Keeping it in the family (Out this week - 30/07/10)

Fighting for the top of the box office, in a re-run of their US face off, are two major 80's properties getting dusted down for a modern reinvisioning. Whilst I'd probably be joining our American cousins and plumping for little Jaden Smith I suspect the A-Team will be victorious this side of the pond. Of course that's all academic as the film of the week is Aussie incest drama Beautiful Kate.



The A-Team

The trend for milking the nostalgia of 30 somethings continues with the return of televisions least likely quartet. The war they're veterans from has been updated but much of the plot will doubtless stay the same, with added editing and Liam Neeson taking George Peppard's shoes.

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Beautiful Kate

80's Femme Fatale of choice Rachel Ward (there had to be some connection this week) adapts and directs Newton Thornburg's novel about two non-identical twins who turn to incest in the Australian Outback. Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown are the 'names' that make up the rest of the family.

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Down Terrace

British Gangster movie - don't go - set in a dingy council house where a literal family of crooks argue about hiding the stash and who's turn it is to wash-up. Apparently a lot better than that last sentence made it seem.

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Frontier Blues

Debut feature director Babak Jalali may not be a household name but his groud-breaking Iranian film about the everyday frustrations and simplicity of life in small communities is making a big splash on the art-house circuit. Maybe one to watch out for in the future.

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Gainsbourg

Womanising French Crooner (is there another kind of French Crooner) behind Je t'aime, Moi Non Plus and Charlotte Gainsbourgh gets the biopic treatment with a suitably unconventional narrative structure.

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The Karate Kid

Or a Kung Fu kid if you want to be pedantic. I have a soft spot for the original film, whilst realising it's only a classic because of the timeliness of it's release and not because of the standard of filmmaking. Therefore I wish the remake, and stars Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson all the best.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai

No prizes for guessing where this Bollywood drama, based on the gangsters in one of the world's most populus cities, found inspiration for it's title. That's really quite true - there are no prizes.

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Hilary Swank

Happy Birthday to

Hilary Swank

36 today

Who would have thought it would by Hilary Swank who brought me back to the blog after a few days off? An actress more sinned against than sinning. Actually it's a little ironic as she's namechecked in the play that's kept me away: Baby Jesus Freak (the line being: "I've never even seen your C**k, if it wasn't for the fact I'm pregnant I'd think you were Hilary Swank.") Oh, and Hilary, if you're reading this I'm sorry I've used your birthday to promote myself but you need to do more interesting stuff to stop me.

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Sandra Bullock

Happy Birthday to

Sandra Bullock

46 today

I've yet to catch up with Sandra's oscar winning performance in The Blind Side by I am sure she didn't deserve some of the snark and bile from the internet about her crowdpleasing role. Oddly enough Sandra's not used this opportunity to forge through with her career, there's nothing coming up at all let alone nothing I'm interested in seeing.

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Barabara Harris

Happy Birthday to

Barbara Harris

75 today

As well as being a strong film actress with a back caalogue including Hitchcok's Family Plot and Robert Altman's Nashville Barbara has been wowing them on the stage in Broadway musicals and more impressively improvisational theatre (with The Compass Players) since the mid 60's. Now more or less retired she can relax knowing that her contributions will be felt in the industry for a long time.

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And Brad will interview the survivors (Film News - 24/07/10)

Comic-con is upon us once again. It looks like a lot of fun but let's be honest it is to film news what the budget speech is to financial news. Lots of ceremony and sales pitching with all the important news having been leaked weeks ago. With that in mind most of this weeks stuff concerns nuggets released from the first half of the week with the major exception of our top story:

World War Z

Max Brooks' novel about the zombie apocalypse was awesome in two main ways. First and primarily it features a Zombie apocalypse. Second it takes that and does something truly original by structuring the book around a selection of interviews with the survivors. It's an audacious move that Hollywood should be very wary of following appropriately, make it too much like the book and you'll turn off the audiences, move too far away and you have a generic Zombie flick that could be based on any property.

Naturally this complex tightrope isn't putting off any writers and the planned adaptation is still on, and still has Brad Pitt attached in a key role, according to Brooks himself. There's no news on the role Pitt will be playing although it's more likely to be the interviewer linking the various stories than any of the individual interview subjects. Either way this is certainly one to look out for.

The book - truly awesome.

Read on for sheriffs, outlaws and gifted musicians.



Earp: Saint for Sinners

I realise that science fiction boils down to westerns in space and I have no problems with classic of the Wild West being adapted to "the final frontier" but transporting a character synonymous with the OK Corral into a future earth seems plain lazy. Such is is with this yet-to-be-published graphic novel which has already been optioned possibly in response to the general fanboy anticipation of Cowboys vs. Indians. In the comic the legendary and very real Wyatt Earp finds himself in a dystopian future where the international financial system has collapsed and the only way to make money is in Vegas (!!!???). I'm sure this will be great on page, and may even work as a film, but why use Earp? Why not create an original character?

Son of Scarface

Hollywood's heavily contagious case of sequelitis claims new victims as a return to 1983's Scarface directed by Brian de Palma. Whilst Al Pacino's Tony won't be getting a chance to reappear - mainly due to the characters death - the proposed follow-up may focus on his son's rise to prominence in the seedy underbelly of Florida drug crime. The big question on everyone lips (apart from why bother) is will Son of have an equally impressive little friend (left)?

Untitled Kurt Cobain Project

Surprisingly it has taken over 15 years for a legitimate biopic of the iconic musician (below), leaving aside Gus van Sant's Last Days which is at most superficially about the singer, so it's good news to his fans that Oren Moverman (The Messenger) is set to write and direct an adaptation of Cobain life. Good news for cinephiles too as Moverman was one of the writers behind I'm Not There proving that he can deconstruct the biopic formula and finds something interesting about the very idea of Kurt Cobain.

