Wednesday
I.O.U.S.A.
Mayfair
Friday
Trouble the Water
Nominated for Best Documentary, about Hurricane Katrina. Bytowne.
Gomorrah
About the Sicilian Mafia. Bytowne.
Rip: The Remix Manifesto
Mayfair.
12 Rounds
Starring WWE’s John Cena. You’ve now been warned. Everywhere.
Monsters vs. Aliens
In IMAX 3D, no less. Silvercity (IMAX); Everywhere (regular).
Haunting in Connecticut
Everywhere.
Crossing Over
The long delayed Harrison Ford film about illegal immigration and the Us-Mexican border. Don't go if you're looking for Sean Penn, however; his role was cut out in editing. World Exchange
Saturday
Anthropophagous
Midnight at the Mayfair. Free for members.
Sunday
The Deer Hunter
Mayfair’s month of epic matinees concludes with the first major film about the Vietnam war, the 1978 best picture winner. Starring Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken (in his Oscar-winning role), John Savage, Meryl Streep, and John Cazale in his final role (he died just after shooting ended).
Monday
Alien
Ridley Scott’s director’s cut. Bytowne.
There is also, at the Canadian Film Institute on Wellington St., the 2009 Latin American Film Festival, which runs from this Friday, March 27th, 2009, until Sunday, April 5th. There are two many films to list here, so please go to:
http://www.cfi-icf.ca/index.php?option=com_cfi&task=showevent&id=21
Lots of good stuff going on.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Future Film Round-up
- Robin Hood news: Scott Grimes (ER, Band of Brothers) will play Will Scarlett, and Thunder Bay’s own Kevin Durand (played the bad ass mercenary last season on Lost) will play Little John. The film will be release in May of 2010, ten years to the month that Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe put out Gladiator.
- Sony and Marvel have announced some release dates:
Iron Man 2: May 7th, 2010
Thor: May 20th, 2011
Captain America: July 22nd, 2011
Avengers: May 4th, 2012
- Speaking of Iron Man, Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson have both now officially been cast.
- Joe Wright (Atonement) will direct Indian Summer, about the dying days of British colonialism in India.
- Stone Cold Steve Austin has been cast in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables
- Warner Bros. is making a new movie version of Stephen King’s novel It.
- Producer Dino De Laurentiis has announced that he is bringing MacGyver to the big screen.
- We’re still more than 3 months away from the release of Transformers 2, and Paramount has announced that Transformers 3 will be released on my 30th birthday, July 1st, 2011. If I’m 30, does that make me too old to be seeing Transformers movies?
- The Coen brothers will next be doing a remake of the John Wayne classic True Grit.
- Sony and Marvel have announced some release dates:
Iron Man 2: May 7th, 2010
Thor: May 20th, 2011
Captain America: July 22nd, 2011
Avengers: May 4th, 2012
- Speaking of Iron Man, Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson have both now officially been cast.
- Joe Wright (Atonement) will direct Indian Summer, about the dying days of British colonialism in India.
- Stone Cold Steve Austin has been cast in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables
- Warner Bros. is making a new movie version of Stephen King’s novel It.
- Producer Dino De Laurentiis has announced that he is bringing MacGyver to the big screen.
- We’re still more than 3 months away from the release of Transformers 2, and Paramount has announced that Transformers 3 will be released on my 30th birthday, July 1st, 2011. If I’m 30, does that make me too old to be seeing Transformers movies?
- The Coen brothers will next be doing a remake of the John Wayne classic True Grit.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Upcoming movies in the next week
Wednesday
Schrader’s Exorcism
Wednesday and Thursday at the Mayfair is this documentary of Paul Schrader’s extreme difficulty of bringing his Exorcist prequel to the screen (or not bringing it, as it were). Followed each night by one of Schrader’s earlier writing efforts.
Taxi Driver
Directed by Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, this classic has Robert De Niro driving around New York City looking to clean up the filth. Violently, if necessary.
Thursday
Raging Bull
Also directed by Scorsese and written by Schrader and starring De Niro, the story of boxer Jake LeMotta.
Friday
Duplicity
From the director of Michael Clayton, this movie has Julia Roberts and Clive Owen playing rival spies who team up to con two multinationals out of millions of dollars.
I Love You, Man
The rise of the bromance film, this one has Paul Rudd recruiting Jason Segel to be his Best Man.
Knowing
Nicholas Cage plays a father whose son finds a piece of paper in a time capsule that contaisn the dates and body counts of every major world disaster in the last 50 years … plus a whole bunch more. Cage must therefore save the world.
Labyrinth
For March break, the Mayfair is playing the classic, with creatures by Jim Henson … except David Bowie, Jim Henson couldn’t have thought of him.
Riki-Oh
From IMDB: A young man with superhuman strength is incarcerated at a prison run by corrupt officials and seeks to use his martial arts to clean up the system.
At the Mayfair.
Saturday
This Saturday, at the Mayfair, two action movies directed by Tony Scott and starring Tom Cruise. One in a jet, one in a racecar. The same movie.
