert in a noodle shop. It is also a period piece with fancy armour and swords (Yimou has been doing this for some time now, peaking in production design with Curse of the Golden Flower. But the kicker here, and why the trailer looks so baffling, is that one half of the film would be a comedy, the second a thriller. So expect some massive tonal shift at some point. The Coens have always balanced thriller and comedy, but they tend to do so from scene to scene, Yimou seems to be taking a different approach by splitting the film into two ‘parts.’ Either way, the signature Yimou spectacle touches are all there to keep your eyes warm and fuzzy.

    I remain intrigued, even if the trailer (via Twitch and Sina) is a bit ungainly. It’s tucked under the seat. Sorry no subtitles at this point.
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  • 30 Sep

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    VIFF 09 Review: The Young Victoria

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    viff09bannerReviews

    The Young Victoria

    Though it wasn’t his first film, Candian director Jean-Marc Vallée emerged as a sort of Canadian superstar with C.R.A.Z.Y., his depiction of coming of age in the 1970s. For his follow up, Vallée hasn’t strayed far from the tree and has chosen another coming of age tale, this one a tale of a young woman in 19th century Britain.

    The fictionalized account of Queen Victoria’s early years, The Young Victoria quickly sets up the Princess’ childhood before settling into her teen years. The real life story of Victoria is an interesting one but the film, written by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes, is more interested in the Queen’s personal life than any of the political goings on. This is the story of a woman thrust into a seat of power and how she copes with the pressure of not simply growing up in public but also having everyone around her, including the country itself, pressuring her to make choices she was unwilling to make.

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  • 16 Sep

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    Beautiful Trailer for Tom Ford’s A Single Man

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    ASingleManMovieStill

    Somewhere in my mind, I took note of the fact that noted designer Tom Ford had left behind the fashion world for film. There had been rumblings of his debut A Single Man, being good but it wasn’t until the film’s turns at Venice and Toronto that the rumblings turned to shouts.

    The subject of a bidding war between the Weinstein Company, Summit and Miramax (a war the Weinstein’s eventually won), A Single Man recently played to an adoring crowd at Toronto where the film received a standing ovation and much praise. The story of an English professor trying to move on with his life after the death of his lover, the film stars the fabulous Colin Firth as the professor and Matthew Goode as his lover with Julianne Moore and Ginnifer Goodwin thrown in for good measure.

    Firth has already taken acting kudos at Venice for his performance and all signs suggest that he may be a shoe-in for Oscar consideration. If the trailer for the film is any indication, I expect the film may also be looking forward to some awards love come early next year. It’s a gorgeously cut trailer which tells very little of the story but suggests a somewhat magical world full of love, beauty and tragedy.

    I expect that with the awards buzz, the Weinstein Company will look to get the film out for distribution before the end of the year. I can’t wait for the opportunity to see it.

    Trailer is tucked under the seat.

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  • 11 Sep

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    Polley Takes On Regal Role

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    SarahPolleyA trailblazer often held up as an icon for both lesbian and feminist communities, Queen Christina of Sweden was quite the individual. She began her reign in 1644, a mere 18 years of age, in the midst of a devastating war. During her reign she managed to negotiate an end to the Thirty Year’s War, expressed strong views on femininity, cross dressed and through it all, followed her heart through a string of romantic entanglements that never materialized into marriage. She was eventually abdicated from the throne for what is believed to be her affiliation to the Catholic Church while ruling a Protestant country. Hers was, shall we say, a colorful life.

    Her story has seen numerous incarnations in both stage plays and books along with a few films and it appears as though audiences will revel in her adventures once more. Variety is reporting that Mika Kaurismäki is directing a new rendition of Christina’s story, this one penned by Canadian writer Michel Marc Bouchard.

    In and of itself, this would already be something of interest to me, a girl enamored with all things period, but the fact that Sarah Polley will star in the title role puts this Canadian-Nordic co-production on the tracking list. Polley as a Swedish Queen? Why, yes please!

  • 02 Jun

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    DVD Review: Outlander

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    Outlander DVD Cover

    Director: Howard McCain
    Screenplay: Howard McCain, Dirk Blackman
    Producers: Chris Roberts, Barrie M. Osborne
    Starring: James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, Ron Perlman, John Hurt, John Beale, Katie Bergin
    MPAA Rating: R
    Running time: 115 min.

    (4/5)

    Living in Vancouver has it’s advantages (beautiful surroundings, great people, coffee shops on ever corner) but when it comes to movies, especially the limited release fare, we don’t do quite as well as I’d like. The awards favourites usually make an appearance as do Canadian films but if you blink, you can miss things like Nightwatching (our review) or Fanboys (our review) while others don’t even make an appearance (Colleen still seethes at the lack of Black Sheep). I’m was bitter that we were not given the opportunity to see Outlander and now that I’ve seen it on DVD, I really wish I’d had the chance to see it on the big screen.

