Sunday, November 30, 2008

Planet of the Apes Prequel in the Works?


Last month I brought you word that Fox had a new Planet of the Apes script floating around. Called Genesis: Apes, it's essentially a remake of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth film in the original Apes cycle, which ends with the apes taking over the world from humans.

Now Tom Rothman, the chief runner at Fox, is chatting this movie up on Fox Movie Channel.

"We are very close at Fox on a new Apes script- this one a kind of prequel story before the first story, with a return to the social thematics that mark the first one, but with an entirely contemporary setting - Earth 2009"

Thoughts:
As much as I enjoyed the original Apes films and thought the Tim Burton film was somewhat of a decent flick when compared to other horrible remakes, I'm not really sure about this. I think its about time they just put this series behind them and move on. I don't think their really is a need to bring another Ape film to the big screen. Sure the Tim Burton version made a crap load of money for Fox, but it also left a bad taste in almost everyone's mouth.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Wolverine Trailer Info


We have officially confirmed with 20th Century Fox that the first trailer for Wolverine will hit theaters with the studio's The Day the Earth Stood Still on December 12. The trailer will be exclusively available in theaters and will not debut online or on TV until some time later. Be sure to check your local paper or online for theater listings!

Directed by Gavin Hood, the May 1, 2009 release stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Will.i.am, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, Daniel Henney and Lynn Collins.

Leading up to the events of X-Men, Wolverine tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

Thoughts:
I was lucky enough to catch the footage shown at Comic-Con and the movie is shaping up to be pretty exciting. From what I saw, the film looks somewhat different than the X-Men films. The look and feel of it just doesn't look the same. I'm not sure if the upcoming trailer is going to be the same as the Comic-Con footage, but it should be pretty cool. Ill post the trailer as soon as it goes online. I hope The Day the Earth Stood Still turns out great. The original was simply a fantastic film.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Weekend Boxoffice Numbers


In Order

Twilight
Studio: Summit Entertainment
This Week: $69,637,740
Last Week: -
Total: $69,637,740
______________________________________________________
Quantum of Solace
Studio: Columbia Pictures
This Week: $26,707,945
Last Week: $67,528,882
Total: 108,790,786
______________________________________________________
Bolt
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $26,223,128
Last Week: -
Total: $26,223,128
______________________________________________________
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
This Week: $15,661,936
Last Week: $35,017,301
Total: $137,109,390
______________________________________________________
Role Models
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $7,324,445
Last Week: $11,150,030
Total: $48,133,020
______________________________________________________
Changeling
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $2,695,450
Last Week: $4,254,080
Total: $31,665,332
______________________________________________________
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $2,049,144
Last Week: $5,656,162
Total: $86,864,082
______________________________________________________
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Studio: Miramax Films
This Week: $1,647,514
Last Week: $474,390
Total: $2,628,053
______________________________________________________
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Studio: The Weinstein Company
This Week: $1,605,579
Last Week: $3,146,312
Total: $29,256,029
______________________________________________________
The Secret Life of Bees
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
This Week: $1,264,991
Last Week: $2,338,279
Total: $35,638,795

Thoughts:
Wow, what a boxoffice for Twilight. The film with one of the biggest hype surronding it, has actually payed off. I wasnt expecting this much love for the Vampire flick, but I guess I was proven wrong. The film is easily going to pass $120 million and probably end around $150 million. Quantum of Solace sure did take somewhat of a beating this week. I still see the film making around $150 million. The numbers for Bolt are really surprisng. An animated film from Disney is always expected to make a crap load and these numbers arent what I would call "crap load". I see the film will struggle to get to $100 million. Role Models is still doing pretty good. I can see the film reaching $55 million with a slight chance at $60 million in total.

Universal Nabs Ludlum Deal With Bourne 4 Coming in 2010


Universal Pictures has made an overall deal with the estate of "The Bourne Identity" author Robert Ludlum that gives the studio exclusive rights to the Jason Bourne character and first look at other Ludlum novels.

The deal with Ludlum Entertainment paves the way for more installments in the Bourne saga, which was originally envisioned as a three-picture series but has become Universal's answer to James Bond.

After the first three films grossed a total of more than $1 billion worldwide, Universal signed Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass for a fourth film that George Nolfi is penning. Produced by Frank Marshall and Ludlum Entertainment chairman-CEO Jeffrey Weiner, the film will be readied for a summer 2010 release.