Top Gun
Days of Thunder
Sunday
Examined Life
Did you skip 1st year philosophy too much? Fear not.
At the Bytowne
2001: A Space Odyssey
One of my favorite films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s space epic plays Sunday at the Mayfair.
Monday
Amores Perros
Alejandro Innaritu’s debut hyperlink film plays Monday night at the Bytowne.
Tuesday
The International (Beynelmilel)
About Turkish musicians during the 1980s. Part of the Turkish Film Festival at the Bytowne.
The Usual Suspects
In a double with Valkyrie is Bryan Singer’s crime classic where nothing and nobody is what it seems.
Schrader’s Exorcism
Wednesday and Thursday at the Mayfair is this documentary of Paul Schrader’s extreme difficulty of bringing his Exorcist prequel to the screen (or not bringing it, as it were). Followed each night by one of Schrader’s earlier writing efforts.
Taxi Driver
Directed by Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, this classic has Robert De Niro driving around New York City looking to clean up the filth. Violently, if necessary.
Thursday
Raging Bull
Also directed by Scorsese and written by Schrader and starring De Niro, the story of boxer Jake LeMotta.
Friday
Duplicity
From the director of Michael Clayton, this movie has Julia Roberts and Clive Owen playing rival spies who team up to con two multinationals out of millions of dollars.
I Love You, Man
The rise of the bromance film, this one has Paul Rudd recruiting Jason Segel to be his Best Man.
Knowing
Nicholas Cage plays a father whose son finds a piece of paper in a time capsule that contaisn the dates and body counts of every major world disaster in the last 50 years … plus a whole bunch more. Cage must therefore save the world.
Labyrinth
For March break, the Mayfair is playing the classic, with creatures by Jim Henson … except David Bowie, Jim Henson couldn’t have thought of him.
Riki-Oh
From IMDB: A young man with superhuman strength is incarcerated at a prison run by corrupt officials and seeks to use his martial arts to clean up the system.
At the Mayfair.
Saturday
This Saturday, at the Mayfair, two action movies directed by Tony Scott and starring Tom Cruise. One in a jet, one in a racecar. The same movie.
Top Gun
Days of Thunder
Sunday
Examined Life
Did you skip 1st year philosophy too much? Fear not.
At the Bytowne
2001: A Space Odyssey
One of my favorite films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s space epic plays Sunday at the Mayfair.
Monday
Amores Perros
Alejandro Innaritu’s debut hyperlink film plays Monday night at the Bytowne.
Tuesday
The International (Beynelmilel)
About Turkish musicians during the 1980s. Part of the Turkish Film Festival at the Bytowne.
The Usual Suspects
In a double with Valkyrie is Bryan Singer’s crime classic where nothing and nobody is what it seems.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
No Prisoners!
Lawrence of Arabia
1962. dir. David Lean. 3 hours 39 minutes.
Starring Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guiness, Jack Hawkins, Jose Ferrer.
The month of epics continued on Sunday with Lawrence of Arabia, which Paddy and I saw Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair. The film is the story of T.E.. Lawrence, a British officer assigned to Arabia who helps the Arabs overcome and defeat the Turks during World War I. Lawrence won the respect of the Arabs by leading them through vast deserts that were believed to be uncrossable, and by uniting different Arab tribes against a common enemy, something that may have been a mistake in hindsight.
Lawrence of Arabia is based upon the memoirs of T.E. Lawrence himself, and a later book, written after Lawrence’s death, shows that those memoirs were somewhat exaggerated. That seems likely from watching the film, which is almost entirely about the man’s deeds, but very little about his motivation. Still, it is the kind of film that is only concerned about deeds, and they are dramatized excitingly. The film has an epic scope that few films have match, before or since, and some of the shots, such as Omar Sharif’s character materializing out of the desert, and simply amazing.
4 stars.
1962. dir. David Lean. 3 hours 39 minutes.
Starring Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guiness, Jack Hawkins, Jose Ferrer.
The month of epics continued on Sunday with Lawrence of Arabia, which Paddy and I saw Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair. The film is the story of T.E.. Lawrence, a British officer assigned to Arabia who helps the Arabs overcome and defeat the Turks during World War I. Lawrence won the respect of the Arabs by leading them through vast deserts that were believed to be uncrossable, and by uniting different Arab tribes against a common enemy, something that may have been a mistake in hindsight.
Lawrence of Arabia is based upon the memoirs of T.E. Lawrence himself, and a later book, written after Lawrence’s death, shows that those memoirs were somewhat exaggerated. That seems likely from watching the film, which is almost entirely about the man’s deeds, but very little about his motivation. Still, it is the kind of film that is only concerned about deeds, and they are dramatized excitingly. The film has an epic scope that few films have match, before or since, and some of the shots, such as Omar Sharif’s character materializing out of the desert, and simply amazing.
4 stars.
