Lost in Translation Director Has A New Project

Sofia Coppola is checking into a new hotel for her next project.

The writer-director who shot her "Lost in Translation" at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo, practically making a character out of the antiseptic structure, will set her next film at the iconic Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.

Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning will star in the Focus Features dramedy "Somewhere," which Coppola penned.

Story centers on a bad-boy actor stumbling through a life of excess at the Chateau Marmont. With an unexpected visit from his 11-year-old daughter, he is forced to reexamine his life.

Project reunites Coppola with the film company with which she made the critical darling and box office hit "Lost in Translation."

"'Lost in Translation' remains among Focus' most beloved movies, so we have long looked forward to making another picture with Sofia," Focus CEO James Schamus said. "'Somewhere' will have all the witty, moving and empathetic qualities that characterize all her work."

Film will lense in L.A. and Italy in June and July.

Thoughts:

Finally!!! I have been waiting for her to make another film with Focus Feature since Lost in Translation was easily her best film. I loved the movie and its really nice to see her doing another one just like that, but set somewhere else. Ill be their day one of release because I know its going to be something special.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno Gets An R Rating

Despite rumours that Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s new comedy, might be awarded an NC-17 – the kiss of death, box office-wise – in the States, we can all relax: the film has officially been given an R.

It’s believed that Bruno, a fake documentary in which Cohen plays a super-gay Austrian fashion journalist who travels across the States, causing mayhem and provoking outrage wherever he goes, was re-edited and resubmitted to the MPAA, the joyless bar stewards who wanted to give it an NC-17 in the first place. That would have meant that many cinema chains would have refused to show the film, and many newspapers wouldn't have carried advertising for it.

Now, though, the movie can be seen by pretty much anyone under the age of 17 in the States, as long as they’re accompanied by a guardian. Which means, given the hype surrounding Bruno, that the way is clear for it to match and possibly even exceed the cash raked in by Cohen’s last movie, Borat. And good for him.

Thoughts:

I knew this would happen so this doesn't come off as a surprise to me. Cohen's Borat got hit with an NC-17 rating when it was first submitted to the MPAA. It was later changed to an R rating and the final film still turned out great. I would prefer the film be an R rating so it can actually make money for the studio that's financing it. NC-17 rated films hardly make money and not that many theaters even carry it. I don't want to be driving from one theater to another looking to see if it has Bruno. Trust me when I say this, but it was better that Bruno wasn't rated NC-17.

The New Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Trailer

Warner Bros. Pictures has provided ComingSoon.net with the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The anticipated sixth installment hits conventional and IMAX theaters on July 15.

Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn’t counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simpering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Thoughts:

Looks really really good. Love the dark feel to it and Ill be their day 1. Ill also try to get reviews out for the previous installments sometime before Half-Blood Prince hits theaters.

REVIEW: Fast & Furious

Fast & Furious

Year: 2009
Director: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, John Ortiz
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

Universal wanted a fresh cast and crew for Tokyo Drift because the previous film, 2 Fast 2 Furious, wasn't what fans and critics really wanted. This wasn't necessarily a smart move because while Tokyo Drift became the better film compared to 2 Fast 2 Furious, it also angered fans who were looking to see their favorite cast members from the previous film, return. So Universal had to go back to the drawing board and really think about what they want to do with this series seeing as how its become one of their most successful and entertaining franchises. What better to do than bring back Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez alongside Tokyo Drift director, Justin Lin. This was a bold move for Universal since these actors haven't been together since the original which was 8 years ago. Luckily, it payed off because Fast & Furious broke records with an estimated $71 million weekend gross becoming the highest grossing film in the month of April. Not only that, but the film beat the first, second and third films opening weekend numbers and even out grossed what Tokyo Drift made in its entire domestic run ($63.7 million).

Plot Outline:
When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

Plot:
Even though Fast & Furious was filmed after Tokyo Drift, its actually a prequel to Tokyo Drift. The plot in Fast & Furious is pretty thin. What I mean by thin is that it isn't fleshed out as it was in Tokyo Drift and its hardly original. A major character dies and we have another character trying to find out who was behind it. Its pretty simple and doesn't really have a whole lot of layers to it. If you were expecting a strong story, than you will be disappointed. Why in the blue hell would anyone be watching these movies if they were expecting a great story? That's not what these films are and people come to see these movies simply for the hot cars and sexy chicks. I enjoyed the humor that the film kept that the previous films all had. The film does have alot of character development and its mostly trough out the film. We learn more about Dom and what happened to him after the first film. Yes, we still have cheesy dialogue that has now become a custom thing in these films. Its definitely not as bad as the dialogue in 2 Fast 2 Furious, but its still cheesy. I liked how the film made some references to the previous movies and also made a reference to Tokyo Drift which is technically the sequel to this film in terms of story. I also really enjoyed the racing scenes which to me felt much more intense than the previous films. The tunnel scene near the end is almost breathtaking in a way. Director Justin Lin really knows how to shoot some awesome action scenes and it definitely shows. We also get sexy chicks that have also become a custom thing in these films.