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Anna Paquin

Happy Birthday to

Anna Paquin

28 today

For "True Blood" Anna has dyed her pitch black hair blonde and I can hardly recognise her as The X-Men's Rogue let alone her role in 1993's The Piano. Of course another birthday passing for Paquin means another year of asking where is Margaret, Kenneth Lonergan's You Can Count on Me follow up? It looks like there's still no sign of the Post Traumatic Stress related movie but Anne Thompson at Indiewire has hope.

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You're - still - a toy! (Out this week - 23/07/2010)

Pixar do it again, the annual tradition of opening a movie to critical acclaim and box-office domination continues for another year. You have to wonder what they put on their cornflakes. It's quite a good week for counter-programming too with three other films that could have sneaked a film of the week mention if it wasn't so competitive. Nevertheless the crown inevitably goes to Toy Story 3.



Baaria

Golden Globe nominated Italian film following generations of a Sicilian family through births, marriages and deaths, through the rise and fall of Fascism the mob and the communist party, and all via the eyes of a Shepherd's Son.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○



City Island

Andy Garcia wants to be an actor - it's a little late for that I hear you say - but no jokes his character wants to leave the nine to five and tread the boards in this New York serio-comedy. Also starring Julianna Margulies as his suspicious wife and Alan Arkin as his acting coach.

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Ivul

Bizarre looking French fable about a boy who exiles himself following a brush with incest. Avant-garde touches make this inaccessible to most of the cinema-going crowd.

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Jaspar, Penguin Explorer

Pleasant untesting animation aimed at the very young. Originally in German the trailer makes Pingu look like Bertrand Russell. See it if you dare.

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Khatta Meetha

Bollywood expose uncovering the corruption and brutality in the road building industry (no, really). The ubiquitous Akshay Kumar stars.

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Rebound

Catherine Zeta-Jones happily pigeonholes herself as a cougar (no doubt proving her acting worth) by going for a much younger man in Nanny Justin Bartha. They make a cute couple in the trailer.

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Splice

Vincenzo Natali latest sci-fi offering melds creature feature prosphetics with modern ethical dilemmas as married biologists Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley make a 'baby'.

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Thillalangadi

The trailer has it all, comic sidekicks, easy to copy dance routines and kick-ass car chases. Nothing that could pass for a plot though.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Toy Story 3

The Toy Story movies are now receiving accolades as the best film trilogy of all time now that the third feature has kept the ball in the air. Expect Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz to remain centre stage but with hilarious new characters voiced by Michael Keaton, Ned Beatty and Timothy Dalton to stealing some scenes. Female toys include Joan Cusack and Whoopi Goldberg.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○

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Philip Seymour Hoffman

Happy Birthday to

Philip Seymour Hoffman

43 today

Looking back now it's difficult to remember that time when Hoffman was everybody's favourite below the line character actors, effortlessly walking about with scenes from more famous and experienced stars. Three Oscar nods later we realise how quickly times change. In 2011 we'll get a chance to see him square off with Brad Pitt in the long-delayed Moneyball and play religious con-man The Master in Paul Thomas Anderson's next movie, which may or may not be called The Master.

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Terence Stamp

Happy Birthday to

Terence Stamp

71 today

Is Stamp the most beautiful man who ever lived? He burst onto the screen in Billy Budd as the object of Robert Ryan's obsession and sadistic torment in Herman Melville's study of men at sea. It's hard to argue with Ryan either. I'd want to control Stamp completely if I were him.

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Inception

2010. Dir: Christopher Nolan. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy and Ken Watanabe. ●●●●○



To misquote Zhuangzi (4th Century BC Chinese Philosopher) "Last night I dreamed I was a butterfly and now I'm now sure if that was Inception". Although given the nature of the films climax that pithy (and not terribly original) start veers awfully close to spoiler territory. Chris Nolan's 7th and most expensive movie to date is all about the nature of our existence and our understanding of how dreams interface with reality.

Or is it?



Nolan has created a universe where accessing and manipulating dreams is a commonplace business, which is both tolerated by the establishment whilst being technically illegal. The main purpose of the procedure is to steal ideas and concepts from within the brain of the subject - it would appear to be generally industrial secrets - although it was strangely originally developed to allow soldiers to practise beating the crap out of each other in their unconscious.

After Leonardo DiCaprio and his right hand man Joseph Gordon-Levitt botch a robbery from the id of Ken Watanabe's Saito, Ken hires them (partly to protect them) to go to the next level and implant an idea into Cillian Murphy's brain. This theoretical implanting process (it's never been done thoroughly successfully) is named Inception. Like in all heist movies we then go through the process of getting a team together with the architect (Page), forger (Hardy) and untitled chemist Dileep Rao joined our band of mercenaries.

During this process the movie goes through the most interesting set pieces, including the folding Parisian street we saw in the trailer and exploding cafe scenes, as this serves as training for Ellen Page the exposition fits nicely into the scenes without feeling too talky. We also get introduced to Marion Cotillard as DiCaprio's deceased wife who's place within his tortured mind may just lead to his downfall.

The majority of the film then takes place in Murphy's dreams (yes that's dreams within dreams within dreams) as the team delve further into the recesses of his mind to place the macguffin of an idea.

As a heist movie Inception works very well. The team compliment and re-inforce each other strengths. The fuzzy action sequences are, at least, an improvement on The Dark Knight and nicely paced even if the stakes never seem as high as they ought to be - if you get killed you go to limbo where your brain works at an incredible rate possibly atrophying the faculties before your physical form wakes up... or something. In fact the film as a whole nips along at a fantastic pace ebbing and flowing in a way that seems both natural and easily carries you along with it.

