Movies/TV's 3R’s 11.10.09: The Undertaker, Evil Dead, Yogi Bear, NCIS, More...
Posted by Shawn S. Lealos on 11.10.2009
From The Undertaker's origin movie, Evil Dead returning to theaters, Taylor Swift taking a jab at Kanye, and James Franco starring in a daytime soap to Levi Johnston getting mad at Conan, The Office offending suicidal people, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin going to the Oscars, David Fincher making a horror movie, and more, 411's Shawn S. Lealos breaks down the Right, wRong, and Ridiculous from the week in Movies/TV!
Welcome to Week 20 of The 3 R's for the Movie/TV world.
Without any further ado, here is...
The Right
Biggest Opening Ever: The Awards Hungry movie Precious opened this past weekend and is one of the most successful limited releases ever. It was only released in four cities - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta - and in 18 theaters. However, in those theaters it averaged $100,000 per location, among the best ever seen by any film. Brokeback Mountain ($109,485 average for 5 theaters) and Dreamgirls ($126,317 average for 3 theaters) were better but Dreamgirls charged a ridiculous $25 per ticket for its showings. This year's surprise hit Paranormal Activity opened in 160 theaters and averages $49,379 per theater. These amazing numbers has to have the studio salivating at the film's wide release. This Friday it hits San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. and then it goes wide on November 20. Early word is the movie is incredible and will rack up a lot of award nominations. It's not really a guy flick and may not be what most 411 readers look for in a movie but it sounds like something great if you love good films. Expect big things from this movie.
Corey Haim gets lost again: Corey Haim is returning to star in Lost Boys 4. Are you confused? Sure, there is no third movie yet but there will be and WB is hoping to make a new Lost Boys movie every freaking year! Haim said he will not be in the third movie but will have a big role in the fourth and will be allowed to have a say in his character's arc this time around. Wait, you don't consider this a Right?
BEST FREAKING NEWS EVER!!!!!!!: Remember all the talk about an Evil Dead remake? This is NOT a story about that. One of my favorite horror movies of all time is the first, original Evil Dead. I know the second movie is the critical darling, topping many best of lists but I find the charm of the first to be more enjoyable. I love all the camera tricks, stop motion animation and devil-may-care guerilla filmmaking of the 1981 splatstick horror movie. Well, in 2010 that original movie will be re-released into theaters for midnight showings at select Landmark theaters in the US. "Nothing can prepare an audience for what they are about to see," says star Bruce Campbell, "because nothing punishes an audience like Evil Dead - especially on the big screen. I'm really glad it's back. People are gonna be hurt." I will see this, whether it is here in Oklahoma or if I have to drive to Texas. This is ... Groovy!
Aronofsky gets supernatural: Darren Aronofsky, the director of the great 2008 movie The Wrestler, is preparing for his next movie, a supernatural thriller called The Black Swan. This week he added some cast members to the already impressive starring duo of Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. The costars announced are Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey and Vincent Cassel. The movie sounds very interesting as two rival ballerinas (Portman and Kunis) compete to replace Ryder's character as the lead in Swan Lake. What makes it supernatural is the fact that Kunis just might be a figment of Portman's imagination. I can't wait to see how Aronofsky deals with this subject matter.
David Fincher wants to scare you as well: The last time David Fincher made a movie that could be classified as horror, we received Seven. I saw Seven in the theater and it is one of the only times that the entire audience left the theater completely silent. If they were like me, it was a sense of shock at what I had just witnessed. Fincher became one of my favorite directors at that point and has never disappointed me. News has just come that he is returning to horror with the remake of The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. The original movie was made in 1975 and is a schlocky horror film but Fincher is having screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker adapt his remake from the original 1973 source novel by Max Ehrlich. I have always said the best movies to remake are the bed ones and this is a perfect example. The novel is about a college professor who has a series of nightmares that eventually lead him to believe he is reincarnated and sets out to find out the mystery of his dreams. This sounds like a perfect movie for Fincher's directorial approach and I think he will make something amazing out of this twisted storyline.
