August 6th Middle Men
This chronicles a period in 1995 when the initial boom of that small thing called the internet happened, and more specifically, its ability to give the world naked pictures and videos of men and women. Middle stars Luke Wilson as Jack Harris, a man who builds the first online billing company that deals exclusively with adult entertainment. Giovanni Ribisi, Gabriel Macht, James Caan, Jacinda Barrett, Kelsey Grammar, Kevin Pollak and Robert Forster round out a pretty impressive cast. Wilson has been somewhat of an enigma lately. He had a more than promising start to his career with director Wes Anderson's trio of Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, then later Old School and The Family Stone. Now, he's been reduced to AT&T commercials and drivel like My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Henry Poole is Here. Here's hoping Middle Men puts him on the road to professional recovery. For all you perverts out there, an orgy scene was cut to avoid the NC-17 rating--a real kiss of death in the industry. So you'll have to wait until it comes out in video for the deleted scenes.
By the time Adrien Brody falls from the sky, pops his parachute, and lands with a disorientated thud on the jungle floor, I just can't help but think we've been down this road before. The foliage is foreign, the cast is different, and the grimaced visages of the collective killers are adequately menaced, but don't we deserve better?
The Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) produced and Nimród Antal (Vacancy) directed Predators takes place on a distant world (we know this from the multiple celestial beings in the sky), where humans and other extra-terrestrials are captured and left as game. There, they have to battle poisonous plants, horned dogs and of course, our favourite squid-faced aliens.
The players this time around are reluctantly led by Royce (Brody), a mercenary who prefers to eliminate alone. I'm a great fan of Brody's, I just don't feel he has the look, or pedigree for a straight-laced action role that Royce requires. In times of turmoil, close-up shots of Brody's face while he gruffly spits out generic one-liners that end scenes, never sat right with me. He's far more effective in lighter roles, or at least ones where he can flex his acting chops, and not simply his biceps.
Royce is joined by supposed scientist Edwin (Topher Grace), Cuchillo (Danny Trejo), and sharp-shooter Isabelle (Alice Braga) among others. Names here are wholly trivial; if you can carry a gun and murder appropriately, you fit the bill. Isabelle, however, is important, having been familiarized with the Predators after reading a manifest from the sole survivor of a mission gone wrong in Guatemala from 1987 (a nod to the original Predator film). She explains to the group how covering oneself in mud can disrupt the Predators heat vision--a useful tip, yet they simply choose to fire aimlessly at the cloaked beasts and eventually run around like chickens with their heads removed. None of the characters are properly illustrated--perhaps not totally required, but when the team of writers do allow for some intermittent dialogue, the best they can offer is convict Stans' (Walter Goggin) hopeful admission of "raping bitches" when he gets off the planet.
After a few familiar, gruesome deaths, they meet Noland (Laurence Fishburne) a stranded air-assault pilot that has survived many 'seasons' of human hunting. Noland makes it sound his game of hide-and-seek has gone on for years, yet at the end of the film another crop of would be wall mounts are seen floating down, mere days after the last--making Noland's claim of heroism slightly less formidable. He himself could have been an interesting character. Fishburne has talent, but it's thrown away into a character who is cunning enough to kill his captors and steal their technology, but then equally foolish to walk into his impending doom.
The action is first-rate, as are the costumes--the same designs by the late, great Stan Winston. It's all just a little too cut and dried for its own good. The "heroes" are introduced, they come together, they fight, they kill, some die, until the inevitable confrontation between human and creature. The reason for the first Predator's success was the muted anticipation brought about from the uncertainty of what was out there. After the reveal, it was impossible to recreate that tension, and every sequel henceforth is doomed to flounder because of it. Predators offers commendable spirit; its heart is in the right place. But, we've seen it all before, and frankly, it's been better.