The cast do good jobs with little to work with. I especially liked Ellen Page for her straightforward delivery of some of the more unlikely lines of dialogue and Tom Hardy for his slightly fey Britishness. Leo is unfortunately coasting on his far more complex performance in Shutter Island where the character had much of the same issues on his mind. Cotillard is icily beautiful as always and I couldn't help wondering what she'd be like as a pure femme fatale in a modern noir that really exploited her passion and poise. The fringe of the movie also holds some nice cameos for Michael Caine, Pete Postlethwaite and Tom Berenger.

The production design is crisp and precise, the way you would expect within the dream world, all tailored suits and new furnishings. The stand-out technical performance goes to Hans Zimmer for his delicious action score, it pounds it's way through the movie as both heart and soul and is an album I have no reticence in recommending.

I am slightly disappointed by the film as it introduces some interesting concepts but then drops them. We are in a world where people become addicted to dreams but this is barely touched upon as is the inevitable psychological effect of spending so much time hopping from dream to dream. There is also a strange lack of surrealism in these dreams, apart from a misplaced train and the ultra-cool hotel fight (which is horrifically justified as being natural consequence of dreams on another layer as opposed to being part of the way dreams are) there is little that doesn't take place in any major blockbuster. The act of Inception itself - snow covered bunker, hospital bed, safe contents - is a nice touch but it's not enough. It hardly seems fair to say that the subconscious of the victim will fight off attacks from a group like this but only allow them guys with guns as a means of defence.

There has also been plenty of Internet chat about whether the final scene is still within a dream and indeed whether the entire film takes place within DiCaprios head. In answer to that whilst the final shot is pleasingly ambiguous and the Mombasa chase sequence seemingly unlikely in reality (tapered alleyways and fortuitous arrivals et al) I find myself caring less and less about the issue as time passes. After all if Nolan doesn't really care about the effect of dreaming on his characters (see my comments above) then why should I?

Overall I would say Inception is a roaring heist movie that will keep you entertained and gripped throughout it's run time, but don't be fooled by the early reviews or solid marketing strategy this is not as clever as it thinks it is.

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Robin Williams

Happy Birthday to

Robin Williams

59 today

Few actors generate as much positive and negative opinions as former stand-up Williams. Positive because he is a rarely talented comic actor who can easily project the turmoil inside (just watch his performance in Good Morning Vietnam if you want any proof) and negative because his back catalogue is stuffed with saccharine monstroscities that waste that talent. Next up is some voice work in Happy Feet 2 - it might not be Aladdin good but the original did showcase his talent well.

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Running

Over the last 7 days I have been asked by someone in the real world why my blog is called Runs Like A Gay and I told him my quick glib answer but I think I owe the full excuse to all of you (including A. if you're still reading).

When I first started this blog the ultimate aim was to use it to talk about my running and to inspire my training programmes. Unfortunately whilst I enjoy running it's very difficult for a amateur jogger to make the nip round the block seem in any way interesting so I've spent most of my time on the more social filmic posts. That's the running bit. I also wanted to give it a faintly comic edge on the theme of the popular children's insult of running/throwing/catching like a girl - the truth be told most girls can run/throw/catch much better than me so there had to be a variation. As I am gay it seemed an obvious word to use.

Now I realise the potential for a play on the word to be taken as offensive, I even suspect that I have lost some 'hits' because of it, but I am from the Lenny Bruce school of insults and imagine that the more we accept words as just collections of letters then any potential hurt from their use can be completely wiped away.

Anyway this week I went out 5 times, ran a total of 57.1 km over 5 hours, 36 minutes. It wasn't a great time, but these included the first of my longer runs on the road to the Nottingham Marathon, so I'm just happy to be increasing the distances.

By the way the glib answer is that you can tell I run like a gay because I listen to showtunes on the i-pod. You should see me huffing and puffing my way up Prestwich clough trying to both run and do Velma Kelly's dance moves in Chicago.

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Tuesday Trailers - Salt

August is going to be a real blockbuster-centric month for me, with the third trailer that's getting me intrigued being for the Tom Cruise vehicle that underwent a sex change and took on Anjelina Jolie. It opens in the US this weekend and I expect this to be a bona-fide hit, the sort of film that does exactly what it says on the tin and does it well without reaching to be something it isn't. This is the second trailer which may just give too much away - be warned.



Salt is released on 20 August 2010.

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Personal News - Extra bits

"Baby Jesus Freak" has a review.

It's available on remotegoat and it's a well balanced positive review. So I'm happy.

That's all really.

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Personal (18/07/10)

Just a quick note to let you know that the first three performances of "Baby Jesus Freak" went very well, we had pretty good audiences and I think we were all more than satisfied with our performances. (Although I personally thought I went a bit eggy in one scene).

We also held discussions with the audience after each of the performances to discuss the issues raised in the play such as the Woman's Right to choose and the very nature of existence. If anyone reads this who attended I'd like to thank you for your contribution to the discussion.

We now have few days of well earned rest before the second wave of performances at the Continental in Preston on Saturday and Sunday at 8 where we will be part of the Preston Tringe Festival. I look forward to seeing you there.

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Networking, or something more? (Film News - 17/07/10)

What with the usually running routine, the temping job and doing a play (did I mention "Baby Jesus Freak" is on this week?) I've not had the chance to look at much news this week - not to mention less chance to actually write this piece hence the delay, so please forgive me if something has really jumped out at you that I've missed - and feel free to add it in the comments.

Paper Wings

Back on Wednesday an article appeared in the UK's free commuter paper about a big, star-studded Scientology meeting that took place in a quiet restaurant in LA. Among the patrons were both high-profile and long rumoured practicitioners of the beliefs including Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Anna Kendrick and Eric Dane. Like a fool I bought into the idea that it was just a get-together for like minded individuals to discuss their shared beliefs. Of course that wasn't true (obviously really because when have Scientologists been known to be so open about their activities) and later I read that it was a read though of one of Cruise's potential projects: Paper Wings a drama set in the world of rodeos.

