Movie news isn't quite back to full throttle following the New Year break, but some interesting side stories are beginning to come out as well as fevered rumour mongering over the stars in big ticket films due to come out in 2012. Let's dive straight in.
Prometheus
For months we've thought Ridley Scott was wog primarily on a prequel to his highly successful 1979 haunted house in space flick Alien but it seems the scrpt has taken a numbef unusual turns and is now so far apart from the original concept it can no longer carry the Alien moniker in the title. He's settled for Noomi "Dragon Tattoo" Rapace in the lead role with Charlize Theron (or maybe Anjelina Jolie) supporting.
Of course we don't know how close to what we've already heard this film will be now there's no xenomorph, clearly the space jockey will be out but what of the rumoured mind controlling sex-obsessed Aliens or the bio-weapon cautionary tale that featured in some script versions?
The title may shed some clues, in classical mythology The Titan Prometheus (which literaly translates to Forethought) stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mankind, he was then punished by being chained to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver every day (being a deity it regrew overnight). Prometheus has been famously painted over the years, including the below by Jacob Jordaens. Mankind were punished too, as a direct result they were give women, in the form of Pandora who came with an ominous box. Whether Scott plans to riff on any section of the mythology or simply nod to the translation that could be an interesting premise for a sci-fi epic. 
Read on for in-your-face orgies and more hopeless selling out from Hollywood.
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice Remake
Director Paul Mazursky's been stirring up the batter this week. In an interview in the Wal Street Joural he said he was willing, at 80, to remake his 1969 swingers comedy but only if the studio would give him the budget for a orgy scene filmed in 3D. Doesn't bare thinking about. 
The original's "orgy" scene.
Pirates of the Caribbean 5
Disney are so confident that On Stranger Tides, the fourth installment in the bloated cash-cow franchise that is Captain Jack, that work has already begun on the fifth film. Both Depp and number 4 director Rob Marshall are being courted to return to the series. It's enough to make you want to boycott the next one in protest to the flagrant profiteering, but I am really looking forward to seeing it come May (as you'll see very soon....)
Casting News
The female cast of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Rises have been dominating the coverage this week, there have even been articles in The Inependent and Guradan about the possible roles and the significance of them. Frankly it's a bit of a poisoned chalice as the love interest for Bruce Wayne always seems to ge the fuzzy end of the lollipop, added to which Nolan repeatedly leaves his female characters underwritten, all of which makes it surprising that women in the frame include Eva Green, Anne Hathaway, Keira Knightley, Natalie Portman, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz! Naomi is also set to get into a catfight with Amy Adams over the role vacated by Charlize Theron in J. Edgar, which proves Clint still has it.
Peter Yates
This last week we also saw the passing of veteran British director Peter Yates, his best known works are probably Breaking Away (left) which captured small town America in a way no native could've done and stage to screen adaptation The Dresser which garnered Academy Award nominations for it's co-stars Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay. He also is responsible for unleasing Cliff Richard into cinemas with 1962's Summer Holiday which proves no-one's perfect. I shall be re-watching some of the better films this weekend, I hope you get a chance to do the same.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Unreasonable punishment (Film News - 15/01/11)
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Infamy, Infamy, they've all got it infamy! (Film News - 16/10/10)
Yes, that's a quote from my favourite movie about the Queen of the Nile. He says, slightly spoiling the headline story for this weeks news. Maybe that in itself is a big surprise, after all I'm bypassing the biggest Hollywwod annoucement this week - you know the one about a certain red caped Krytonite. There's just something about the combination of Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder that just makes me worry it's going to be incredibly po-faced. Anyway on to the news that really got me salivating:
Cleopatra
The news that Anjelina Jolie was interested in playing Ancient Egypt's most notorious and written about leader in the big screen adaptation of Stacy Schiff biography has been bouncing about for weeks. Frankly I can't imagine any modern star more suited to the suited to the coveted role.
