2011. Dir: Wes Craven. Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. ●●●○○
Do you like Scary movies? Or perhaps a better question: do you like comedies that make you jump or horror films that you laugh at? If you're a fan of the former than you will probably find Scream 4 or Scre4m right up your street, if you fall in the second camp prepare to be disappointed. At no point in the (curiously overlong) 111 minute screentime does this feel like a horror, the tension simply doesn't get ratcheted up enough, however there are plenty of giggles to be had anticipating the next bloody corpse and trying to second guess the killer.
As with the previous entries in the Woodsboro franchise the self reflection and naval gazing it what gives this picture it's unique charm. At each step of the game one of the more savvy characters will pronounce what circumstances need to be fulfilled before Ghostface strikes again, followed by cut to party scene/lone female in car park/hapless policemen.
The plot, for what it's worth, sees Sidney Prescott, our heroine from the first trilogy as played by Neve Campbell, return to her home town to launch her book dedicated to moving on from horrific episodes in her past. Whilst there she bumps into old cronies Dewey and Gale (Arquette and Cox) who are now married (irony, eh?) and enjoying their lives in the sleepy town, and stays with here hitherto unmentioned Aunt Kate (a criminally wasted Mary McDonnell) and cousin Jill (Emma Roberts). Jill naturally finds herself being stalked by another serial killer who this time seems intent on making Sidney suffer by tormenting those around her.
The rest of the teenage cast is made up of known stars like Hayden Panettiere (believably sassy and the cast stand out) and Rory Culkin (all dopey eyed) and mainly serve as either a collection of doomed caricatures or potential suspects to be crossed off one by one.
As for the reveal, it's a nice touch, I certainly didn't second guess who the killer was (my preferred suspect turned out to be hopelessly innocent) although the speech where the real ghostface revealed their motivation was hopelessly inept and didn't really work with what had gone before, and as ever the athleticism of Ghostface in full stalker mode seems to belie what we know about the eventual killer, however these are minor gripes that belong firmly within the genre.
Many of the one-liners work well, especially in the final hospital based scenes where our heroic survivors are effectively commentating on the killer's modus operandi as it happens ("They always come up behind you", indeed). By the script as a whole, along with the overall shape of the editing, shows clear signs of too many cooks. Characterisation is talked about rather than actually taking place, and retrospectively the clues leading to the identity of the killer are too circumspect and obtuse, indeed the whole theme of self generated fame doesn't come into the story until the final reel.
I don't suppose this film will resurrect the Scream franchise, the box office take has not be adequate to do that, but it may be enough to keep the careers of the protagonists going for a few more years. And director Wes Craven should definitely leave the stalker sub-genre alone and try to make an outright comedy - that I'd pay to see.
I suppose I'd recommend this as a Wednesday night, two for one on tickets, date movie. It's OK, but it's really just a means to and end.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Scream 4
Friday, 15 April 2011
Something we all do (Out this week - 15/04/11)
Odd little week, without much exciting at the cinemas, but some independent US and overseas efforts keep the art-house crowd happy enough. With the latest block buster efforts from Catherine Hardwicke and Wes Craven fighting for the top spot I'll definitely be attending a multiplex at some point, but the film of the week is Little White Lies.
Little White Lies
Actor turned director Guillaume Canet amazed everyone with his 2007 thriller Tell No One and here gets the opportunity to follow-up with a multiple character mood piece as a group of bourgeois 30 somethings head to the coast to play fast and loose with the truth of their relationships. Marion Cotillard reminds everyone she's French.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Meeks Cutoff
Michelle Williams (with a lab called Lucy) broke hearts in Kelly Reichart's relationship drama and now they have reteamed for this female centric look at the journey west taken by the early settlers. It's a very early horse in the 2012 Oscar race - be interesting to see if it's remembered at the end of the year.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Red Riding Hood
With undertones of terrorism paranoia and the nature of sexual desire, Hardwicke's interviews about her new Twilight inspired Werewolf/fairy tale hybrid are more fascinating than most of the pre-release publicity. Still the costumes look fantastic.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Scream 4
This is probably the biggest release I've heard of which has failed to screen the movie to Broadsheet critics prior to the release date. Anthony Quinn, writing for The Independent, is particularly pissed off by this, but it's hard to resist this belated sequel.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Winnie the Pooh
Charming looking return to the seven acre wood we all grew up in, with Christopher Robin's adventures with his stuffed animals. The trailer exhibits how Disney aren't afraid to play with the traditional illustrations, including words from the prose getting entangled with the story. Definitely the best choice for kids this month.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Cold Weather
Not strictly speaking mumblecore, but clearly influenced by the movement, this non-detective story with a brother-sister reuniting in Portland, Oregon over Conan Doyle and mutual friends has been highly praised by critics and festival goers and may just be a surprise worth looking out for.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Your Highness
Poisonous notices have scuppered any chance this stoner-medieval quest movie has of making it's budget back. It's like The Princess Bride but with all the wit and carefully crafted characterisations taken out. God knows how Oscar baity actors like Natalie Portman and James Franco were persuaded to get involved. Avoid.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
And missed from last week:
Cold Fish
Japanese Black Comedy, supposedly based on a true story, that charts the differing fortunes of two aquarium owners as business and personal relationships descend into madness and serial killing. Askew glances to societal traditions in the far East are bound to come into play.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Tuesday Trailers - Scream 4
There's almost certainly something wrong with me, but I'm very much looking forward to seeing Wes Craven's return to Woodsboro. Of course the sequel is completely unnecessary and probably won't work, but the mix of post-modernism and chucklesome violence impressed me as a kid so I'll definitely be back for more.
