Monday, September 30, 2013

Kevin Reynolds to direct Jesus Christ movie "Resurrection"



OK this is weird but kind of intriguing too.  And I'm not talking about the picture above.  (Although it is both of those things.)

Director Kevin Reynolds, best know for the box office disaster Waterworld, has signed on to direct Resurrection, a film that follows the first weeks after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Here's a brief synopsis:

RESURRECTION is told through the eyes of an agnostic Roman Centurion charged by Pontius Pilate to investigate rumors of a risen Jewish Messiah and to locate Christ’s missing body in order to subdue an imminent uprising in Jerusalem. Along Centurion’s mission, his doubts of such a supernatural occurrence peel away as he encounters the Apostles and other historic Biblical characters and reviews the events following the Resurrection.

Producers of the upcoming project describe it as a Biblical film with a Gladiator-esque flair to it.  Now before anyone gets all crazy, this doesn't mean they are turning Jesus into some souped up ninja version of Maximus.  I think they are  talking more about the visual style and feel of the era.  (Let's not forget the Roman Empire was pretty brutal back in the day even if they were the most "civilized" society in the world.  Romans after all were throwing Christians to the lions only a few decades after Jesus' death.)

I'm actually totally down for this film if only because it's an idea that really hasn't been explored that much before.  The closest thing I can think is The Robe, which in some aspects sounds similar to this movie.  It would be cool to explore the daily life of the apostles just after the events of Christ's death.  And I'm always up for a "transformative power of Jesus" story.

Right now Resurrection is circling an Easter 2015 release date.  Hopefully we'll here some casting news soon.

DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE???!!! Oscar winner to cameo in "Dumb and Dumber To"




Part of me still can't believe that Dumber and Dumber To is actually happening.  After all the false starts and missteps it's a miracle that this film will hit theaters next year.  Makes me want to hop in the Shaggin' Waggin' and head to Aspen.

The reality is that the film is happening and now it's added a dose of star power as well.

"The Hollywood Reporter" reports that Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence* just finished filming a part in the Farrelly brother's film.  She'll play the younger version of Kathleen Turner's character in a flashback scene.  (A young Freda Felcher perhaps?)

By all accounts Lawrence has a fantastic sense of humor and idolizes films like Dumb and Dumber, Anchorman, and Step Brothers all three of which I enjoy as well.  Seems natural that she'd be down for a role in this movie.  To be quite honest I'm glad she hasn't become so above everyone else that she wouldn't deign to be in a movie like this.

Lawrence can next be seen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire out November 22nd while Dumb and Dumber To hits theaters sometime next year.

*God I love Jennifer Lawrence.  Yeah she's talented and uber hot but she's also very genuine, which makes her even more endearing.  In a town full of phonies that is just awesome.



Hugh Jackman joins Neil Blomkamp's "Chappie"



Can't say it hasn't been a great career for Hugh Jackman.  He's worked with some amazing directors, everyone from Baz Luhrmann, to Tom Hooper, to Christopher Nolan.  Now you can add another up and coming director to that list:  Neil Blomkamp.

"Screen Daily" reports that Jackman has signed on for an undisclosed role in Blomkamp's upcoming science-fiction project Chappie.  The plot revolves around an android stolen by two gangsters who seek to use the robot for their own purposes.  Jackman went on to say that he will only be filming for a few weeks, so the part sounds modest at best.

Jackman will definitely add star power to this film but let's hope he can add some dynamic acting as well.  And that the cinematography is slightly less shaky than Elysium.

Chappie starts filming in early 2014 and you can currently see Jackman in Prisoners in theaters now.



Friday, September 27, 2013

Aaron Stockard to work on the script for Ben Affleck's Whitey Bulger film



Anyone who's seen The Departed may know that Jack Nicholson's character is based off notorious Irish mobster Whitey Bulger.  Bulger ran the Irish mafia in Boston for decades and before September 11, 2001 he was the number one wanted man on the FBI's Most Wanted list.  In late 1994 he became a fugitive for over sixteen years before his arrest in June of 2011.  After being extradited to Massachusetts, Bulger was found guilty just last month of thirtyone counts of racketeering, money laundering, extortion, weapons charges, and involvement in eleven murders.  You can probably imagine that his story was made for Hollywood.  Warner Bros. and Ben Affleck felt the same way, which is why before too long you'll see the titular man's life on the big screen.

The original script was writer by Terrence Winter of "Boardwalk Empire" fame but Affleck and Warner Bros. have brought in screenwriter Aaron Stockard to do some tweaking.  Stockard previously worked with Affleck on 2010's The Town. 

Matt Damon is slated to play Bulger while Casey and Ben Affleck* are set to co-star.  The film will chronicle Bulger's life from his youth, to his incarceration in Alcatraz, his rise to mob boss, and working as an FBI informer for decades. 

Just like the Lance Armstrong biopics that are in the works, this film is competing with another Whitey Bulger pic called Black Mass directed by Barry Levinson and starring Joel Edgerton as FBI agent John Connelly. 