The wRong
Bradley Cooper suffering a hangover?: Bradley Cooper is on the cusp of stardom. He has always been a solid role player but The Hangover proved he can be a big time star. Coming up is another chance to earn more fans as he will be playing Face in the A-Team movie. However, along the way he is taking some pretty weak roles that I fear will push him back to nothing more than a good costar in the future. First up was the poorly received Sandra Bullock movie All About Steve which I can understand because he signed up for it long before the Hangover hit it big. What bothers me is the most recent signing, a thriller called Dark Fields. The movie is a "what-if" story about a designer drug that can make you rich and powerful but at great costs. Now I might be wrong, but this movie sounds a lot like a generic genre piece, something like Butterfly Effect or something. Now, there might be a light at the end of this tunnel because Neil Burger is signed to direct. Burger proved to be a talented filmmaker with The Illusionist but his next movie, The Lucky Ones about three soldiers returning from Iraq didn't make a dent at the box office last year ($15 million budget, $183,000 at the box office before jumping onto DVD). Cooper needs to set his sights higher or he will lose the momentum The Hangover allowed him.
Roland Emmerich spoils his own movie: Roland Emmerich has done recent interviews about an upcoming television show to be based around his new movie 2012. In his interview he states that he is in talks to create a new television show based on how the survivors of his movie rebuild society following the destruction of the world. There, you have it. The world in the movie is destroyed but some people are saved and will apparently rebuild society. With this knowledge, you don't have to go see the movie. This is a good thing because the movie is horrible. See my review when it goes live this weekend.
Undertaker Origin Film being developed: No, I am not excited. The film is going to be developed by WWE Films and I guess it will be a way to keep making money off the Dead Man even now that his body is breaking down in the ring. It will take place in the 1800s, which makes him over 200 years old (sounds about right) and makes Paul Bearer even older. I got an idea. Scrap this idea and someone cast Undertaker as the Saint of Killers in a Preacher movie. I could get behind that.
The Ridiculous
Atta Boy, Boo-Boo: Anna Faris, Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake are signed to star in a live-action/CG animated Yogi Bear. Aykroyd will voice Yogi and Timberlake will voice Boo-Boo. Faris will actually be seen in the movie as a documentary filmmaker. I guess it's a step up from The House Bunny.
Thanks to the success of Transformers and G.I. Joe...: Last year, Universal optioned the rights to the Hasbro board game Battleship and quickly signed director Peter Berg with a release date of July 1, 2011. What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July then with a war movie? Well, Sony has followed suit and has optioned the rights to the Hasbro board game Risk. What better way to combat a war movie than by making one about total world domination? And no matter who loses, Hasbro wins. This sets up two large-scale tent-pole military movies to bring up the interest in the original games, much the same way Transformers and G.I. Joe helped boost the sales of those brands this summer. While bringing up the interest in classic games is good, expect movies that aim for the lowest common denominator.
Shawn Levy to rape my childhood: OK, I hate that term but sue me. I not only remember reading the fabulous Berenstain Bears books as a child but I also bought them again recently and have been reading them to my son as well. These are great books, almost morality tales for young children and hold a sense of wonder and charm as well. Well, Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther remakes) is taking my beloved childhood books and making them into a movie. In much the same manner as the aforementioned Yogi Bear, it will be a live action/CGI mix that will be "un-ironic about its family connections but have a wry comedic sensibility that isn't oblivious to the fact that they're bears." It will also give the bears a slight makeover and a modern spin on their look. I guess Brother Bear will be into hip hop and ... I can't make any more jokes about this. I will take a dozen Yogi Bear movies over this. Screw you Shawn Levy.
And your winners are...: I really wanted to see Hugh Jackman come back and host the Oscars, especially with Adam Shankman directing the ceremony. Well, he won't be back but I am very, very happy with his replacements. There will be two hosts of the awards ceremony, one a wild and crazy guy and the other the funniest man on television. Steve Martin said it best when he stated "I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin." He ain't the only one. Alec Baldwin proves time and time again in his live appearance that he is a naturally funny man and I think he will be a highlight of the entire show. Martin has hosted the show in the past and, while his movies are not as funny as they once were, is still a great comedian. I am really looking forward to the show with these two men involved.