Weiner will take offices on the Universal lot as part of the deal and hire development executives as the company takes an active hand in developing projects, including some not based on books by Ludlum. He had this to say about the new deal.

"Universal has done such an excellent job with the first three films that they deserve the opportunity to keep Jason Bourne at the studio forever".

The deal also gives Universal an inside track on other Ludlum books that would be developed with Ludlum Entertainment.

"There is a deep Ludlum library. Over 25 of his novels have never been exploited in movies," Weiner said.

Universal is also developing another Ludlum book, "The Sigma Protocol," with Strike Entertainment partners Marc Abraham and Eric Newman. Summit Entertainment has "The Osterman Weekend," with Simon Kinberg set to write and direct.

Thoughts:
This is an impressive deal for Universal. The Bourne films are easily one of the best action films around. I wouldn't mind seeing more Bourne as long as the story is their. Robert Ludlum also has many novels that would make for an interesting film. I'm super excited to see more of his work on the big screen.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Trailer for The Wrestler and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

The Wrestler

Back in the late '80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of die hard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey.

Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life -- trying to reconnect with his daughter, and strikes up a blossoming romance with an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei). Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy "The Ram" back into his world of wrestling.

Director Darren Aronofsky presents a powerful portrait of a battered dreamer, who despite himself and the odds stacked against him, lives to be a hero once again in the only place he considers home ­ inside the ring.


Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," to be fully produced in 3-D, is the latest installment to the hit "Ice Age" franchise, which has grossed more than $1.2 billion around the world.

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" will be directed by Oscar-nominated Carlos Saldanha, who directed "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and co-directed "Ice Age." The film is being produced by Academy Award-winning Blue Sky Studios, the creative force behind all the "Ice Age" films and "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who."

Thoughts:
The Wrestler looks really good and looks to have a strong performance by Mickey Rourke. Plus, I'm a big fan of Darren Aronofsky and loved every minute of Requiem for a Dream. Not really excited about another Ice Age movie. Haven't really seen any of them.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Universal and Gore Verbinski Redo The Host


Universal Pictures and Gore Verbinski will remake the 2006 Bong Joon-ho directed Korean thriller "The Host," with commercials director Fredrik Bond making his feature helming debut and Mark Poirier ("Smart People") to pen the script.

Story follows a town terrorized by a giant mutant squid like creature hatched by toxins that flow into a nearby river from a military base. When the creature grabs a little girl, her dysfunctional family must band together to rescue her.

Bong Joon-ho who directed the Korean version had this to say about the remake.

"Maybe three or four years down the line, if The Host [remake] comes out, and there's a cool director who takes it on and makes it a real great film, then I'd be very happy," Bong said in an interview, through a translator. "On the other hand, if it's just crap, I think I'd be happy, too, because then people would be like, 'Oh, yeah, Bong's original was really good.' So, for me, it's a win-win situation. But Universal has a tradition of doing horror and creature films, so I anticipate that they will do a great film."

Verbinski will produce with Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison, along with Paul Brooks. Bond has directed campaigns for Nike, Adidas and Levi's. He and Verbinski had been looking for a project to do together, and Bond said he embraced the opportunity to mix a larger-than-life monster with a heartfelt family drama.

Verbinski set up the project through Blind Wink Prods., the company he formed at Universal, where he is developing to direct an adaptation of the videogame "Bioshock."

Thoughts:
Seeing as how I haven't seen the original, I don't know what to think of this. I probably should see the original since its been getting some big praise by fans of the movie. Ill probably end up watching the remake to see how the movie turns out, but Hollywood is seriously running out of ideas.

20th Century Fox Goes Through With X-Men: First Class


20th Century Fox has hired "Gossip Girl" creator Josh Schwartz to write X-Men: First Class. He'd also been offered a chance to direct the film, but declined.

Schwartz, the creator and executive producer of The CW's hit as well as Fox's "The O.C." and NBC's "Chuck," is expected to inject a next-gen sensibility into the superhero series.

The studio has been leaning toward using the younger characters introduced in the previous films in future installments --teenagers with powers taught at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

Resulting film would likely draw from elements of the Marvel Comic of the same name, launched in 2006, and enlist such characters as Iceman, Rogue, Angel, Colossus, Jubilee and Shadowcat, who have appeared prominently or made cameos in prior pics.

