What’s on the Menu (Turkey Day Edition)

- Posted by Rusty

Happy (late) Thanksgiving, everyone! This is one of my favorite holidays—just some good times with family, insanely-stuffing meals, and some hearty, warm spirit to hold us over until Christmas (or, er, Hannukah and Russian New Year for me). And, on the entertainment side, Thanksgiving weekends are usually pretty good times for new movies, and, for the most part (minus one glaring, awful-looking exception), this year is no different. We have five new releases, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox opening wide. Let’s break down the new movies… [breakdown after the jump]

1. “Old Dogs” - Man, does this look terrible; even from the trailer, it looks lazy, uninspired, and the lowest of low-brow. How this thing managed to get top-drawer talent like John Travolta, Robin Williams (one of the funniest men alive, to boot), Seth Green, Matt Dillon, Justin Long, and Kelly Preston is beyond me. Sadly, I have a feeling it will still make money this weekend. Perhaps the actors will make people think this will be something decent, and the plot—about two old bachelors who suddenly have to babysit the kids one of them never knew he had—sounds like it could be a cute film about families. I really doubt it, though, and I hate that Disney (which, when they’re firing on all creative cylinders, produces the best family entertainment) proudly put their name on top of this. I’m staying far away—I like the people involved way too much, and hopefully they’ll all bounce back with something that’s original and actually witty and funny (I’ll give a quick shout out to Seth Green, though, one of my long-time favorites—the only laugh in the trailer belongs to him). I know it’s wrong to judge something before seeing it, but I just can’t see this turning out to be something worthwhile. Reviews are vicious across the board…and, frankly, I’m not too surprised. Don’t see this—I guarantee there are better, smarter, and funnier choices out there, in both new movies and ones that have been out for a while that you just haven't caught yet.

2. “Ninja Assasin” - This comes to us from director James McTeigue, and producers The Wachowikis, the same team behind V for Vendetta, one of the rare action films that get better the more you watch them. I’m not sure where I stand on this one, though; the reviews range from weak to mediocre (and some good, to be fair), and I can’t say the plot—about a rogue ninja who vows to bring down a secret society of assassins—has me rushing to the theater. Still, I like the talent involved, and the action looks slick and actually quite fun. Also, it might be a great showcase for Korean pop sensation Rain in the title role (who you might remember from the Wachowkis’ underrated Speed Racer) and Naomie Harris, so great in 28 Days Later and as Tia Dalma in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. How often do we get a big movie with an Asian lead, right? It’s a welcome change of pace, and I applaud the Wachowskis for paving the road for more casting like this. I doubt this will be a great film, but, ever since the disappointing Matrix sequels, I think the Wachowikis redeemed themselves and had their hand in quality works, ably mixing smarts and entertainment--hopefully this will follow suit.

3. “Me and Orson Welles” - Of all the new releases this week, I think this looks best. Tracking a young actor’s (Zac Efron) experience working with the legendary Orson Welles (he of Citizen Cane and Touch of Evil fame) and his world-famous Mercury Theatre, this promises both good drama and an always personal-favorite of mine—period romance. This comes to us from prolific director Richard Linklater (School of Rock, the lovely Before Sunrise and Sunset, Waking Life)—I love that we can never predict what he'll do next, and, while I’m not always a fan of his films (the trippy—but ultimately kind of frustrating—A Scanner Darkly comes to mind), he tackles every different genre with energy and intelligent writing. Plus, Efron is really a superstar-in-waiting; I actually watched 17 Again (yep, not ashamed to admit…well, not too much so), and while the movie had problems, there were a few scenes where Efron proved he could tackle more challenging material. He definitely has chops, and him choosing an independent, non-tween-fanbase project like this (as well as stepping out of the planned Footloose remake) shows he’s serious about his future career (and kudos to him on that front!). The reviews are pretty strong as well, with plenty of kind notices for co-star Claire Danes and, especially, Christian McCkay in the unenviable position of bringing to life that larger-than-life figure of Orson Welles. I adore stories about life in the theatre, the electricity on stage and the magic of creating something alive for the audience, so this looks right up my alley—great talent, an interesting angle on a Hollywood legend, and I like the sparks we see in the trailer (see it below) between Efron’s naïve actor and Claire Danes’ theater manager. It’s playing in limited release for now in Los Angeles and New York, but it should expand in the coming weeks as we move though December.

4. “The Road” - Cormac McCarthy’s original book (on which this move is based) is a Pulitzer-prize winner, and, judging by the people I talked to, just an overall adored piece of work. I bought the book a while ago, and flipping through it, there’s a real power in the language, and in the barren, global-catastrophe-stricken world that McCarthy describes. I think this movie adaptation, which is getting mixed to great reviews, looks like it's very much worth seeing. The book is on my must-read pile, and though I wasn’t as enthusiastic as most people about the previous McCarthy adaptation, the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men, I think this father-and-son story of survival (in what can best be described as a sprawling, living hell-on-Earth) looks to be an intelligent and quite compelling experience. Starring one of my favorite actors, Viggo Mortenson (who’s been on absolute roll following Aragorn (!)--if you have the chance, check out his Oscar-nominated, killer turn as a Russian in Eastern Promises), as well as small roles for Guy Pierce (from the amazing Memento), Robert Duvall, and Charlize Theron. Mortenson has shown some quality, classy taste in his choices over the years, so this is high on my must-see list—perhaps it won’t be “entertaining” in the 2012, end-of-the-world way, or stack up to the much-respected source material, but this looks like the type of film that we should definitely see somewhere down the line.

