The Big Screen Bulletin 04.27.09: A Heatwave of News

Posted by Chad Webb on 04.27.2009

This week, the Bulletin has a three-way of nightmares, the box office results, the "TMNT" live-action film, Warners offer for HD-DVD buyers, "Tintin" updates, the latest on Tom Hanks, new DVD releases, new quickees, and much more!

Straight to Video Nightmares

For the first time ever, I give you a hat trick of nightmares, mostly because more and more intriguing movies are being released DTV these days, so I wanted to play catch-up. This 3 for 1 deal is not going to be regular, but I felt up to the challenge this week, so without further ado, let's begin.

INTO THE BLUE 2: THE REEF







Starring: Chris Carmack, Laura Vandervoort, and Marsha Thomason
Directed By: Stephen Herek
Release Date: April 21, 2009
Running Time: 92 minutes
Unrated

Oddly enough, a screenwriter is not listed on IMDB, but is on Wikipedia. Her name is Sara Berrisford, and she probably took herself off that page on purpose. The plot is almost a complete retread of the original film, with a couple exceptions. Here, Sebastian and Dani are diving instructors. Sebastian is obsessed with a lost ship, the San Cristobal, but has not located it. Along comes Carlton and Azra, who hire them for a week of lessons in hopes of unearthing the ship. But the new clients have other intentions. They need to find some cases that were dumped in the water, and if Sebastian and Dani refuse to help, they will be killed.

The movie plays like a show or music video on MTV with extended sequences of dancing in clubs, drinking, volleyball matches that mean nothing, modern soundtrack selections, lots of women in bikinis, not to mention chiseled dudes. Chris Carmack and Laura Vandervoort look like models that were hired simply to look pretty. Their acting certainly reflects that, and David Anders, who portrays Carlton, resembles Neil Patrick Harris. Aside from recycling the entire plot of the Walker/Alba adventure, this includes an anti-war commentary that eliminates the fun that could exist in such fodder. On the positive side, this does not contain any stupid jet skiing scenes, which the first flick had. Still, this is about as exciting as a rectal exam.

Final Rating = 3.0/10.0

IN THE ELECTRIC MIST







Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, and Mary Steenburgen
Directed By: Betrand Tavernier
Written By: Jerzy and Mary-Olson Kromolowski
Release Date: March 3, 2009
Running Time: 100 minutes
Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality/nudity.

Citing this as a certifiable Direct-to-DVD release is not easy. Most sites have it listed as DTV, but some folks claim it was in theaters in L.A. for a week. Official research done by yours truly has revealed that this was in theaters in Europe, but whether or not it was in the states remains unconfirmed. Either way, I label this as straight to video, but we can mutually call it a "tight rope" release. Many films spend a week in theaters, and then go to DVD, causing people to argue on the status. Oh well.

Based on the book In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke, this film was shown in a 116 minute director's cut overseas from Bertrand Tavernier, but got chopped up here. The quality suffers for sure. The story is convoluted for a 100 minute running time. It follows New Iberia Lt. Dave Robicheaux, who is investigating two murders. One is of a local hooker, which is he is trying to pin toward a New Orleans mobster (John Goodman), and the other is a 40 year old corpse of a black man murdered in the Atchafalaya Swamp. He thinks he witnessed the latter as a teenager. Meanwhile, he is being visited by the spirit of Civil War General named John Bell Hood.

I like to call this movie Law & Order: Bayou Division, but fans of the book might not like that. This is wholesome mystery entertainment, but aside from some passionate performances from the cast, this is rather unmemorable, and worth if anything, one viewing. The names of the characters are quite bizarre. John Goodman is Baby Feet, Ned Beatty is Twinkie, Robicheaux's cook is Batiste, Buddy Guy is Hogman, Peter Sarsgaard is Elrod, and Mary Steenburgen is Bootsie. Get all that? We are in the deep bowels of Louisiana. Mary Steenburgen, as Bootsie, says "I'm horny" to Tommy Lee Jones, which is something I never thought I'd hear Mary Steenburgen say. Goodman, Jones, and Sarsgaard are the stand out turns, but Sarsgaard's role is very unnecessary as a Hollywood actor filming a movie in the area. Kelly MacDonald plays his girlfriend, also a popular actor. Had this not involved the conversing with dead soldiers, it might have been granted a wider release, but in truth, the film is too weird, the direction is too bland from Tavernier, and the people who like it the most will be fans of the book.

Final Rating = 6.0/10.0

WONDER WOMAN







Featuring the Voices of: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, and Alfred Molina
Directed By: Lauren Montgomery
Written By: Michael Jelenic
Release Date: March 3, 2009
Running Time: 74 minutes

Admittedly, as a little boy, I did not walk around with my school backpack reading issues of Wonder Woman, but even so, what I knew of her origin story, I did not like. Having said that, the heroine has been given just about the best treatment possible in this animated venture, though it still has many flaws. The plot follows the Amazons, who after defeating the God of War, Ares (voice of Alfred Molina), are ordered to imprison him by Zeus. They are sent to Themyscira, as eternally young bad a$$ warriors. Centuries later, US Air Force pilot Steve Trevor (voice of Nathan Fillion) crash lands on the island, and Princess Diana (voice of Keri Russell) is sent to transport him back home. Inevitably, Ares breaks out of prison, and wreaks havoc.