Now I remain to be convinced that a bucking bronco based plot is worthwhile it must be admitted that's a perfect cast on paper (sorry). What I think most worries me that I (and the Metro) were pefectly willing to accept this meeting had more divisive aims. I confess my personal prejudices against Scientology (which I should treat with no lesser or greater validity than any other belief system) allowed me think the worst both before I knew it was film related, and to a certain extent after when I started to assume the castings were predicated by a shared religious background. I suspect I'm not alone in this but that prjudice is wrong and should be fought against.

After all, if there is a bias it is hardly a first and hardly necessarily detrimental to the project. There have been plenty of examples throughout the history of Hollywood where producers/directors/actors have found a common bond which brought them together be it spiritual, political or just that they became good friends. Ultimately I hope the film is casting the best talent for the right reasons, but if a project does involve friends getting together then that's good too and I wish them the very best on the film.

Smith and Cruise come out of the four hour meeting certainly looking positive.

Read on for Hollwoods most famous mothers, the concept of hell and a biopic that's been in the works for 11 years.


Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

With the recent publication of this title focussed on the tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (left generating chemistry for the first time in Cleopatra) and the renewed interest in the couple's domination of the press and of Hollywood at the time it's little wonder that rumours of a film adapatation have begun to circulate. Some interesting names are being bandied about as potential castings (some of which you can imagine better that others). Options for Liz include Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anjelina Jolie with Russell Crowe, Clive Owen and Colin Farrell all in the frame for Burton. I'm not sure which of these I'd like to see, if that is I'd like to see any of these options, but I know I will definitely be up for a Dick/Liz film.

Heretics

The Christian film market is sizeable but it seems at odds with mainstream Hollywood. This weekend for instance Rocky Mountain pictures (erm, who?) have released Standing Ovation in the US on 623 screens. It will probably do OK, but not great business and notably more in the red states, but it remains a big enough demographic to wonder why the mainstream hasn't embraced evangelical Christianity. This might change with this potentially controversial but still insider story about the rising TV preacher Carlton Pearson who questioned whether the concept of hell was right or appropriate and found himself drummed out of his Church. I believe this will lead to interesting theological questions and hopefully will allow all sides of the arguement time to speak. Mark me as very interested in this.

Janis Joplin: Get it while you can

It's good to know the Joplin biopic that sprag fully formed on IMDb a few weeks ago wasn't part of my imaginaion. This week we've heard tha's it's definitely on and that Amy Adams has been cast in the title role. If you're as interested in the genesis of the film production of Janis's life as much as Janis herself then this article in Movieline reminds us of the various possible casting options that have drifted through in the last 12 years.

Here's Janis telling us about things we don't know:

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Diahann Carroll

Happy Birthday to

Diahann Carroll

75 today

Isn't she absolutely stunning in that photo? Diahann is a actress and singer who got started in the local Gospel choir in Harlem she joined when she was 6 and through the twin forces of her talent and personality became the first Afican American actress to headline a major US TV series "Julia". There are no doubts she broke barriers like few women of her generation. Here she is at the Royal Albert Hall proving what a great performer she is:

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Maybe it's not in your head (Out this week - 16/07/10)

The title of this new release summary isn't just a reference to the dreamscapes of our film of the week but it's also a line from "Baby Jesus Freak" - I may have already mentioned that I'm performing at the Lass O'Gowrie, Charles Street, Manchester all this weekend. I know some of you can't make it due to geographical constraints but if you don't have that opportunity the next best thing would be this weeks MVP Inception.



Bluebeard

Block buster shy francophiles have a bumper week with three big releases on the arthouse/foreign film circuit. The more lightweight of them is this adaptation of the classic tale of serial killing husbands and naive wives, jumping between two sisters reading the story for the first time and the events themselves this should keep the kids entertained.

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Le Concert

The second French entry may be a comedy but it's central conceit of a disgraced former Russian conductor intercepting an invitation for the Bolshoi and getting together his old orchestra pals for one last concert. Melanie (Inglorious Basterds) stars as the solo violinist.

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Inception

I suspect like me you've had the heady throb of the trailer music consistently in your head for the last few weeks. The wait is now over and Chris Nolan's Dark Knight follow-up is here. Have you got your tickets yet?

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Mega Piranha

One blob movie alert - only the third time this year. For some reason the internet clamour for Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus was so great here in the UK that not only did that testament to trash get a cinematic release but so has it's suitably ridiculous follow-up. Now starring 80's pop sensation Tiffany.

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Mel Karade Rabba

Two Bollywood entries this week, too. This ones a university romance with a "cool dude" trying to impress the most eligible girl in college. From the poster I'm guessing they're mature students.

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Rapt

Interesting looking French thriller about the political and financial dealings that follow the kidnap of a major industrialist with government links - no, I don't think it's meant to be L'Oreal. Yvan Attal, in a change of pace from his jealous husband in last weeks Leaving, plays the chief negotiator.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Tere Bin Laden

Prepare to be amazed what subjects are dealt with in Bollywood - an ambitious Pakistani reporter fakes a video from Osama Bin Laden in order to get the "scoop" and then a US work visa. Hilarity ensues.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

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Jackie Earle Haley

Happy Birthday to

Jackie Earle Haley

49 today

Following Jackie extraordinary performance and subsequent Academy Award nomination for Little Children I suspect he knew he only had a limited window in which to establish a legitimate career in movies, being short of stature on top of his ethereal facial structure means parts are harder to come by. But now he's made his money with Watchmen and the Elm Street remake he'll hopefully have more opportunity to experiment on film.

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Tuesday Trailers - The Last Airbender

I'm bracing myself for the comments now. In spite of the racebending casting furore and in spite of the appalling reviews for M. Night Shyalaman's latest epic you have to admit this trailer is pretty awesome. Do you think we can sue for false advertising?