That said filming her story has always been fraught with difficulties. Both of the most well known versions, the 1934 take with Claudette Colbert and Elizabeth Taylor (below) in 1963, ran over the shooting schedule and over budget nearly taking down the studios with them. So naturally Sony and uber-producer Scott Rudin have been wary about giving the final greenlight, putting the right production team and director in place will be vital to ensure this version doesn't suffer from the same curse.
This week it surfaced that they've called in James Cameron to helm the project. No stranger to massive budgets Cameron also has a unique track record of box office success. Avatar and Titanic both currently sit atop record breaking box office hauls. And as the first draft of the script is being written by Brian Helgeland this might be a Cameron movie that desn't suffer from horrendous dialogue. Result all round.
Read on for mysterious spacecraft, wayward parents and more casting rumours.
Rendezvous with Rama
For those of you who thought that Morgan Freeman's planned foray into sci-fi with Arthur C. Clarke's groundbreaking novel (left) about the ethical and spiritual possibilities following contact with another intergallactic civilisation might just have disappeared, fear not. Whilst pushing Red this week to MTV viewers Freeman let it slip that the big screen version set to be directed by David Fincher is still in the works and may come sooner than we think. It's an extremely amibitious project and if it does happen I'll be as pleased as anyone else, but they'd better get on with it otherwise Freeman will be forced to join his Red character in retirement and this is not a (space)boat he wants to miss.
Casting News
Natalie Portman is getting some serious ink about a possible role in Ridley Scott's Alien prequel, joining Noomi Rapace. I was rather hoping this film would focus on the space jockey and dispense of human characters so I can't say I'm stoked, especially given the sci-fi baggage Portman brings with her.
Alan Arkin will adjust badly to his wife's passing in Buttercup as neurotic Jennifer Aniston's widowed and irresponsible father learning to cope with a life on his own. Sounds like there could be tears and laughs in equal measure.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
You Rang Mr. President (Film News - 31/07/10)
Summer must be here. I say that because it's been another slow week for film news with very few headlines appealling to me. That said we have a bumper collection of release date changes with 9 new ones that I fancy watching as well as 4 changes. You will also have noticed that this post is a day late. I'm afraid I'm going to have to settle into a new routine over the coming months now that I'm about to start my corporate work, looks like Sundays are the new Saturdays, but more on that on my personal post which may arrive tomorrow. Instead we'll go straight to the headlines:
The Butler
What does it take to finance and greenlight a film with adult themes in todays Hollywood? It seems more than talent and stories based on major political upheavals in 20th century America are needed with the news that Lee Precious Daniels (below) is set to abandon his civil rights epic Selma due to lack of funding. In spite of the notable and talented cast Daniels may have to change priorities and postpone. This surprises because Daniels latest film was so well received, picking up 2 Oscars and 4 more nominations, that you would have thought he would be free to choose his own project next.
If he does it's looking likely that his next film will be the biopic of Eugene Allen the maitre'd of the White House who started as pantry man in 1952 (under Harry S. Truman) and worked up the chain of command until his retirement in 1986 (Reagan) - passing through a total of 8 Presidents. Denzel Washington is rumoured to be taking the role should the film end up going ahead.
As much as we can admire Allen's efforts I very much doubt his story is as compelling as that of the civil rights struggle on the streets of Alabama. (Please feel free to contradict in the comments.) It worries me that Hollywood moguls would still rather put forward a film about a loyal employee of the White House than one that looks at the complex and violent history of segregation and racial intolerance in the US.
Read on for sci-fi rewrites, poaching singers and Sandra Bullock's next role.