Not a lot of great titles this week, but Rambo literally murders the competition. I've seen this fourth installment of the iconic anti-hero a few times now, and I still marvel at the amount of violence in it. It's truly astounding. I'd like to go back one more time and keep track of the body count; I would set the over/under at 200. And the best part is the creativity: machetes, guns, bow and arrow, bigger guns. I'd recommend the extended cut for even more carnage.
One of the most respected, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has released the first of its many honoured selections to be featured. Running from September 9th - 19th, the TIFF is really the springboard to the awards season; many directors premiere their films in Toronto. Some notables: Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan; Ben Affleck's The Town; Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go; Robert Redford's The Conspirator; Tony Goldwyn's Conviction; Stephen Frears' Tamara Drewe; Philip Seymour Hoffman's Jack Goes Boating; andRodrigo Cortés' Buried.
To no one's surprise, Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, Munich) has been cast as Mikael Blomkvist in the American adaptation of the very popular Swedish film of the same name. Blomkvist is the editor of the magazine Millennium, who gets involved in a decades old murder mystery.
With the James Bond franchise on an extended hiatus due to company trouble, Craig will have ample time to stretch his legs into other roles. In Tattoo, Blomkvist gets his ass kicked--very un-Bond like. I like Craig though; he's a great actor, and he's perfect for this character. Plus, he can more than adequately pass for a Swede.
Lisbeth Salander, the other protagonist from the story has not been cast yet. Some names that have been thrown around are Emily Browning, Carey Mulligan, and every other skinny, twenty-something actress in Hollywood.
If nothing else, Zack Snyder knows how to put on a spectacle. The first trailer for his original idea, Sucker Punch debuted at the Comic-Con, and needless to say, there's a lot going on in it. Wikipedia says:
"Set in the 1950s, it tells the story of Baby Doll (Emily Browning), who is trying to hide from the pain caused by her evil stepfather. She ends up in a mental institution in Brattleboro, Vermont and while there, she starts to imagine an alternative reality. She plans to escape from that imaginary world but to do that she needs to steal five objects before she is caught by a vile man. She has 5 days to escape before being lobotomized. In order to cope with the situation, she enters the hyper-real world of her imagination, and the lines between reality and dream begin to blur. She is joined with friends who are inmates from the institution. Lessons learned in the said fantasy world could help the girls escape their real-world fate."
This sort of has an Inception and The Matrix sound and look to it, although it's turned up to eleven. Snyder has a very unique aesthetic, and you have to be a confident guy to have a cute, blonde girl fight an oversized samurai and dragons and be taken seriously. His films attract a very specific group of followers. They're not for everyone, but you have to admire his ability to stick to what he knows.
Sucker Punch also stars Vanessa Hudgens (hopefully shedding her High School Musical persona) as the oddly named Blondie; Abbie Cornish as Sweet Pea; Jamie Chung as Amber; Jena Malone as Rocket; Carla Gugino as Madam Gorski; Jon Hamm as High Roller; and Scott Glenn as the Wiseman.
Below are said characters in intimidating, sexy poses for your leisure.
The first one sheet for Mark Romanek's (One Hour Photo) Never Let Me Go. Not a lot to go on here, especially if you haven't read the novel. September 15 is the release date, so you still have a few months to read author Kazuo Ishiguro's exceptional, original material.
Green Lantern, one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Universe, is coming soon to a theatre near you. It deals with the Green Lantern Corp. who are basically guardians of the universe, who wear rings and with them, they can create whatever their mind can think of.
Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder, The Nines) will suit up and play Hal Jordan, the protagonist in the upcoming Green Lantern film, directed by Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, Casino Royale). The first glimpse of Reynolds in costume was on the recent cover of Entertainment Weekly:
Word from the Lantern camp is that the suit will be completely CGI in post production. This makes sense, for all of the extraordinary things the ring bearer can do. Comic book diehards are some of the most ardent fans in the world, and it's always a touchy subject when dealing with such a rabid base. The importance of keeping everyone happy has to be on Campbell and Reynolds' mind. That being said, everything I've seen so far has me looking forward to Lantern's June 17, 2011 release.
