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!

News Bites: "Men in Black III"?

- Posted by Rusty


Source: The Hollywood Reporter
(Found via HitFix)

Yep, Men in Black III may actually be happening. I heard rumors about this a few months ago, though nothing conclusive; well, now, Sony hired Tropic Thunder writer Etan Cohen (who also wrote the hilarious Idiocracy, and an upcoming Sherlock Holmes comedy with Will Ferrell as Watson and Sacha Baron Cohen as Holmes). Good news? Maybe. I loved the original as a kid, and, like many, was pretty disappointed with the sequel (Will Smith even said that the film was a letdown). Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones aren’t signed to return yet, but they might if the script is good enough. Could be something worthwhile here; let’s see how this develops. I’d love a good MiB sequel, one that recaptures the smart and very hip humor of the first one.

Actually, for an embarrassing factoid, my 7th grade English teacher made us write (and justify! With lots of adjectives!) which sequel we’d most like to see. I chose Men in Black—I loved that world, and the possibilities for more good stories seemed endless. If they get the cast back, and hammer out a strong script, this might just take the series out on a good note.

What do you guys think? Up for more adventures with J and K, or should they just let this series die? And could Will Smith still make “this look good”, or use that “midget cricket” to blast away some alien scum?

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures. [end of post] Read more!

What's on the Menu (October 30 - November 1)

- Posted by Rusty

Talk about a quiet Halloween weekend. With not one scary movie in sight, all we have is a long-delayed sequel, a tiny indie, and a tribute to a musical icon. Let’s break them down…


1. “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints’ Day” - I always called the original Boondock Saints Tarantino-lite—I wasn’t crazy about it, but it had a bunch of great moments, and actually a pretty fun concept. You had your Irish vigilantes, a cross-dressing Willem Defoe, and the great comedian Billy Connelly as a long-haired, uber-assassin in some zany, inventive action sequences. Not the smartest (or wittiest) crime movie (nothing near my favorites like Snatch or Pulp Fiction), though certainly an enjoyable one. And, man, does this thing have its followers. I think the original was one of the biggest cult hits ever, and I saw tons of people with Boondock Saints posters on their dorm walls. So, for all the fans, the long-promised sequel should be right up your alley. The reviews aren’t strong (much like the first one), though word from the fans who caught early screenings is ecstatic. This new movie finds the McManus brothers, those likeable Irish bad-guy slayers, returning to Boston to find the person framing them for murder. Could be a fun ride, and it’ll definitely be a treat to watch the entire original cast (save for Willem Defoe) return. It’s playing only in the big cities for now, but it should expand in a few weeks time.

2. “Michael Jackson’s ‘This is It’” - I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one part, it might be a fitting tribute; you’ll get to see the King of Pop in his element, prepping his huge comeback show, though one that was sadly not to be. On the other, this reeks of a cash ploy, especially since this behind-the-scenes footage was never meant to be a movie, and was hastily put together and rushed to theaters following Jackson’s death. It probably won’t be a great (or insightful) film; then again, fans might not care, and the reviews are actually pretty strong (my idol, Roger Ebert, gave it the maximum rating of 4 stars). Plus, from what I hear, the peeks inside the creative process are interesting, and it’s good to see Jackson as the talented artist, and not as the man with headline-grabbing issues. Might be worth checking out, especially if you’re an admirer and want to catch Jackson’s final stage hurrah.

3. “Gentlemen Broncos” - I know next to nothing about this movie, save that it’s from the Napoleon Dynamite team, it stars Flight of the Concords’ hilarious Jemaine Clement, and it has a cameo from one of my favorite actors, Sam Rockwell. I like the concept too: Jemaine Clement is a failed sci-fi writer who finally gets some attention…by plagiarizing the stories from his student (played by the talented Michael Angarano, from Sky High, The Forbidden Kingdom, and who was Jack’s son on Will & Grace). I didn’t really like Napoleon Dynamite, though I kind of dug director Jared Hess’ next film, Nacho Libre; still, his brand of low-key humor doesn’t always work, and from the mostly poor reviews, I’m not really itching to see this. Then again, people loved Napoleon Dynamite and hated Nacho Libre, so who knows? It might not be for me, but it could turn out to be another under-the-radar crowd-pleaser.