Away We Go
Revolutionary Road is still in some theatres, and Sam Mendes already has a new film coming out. Here's the trailer:
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Argentine/Guerilla
Che
2008. dir. Steven Soderbergh. 4 hours 18 minutes + intermission (or roughly 2 hours 9 minutes for each part if viewed separately)
starring Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bechir, Julia Ormond, Franka Potente, Lou Diamond Phillips
Steven Soderbergh's epic film Che is of an unusual nature; it is one complete film, and yet two very different films at the same time (Tarantino's Kill Bill might be an apt analogy). Aside from Benicio Del Toro as Ernesto Guevera, most characters only show up in one half or the other, and are of little interest anyway. The films are even different in the details, such as colour palate and camera techniques, and even nitty gritty things like different subtitles fonts and different aspect ratios.
The first film, commonly know as The Argentine, details Che's involvement with the Cuban revolution that led to Bastista's downfall in 1959, and Fidel Castro coming to power. The scenes, shot like a traditional Hollywood film with bright colours, and set dolly shots, are inter sped with grainy black and white footage depicting Che's visit to New York City and the UN in 1964. Che is shown joining Fidel's mercenaries and eventually rising to near the top of the command, culminating in the revolution's decisive victory in Santa Clara.
The second film (Guerilla) picks up 6 years later. There is nothing in either film showing Che's role in early post-revolution Cuba, or his campaigns in Venezuela or Congo, or even his ideologies or reasons for choosing his battles. The film just begins with Che, in disguise, entering Bolivia and trying to recreate his triumphs of Cuba in that country. Of course he fails, and the second film is much harsher and grittier. Gone is the fancy camera work and bright colours, replaced his entirely handheld shots amongst the grey and brown shrubbery of the Bolivian countryside. The film is very close to being almost black and white.
Which is, in a way, what Che was. Neither film is interested in his ideas, only in the active pursuit and implementation of that philosophy. There are no grand speeches really, just an almost documentary-like view of Che's military techniques (especially in the second film), and how the differences in the people of Cuba versus the Bolivians allowed Che to succeed in the former country, but not the latter. You can only lead people if they want to follow you. There isn't a lot of characterization of anyone other than Che, and even he is described through his actions, not his words (except for the brief NYC scenes).
I remain torn as to how I think Che should be viewed. I saw it all in one shot, but I'm sure it would work well viewed one half at a time. It may even work in the opposite order. Part One describes his rise, Part Two his fall. I'm sure which would teach us more.
5 stars.
2008. dir. Steven Soderbergh. 4 hours 18 minutes + intermission (or roughly 2 hours 9 minutes for each part if viewed separately)
starring Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bechir, Julia Ormond, Franka Potente, Lou Diamond Phillips
Steven Soderbergh's epic film Che is of an unusual nature; it is one complete film, and yet two very different films at the same time (Tarantino's Kill Bill might be an apt analogy). Aside from Benicio Del Toro as Ernesto Guevera, most characters only show up in one half or the other, and are of little interest anyway. The films are even different in the details, such as colour palate and camera techniques, and even nitty gritty things like different subtitles fonts and different aspect ratios.
The first film, commonly know as The Argentine, details Che's involvement with the Cuban revolution that led to Bastista's downfall in 1959, and Fidel Castro coming to power. The scenes, shot like a traditional Hollywood film with bright colours, and set dolly shots, are inter sped with grainy black and white footage depicting Che's visit to New York City and the UN in 1964. Che is shown joining Fidel's mercenaries and eventually rising to near the top of the command, culminating in the revolution's decisive victory in Santa Clara.
The second film (Guerilla) picks up 6 years later. There is nothing in either film showing Che's role in early post-revolution Cuba, or his campaigns in Venezuela or Congo, or even his ideologies or reasons for choosing his battles. The film just begins with Che, in disguise, entering Bolivia and trying to recreate his triumphs of Cuba in that country. Of course he fails, and the second film is much harsher and grittier. Gone is the fancy camera work and bright colours, replaced his entirely handheld shots amongst the grey and brown shrubbery of the Bolivian countryside. The film is very close to being almost black and white.
Which is, in a way, what Che was. Neither film is interested in his ideas, only in the active pursuit and implementation of that philosophy. There are no grand speeches really, just an almost documentary-like view of Che's military techniques (especially in the second film), and how the differences in the people of Cuba versus the Bolivians allowed Che to succeed in the former country, but not the latter. You can only lead people if they want to follow you. There isn't a lot of characterization of anyone other than Che, and even he is described through his actions, not his words (except for the brief NYC scenes).
I remain torn as to how I think Che should be viewed. I saw it all in one shot, but I'm sure it would work well viewed one half at a time. It may even work in the opposite order. Part One describes his rise, Part Two his fall. I'm sure which would teach us more.
5 stars.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Blu-Ray Review: Australia
Australia
2009. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. 2 hours 45 minutes
Starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Bryan Brown, David Wenham
I missed Baz Luhrmann’s epic western romance, Australia, when it came to theatres last fall, but I managed to finally catch it on blu-ray last night. Many critics disliked the film, because they felt it was hokey and ridiculously long, but those are in fact the reasons I thought it was great. Don’t be fooled, this is not a film, this is a movie.