5. “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee” - Don’t know too much about this one, save that it’s based on the writer/director’s novel of the same name, but I am very intrigued by this top-notch cast. The amazing Robin Wright (to me, she'll always be Princess Butercup in The Princess Bride) stars as the tile character, and she’s backed up by Keanu Reeves (love him in drama roles), Alan Arkin, Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder, and Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively as the younger version of Wright’s Pippa Lee (ah, Serena van der Woodsen, how big a crush I used to have on you…). The story seems to revolve around Pippa Lee, an emotionally damaged trophy wife who slowly reevaluates her existence, particularly though an affair with her druggie next door neighbor (Reeves). Could be an interesting watch—the reviews are certainly good (if not great), and the talent in front of the camera is strong enough to overcome a potentially slim-sounding storyline. It’s in limited release right now, playing in a few theaters in both New York and Los Angeles—looks like a solid choice for those looking for a mature adult drama, even if this doesn’t exactly strike me as something that must be caught in theaters.

And that’s all we have for this Thanksgiving weekend. What do you guys think looks interesting or worth catching?

I’m going to try to catch Me and Orson Welles in these next few weeks, especially before the onslaught of great-looking Oscar hopefuls like Nine, The Lovely Bones, and Avatar.

Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving, and see you next weekend!

P.S. For a fun bonus (and, really, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this) here’s a great clip from one of the best Friends episodes ever, with Brad Pitt coming over for Thanksgiving dinner...and meeting his great nemesis, Rachel Green…and complex carbohydrates!



P.P.S. Catch the whole classic Friends episode (free and legally, until November 29) here!

Image courtesy of Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Video.
Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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What's on the Menu (November 20-22)

- Posted by Rusty

Vampires are taking over the theaters this weekend, and, well, there’s no just escaping them. The Twilight Saga: New Moon, probably the only “event movie” until Avatar hits next month, is going to make huge splash, though I think a few other new releases might be good alternatives…especially if you’re not too crazy about Robert Pattison and his pasty, glowing, angsty friends. Let’s check out the new releases… [breakdown of new movies after the jump]

1. “Planet 51” - This looks like a cute idea. We get a spin on the old ‘50’s alien-invasion movies…only this time it’s us humans that invade paranoid aliens (in alien-ized American suburbia). The trailer’s a lot of fun, and I think kids will eat this up. Plus, this has a cast of a lot of people that I like, including Dwayne Johnson (always good to see The Rock) as the cocky human astronaut, Justin Long as his alien pal, Jessica Biel, Seann William Scott (go Stifler!), and Gary Oldman. The reviews aren’t enthusiastic, but they’re mostly decent…which is kind of what I expected. I don’t think this will be something as fresh and witty as Shrek or Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, though it could very well be a pleasant way to spend an hour and a half.

2. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” - Eh, I haven’t heard too much about this one—some little movie about vampires, right? Man, I hope it can find an audience…

Yep, it’s insanely hard to ignore the Twilight tsunami right now, and New Moon is going to make a ton of money this weekend (it already earned more in its midnight screenings that The Dark Knight did—sorry, Batman). I get that this franchise has its fans (an understatement if there ever was one), and I realized halfway into the first film that this is just not for me—I’m not the target demographic, and I probably never will be. Edward creeped me out (why was he in love with Bella exactly? I never got a sense of that in the movie...besides her blood being like “his own brand of heroin,” of course...), and Bella drove me insane with how passive and singularly focused on Edward she was (does this girl have any interests outside of the boy she’s obsessively in love with? Why, why would she dive off a cliff to get a glimpse of his face?! Seriously, she could find someone better…and less pasty-looking!).

But, as said before, I know this isn’t meant for me at all. Stephanie Meyer’s books are a much-loved property, and I’m sure the fans will dig this new movie as well. Actually, from my perspective, New Moon does have a few new things in its favor. For one, this sequel was directed by Chris Weitz, who made the very underrated The Golden Compass. Plus, it co-stars the great Michael Sheen, the Brit character actor we last saw as David Frost in Frost/Nixon, and who you might also know as Lucian (a werewolf, natch) from the Underworld movies. Most of the reviews (which are fairly decent, to be fair) comment that Sheen brings just the right kind of campy energy in the film’s second half as the head of the Volturi, the vampire government in this world (I hear Dakota Fanning, as a fellow Volturi, steals her few scenes as well). These sound like smart moves to give this series some actual stakes, to make the central romance a bit more dangerous and exciting. Opening up this established world to more vampires and werewolves could be just what this franchise needs to give it a shot of adrenaline…and, dare I say it, more male fans.

If you’re a fan, you know you’re seeing it. If you’re like me, you might want to hold out until the hype dies down and then judge the phenomenon in whole (I have the first book too, and I do want to read it one day to have a proper opinion). Either way, we haven’t seen the last of Twilight—the third film, Eclipse, hits theaters next summer (directed by David Slade, who made the little-seen, but quite great vampire movie, 30 Days of Night), followed sometime soon by the series closer, Breaking Dawn.