Taylor Swift is actually funny: I tried to guess what they were going to do "Kanye-wise" when Taylor Swift hosted Saturday Night Live. I heard they were trying to get Kanye on the show but that never came through. Then I guessed they were going to have someone come up and interrupt her opening monologue but that would have been too easy. I think they did well when setting up the expected Kanye joke and feel Swift showed good comic timing and, more importantly, it made me laugh.
NCIS continues to rule: NCIS is the highest rated show on TV and there is a very good reason. Week in and week out it continuously produces the best stories and quality acting on network TV. From the opening episode, when the group rescued Ziva from certain death, the show has reached a level of quality higher than ever before. This last week, Mike Franks returned to the show, always providing great action. Add to the fact that Robert Patrick guest stars and you have guaranteed success. This show gets better and better every week. In further NCIS news, Robert Wagner (Number Two from the Austin Powers franchise) will be appearing on the show as Tony's dad for the 150th episode, slated for January.
And your daytime emmy winner is ... James Franco?: James Franco has signed on to appear in the daytime soap opera General Hospital for a two-month stint starting November 20. This is awesome news for the soap since the viewership has been dropping over the years for the genre and his name will definitely pump up interest in their show. I also like this because James Franco does whatever the hell he wants to do and refuses to be pigeonholed. He has played in a superhero movie as the best friend and villain of Spider Man. He has co-starred in the serious biopic Milk. He has been a stoner in the fantastic comedy Pineapple Express. Now he is starring in a soap opera and next on his plate - 30 Rock. This guy is all over the place and, as a fan, I am loving every minute of it.
Law & Order Plus Ten: A future episode of Law & Order will center around the current sensation of pimping your children out for money. Jon and Kate Plus 8 is a large inspiration for the upcoming episode Reality Bites, focusing on the star of the fictional TV show Larry Plus 10. Unfortunately, plot details include the detectives agreeing to appear on the fictional reality show in "confessionals" in exchange for evidence being turned over. Blah. However, what makes this a Right is that executive producer Rene Balcer says it will paint the producers and subjects in a less sympathetic manner and adds "why would you want to subject your kids to that kind of intrusion?" Amen brother, you're preaching to the choir.
The wRong
A Home Run for Fox: The New York Yankees victory over the Philadelphia Phillies for their 27th World Championship KILLED in the ratings. Game 6 averaged 22.3 million viewers and pilled a 7.4 rating among 18-49 year olds, the best number for a World Series game since 2004 when the Boston Red Sox broke their curse to win the title. In comparison, Criminal Minds had the most non-sports viewers for the night with 12 million. Congratulations to the Yankees for winning the best championship money can buy.
More Stupid Special Interest Group Nonsense: Proving that anyone will complain about anything for no reason at all, The Office is catching some slack for its Halloween episode. See, in the episode there is a haunted house and Michael (Steve Carell) slips his neck into a hangman's noose in the haunted house. There is nothing wrong with that. However, some people at the American Foundation for Suicidal Prevention and "other organizations" have spoken out about this calling it "an irresponsible and dangerous stunt." Get this - the foundation's executive director says "portrayals of suicide certainly can be offensive to people who have lost someone." In the episode Michael tells some kids "remember, suicide is not the answer" while his neck is in the noose. This group can join GLADD and get a freaking clue.