The Last Airbender will be released on 13 August 2010.

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Harrison Ford

Happy Birthday to

Harrison Ford

68 today

I know it's not a particularly recent photo, but be honest when you saw it was Ford's birthday you immediately thought of either Han Solo or Indy. As well as passing my best wishes for his birthday I'd like to wish Ford and Calista Flockhart hearty congratulations following their wedding in June, and to say I'm looking forward to seeing Morning Glory.

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Running

I don't know if I told you but I've signed up for the Nottingham Marathon again. Foolish really, but I'm having to step up my training another notch. I've bought some new trainers (still shiny and clean too) and am getting up nice and have psyched myself up even on days I've not wanted to go out.

Overall between Sunday 04 July and Saturday 10 July I went out 4 times and ran a total of 21.2 miles in 3 hours 14 minutes and 48 seconds. (I'll admit that's not very far when you consider I'll be running 26 and a bit miles in 9 weeks.) If I continue at that pace I'll do the Marathon in 4 hours and 55 seconds so I need to speed up as well if I want to brwak the all important 4 hour barrier.

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Personal News (11/07/10)

Nothing new to add. Baby Jesus Freak opens this week. If you're near Manchester see it.

That's all.

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More Bad Bankers (Film News - 10/07/09)

I was initially worried that it was going to be another very quiet week, the Independence Day holiday limited press office action and the rumour mill. Even on Tuesday there wasn't much happening, but as the weeks gone on we've had a plethora of stories, most of which are at the very early stages but there's enough to get into a mild conversation about them.

Wolf of Wall Street

Leonardo DiCaprio has been linked to the big screen adaptation of Jordan Belfort's "Wolf of Wall Street", for a long time it was likely to one of his collaborations with Martin Scorsese. Now Martin is preoccupied with Hugo Cabret Leo's gone to some of his other former employers to get it underway, including the notoriously busy Ridley Scott. Belfort's memoir is a cathartic expose of his former life as a broker, exposing both the immense wealth he obtained and the close to the line and often downright illegal activities he had to do to maintain it.

What I find most interesting about this story is how little Hollywood has tried to denigrate the financial system which kick-started the last recession. There was a banking conspiracy in The International and lefty Oliver Stone has resurrected the icon of greed Gordon Gekko, but other than that the studios have left well alone.

To me this is as much an indication of how the modern production system has failed as any other. In the 70's satire ruled the box office, the production companies were proud to highlight their views on politics, war and modern culture. Now mainstream movies are so anodyne there is little attempt to reflect the reality of modern life back at the audiences, even the banks and broker houses who everyone agrees are the badguys in this global slowdown have go away without censure.

Perhaps the idea of biting the hands that feed them is too scary to most of the studios, especially in these times of financial woe where reduced funding could well cause even major companies to go the wall - see MGM or the leaked Warner Bros. papers that indicate Harry Potter is losing money! I will certainly be supporting this movie, though. It is time for political cinema to return to the mainstream.


In case anyone's forgotten Leo has other pictures out about now, including the hotly anticipated Inception (above).

Read on for priests, pianists, unlikely sequels, youtube, more fairy tales and the latest news about a major broadway to screen adaptation.


Brother Jack

Machine Gun preacher may still be twos years away but it's already started a trend for religious tinged biopics. The next project is former priest and human rights activist Jack Healey who literally spent time on the streets in order to highlight America's homelessness problems.

Last Airbender sequels

M. Night Shyamalan probably doesn't know what to think right now. On one hand the reviews for his manga-like adaptation (left) have been poisonous beyond expectations but on the other the films taken over $80m so far in the States and will probably easily pass $100m that's more than The Prince of Persia or The A-Team. He's probably very confused about whether to push forward with the idea of a sequel, or even to continue with the planned trilogy. What do you think?

Untitled Liberace Project

Matt Damon thinks Steven Soderbergh's much delayed Liberace biopic, focusing on his outing by the Daily Mail, is still set to be filmed next year. It wouldn't surprise me if he's telling the truth, Soderbergh just can't sit still for ten minutes without starting on a new film and we're probably all desperate to see Michael Douglas in one of the late singers more OTT outfits.

Life in a Day

I don't normally do documentaries in cinema - not that i don't like feature length docs I just would rather watch on DVD in the comfort of my own home - and therefore very rarely feature them here on rlag but the youtube movie has me intrigued. Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald have issued an invitation to the world to film their activities on July 24th, submit them to youtube and for consideration to a collection of DIY videos to be released commercially. This could be absolutely fascinating, or it could be just a bunch of cats playing piano and brides fainting at the alter.

Little Mermaid

Hans Christian Anderson was a uniquely gifted storyteller able to fuse incredible truths about societal inequality and heartache to the medium of children's fairytales, well aware it's the story that engages the child but the feeling that makes them remember it. One of his most renowned fables, The Little Mermaid, is currently being prepped for a big screen live action production. Putting aside the practicalities of such a move I imagine that this will such a different experience to the popular Disney version (left) that the two pictures can happily co-exist.

Red Riding Hood

Speaking of fairy tales Virginia Madsen has joined the cast of the little red riding hood adaptation. It's odd but I'm actually beginning to think I may go and see this.

Wicked

The Wizard of Oz prequel has to be the most anticipated musical adaptation for the last 15 years, and the deep expectations of millions of fans will need to been taken into account so the process will be a long and detailed one. This week it was announced the writers have begun to interview directors including J J Abrams (Star Trek, !!!???), James Mangold (Walk the Line), Ryan Murphy ("Glee") and Rob Marshall (Chicago). Which is certainly an eclectic bunch. I an see benefits of any of these choices, but who would you choose?


This has become an iconic logo, how will the impending film poster go one better, or will it even bother trying?