Lauren Shuler Donner, who produced all three "X-Men" pics, as well as next summer's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is producing "First Class" alongside Mr. & Mrs. Smith scribe Simon Kinberg.

Thoughts:
Oh man, I have a bad feeling about this. Looks like Fox is just going to milk this franchise to death.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Universal Getting "Nutty" Again?


Universal and Imagine Entertainment are in the early stages of developing a new "Nutty Professor" movie, in what would be the third installment of the remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis vehicle. An open call is out to writers for their take on a potential third entry.

Although it has been eight years since the last "Nutty" came out, executives are interested in a new version that would follow "The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps."

The sequel to 1996's "The Nutty Professor," "Klumps" had a less corpulent box office gross than its predecessor, earning $162 million worldwide vs. the $270 million of the first installment. Still, the franchise has proved profitable, and a third installment could prove attractive for Universal.

Murphy is not attached to the new movie, but his involvement would be contingent on the writer, director and other elements. Murphy's comic versatility was seen as key to the success of the two "Nutty" movies, and it seems unlikely that a third installment could go forward without him.

Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first Nutty Professor movie and thought the second one was somewhat funny. I'm not sure about a third film, but It would definitely put Eddie Murphy's career in a somewhat better position than it already is. His last film Meet Dave was a huge commercial flop and maybe this film could be the one that brings him back on top. I don't know, too early to call.

New Writers for Schumacher's Inland Saints


Scribes Damian Shannon and Mark Swift have been tapped to do an overhaul on Paramount's urban crime drama "Inland Saints," which Joel Schumacher is attached to direct.

Project, formerly called "Fix" and set up at the studio last year based on a pitch by Kurt Sutter, had centered on the leader of a dangerous street gang who meets and falls in love with the daughter of the detective hired to bring down the gang.


Shannon and Swift are taking the project in a new direction. It is now described as an action horror pic set in a small-town desert wasteland gripped by drugs and gangs, with plot details still being hashed out.


Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing via his Par-based shingle alongside Eli Holzman. Erik Howsam is exec producing.

Thoughts:
The first idea sounded more better than the second idea. Still not sure about this. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the 2003 horror flick "Freddy vs. Jason" which got alot of negative buzz from people. Than again, Schumacher is directing this so It will still probably end up like crap.

Leaked Pic of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter


Johnny Depp is playing the Mad Hatter in a Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland. A photo reportedly of Johnny in costume and makeup has been leaked online. His hair stands out in curly coils from the side of his head and Depp’s face is white with red streaks on his cheeks and around eyes. Talented at playing nearly unrecognizable, eccentric characters, Depp will bring his unique take to the role.

Alice in Wonderland also stars Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Crispin Glover. It will be part Beowulf-type live action CGI and part live footage. Alice is due out in theaters in March, 2010 and given how far away the release date is this seems like a genuine photo leak and not an attempt to drum up publicity for the film.

Thoughts:
Looks pretty interesting. I always enjoyed this story when I was little and I'm a big fan of Tim Burton. Its going to be interesting to see what creative things Burton is going to do with the film. I cannot wait.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

REVIEW: Quantum of Solace


Quantum of Solace

Year: 2008
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

After the successful reboot that was Casino Royale, fans couldn't wait for the next installment in the famous 007 franchise. Seeing as how the last film turned out surprisingly good, I couldn't wait for the next film. However, my confidence soon turned for the worse when MGM announced the films title. I thought it sounded pretty stupid and aliitle weird for a Bond title, but I soon got over it. Than I got some what cautious when they announced that Marc Forster would be taking over directing duties from Martin Campbell who directed the last film, Casino Royale. This worried me alittle because Forster hasn't directed anything like this before. The final nail in the coffin was when I found out the film's running time. Being the shortest Bond film in history definitely had me wondering "whats going on over their". I knew because of all of this that this film wouldn't end up better than Casino Royale.

Plot Outline:
The film takes up where Casino Royale left off. James Bond (Daniel Craig) is still recovering from the loss of his girlfriend, Vesper. Setting out for revenge, he struggles to contain his feelings as M (Judi Dench) orders Bond to investigate the mysterious organization behind Vesper's betrayal. He soon discovers that Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) is a big player in the group and uncovers a plot to destabilise the existing government of a Latin American country. But he isn't the only one tracking Greene, he crosses swords with a beautiful foreign agent called Camille (Olga Kurylenko) who is also out for revenge.