The voice cast is fantastic, reuniting Waitress co-stars Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell, who have great chemistry even as cartoon characters. Alfred Molina, and the rest of the bunch are solid too. It makes no sense for the Gods to rest with imprisoning Ares from the beginning. Then, he is said to be basically mortal with the bands on his wrists, yet he still can conjure monsters with them on, but he only decides to do this after he breaks out? I'm lost. And when he does break out, why are the "good" Gods doing nothing? And why do so many movies have the "blood moon"? Can no one think of more sinister name for an evil moon? You also have a Joel Schumacher moment when Diana slips on the suit for the first time. And the President of the United States is reduced to a cowering man in a chair with an overly wicked voice. It sounds like I hated this, but in truth, the concluding battle sequence was amazing. The invisible jet looked slick too, unlike the cheesy result in Challenge of the Superfriends. This is nowhere near as good as Superman Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, or Batman: Gotham Knight, but it works, and shows that a live-action blockbuster would be silly.

Final Rating = 7.0/10.0

The News Bulletin

Ali Larter: Box Office Champion
BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Obsessed - $28.5 million ($28.5 million)
2. 17 Again - $11.6 million ($39.9 million)
3. Fighting - $11.4 million ($11.4 million))
4. The Soloist - $9.7 million ($9.7 million)
5. Earth (2009) - $8.55 million ($14.2 million)
6. Monsters vs. Aliens - $8.52 million ($174.8 million)
7. State of Play - $6.8 million ($25.1 million)
8. Hannah Montana the Movie - $6.3 million ($65.5 million)
9. Fast and Furious - $6 million ($145 million)
10. Crank: High Voltage - $2.4 million ($11.5 million)

I predict wrong again. I though Efron had the strength to top Beyonce, but evidently not. I suppose Obsessed appealed to many ranges of viewers. The film had a budget of $20 million. Channing Tatum's fans are apparently ignorant to his actual skills, so they bought enough tickets for a top three slot. Wow. The Soloist is the one release that debuted about normal in my eyes. I never expected people to flock to the theaters for Earth, which came out Wednesday, but congrats to that camp. Crank 2 and State of Play dropped considerably, and should not last another week, while Monsters vs. Aliens and Fast & Furious remain the impressive holdovers. Next week the summer blockbusters are unleashed, which means I can return to correct predictions again. Wolverine, despite the leaks, should have not trouble being #1.






Dining on Turtle Soup Again
The Mirage Group is resurrecting the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise by moving forward with a live-action film based on the origins of the iconic crime fighters reports Variety. The sewer-dwelling heroes Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael as well as their master Splinter have appeared in three live-action films in the early 90's and the CG-animated feature "TMNT" in 2007. This new version will go back to the spirit of the original comics that first spawned the characters in 1984. Unlike the previous films, this version may employ face replacement technology, which would allow the turtles to be much more expressive. Galen Walker and Scott Mednick are producing. The film will be released in 2011.
--From Dark Horizons

The key part of this article is that someone knew enough to mention the original comics, so now every fanboy will immediately think this idea is great. By telling fans they will stay true to the comics, everyone will assume this reboot or whatever will be as brilliant as Batman Begins. I say the Turtles franchise is exhausted at this point. When I was a kid, I loved the movies, the shows, and the comics, but that time has passed. Sure, the Turtles still have followers, but the mediocre CGI concoction proved that the amount of those followers has decreased. In my opinion, returning to live-action is a huge miscalculation. It all boils down to the fact that we are dealing with walking talking turtles, and some people just won't be interested. Plus, the popularity of the turtles always rested with the younger fans, and this new film gives the impression of aiming at kids a bit older, which also changes things. I do not expect this new film to be the start of a new franchise. The previous trilogy ran the well dry of ideas, and anything new will be poorly recycled.






TinTin Updates
Peter Jackson spoke with Empire Magazine (via Slashfilm) for their just released 20th Anniversary issue and revealed some updates on how the "Tintin" motion capture project is going and more on what his involvement is exactly in both the first and second film. In regards to the first film which he's producing and Steven Spielberg is directing, a week of reshoots will be done in June in his Wellington studios to fix any issues that need to be fixed from Spielberg's original month-long shoot earlier this year.

"We're kind of co-directing. I mean, we are co-doing it. Steven's been on set with the actors for the last six weeks, and I was only there for a week. So he's definitely directing the first in a way that I'm not" says Jackson. On the second the roles will be switched with Spielberg directing only via webcam. The second one is not only financed but already in pre-production and the animatics for it should be complete by this June.

The original plan was to have three films in production at the same time in different stages. Either way it looks like both will be ready in time for a 2011 release. Jackson admits that while the first film will use "The Secret of the Unicorn" story to provide most of the plot, other elements from Herge's other two-dozen or so books in the series will be added to flesh things out.