No word yet on a production start date for the untitled project.

*How the hell is Affleck going to find time to be in this movie?  He starts filming Gone Girl in a couple weeks, the Batman/Superman movie early next year, and is also planning on directing another film in 2014.  Can't say the guy isn't committed to his craft though.



Bryce Dallas Howard may join Jurassic World




I've loved Bryce Dallas Howard ever since Lady in the Water.  Not only is she classically beautiful, she possesses great acting chops which she proved in The Help.  I'd say she's moved firmly out of the shadow of her famous father Ron.

Well the thirty-two year old actress may soon join one of the most popular franchises of all time.

"The Wrap" reports that Howard is in negotiations for a role in director Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World.  No news on what role she'll play but I could easily see her being a zoologist in charge of certain dinosaurs or perhaps the park's administrator. 

Jurassic World begins filming next year and will release June 12, 2015.



Actor Michael B. Jordan eyes role in ID4 sequel and a new title for the film



I'm still not completely sold on the whole idea of an Independence Day sequel.  I loved the original but almost twenty years have passed since the first one and with the news that Will Smith will not return, I'm understandably leery.  Let's be honest too, Roland Emmerich has not put out the best of films lately.  (2012, White House Down anyone?)

Well if "The Wrap" has it right, the prospects for the film's success may have gotten just a little bit better.

Fruitvale Station actor Michael B. Jordan is high on the list for Emmerich and 20th Century Fox for a major role in the upcoming sequel, although Jordan hasn't officially been offered the part as of yet. 

Jordan is one of the most talked about young actors in Hollywood right now and has been linked to everything from the Rocky inspired Creed film to the Human Torch in The Fantastic Four remake.  I haven't seen Fruitvale Station yet but with all the buzz about this guy I've gotta check it out.

Also for any of you wondering what the sequel might be titled, wonder no longer.  Independence Day's followup will be called ID Forever.  Hmmm sounds like an identity fraud company.

ID Forever starts production next year and will be split into two parts, the first being released sometime in 2015.



Tarzan remake takes on new life; Samuel L. Jackson and Jessica Chastain may be replaced by Christoph Waltz and Emma Stone...



Earlier this year I reported that the production offices for director David Yates' remake of Tarzan shut down.  This seemingly cut the vine on any chances of the Ape Man getting back to the big screen.

Well my conclusion may have been premature.

Warner Bros. has now brought renewed interest in Edgar Rice Burroughs classic tale, according to "Variety."  Pending a greenlight, production could start next year with a release date sometime in 2015. 

However, all the actors originally associated with the film may not continue.  While Jessica Chastain was supposed to play Jane, the studio is now looking at either Emma Stone or Margot Robbie to replace her.  In addition, Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz may replace his Django Unchained co-star Samuel L. Jackson. 

I'm kind of lukewarm about this whole project.  I was never a huge fan of Tarzan and Christopher Lambert's film from the 1980s always seemed boring to me.  In any case I'm aware there are plenty of fans of the source material out there and will want to see this make it to the big screen.

Justin Long to play a Walrus-Man in Kevin Smith's new horror film Tusk




Despite rumors that Kevin Smith was planning to retire after Clerks 3, it appears that the director is pulling a Steven Soderbergh.  According to "Entertainment Weekly" actor Justin Long is set to star alongside Michael Parks in the upcoming film Tusk.  To say this movie is bizarre is an understatement.  The film is based on the true story of a man (Parks) who befriends a walrus while stranded on an island.  After he's rescued, the man misses his walrus friend so much he puts an add in the paper for a roommate who will dress like a walrus and play with him.  This would be Long's character.

Uh....yeah.  Okaaaay.

This could either be quirky, creepy, and funny to watch or a complete disaster.  I like Parks and Long so hopefully they can salvage this but man I'm not sure. 

Filming on Tusk begins October 21st and Smith hopes to have the movie premiere at the next Sundance film festival.

Jennifer Lawrence reunites with Hunger Games director for two projects




Sometimes you just find a co-worker or boss that clicks with  you.  Every project or task you approach, the two of you just seem to gel.  This is as true in the movie industry as it is in any profession.  Just ask Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese.

Well it looks like Jennifer Lawrence has found her own Scorsese, as the Academy Award winner has signed up for not one, but two new projects with director Gary Ross. 

The first will be an adaptation of the classic 1952 John Steinbeck* novel East of Eden.  The novel follows two sons who compete for the attention of their farmer father in California.  Lawrence would play their cruel mother Cathy Ames.  I only ever read Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath, but I liked them both so I'll probably check out this novel before I watch the film.

The second project is a film called Burial Rites based on the book by Hannah Kent.  Burial Rites follows:

a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829. The drama takes place between the murder and the prosecution of the case against a woman who is victimized and powerless against the forces trying to send her to a public execution. Ross will direct and Lawrence will play the protagonist in a tale as bleak as her Oscar-nominated breakout turn in Winter’s Bone.

This sounds intriguing.  Also it would be interesting to see if Lawrence can pull off an Icelandic accent.