And that’s all we have for this Halloween weekend. Are you guys going to see one of the new releases, or planning to catch up on something older (like Where the Wild Things Are, the awesome Zombieland, or the cool-looking chiller, Paranormal Activity)?

Me? I think I’ll (finally!) catch the Toy Story double feature and hopefully check out Paranormal Activity as well. After all, last year, I watched Shaun of the Dead for Halloween—can’t break the scary-movie tradition now, right?

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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News Bites: Full-length “Avatar” trailer now online!

Check this out below. You won’t be sorry…

Wow. On a visual level alone, Avatar looks to be something amazing—a true movie-going experience, something that we haven’t had in quite some time... [more thoughts after the jump]

I like that the Na’vi, those blue, cat-like creatures on the gorgeous planet of Pandora look like real things. Real, breathing creatures that seem to occupy space and interact believably with the human characters. And just look at those surroundings, with the forest beasts, flying dragon-things, the floating mountains, and the poppy, stoner-ific colors. For special-effects, this looks to be one for the books.

This is also our first real glimpse into the story. We saw 20 minutes of footage at Comic-Con—beautiful stuff, but we barely got a sense of what the rest of the movie will bring. This gives us a better idea. Sam Worthington is sent undercover (using his “avatar,” a special, psychically-connected being made form Na’vi and human DNA) to infiltrate the primitive lands, and help the “good guys” get what they want, in this case being rare natural resources. I think we know where this story will go—Worthington will have a change of heart, he’ll see the beauty of the uncorrupted, indigenous aliens, and fight back against that greedy human military. We’ve seen variations on this before, and, minus the totally original setting, I doubt this one will break new ground in terms of story beats.

Still, Cameron could deliver something worthwhile here. He’s never been the most original storyteller, but he’s a master of details—for good characters, the right emotional balance, actions sequences that actually resonate (this is the same guy that made Terminator 2 have a heart—he’s a real talent when he’s in his element). I’m hoping Avatar will compensate for familiarity with those Cameron trademarks. Impossible to tell now, but this 3 ½ minute trailer is one whopper of a preview. If it fails, it’ll be one of the most good-looking weak movies ever. If it reaches Lord of the Rings-like epic brilliance? Well, consider us lucky viewers then.

What do you guys think? Does this make you want to see Avatar (which comes out in IMAX 3D glory December 18th) any more or less?

Trailer courtesy of Yahoo! Movies.
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News Bites: “Mad Max 4” is Official

- Posted by Rusty


Source: Variety
(Found via HitFix)

Any Mad Max fans out there? Honestly, I watched The Road Warrior (the American-re-titled Mad Max 2), and while I appreciated it as a well-made action movie, it just didn’t do it for me. One of these days, I’ll finally catch the original Mad Max and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and get a more complete opinion of the trilogy. For all you fans, though, you might be happy to know that original director George Miller (who went on to make Babe and Happy Feet. Kind of a 180 from post-apocalyptic, hard-edged, nihilistic action epics, huh?) is gearing up the long-discussed sequel, Mad Max: Fury Road.

The Mad Max films were about the titled loner, an armed drifter in the near future trying to survive in a wasteland Australia (he was actually once a good cop who watched his family get murdered by savages). I’m not too good on the other details, so if anyone else knows more, pipe in in the comments. I liked that iconography, though—the one, leather-clad Man-with-Nothing-to-Lose, fighting for some minuscule bit of order amidst absolute chaos. Gibson was very good in this, and that paved his way to superstardom with the later, somewhat similar role of Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon.

As for this new film, details are a bit scarce. Charlize Theron will be the lead female role, and British actor Tom Hardy (I know him best as Handsome Bob in Rock ‘n’ Rolla) will take on the supercharged futuristic muscle cars. So, is he replacing Mel Gibson as Max? Hard to tell at this point…although I’m guessing not. I think Hardy will be some sort of disciple, the similarly badass character (probably with his own leather jacket and convenient shotgun) who takes over the franchise, just like Shia LaBoeuf, who’s definitely being groomed to take the Indiana Jones mantle. Gibson probably won’t have a major role, but I could see him stopping by to pass on the torch and bid farewell to his star-making character.