    Outlander Movie StillWe’ve talked (a lot) about how great Howard McCain’s film looked and I’m happy to report that it doesn’t disappoint. Outlander stars James Caviezel (yes, Jesus) as Kainan, the sole human-looking survivor of an alien ship which crashes on earth. Kainan quickly sets up a beacon for rescue and goes out hunting for an evil creature which they refer to as a dragon, that he was transporting and which is now running lose on earth. While on the hunt he’s captured by a group of Vikings, beaten a little and then taken to camp where, after a few trials, he ends up as their leader. Tell me you didn’t see that one coming from the trailer?

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 09 Apr

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    Public Enemies Trailer Redux

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    I‘ll be the first to admit that when Jonathan posted the first full length trailer for Michael Mann’s Public Enemies, I wasn’t all that impressed. Something about the trailer didn’t work for me. But then I saw it on the big screen and something changed. Not only did it look amazing but the music added a great heartbeat that pushes the trailer along and once I’d see it, I couldn’t get it out of my head for hours. And it’s not just the music that I can’t let go of but also the images.

    The boys at Rope of Silicon have a second trailer for the film which features a lot of the same footage cut a little differently. It’s doesn’t have as much punch as the first trailer but the opening sequence is gorgeous even in this little version. It’s a trailer designed to target the dramatic film fans whereas the first was all about the energy.

    Seriously though, we don’t need any more sales pitches; we’re already sold. Public Enemies opens on July 1st.

  • 26 Mar

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    Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock Trailer

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    Taking Woodstock StillAcademy Award winning director Ang Lee believes in keeping his options open, something which is evident by a filmography that ranges to include everything from period dramas to comic book films. It didn’t come as too much of a surprise when the director signed on to direct Taking Woodstock, a film based on Elliot Tiber’s book of the same name, but regardless, a few folks were surprised to see that the film sounded like it could have fair bit of comedy something which, from my incomplete viewing of his catalogue, he hasn’t done in the past.

    The film tells Tiber’s story, the young man who essentially saved Woodstock by providing a venue for the troubled concert, and stars Demetri Martin in the lead role but it’s the supporting cast that excites me: Imelda Staunton, Liev Schreiber, Eugene Levy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dan Fogler, Paul Dano and the great Emile Hirsch playing a Vietnam veteran.

    The trailer is cute, particularly the introduction by Martin, but the rest of it is flat. Highlights include the music (if the music didn’t stand out I think we’d really have a problem) and Hirsch and sadly, it seems to me that he’s only a small part of the film. I’m hopeful that the film offers more than the trailer because as it stands now, this is only a minor blip on the radar. Still, it could be fun and it’s been a while since I visited the 60s.

    Taking Woodstock opens on August 14th.

    Thanks to Geek Tyrant, trailer is tucked under the seat!

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  • 18 Mar

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    Pfeiffer Returns to Period Drama in Frears’ Chéri Trailer

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    Cheri Movie StillI know that this is not the first time in the past few years that we’ve seen a period film but the reunion of Michelle Pfeiffer and Stephen Frears is definitely making it feel like it’s been decades since I’ve seen a good period drama.

    Based on one of Colette’s novels (sadly one I have yet to read though I’m almost positive I have a copy on my shelf) Chéri stars Pfeiffer as Lonval, an older woman who takes a courtesans son under her wing and teaches him “the ways of love”.

    Alright, let’s cut to the chase. It’s a period drama set in 1920’s Paris and that alone would be enough to get me interested but mix in Frears, Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend (who admittedly looks a little bland in the trailer) and the fabulous Kathy Bates and I’m already practicing sitting correctly while mentally searching through my closet for appropriate screening attire. If that’s not enough, the addition of gorgeous visuals, glamorous locales and to die for costumes and I’m about ready to burst with excitement.

    Chéri premiered at Berlin earlier this year and is scheduled for a limited North American release on June 19th. Thanks to the fabulous folks at Film Experience Blog for the heads up on the trailer.

    Trailer is tucked under the seat!

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 06 Feb

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    Durst’s The Education of Charlie Banks WILL Screen (Somewhere)

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    The Education of Charlie Banks Movie StillLast year I posted a great looking trailer for Fred Durst’s directorial debut The Education of Charlie Banks. Since that original post, Durst’s second film, the poorly received The Longshots, came and went from the multiplexes but his award winning Tribeca debut never materialized.

    I thought the film had been indefinitely shelved until this morning when /Film posted the trailer along with some information on the film’s released. According to that post, the film will be opening on March 27th though there’s no indication on the official website (Anchor Bay doesn’t even have it listed) as to whether that’s a limited release though I would guess that may be the case.

    I’m still interested in checking this out though I must admit that the long delay isn’t doing the film any favours. You’d think they’d try to bank on the Tribeca win but it’s a little late for that. If you’re curious, be sure to check out the trailer.

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