Jennifer Lawrence can next be seen reprising her role as Katniss Everdeen this November 22nd in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

*Steven Spielberg also just announced plans to do an updated version of The Grapes of Wrath as well.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Calling all Wookies!!! J.J. Abrams and Disney want you!



I know I said I wasn't going to do anymore Star Wars Episode VII casting news until we had concrete info not rumors, but this is actually an official casting CALL that's gone out, not a casting rumor per se.  (Loop hole bitch!)

Late last week Disney/Lucasfilm/Bad Robot posted the following open casting call:

"Wanted: Male, 7 ft to 7.3 ft tall with a slim/thin build and upright posture. Not too worked out or too 'thick set' especially in the shoulders. Broad facial features would be a bonus."

Now it doesn't take the intelligence of C3PO to figure out that this is a casting call for everyone's favorite Wookie, Chewbacca.  I mean how could it not be?  Of course the casting call was for an "Untitled Studio Feature" but when the call also falls under the domain of Disney, Lucasfilm, and J.J. Abrams' production company, it's pretty clear what movie this role is for.

I was actually a little taken aback by this news, as I figured that Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in four previous Star Wars, films would return.  Unfortunately, the sixty-nine year old recently had double knee surgery and I feel that Chewie's role in the upcoming film(s) may require a little more than just taking Yoda for a piggyback ride like he did in Revenge of the Sith.  It would have been nice to have him back but a man's health is important.

Well whoever plays Chewbacca this is certainly encouraging news.  I mean this has to mean that Han Solo will return right?  To have Chewbacca without Han Solo is like having peanut butter without jelly.

Star Wars Episode VII releases sometime in 2015.

In one of the worst casting ideas ever Daniel Radcliffe set to play Freddie Mercury




Ever since Sacha Baron Cohen left the long in development Freddie Mercury biopic, producers have been scrambling for a replacement.  And if "The Daily Star" is to be believed (and believe me that's a BIG if) the boys in the back office have their sites set on everyone's favorite Hogwarts resident, Mr. Daniel Radcliffe.  That's right.  Producers want the lead singer of "Queen" to be portrayed by Harry Potter. 

Good Lord. 

This is quite possibly one of the worst casting decisions of all time, right up there with David Bowie as Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ and Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane in Superman Returns.  Listen I have the utmost respect for Radcliffe's acting ability and I'm pleased to see he's branching out with movies like The Woman In Black and his upcoming films Kill Your Darlings and Horns.  But just because you can sing and possess acting ability doesn't mean you should play a certain role.  Radcliffe is the last person I'd pick to play arguably the greatest frontman of all time.  He doesn't look like Freddie Mercury and I haven't seen anything in Radcliffe's past that would lead me to believe he could pull off a role like this. 

If this turns out to be true I'll be extremely disappointed.  "Queen" is one of my all-time favorite bands and it's too bad things didn't work out with Cohen as I thought he was perfect for the role.  To make matters worse, Cohen and the producers split over "creative differences," specifically the studio's unwillingness to show the more flamboyant side of Mercury's life.  Say what???  If you look up the word "flamboyant" in the dictionary you'll find a picture of Freddie Mercury next to it.  If the studio really wants to convey a sense of Mercury's life, exploring his flamboyant side is essential.  Typically I'm not one to nitpick over ratings but if this film isn't a hard "R" they are wasting my time. 

Kill Your Darlings opens October 18th.



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Goodbye Nic Cage hello Kelsey Grammer



Well this is quite the interesting choice.

"Deadline" reports that the man who made Dr. Frasier Crane famous, Kelsey Grammer, has taken a role in next year's The Expendables 3.  Grammer will play the role of Bonaparte, an ex-mercenary who assists the Expendables.  This was the part that Nic Cage once had before dropping out.

Now I don't know about you, but I really can't see Kelsey Grammer as an ex-merc.  Really?  Sideshow Bob?  His persona seems too sophisticated for a role like this.  Nic Cage?  Absolutely.  Kelsey Grammer?  Ehhh not so much.

Grammer can be seen in next summer's Transformers: Age of Extinction* while The Expendables 3 releases August 15th, 2014.

*Did I say sophisticated?  Well I guess if he's in the fourth Transformers film...

Paul Greengrass exits Aaron Sorkin's Chicago Seven pic



As the great Randy Moss said sometimes it's all about "the straight cash homie."

Director Paul Greengrass has dropped out as director of The Trial of the Chicago 7 due to budgetary concerns.  According to "Variety" Dreamworks didn't want to go over a $30 million budget but Greengrass claimed he needed $40 million.  And for want of $10 million dollars a director was lost.

For those not familiar with the Chicago Seven here's a little insight:

It's based on the 1968 Democratic National Convention when anti-war, counter-culture, Hippie, Black Panther, and other protesters battled the Chicago Police Department in what became week-long street rioting witnessed live on television by a worldwide audience. A year later the Nixon administration tried the most prominent activists on charges they conspired to incite the violence. Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, and Lee Weiner were represented by attorneys William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass of the Center For Constitutional Rights. An 8th defendant, Bobby Seale, co-chair of the Black Panther Party, wound up infamously bound, gagged and handcuffed to his chair by presiding U.S. District Judge Julius Hoffman until his trial was severed during the proceedings. Seale was ordered to serve 5 years in prison for contempt of court."