Plot:
Quantum of Solace is the first Bond film to be a direct sequel. It was essential to finish off what they started in Casino Royale, but here's the part where Quantum of Solace really disappoints in. The films script just isn't as interesting and satisfying as the one for Royale. It can also be somewhat complex to fully understand. I don't know who's idea was it to make M have way more lines than Bond when the film is clearly suppose to focus on him and his revenge. Quantum of Solace has a running time of about 1 hour and 40 Min's, making it the shortest Bond film in history. This isn't enough time to explain every little thing and just makes the film seem really cramped. Director Marc Forster is also part of the films problem. For Casino Royale, we had Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, The Mask of Zorro) who is no stranger to action films since he has done some before. Campbell opted not to return for Quantum of Solace forcing Sony and MGM to go after another director such as Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland). The problem with Forster is that he hasn't directed any action films in the past. His movies although great, are mostly drama films. So the action scenes that we get in Solace are essentially chopping and badly edited. They are still pretty cool to watch, but just not as stable and impressive as the ones seen in Casino Royale. With all this said, Quantum of Solace can still be a somewhat entertaining film if you don't go in expecting a successor to Royale. Its got an intense car chase scene followed by good performances.

Cast:
Daniel Craig returns once again as the famous MI6 agent, James Bond. He delivers a solid performance that is slightly better than the one he gave in Royale and one that fans are going to enjoy. I still prefer Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery as Bond since I enjoyed them alittle more, but Craig still delivers a good Bond. I just wish he had alittle more dialogue than M. Olga Kurylenko plays as Bond's female partner, Camille. She does a decent job here, but holds no candle to Eva Green's Vesper from Casino Royale. I'm also surprised on how Bond manages not to sleep with Kurylenko's character. I mean does that still make her a Bond girl? Mathieu Amalric plays as the main villain of the film, Dominic Greene. I don't know who decided to go with Amalric, but the guy seriously looks like a cat in many scenes. He just isn't as smart and convincing as Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre. No offense to Mathieu Amalric, but I would have went with someone else. Judi Dench returns as M and shes really good in the film. Its nice to see her having more lines this time compared to Royale, but I don't know why she has more lines than Bond. She still delivers an M that we all know and love by now.

Picture:
The visual look of Quantum of Solace is great. The film is on the same level if not better than that of Royales. The movie was filmed with mostly HD cameras resulting in a smooth image with hardly any film grain. Colors are vibrant and very pretty to look at. Their are a good amount of scenes that are outside mainly in the desert and these all pop with wonderful color saturation. Black levels are also very strong and hold up very well in some of the darker scenes. Flesh tones are spot on and also hold up pretty well. Detail is somewhat strong especially for a Bond film. It isn't as great as some other titles in the same genre, but its still very good. Close up shots show a good amount of detail on people's faces and is something worth watching for. Environments also look nicely detailed and are pretty to look at.

Sound:
I thought the theme song in Casino Royale was pretty good, but just not right for a Bond film. The one we have for Quantum of Solace is simply atrocious. I have never heard a Bond theme this bad before. The song is sung by Jack White and Alicia Keys. The theme is just all over the place and never synchronized. Its like White is singing with Keys following through a second later. It also just has an annoying beat that doesn't come close to what a Bond song should sound like. The film also doesn't feature as much music or sound effects as Casino Royale did. That said, just like Royale, Quantum of Solace features a bombastic bass. Their are many sequences such as the car chase earlier on that just rumbles with good bass. Every gun shot is heard in crisp and clear sound. This is a good reference bass that should easily meet the expectations of those hardcore sound fanatics.

Conclusion:
Quantum of Solace is a big disappointment compared to Casino Royale. The films writing just isn't as clever and interesting as it was in Royale. The films action scenes although cool, are very choppy and all over the place. They also made Bond too much like Jason Bourne. Bond is Bond and I hope the writers realize that for the next film. That said, the film is still somewhat entertaining. The cast is mostly great with almost everyone giving out solid performances. The visual look of the film is nicely cleaned and pretty darn detailed. The soundtrack is mixed bag with the film having a horrible theme song, but a damn well strong bass. In the end, I thought Quantum of Solace was a pretty good film, but just one that fell short of the great-ness of Casino Royale. The films run time just doesn't warrant enough time to do all these things. At least the story that started in Royale is finished so the next film can start from scratch. Fingers crossed for Q and his lovely gadgets in the next film.

