Still surrounded by snow miles from home, but at least I'm back on a computer that works - ish. With that in mind I'm going back to the on the fly version of rounding up the big news on the cinematic front. To be honest I quite like the energy and pressure involved in this - it keeps me focussed on the task in hand and I'm able to condense the stories into one hour of writing! On the other hand I can't get a cup of tea half way through and I'm sure my spelling gets worse. But, what can you do?
Inherent Vice
With The Master's funding having dried up (no connection to the apparent anti-scientology message of the script) Paul Thomas Anderson has found himself looking for a new project. Until this week when he's started to be linked with Thomas Pynchon's private eye yarn Inherent Vice. Taking the tropes of Chandler and Hammett, Pynchon looks at the tail end of the summer of love and a plot to kidnap a multi-billionaire. Robert Downey Jnr is rumoured for the marijuana addicted dectective Doc Sportello.
I love detective stories and the chance to see Anderson take on this sort of convoluted plot is delicious, so this is definitely one to look forward to.
Read on for African war stories, labyrinths and two (yes, two) musical adapatations.
Ben Affleck's East Congo Concept
Less an actual film than a vague desire, but Ben Affleck has been bringing up the issue of the Eastern Congo Initiative in order to bring the long standing conflict into the public eye. It's nice to see that Affleck is genuinely concerned about what has been referred to as the African World War and which involves over 9 countries in a long history of guerilla warfare. Tragicaly his perception that the studios just won't support such a project is almost certainly true.
The Maze Runner
It's another young adult series that may just lead to a replacement Potter franchise. This one is about a boy who wakes up in the centre of a maze, which is constantly shifting. Sounds a little like Labyrinth to me, and I'm not completely sure how that could sustain more than one movie successfully.
The Scottsboro Boys/Next to Normal
You wait for ages for a big screen musical then two turn up at once. Lee Daniels has stated an interest in bringing the former, a musical based on the true story of nine African American men falsely accused of rape and trying to find justice in a corrupt and racist system. The second is about a surburban mother with bipolar disorder and has recently been showered with a bucketful of Tonys and a Pulitzer Prize.
I have to say neither feel like the subject matter that normally fits with musical theatre, which may just be why I'm a little excited about seeing the final results.
Robocop
Finally
Casting News
I've not done this for a couple of weeks, so excuse me for being a little jumpy. Sir Ian McKellan has confirmed on his own website that's he's set to return as Gandalf in The Hobbit (quell surprise!). Paul Giamatti is up for David Cronenburg's limo set thrill ride Cosmopolis. Tom Hanks has confirmed he will star in Triple Frontier, although I'm sure I've read that before.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
A trip to the 60's - (Film News - 04/12/10)
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Conflict resolution - (Out this week - 03/12/10)
Somewhat complicated week - not least because of the range of quality films hitting cinemas. I am currently typing in a random hotel in Bournemouth, and am beginning to worry if I'm going to make it back to Manchester this weekend, let alone make it to the local multiplex. I love snow, but apparantly the UK road network is less keen on the concept. (And the computer I'm using is so crap I can't copy and paste so the blobs are just numbers!!!) Film of the week - should it be relevant - is Miral.
No picture either I'm afraid - damned if I can work this thing...