Nicole Kidman stars as Sarah, an English aristocrat’s wife who was come to join him on his cattle ranch in Northern Australia, near Darwin (near is a relative term in a country where most of the interior is still pretty ragged). Hugh Jackman, as The Drover (that’s the only name his character gets) is hired to escort her there, and then, after all the ranch staff quit or are fired, Kidman hires Jackman to help her drive all the cattle back to Darwin so that they can be sold to the Army for food in support of World War II. Pearl Harbor has just been attacked, and the Japanese air force turns around and attacks Darwin, separating Kidman, Jackman, and a mixed-blood aboriginal boy that they’ve adopted, leading to a harrowing adventure to reunite them all.
Australia is not a movie you should go into comparing it to other modern movies. It is more a film of the 1930s and 1940s, with over-the-top set designs and costumes, a bombastic orchestral score, and archetypal characters and plotlines. Each beat in the film is entirely predictable, yet the film’s wholesome old-time feel makes it a good time at the movies. In fact, I would even say it’s a good family film, of the type that usually don’t get made any more. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman could just have easily been Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh, and the film is very much an Australian Gone With The Wind, with its themes of war, class struggle, and racism.
A great film, and the blu-ray disc looks and sounds awesome. Check it out if you get the chance.
4 ½ stars.
2009. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. 2 hours 45 minutes
Starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Bryan Brown, David Wenham
I missed Baz Luhrmann’s epic western romance, Australia, when it came to theatres last fall, but I managed to finally catch it on blu-ray last night. Many critics disliked the film, because they felt it was hokey and ridiculously long, but those are in fact the reasons I thought it was great. Don’t be fooled, this is not a film, this is a movie.
Nicole Kidman stars as Sarah, an English aristocrat’s wife who was come to join him on his cattle ranch in Northern Australia, near Darwin (near is a relative term in a country where most of the interior is still pretty ragged). Hugh Jackman, as The Drover (that’s the only name his character gets) is hired to escort her there, and then, after all the ranch staff quit or are fired, Kidman hires Jackman to help her drive all the cattle back to Darwin so that they can be sold to the Army for food in support of World War II. Pearl Harbor has just been attacked, and the Japanese air force turns around and attacks Darwin, separating Kidman, Jackman, and a mixed-blood aboriginal boy that they’ve adopted, leading to a harrowing adventure to reunite them all.
Australia is not a movie you should go into comparing it to other modern movies. It is more a film of the 1930s and 1940s, with over-the-top set designs and costumes, a bombastic orchestral score, and archetypal characters and plotlines. Each beat in the film is entirely predictable, yet the film’s wholesome old-time feel makes it a good time at the movies. In fact, I would even say it’s a good family film, of the type that usually don’t get made any more. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman could just have easily been Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh, and the film is very much an Australian Gone With The Wind, with its themes of war, class struggle, and racism.
A great film, and the blu-ray disc looks and sounds awesome. Check it out if you get the chance.
4 ½ stars.
Upcoming movies in the next week
Wednesday
Che Part II
The second part of Steven Soderbergh’s nearly 5 hour epic opens on Wednesday, at the Bytowne. On Wednesday and Thursday, it is playing back to back with Part I.
Death or Canada
The Mayfair is showing this documentary about the mass immigration of Irish to Canada due to the potato and cereal famines.
Otto: or Up With Dead People
A gay vampire movie, from Canadian filmmaker Bruce La Bruce, who if you don’t know him from anything, you may at least remember his Rusty video. Mayfair.
Friday
Chandni Chowk To China
The first ever Bollywood kungfu flick. At the Mayafir (where else?)
The Big Lebowski
After No Country For Old Men, the Coen brothers followed up with the ridiculously funny Burn After Reading. After Fargo, they followed up with this, the ven funnier Big Lebowski. AT the Mayfair.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
If only it had been the actual final chapter. At the Mayfair.
Race To Witch Mountain
Another remake of a Disney 70s live action flick. Dwayne “not The Rock” Johnson stars.
Miss March
Teen. Sex. Comedy. Any other synopsis would be pointless.
Last House on the Left
Remake of the Wes Craven’s notorious debut, which itself was a remake of Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, which itself was an adaptation of a Swedish folk tale, of which there is nothing left in this new film.
Saturday
Ten years ago, myself and a bunch of friends all saw the Indiana Jones trilogy back-to-back-to-back at the Mayfair one afternoon in March. Well we’re all a bit heavier, everything is more expensive (except admission at the Mayfair) and Lucas and Spielberg have ruined our childhoods with that Crystal Skull nonsense, but the original trilogy is back, 3 for the price of one, Saturday afternoon at the Mayfair.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Hatchet
Midnight at the Mayfair.
Sunday
Lawrence of Arabia
Say the words “epic film” to someone, and more than likely they’ll say Lawrence of Arabia. David Lean’s classic film about the life of T.E. Lawrence plays Sunday morning at the Mayfair. It’s about 3 ½ hours, but has an intermission.
Fiddler on the Roof
Come from the epic set in the Middle East, stay for the Jewish musical. Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair, right after Lawrence of Arabia.