Grade: C

Monday, November 17, 2008

Weekend Boxoffice Numbers


In Order

Quantum of Solace
Studio: Columbia Pictures
This Week: $67,528,882
Last Week: -
Total: $67,528,882
____________________________________________________________
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
This Week: $35,017,301
Last Week: $63,106,589
Total: $116,905,195
____________________________________________________________
Role Models
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $11,150,030
Last Week: $19,167,085
Total: $37,577,245
____________________________________________________________
High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $5,656,162
Last Week: $9,159,523
Total: $84,169,216
____________________________________________________________
Changeling
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $4,254,080
Last Week: $7,252,940
Total: $27,631,772
____________________________________________________________
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Studio: The Weinstein Company
This Week: $3,146,312
Last Week: $6,274,530
Total: $26,465,482
____________________________________________________________
Soul Men
Studio: MGM
This Week: $2,350,141
Last Week: $5,401,605
Total: $9,370,925
____________________________________________________________
The Secret Life of Bees
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
This Week: $2,338,279
Last Week: $3,089,467
Total: $33,627,359
____________________________________________________________
Saw V
Studio: Lionsgate
This Week: $1,767,405
Last Week: $4,067,071
Total: $55,380,488
____________________________________________________________
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $1,579,080
Last Week: $2,518,049
Total: $90,878,127

Thoughts:
Good opening for Quantum of Solace. It beat Casino Royale's opening numbers, but fell alittle short of The Bourne Ultimatum. The film is probably going to stay on top next week too, but its going to need some strong word of mouth if it wants to reach The Bourne Ultimatum's numbers. We should have a review go up for it sometime today or tomorrow. Role Models is still going pretty strong along with Changeling. Soul Men is continuing to go down. Its a real shame, this will probably be the last film from the late Bernie Mac.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Lionsgate Announces Release Date for Saw 6


Yes, Jigsaw - and his disciples - will return in Saw VI on October 23, 2009. No word yet on a plot, obviously, but word is Saw franchise editor Kevin Greutert is directing from a script by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton.

Thoughts:
Seeing as how every Saw movie has been released in October, this doesn't come off as a surprise. The story also was leading to another film in this long franchise anyway

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Universal Thinking About More Fockers?


According to Fox 411, "it looks like a third Meet the Parents movie, a sequel to Meet the Fockers is percolating. In the natural progression of things, Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner would return as grandparents to Ben Stiller and Teri Polo 's babies. Of course, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand would have to return as well."

Universal Pictures and Tribeca Prods. have been developing the second sequel since 2007. De Niro and his Tribeca partner Jane Rosenthal will produce the film for director Jay Roach. Larry Stuckey penned a draft of the screenplay.

Thoughts:
I liked Meet the Parents and thought Meet the Fockers was enjoyable. I wouldn't mind another movie with some little Fockers running around, but I hope it ends up being the final one.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Info And A Poster For Judd Apatow's Funny People


Universal Pictures has released the first poster for director Judd Apatow's next film "Funny People".

For those who aren't familiar Judd Apatow, he directed The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Both of which have become very popular among many adult teens and I have reviews for both films on this blog. He has also gone to produce Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express and many more comedy films.

Funny People takes place in the world of stand up comedy and the focus is on a comedian who has a near-death experience.

The Universal Pictures release is slated for a July 31, 2009 release and features an all-star comedy ensemble including Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Leslie Mann and Jason Schwartzman.

Thoughts:
I loved The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. I thought both were great films and I'm really excited about Funny People. I'm very curious to see how the cast turns out.

Watchmen Posters And Info On A New Trailer


6 new Watchmen posters have arrived today and all of them looking really awesome. Yahoo! Movies has also announced that it will debut the new trailer for director Zack Snyder's Watchmen online on Thursday, 11/13 at 5pm PT, so be sure to stay tuned.

UPDATE: Trailer is now live. Click on above link to watch it

Thoughts:
Posters look great and I'm sure the movie will turn out awesome. Trailer is now live and you can watch it by clicking the above link. Looks very, very cool.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Universal Bringing Hasbro's Monopoly To Life

The Hasbro-Universal collaboration "Monopoly" is jumping a large number of spaces up the board.