Alien Prequel
The "Lost" writer Damon Lindelof is giving the Alien prequel script a re-write. "So what", I hear you say. Admittdly it's not uncommon for this sort of high concept movie to go through several iterations and I certainly wouldn't think it was worth mentioning if it hadn't said of his meeing with Ridley Scott "the exchange of ideas between them sparked a take that could well turn out to be a free-standing science fiction film." (from Deadline) If that's true it brings up the total number of film projects on Ridley Scott's directorial list to 11:
2 * Alien Prequels
Brave New World
The Forever War
Monopoly
The Passage
Red Riding
Wolf of Wall Street
The Gucci family biopic
Larry McMurty's Western
and this new sci-fi.
If Ridley takes the same time to make these films as he took to make the last 11 features he will finish them around 2025 when he'll be 88. My advice to Mr. Scott (left, from the last time he directed an Alien picture) is to please stop saying yes to new films.
Dirt Music
Tim Winton's Booker prize winning novel (right) has been rumoured to be heading into production for some time with stars like Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz all attached at some point. It's looking like Russell Crowe is the latest actor in the frame as a country singer turned poacher in the Aussie outback building up a relationship with a neighbour and the world in general. Philip Noyce, who can shoot his native Oz like few others (see Rabbit-Proof Fence), is set to helm with Crowe also providing some of the music.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
When Sandra Bullock celebrated her birthday earlier in the week I stated my surprise that she has yet to find a suitable follow-up to her Academy Award winning turn in The Blind Side. Good news for her fans and perhaps galling news for her doubters - Sandra's been talking with Stephen Daldry about the role of the mother in his next project. As the parent of a precocious New Yorker coming to terms with his fathers death in September 11 it could be a good chance to flex some actorly muscle.
Release Date News
As I said earlier it's been a very busy month for changes in release dates. Here are just the films that caught my eye.
New York, I love You - It has a release date again! I have been looking forward to this collection of shorts themed aroung love in the Big Apple for over 2 years and I'm hoping this (third) release date is written in stone. Walk hand in hand through Central Park on 01 October 2010.
Hereafter - Clint Eastwood's forst foray into the supernatural focussing on three different ghosts stories in three cities seems like an interesting diversion for the veteran director and given his auteurial themes of guilt and redemption it could be a worthwhile piece. Get spooked on 28 January 2011.
Restless - Competing against the above is Gus van Sant latest teen romance concerning terminally ill teenagers and Kamikaze ghosts, I'm thinking this may be high on the navel gazing scale of van Sant pictures. Attend a funeral for someone you don't know on 28 January 2011.
The Debt - Shifting back into 2011 UK release is standard procedure for prestige films on the road to Oscar so few surprises to see this Mossad action/Drama make the move. Hunt for ex-Nazis on 11 February 2011.
Rango - the surreal trailers for Johnny Depp's animated lizard movie has certainly piqued my interest and even if it turns out to just be a light-hearted pastiche of Western tropes I think it could be worth a gander. Chase the clockwork goldfish on 04 March 2011.
Red Riding Hood - I'm still unsure how this fairy tale with adult overtones will position itself in the market and a March release indicates the studio are unsure too - will it be a disaster? Check out the size of grandma's teeth on 11 March 2011.
Hanna - shifting just a couple of weeks is Joe Wright's new murderous child movie - I just want this to go as quickly as possible so we can move on to Indian Summer. Rediscover your past on 08 April 2011.
Footloose - The original has to be a guilty pleasure for most people who grew up in the 80's - average quality but immensely enjoyable and hit the zeitgeist - the remake has a lot to live up to. Dance like there's no tomorrow on 15 April 2011.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - As awful as the 90 second teaser released thi week was I've not been put off yet and will still be seeing the 4th episode of the popular pirate franchise. Shiver me timbers on 20 May 2011.
Contagion - Rumour has it Steven Soderbergh will be using 3D technology for his virus action thriller, which leads me to ask how is that going to work and what sort of film will this be? Can't wait to find out. Avoid a cold on 21 October 2011.
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 - The Twilight saga reaches it's emotional climax (the first half of it anyway) with frightening pregnancies and decisions to be made - more than just a metaphor for itself. Finally pick Team Edward on 18 November 2011.