The meeting of Tintin and Captain Haddock in 1941's "The Crab with the Golden Claws" will likely be incorporated somehow, in that Haddock was a drunken cargo freighter captain unaware of his crew's complicity in opium smuggling ring. There will also be a climactic action set piece originally made for the film. For further details click here. Earlier this week "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" director Edgar Wright, who worked on the first film's script, was asked about rumors that he was in line to direct the potential third "Tintin" film. Wright dismissed the rumors.
From Dark Horizons

Let me say right away that I am unfamiliar with these stories, but I am getting a Pirates of the Caribbean vibe from these statements. I do not mean that literally, in terms of storyline, but in regards to general mood, action, and atmosphere. If this is true, it is a bright sign of things to come. I am anxious to see how a Jackson/Spielberg collaboration turns out, and by the sound of this article, it could be stellar. I find it odd that they are still not spilling their guts on who will be directing the third feature because this has always been conceived as a trilogy. Of course, they might now have one lined up yet. Knowing that the first two have been started already, what if they bomb? The reputations of Jackson and Spileberg cause one to assume this will be terrific, but you never know. Either way, I can't wait, and I'm going to try and read some of the stories beforehand.






Warner Helping out the HD-DVD Buyers
For every Warner Bros. HD DVD you purchased, you can mail the cover art and $4.95 back to the company, and the company will send you the same movie on Blu-ray. There are 128 HD DVD titles from Warner Bros. that are available for trade, and each user can trade up to 25 discs. View all the details here.
From Red2Blu.com

The podcast members, including myself, did a bunch of Warner bashing recently, but this is definitely a good idea, although, it should have begun long ago, you know, when HD-DVD lost the battle. Nevertheless, this is better than nothing, and for those that have held on to those HD-DVDs, your time has come. Only movies available on Blu-Ray right now are eligible, so you can't hold out for pre-orders. The process takes 4-5 weeks for your new Blu-Ray disc to arrive. Personally, I waited until one side won for sure, so I only have Blu-Ray, but that's me. Shipping and handling is $6.95, so this is not for free, but like I said, it better than nothing.






Hanks Spills the Beans
We spoke to Tom Hanks for the latest issue of Empire, and in the course of a career-spanning interview he told us a little bit about the state of play on Toy Story 3, as well as Angels & Demons and his HBO Pacific War series. First up, Pixar! "I have been in and done three big complete recording sessions and will probably have at least one more to do, possibly in about eight months," said Hanks of his Toy Story 3 work. "Then eight months after that I'll do a mop-up and have three more sessions after that. Those movies are beasts.

"They did an interesting thing on this one. They did not send us a script. They showed us a complete story reel of the entire movie, with storyboards moving from one to the next, and the people up at Pixar recorded some voices with some music and sound effects. Tim Allen and John Ratzenberger and I went in a movie theatre, watched the reel and said, 'This is great, let's get to work!'"

On Angels & Demons, Hank addressed the thorny issue of the film's ban from filming in the Vatican. "Everyone says, 'Oh, isn't it terrible that the Vatican didn't let you shoot?' The Vatican is all over this movie. 'There it is there, it's in the background here, we're driving past it there!' We built all the rest on a soundstage for dead solid matches. I don't know a lot of people who get to make movies in St Peter's Basiliva anyway, so I don't think anyone guessed."

On The Pacific War, his HBO series that's a spiritual sequel to Band of Brothers, Hanks said, "That's having its score finalised. I think it's going to be March 2010. We are able to visit the home front on this one and we're able to show the guys before the War and after. We show some of the most vicious stuff I've ever seen on film - because it has to be."
--From Empire Online

I think it really shows how much faith Pixar has in Toy Story 3 that they went ahead and made the complete story reel and then made sure the actors were on board. I have heard great first reactions about it. On Angels & Demons, it is unbelievable that certain clueless idiots fail to understand that the book is fiction. Does everyone understand what that means? Wrestling is scripted, Superman does not exist, and Angels & Demons is not meant to be reality. Wow. I enjoy author Dan Brown's books because they incorporate real aspects for a thrilling mystery. Some take it way too seriously. Brown and Doubleday Publishing have also announced that the next installment of the Robert Langdon series, The Lost Symbol, will be released on September 15th, 2009. It has already been greenlit, and I can't wait to read the book. As for The Pacific War, any mini-series Hanks is apart of almost instantly gets praise and rewards, so this should be fabulous, and act as a nice compliment to Band of Brothers, like Letters from Iwo Jima was to Flags of Our Fathers. Hanks as always, is just trying to have fun, and his future shows no signs of slowing down.






Wolverine Revelations
The final print of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" began screening for press this week and it seems Fox may have been exaggerating about how early and unfinished the work print that leaked online was. A few days ago the final film was revealed to have a 107 minute runtime - the exact same as the leaked workprint. This came as a surprise as the studio said the final print ran around 10-15 minutes longer and incorporated reshoot footage not seen in the work print. Of course other edits could've been made to equal the same runtime, and trailer footage has included clips that apparently were not visible in the work print.

Now, AICN has word from a source who has seen both the leaked workprint and the final version. Their response? "The workprint version IS in fact identical to the release print, sans effect and some audio work" The source indicates those scenes in the trailer, such as Wolverine carrying his girlfriend to the beach, are not in either version. As for the visual effects? "some really bad CGI work made me groan numerous times... the scene with Stewart looks so much better in the workprint - trying to digitally de-age him did NOT work this time around."