The feature project has brought on Pamela Pettler to write the screenplay; She penned Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride," Gil Kenan's "Monster House" and the upcoming animated adventure "9," produced by Burton and Timur Bekmambetov.

And Ridley Scott, who has been attached as a producer on "Monopoly" and has been mentioned as a possible director, is now officially attached to helm the project, with an eye toward giving it a futuristic sheen along the lines of his iconic "Blade Runner."

In addition to Scott, Giannina Facio and Hasbro's Brian Goldner are also producing the movie, which will shape a narrative out of the iconic real-estate game. Lawrence Grey will oversee for Universal and Bennett Schneir will oversee for Hasbro.

Universal is working with Hasbro on several projects as part of a long-term development deal.

Thoughts:
I think this could turn out either way. I would love to see Scott tackle a project this weird and add some Blade Runner feel to it. I think that would be a cool idea to see. Than again, the movie could end up pretty mediocre considering its based on a famous board game.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

REVIEW: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Year: 2008
Director: Kevin Smith
Starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
MPAA: Rated R

The Weinstein Company first greenlit Zack and Miri Make a Porno simply for the films title. The film than had some trouble with its MPAA rating which saw the film getting numerous NC-17 ratings. The studio did not want this and demanded the film crew change or edit out scenes because its rather hard for studio's to market NC-17 rated films simply because most theaters wont carry them. After many attempts later, the film finally received the R rating the film crew were looking for. I have been interested in this film for quite some time now and have been keeping close with its updates. This was going to be my first Kevin Smith film that I go see and review. Its not that I hate the popular director, but that I simply haven't come across it. I have heard of Clerks and Chasing Amy, but just never had the proper time to see them.

Plot Outline:
Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are two long time platonic friends who live together. The two find themselves hitting hard times. The water and power in the their apartment get shut off, and they have no money to pay the rent. The two of them face possible eviction. And as a last attempt to make ends meet they come upon the idea to make a "porno" movie. Through making the movie, they realize that they might have more feelings for each other than just friends.

Plot:
The plot for Zack and Miri Make a Porno is rather simple and easy to understand. The whole film centers in on this pair of friends who are simply low on their budget and are looking into making a pornography to help pay off their debts. The story had interesting characters that we could all somewhat relate to. Its also pretty funny and entertaining. Having not seen any of Smith's previous films, I couldn't tell if he had a particular style of shooting. The film also has many sexual content in it which doesn't come off as a surprise considering the films title and film rating. This isn't the type of film to take your 6 year old kid to. While the films story is very enjoyable and entertaining, its also pretty damn predictable. After seeing a good 30 min's of the film, I could already guess where this was headed and how its going to end. Its not bad that its predictable, but it just doesn't make room for surprises. I also thought the ending could have been alittle more fleshed out. I mean its a fine ending and theirs generally nothing wrong with it, but I just thought it could be alittle more different and not so expected.

Cast:
Seth Rogen plays as Zack Brown and he does an alright job in his role. I think he was a pretty good choice to be playing this part, but I have a feeling he could have done better in his perforamnce. He gives a performance that's somewhat similar to that of which he gave in Knocked Up. Nothing really great, but alright to pass. Elizabeth Banks plays Miriam Linky and she too does an alright job in her new role. She doesn't give us a good and memorable performance, but I still thought she was a good choice for this role. Shes also very sexy and charming in the film. Craig Robinson plays Delaney and I thought he was simply hilarious. Hes very funny and very much in character. Robinson is very much funny in all his work, but I think he takes the cake in this film. Jason Mewes plays as Lester and I also think he was pretty funny. He isn't afraid to go full nude and his scenes in the movie show this. I think he was a nice addition to this already funny cast.

Picture:
The visual look of the film isn't something to brag about. The film was just recently released and like most new releases, the film's source is pretty clean. I didn't notice any grain or scratches and the image had a nice smooth look to it. Colors ranged from somewhat vibrant to somewhat dull. The film has many interior scenes and these all are nicely colored. Their are a few scenes where some of the colors can tend to look alittle bland. Flesh tones are accurate and definitely have that warm feeling to them. Detail is what I had a slight problem with. The film exhibits some nice detail on certain objects, but most of the time, the image can tend to look pretty soft. I think this was more of a director's choice thing rather than the film itself.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Zack and Miri Make a Porno is pretty good. The film doesn't look like its got its very own score and nor should it. The movie starts out with some punk/rock music and it sounds good. Theirs always music where it should be and they all sound appropriate for the film. I think this also has something to do with the director. The films bass isn't going to get much love. This isn't by all means, the type of film to demo to your friends if your trying to show off your new surround sound speakers. The film has bass where it should be and it sounds generally good for a film like this. Its not like I was expecting much from the film's bass anyway.