"The Chicago 7 trial lasted months and created headlines, especially with many well-known names from the American left called to testify including folk singers Phil Ochs, Judy Collins and Arlo Guthrie, writers Norman Mailer and Allen Ginsberg, and activists Timothy Leary and Jesse Jackson. On February 18, 1970, all 7 defendants were found not guilty of conspiracy. Froines and Weiner were acquitted completely, while the remaining 5 were convicted of crossing state lines with the intent to incite a riot.
 
Volatile times and touchstone historical moments always make for good drama.  I'm willing to lay money that Aaron Sorkin's put together a fairly good script.  The Academy Award winner might just have a future in this industry.  With Sorkin attached to this project, I doubt it will take long to find a replacement for Greengrass.  How about Tom Hooper?
 
 

Will James Cameron and AH-NULD reteam for "Avatar 2"?



Boy I hope this is true.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron made quite the director/actor duo back in the 80s and early 90s.  While it wasn't on part with DeNiro/Scorsese, the two Hollywood icons helped catapult each other's careers into the stratosphere.  Although the two haven't collaborated on a films since 1994's True Lies, that may be about to change.

"Latino Review" reports that ole' Arnie is set to play a villainous general for Cameron in Avatar 2.  As I've reported before, Avatar is set to be a quadrilogy with the third and and fourth parts being filmed back to back. 

Villainous general huh?  Sounds perfect.  A lot of people bang on Stephen Lang for being one dimensional in the first film but honestly I liked the character.  Having said that Arnold is definitely a step up. 

Still no news yet on when the sequel to Avatar begins principal photography, but in the meantime you can catch Schwarzenegger in Escape Plan due out next month.



Leonardo DiCaprio in talks to play former President Woodrow Wilson in biopic




Is it me or do biopic movies seem to be heating up the big screen lately?

Well you can add another to that list as Warner Bros. just acquired the rights to A. Scott Berg's biography Wilson about the life of our 28th President.  The film will be produced through Leonardo DiCaprio's production company Appian Way, with DiCaprio being the potential star.*

Wilson unfortunately tends to be one of those forgotten Presidents, although his actions in office had serious effects on the world as we know it today.  He was President during WWI and established the League of Nations, which eventually became the United Nations.

I'm not sure if I would buy DiCaprio as Woodrow Wilson, but the guy has already played Howard Hughes and J. Edgar Hoover so I'm sure he could pull it off.  At this point DiCaprio could probably play Susan B. Anthony and pull it off.

DiCaprio can next be seen in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street due out mid-November.

*Interestingly enough, there's long been talk of DiCaprio playing the 26th President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt, but the project remains in development Hell.

Former "Walking Dead" star Laurie Holden joins "Dumb and Dumber To"



Well this is certainly an upgrade over Kathleen Turner.

"Deadline" reports that "Walking Dead" vet Laurie Holden has joined the cast of Dumb and Dumber To.  Holden will play Adele Pichlow, a housewife who is secretly poisoning her husband and plans to abscond with his money.  Pichlow also desires to kill Harry and Lloyd for reasons that I'm sure will be made clear.

I've always been a fan of Holden.  She's been great in small roles like The Majestic* and more recently The Mist.  I think this is a strong addition to the cast and it will be interesting to see how she fares in the villain role.

Dumb and Dumber To is set to release next year.

*Holden played opposite Jim Carrey in The Majestic a film I consider extremely underrated. 

Insidious gets a third film, Leigh Whannell will return to write script



When a film grosses more than eight times its budget on opening weekend, the chances of a sequel are somewhere in the 99% range.  This of course is usually regardless of whether the film is a hit with critics or not.  (Cough cough, Transformers)  After all in Hollywood money talks and, well, you know the rest.

Despite attaining a horrible 38% "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Insidious Chapter 2 raked in over $40 million at the box office this weekend, prompting Sony to immediately announce an upcoming third film.  According to "Deadline," screenwriter Leigh Whannell will return once again to pen the script.  James Wan unfortunately will not return as director. 

The original Insidious was a solid horror film but I've yet to see the second one.  Part of the success I believe is due to the PG-13 rating which fundamentally attracts more viewers.  I just hope Insidious doesn't go the way of Saw and Paranormal Activity. 

No timetable yet on Insidious Chapter 3 but I'm suspecting probably  September 2014.  James Wan's next film will be The Fast and Furious 7 due out next summer.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Director Rupert Wyatt and actor Mark Wahlberg know when to hold 'em



Another day another remake.  This time of the 70s variety.

"Deadline" reports that Paramount is looking to reboot the 1974 film The Gambler which starred James Caan.  The project has been kicking around for awhile and originally, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio were involved.

Now it looks like the acting duties may fall to Mark Wahlberg and the director's chair to Rupert Wyatt.  The Departed scribe William Monahan, will pen the script. 