So why lie about the changes made? The answer now sadly seems obvious - "FOX is trying their darndest to keep this news from getting out, because it will eliminate most of the motivation for people who have seen the workprint to pay for a ticket."

So the cat's out of the bag that "Wolverine" hasn't changed much since the work print beyond the visual effects and sound/music mixing. To combat that though Fox has come up with an idea that will appeal to the hardcore fanboys - multiple endings. First Showing reports that director Gavin Hood told attendees of a recent press screening of the film that they''ve hidden multiple secret endings on different prints and theaters will be showing different versions. The downside? The endings will be quick - no more than a minute long each and will likely be very little variation on the same thing. In spite of the leak the film continues to track extremely well and looks set for a huge opening next Friday.
--From Dark Horizons

For starters, I did not think for one second that the leaked print was much different from what the final cut would be. It sounded like Fox trying to save face from the onset, and now we know it is. This multiple ending bullshi* is another attempt of Fox to try and drum up business. If they were smart, they'd realize most people will want to see this on the big screen regardless of a bootleg copy. I of course will be seeing the film, and will approach it with an open mind, but I am tired of seeing the trailers non-stop, and am not really expecting it to be a classic. Trailer footage that does not make it into the final cut happens regularly in Hollywood. I can't think of specific examples, but it does occur. Movies leak all the time, and the press are continuing to treat this particular one as if everyone prefers hazy bootlegs. People love going to the movie theater during the summer….period.

The 20 Second Sermon

Michael Caine and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will appear in Christopher Nolan's upcoming sci-fi epic Inception. This cast gets more amazing by the day. I can't wait. More and more reports are surfacing that Simon Cowell might be leaving American Idol next season, due to the sameness of the show and because of his other obligations. I hate the show, but without Simon, its lifespan is limited. After the Weinstein Company denied rumors that the Sin City sequel rights are for up for grabs, the Hollywood Reporter claims multiple producers are now seeking a new home for the franchise. Let's face it, this series is stuck in a permanent rut. Director Alexander Aja's remake of Piranha will now have Richard Dreyfuss involved, while Ving Rhames stars with Eliasbeth Shue. I loved the original, and Aja is not bad with remakes, so I'm game. In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Roger Ebert stated that he will be working with Richard Roeper, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune and Christy Lemire of the Associated Press on a new movie review program. This is outstanding. It will be nice to get honest reviews back in mainstream TV. To anyone who wondered how bad Disney's film G-Force looked, know that they are giving away potentially 1 million free tickets. The 30 Days of Night sequel will be DTV because the original did not gross $100 million at the box office. Oh well, I enjoyed the first one, but a sequel probably won't improve much.

What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?

DVD Headline of the Week



Jetsons: The Movie - Yes, this is the DVD headline. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. I'm a huge Jetsons fan, and this movie was constantly in my VCR as a kid. It was very good for what it was, and the pricetag for this release is quite satisfactory. Buyable

Bride Wars - Director Gary Winick has given females a shallow, annoying, and predictable film about wedding planning. This makes the gender look bad, and the actresses for that matter. This film was terrible, and the narration was possibly the worst in history. Trashable

Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1 (Blu-Ray) - Now, I am not an expert of the show, and I usually avoid displaying TV releases, but this is certainly on my birthday list. It should be fantastic.

Hotel for Dogs - Hollywood's dog movie binge of 2008 did not interest me much, so didn't see this, and probably never will.

The Uninvited - This remake of the South Korean classic contains none of the intelligence, subtlety, or intrigue of the original. This is a convoluted mess of a film, the cast performances are mediocre, and the plot holes are gaping ones. The Guard brothers need work. Forgettable

In the Realm of the Senses - Criterion Collection - A film by Nagisa Oshima, based on true events, set in 1936, depicts graphic sexual desires. Hmmm. might be intriguing.

Martyrs - A girl is abused, and finds a partner for revenge in the hospital. The title catches my attention, but that's about it.

Nothing But the Truth - A D.C. reporter faces a jail sentence for outing a CIA agent, but refuses to reveal her source. This has one hell of a cast, led by Kate Beckinsale and Matt Dillon, and is also receiving some positive reviews, so I'd like to check it out.

The Hit - Criterion Collection - From Director Stephen Frears, this is one of his early films, starring Terence Stamp and John Hurt. I definitely want to see this one sometime soon.

JCVD - Look for my review of the DVD on the site this week!

Johnny Got His Gun - This 1971 film stars Timothy Bottoms and Donald Sutherland about a quadruple amputee. The real story is the writer and director, Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted for nearly a decade, and is responsible for many great scripts like Spartacus. I am curious to see this though.

What Doesn't Kill You - This follows two lifelong friends, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke, who slide into a life of crime, but one cannot decide if he wants to be a family man instead. I saw this trailer, but was indifferent to it.

Frost/Nixon - The Complete Interviews - I saw the first volume of interviews, which included highlights of the Watergate questions, and it was riveting. I'd probably just buy this at some point. It's worth it, and comparing it to the movie is fun.

Empire of Passion - Criterion Collection - Another Nagisa Oshima film, this one is also described as erotic, but mixes horror elements in, so there you go. Criterion is going for the hat trick this week.