Here are a set of four posters that were released at the Con. They showcase the four main characters that will be involved in the film.
Two posters for Let Me In were shown at the just completed San Diego Comic-Con. The first one was shown earlier.
Here's the second:
Both are very striking images, particularly the snow angel. That's what the original Let The Right One In did so well. Being set during the winter months, there were a number of scenes that beautifully captured the clean, pure snow, pitted against the aftermath of atrocities committed during the film.
As expected, another trailer for Let Me In. The trailer looks great as a standalone, but it's impossible to see it and not think of the unbelievable original film, since nearly every scene is a carbon copy. It's only been two years since Let the Right One In come out, so Matt Reeves' adaptation better hit it out of the park. Remakes are a tricky bunch--especially after the bar has been set so high. I'm intrigued, but still have some apprehension that probably won't subside until I've seen the newest one. This is courtesy of MTV via Trailer Addict.
A few days ago, USA Today unveiled the first photos from director Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. In my mind, Aronofsky hasn't had a miss yet: Pi, Requiem for a Dream, the severely underrated The Fountain, and Mickey Rourke's career revival, The Wrestler.
Swan tells the story of ballerina Nina (Natalie Portman), who is selected for the lead role of the production of the ballet Swan Lake in New York City. A new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), arrives to the production, and she exhibits the sensuality that Nina appears to lack. An obsession begins and a strange relationship is formed between the two. The film also stars Barbara Hersey, the always talented Vincent Cassell, and Winona Ryder among others.
All great actors, no doubt. But, if Aronofsky is smart, Portman and Kunis will be in every scene, preferably together. Judging from these beautiful pictures, this film will be oozing sexiness. As always, click the pictures to get a better view.
Black Swan will be debuting at the Venice International Film Festival on September 1st, 2010.
We all know David Fincher's resumé: Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Zodiac. His latest though seems to buck the trend of dark, noir classics. That being said, there were some shady tactics that went down to acquire the rights to the behemoth known to the world as Facebook. This newest trailer looks excellent. I love Jesse Eisenberg; he has this awkward, neurosis to him. Andrew Garfield's fame is slowly building with supporting roles in this, and the upcoming Never Let Me Go, but with him recently being cast as Peter Parker/Spider-man in Marc Webb's re-imagining of the superhero, he's soon to be a household name. Nice to have some actual scenes after hearing the voiceovers from the initial teaser. Great cover of Radiohead's Creep as well.
You can see Eisenberg's friendly, accused-of-stealing-billions mug in the first poster here, and the teaser here.
Matt Reeves' (Cloverfield) new film has an engaging new teaser poster, first debuted by MTV (click to enlarge). This print seems to capture the essence of the original story. The young vampire is in the body of a twelve-year old girl, but has lived for the better part of two centuries. I love the disparity between the innocence of her pose and the pool of blood that surrounds her. The first teaser has been out for a few weeks. You can find that here. Expect a full trailer soon.
Inception's world is today's, but the technology is not. In this world, people have intimate knowledge of how to infiltrate dreams. In this sub-conscious reality, the rules of physics don't apply. The ground can be unearthed, buildings detonate, even complete landscapes literally fold onto one another; all through the eyes--and more importantly--in the mind of its designer. To believe this film, one must first accept what it's selling. This dream conquering proficiency is never explained; never are we told of its origins, its creator, only its masters. The art of extracting--that is, stealing an idea from someone's mind--is a convoluted process, and none are better at it than Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio [Shutter Island]). No one has delved deeper, or stayed longer in the recesses of the mind than Cobb, and because of that he has a damaged psyche, and more tragically, a damaged soul. He is haunted by the projections of his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard [La Vie en Rose]), who somehow plays both the femme fatale and the damsel in distress; the white rabbit that is always just out of Cobb's reach.