The film involves a college professor with a gambling addiction that overcomes his life.  Not surprisingly he gets in trouble with the wrong guys and hijinks ensue.  Not sure if I buy Mark Wahlberg as a college professor.  Hmmmm.

Wahlberg can next be seen in Lone Survivor out this December.

New Pirates film pushed to 2016



Anyone out there anticipating a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean (is anyone at this point?) are going to have to wait a little longer than expected.

Disney reports that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mean Tell No Tales,  has been pushed back from summer 2015 to summer 2016.  While plot details are scarce (there isn't even a full script at this point) early reports indicate it will involve ghosts, witches, and the Bermuda triangle.  Ughh.

While I'm not thrilled about a new Pirates movie (it lost its luster for me after the second one) the last film made over $1 billion worldwide so there is obviously a market for it still.  From a business perspective I think this is a smart move by Disney.  Summer 2015 is already packed with a new Jurassic Park, a sequel to Independence Day, Batman vs. Superman, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and the new Star Wars.  That's a lot of competition. 

Once again Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will hit theaters sometime in summer 2016.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Review: The World's End

 


Plot:  The third of director Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy, (or Blood and Ice Cream trilogy if you prefer) The World's End finds alcoholic man-child Gary King (Simon Pegg) trying to unite his four childhood friends for an epic pub crawl called The Golden Mile.  Twelve pubs, twelve pints, all culminating at the final pub called (you guessed it) The World's End.  After some finagling, Gary manages to convince Andy (Nick Frost), Paddy (Steven Prince), Oliver (Martin Freeman), and Peter (Eddie Marsan) to return to their hometown of Newton Haven and attempt The Golden Mile.  However, things aren't altogether normal in Newton Haven anymore.  Before long the five friends and Oliver's sister Sam (Rosamund Pike) uncover a dangerous and potentially lethal plot whose ramifications may affect the entire planet.

Review:  All great trilogies must eventually come to an end.  Sometimes they end on a high note (The Return of the King) and sometimes they fall flat (The Matrix Revolutions).  Director Edgar Wright's previous installments in the Cornetto trilogy, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz have become cult classics in their own right and exposed the world to Simon Pegg before he was J.J. Abram's Scotty on Star Trek.  But would The World's End have the same depth and charm of the previous two installments?

Thankfully yes.

The World's End is the Return of the Jedi of trilogies.  Smart, witty, fast paced, with a great plot, fascinating characters, and a lot of heart, The World's End isn't just everything you want in an Edgar Wright film.  It's everything you want in a good movie.

The World's End was definitely a labor of love for Wright, one that took awhile to get to the big screen.  (Six years passed between Hot Fuzz and this film.)  It also may be his most personal, as he wrote the script when he was twenty-one.  It's a story that captures the rebelliousness and limitless possibilities of seventeen and the reality and responsibility of forty.  The World's End also demonstrates a very true fact of life--that some people never grow up, like the movie's main character Gary King.  Furthermore, how do you deal with a friend who never grew up?  Can you still really call them your friend?  Can you really go home again as Thomas Wolfe once asked?  The film even addresses the idea of free will.  What's fascinating to me is that somehow Edgar Wright manages to weave these philosophical questions into a science fiction comedy film.   Impressive to say the least. 

From a directorial standpoint, Wright is at the top of his game.  The 109 minute run time never once lags.  Edgar Wright keeps the pace flowing nicely.  Fight scenes, deep conversations, and just walks along the street blend together seamlessly.  I honestly could have watched these guys interact for another half hour at least.  You can definitely see the influence of other science fiction films in Edgar Wright's approach, especially the classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  Cinematographer Bill Pope manages to capture Wright's vision of small town life while simultaneously bringing action sequences to the screen on par with classic Kung Fu films.  And damn if The World's End doesn't contain the best use of a Doors song ever.

For a film that possessed a relatively modest budget ($20 million), The World's End sports top notch special effects, especially the Blanks as they call them.  (They are kind of robots who aren't robots.  You really have to see it to understand.  Too complicated to go into detail here).  Steven Price's music was spot on as well, sporting everything from Primal Scream to Blur to The Sisters of Mercy.  I'd seriously consider buying the soundtrack.

One thing I did buy into in The World's End was Simon Pegg's acting performance.  In Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz Pegg gave us two distinct and different performances.  For The World's End Pegg provides a third.  Pegg's Gary King is the consummate man-child, a guy who's kept the party going for over two decades, long after his friends have moved on.  King is the good time guy, the one who always has a joke on his lips and a beer in his hand.  And therein lies the sad part.  King is also a raging alcoholic and sadly The Golden Mile is really all he has left.  Booze has destroyed everything in Gary's life, including the relationship with best mate Andy (Nick Frost).  The tension between the two builds throughout the film and when the source of the animosity is finally revealed, it makes for an amazing scene.  Pegg brings a depth and a pathos to Gary that I've never seen from him before.  Anyone who comes away from this film thinking that Pegg is just Scotty from Star Trek needs their head examined.  The man can flat out act. 