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Reflections on Coping (Out this week - 09/07/10)

Deciding what to watch at the cinema this weekend will be relatively easy for most people, in fact if the wind is right I can probably hear the frantic screams of Team's Edward and Jacob as they glorify their new Gods. I do mean the sarcasm, but not maliciously, the reviews are easily sighting the latest Twiglet adventure as the best of the series so far, however for the film of the week, in a very competitive middle standard week, will be the 7/7 themed picture London River.



Frownland

If the trailer is anything to go by this American indie will have scratching your head and trying something else, but if you like your hero's babbling and leechlike then this could be for you.

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Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema

South African Gangster movie (I imagine you guessed at least part of that) cleverly highlighting the seedy underbelly of Jo'burg now the World Cup is nearly over. The trailer made me think of American Gangster so it might work.

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Leaving

Kristen Scott Thomas slips into one of her French speaking roles as a middle-class wife and mother who falls for her bit-of-rough handyman. As all the relationships begin to disintegrate you'll be left wondering if there's any hope for humanity.

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London River

With the fifth anniversary of the London Tube bombings having passed this week you should check out Rachid Bouchareb's (Days of Glory) story of grief and coming together with two parents looking for their commuter children and expecting the worst. Brenda Blethyn and Sotigui Kouyaté's acting styles couldn't be further apart and the pair compliment each other perfectly.

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Madrasapattinam

Watching the trailer of this I wasn't so much struck by the interracial love affair against the backdrop of India's independence so much as the appalling acting by the lead white guy. I think I should move to India, bound to get lots of work there.

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Milenge Milenge

Gaudy costumes abaound in this modern Bollywood musical, with a tagline He was the wrong guy for the right girl you know how it will end. Probably servicable entertainment.

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Predators

I've never seen the original so I'm not automatically this reboot is pissing on Arnie's legacy but it does look drivel. The only fun that might be had is guessing what order our ragtag bunch of ne'er'do'wells get offed. I'm guessing Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne and Alice Braga are the last three standing.

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The Seventh Dimension

Homegrown horror movie in which hackers break into a secret vatican computer system that holds the key to predicting the future although they prove it by finding clues to the 1929 Great Depression, so the current financial meltdown isn't good enough for you. By the way, I wonder what sort of glasses you need to watch a 7D film?

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

EEEEEEEEEK! AAAAAAAHHHHHAAAGGGGHHHHH! EEEEEEE-EEEEEEK! etc. etc. OK, I'm not the taregt audience but the reviews are positive, it's making a mint, and as well as the three stars there's an impressive supporting cast of "I know you" young actors like Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nikki Reed, Jodelle Ferland, Cameron Bright and Dakota Fanning.

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Tom Hanks

Happy Birthday to

Tom Hanks

54 today

One of the most critically and commercially successful actors of all time, even if his star has begun to wane. I say that, but we all know Toy Story 3 which he is the lead - even if Pixar is the star - will be this years highest earner as well as beloved by critics. Given that the Langdon movies have been improving it's possible The Lost Symbol might even be a decent film too.

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Anjelica Huston

Happy Birthday to

Anjelica Huston

59 today

Anjelica had one of the greatest starts in show business that you could imagine, the daughter of the legendary director John Huston and granddaughter of Walter Huston. Yet she chose very much to go it alone, minor roles and walk-ons filled her early years slowly building her own reputation, eventually picking up an oscar for Prizzi's Honor. I'm still pretty unsure about the twitcher movie The Big Year coming next year, but I am a little more interested knowing she's in it.

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Whatever Works

2009. Dir: Woody Allen. Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Begley Jr, Patricia Clarkson and Conleth Hill. ●○○○○



The philosophy of this film, which Larry David's Boris is keen to point out on numerous occasions, is that life is hard and transient enough that we should all strive for our own temporary measures of happiness, for Whatever Works. At heart it's a message of tolerance and forgiveness, that happiness is so fleeting we should hold on to it however it's obtained and not to begrudge other people's methods. Beautiful. Unfortunately the movie had the opposite effect on me, I left the cinema less happy then when I went in and I'm willing to forgo other people's happiness if this sort of tangled mess is the result.

I'll start in a positive way by listing the elements of the film I liked: the concept of Boris breaking the fourth wall and alienating the other characters was interesting (although it wasn't done well or with any consistency), Evan Rachel Wood gave a passable ditzy blond of the Mira Sorvino school of Allen heroines, the score was the usual easy jazz we've come to expect from Allen's movies and... No, don't expect any more, that's all I liked.



The flimsy plot follows bitter, nihilistic, semi-suicidal Boris, and the path of his relationship with Wood's Southern runaway Melody. Boris is clearly the Allen proxy but David shouts his way through the performance with none of the nebbishnish and self-deprecation that would have made the character work, he's not even rude and funny which would bring the audience some way around liking him. You have to wonder what naive Melody sees in him, and no the Pygmalian references in the film won't wash because Boris takes no pleasure in either the transformation (if there even is one) or the process of enabling this transformation.

Time, according to one of the direct to camera monologues (that's one where no-one notices him as opposed to the ones where people stare and question), passes and out of the blue Melody's parents played with gusto but no feeling by Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jnr arrive separately as gargantuan stereotypes of deep south prejudices. Allen clearly doesn't know what to do with people outside of his usual social groupings has them immediately and without much warning lose their previous fears and anxieties and become a nymphomaniac and proud homosexual respectively.

I would say it was the influence of Allen's own Manhattan that sets these people free of their bonds, but you'd hardly know it was set in New York. The heady atmosphere of the city ever-present in Allen's greatest movies is barely noticeable with the location feeling the same as any other major metropolis.

All this, and much more, is squeezed into the 92 minute film making it feel like an eternity had passed before the end credits.