Legally Blondes - You guessed it, a DTV sequel to the Reese Witherspoon hits. This one stars twins, and the director is named Savage Steve. I don't even know what to say anymore.

The Critic's Quickee

Crank: High Voltage - I have to say that if you were bored during this movie, you need to check your pulse. Whether you liked it or not, it is non-stop energy. It goes without saying that one must suspend disbelief when watching an action flick such as this. However, there is a limit and Crank 2 definitely goes overboard. I enjoyed the first film, but hated the ending. I had much the same reaction here, although in this case, the bad outweighs the good. Jason Statham is very funny and engaging as Chev Chelios, and never misses a beat, but that is to be expected. I loved the first half. The intro takes us back to how the first story wrapped up, but does so using video game graphics, which was inventive. Later on, Amy Smart's character Eve, the girlfriend of Chelios, says she never got the message he gave her (which was the phone call in mid-air). We all hear the message, which cannot be decipher due to wind. This was great, and made perfect sense. As the trailer informed us, Chelios is given an artificial heart. He escapes the compound he was in, which was a terrific sequence. He then ravages a whore house, finds Eve in a strip club, and has exciting gun battles at both. He must keep himself charged continuously, and the ways he did that were quite creative, such as the dog collar, the police tazer, and so forth. I'll just go over some scenes I thought were neat. One stripper gets shot causing her silicone breasts to leak, Chelios passes a porn star protest involving Ron Jeremy and other pornstars, and Ginger Spice (Geri Halliwell) shows up as Chelios' mother via flashback. The more I thought about what I saw though, the more I realized I was disappointed. Writer/Directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor cross the line of silliness. A public sex scene with Amy Smart is recycled and too ridiculous this time around.

Two characters that kept showing up were extremely annoying. They are Ria and Venus. Ria is an Asian whore that borders on grating with her dialect, and Venus has full body tourettes, which would have been hilarious in one scene, but it keeps returning and is just stupid in the end. During one climactic fight, Neveldine and Taylor show the fight as if Chelios and the enemy were monsters, and it just looks odd and out of place. Aside from that though, the conclusion is insulting. You have a guy's head alive in a tank, a trippy fantasy sequence, and Chelios catches on fire (with poor CGI) and keeps going. The villain called the Ferret is kind of dumb, and the main nemesis should have been the 100 year old Asian man Poondong portrayed by David Carradine (who was superb). Neveldine and Taylor are constantly worried that we are not paying attention so they use large colorful subtitles Slumdog Millionaire would envy, and super quick ADD editing. The premise of Chelios having a heart that needs recharging instead of an adrenaline rush was wacky enough, but its as if the creators felt that wasn't sufficient. I think the success of the first film went to their head from a writing standpoint. I will say that Dwight Yoakam was solid as the doctor friend. He has a great line: "Is Doc Miles gonna have to choke a bitch?" Statham has another good line with "Did I drop some change or did I hear a chink?" The first sign that this script was weak is when they reference the Transporter series and mention that Chelios looks like the star of those movies. I wanted to recommend this, and to be honest, this contains loads of entertainment for guys, but Crank 2 is too zany for its own good. Final Rating = 6.5/10.0

State of Play - As a fan of the superb British mini-series this is based on, I was slightly skeptical of this despite the all-star cast. Nevertheless, this is basically a condensed version of that mini-series, and I mean that in a good way. The same elements are kept in tact, but the storyline is molded to fit modern American situations, which really gave this the dose of originality it needed. It does not ignore the increasing popularity of news online, and that was wise. The cast is very good all around. I was most worried about how Russell Crowe would be believable as a reporter, but he does wonderfully. Rachel McAdams is terrific as his partner, Helen Mirren is outstanding as Cam the editor, and the film is filled with nice little supporting roles from Jeff Daniels, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Barry Henley, Josh Mostel, and even Viola Davis. But the stand out is Ben Affleck who was given this role after Edward Norton had to pass. Affleck was fantastic in He's Just Not That Into You and he is equally as compelling as the center of the plot here, Congressman Stephen Collins. He fills David Morrissey's shoes splendidly and really shows that his strength as an actor is not waning. Director Kevin McDonald approaches straight on with no unnecessary flair, and that was the proper path.

He said in an interview with Digital Spy, "[I] deliberately left it behind. What we did was take some of the basic elements that were in the story then reinvent the rest of it and make it into its own thing. It can only live and breathe if it feels original, different." This is a man who knows how to adapt material. Honor the source, but inject your own flavor. He also shifts the focus to journalism instead of politics, although both areas are represented adeptly. This is a mystery thriller, and I found it to lean more towards mystery than thriller. The manner in which the reporters travel from point A to point B is a bit rushed, but compacting a 6 hour series will bring that consequence. Very few holes were left in how the reporters managed to move forward with the investigation, and that is a bit bumpy, but still fascinating. The score from Alex Heffes was quite satisfying, and really came into play near the end. State of Play gathers a more lively and enthralling pace as the story proceeds. The screenplay was about as competent as it could be from Tony Gilroy, Matthew Michael Carnahan, and Billy Ray. This is not a masterpiece, and trying to attain that would have been impossible, but this has a lot to offer, and I can understand why it debuted so well at the box office, and I'd bet it continues to do well even on DVD because this is the exact type of movie my parents and casual moviegoers would love. It has traces of All the President's Men and more restrained thrillers from that era. Final Rating = 7.5/10.0