As fantastic as Pegg was, Frost was equally good.  In previous films we've always seen Frost as a flatulent lout or a screw up, but here he's a very straight laced family man.  And it works!  Frost was completely believable as Andy.  In fact he was so great that he's probably going to be looked over for Best Supporting Actor come Oscar time, which is really a shame because he's very deserving of a nomination.  Maybe I'm exaggerating here but I thought he was that damn good.

The World's End supporting cast is equally solid especially Martin Freeman and Eddie Marsan.  Freeman's Oliver has a couple scenes that had me in stitches and Marsan's Peter kills it as Gary's lovable lieutenant who's been pining after Oliver's sister Sam for years.  Even Pierce Brosnan makes an appearance as the group's old teacher Guy Shepherd.

I cannot overstate how fantastic The World's End was.  With apologies to T.S. Eliot, this trilogy ends with a bang not a whimper.

My rating:  10/10   

Friday, September 6, 2013

From Game of Thrones, to Thor: The Dark World, to The Terminator! Alan Taylor set to direct the reboot



Well my hopes for the Terminator franchise just got a little better.

"Variety" reports that director Alan Taylor will helm the next Terminator film, which will be an official reboot to the franchise and the start of a new trilogy.  Taylor has worked almost exclusively with television, but one of those shows happens to be "Game of Thrones" one of the best shows on T.V.  Taylor also has his directorial debut in Thor: The Dark World coming up in November.  If the previews are any indication, it looks to be better than the first.

Interestingly enough, "Variety" also reports that noted directors Rian Johnson and Ang Lee were early candidates, but the job fell to Taylor.  To me that's quite impressive.  I can't believe a director of Ang Lee's talent would have even considered doing The Terminator reboot without a good storyline.  (The Hulk not withstanding of course.)

I have three concerns however.  If this is going to be reboot, what direction are they going to go with it?  I mean the 1984 film is a science fiction classic.  To do a straight remake would be insulting.  Secondly, Schwarzenegger has been linked to this movie, but what capacity could it be in?  He's too old to play the terminator.  And lastly I hope Taylor's duties don't remove him completely from "Game of Thrones."  He's been a valuable asset to that show and I'd hate to see him leave.

The Terminator reboot blasts into theaters June 26th, 2015.

Will Smith joining "Independence Day 2"?



After the recent announcement that a sequel to 1996's Independence Day was going forward, many wondered how many would return for Roland Emmerich's followup.  While actors Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum signed on almost immediately, most were disappointed to hear that the original's main character, Captain Steven Hiller, would not return.  This by default meant no Will Smith.

Well calm down DJ Jazzy Jeff.  All may not be lost after all.

Emmerich originally sited salary reasons as to why Smith wouldn't be  joining in the film.  However, "Digital Spy" reports that although Smith was initially hesitant to do second film, Emmerich and Smith now have a meeting scheduled to discuss the project.

Let's face it, After Earth was a disaster and Smith desperately needs a hit.  Why not return to the film that helped make you a star? 

Independence Day 2 releases July 3rd, 2015.



Gandalf the game's afoot!!! Sir Ian McKellen to play Sherlock Holmes in an upcoming film



Seems like Sherlock Holmes is everywhere these days.  "Sherlock" is a successful television show in Britain while its American counterpart "Elementary" has met with similar success.  Then of course there are the Guy Ritchie films of the past few years.  However, audiences are about to experience an older Holmes.  MUCH older.

"Vulture" reports that Ian McKellen is set to star as Sherlock Holmes in the adaptation of the novel A Slight Trick of the Mind.  Here's a brief plot description of Mitch Cullin's book:

It is 1947, and the long-retired Sherlock Holmes, now 93, lives in a remote Sussex farmhouse with his housekeeper and her young son. He tends to his bees, writes in his journal, and grapples with the diminishing powers of his mind. But in the twilight of his life, as people continue to look to him for answers, Holmes revisits a case that may provide him with answers of his own to questions he didn’t even know he was asking–about life, about love, and about the limits of the mind’s ability to know.

Sounds like a much more emotional and less cerebral exploration of Doyle's character than we've seen before.  McKellen will team up with director Bill Condon once again.  (The two previously worked on the film Gods and Monsters.)  McKellen can next be seen in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on December 13th while Bill Condon's next movie, The Fifth Estate, releases October 18th.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Bill Murray to play music manager in film "Rock the Kasbah"


 
Audition for Groundskeeper Willie in The Simpsons live action movie?
Nailed it.
 
 
 
 
 
Bill Murray's film choices have become pretty eclectic over the last decade or so.  The chances of him ever starring in another film like The Man Who Knew Too Little are probably slim and none.  It looks like Murray's latest film choice also fits the mold of his recent films.
 
 
According to "Deadline" Murray will star in the upcoming film Rock the Kasbah where he plays:
 
 
"a burned-out music manager who goes to Afghanistan on the USO tour with his last remaining client. When he finds himself abandoned, penniless and without his passport, he discovers a young girl with an extraordinary voice, who stows away with him back to Kabul to compete on the popular television show, The Afghan Star, Afghanistan’s equivalent of American Idol."
 