I want to end with more positivity, to praise Clarkson's costumes or the set decoration of David's duplex, but I can't. Sure these elements work, but they're uninventive and bordering on the cliched. Perhaps if I end with the one line that made me laugh out loud (and bear in mind it was an empty theatre so I didn't have an excuse for not guffawing often). Boris has just awoken from a nightmare panicking about is imminent demise - I did say the character was like a neuroses greatest hits for Allen didn't I? - and Melody suggests watching a film to calm down:

Boris I have stared into the abyss.

Melody We'll watch something else then.

Even that wasn't as good as I remember.

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Tuesday Trailers - Knight and Day

I bet you thought Tuesday Trailers was gone for good. Luckily what August lacks in depth of movies it makes up in breadth so there's a fair smattering of trailers to keep us going through July. First up is James Mangold's latest action adventure starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. You'll note I started pluging this on Tom's birthday, although it made it into the top 20 most anticipated films so it's hardly new to the radar. From the trailer I'm getting a Romancing the Stone vibe, with plenty of cheese, should be fun whilst it lasts. What do you think?



Knight and Day opens on 06 August 2010.

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Sylvester Stallone

Happy Birthday to

Sylvester Stallone

64 today

Let's be honest, if you were looking for a bunch of badass mercenaries to keep you safe this summer it wouldn't be the smug A-Team, the weird Predators or the highly prophetic Losers. Hands down it would be The Expendables with Stallone directing, writing and starring you know any loose drug cartels are going to toast by the end.

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Personal News (04/07/10)

Another week with little to expand on my personal musings, I've not been applying for anything on the basis I only have one month before I start my corporate contract so I can't audition for anything too long term - I also have a ridiculous beard for Baby Jesus Freak, which limits my casting opportunities. I suppose I could talk about how I completed my tax return today, 7 months ahead of the deadline I'll have you know... But it's really not that interesting. All I need now is a rich sugar daddy to pay it.

We're getting very close to Baby Jesus Freak, now. It's on in just under 2 weeks, tickets are available for the performances at The Continental, Preston - where we're performing as part of the Presto Tringe (Fringe) festival. They can be purchased here. Tickets for the Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester on 16-18, 26 and 28 July will be available soon, or on the door.

Oh, and if I haven't explained it the plot goes a little something like this:

Drunk at his mother’s funeral, Born Again Christian Daniel falls into bed with non-believer Lauren. Putting his mistake behind him, Daniel promptly falls in love with Beth. But, proving that God definitely has a sense of humour, Lauren phones with some news: she’s pregnant...

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Eva Marie Saint

Happy Birthday to

Eva Marie Saint

86 today

During her heyday Eva Marie starred against most of the greatest lead actors of the time, including Marlon Brando, Cary Grant and Paul Newman, and used those moments to allow her own personality and talent to shine through. Looking back at her performances I am mostly impressed by her poise and decorum, an inner dignity that always shone through in the roles.

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Lies, damned lies (and Film News - 03/07/10)

OK, I'll admit it. There are two big fat elephants in the room. I want them to go away, you want them to go away, they're making it difficult to concentrate on the mushroom vol-au-vents of this weeks news and they don't go with furnishings at all. So if talking about the elephants can remove the elephants here goes. I am not interested in seeing Meryl Streep playing Margaret Thatcher, espeically not if it wil be directed by Phyllida Mamma Mia Lloyd. Mark Ruffalo has said he's working on a film adaptation of The Normal Heart - I've pretty much given up on my chances to appear in a local staged version of it (not that I've had a no yet) and it's still a little raw. Have they gone now? OK, lets move onto the rest of the news.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

If you have any knowledge of the British involvement in Iraq you will know a Walter Mitty is a pejorative term for middle ranking intelligence officers who admit we went to war on a lie. That said the original 1947 film (below) starring Danny Kaye and directed by Norman Z. McLeod was a curious romp about a serial fantasist, continuously creating wild alternative lives to remove him from his dull day-job and overbearing mother until a real life adventure (involving crown jewels and shady European criminals) drags him out of his depth. There have been several attempts over the years to resurrect the character, with actors like Jim Carrey, Luke Wilson and Mike Myers all circling the role at one point. The latest star to have an interest is Sacha Baron Cohen, and he might just be able to make the remake a reality. Personally whilst I was underwhelmed by Borat I think he might just be perfect for the role, and will be able to bring both the cocksure attitude and the parcical action together.


Read on for spooky families, magical automatons, sequelitis, international terrorists and the production that's hacking itself to death, as well as the latest production updates from IMDb.



The Addams Family

Fans of the original Charles Addams cartoons (Right) depicting a gothic ghoulish family in an unspecified US location can rejoice as the stop-motion adaptation might not be a complete fabrication. Producer Christopher Meledandri has confirmed he is working on the project, with the aim of asking Tim Burton, or one of his close pals, to direct.

Hugo Cabret

Scorsese's Shutter Island follow-up started filming this week with an extensive list of thespian talent annouced to support Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley and Sacha Baron Chen (him again). Including the venerable Christopher Lee, Ray Winston and Jude Law. I'm not sure how they'll all fit into the Children's novel or who will play Melies, but as soon as I know more you'll be the first I share it with.

Mad Max: Furiosa

File this under rumours that make me mad. News from down under indicates that George Miller is prepping a second return to the Mad Max (original on the left, there will be no Mel this time round) universe to be filmed at the same time as Fury Road and to be released soon after. My advice: don't do it. Make one story, concentrate on that. If it does well then you can make a sequel. Thank you.

Nagasaki Deadline

As we anxiously await Spike Lee's feature follow-up to the disappointing Miracle at St. Anna (not that I'd know, it was never released here) we have been given a steady drip drip of potential projects. The latest is a terrorist themed thriller, in the vein of 24 with a FBI agent attempting to prevent two independent attacks on US soil. Lee has shown a shrewd hand in regards to action, with The Inside Man so this could be one to watch.