Conclusion:
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a great film that I very much enjoyed watching. The plot was interesting and entertaining even though it was way too predictable. I also thought the ending could have used alittle work, but still a solid film overall. I thought the cast was good and very funny. Craig Robinson easily stole the show for me. The visual look of the film is pretty colorful, but lacks detail here and their. The soundtrack was pretty good and was used effectively, but the bass was pretty soft. I can recommend this film to those who are big Kevin Smith fans or are just looking for a good comedy film. Its not perfect, but its pretty entertaining.

Grade: B

Marvel's Captain America Has Found A Director


Joe Johnston has signed on to direct Marvel Studio's “First Avenger: Captain America.”

Johnston is currently directing “The Wolfman” for Universal which hits theaters on April 3. He is also developing “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.”Johnston previously directed “October Sky“, “Jumanji“, “Jurassic Park III“, “The Rocketeer and Honey“, “I Shrunk the Kids“. Johnston won an Academy Award in 1982 for Best Visual Effects for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.

He now joins the ranks of Jon Favreau, Louis Leterrier, and Kenneth Branagh as Marvel’s dream team of directors set to turn bring the real Marvel universe to life in a series of films that will eventually converge in The Avengers in 2011.

The superhero blockbuster, based on a character created in 1941 by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, focuses on a weak man called Steve Rogers who is injected with an experimental serum which transforms him into a muscular
superhero.

No writers are on board but the studio expects to hire one shortly. The film will be produced by Marvel Studio's President Kevin Feige. Executive Producers on the project are Louis D’Esposito, Stan Lee and Marvel Studio's Chairman David Maisel. Paramount Pictures will distribute “First Avenger: Captain America” worldwide.

Captain America is scheduled for release May 6, 2011.

Thoughts:
Im not sure about this. I'll have to see how The Wolfman turns out, which so far looks pretty cool.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Weekend Boxoffice Numbers


In Order

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
This Week: $63,106,589
Last Week: -
Total: $63,106,589
_____________________________________________________
Role Models
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $19,167,085
Last Week: -
Total: $19,167,085
_____________________________________________________
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $9,159,523
Last Week: $15,316,072
Total: $75,573,993
_____________________________________________________
Changeling
Studio: Universal Pictures
This Week: $7,252,940
Last Week: $9,351,560
Total: $20,559,497
_____________________________________________________
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Studio: The Weinstein Company
This Week: $6,274,530
Last Week: $10,065,630
Total: $20,686,907
_____________________________________________________
Soul Men
Studio: MGM
This Week: $5,401,605
Last Week: -
Total: $5,401,605
_____________________________________________________
Saw V
Studio: Lionsgate
This Week: $4,067,071
Last Week: $9,741,578
Total: $52,187,337
_____________________________________________________
The Haunting of Molly Hartley
Studio: Freestyle Releasing
This Week: $3,318,694
Last Week: $5,423,315
Total: $10,063,348
_____________________________________________________
The Secret Life of Bees
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
This Week: $3,089,467
Last Week: $4,010,668
Total: $29,902,363
_____________________________________________________
Eagle Eye
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
This Week: $2,541,602
Last Week: $3,482,655
Total: $96,348,829

Thoughts:
Looks like Madagascar 2 opened big which shouldnt come off as a surprise considering its an animated film which always is open to more audiences. Good opening for Role Models, it was a good film and we should have a review go up for it sometime this week.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

REVIEW: Saw V


Saw V

Year: 2008
Director: David Hackl
Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Julie Benz
Distributor: Lionsgate
MPAA: Rated R

It was Halloween and I decided to go see a horror film with a couple of friends of mine. After going through a list of films that have already opened and that was a horror flick, we decided on Saw V. Seeing as how we have already seen the previous Saw films, watching Saw V would be a no brainer right? Well, not exactly because we really weren't planning on seeing the 5th entry in this thriller of a franchise. Its not that we didn't want to, its just that we never really thought about it. We figured its Halloween and we just want to watch something bloody just to get into the spirit.