17 Again - It goes without saying that we've seen a bunch of variations on this same concept. A main character will change their age and learn something about themself in the process. Now, I've seen most of these films, but the majority of my comparisons will be to Big because not only did I grow up with it, but I feel it is the best of the pack by far. One of the first things I noticed after seeing this was, despite the fact that the movie is bad, that Zac Efron exposes spurts of talent. Yes, he really does. The problem is, his entourage and Hollywood in general, wants him to be the next Matthew McConaughey. If you need proof, just look at the first scene which has his character of Mike O'Donnell practicing basketball shirtless. Every other player has a full uniform on except him. Throughout the movie, way too much time is spent showing us Efron smiling twirling his hair, or attempting to look cool. Although they touch on some emotional chords, it does not balance with the overabundance of moments that are artificial and over the top. Let's talk about the transformation scene. This one shows a lack of creativity. Efron follows and old janitor who looks to be jumping off a bridge and when he tries to save him, he falls in too, and becomes younger. The janitor means nothing and when he turns back, it doesn't happen the same way. He tries to convince his best friend who he is and it evolves into this lame fight sequence with fancy props.

That same friend, portrayed by Thomas Lennon, is also rich, which means O'Donnell can get him to buy new clothes and a car to be instantly popular. If you recall the scene in Big where Hanks and his friend spend his first paycheck on junk food. That made sense. I'd do that. Here, Efron piles all this ridiculous food into one sandwich. You have chocolate spread, pickles, easy cheese, chips, and on and on. Who does that? Not many people I'd wager. They didn't have to show a teenager's appetite in the most exaggerated fashion imaginable. Thomas Lennon's character begs for laughs in every scene, which gets old. He has a bizarre sub-plot with the principal (Jan from The Office) where they both love Lord of the Rings, and that was fine, but then they converse in elfish dialect. The movie never knows when to stop. The 1 on 1 scenes with O'Donnell's wife and kids were good, but everything at the school is incredibly cheesy and hackneyed. The captain of the basketball team is not only the most popular guy in school, but the biggest bully, who was also in jail, and is dating O'Donnell's daughter Maggie.

Yep, all that rolled into one. Speaking of, I do not watch Gossip Girl, but I was floored to see that Maggie is Michelle Trachtenberg from Harriet the Spy. She has grown up nicely. The director is Burr Steers, who previously gave us Igby Goes Down, an indy release I did not care for. This has the skin of a film, but it really just a clumsy vehicle for Zac Efron. It is not inventive enough or caring enough to separate itself from the superior films of this ilk, the filmmaking is empty, and the only people that will praise this are girls who only want to like it because they think Efron is hot. There is also some quasi-incest moments that Back to the Future touched on, but this movie dances around these situations, which is quite lazy. Final Rating = 5.0/10.0

What Have I Done?

Monday - I just listened to one of the newest Willie Nelson CDs, Willie and the Wheel, which is the legend himself with the group Asleep at the Wheel. I loved it, and as each year goes by, my fondness for Willie increases. This was a superb concept album with fun old fashioned country swinging tunes. I definitely recommend it, even to those who don't traditionally like country.





Tuesday-Thursday - Instead of doing a whole week of my activities, I thought I would write an extended bit on the Paul Robeson DVD box set I rented recently. For those who do not know of Robeson, you should really look him up. The man could do anything. He was an actor, writer, athlete, lawyer, and singer, just to name a few. This DVD set showcases some his finest efforts as an actor, along with multiple extras covering his career with praise from the likes of James Earl Jones, Ruby Dee, and others. Jones is significant because before him, it was Robeson who had such a memorable deep voice and strong presence.

The set began with two silent films Body and Soul and Borderline. The former was his debut feature as a criminal posing as a preacher. It has poor and offensive dialect, and the ending is a cheat. Borderline is a very ambitious and yes even pretentious avant-garde silent film. I both hate it and love it at the same time. I urge film buffs to check it out. The set then moves on to the sound era where Robeson was able to show off his talent better. The Emperor Jones was my favorite of the set, but not the best "overall." It is far-fetched, but highly entertaining, despite some racial slurs. Next was Sanders of the River, which Robeson disowned afterwards. The film is somewhat dull and Robeson was underused. The best offering is probably Jericho, about an escaped military prisoner. It is suspenseful, moving, and entertaining. The last two films, The Proud Valley and Native Land are weak because of the intense political messages within. Native Land is a documentary where Robeson narrates only. Why was it included?

Robeson was a brilliant performer, and I have yet to see everything on his resume, but none of the films in this Criterion Collection set are perfect. Most of the time, he is simply a better actor than the script provides. Whenever he appears on screen, an undeniable power is felt, and it takes a special actor to accomplish that. The Emperor Jones is one that best exemplifies his strengths as an actor and singer with great songs and a riveting monologue at the end. He was also in King Solomon's Mines and Show Boat, both of which are difficult to find, but I plan on seeking them out soon. For fans of older films, this set is worthwhile.