Monday
Heavenly Creatures
The film that launched the careers of Kate Winslet and Peter Jackson. At the Bytowne.
Tuesday
In honour of St. Patrick’s day, the Mayfair is playing two irish-themed musicals, the recent Oscar-winning Once, and the classic, The Commitments. Both for the price of one.
Once
The Commitments
Che Part II
The second part of Steven Soderbergh’s nearly 5 hour epic opens on Wednesday, at the Bytowne. On Wednesday and Thursday, it is playing back to back with Part I.
Death or Canada
The Mayfair is showing this documentary about the mass immigration of Irish to Canada due to the potato and cereal famines.
Otto: or Up With Dead People
A gay vampire movie, from Canadian filmmaker Bruce La Bruce, who if you don’t know him from anything, you may at least remember his Rusty video. Mayfair.
Friday
Chandni Chowk To China
The first ever Bollywood kungfu flick. At the Mayafir (where else?)
The Big Lebowski
After No Country For Old Men, the Coen brothers followed up with the ridiculously funny Burn After Reading. After Fargo, they followed up with this, the ven funnier Big Lebowski. AT the Mayfair.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
If only it had been the actual final chapter. At the Mayfair.
Race To Witch Mountain
Another remake of a Disney 70s live action flick. Dwayne “not The Rock” Johnson stars.
Miss March
Teen. Sex. Comedy. Any other synopsis would be pointless.
Last House on the Left
Remake of the Wes Craven’s notorious debut, which itself was a remake of Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, which itself was an adaptation of a Swedish folk tale, of which there is nothing left in this new film.
Saturday
Ten years ago, myself and a bunch of friends all saw the Indiana Jones trilogy back-to-back-to-back at the Mayfair one afternoon in March. Well we’re all a bit heavier, everything is more expensive (except admission at the Mayfair) and Lucas and Spielberg have ruined our childhoods with that Crystal Skull nonsense, but the original trilogy is back, 3 for the price of one, Saturday afternoon at the Mayfair.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Hatchet
Midnight at the Mayfair.
Sunday
Lawrence of Arabia
Say the words “epic film” to someone, and more than likely they’ll say Lawrence of Arabia. David Lean’s classic film about the life of T.E. Lawrence plays Sunday morning at the Mayfair. It’s about 3 ½ hours, but has an intermission.
Fiddler on the Roof
Come from the epic set in the Middle East, stay for the Jewish musical. Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair, right after Lawrence of Arabia.
Monday
Heavenly Creatures
The film that launched the careers of Kate Winslet and Peter Jackson. At the Bytowne.
Tuesday
In honour of St. Patrick’s day, the Mayfair is playing two irish-themed musicals, the recent Oscar-winning Once, and the classic, The Commitments. Both for the price of one.
Once
The Commitments
Monday, March 9, 2009
The World Will Look Up And Shout "Save Us", and I'll Whisper, "No."
Watchmen
2009, dir. Zack Snyder. 2 hours 43 minutes.
starring Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode.
A few years back, Time Magazine lsited the greatest english-language pieces of literature from the 20th century, and one lone graphic novel made the list, Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Ever since its 1986 release, a film version has been in the works, and after many false starts, it's finally here.
Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985 where Nixon is still the US President and costumed superheroes actually exist, though none have any real superpowers, save for Dr. Manhattan (Crudup) who becomes a god-like being due to a nuclear accident. One the superheroes, The Comedian (Morgan) is murdered, and another, Rorshach (Haley) takes up the case to solve the murder, fearing his other brethren may be next. All this leads to a showdown in Antartica, where the heroes must save the world, possibly from itself.
That synopsis makes the story sound like that of any other superhero adventure, but its not. Watchmen is much more self-reflective, and as such, much darker too. The film is incredibly violent, contains nudity, and the heroes and villains are fairly indistinguishable. All of this made for a very interesting comic book, but unfortunately, the mistake Zack Snyder has made has been his own resolute faithfulness to the original book. The result is a nearly 3 hour movie with too many characters and too many subplots, and not enough time to give justice to them all, leaving the audience unable to care for almost any of it.
Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach, however, is easily the best part of the film. His character narrates most of the film, and probably should have just narrated the whole thing. His character's arc is also the most complete, since his fate seems to be the logical fate of any archtypal superhero.
Watchmen is either too long or too short, it's difficult to say which, though we'll get our chance in June when the 3 1/2 hour director's cut Blu-Ray comes out.
Until then, 3 stars (4 stars for the visuals and Haley, 2 stars for the rest of the acting and the adaptation).
FUN? FACT: In a curious irony, one scene has Crudup's character lecturing Morgan's character about parental responsibility. If you get that, you get it, and if you don't, you don't need to.
2009, dir. Zack Snyder. 2 hours 43 minutes.
starring Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode.
A few years back, Time Magazine lsited the greatest english-language pieces of literature from the 20th century, and one lone graphic novel made the list, Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Ever since its 1986 release, a film version has been in the works, and after many false starts, it's finally here.
Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985 where Nixon is still the US President and costumed superheroes actually exist, though none have any real superpowers, save for Dr. Manhattan (Crudup) who becomes a god-like being due to a nuclear accident. One the superheroes, The Comedian (Morgan) is murdered, and another, Rorshach (Haley) takes up the case to solve the murder, fearing his other brethren may be next. All this leads to a showdown in Antartica, where the heroes must save the world, possibly from itself.
That synopsis makes the story sound like that of any other superhero adventure, but its not. Watchmen is much more self-reflective, and as such, much darker too. The film is incredibly violent, contains nudity, and the heroes and villains are fairly indistinguishable. All of this made for a very interesting comic book, but unfortunately, the mistake Zack Snyder has made has been his own resolute faithfulness to the original book. The result is a nearly 3 hour movie with too many characters and too many subplots, and not enough time to give justice to them all, leaving the audience unable to care for almost any of it.
Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach, however, is easily the best part of the film. His character narrates most of the film, and probably should have just narrated the whole thing. His character's arc is also the most complete, since his fate seems to be the logical fate of any archtypal superhero.
Watchmen is either too long or too short, it's difficult to say which, though we'll get our chance in June when the 3 1/2 hour director's cut Blu-Ray comes out.
Until then, 3 stars (4 stars for the visuals and Haley, 2 stars for the rest of the acting and the adaptation).
FUN? FACT: In a curious irony, one scene has Crudup's character lecturing Morgan's character about parental responsibility. If you get that, you get it, and if you don't, you don't need to.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Star Trek
I'm going to be the first to admit that there's a list a thousand miles long of awesome trailers for shit films. And I'm skeptical about Star Trek films after the last couple (plus the whole even numbered vs. odd numbered thing).
But still, this is a pretty bad ass trailer.
MAY 8th, 2009
But still, this is a pretty bad ass trailer.
MAY 8th, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Future Film Round-up
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
- Sony is developing a remake of Total Recall. A deal is said to be imminent.
- Speaking of remakes, Warner Bros. is redoing The Neverending Story.
- The deal is done. After thinking that it wouldn’t happen, Samuel L. Jackson has signed on to play Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 (he cameoed in Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk). The deal also includes an option for nine (yes, 9!) other Marvel comics films.
- Monopoly and Clue weren’t enough, so there are also now plans for a Ouija film. I have no idea how, but the article does say to not expect anything like Jumanji.
- Warner Bros. is working on adaptation of the comic book series The Suicide Squad.
- Warner Bros. is also remaking Arthur, as a vehicle for Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall).
- Ed Helms (The Daily Show, The Office) is developing an original screenplay (thank god someone is) about four Civil War re-enacters who are accidentally transported back in time to the real Civil War.
- Cate Blanchett has signed on to play Maid Marion in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, opposite Russell Crowe.
- The Broadway musical Damn Yankees is getting another big screen treatment, this time starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey.
- Bill Condon is going to direct Eddie Murphy in a biopic of Richard Pryor.
- Woody Allen 2010 (that’s what I’m calling it) has added Antonio Banderas to its cast.
- Arrested Development is a go, but has not been written yet.
- J.J. Abrams is developing a sequel to Cloverfield.
- The least prolific director ever, Terrence Malick (only 4 films since 1973) has a new film coming out, maybe this year, maybe next. It’s called Tree of Life, and the original plot synopsis made it seem as if it was a small character film set in the 1950s (the period of Malick’s childhood). However, a new twist is word from an FX company that is working on giant IMAX CGI dinosaurs for the film. No idea what that means, so take it as it is.
- Malick part II (2 days later): Now it looks like there are TWO Malick films coming in the next year; the one I mentioned above, and an entirely IMAX film about the birth and death of the universe. Both films are having their effects done by Douglas Trumbull, who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The 3rd Narnia film (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) will be released December 10th, 2010.
- Edward Zwick (Last Samurai, Blood Diamonds) is making In The Heart Of The Sea, about the true story that inspired the novel Moby Dick.
- Atom Egoyan’s next film is Chloe, which is a remake of a French film from a couple of years back called Nathalie…
- Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s next film, Inception.
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) will be directing Tom Cruise’s next film, the 28th Ammendment, about a US President who discovers a secret cabal that controls the Government.
- Steve Carell is making a film called Hi-T, about a man who experiences uncontrollable mood swings after taking testosterone injections.
- Sony is developing a remake of Total Recall. A deal is said to be imminent.
- Speaking of remakes, Warner Bros. is redoing The Neverending Story.
- The deal is done. After thinking that it wouldn’t happen, Samuel L. Jackson has signed on to play Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 (he cameoed in Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk). The deal also includes an option for nine (yes, 9!) other Marvel comics films.
- Monopoly and Clue weren’t enough, so there are also now plans for a Ouija film. I have no idea how, but the article does say to not expect anything like Jumanji.
- Warner Bros. is working on adaptation of the comic book series The Suicide Squad.
- Warner Bros. is also remaking Arthur, as a vehicle for Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall).