Bathory
The first out of the gate of the Elizabeth Bathory movies, this one stars Anna Friel as the alleged bloodthirsty Countess. This version aims to act as a counterbalance to the popular myth and attempts to show the accusations of mass murder were simply a reaction to a womans quest for power in a world of men.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Be all and End All
British black comedy - I like to warn you up front - about a teenage boy with a fatal heart condition who just wants to lose his virginity before it's too late. I wish I could reach into the screen and tell him it's probably not worth the effort.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Follow on from the 1995 TV series "Fist of Fury", itself a remake of the Bruce Lee classic film, Donnie Yen plays the returning legend who infiltrates the Mafia in an attempt to fight off the Japanese armies.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Love Life
Also known as Stricken, this movie looks like a pure slice of European miserablism as Carice van Houten learns of her impending demise whilst having sex in clinical looking apartments.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Megamind
Will Ferrell plays the titular super villian in this latest blcok busting animation with Brad Pitt as his superhero adversary. Will likely be the biggest money maker of this weeks releases, but I can't help thinking it's chances would have been better if it came out before Despicable Me.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Miral
Julian Schnabel's look at the political and religious divides in Jerusalem follows four Palestinian women over forty years. Reviews suggest the ball has been dropped and it fails to hit the heights of Schnabel's previous works, but it's a subject rarely delved into and one that I confess an interest in hence it's high score. Vanessa Redgrave and Willem Dafoe cameo in the movie.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 6
Monsters
This is certainly the runaway favourite with the critics, a monster movie made on a shoestring budget by an up and coming British director Gareth Edwards and blurring the boundaries between romantic road movie and special effect alien invasion pic.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 5
Of Gods and Men
This years French entry for the Foreign language Oscar looks at the passion that drives people to serve God before their self as six monks in a true life story remain in an Algerian monastry in grave danger to themselves. Highly regarded at Cannes.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Rare Exports
This is an unusual Finish take on the Santa Claus stories with a not quite human saint who knows who's naughty and nice but tends to concentrate on the punishments for the naughty. Clearly the most bonkers of this weeks releases, and all the more exciting because of it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Sectretariat
Horsey drama about the horse that won the triple crown - apparently a major flat racing feat in the US - starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich, James Cromwell and a horse. The clips from the races look fantastic, the rest less so.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Warrior's Way
Massively delayed New Zealand Western with Dong-gun Jang as a warrior assassin forced to assimilate himself in the badlands with Danny Huston and Geoffrey Rush out to get him.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Marisa Tomei
Happy Birthday to
Marisa Tomei
46 today
Marisa keeps on getting better with age. And whilst this could be referring to her fantastic looks and pole dance ready body, I'm also talking about her performances which have really grown over the years. I'm currently really looking forward to seeing how she fits into George Clooney's political picture Ides of March.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Julianne Moore
Happy Birthday to
Julianne Moore
50 today
It's very hard to believe this very sexy redhead has reached the half century? Julianne has done her fair share of popcorn movies however has always shown her true colours and enthusiasm in borderline arthouse work, such as her collaborations with Todd Haynes and Paul Thomas Anderson. The questions is whether she will secure her fifth Academy award nomination with The Kids are All Right.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Woody Allen
Happy Birthday to
Woody Allen
75 today
Writer, Director, Actor, Jazz Clarinetist, there isn't a lot that Woody can't do, and for most of his career everything he touched turned to gold. Unfortunately we have seen a declines over the last 15 years, possibly not helped by his churning of projects (he has directed at least one film per year since 1982). You will meet a Tall Dark Stranger has already has it's US release and is scheduled to come out here in March, the next onw after that will be Midnight in Paris.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Tuesday Trailers - The Green Hornet
The studios clearly aren't sure what to do with this Comic book adaptation maybe because of the difficult production history and slightly fun look to the trailer. Originally slated for a Autumn release it's been pushed back into the gravyard of January Stateside. Of course I'm going to go to reward the Seth Rogen weight loss plan which seems to have done wonders for the formerly chubby comedian.
The Green Hornet is released on 14 January 2011.
Amy Ryan
Happy Birthday to
Amy Ryan
41 today
Like yesterday's birthday honouree Amy slogged away in the business for many years before breaking out in TV's "The Wire" and an oscar nomination for Gone, Baby, Gone - a performance so good Blake Lively was clearly channeling it in Ben Affleck's directorial follow-up this year. Next up for Amy in Win Win where she play the wife of part time wrestling coach Paul Giamatti.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Don Cheadle
Happy Birthday to
Don Cheadle
46 today
Cheadle first came to my attention as the scene-stealing Mouse in 1995's The Devil in a Blue Dress but he had been working steadily on TV and in films for over 10 years before that knockout performance. Short of his Mockney in the Ocean's movies he is always putting in considered and solid performances.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Peronal News - 28/11/10
As promised last week here is a very small snippet of persoanl news - I have applied to go back to school.
That is to say I have applied to a couple of Drama Schools to do a one year masters course. I believe that training in technique is not only vital if I want to progress in the quality of my acting, but also in the future of any career.
I won't tell you which courses I have applied for, but I will tell you the first audition will be in December. Wish me luck!