Sounds like the perfect role for Murray.  It also reunites him with screenwriter Mitch Glazer, who also penned Scrooged.
 
Murray can next be seen in director George Clooney's The Monuments Men, out December 18th.


And your official title for the the fourth Transformers film is.....



When the first three films make a grand total of $2.6 billion worldwide, what comes next is more predictable than Lindsey Lohan's bad decisions.  A fourth film.

Like it or not the fourth edition in the Transformers franchise heads into multiplexes next summer.  Consummate explosion artist--er director--Michael Bay is currently filming the sequel with Oscar nominee Mark Whalberg.  (Which reminds me, say hi to Optimus Prime's motha for me Mark.)

In the last few days Paramount bought up multiple website names involving the Transformers franchise, however they've finally settled on a name.  Drum roll please.  Your new Transformers movie will be called:

Transformers: Age of Extinction

I'm so excited I could just fall into a coma.

Now granted these movies are supposed to be fun, but man this is getting old.  Maybe Wahlberg can inject some new life into this franchise but I almost hope not.  I'm just so done with this franchise.  However, if any of you were wondering if the Dinobots were going to be in the film, the title probably clears that up.

Transformers: Age of Extinction releases June 27, 2014.

Double dose of Cumberbatch--actor linked to Star Wars and The Lost City of Z


Benedict Cumberbatch is popular right now.  I mean really popular.  Hey everyone!  Come see how popular Benedict Cumberbatch is!

It's hard to argue with the actor's success right now.  He had an amazing turn as Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, he has a hit show in Britain with "Sherlock", he's got the wikilinks movie The Fifth Estate coming up, AND he's going to be voicing the grand daddy of all dragons, Smaug, in December's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Yep he's a hot commodity and not surprisingly the offers are coming in fast and furious, two in particular.  The first comes courtesy of "Film Chronicles" and "Badass Digest" which report from a "trusted source" that Cumberbatch is in talks to play a villain in the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII, almost certainly a Sith.  Furthermore, the source states the character will be present throughout the entire new trilogy and Cumberbatch's involvement is the reason he had to drop out of Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak.

The second film is about as far from Star Wars as you can get.  According to "Deadline" Cumberbatch is in talks to star in director James Gray's The Lost City of Z.  I know what you might be thinking but no, it is not another zombie movie.  The film is actually based on the book by David Grann.  It chronicles the exploits of explorer Percy Fawcett (who Cumberbatch would play).  In 1925 Fawcett entered the Amazon and supposedly found a mysterious lost city.   However, his peers claimed the whole thing was a hoax so he returned to the Amazon with his son and a friend...and disappeared. 

Sounds intriguing.  I'm game.  And as for Cumberbatch as a Sith Lord?  Um yes please.

Cumberbatch can next be seen in 12 Years A Slave on October 17th and The Fifth Estate on October 18th. 

Monday, September 2, 2013

Mom Porn--er--50 Shades of Grey finally snags it's leads!




We've known for quite some time that E.L. James's novel 50 Shades of Grey was coming to the silver screen. Casting speculation ran rampant with everyone having varied opinions. For fifty year old Moms everywhere the casting selections were just as important as who would play the new Batman for their thirty year old basement dwelling sons.
While I don't believe the decisions will cause quite as much controversy as Ben Affleck, I'm sure there will be at least some debate.
According to "Deadline" "Sons of Anarchy" star Charlie Hunnam will play the male lead, billionaire playboy Christian Grey, while relative newcomer Dakota Johnson will play naive literature student Anastasia Steele. (Pornstar name much?)
While many probably know Hunnam from the popular FX biker show and this summer's Pacific Rim, most probably aren't familiar with Dakota Johnson. Johnson is actually the twenty-one year old daughter of actors Don Johnson (Django Unchained) and Melanie Griffith (Working Girl). She's had minor roles in 21 Jump Street and The Five Year Engagement but is still a relative unknown. That may no longer be the case come next summer.
For those of you not familiar with the novel (which I hope most of you aren't) here's a brief synopsis:
 
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
A regular War and Peace. Sigh.
Director Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) will direct and the film is slated to release August 1, 2014.
Hunnam can next be seen in the penultimate season of 'Sons of Anarchy' kicking off September 10th while Johnson is currently filming Cymbeline with Ethan Hawke.