3. “The Blind Side” - I don’t know too much about this one—it looks like a crowd-pleasing, based-on-a-true-story sports movie…and, I have to admit, I’m usually a major sucker for those (ie, Invincible, The Rookie). Also, the mostly good reviews say that this is one of Sandra Bullock’s best performances—she can be excellent with the right material (like Crash, a movie I couldn’t stand, though her performance really was terrific), and I’m glad to see her shifting gears a bit from her standard fluffy romantic comedies. This could be good—it’s from writer/director John Lee Hancock, who I thought did a commendable job with similar territory in The Rookie. I wouldn’t rush out to see it, but this looks like something I’ll definitely catch in the future.

4. “Broken Embraces” - Opening in limited release, this is the latest from Spanish filmmaker, Pedro Almodovar, and his go-to muse, Penelope Cruz. I’ve never seen any of Almodovar’s films, though I’ve been wanting to check out his work for years—he is very highly regarded, and the last time he collaborated with Cruz, it led to her first ever Oscar nomination. The premise for this film could be interesting: basically, a blind screenwriter tells his life story, particularly his past relationship with a fiery actress (Cruz). Reviews are very good, with especially strong notices for Penelope Cruz’s performance. This will probably gain a lot more steam as we move closer to Oscar season (which is really next month), and, like Precious the week before, this seems like it’s worth catching—maybe not for some escapist entertainment, but whenever you’re looking for something more heady and substantial. As of now, it’s only playing in New York City, but it will expand to more theaters in the coming weeks.

5. “Red Cliff” - Like underdog-sports movies, I have a weird thing for historical epics too (like Kingdom of Heaven, The New World, etc). And, from the massive back-story that a buddy of mine told me, this sounds like a captivating part of Chinese history, and one that’ll lend itself nicely to an epic movie treatment. From director John Woo (Mission: Impossible 2 and Face/Off, and here marking a return to Chinese-language cinema), this is the most expensive project ever made in China. I’m not the greatest fan of Woo—M:i-2, for example, was a fun ride, but it paled in comparison to the story-driven first and third films. He puts on great action spectacles, but I feel that the rest of his movies don’t always live up to that. Then again, I know his early Chinese films (with frequent collaborator Chow Yun-Fat) are very respected, and this might be the right material for Woo to tone down the flash, and make a human story on a grand scale. Once again, this is a fairly limited release, but, judging by the excellent reviews, this should be around for a while, and come out in more theaters in the coming weeks.

6. “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” - The title’s kind of lame (and oddly clunky, considering that it’s not actually a remake of the original Bad Lieutenant), but the great reviews say it’s a fascinating piece of ballsy, in-your-face insanity. A collaboration between over-the-top master Nicolas Cage and unpredictable director Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn), this is the story of a cop in post-Katrina New Orleans, who ends up on a slippery slope of drugs, murder and one hell of a hurricane-raddled seedy underworld. Cage is getting some of his best reviews in years (with mostly everyone saying how he perfectly dials in his patented brand of crazy for this part), along with co-stars Val Kilmer as his shady partner, and Eva Mendes as a complex hooker that Cage hooks up with. The trailer (check it out below) is suitably weird, but, I have to say, it actually does look interesting. There’s a murder mystery on top of all the cocaine hits, and, surprisingly, many critics say the whole thing is a powerful experience, a gripping look into a city that’s breaking down right before the hero’s eyes. It’s probably not for everyone (maybe myself included); still, this looks like something I’ll want to watch later on. Certainly an offbeat choice for anyone looking to escape Twilight-mania.

7. “Mammoth” - Honestly, this is my first time hearing about this one. It’s only opening in New York, and, if anything, it might be worth seeing for stars Gael Garcia Bernal (from Babel, The Motorcycle Diaries, and Alfonso Cuaron’s Y Tu Mama Tambien—he should really be big star by now) and Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, the upcoming Shutter Island). Sounds like a fairly intimate storyline: a husband (Bernal) travels to Thailand, and certain things occur that affect his wife (Williams) and family back home. The reviews are pretty mixed, though I expect the actors turn in strong work, as expected. Not a must-see, but another potentially interesting choice if shiny vampires don’t float your boat.

And that’s all we have for this weekend. Is anyone seeing Twilight? In all honesty, I’d love to hear from fans of the books/movies—do you genuinely enjoy the stories, or is it more along the lines of guilty pleasures? (both of which I can understand—zombie movies are sometimes amazing, though a majority of them will always be my instant embarassing-favorites).

And how about the other movies? Any of these look interesting?

I think I’m seeing Red Cliff in a few weeks with my friend, but, other than that, I’m probably using this weekend to finish my book (a definite future "On the Bookshelf") and catch up on some TV shows (which I hope to finally start blogging about next week)…and, of course, sit down to watch my brand-new Star Trek DVD!

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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"Clash of the Titans" teaser rocks!