New Years Eve - I don't know why I'm writing about the style follow-up to Valentine's Day as I slated that on it's release. I suppose I'm just being drawn to the car crash. Find relationships predictable on 09 December 2011.
All these new releases are great to hear but we must remember the dates can be pulled away as easily as moss from a stone and this month we are especially sad to see Gavin O'Connor UFC movie Warrior disappear from the schedules. Given recent revelations about star Tom Hardy's youthful daliiances I'm sure he won't mind if we stare at this pic and imagine what we're missing.
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Film News (01/05/2010)
Can you believe it's May already?
I can't - this years going awfully quickly. In this weeks news we've got two stories that relate to Brad Pitt, two that relate to Ron Howard and one that may relate to two films. But none of these are really enough to make me salivate in longing for these films. Saying that there are some new productions kicking off that I didn't pick up on - many of which may just be the ticket.
The Hatfields and The McCoys
First Brad rumour of the week is his potential return to the Western with this adaptation of the infamous family feuds in Kentucky/West Virginia following the close of the American Civil War. The feud, which lasted some 30 years, led to many deaths in both families and an unlikely romance in the younger generation and the whole story takes in desertion, corruption, boot-legging and pigs. If this sounds more like a TV soap, you're right, as it was first translated to the small screen in the mid 1970's. Although the feuding families concept has been a backdrop in many classic Westerns, including The Big Country.
Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) is set to direct with Robert Duvall confirmed in a supporting role.
The Hatfield's pose for thefamily protrait.
Read on for tattoo's, Aliens, cheating spouses and the beam...
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Sticking with Mr. Pitt he's also been linked this week with David Fincher's remake of the Swedish hit drama, along with Carey Mulligan. I'll be honest I have nothing against Carey's casting - alhough you would be forgiven for thinking she's just a little too well known - but Brad is just wrong for the rol of the middle-aged journo played by Michael Nyqvist in the original. The part is meant to be a pretty ordinary guy just investigating a murder, he's no-one that you'd take a second look at if you saw him in the street. With Brad playing this role you would be totally unsurprised that all of the women in the film are throwing themselves at him.
Alien Prequel
On the press junkets for Robin Hood Ridley Scott been letting out snippets about his next project - the prequel to the Alien movies. Surprising no-one he's told us that it'll be in 3D (yawn!) and that it will focus on the space jockey glimpsed in the first film. There may also be some references to the company, and how it knows about the Alien before the Nostromo picks it up. What is interesting is that Scott plans to make two prequels, although right now he's focussing on the first.
Cheaters
Formerly Your Cheating Heart, the Vince Vaughn/Ron Hward collaboration has just picked up Jennifer Connelly to play Vince Vaughns wife. With both of them obsessing over whether to tell Kevin James his wife is cheating. In the right hands this could be really funny (imagine classic Woody Allen) but somehow I've got the feeling this will just about be average.
The Dark Tower
There have been rumours for years that Stephen King's masterpiece will make to a screen foramt, although these rumours usually begin and end with a TV miniseries. It is, after all, a dense piece of work; lasting 7 novels and poking it's head into almost all of King's works that involve a supernatural presence. The latest story is the rights have been picked up by Brian Grazer with a view for a Ron Howard directed, Akiva Goldsmith penned big screen version of the first novel (The Gunslinger) and then a TV follow up to bring together the rest of the elements. This may be a good idea for marketing reasons. The Gunslinger is a significantly easier option to start with, largely avoiding the metaphysical detours the later novels enjoy, and if done well it will create a fanbase who will turn to the TV for the next installment.
Ron's also had some success with adapting King's The Green Mile (no mean feat based on the appalling films that have characterised his novels), and that too was originally a number of books strung together. We'll have to wait and see hos this pans out.
Production News
I've been trawling through imdb again looking for new films that have appeared in pre-production to see if I've got a vague interest in them. Many of these I've already mentioned in the news stories, but there's a few that have completely missed me.