Hollywood is the Dune Killer: Why Frank Herbert's Classic Science Fiction Novel Nees a Solid Movie Treatment, How to do it the Right Way, and Who the Cast Should Be Part 1 of 3





*Note 1: In Part 1 of this segment I will examine WHY Dune needs a quality film, in Part 2 I will explore HOW to make Dune into a successful feature film, and finally in Part 3 I will delve into WHO should play the major roles.
**Note 2:  Also for those of you unfamiliar with  Frank Herbert's Dune, here is a brief synopsis:
Dune is a 1965 epic science fiction novel by Frank Herbert. It won the Hugo Award in 1966, and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Dune is the world's best-selling science fiction novel and is the start of the Dune saga.
Set in the far future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which noble houses, in control of individual planets, owe allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides, the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides as his family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the "spice" melange. Melange is the most important and valuable substance in the universe, increasing Arrakis's value as a fief. Melange extends life, possesses curative properties, and allows for space travel. The story explores the multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as the forces of the empire confront each other in a struggle for the control of Arrakis and its "spice".
For as long as I can remember, I've been a science fiction fanatic. Even before films like Star Wars and Back to the Future ensnared me in their nets of awesomeness, I recall watching the miniseries "V" at the age of four and being completely enthralled.
As I grew older, naturally I branched out into the literary world of science fiction--Ender's Game, Stranger In a Strange Land, Battlefield Earth, Rendezvous With Rama--but the one novel I never found any particular interest in was Frank Herbert's Dune.  The reason was two fold. First was that I wasn't mature enough for a novel of that literary magnitude. I was more of an alien invasion kind of guy. The social, political, economic, and religious intricacies of the novel felt too convoluted and dense for my taste. The second was something that happened during New Year's Eve when I was fourteen.
I watched David Lynch's Dune on the SyFy Channel.
 

 
Come away to a world where none of your expectations will be fulfilled.
 
Cliche as it might sound, the experience was like watching a train wreck--it was terrible but I just couldn't look away. Furthermore, it was the extended edition, made for television, that was something in the neighborhood of four hours long. You can't even find that version anymore. It's more elusive than the 1978 "Star Wars Christmas Special."
Although the 1984 film has developed a cult following in the near three decades it's been out, it fails on several levels. From a special effects stand point it's pretty horrendous for a big budget film. The explosions at Arrakeen look like a five year olds setting off cherry bombs and the guild navigators (with the exception of the one who meets Emperor Shaddam at the beginning of the film) look like bad cartoon drawings. Secondly the acting is pretty terrible. Sean Young is stiff as a board as Paul Atredies' (Kyle MacLachlan's) love interest Chani, and Kenneth McMillan is SOOOOO over the top as Baron Harkonnen, he makes Schwarzenegger in Batman and Robin look like Daniel Day-Lewis by comparison. Maybe worst of all the film is incredibly boring, so much so that you almost wish a sandworm would just put you out of your misery. To say that the film didn't capture the spirit of Frank Herbert's novel is an understatement the size of a Maker.
 

I'm channeling William Shatner right now.
 
Years later when the SyFy channel produced the miniseries version of "Dune", and later "Children of Dune", I was moderately impressed. It was definitely a step up from the 1984 film. The storyline and acting were much more accessible and entertaining. However, I still didn't feel that the miniseries had that visceral quality that Dune possesses.
 

 
Wait you want me to be in "Desperate Housewives"?
 
For some erroneous reason I allowed my dislike for Lynch's film warp my vision of what the novels would be. Reluctantly a few years ago I decided to try and give Frank Herbert's seminal novel another shot without much hope. Much to my surprise and delight, I found the novel fantastic. It worked on so many levels, not only as political, economic, and religious social commentary but had the advantage of being one of the earliest science fiction novels to address environmental issues. It's a novel as relevant today as it was almost half a century ago.
Plus it was a just a damn good adventure tale.
 

 
MAKE ME INTO A QUALITY FILM!!!!
 
Upon completing the novel I had two thoughts. One was that I had to read the rest of the series and two, that the book needed a much more deserving cinematic treatment than Lynch's incarnation.
Critics have often stated that Frank Herbert's Dune is to science fiction what Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is to fantasy. I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment. It stands to reason then that such a fundamentally important work needs a legitimate adaptation. New Line and director Peter Jackson were able to take an "unfilmable" and dense fantasy epic and turn it into a multiple Oscar winning box office smash. An ambitious studio and an established director with vision should be able to get this project off the ground.
Not surprisingly, many Dune enthusiasts feel the same way I do--including apparently movie studios. As recently as the mid-2000s Paramount Pictures kickstarted a Dune remake. Peter Berg was attached to direct but pulled out to make Battleship. That's right. He literally pulled out of making Dune to make a film based on a board game. Then in 2010 Pierre Morel of Taken fame came on board but that fizzled out. Concerns arose about the budget (Paramount Pictures didn't want to go above $100 million) and eventually the project was put on permanent hiatus. Now unfortunately, Paramount Pictures has let the rights to the novel lapse, meaning the rights owners can shop it around to whomever they choose.
To paraphrase the novel, the sleeper has NOT awoken. He's in a coma.
 

 
Don't stand so, don't stand so, don't stand so close to Dune.
 
How can we possibly exist in a world where Norbit, White Chicks, Bloodrayne, and Cop Out are films, but Frank Herbert's masterpiece can't get a decent adaptation? It's criminal. An atrocity that Baron Vladimir Harkonnen would cringe at.
So the question of should this film be made is academic. It's patently self evident.
The second pressing question, how to make a Dune film successfully, is equally important and something I wall examine in part two of this three part segment.