The Ridiculous
Cartoon Shmartoon: I complained a couple of weeks back when the Weather Channel announced it was going to have movies on its channel. I guess for a couple of hours at a time, people won't need weather coverage. That is annoying but nothing that will cause too much annoyance because who really watches the Weather Channel? Last week something happened that does annoy me. The Cartoon Network is picking up its first-ever live-action series. On Thursday, November 5, the network ordered two titles: Tower Prep and Unnatural History, with production on both beginning in January. In 2007, the network aired a live-action movie Ben 10: Race Against Time. More recently the network has produced live-action reality shows such as Destroy Build Destiny. I was watching the network a couple of weeks ago and the cartoon I was watching (classic Tom & Jerry) went off and one of the reality shows came on. That really bothered me because I was watching the Cartoon Network to see cartoons. Also coming soon is a Scooby Doo prequel movie. Cartoon Network says they are doing this to attract more boy viewers. Might as well change the name of the network; call it Nickelodeon 2 or something.
Cartoon (Noun): A motion picture or television film consisting of a photographed series of drawings, objects, or computer graphics that simulates motion by recording very slight, continuous changes in the images, frame by frame.
Jessica Simpson tweets: Ashley Simpson-Wentz was fired from the CW reboot of Melrose Place. Well, in response her sister Jessica Simpson tweeted that the show sucks and the scripts are horrible. She then asks that you watch it until January and her sister's last episode. Jessica Simpson saying something sucks is just funny.
Levi Johnston's 15 minutes is counting down: Levi Johnston is famous for one thing. He spawned seventeen year old Bristol Palin's son and then dumped her to move on and try to become an actor. Well, he has recently signed to pose for Playgirl magazine making him the perfect brunt of jokes from comedians. One such comedian is Conan O'Brien who set his sights on Johnston by attributing fake twitter messages to him. Well, Johnston has no sense of humor and demanded a retraction of the twitter claims. The guy is a twit. Oh well, Conan got the last laugh courtesy of William Shatner:
Rupert Murdoch has lost touch with reality: In a recent interview, Rupert Murdoch defends the plan to charge for all News Corp-owned news websites by saying people will pay because "we are better." He then goes on to say that he will sue the BBC because "most of their stuff is stolen from the newspapers now, and we'll be suing them for copyright." He also says he will "use the law" to prevent Google and other search news aggregators from using News Corp. material. First of all, most national news is delivered through the Associated Press and that is fair game for all newspapers and websites. Second of all, if he stops search engines from pointing people towards his websites, they will drop fast. And finally, how many of you will pay for a news website when there are so many free ones out there to choose from? I don't think Murdoch understands this new fangled Internet thingie. I am not a lawyer but I did take Journalism Law back in the day and I am pretty sure he has no grounds to sue the BBC for anything.
Idea for next week's right column: The Venture Brothers continue to score good ratings....or at least mention how awesome it is...no i will not let this go. - Posted By: the danger stranger (Guest) -
Yeah? Then why are Terminator: The Sara Connor Chronicles, and Reapers both gone from my TV set. last year's TV season left a bad taste in my mouth, so this year I am watching the 3 shows I've been watching for years, and not trying anything new. I'm tired of getting into a great show for it to be yanked away without any resolution to what has been going on. - Posted By: Todd Vote (Registered) - I have to agree with the poster who responded to you. I would rather have seen the one season of Firefly then to have never had the chance to see it at all. It does suck to not get resolution though.
I'm looking forward to Shutter Island with heady expectations but and this is a big "but" I'm beginning to have a serious problem with Martin Scorseses casting choices. Most of the cast seems more than adequate. My beef is with the casting of one Leonardo DiCaprio. He has had a major role in the overwhelming majority of Martin Scorseses output over the last decade or so. He's a good actor but he's certainly no Robert De Niro,Scorseses former go-to guy. - Posted By: Propagandhi (Guest) - We'll have to agree to disagree because I think Leo DiCaprio is a great actor.
2009, MY YEAR IN RANKINGS
** Click on movie to read the review **
scooby doo prequel is already out has been out for weeks. CN has shown many non cartoon movies as well as its three live action reality series and a new ben 10 movie is coming out, advertised every commercial break. probably should mention that as well.
Posted By: Guest#7537 (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Yankee envy ey? Sad. Yes the team with the most home grown talent on their 25 man roster bought another championship. Because as we know, there aren't many teams whose owners have more money than the yanks. And those owners surely would never pocket any extra money at the expense of the on-field product.