- Ed Helms (The Daily Show, The Office) is developing an original screenplay (thank god someone is) about four Civil War re-enacters who are accidentally transported back in time to the real Civil War.
- Cate Blanchett has signed on to play Maid Marion in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, opposite Russell Crowe.
- The Broadway musical Damn Yankees is getting another big screen treatment, this time starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey.
- Bill Condon is going to direct Eddie Murphy in a biopic of Richard Pryor.
- Woody Allen 2010 (that’s what I’m calling it) has added Antonio Banderas to its cast.
- Arrested Development is a go, but has not been written yet.
- J.J. Abrams is developing a sequel to Cloverfield.
- The least prolific director ever, Terrence Malick (only 4 films since 1973) has a new film coming out, maybe this year, maybe next. It’s called Tree of Life, and the original plot synopsis made it seem as if it was a small character film set in the 1950s (the period of Malick’s childhood). However, a new twist is word from an FX company that is working on giant IMAX CGI dinosaurs for the film. No idea what that means, so take it as it is.
- Malick part II (2 days later): Now it looks like there are TWO Malick films coming in the next year; the one I mentioned above, and an entirely IMAX film about the birth and death of the universe. Both films are having their effects done by Douglas Trumbull, who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The 3rd Narnia film (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) will be released December 10th, 2010.
- Edward Zwick (Last Samurai, Blood Diamonds) is making In The Heart Of The Sea, about the true story that inspired the novel Moby Dick.
- Atom Egoyan’s next film is Chloe, which is a remake of a French film from a couple of years back called Nathalie…
- Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s next film, Inception.
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) will be directing Tom Cruise’s next film, the 28th Ammendment, about a US President who discovers a secret cabal that controls the Government.
- Steve Carell is making a film called Hi-T, about a man who experiences uncontrollable mood swings after taking testosterone injections.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Movie I'm Waiting For The Most This Year
This is, of course, a personal and subjective opinion, but Michael Mann is my favorite living and active filmmaker. Except for The Keep, which is not readily available and has been disowned by Mann himself, I have seen all of his work, and I have loved it all. Even Miami Vice. SO I'm excited that Mann has a new film coming out this year, on my birthday, no less (July 1st). It's called Public Enemies, about the gangsters of Depression-era America. Johnny Depp stars as John Dillinger, and Christian Bale stars as Melvin Purgis, who was second-in-command to J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI.
Here is the new trailer for Public Enemies:
Here is the new trailer for Public Enemies:
Upcoming movies in the next week
Upcoming Movies This Week
Friday
Watchmen
The first big movie of 2009 hits theatres (normal and IMAX) this Thursday night at midnight. A few years back, Time Magazine made a list of the greatest English-language novels of the 20th century, and The Watchmen was the only graphic novel on the list, Word is that this adaptation is extremely faithful, and the scenes I’ve seen in trailers hold true to that. As does the running time, which IMDB currently lists at 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Know Your Mushrooms
From the director of Grass, so you can probably guess what kind of mushrooms we’re talking about. At the Mayfair.
Evil Dead
Sam Raimi’s low budget debut, starring the legendary Bruce Campbell. The Coen brothers also worked on the crew. Midnight at the Mayfair.
One Week
Joshua Jackson (Pasey from Dawson’s Creek) stars in the Candian film about a man who goes on a road trip when he finds out he’s about to die. At the Bytowne and Silvercity.
Cadillac Records
Beyonce. She sings. About the famous Chess Records label, Beyonce plays Etta James.
Saturday
Pink Panther
If you’ve never had a chance to see a film starring Peter Sellers, here’s yoru chance. Not as much for kids as the Steve Martin remakes are.
Pink Panther Strikes Again
One of the better Sellers PP sequels.
Army of Darkness
Sam Raimi’s second sequel to Evil Dead. Midnight at the Mayfair.
Sunday
The Wild Bunch
Mayfair’s Epic Matinee series continues with this classic Western from director Sam Peckinpah. Stars William Holden, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates, and others.
Who Does She Think She Is?
At the Mayfair, this is a documentary about 5 women who refuse to choose between being mothers and having careers. If you’ve ever worked in a large diverse office, you’ve probably seen the ramificatiosn of this issue.
Tuesday
Grass
A documentary about marijuana, narrated by Woody Harrelson. At the Mayfair.
Friday
Watchmen
The first big movie of 2009 hits theatres (normal and IMAX) this Thursday night at midnight. A few years back, Time Magazine made a list of the greatest English-language novels of the 20th century, and The Watchmen was the only graphic novel on the list, Word is that this adaptation is extremely faithful, and the scenes I’ve seen in trailers hold true to that. As does the running time, which IMDB currently lists at 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Know Your Mushrooms
From the director of Grass, so you can probably guess what kind of mushrooms we’re talking about. At the Mayfair.
Evil Dead
Sam Raimi’s low budget debut, starring the legendary Bruce Campbell. The Coen brothers also worked on the crew. Midnight at the Mayfair.