After a botched extraction at the beginning of the film, Cobb and his right-hand man Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt [500 Days of Summer]) attempt to split up and lay low from the company whose information they failed to secure. It's here where they are contracted for one final job by businessman Saito (Ken Watanabe [The Last Samurai]), who commissions Cobb not for an extraction, but an inception, which plants an idea instead of removing one.
With the promise of legal entry back to the United States (Cobb was forced to seek asylum overseas) and the hopeful reunion to his two young children, he agrees and begins to fill out his team. Along with Arthur, master forger Eames (Tom Hardy [Bronson]), architect Ariadne (Ellen Page [Juno]), and chemist Yusuf (Dileep Rao [Avatar]) are rounded up and all eyes are set on the mark, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy [28 Days Later]).
All this and I still haven't touched upon writer/director Christopher Nolan. Nolan's recent string of blockbusters (Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight) is unparalleled, as is his attention to every facet of his craft. It's somewhat fitting Inception tells the story of dreams, as I'm sure many countless nights were spent coming up with, and later cementing the exhaustively detail rich plot. The visuals, which are only hinted at in the trailer, are beyond our wildest, well, dreams. Nolan has once more made the unthinkable, somehow believable. The use of slow-motion throughout rightfully serves its purpose, while a zero-gravity scuffle between Arthur and an unnamed foe remains the most unique sequence in recent memory.
From the first few minutes, we slowly learn that nothing is as it seems. Are we awake, are we asleep? Like a real dream, I struggled to recollect moments, though I anticipate after more viewings the intricacies will become more in focus. Inception is a film where it is a rare, explosive sum of its parts. Remarkable directing, superb acting, and like the musical intersections the characters experience while under their artificially induced sleep, Hans Zimmer's score is equally striking; every deep pulse resonates, jarring us in our seats.
Like the multilayers of an onion, Inception is slowly peeled away for us, revealing not only the brilliant, ever twisting narrative, but also the many levels of Cobb's tortured conscience. It is not until we have come to the deeply, satisfying conclusion that we can finally sit up, blink our eyes, take a breath and realize that we're back in the real world. Or, are we? This film will exceed your expectations. Whatever fictional world Nolan creates next, I don't want to wake up from it.
Undoubtedly, the scariest scene in film this year is one of an obese young-adult, wearing nothing but a t-shirt, and holding a butcher knife. The man, is the titular Cyrus, played by Jonah Hill. Cyrus is a twenty-two year old introvert; a home-schooled, aspiring deejay who lives with his single mother Molly (Marisa Tomei). But, I'm getting ahead of myself. At a party, Molly meets John (John C. Reilly), a divorced editor, while he relieves himself in the bushes. John is a sad, pained man. He wears stained sweatshirts and masturbates to pornography in his dirtied, lonely apartment whilst wearing headphones. He still has feelings of loss and regret, stemming from his breakup with Jamie (Catherine Keener), his wife of seven years. John and Jamie are still friends however, and it is at her behest that he accompanies her and her newly instated fiancé Tim (Matt Walsh) to the aforementioned soirée.
Anyone with eyes can see that Molly is out of John's league--especially John. "Are you flirting with me?" he asks her. "I'm like Shrek. What are you doing here in the forest with Shrek?" As it turns out, Molly is just as lost, just as isolated and through a shared love of Human League's "Don't You Want Me," a bond is formed.
After multiple rendezvous, and subsequent late night escapes, John secretly follows Molly back to her home and comes across whom she is hiding. And now we come back to Cyrus. Although, initially warm and welcoming, inside are feelings of jealousy and hostility. The film becomes a battle to win Molly's affection. While John's intentions are earnest and true, they are contrasted by Cyrus', whose feelings toward his mother teeter, but never quite cross the line into uncomfortable territory.