- Posted by Rusty

Liam Neeson as a god? Terminator Salvation breakout Sam Worthington fighting mythological beats? Huge creatures, great British actors, and some crazy-looking action? This thing had me at “Liam Neeson as a god” (Zeus, for that matter!). I’m a sucker for Greek mythology, and this looks like the best stab at this material in years. It’s also a remake—I’ve never seen the original film, but I know it’s a beloved, cult-ish kind of property, especially famous for the effects work of creature-king Ray Harryhausen. [more thoughts after the jump]

But I love the look of this. This is one of my most anticipated movies of next year, and it looks like pure adrenaline—a zippy adventure with some awesome effects. Loosely based on the myth of Perseus (played here by Sam Worthington), a brave warrior who defeated Medusa, that snake-haired demon with a thing for turning men into stone (she makes a quick cameo in the beginning of the teaser, if you watch carefully), to rescue his love, Andromeda (Gemma Arterton, who’s going to have a very good year, with the double-whammy of this and Prince of Persia). It’s a myth ripe for some visual fun, and the story’s foundation is strong (and simple) enough to allow the filmmakers to add plenty of new details.

Mostly, though, I’m excited that this is from director/loveable-French-guy Louis Letterier. This is the man who made the insane (but very fun) Transporter 2 and the excellent, Edward Norton-starring The Incredible Hulk. I think he’s going to be a major force one day—his action scenes have a great kinetic kick to them, and he gets terrific performances from his actors (say what you will about Jason Statham, but that guy put in solid, subtle work as the world’s most dangerous, laws-of-physics-defying delivery man). By the way, if you ever get a chance, the guy's an absolute blast to listen to--his DVD commentary on The Incredible Hulk is entertaining with lots of great factoids, and his comments about Transporter 2 (and Jason Statham's big gay secret) are priceless.

Plus, I think this will be the movie to cement Sam Worthington as a superstar (if next month’s Avatar doesn’t do it first). This part should be a perfect fit, making good use of some of the cheer-worthy hero moments he got to show in Terminator.

What do you guys think of the teaser? Since the movie comes out in March, you can expect a much longer trailer in a few months.

And has anyone seen the original? Does it hold up, or do you think the story could use a tech-savvy update?

Trailer courtesy of Yahoo! Movies.
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Twilight... meet your maker!

In honor of New Moon coming out this weekend...

The way Twilight should've ended! Read more!

What's on the Menu (November 13 - 15)

- Posted by Rusty

This looks like a great weekend for movies—lots of choices, from the low-brow (but explosion-filled!) 2012 to some under-the-radar, very intriguing indies. Let’s see what we have…

1. “Pirate Radio” - This is high on my must-see list. From Richard Curtis, the British rom-com wizard who gave us some of my favorite movies, including Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Love Actually, comes this tribute to the rebellious and all-too-cool spirit of rock-and-roll in the late 60’s. Based on true events, this is the story of one American DJ (played by the great Philip Seymour Hoffman) and how he thwarted Britain’s ban on rock-and-roll by broadcasting from a ship just outside Britain’s jurisdiction lines. Thus, these guys were true pirates—colorful dudes who loved music, and embraced that spirit with a what-the-hell, screw-the-authorities attitude, and plenty of style. Check out the trailer below—it just looks like a great time. Curtis rarely fails in my book, and that cast is absolutely killer—joining Hoffman are a collection of loveable Brits, including the always-awesome Bill Nighy (back in rock-god territory after Love Actually), Nick Frost (Simon Pegg’s best friend in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), Rhys Ifans (Hugh Grant’s weirdo “flatmate” in Notting Hill), Emma Thompson, and Kenneth Branagh as the government official who wants to shut these guys down. I love movies like this, where a bunch of creative renegades face off against stuffy, boring rulemakers, and just the whole “stick it to the Man” mindset is infectious. Reviews are also good (if not necessarily strong), so I have a feeling it will be really enjoyable. If anything, the soundtrack should be sweet, and the nostalgic air for a crazy, beautiful musical generation might scratch a bit of Almost Famous territory (my pick for one of the best movies of all time, which starred, ironically enough, Philip Seymour Hoffman as a rock-music guru). If anyone sees this, let me know—I’m definitely catching it later, but I’m mighty curious to see how it all turns out.

2. “2012” - I can't wait to see this one. I spotlighted the trailer earlier, and while there are probably (scratch that…definitely!) better movies coming out this weekend, director Roland Emmerich’s (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) brand of cheesy, ridiculously-over-the-top world destruction is right up my alley. I love the cast (including John Cusack, Amanda Peet, and Woody Harrelson), and the visuals are jaw-dropping. In fact, the reviews aren’t even that bad—my hero Roger Ebert actually gave it 3 ½ stars out of a possible four. And, you know what, I’m not terribly surprised—Emmerich, the German maestro of things that go boom, is not exactly a quality filmmaker, but his movies (even 10,000 BC and Godzilla, his only truly bad movies) are always entertaining, usually striking just the right big-dumb-disaster-movie sweet spot. The actors seem game, and the plot (revolving around the Mayan prophecy of the world expiring in the title year) gives Emmerich plenty of wiggle room to put on the biggest and most creative apocalypse he’s ever done (and demolish brand-new cities!). Should be fun, though I hear it gets a bit long, and that the human characters don’t register as much as they should. Then again, Emmerich is the guy who made me care about Jake Gyllenhaal’s corny quest to win Emmy Rossum (and totally overlook that the rest of the population died!)—great characters aren’t his thing, but this group should be likeable enough for us to want to see them live until the end.