Plot Outline:
Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.


Plot:
Just like the previous Saw films, Saw V begins with someone being tortured through a series of life taking challenges. After that scene we come back to the last scene of Saw 4 where Strahm is locked in a dark room with a dead body of Jigsaw. This movie had a very dark tone and view. The movie was not only just based on flashbacks of Hoffman and Jigsaw working together, but it also had a little side story. In a normal Saw movie there’s always someone going through series of challenges to determine their faith of death and survival and this movie was no different. Five people were put in a room together to be tested, but the interesting thing about these five people were that they aware of Jigsaw. Jigsaw’s work in Saw 1, 2, and 3 had spread news about him and these 5 people were aware of the test and quickly decided to work together in carefully making their decisions. What disappointed me was that these 5 people’s intelligence did’t last long when one person had more information then the other person later turning the whole situation into a case of betrayals within one another. I was really amazed by the flashbacks and how it showed all the torture scenes being created by Jigsaw with the help of Hoffman. I was really disappointed by the ending of the last scene of Saw 5. Yes, it was gruesome, bloody, and a last act of survival yet it wasn't anything like Jigsaw's type of ending that we have all come to expect. I guess I was expecting alittle more.


Cast:
Tobin Bell returns as the sinister Jigsaw. He doesn't really have a big role in this film like he did in the previous Saw films. His character is mostly seen in flashbacks and we hardly get enough of him. Costas Mandylor also returns as Mark Hoffman. His role is pretty big, but I didn't really enjoy his performance. I thought he could have a done a much better job playing a certain somebody. Scott Patterson also reprises his role as Agent Strahm and I enjoyed his work here. He doesn't do anything special from his previous performance in Saw IV, but I still enjoyed him in this role. Betsy Russell plays as Jill Tuck and shes just as good as she was in the previous Saw entry's.


Picture:
Just like any other Saw film, Saw V is dark. The film does however have a clean film source which doesn't come off as a surprise considering its relatively new. I wasn't able to detect much film grain with the image mostly having a smooth look to it. Colors are hardly eye popping with the film being very dark. Black levels on the other hand are very strong and hold up very well in some of the other darker scenes. Flesh tones are fairly accurate, but also feel alittle off at times. Detail is generally strong with alot of close up shots looking wonderfully detailed. Their are a few scenes here and their that don't offer enough detail like some of the other scenes do, but this is a good looking film overall.


Sound:
Many of the scenes in Saw all had a dark tone of sound playing because the characters were all put in a dark frightening situation. My favorite part of the sound is the last scene of all Saw movies where there’s like a finale music going where the audience awe at the moment of a dramatic, shocking, and maybe a bit frightening style of an ending. The movie doesn't really consist of much music and is much more dialogue driven, but what we do get here isn't bad. I just wish it was used effectively and spread out more. The bass in Saw V is surprisingly good. Even though the film is mostly dialogue driven, the bass still packs a good punch. It isn't reference material by all means, but its still a good mix for a film like this.


Conclusion:
Saw V felt just like any other Saw movie that we have seen in the past maybe with some new types of death scenes. I think this movie was OK since it delivers a good story and a good amount of bloodshed and what else can we expect in a Saw movie. I didn't really see any thing a bit shocking in the end though since it wasn't really a well thought out ending, it was still pretty gruesome. I just hope there’s more ideas shown in Saw 6. The picture quality was good for new release with a good amount of detail being shown. The soundtrack was more of a mixed bag, but the film did contain some good bass. I think Saw V is worth checking out if your still interested in this franchise. The story is pretty interesting and nicely sets up the next film.


Grade: C-

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Whats Coming


Sorry for the lack of movie reviews my fellow blogger's, but I have been extremely busy these past weeks. I just finished moving to my new home and I had to set up everything over again. I also have been getting ready for the Gears of War 2 launch which I'm really excited about. I cant wait to play the hell out of that game on my Xbox 360. I do have some good news though. My friend Nick has decided to write movie reviews for this blog. Nick has been watching movies just as much as I have and I'm sure he will do a great job with his reviews. He just finished writing his review for Saw V which should go up sometime tomorrow. I'm currently working on a review for Zack and Miri Make a Porno which should go up sometime Friday. We are also going to start posting movie news tomorrow. Hope you guys like the new layout : )