The Weekend - After the fiancée went to Miami for a friend's bachelorette party, I had the place to myself, which is nice every now and then. I spent Sunday trying to survive the heat, which had gone from 40-50 degrees with frost on my car windows, to 94 in like 1 day, which is not normal. Plus, to make matters worse, our air conditioning was not working properly.

Based on the Trailer…

Note that some links require you to scroll down a menu below the trailer screen. This is Yahoo's fault most likely.

Newest Trailers

Little Ashes - Robert Pattison's peak may have been as Cedric Diggory because here, he is embarrassing himself as Salvador Dali. I am still not sure if this is a comedy or a biopic, but it looks bad nonetheless. Pattison's expression at the end of this trailer is hilarious. Trailer Rating = 2.5/10.0

The Hangover - This looks like Very Bad Things, a movie I hated, so I am not looking forward to this from Old School director Todd Phillips. Most of the jokes here were old 10 years ago, but the last clip of Mike Tyson is one of the funniest scenes I've seen all year. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

H2 - The Rob Zombie Halloween sequel looks a lot better than I anticipated with a definite Friday the 13th/Pamela Voorhees vibe going on (as Mr. Luers told me). I really hope this turns out well because Zombie deserves more respect as a filmmaker. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

May Releases

Battle for Terra - Here is another example of simply taking a lot of popular names, placing them in a CGI flick, and hoping for the best. I admit, the animation looks impressive, and it will probably eye-opening in 3D, but this strikes me as this year's Delgo. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0

Dance Flick - This Wayan parody trailer does what most parody trailers do: make you chuckle. But we all know the film will be a disaster. Well, some of us do. The others still see this sludge. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

The Limits of Control - The new film from Jim Jarmusch looks quite excellent after this first glance. I'm sure this will be slapped with a limited release, but I'll be seeing it anyway I can. The cast looks brilliant with Tilda Swinton, Gael Garcia Bernal, John Hurt, and more. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Rudo Y Cursi - This Sundance selection was directed by Carlos Cuaron, and it reunites Y Tu Mama Tambien stars Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. Both are magnificent performers, so I'll be buying a ticket for this comedy for sure. It follows two brothers with aspiring dreams of fame, and involves soccer. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Up - Pixar's next flick looks like another funny, endearing, and funfilled adventure. At least we can rely on them for originality. I'll definitely be seeing this. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - It's a Matthew McConaughey romcom set for summer alongside a blockbuster. Aren't they al basically the same? This one looks as dumb as the rest. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0

Terminator Salvation - I love Christian Bale, and the Terminator franchise, but I have serious doubts about this. I believe it will be terrible, but I must admit, this teaser was well constructed. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Star Trek XI - The teaser was superbly placed before Cloverfield, and this causes me to be amped for the next installment despite my doubts about the cast. I hope it's as good as we deserve. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Drag Me to Hell - Sam Raimi's next film is a return to horror, and thank God! This is straight horror, without comedy from the looks of it, so it will be more in the vein of The Evil Dead I. Alison Lohman should provide the thrills here as well. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - I am undecided on this one. I think Gavin Hood is an excellent director, and I have faith in his talent, but the rest is a mixed bag, especially the first glimpse at Gambit, but that's my opinion. Otherwise, this looks to be heavy on action, which could be good or bad. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian - I realize the first one was a mammoth blockbuster hit, but it sucked, and this looks just as terrible, I don't care if Amy Adams and Jonah Hill are involved. Trailer Rating = 3.5/10.0

The Girlfriend Experience - This is Director Steven Soderbergh's film with pornstar Sasha Grey. The trailer has no dialogue, but gets the point across. I'm intrigued enough that I'll see it, and I like that the preview leaves a lot to the imagination regarding the plot. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Angels & Demons - The Da Vinci Code was a superb thriller, and this looks to be outstanding as well. This teaser has me amped for Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon again! Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Angels & Demons (2) - These stories are what they are. If you enjoy Indiana Jones, National Treasure type stuff, you'll like this. I loved the first film, and my fondness for Tom Hanks is widely known, so I'll be there opening night for this. This longer trailer sheds a bit of light. This looks to be a bit darker in tone. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

June Releases

The Taking of Pelham 123 - The new film by Tony Scott, starring his buddy Denzel, John Travolta, and James Gandolfini. Can Tony dust himself off from the decline his career has taken? Travolta makes a neat villain, so only time will tell. This thriller seems mediocre to me at first glance. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

The Proposal - This is an example of a romantic comedy I loathe. Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock are the stars. Yay. Watch this preview and tell me you cannot predict how this ends. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

Year One (Super Bowl spot) - Jack Black and Michael Cera are hunter-gatherers set in the ancient world. This looks mildly amusing. Both actors should provide the laughs. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Away We Go - I saw the name of Sam Mendes, and thought for sure he would be a producer, but no, he is directing this summer comedy, which looks to be a nice little tangent for him. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph look to be delivering superb performances, so I'm intrigued. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