3. “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” - It’s a lovely, very funny trailer, and the reviews (in total spirit of the movie), are just fantastic all-around. Based on the book by kid-lit master Roald Dahl, the crafty Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) must outwit three evil real estate developers (all the nasty, stuffy British kind—not a good week for them, is it?). The voice cast is amazing (featuring Meryl Streep, and Wes Anderson regulars Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson), and it sounds like director Wes Anderson just hit it out of the park, with warmth and cleverness to spare. I like the stop-motion animation style (which seems purposefully rougher and less polished than what Tim Burton used in Corpse Bride), and this just strikes me as a good choice for either Anderson fans or those just wanting some good family entertainment. Hopefully, it won’t be appealing to just older audiences, and it will capture, much like Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the sharp, subtle humor and delightful imagination of Roald Dahl. It's in limited release for now, but, in case it's not playing near you, it will go wide next weekend.

4. “Dare” - Check out the trailer to this below. I’m not really sure what to make of it—it could be an interesting, kind of a hip and sexy teen movie…or just be trite and borderline silly. I like Emmy Rossum—she’s adorable, and really due for a movie that gets her some attention (so, yeah, hopefully no more Dragonballs and maybe something like another Phantom of the Opera in the future). This is a bit of new, edgy territory for her—among the things the trailer gives away, there’s a love triangle between her mousy high-schooler character, her best friend, and another boy (that rebellious, scruffy, leaning-mysteriously-against-the-wall kind), with all the maybe-risqué combinations that entails. The reviews are decent, and the supporting cast includes great performers like Sandra Bernhard and Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler in X2). Could be something low-key and different—it’s in very limited release, so it might be worth hunting down if it catches your eye (I’m probably going to wait for the DVD, though).

5. “The Messenger” - I’m a huge fan of Woody Herrelson (who just scored big with Zombieland), and Ben Foster (Angel in X-Men: The Last Stand) has been doing great character work for years now (especially in 3:10 to Yuma and 30 Days of Night). The two of them together is an intriguing combo, and, really, the entire movie sounds very worthwhile. Both of these guys are army messengers, charged with driving door-to-door to families and delivering the awful news that their children died on duty. It’s heart-wrenching subject matter, but, from the very good reviews, it sounds like it’s handled with genuine emotion, and anchored by exceptional performances from the two leads. Could this be a surprise Oscar nomination for Harrelson (that’d be #2 for him), as well as the first ever for Ben Foster? I certainly hope so. And, at the very least, the fact that Harrelson appears in both this, a sensitive, low-budget indie, and the huge, blockbuster blitz of 2012 in the same weekend shows he’s doing just fine in his career.

And that’s it for this weekend. I think there are a lot of cool new additions here. I’m seeing 2012 this weekend, but I’m hoping to catch Pirate Radio later in the week.

How about you guys? Are you thinking of catching any of these in theaters?

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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Trailer Time (Catch-Up Edition)

- Posted by Rusty

Think of this as my long-overdue catch-up. A bunch of trailers came out over the last few weeks, and here are some of the ones that caught my eye...

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox"

Based on a beloved book by Roald Dahl (the same genius who gave us Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda), this looks, well, pretty fantastic. I'm going to try to check out the book before this hits theaters, but, for now, I'm loving the low-tech look (especially in this day of overpriced, CG-animated cartoons, like Monsters vs. Aliens), and I'm a sucker for the stop-motion style in general (the kind seen in A Nightmare Before Christmas). The all-star voice cast (including Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, and Jason Schwartzman) seems game and perfectly at home in this oddball setting, and George Clooney, in particular, seems to bring just the right amount of suave, charm, and winking humor to the title role. This comes from the weird (but, to be fair, always interesting) mind of director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, Rushmore); I can't say I'm always a fan of his work, though his low-key quirk seems like a good fit for the clever world of Dahl. It might not be for little kids (much like Where the Wild Things Are), but I'm really looking forward to this. Could be some smart, very funny family entertainment. [more trailers after the jump]

"Season of the Witch"

I'm an unashamed fan of Nicolas Cage--he is and always will be one of our most watchable actors. He does Oscar-worthy roles (like Adaptation and Moonstruck) with aplomb and confidence, but no other actor attacks bad material (ie, The Wicker Man, Next, Snake Eyes, and many, many more) with as much over-the-top craziness and enthusiasm as Cage...and, really, that's what makes his awful choices like Ghost Rider fun to watch. I dig the guy a lot, and Con Air will always be one of my all-time, stupid-movie favorites (could anyone else do that bizzare, bunny-obsessed, Elvis-accented hero like Cage?). So, I reckon this next film will fit comfortably with Next and Ghost Rider--utterly ridiculous, but entertaining all the same. Taking place in the Black Plague-scorched Middle Ages, a few knights (Cage included) must transport a supposed witch out of the kingdom. This teaser doesn't reveal much (it barely even lets Cage talk--can't wait to hear that accent!), and the fact that this comes from the director of Gone in Sixty Seconds doesn't bode too well. My hopes aren't high at all, but, you know what, could be an amusing (or so-bad-it's-good) diversion before one of my most anticipated 2010 films, Clash of the Titans (whose awesome trailer I'll spotlight in just a little bit), hits theaters a month later.