Cast:
Vin Diesel returns as the hard hitting Dominic Toretto and he does a fairly good job in his role. I enjoyed Diesel's character in the first film and always thought how much of a bad-ass he is. Its really nice to see him return to the series that once made him famous. His Dominic Toretto is as aggressive as ever and still wins his races the way he always does. Paul Walker also returns as the undercover agent who knows how to race when needed, Brian O'Conner. Its also nice to see his character return and play the part that also made him a star. His character is much more mature now and isn't the goofball we have come to expect. Jordana Brewster reprises her role as Mia Toretto and shes as good as she was before. I really like Brewster and think shes one of the hottest girls around even though her acting ain't all that great. She does a pretty good job in her role and delivers whats needed. We also have the the sexy action star Michelle Rodriguez returning as Letty. Even though her role isn't as big as some of the other cast members in the film, she was still a fine addition to an already cool cast. John Ortiz plays as the headmaster, Campos. His lines are particularly cheesy and make him look less of a bad guy than he already his. Hes still a good actor and does his thing here, but just don't expect much from him.

Picture:
The visual look of Fast & Furious stays pretty much in line with the previous installments in the series. The first 3 films were already pretty much demo material on the DVD format. Fast & Furious benefits from a clean source considering its practically knew to theaters. I didn't notice much in terms of film grain and the image always stayed smooth through out its runtime. Colors were pretty much as vibrant as they can be. The contrast did seem alittle hot at times, but I think this was done particularly by the weather at the time of its filming. While they aren't as colorful as 2 Fast 2 Furious or as brightly lit like Tokyo Drift, they still have a distinctive look that makes them special. Black levels are strong and really dark the way it should be. The night scenes still manage to look great despite the hard lighting. Flesh tones were spot on perfect and their wasn't a time where the characters looked out of place. Detail was fantastic and revealed a good amount of dimension in the picture. Some of the CGI effects did tend to look alittle ugly near the end, but close up shots looked incredible.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Fast & Furious is just as snazzy as the previous films. While its not as music oriented or as fresh as Tokyo Drift, it still reminds you of that feeling you get when your watching one of these movies. The original music is done by Brian Tyler who also scored the last entry in the series, Tokyo Drift. The soundtrack is mostly mixed with some rap/ R&B. Its perfectly suitable for a high octane action flick like this and fans of the series shouldn't be disappointed. While the sound in all the Fast and the Furious films were good, its in the bass department where its true power shines. The bass is nothing, but spectacular. Its strong and packs quite a punch. The theater was rocking loud. It was dynamically spread out and didn't just feel front heavy like most action films these days. The previous films in the series were all reference material when it came to the sound department. I'm sure when this bad boy hits DVD/Blu Ray later this year, it will sound just as rocking if not better than its predecessors.

Conclusion:
I honestly wasn't expecting this film to live up to the previous films especially the first, but damn was I pleased when I left the theater. Not only was it better than the last two entry in the series, but it was on par with the first film. While I still think the first film was the best, Fast & Furious definitely comes as close as it gets. Its the true sequel to the first in alot of ways, but also a fun high octane thrill ride. The story is still predictable and cheesy, but I appreciate that their was more character development in this film than the previous ones. The car scenes are awesome and still kept me on the edge of my seat. The cast was generally favorable and its nice to see most of the original gang back. The visual look of the movie was great with a good amount of detail everywhere. The soundtrack was on par with past films and is definitely reference material once it hits DVD/Blu Ray. I can recommend this to those looking for a good popcorn flick. Its far from perfect and somewhat over the top, but its still mindless fun. Fans of the series will be pleased and I'm more then stoked for another one.

Grade: C+

International Trailer For Public Enemies

Universal Pictures has debuted the new international trailer for Michael Mann's Public Enemies.

Opening in theaters on July 1st, the Michael Mann-directed action-thriller is the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp)—the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public.

Thoughts:

Looks amazing and I like it more than the first trailer we got. The cinematography looks fantastic and hopefully the film can get Johnny Depp the long awaited Oscar he more than deserves.

Teaser Trailer For Mike Judge's Extract

The teaser trailer for Mike Judge's (Office Space) new comedy, Extract, is now online.

Opening on September 4, the film stars Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, J.K. Simmons and Ben Affleck. It centers on a flower extract factory owner (Bateman) who's dealing with workplace problems and a streak of bad luck, including his wife's affair with a gigolo.

Thoughts:

Looks really funny and Mike Judge hasn't let me down yet. I have high hopes for this film and I'm sure Judge will deliver another comedy masterpiece.

Sony Announces Shadow of the Colossus The Movie

Sony will adapt the popular PlayStation 2 title "Shadow of the Colossus" into a bigscreen actioner, with Justin Marks penning the screenplay and Kevin Misher in negotiations to produce.

"Colossus," which bowed exclusively on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, revolves around a man named Wander who must travel across a cursed wasteland and defeat 16 creatures, known as the colossi, in order to restore the life of a girl.

Project, which proved a big seller for PlayStation 2 and was produced internally by Sony Computer Entertainment, will build upon the videogame's fantasy setting of a solitary world with few characters other than the 16 enemies.

Misher will produce through his Misher Films shingle.

Thoughts:

I'll admit that I haven't played the game, but I have heard great things about it. The movie looks to be epic and I'm sure it will be. I cant wait to see what the films going to be like. With no release date on the horizon, it might be awhile and I mean a long while before we see this hit theaters.