Ben
Brake, brake, brake! (Film news - 27/11/10)
It almost goes without saying but the last couple of weeks where I've been unable to access a computer for lond stretches of time there were news stories coming thick and fast, exciting new projects on the go every few minutes. Now that I'm back, gently typing away at my desk with all the time in the world, the presses seem to have stopped. It's been Thanksgiving week, of course, which had led to many news organisations running on lower staff and consequently fewer stories, but ultimately I'm left with just two items which got my attention. Luckily we have some release date changes otherwise I'd be considering if it was worth coming home this weekend at all.
Jayne Mansfield's Car
In a fit of pique at the current state of cinematic releases actor/director Billy Bob Thornton has decided to just write his own. He is quoted as saying: "I think because of the nature of movies they are making these days. They are really not my bag as much. I figured that instead of sitting around complaining that I really don’t want to be in a superhero movie or cartoon or a 3D vampire movie and all that kind of thing, I’ve written movies before, so why not write one."
I personally feel the star of Eagle Eye and Faster may have more of a point if he had touch more integrity in his film choices, but that's by the by.
The title is probably going to be a bit of a red herring. Jayne Mansfield, as you probably know, was tragically killed in a car crash in 1966 with less than 25 films under her belt. This film won't be a biopic of Mansfield (below) or even her car (not pictured). Instead it will focus on the randomness of life and death and the impact of the Vietnam war on a community in Alabama.
Thornton has made a number of films in the late 90s, notably Sling Blade which garnered mass acclaim and an Oscar so it will be good to see him back in the directors chair.
Read on for a surprise return to Anarene and the latest changes to release dates.
Untitled Last Picture Show sequel
Jeff Bridges has been busy doing the publicity for both Tron and True Grit over the last couple of weeks, so inevitably he's going to let a few odd snippets of information about other films he's preparing for. Notably he told journalists that he's been spending time with Peter Bogdanovich with the idea of returning to their 1971 hit The Last Picture Show (below) and continuing the storylines of those characters. This would be the second sequel after the largely unsuccessful Texasville (1990), and something tells me Randy Quaid won't be joining them this time around.
Release Dates
The release schedules have been going crazy over the last few weeks - loads of new stuff as well as some minor changes - hopefully there'll be something for everyone in this list:
Black Swan - Natalie Portman's prima ballerina reaches for perfection whilst performing Swan Lake and may just smash her brain in Aronofsky's latest movie. Become obsessed about your art on 21 January 2011.
The Ward - We may not have a poster, a trailer or even the vaguest nod towards a fully fledged plot synopsis but John Carpenter's return to the big screen does have a release date. Panic to a synth score on 21 January 2011.
The Tempest - Three of this weeks films with new release dates originally had an earlier date but then drifted into limbo for a bit, Julie Taymor's bonkers looking bard adaptation is the first of these. Talk to spirits on 04 March 2011.
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Woody Allen's latest, which looks at fortune telling among other things, has already opened in the US so naturally we have a long wait over here. Not as long as some of his though which might indicate this one's OK. Find your fortune on 18 March 2011.
Red Riding Hood - Stepping away from the back end of the awards season and closer to the onslaught of summer tentpoles seems like an interesting elease strategy for this Twilight-lite looking fairytale adaptation. Be afrad of the Big Bad wolf on 15 April 2011.
Warrior - There's still a 20 week gap in the middle of next year for me with no films I'm interested in coming out, luckily Tom Hardy will be largely naked and fighting for his life when this is released. Get back into blood sports on 07 October 2011.
Footloose - Of all the remakes of 80's standards that we've been seeing over the last few years the least surprising is this story of a young man fighting oppression through dance. Go with the music on 14 October 2011.
Hugo Cabret - It'll definitely be making it to my most anticapted films of 2011, proving I'm an unapologetic Scorsese fan even when he's making a kids film. Find the father of cinema on 09 December 2011.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - It looks like they just ca't make their mind up about the release date for this US remake, it's danced about at the end of December next year yet again. Frown and find a serial killer on 30 December 2011.
Bad News for The Debt and War Horse though; both of which have had their UK release dates pulled and with no sign of a new one at this point. I fully expect both of them to return to the schedules and will update when I know more.
