Unusual method for an Alien Invasion (Film News - 13/11/10)

Stand by for a stream of conciousness - I am literally writing this on the hoof. One window with the news on and one window writing it up. It's going to be very quick, very unstructured and may even border on plaguarism. All I know is that I will ignore any casting rumours and stick only to the big stuff - new projects on the go. As I don't have access to my own 'pooter for two more weeks this is may be an interesting news style. Hopefullly it won't be horribly disappointing for you!!!

Under the Skin

I have to say the concept of Scarlett Johannson's latest project so shlocky and exploitative I almost just jumped ahead to the next story. In the movie, based on the novel by Michel Faber, she will star as an alien invader who uses her powers of seduction to lure men to their deaths - which allows them to be packaged off as haute cuisine on her home planet.

There are two interesting twists though. The first is plot related and involves her allegiances to her job and to her prey - is that spoiler free enough? - and the other is that Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth) is set to direct. In his two previous films Glazer proved he could mix potentially distasteful subject matter with classy production standards. I'm very interested to see how he works with this sort of material, though.



Third Person

I meant to mention this last week - not sure why I didn't - but it looks like Paul Haggis might be returning to the Crash hyperlink formula with his next movie. Tracing three couples across the globe as their lives intersect and affect each other. He intends it to be "very, very dark". I just hope it's not very, very simplistic...

Robbing the Grave

You might have thought that the poor performance of Burke & Hare on this side of the Atlantic in spite of it's fine cast would put studios off the concept of grave robbing. Apparently not as the heist drama written by Karl Gajdusek and Michael Finch is looking like it's going into production with Gregory Hoblit at the helm. For the record I don't think there is any actual graverobbing in the plot, I just didn't know how to start this piece.

Electric Boy Genius

Doing everything it says on the tin - EBG is a true life story about a child prodigy who could rewire a TV remote control before being able to say the alphabet (or somesuch hyperbolic parental statement). Why anyone other than the parents being interested in the extradinary abilities of young Derek I have no idea. Be honest how many readers have been told by a friend/relative about the development of their offspring without stifling a yawn?

Untitled Paul Potts movie

Before SuBo Britain's Got Talent's most bizarre contestant was Paul Potts, an unassuming travel agent with a voice from the heavens. Movie is still on it's way. David (The Devil Wears Prada) Frankel is set to direct - shudder. I'd just let the voice speak for itself.



Lay the Favourite

Gambling should be exciting. It is in real life. You go to the dogs, or casino, put a twenty on zero or on the nose and get really tense when the trpas are released/wheel spins. Unfortunately films that focus on gambling often fall short of that excitement - it's only movies where it's a scene within the film that really make it work. Anyhoo, Bruce Willis and Rebecca Hall are cicling this latest stab at high stakes film making based on Beth Raymer's memoir about beating the Las Vegas sports book system. Does the thought of Willis making out with Brit beauty Rebecca disgust you too?

Timeless

I don't know if this is the same Timeless I mentioned a few weeks ago - that one was set to be directed by Robert Zemeckis and had no plot details other than it was based on time travel. This has Philip Noyce attached and is about a husband who loses his wife and builds a time machine to see her one more time.

I guess only time will tell if they are the same projects. Sorry.

And that's it. Come back next week for more badly puntuated pithy comments.