I can’t say I’m excited about this, though I’m pretty intrigued. If anything, it makes me want to rewatch The Road Warrior, along with the other Mad Max films, just to see what I think now as opposed to 6 years ago.

What do you guys think? Looking forward to one more trip to hell-on-Earth Australia?

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
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News Bites: Joe Wright and Keira Knightley team up for new “My Fair Lady”!

-Posted by Rusty


Source: The Telegraph
(Found via Cinematical)

What a great time for My Fair Lady fans. First, we got a lovely rendition of “I Could Have Danced All Night” on Glee (a surprisingly awesome show that I’m trying to hook all my friends on), and now comes word that the long-discussed remake is closer than ever! I went on in a long, long spiel about my love for Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw’s original play that inspired the musical. And while we already have a My Fair Lady movie (featuring the immortal Audrey Hepburn and the brilliant Rex Harrison), news broke today that Pride & Prejudice and Atonement helmer Joe Wright will direct the new project, with his leading lady Keira Knightley in the title role...

Very, very cool news. I thought Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice was one of the best literary adaptations ever made—perfectly capturing the spirit of the novel, yet having a voice and personality of its own. He has a knack for sweeping visuals, and, while Atonement was problematic, the performances and dramatic moments were just beautifully done. And he obviously works great with Knightley; two of her absolute best performances were under his direction, and Eliza Doolittle should be no different. Plus, on top of all that, the remake’s screenplay will be from my one of my favorite actresses (and a damn good writer herself), Emma Thompson. Thompson always struck me as a witty, intelligent performer (she also did an uncredited rewrite of Wright’s Pride & Prejudice)—she could do wonders with Shaw’s endlessly quotable dialogue.

I like the idea of a remake on this material. Yes, the Audrey Hepburn movie is very good…but there is a lot to improve upon. The stage show is one of the most enjoyable, vibrant experiences I’ve ever seen, and a new movie (especially under the talented eye of someone like Wright) could finally do that justice. And, really, I’m always up for re-interpretations as long as the creative minds bring something new to the table. My Fair Lady has been on the stage for years, going through dozens (if not hundreds) of alterations in casting, staging, etc. Subtle differences could change the whole experience, often in interesting ways—I’m banking this version of the musical will bring back the wit and energy that somehow got lost in the lavish 1964 movie.

Oh, and for a final tantalizing bit of news: though it’s not 100% official yet, Daniel Craig is circling the role of Henry Higgins, that arch, stuffy, pompous, insufferable, hugely entertaining Professor who transforms Eliza…and, of course, captures her heart—and his own—in the process. Craig is an enormous talent, and if you ever catch any of his interviews, he’s got a sharp sense of humor that could be perfectly applied here. It’s an interesting choice, and one I’m all the more curious to see play out on screen (the picture to the right gives us a good glimpse of his more dapper, playful side).

I’ll keep an eye on this as it develops further. For now, I’m psyched to see Wright and Knightley reteam, and all the more excited to see Pygmalion brought back to the screen with such giant talent behind it. Knightley should make a wonderful Eliza Bennet (her natural spark and feistiness is a perfect fit for both the Cockney flower girl and the Duchess-with-a-brain), and the fact that Craig is being considered goes to show that the filmmakers are looking for a worthy verbal opponent to her. After all, minus the great songs, the play almost works like a great, classic duel of wits. Can't wait to hear if it still rains on that bloody plane in Spain...

How about you guys? Excited at all for a new take on this material? Think Knightley will make a good fit for the iconic big shoes of Audrey Hepburn (let alone the singing powerhouse, Julie Andrews, who originated the role)? And how do you feel about Daniel Craig trading in killing people and badass-world-extravaganzas for some funny, high-profile singing?

And, to cap this off, here’s a bonus video from last week’s Glee. This is my favorite song from My Fair Lady, and it just goes to show how charming a new take could be…



Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
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