Cyrus does all he can to sabotage Molly's first serious relationship since he was born. While it starts with juvenile acts such as stealing John's shoes, it slowly escalates into a full-blown fracas at the wedding of Molly and Tim. I feel I've led you astray. While doused with reality, Cyrus still burns with plenty of dark comedy particular to the films by the Duplass brothers: who wrote and directed the greatly acclaimed The Puffy Chair (2005), and the lesser so Baghead (2008). Their latest is their first foray with established, well-known actors and the results shine through brightly.
Reilly is his usual lovable self. He's talented enough to be nominated for dramatic turns (Chicago), yet still has the ability for absurd comedies (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers). Cyrus is somewhere in between, but leans more toward the former. Hill, who along with Get Him to the Greek, has had quite the successful year. He does his best Fatal Attraction impersonation here (albeit, without quite the homicidal tendencies), and is well on his way to eventually carrying a film on his immense shoulders. Tomei of course, won the Oscar for 1992's My Cousin Vinny. This seems light years ago. She has grown substantially since then; in ability and in beauty.
Molly is a tormented woman. She longs for new love, but at the same time, finds it hard to loosen the connection to her son; Cyrus is all she knows. It is this relationship that rightfully fuels the story, and the one that could ultimately ruin their lives.
When we last saw our favourite angst-ridden teens, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) wanted to be turned into a member of the immortal Cullen's. Edward (Robert Pattinson) has agreed--but only if they're married. Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) on the other hand has embraced his new life as a recent addition to the werewolf clan. Still, he harbors deep-rooted feelings for Bella and longs for her to choose him over his undead counterpart. The soap opera that is the Twilight Saga continues with the third installment, Eclipse. At the beginning, long-standing antagonist Victoria (Bryce Dallas-Howard) returns to create an army of vampires to take down the Cullen clan, and more importantly Bella, for their involvement in the death of her lover James. There are many things wrong with Eclipse. First and foremost is the character of Bella. Quite frankly, she's the worst female in the history of cinema, and the fact that she is adored by young girls is mind-numbing.
She painstakingly spends the entire two hour film juggling Edward and Jacob, expressing her love to both. She initially chooses the former, even going so far as to agree to marry him (spurred by her desire to be turned into a vampire). Yet, when she sees that Jacob is upset over her decision, perhaps fearing abandonment, she cries out with internal anguish, pleading for him to kiss her. They share a passionate embrace, and after she returns to Edward mere moments later, she justifies her decision with, "But, I love you more."
Sigh.
Bella is far from the only problem. Robert Pattinson by all accounts seems to be a nice guy, but seriously, what is the big deal? For most of the film, Edward alternates between pathetic, puppy dog gazes to Bella, and smoldering, testosterone laden looks to his rival Jacob. And the wolfman himself, along with his pack, walk around in human form wearing nothing but shorts, to show off their ironically hairless bodies.
Eclipse culminates in a battle which pits the Cullen's and werewolves against Victoria's new brood. Apparently, these 'new-bloods' as they're called, are stronger than regular vampires due to the lingering effects of their human blood still coursing through their veins. Then, this revelation is completely disregarded when the new-bloods are dispatched as easily as stepping on a swarm of cockroaches. This is of course is attributed to Jasper Cullen's (Jackson Rathbone) superior hand-to-hand fighting technique; something he passes on to his family and even the werewolves. Yes, you read that right.
If it's any consolation, this film surpasses its earlier parts. Be it more action, or slightly less schmaltz, Eclipse is better, but barely. Too much we are supposed to just go along with. At one point, Jacob reads Bella's mind and says matter-of-factly, "wolf telepathy, remember?" Or the Cullen's, a family of vampires whose very existence is secret, host a graduation party for the entire high school. Or the night before the battle royale, where lives could be lost, Edward and Bella share a romantic evening at his home, smiling and laughing. I could continue.