Scream 4 is released on 15 April 2011.
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Like a cat with a mouse (Film News - 29/08/10)
I didn't have a news section last week as I couldn't get to a computer, but that's probably a god thing as there hasn't exactly been much going on over the last few weeks. Mainly casting news on projects we've already talked to death here as well as the odd bit of unlikely rumours. Luckily we do have some good stories in the release date sections still to come with December becoming a lot more interesting... First up though is:
Toyer
Gadner McKay's novel is an interesting twist on the serial killer/gorno sub genre where the antagonist kidnaps girls in order to psychologically play with them but not murder or rape them, then once he has his fill releases them again. I can't quite see how - in the universe of the book - this isn't regarded as a major criminal act but apparently our hero is able to get away with it time and time again. If the set up sounds a little Hitchcockian then you won't be surprised to hear Brain De Palma is currently working on a big screen adaptation with the action transferred to the Carnevale di Venezia.
If anyone can make this sort of thing work I imagine it's De Palma (above, holding up a window) with his usual visual tricks and obsession with identity. It's not the first time Brian toyed (sorry) with the idea of adapting it but with nothing else on his plate I hope he finally gets a chance to go ahead with production.
Read on for OAPs, kidnap, terrorism, mass murder, spys, serial killers, the war on drugs and exhaustive gun battles. I'm thinking the OAPs may be out of place in this weeks post.
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Our first confirmed casting story is for Dame Judi Dench who has signed on to play one of the residents in the titular Indian retirement home. We're still waiting to hear which other major British stars of a certain age who will also be signing up.
Carjacked
It's been on the radar for a couple of years now, but Peter Medak's thriller set completely within the car of a mother and daughter who are kidnapped has picked up Maria Bello as the victim and Stephen Dorff as her captor. I suspect this will be more an exercise in style than a great movie - like Phone Booth - but I'll sill be there to see what intensity Bello can bring to the role. Example of carjacking to the left, in case you've spent your whole life in a cave.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Joining Sandra Bullock in Stephen Daldry's 9/11 picture will be Tom Hanks. I'm not sure what part he's going to play - the film revolves around a pre-teen whose father died in the terrorist attacks - but even a cameo role should do wonders for it's overall appeal. Expect it to win all the Oscars in 2012.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Following the announcement that Rooney Mara (Social Network, Nightmare on Elm Street) will be playing Lisbeth in the American remake comes the added rumour that Max von Sydow (looking a little confused on our right) will be the patriarch at the centre of the family who are haunted by the crime that forms the backbone of the plot. It's nice to see there will be some Swedish presence in the remake.
Salt 2
With Anjelina Jolie's spy vehicle passing $110m in it's US gross and with a deliberately ambiguous ending it comes as no surprise that everyone's signed on for a return including Jolie and director Philip Noyce. Whether there's enough plot to make it work remains to be seen but the first film was an enjoyable romp so I expect I'll be up for a sequel. 
Scream 4
Two more starlets, Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell, have been added to the cast of Wes Craven's return to the tongue in cheek franchise. Filming's been going on for some time so I wouldn't expect either actress to make it to the final credits intact.
Triple Frontier
A leaked memo from Paramount executives has announced a number of small and longer term projects currently under development, including within it notes about Kathryn Bigelow's next drug drama. Apparently she has been meeting with Will Smith, Javier Bardem, Christian Bale and Sean Penn which sounds like hell of a cast to me.