Posted By: Johnny Israel (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 12:36 AM
It sounds like 2012 ripped off the ending of Deep Impact. That movie was shit as well.
Posted By: Guest#3838 (Guest) on November 09, 2009 at 11:32 PM
I actually want to see Precious. It's not the type of movie I would typically want to see (I usually go for blockbusters) but this movie looks pretty good to me for some reason.
Posted By: Guest#1234 (Guest) on November 09, 2009 at 11:27 PM
True, I hate the Yankees and this was a way to let out some agression
but...
I wouldn't call Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, Xavier Nady, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Eric Hinske homegrown talent. That is half their offense and 2 of their 3 top pitchers.
I'm not a phillies fan either, I just don't like the Yankees.
Posted By: Shawn S Lealos (Registered) on November 10, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Brock Sampson kills bitches!! I know it's not mentioned in the video, but it's a known fact.
Posted By: the danger stranger (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 01:28 AM
even with a WS ring A-Rod is still a lying, roid-taking loser. Go RedSox :D
Posted By: Guest#1996 (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 02:32 AM
Yeah i saw Adam Lambert's music video for 2012 on Myspace last night, and it shows survivors walking out of that thing they are building and you see water everywhere...
are they retarded??
Posted By: Erik (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Does GLADD stand for Gays and Lesbians Against Drunk Driving? Because I thought it was GLAAD: Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Posted By: Guest (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 08:25 AM
Leo Di Caprio is a great actor but Scorsese is going to be dead before he gets the chance to work with other leading men,like Christian Bale and Ed Norton. That's my point.
Posted By: Propagandhi (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 09:11 AM
Good point about the Office hanging gag. People who are complaining either 1) don't watch the Office and therefore don't know that Michael Scott's character is a wildly offensive idiot who thinks he's tolerant and enlightened or 2) think it's funny when he says offensive things about blacks and gays but get pissed when he offends their group (think Isaac Hayes leaving South Park).
Posted By: Matt (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 09:26 AM
Damn right it was the 'best championship money can buy.' If you got the money and no salary cap why not use it. Don't be bitter b/c your team is either too cheap or won't spend the money.
By the way Swisher & Nady were trades. We may not be even paying them like when A-Rod played for us before his new contract (the Yankees were getting $8 million a year from the Rangers through that trade). Damon's contract was only about $4 million more than the Red Sox offered. Hinske probably didn't cost that much either. So your complaining about only 4 of the players on your list. If the Red Sox were willing to spend an extra $10 million they could of had Texeira. The Yankees' payroll this year was less than last year when they didn't make the playoffs.
Being a Yankee fan I don't mind 'buying' (which makes it sound like they didn't play any games) the title one bit if no else is going to.
Posted By: Peter (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Geez, The Office gets critisized for the hanging gag, yet Daryl asks Scott whats wrong with him, cementing the fact that it was a bad gag to begin with. Pretty soon comedy will be dead because everything will be taboo and some nuts will organize a bunch of stiffs and protest. F off and lighten up ffs.
Posted By: APrince66 (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 01:30 PM
I'm not bitter that my team lost.
I'm a Rangers fan and resigned to the fact that we never will win because of a horrible front office.
I just get bummed when almost every good player chooses the Yanks (see: Teixeira and Sabathia) and end up always cheering for the underdogs
Posted By: Shawn S Lealos (Registered) on November 10, 2009 at 02:41 PM
I said "your team". In no way am I implying your a Phillies fan. Being a Ranger fan though maybe you should reconsider?
I think if they go there to get paid that's fine. Then us as fans should expect results. But to me I think most of the players that sign might because of the prestige of the team also.
Posted By: Peter (Guest) on November 10, 2009 at 05:35 PM
Not sure why my comment didn't get posted the first time around, but the Larry Plus 10 episode of Law & Order aired weeks ago. Jim Gaffigan was Larry.
Posted By: Jake G (Registered) on November 11, 2009 at 02:14 PM