Sadly, these films have, and will continue to find an audience. Shirtless heartthrobs, and pouty leading ladies are catnip for pubescent teens, but, the story and character development is tepid at best. At the end of the day, The Twilight Saga exists in a world where the vampires don't kill by biting, but by smashing heads off and bear hugs; a world where they sparkle like diamonds in direct sunlight, and the werewolves emerge to the size of Volkswagen's, and strangely, it all amounts to a tiresome and lifeless affair.
Here is the new poster and first trailer for Matt Reeves' Let Me In. This is a remake of the recent, and masterful Let The Right One In, a 2008 Swedish release, directed by Tomas Alfredson. Both films are adaptations of the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the original screenplay.
Matt Reeves, a close friend of J.J. Abrams, gained fame from directing Cloverfield. At first glance, it's evident the American trailer takes many scenes from its Swedish counterpart. Right One In was very methodical in its storytelling, not one scene was out of order. It had a slow-burn quality to it, culminating with one of the most exceptional endings in recent memory. There was a certain ambiguity to its actions as well though. My biggest fear, is that Let Me In will spell everything out to the audience, instead of leaving thoughts and perceptions to the imagination.
The original Swedish trailer follows the American remake.
Let The Right One In is available to rent now, and Let Me In will be in theatres October 1st, 2010.
With this particularly bad summer of film that we've all be subjected to, let's all just take a deep breath and thank our stars for Toy Story 3. It's almost impossible to have a sure thing in the Hollywood, but year after year, film after film, Pixar continues to hit balls out of the park. The company's greatest attribute is telling stories that one one else thinks about--while at the same time connecting us to the characters on an insanely personal level. TS3 begins with a fantastic action sequence stemming from the imagination of Andy--the boy owner of Woody the Cowboy, Buzz Lightyear the Space Ranger and co. Next, we are caught up to the present, through a montage of video footage that illustrates just how much the toys mean to him. Familiar memories like the mother measuring Andy--a new line on the door frame, while Andy in turn marks Woody--a pointless endeavor if there ever was one. Still, it's these lengths that Andy--and on a grander scale, Pixar, go to to demonstrate their dedication to what they love.
TS3 follows the same winning formula as its predecessors: the toys, led by Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) have to overcome obstacles to find their way back home, and to Andy. In the third installment, Andy is now eighteen years old, and heading to college. Mistakingly, his old favorites--save for Woody--are sent to the literal curb, which sets off a series of events, culminating in them all taking up shop at Sunnyside Daycare. There, our heroes meet the current inhabitants of Sunnyside, filled with fun-loving names: Big Baby, Twitch, Stretch, Chunk, and an ascot wearing Ken doll (a hilarious Michael Keaton); all of whom are led by the sinister, yet strawberry smelling Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear (Ned Beatty).
Of course, saying TS3 is simply a film about toys, is like saying WALL-E was just just about trash-compacting robots; there are underlying themes that run throughout. TS3 is about loss. The loss of one's youth, the loss of friends, the loss of possessions. Andy is older now and moving on. While packing for college, he erroneously calls his toys junk. This is overheard by his miniature friends, and rightfully so, they are devastated. As Woody puts it, their sole purpose is to help Andy, and they wonder why their owner fails to return the sentiment. Some memorable characters from the first two films are noticeably absent here. Not a lot of time is spent on this, but the look on Woody's face when it's explained that Wheezy, and especially Bo Peep were sold on the front lawn is one of hurt and painful regret.
Through cinematic history, you can count the successful trilogies on one hand, but the Toy Story franchise must be added now. It's unique to experience a film where you find yourself smiling at the opening scene, and it stays on your face long after the credits have rolled. The characters, scenes, and score evoke laughter, tears, and some genuine scares. The final sequences delightfully mirror the opening ones from TS1, perhaps hinting at this being the final chapter of the franchise. I for one would welcome more tales--and a window is slightly left ajar for the possibility. At the same time, it ends the way it should: with all of us wanting more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Ninja Turtles action figures calling my name.