The titles that have been covered include the Steven Soderbergh quickie, filmed in Australia whilst rehearsing for a play with Cate Blanchett. It's been called The Last Time I saw Michael Gregg and oddly is creditted as being in Japanese. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn is up there wih it's new director Bill Condon. Sarah Polley's cheating drama Take this Waltz is back on tracks, as is the Abigail Breslin vehicle Dear Eleanor, which was thought to have disappeared, as was Sam Raimi's Warcraft. Footloose and The Girl with the Red Riding Hood were both mentioned in the last couple of news posts. Scream 4 looks like it's definitely coming - we've had some plot details leaked this week too. And finally casting has begun on the big screen version fo Jack Karouac's On the Road - it's a tricky property to adapt but it'll certainly be worth seeing.
But what else (sounding better as they go along):
Conduct Unbecoming - Not many details around, but I'm hoping it's a remake of the 1975 British Army in India film about an Officer who assaults the widow of a fallen colleague, and the resultant trial.
Little Red Wagon - David Anspaugh adds another project to his slate with this story of a young boy becoming an advocate for the homeless. Anyone know what's happened to Chris Brown vehicle Phenom or the basketball tragedy 4Chosen also on his list of things to do?
Games they Play - Sounding just a little like a more violent retread of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe this two hander follows a romantic(?) dinner between a wife who enjoys emotional torment and a husband who has decided murder is the best way to end it.
The Danish Girl - OK, so the Nicole Kidman starrer about the worlds first transgender operation, performed inside a loving stable heterosexual relationship, has been kicking about for a while. But it is pickingup steam so I thought I ought to mention it.
The Eye of the Storm - if you think there simply aren't enough films about the moral dilemmas in the right to die discussions then this Australian drama with Judy Davis, Geoffrey Rush and Charlotte Rampling is definitely going to be worth watching. Hit and miss director Fred Schepisi takes the helm.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Film News (01/08/09)
Three pairs of films this week, and if you're not a major franchise, a criminal or a spy then you may as well just go home.
The Next Three Days
It's barely been a few weeks since the Pour Elle was in cinemas yet this hasn't stopped the Hollywood machine comiisioning a remake of the French Prison Escape drama, and casting Russell Crowe as the films protagonist. I'm a Crowe fan, so I can't wait to see what he does with this - although imagining that he doesn't already know how to break someone out of prison might be a stretch.
Alien Prequel
The idea of a prequel to Alien, possibly explaining how the Space Jockey crashed on the obscure planet or possibly just explaining why the Company were interested in the Alien has been around for a long time, but the brave step of hiring writer Jon Spaihts to complete a screenplay shows Fox are really pushing nthis one through. Frankly as long as it doesn't have any Predators showing up I'm there.
Matt Helm
Get Smart took $130m in the States last year, which goes to prove that comedy spies are as popular as ever. With that in mind Dreamworks have dusted down the rights for Matt Helm, previously a Dean Martin vehicle from the 60's, with just a few tweaks to up the action sequences, and just the right touch of tongue in cheekness it could be a perfect anti-Bond franchise.
Parsifal Mosaic
Talking of Anti-Bond, Robert (Bourne writer) Ludlum's back catalogue continues to be plunged with the daft sound Mosaic next in line. Involves dead lovers appearing in train stations and the secret services turning on their own to protect the nation. Sounds daft but with a reasonable cast and crew it might just be watchable.
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Will we all go to see another 2 and a half hours of Johnny Depp in excessive make-up crowding around a couple of up and coming actors and generally steal every scene from under their noses? Of course we will! But when will Depp squeeze in a bit of Keith Richards impersonating is the more important question.
The Town
In easily the most bizarrely love triangle you'll have heard of the bank robber and cop closing in on him both fall for the same teller. All eyes will be on Rebecca Hall juggling the guys in Ben Affleck's next directorial venture.