Scream 4

If you have been waiting 11 years for the fourth installment of the Scream franchise then please be wary that it might be dreadful. The production seems to be going hostface on itself with cast being replaced on a daily basis and even scriptwrite Kevin Williamson now shunned. On the plus side Mary McDonnell (Donnie Darko, Dances with Wolves, Battlestar Galactica) has joined the cast list. P.S. the killer is revealed if you star at the picture on the right until your brain fries.

By the way if you have been waiting for 11 years you should pop over to read Glenn Dunks at Stale Popcorn. He's reviewing the first three movies scene by scene. It's an utterly barmy endeavour, but great fun and worth dropping by for his witty and insightful work.

Production News

Once a month I scour IMDb, looking to see which films mentioned here have gone into production (only about 40% do, you know) and seeing if any other projects catch my eye. The ones covered include Steven Spielberg's War Horse, musical prodigy drama Song of Names, Cage and Kidman together at last in Trespass, the Tupac Shakur biopic, the second part of The Twilight Saga: Breaking (records) Dawn and The Chaperone, from the makers of WWF. As ever some other films came up which I had no idea about:

La Ligne Droite

French director Regis Wergnier, bst known for the Catherine Deneuve starring Indochine, has conceived, written and is now directing this under the radar number. My French is a little rusty, but I tink it means the straight line, which is suitably crytic.

Forrest of Mirrors

CIA conspiracy thriller about the cold war and US involvement in Latin America. Could be diverting, could be trash.

Janis Joplin

The most intriguing is this biopic about Rock and Blues singer Janis Joplin which has appeared under Fernando Meirelles (I was looking to see if 360 was in development). Janis tragically short life and astounding musical influence has been touted for a film for some time, but I can't remember seeing a story that attached it to Meirelles, in fact I've not seen anthing sine there were three projects all in development with Zooey Deschanel, Renee Zelleweger and Pink as propective Joplins back in 2006. I don't know if this is the real thing, but let's hope it is, Joplin's story is immensely cinematic.

Oh, and I must tell you this month we've reached the point when I can safely say I can do a 20 for 2011 (my annual countdown on my most anticipated films) as there are 20 films filming or in post set for next year that I want to see now. Admittedly for the time being they include Scream 4 but we're still six months away so plenty more can kick off. There is one film I mentioned today that's a shoe-in though. Like to hazard a guess which one?

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Tom Cruise

Happy Birthday to

Tom Cruise

48 today

Born of the third of July doesn't have quite the same ring to it. Is Cruise bashing still in vogue, I thought his self-mocking performances in Knight and Day (which I am looking forward to) and as Les Grossman would've begun to dilute that although looking at the posts on various websites you'd think he regularly ate babies. I suppose you have the same arguement with Cruise as we had with Sean Hayes a few weeks, ago when the performance is good enough you can forget Hayes is gay and that Cruise is a bit weird, and with Cruise the vast majority of his performances make me forget so I guess I'm a fan.

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Touch of the greenstuff (Out this week - 02 July 2010)

In the murky race for cinema receipts studios use marketing, the festival circuit and celebrity interviews all to maximise sales, but nothing is as good as the art of timing. Dreamworks' green skinned ogre is managing that feat by releasing in the UK the weekend after England were unceremoniously (and quite justly) dumped out of the Football World Cup. What's more as no other studio has anything near it's scope the film of week is Shrek Forever After.



The Ballroom

Perhaps the best way to celebrate the World Cup this week is this Brazilian drama, following a number of couple during one balmy night of ballroom dancing. There's some nice music and delicate tangoing in the trailer.

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Crimefighters

Shoestring budget British comedy with vigilante justice York-style taking on the vicious wave of increasing crime. Looks silly, but fun, with some chucklesome sound mixing in the trailer.

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Heartbreaker

Romain Duris stars as a professional relationship destroyer, yes you can pay him to romance one half of a couple in order to force them to break from their unsuitable partner. The Frenchman is unfeasibly attractive. Can someone please tell him I need to be rescued.

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I Hate Luv Storys

Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor make a very attractive couple in this Bollywood-set Bollywood drama, shame the plot looks horribly contrived.

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Lymelife

There are a couple of Culkin brothers, together on screen at last, heading up this semi-autobiographical look at disintegrating families from the inside from writer-directer Derick Martini. Maybe a bit too familiar to The Squid and the Whale to really shine, Timothy Hutton and Alec Baldwin are among the adults.

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Nandalala

Don't hold your breath, this Sri Lankan film about an incredible journey undertaken by a seven year old and the child-like adult he's befriended has already been delayed twice. Look out for this again in about 5 months.

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Shrek Forever After

If it ain't broke, don't fix it is the Dreamworks maxim for their green cash cow, and the constant OKayness of this franchise will continue. Expect the same fair to middling jokes to be trotted out along with the stars Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz. Eddie Murphy will still steal the show as donkey, and Julie Andrews is still selling out.

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Skeletons

Direct from the Edinburgh film festival it's a buddy comedy about travelling exorcists, a curious deadpan mix of gothic horror and double-glazing sales techniques. And Jason Isaacs' moustache.

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White Material

Isabelle Huppert makes it to UK cinemas two weeks in a row with Claire Denis' study of post-colonialism racial tensions in modern Africa. Her steely eyed plantation owner immediately brings to mind Deneuve in Indochine.

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Karen Black

Happy Birthday to

Karen Black

71 today

I agree wholeheartedly with Karen's sentiment in the photo, but you think she could have posed with a real gravestone, the whole pic looks a little fake. Few people work as much as Karen, 5 films currently in production according to imdb, tragically all of them look awful. You've got to slow down love and just take some passion pieces, please.

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