Untitled Gallipoli Project
Peter Jackson is remaining tight lipped about The Hobbit and Tintin sequels but he has been talking this week about his ambition to retell the Gallipoli story prior to the 100th anniversary in 2015. Unlike Peter Weir incredible 1981 film (DVD cover, right) Jackson intends to balance the politics and show the culpability from the ANZAC commanders as well as the incompetence of the British Generals in charge of the operation. It sounds controversial and with only 5 years to make it it's hard to think he can squeeze it in with both of the aforementioned blockbusters so one of them is likely to give...
Honorary Oscars
We've also learned this week that AMPAS will be bestowing honorary awards on to historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director Jean-Luc Godard and actor Eli Wallach, as well as the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producer-director Francis Ford Coppola. Some very good choices there. I'll be watching The Good, the Bad and The Ugly to celebrate Eli's award later. How will you be celebrating?
Release Dates
New York I Love You - Falling back a week - just a week this time - is the follow up to the acclaimed Paris, Je t'aime. I'm not sure but I may have mentioned before how much I'm looking forward to this. Find your love story on 08 October 2010.
Miral - December is beginning to fill up with prestige fare including this look at the Palestinian/Israel issue from avant-garde director Julian Schnabel and it's sure to pose far more questions than it answers. Find out which side of the wall you're on on 03 December 2010.
The Way Back - Peter Weir's part escape-movie part travelogue follows a group of fugitives from the Steppes in Siberia to the Indian subcontinent including Ed Harris and Colin Farrell. Escape from a gulag on 24 December 2010.
How do you Know - James L. Brooks doesn't make many films, but when he does they're usually minor hits critically and commercially, we'll see what happens with this Reese Witherspoon starring rom-com. Decide who you really love on 28 January 2011.
Morning Glory - Harrison Ford gets to play grumpy and Diane Keaton flighty in this warring anchors picture, don't expect much but it could be diverting. Read between the headlines on 28 January 2011.
Black Swan - It's certainly one of the most anticipated movies of the awards season but so far even having seen the trailer we still don't know if Darren Aronofsky's ballet drama is about a nervous breakdown or a malicious spirit. Practise your pirouette on 11 February 2011.
Restless - Gus van Sants low key follow up to Milk has moved out of the busy January schedules to find solace later in the year, it's always going to a tough sell for his more introspective work though. Find your one true love on 11 March 2011.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Who'd have thought the first film to break into the schedules for 2012 would be a remake of a Swedish breakthrough, saying that with it's prominence on the best-seller lists and one of the most publicised casting processes since Scarlett O'Hara it's not a huge surprise the studios thinking ahead. Fight your inner demons on 06 January 2012.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
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?
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Film News (13/06/09)
Some small stories this week - but only for minor projects that may or may not ever happen. At least there's a wide range of genre's - family comedies, horror and soft-core porn all get their moment in the sun (after the jump).
The Originals
Did you think that Bryce Dallas Howard has been a little quiet recently? Well apparently the reason she's only done a couple of films in the last few years (including the Terminator behemoth currently in cinemas) is because there are times she like to do other things - like going on family picnics and writing screenplays.
I'm only half kidding about the family picnics, because her latest screenplay - The Originals - was co-written with her brother-in-law Dane Charneneau and may be directed by dad Ron (up in the picture with Bryce).
It's about a groups of twenty somethings who go back to their home town when a former teacher mysteriously lapses into a coma. No doubt they share their angsty stories and learn a little about living. 
Heavy Metal
James "King of the World" Cameron has signed on to direct a segment of the Heavy Metal portmanteau film, joining David Fincher, Gore Verbinski, Zack Snyder and Mark Osbourne in the based-on-comic-book franchise. It's an odd adaptation as the comics, which mix ultra-violence with sexual imagery (although notably it's rarely sexual violence), have no recurring characters which leaves the directors with hundreds of stories to use. It's a fascinating group or auteurs, so I for one will certainly be in thye queue to see this.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
It's from Disney, and has a great title. Is there anything else to say. Story idea is being developed by Peter Hedges.
Scream 4
And 5, and 6...
Wes Craven has been letting the Weinsteins know that he might just be interested in taking the reins for the next Scream movie if Kevin Williamson's script is up to scratch. It's a tough dilemma to face, obviously Wes doesn't want the highly successful franchise to slip through his fingers, but at the same time will the law of dimishing returns continue to affect the series. David and Courtney Cox Arquette have both already signed on to be chased by the mysterious ghostface.