"Date Night"

I liked this trailer much more than I thought I would. Building off of a hopefully fun mistaken-identity plot, a bored married couple (Steve Carrell and Tina Fey) spend their first real date in years outrunning a band of criminals trying to kill them. The cast is chock-full of great people, including Common, and the not-shown Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Mark Ruffalo, and Gossip Girl's scene-stealer, Leighton Meester. Carell and Tina Fey are funny by default, but I liked seeing Mark Whalberg in probably his first full-on playful role since I Heart Huckabees (he also has a comedy with Will Ferrell coming out next year), as well as James Franco and Mila Kunis (who already proved they're hilarious together). I think it's going to be silly and probably pretty forgettable, but I'll see this just to watch these guys bounce off one another; at the very least, Steve Carell and Tina Fey, two of the funniest people alive, are inspired casting as a bickering couple. This comes from Shawn Levy (who gave us the similarly star-filled Night at the Museum movies)--he's not a strong director, though I'm hoping the script is decent enough (and the improvisation plenty) to make this as good of a time as the trailer suggests.

What do you guys think of these trailers? Anything that looks interesting?

Clips courtesy of Apple and Trailer Addict.
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“Prince of Persia” trailer hits!

- Posted by Rusty



Check out the first teaser from Disney’s upcoming blockbuster above. I really like this preview. More than anything, this looks BIG. Like epic-adventure, huge-battle-between-good-and-evil BIG. Exactly as it should be. We have sweeping deserts, swordfights, jumping acrobatics between buildings, collapsing temples…and, oh, yeah, some magical gizmo called the Sands of Time, a dagger which allows one to control time, and which Jake Gyllenhaal must stop Ben Kingley’s evil vizier (is there another kind? Have we learned nothing from Jafar??) from possessing [more thoughts after the jump].

My friend is a huge fan of the games this is based on. Judging by what he told me, there is a ton of story potential here, and it’s especially reassuring to see that Prince of Persia mastermind/creator Jordan Mechner co-wrote the script. This is honestly great material. I’m always up for some escapist swashbuckling, especially in a cool ancient setting. Plus, this one looks like it takes a few good tips from Pirates of the Caribbean (no surprise, since they’re both from producer Jerry Bruckheimer)—we get plenty of humor, some cool-looking action, Jake Gyllenhaal’s rascally hero (he won’t be Captain Jack Sparrow, but good to see that he’s not brave-and-boring, like poor Orlando Bloom) and a cute, feisty female lead in Gemma Arterton (with a strong Elizabeth Swann-vibe). The visuals are gorgeous too, and I like the nifty special effects for the Sands of Time Dagger—a very cool way to show its powers. Disney obviously wants a franchise with this one, and, by all means, if this preview is an indication, we could be in for something that’s just pure enjoyment and excitement—there really aren’t enough of those types of movies.

As for Jake Gyllenhaal, it’s a weird bit of casting (an American Jewish guy is not the first thing that pops into your head when you think of a prince of Persia), and it probably would’ve been better to find an unknown, one more fitting for the role, and make it a true discovery for audiences (like Keira Knightley was in Pirates). But Gyllenhaal should be more than up to the task, and I think he’ll make a fine adventure hero. He’s a strong actor, charismatic as hell, and, to his credit, he looks remarkably like the prince from the game cover. I like his impish charm in this trailer, and he looks perfectly believable in the big action sequences.

I doubt this will reach Pirates-like brilliance…but I’m looking forward to this one all the same. If anything, this might just hold the honor of being the first genuinely good video-game movie. I like the Resident Evil films as guilty pleasures (and loved the awful John Leguizamo-Bob Hoskins Super Mario Bros. as a kid), but, up until now, every attempt to turn a game into a film has pretty much failed—we get all the noise and action, but rarely a decent story from the concept. Here’s hoping the Prince can work his magic and break that mold…and set a good precedent for Bioshock, my other hugely-anticipated video-game movie in 2010.

So, how about you guys—did you like the trailer? Are you excited to see it come next May? And do you think Gyllenhaal will make a good hero to follow through a series of Prince of Persia films?

And for a bonus, check out this interview below with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the movie. I respect Bruckheimer a great deal—though his track record is sometimes spotty, he’s a savvy producer with an amazing eye for talent (he supported Johhny Depp’s wacky take on Jack Sparrow when Disney suits were getting worried), and a smooth ability to make hugely entertaining movies, often ones that shouldn’t work at all (ah, Con Air, how much I love you, despite your stupidity…). That said, this interview is hilarious for one reason: just listen about 1 minute in to Bruckheimer’s reasons (especially their order) of why he thinks Gyllenhaal is a good choice for the lead…



Completely harmless, and probably just spoken without thought…but I love that “He’s in fantastic shape” goes before “he’s a great young actor”...

Image courtesy of Ubisoft.
Clip courtesy of Yahoo! Movies.

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What's on the Menu (November 6 - 8)

- Posted by Rusty

There are some potentially good choices this weekend, from Clooney killing goats…with his mind (!) to Jim Carrey taking on eight roles in Victorian London. There’s also one festival darling that should shake up the upcoming Oscars. Let’s break down the new releases…


1. “The Men Who Stare at Goats” - I’m really looking forward to this. Clooney’s great fun when he cuts loose (ie, O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and the premise—that the U.S. government had a secret branch for psychic warriors (each loonier than the next)—is ripe for some clever entertainment. Based on a supposedly true story, Ewan McGregor’s journalist tracks George Clooney’s ace, “reactivated” soldier and his ragtag group of colleagues, including the great Kevin Spacey and a hippie-fied Jeff Bridges. The trailer (check it out below) has plenty of laughs, and it looks like the whole movie will be an enjoyable (and semi-true!) romp. Oh, and love that goat—one of my favorite sequences from any trailer this year…and an awesome bit of advertising.