My Life in Ruins - So Nia Vardalos basically takes a break for 5 years or so, until someone has a new Greece related project for her. This is the result, and Richard Dreyfuss is in it? Why? Can he get no other deals? Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Super Bowl spot) - I was little late with this one, but it's too early to tell how good or bad this will be anyhow. I'm betting it's more bad than good. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - During the first few seconds, I thought I had clicked on the trailer for Armageddon. I see robots, explosions, and the LaBeoufster. Other than that, what is happening is anyone's guess. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

My Sister's Keeper - Cameron Diaz shows she will not be counted out after What Happens in Vegas because she stars in this film with Abigail Breslin, which looks very good from this footage. When a trailer manages to tug at your heart strings, then you know the film has the chance to be solid. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Imagine That - Eddie Murphy delivers another bland looking comedy vehicle. Like anything he stars in lately, it will probably suck. This strikes me as close to Liar Liar, but oh well. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

July, TBD, and Beyond Releases

Bruno - This is the red band trailer. It looks really funny, and I'll definitely be seeing it, but I do question the legitimacy of the "real situations" they display. We all heard the rumors after Borat. Regardless, Cohen is hilarious. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

G-Force - Is Disney greenlighting anything that can be 3-D now? They also seem to love talking animals. This looks so gigantically awful. Will Arnett is in this, and that makes me sad. Wow. Trailer Rating = 1.0/10.0

Orphan - Well, if there is a chance of Vera Farmiga nudity, I'm there, and Peter Sarsgaard is cool, but this looks like The Omen with a girl character instead of Damien. In other words, this evil child outline needs to have a break. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Planet 51 - This could be a fairly amusing CGI film. The animation looks nice, but this has few voices, and no real clue as to how funny it will be. I am still unsure, but it might be good, and it might not. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

G.I. Joe (Super Bowl spot) - Oh my Lord. This looks ten thousand ways of awful. I cannot believe that the cartoon I watched as a child, has been adapted in this way. Holy schnikes. Trailer Rating = 2.0/10.0

Land of the Lost (Super Bowl spot) - Will Ferrell is funny, but that is an excuse I am having trouble using as time goes along. This looks like the CGI is overwhelming everything. I'll see it, but my expectations are not high. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Taking Woodstock - If this wasn't directed by Ang Lee, I would probably not be interested, but it is, so I'll be seeing it for only that reason. I must agree with Mr. Luers and say this looks like Ang Lee's Almost Famous. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

Where the Wild Things Are - I know this production had loads of trouble, but this looks outstanding by the trailer. I can't wait to see it. The creatures look good and Spike Jonze usually doesn't disappoint. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

Public Enemies - This is my type of film. You have Michael Mann, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and a bunch of tommy guns. I am so there. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

S. Darko - I can't help but laugh. This will be a huge pile of junk, and since I HATED the first one, I can only hope that this ruins its overrated reputation. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0

The Slammin' Salmon - The new Broken Lizard comedy starring the usual group of guys and Michael Clarke Duncan, who steals this red-band trailer. I love the comedies from this clan, so I will be seeing it. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Astro Boy - A lot of bright colors, fancy CGI, an all-star cast, and not much else. I realize fans of the many TV series' will be excited, but this character just translates as ordinary to the big screen. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Fame - This looks…..just like every other dance flick we've seen in the past decade, only this is a musical. Yay. The Wayans are parodying movies likes this for goodness sakes! This is a skip it, and I'm not talking about the girl toy from the 90's. Trailer Rating = 2.5/10.0

Powder Blue - It stars Jessica Biel as a stripper, and includes Ray Liotta. Need I say more? Trailer Rating = 11/10

9 - This looks amazing, and the song in the background only makes me want to see it more. This will be a mighty tough year for Pixar to reign supreme in. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Boat that Rocked - I love music, so this is right up my alley. It's about a radio station on a boat, one that helped give rock music to the world. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Nick Frost. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Funny People - The new dramedy from Judd Apatow starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and others. This looks very funny and touching at the same time, and that's what Apatow does best. I hope this can salvage what if left of Sandler's dignity. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Inglorious Basterds - Many expressed disappointment with this, but it is a WWII film from Tarantino, so what were you expecting? I think it looks awesome. I can't wait to see it! Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Perfect Game - Though I'm not a baseball fan, I always enjoy watching the Little League World Series. The problem with this film, despite a bad title, is that the preview reveals way too much, so hopefully it has more going for it besides the story, which I'm sure is inspirational. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Antichrist Lars Von Trier, the director of Dogville and Manderlay, is behind this new psychological thriller/horror effort. It just might be decent, but with Willem Dafoe, one never can tell. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

New York, I Love You - The first film, Paris, Je T'aime was one of the best films in recent memory that few knew about. So I am very excited about this second installment. The cast and directors look amazing. It should be a terrific experience. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - This was a great book, the darkest of the set, and this trailer rocks. I'm anxious to see this. The franchise has not decreased in quality, and here's hoping this continues that trend. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2) - Yes, I am a bit skeptical of the director, but this looks very good. This teaser gave me hope that Yates knows what he's doing. The comedy part at the end was terrific. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Other Stuff to Read

411 April Roundtable - This month Owain J. Brimfield continues as roundtable host and compiles the thoughts of the movie zone staff on the releases for April!