One Week
Joshua Jackson (Pasey from Dawson’s Creek) stars in the Candian film about a man who goes on a road trip when he finds out he’s about to die. At the Bytowne and Silvercity.
Cadillac Records
Beyonce. She sings. About the famous Chess Records label, Beyonce plays Etta James.
Saturday
Pink Panther
If you’ve never had a chance to see a film starring Peter Sellers, here’s yoru chance. Not as much for kids as the Steve Martin remakes are.
Pink Panther Strikes Again
One of the better Sellers PP sequels.
Army of Darkness
Sam Raimi’s second sequel to Evil Dead. Midnight at the Mayfair.
Sunday
The Wild Bunch
Mayfair’s Epic Matinee series continues with this classic Western from director Sam Peckinpah. Stars William Holden, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates, and others.
Who Does She Think She Is?
At the Mayfair, this is a documentary about 5 women who refuse to choose between being mothers and having careers. If you’ve ever worked in a large diverse office, you’ve probably seen the ramificatiosn of this issue.
Tuesday
Grass
A documentary about marijuana, narrated by Woody Harrelson. At the Mayfair.
I AM Spartacus!
Spartacus
1960, dir. Stanley Kubrick. 3 hours 18 minutes, plus an intermission.
starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, and Woody Strode.
In 1958 or so, William Wyler was preparing a big budget adaptation of the biblical epic Ben-Hur. Kirk Douglas, who had worked with Wyler on The Detective Story, desperately wanted the title role, but Wyler went with Charleton Heston (with whom he'd made The Greatest Show On Earth) instead. Douglas decided to try to one up them, and developed Spartacus, about the Roman slave that led a revolt that almost succeeded.
Spartacus, interestingly enough, is one of the only of the big Sword and Sandal epics of the 1950s and 1960s that does not feature any religious overtones in any way (although there is one offhand line where Laughton says that he, like most people, only believe in the Gods when they have to, in public). The film is, in fact, more of an allegory of socialism and worker's rights. So much so, in fact, that many right wing Hollywood stars denounced it, notably John Wayne. The film also ended up ending the blacklist, as Kirk Douglas insisted that screenwriter Dalton Trumbo actually get credit for the screenplay.
Peter Ustinov won an Oscar for his role in the film, as a slave dealer, but Charles Laughton gives the best performance, as a Roman senator who helps free Spartacus' wife and child, out of a sense of honour, but more so to infuriate his rival Olivier. Kirk Douglas gets star billing, however, as Spartacus, and gets most of the big speeches, and gets to martyr himself as well.
Spartacus is Kubrick's least Kubrickian film, as it was the only time in his career that he didn't have complete control. In truth, it shares little in common with Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory, or Full Metal Jacket, and is more like any of the other big costume epics of the era. But of those epics, it is definitely one the best.
Paddy and I saw this Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair, and the Technicolor print, redone in the early 1990's, looks fantastic.
5 stars
FUN FACT: The new print contains a deleted scene featuring Olivier and Curtis bathing each other. However the scene had no soundtrack left, and since Olivier had died by the 1990's, his voice was dubbed by his former protege, Anthony Hopkins.
1960, dir. Stanley Kubrick. 3 hours 18 minutes, plus an intermission.
starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, and Woody Strode.
In 1958 or so, William Wyler was preparing a big budget adaptation of the biblical epic Ben-Hur. Kirk Douglas, who had worked with Wyler on The Detective Story, desperately wanted the title role, but Wyler went with Charleton Heston (with whom he'd made The Greatest Show On Earth) instead. Douglas decided to try to one up them, and developed Spartacus, about the Roman slave that led a revolt that almost succeeded.
Spartacus, interestingly enough, is one of the only of the big Sword and Sandal epics of the 1950s and 1960s that does not feature any religious overtones in any way (although there is one offhand line where Laughton says that he, like most people, only believe in the Gods when they have to, in public). The film is, in fact, more of an allegory of socialism and worker's rights. So much so, in fact, that many right wing Hollywood stars denounced it, notably John Wayne. The film also ended up ending the blacklist, as Kirk Douglas insisted that screenwriter Dalton Trumbo actually get credit for the screenplay.
Peter Ustinov won an Oscar for his role in the film, as a slave dealer, but Charles Laughton gives the best performance, as a Roman senator who helps free Spartacus' wife and child, out of a sense of honour, but more so to infuriate his rival Olivier. Kirk Douglas gets star billing, however, as Spartacus, and gets most of the big speeches, and gets to martyr himself as well.
Spartacus is Kubrick's least Kubrickian film, as it was the only time in his career that he didn't have complete control. In truth, it shares little in common with Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory, or Full Metal Jacket, and is more like any of the other big costume epics of the era. But of those epics, it is definitely one the best.
Paddy and I saw this Sunday afternoon at the Mayfair, and the Technicolor print, redone in the early 1990's, looks fantastic.
5 stars
FUN FACT: The new print contains a deleted scene featuring Olivier and Curtis bathing each other. However the scene had no soundtrack left, and since Olivier had died by the 1990's, his voice was dubbed by his former protege, Anthony Hopkins.
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