P.S. Anyone else love that George Clooney calls himself a “Jedi” to Ewan McGregor?! Obi-Wan Kenobi could totally use the Force on that goat…

2. “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” - This is riding mountains of buzz from the festival circuit, getting praise for its sensitive handling of the subject matter, and nothing but raves for star Mo’Nique’s role as a vicious monster of a mother. I don’t know much about the story, but in broad strokes, it looks like the journey of an overweight, barely schooled pregnant teen, and how she hopes to turn her life around (and escape the mental and physical abuse of her mother) with a new school. Then again, I hear that summary barely does the story justice—the beats may be familiar, but apparently the performances and writing are so strong, they lift this thing from after-school-special territory. The reviews are enthusiastic across the board, and this looks to be a powerful, moving portrait of abuse and coming-of-age in a fractured home. I can’t say this is the type of movie I’d rush out to see, but, if the word of mouth is any indication, it could be necessary viewing at some point. It’s already causing Oscar talk, so we might hear a lot more about this one as we move closer to the Academy Awards.

3. “The Fourth Kind” - On the heels of the smash Paranormal Activity (which is already one of the most—if not the most—profitable movies of all time), comes another chiller supposedly inspired by true events. Resident Evil leading lady (and fellow Ukranian!) Milla Jovovich stars as a psychologist investigating a series of disappearances in a small Alaskan town. According to the trailer, this town has seen more disappearances than any place in the world—could it be the work of alien abductions, the so-called Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind? I love alien movies, especially those wrapped around some sort of historical mysteries (like Roswell, New Mexico stories) or intelligent plotting (like Contact, one of my all-time favorites). However, I’m just not itching to see this one. I like Jovovich (who’s a much better actress than people give her credit for), and the trailer is actually pretty ingenious—Jovovich tells us point-blank that she’s an actress playing a real person, and we can see that the film will be a combination of re-enactments and actual case studies footage. Still, I have a feeling it will be disappointing and, most likely, a speculative, unexciting would-be horror film (the predominantly negative reviews don’t help either). It might be worth catching on DVD; for now, though, I can live without seeing it.

4. “A Christmas Carol” - I think director Robert Zemeckis, coming off the so-so reception of Beowulf (a decent movie, but one that should have been a lot better), has finally found a sure thing for his beloved motion-capture process (that hazy middle ground between computer animation and live-action, where actors don’t just voice, but act out the entire movie). Dickens’ novel was the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, despicable, selfish old man who hates that disgusting, so-called warmth and good feelings of Christmas (his preferred way to spend the holiday: alone in his dark room…eating gruel—love that imagery!). But, of course, three spirits come along and take Scrooge on a reflective journey throughout his life, helping him understand why he turned out so hateful, and igniting his long-dormant sense of love. It’s a beautiful book, and from what I hear, Zemeckis’ version is among the most faithful to Dickens’ original work, going so far as to include dialogue verbatim from the text.

The trailer below has a bouncy spirit—good doses of both humor and heart, and it wonderfully captures the story’s ghoulish elements, particularly those creeping ghosts, creaky noises, and looming shadows that slowly haunt Ebenezer Scrooge. Victorian London is also gorgeously reconstructed, and in Jim Carrey, I think Zemeckis found an actor who could do justice to the limitless range offered by motion-capture (Carrey, a very underrated dramatic performer, plays about eight roles in this film). True, while we’ve seen dozens of version of this story, I think the fine cast (including Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth, and Gary Oldman in a few roles himself), the impressive special effects, and the always-infectious helping of Christmas spirit should make this one a big hit.

Here’s hoping the fancy 3D effects don’t overshadow the story (like a lot of the mixed reviews suggest), and keep the movie closer in tone to the redemptive and cooly-creepy narrative that made this one a favorite for years (like Roger Ebert raves about, in his 4-star perfect review).

5. “The Box” - If anything, this film has a fantastic set-up. Based on a short story by sci-fi legend Richard Matheson (who also wrote I Am Legend), a couple (Enchanted's James Marsden and Cameron Diaz) receive the title box on their doorstep, a mysterious object with one big red button. Along comes the equally enigmatic Frank Langella (Nixon in last year’s excellent Frost/Nixon), a stranger who offers a tantalizing deal: if they push the button, they’ll receive $1 million. But here’s the catch: when they do, someone they don’t know will die. What do you think happens?

I love the moral dilemma, and the original short story is supposed to be just brilliant, complete with a simple, chilling hook of an ending that gives new light to the whole narrative. Judging by the so-so to negative reviews, the problem is not with the source material—it looks like the films falls apart in the second two acts, when Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly veers off into original territory, particularly the reveals of huge NASA conspiracies and the box’s mysterious origins. Kelly is an interesting filmmaker, though, and I really want to see what he does with The Box. More than anything, it’s his chance to prove himself as a storyteller, taking material from a respected writer like Matheson and building on it with his own ideas.

I’m hoping the reviews are off-base, and I’ll end up liking it anyway…but I get the sad feeling this will be a big missed opportunity.

And that’s it for this weekend. Do you guys think anything looks good among the new releases?

I’m surprised by how much I want to see A Christmas Carol, though I have a weakness for warm-hearted Christmas movies (even in November…the week after Halloween!). I’m seeing The Men Who Stare at Goats this weekend too, and I’m hoping it will live up to its very amusing concept and trailers.

What do you guys want to catch this weekend?

Images courtesy of Overture Films, Lionsgate, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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News Bites: A “Roger Rabbit” sequel? Yes, please!

- Posted by Rusty

Source: MTV
(Found via Cinematical)

Do you guys remember Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Man, did I love that movie as a kid—back then, just the combination of real people interacting with cartoon characters was the coolest thing in the world. Or the fact that there was a place called "Toontown"? How could you not root for Bob Hoskins’ noir-ish private eye to stop Christopher Lloyd’s dastardly plan to destroy it?? [more thoughts and cool news after the jump]

What a brilliant movie. Better yet, once you grow out of the “wow” phase, you’ll notice that the script is genius. A wickedly clever mash-up of Hollywood history, pure, loony, cartoon goodness, and an old-school detective story. Fun for kids; especially fun for grown-ups. It’s that rare movie that makes an impact regardless of age or your love of cartoons.

So, is a sequel really a good idea?

Well, it could be…and the geek in me is dying for another trip to Toontown. So here’s what we know: original director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future trilogy, Cast Away, this weekend’s new A Christmas Carol) is developing it, and the original screenwriting team is already back to work hammering out the story. That’s a good sign all-around—it looks like they’re serious about making it good, and preserving the magic of the original in whatever way they can. Well, as they should—those are some might mighty big shoes to follow.

Now here’s the rub: Zemeckis wants to employ his current M.O.: motion-capture, the middle ground between live-action and animation that we’ve seen in his past two films, Beowulf and The Polar Express. I’m not the biggest supporter of this; I think the results don’t yet justify the means and expense (especially since James Cameron’s Avatar, which uses the same technique, looks miles ahead of the stuff in A Christmas Carol and Beowulf). I’d really hate it if Roger Rabbit 2 turned into another exercise of pushing motion-capture further.

But…then again, what if the motion-capture element is part of the story? Now that’s something completely different…and a mighty interesting possibility for the world of Roger Rabbit. The first film was a savvy look at toons (those animated cartoon characters who lived alongside us humans) working in Hollywood. “Black-and-white” ones were unemployed and obsolete (color was just too in-demand), while even the “color” ones like Roger and his dangerously curvy wife, Jessica Rabbit, weren’t exactly sure things either. Well, what if motion-capture characters are introduced as part of the plot? What if that technique threatens the existence of regular, two-dimensional toons? Very, very intriguing.

Despite my indifference to his last few movies, Zemeckis is a smart filmmaker, and has a boyish, creative imagination that’s right up there with his old friend Steven Spielberg (who, not coincidentally, was his producer in the beginning). He would know not to tamper with the look and style of what made Roger Rabbit a masterpiece, and I think he’s clever enough to work his beloved motion-capture as a natural part of the story. Reading between the lines of his below interview with MTV, I think that’s exactly what he’s getting at.

Now that I can totally get behind. Update the timeframe of the original, bring in a smart new angle, and—as long as Bob Hoskins and Roger Rabbit (voiced by the amazing Charles Fleischer), along with the whole wonderful 2-D Disney-WB-MGM, etc cartoon universe, come back—I couldn’t be more for this.

Can’t wait to see how this develops. Check out Zemeckis’ full interview embedded below.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

What do you guys think? Would you be up for one more journey to old Hollywood and Toontown? Or does this just run the risk of ruining a classic?

And what do you think of Zemeckis’ current run of motion-capture films—does the “uncanny valley” bridge between animation and live-action bother you? I think it has incredible possibilities—each film is a step forward (and I haven’t seen A Christmas Carol yet, so I can’t quite judge), so I guess we’ll just have to see how it evolves.

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
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News Bites: Action-Movie Heaven!

- Posted by Rusty

The Expendables - Trailer
by flogoo

That's the trailer for next year's The Expendables, and just look at the roster of people here: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lungren (Rocky IV reunion!), Jet Li (who finally gets to do more than his usual silent badass-glaring), Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, and, although the trailer doesn’t show it, expect some cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger (more about that here)! That may just be the best group of cinematic tough-guys ever assembled. Looks silly? Yep. Over-the-top and ridiculous? Hands down. But fun, in that cheesy, '80's, few-dudes-take-down-armies-of-bad-guys way? You bet. Plus, Stallone wrote and directed this, and he’s actually quite an underrated filmmaker—just look how he brought the Rocky franchise back to glory with Rocky Balboa.

Check out that trailer above—you get lots of one-liners and explosions, and Statham (my favorite current action hero) looks like he’s relishing sharing the screen with a legend like Stallone (himself looking relaxed and very funny in kicking-ass home territory). The story’s as simple as can be: the Expendables are a group of mercenaries led by Stallone, and they’re sent to South America to dispatch some evil dictator. Cue the fistfights and streams of bullets, and expect piles of anonymous dead bad guys (who still haven't learned to shoot at the heroes, instead of around them). Definitely a must-see for me—this macho-guys-on-a-mission movie will hit theaters in August of 2010.

What do you guys think of the trailer? It won’t win any Oscars…but it looks like a big, loud, old-fashioned good time at the theater. [end of post] Read more!