The Big Screen Bulletin 05.01.06: The MTV Movie Awards Edition
Posted by Chad Webb on 05.01.2006
My take on the MTV nominees, Will Smith becomes a legend, Pacino joins Ocean's Thirteen, Tarantino takes on Hendrix, new projects for Disney, Jason Lee as the Underdog, cracking down on piracy, short reviews, and more!
Intro
Before I get to it, I just want to say thanks to everyone who sent me an email about Shaun of the Dead. I watched it and laughed like hell.
Nominees for the 2006 MTV Movie Awards are:
BEST MOVIE The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Universal Pictures) Batman Begins (Warner Bros. Pictures) King Kong (Universal Pictures) Sin City (Dimension Films) Wedding Crashers (New Line Cinema)
This is a unique array of nominees, but out of the films listed here, my pick is King Kong. It was a fabulous remake, and 3 hours of sheer entertainment. Sin City would be my second pick. These are all worthy nominees in terms of the MTV awards show.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Joaquin Phoenix - Walk the Line (20th Century Fox)
Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain(Focus Features)
Rachel McAdams - Red Eye (DreamWorks SKG)
Steve Carell - The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Universal Pictures)
Terrence Howard - Hustle & Flow (Paramount Classics)
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line (20th Century Fox)
Rachel McAdams? Besides her, these are all fine choices, but it comes down to Joaquin and Reese here. Reese had the stronger performance in the film, but maybe this will be Joaquin's chance to get some recognition. He is my pick.
BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
Owen Wilson - Wedding Crashers (New Line Cinema)
Adam Sandler - The Longest Yard (Paramount Pictures)
Steve Carell - The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Universal Pictures)
Tyler Perry -- Madea's Family Reunion (Lions Gate Films)
Vince Vaughn - Wedding Crasher (New Line Cinema)
Adam Sandler and Tyler Perry have no business being on this list. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn cancel each other out. That leaves Steve Carell, and he deserves it anyway. He was hilarious in this movie.
BEST ON-SCREEN TEAM
Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen & Romany Malco -- The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Universal Pictures)
Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott & Jessica Simpson -- The Dukes of Hazzard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans & Michael Chiklis -- Fantastic Four (20th Century Fox)
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Vince Vaughn & Owen Wilson -- Wedding Crashers (New Line Cinema)
This seems obvious. As I said above, Vaughn and Wilson cancelled each other out for Best Comedic Performance, so this is the award they will win, so that it is equal between the two of them. On a side note, The Dukes of Hazzard stand out as ridiculous on this list.
BEST VILLAIN
Cillian Murphy -- Batman Begins (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Hayden Christensen -- Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (20th Century Fox)
Ralph Fiennes -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Tilda Swinton -- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Disney Pictures)
Tobin Bell -- Saw II (Lions Gate Films)
Seeing as how Cillian Murphy wasn't the main villain in Batman Begins, I wouldn't pick him. Ralph Fiennes deserves this hands down for being creepy as Lord Voldemort. Whenever he is cast as a villain, he is superb (See Red Dragon).
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Andre "3000" Benjamin -- Four Brothers (Paramount Pictures)
Isla Fisher -- Wedding Crashers (New Line Cinema)
Nelly -- The Longest Yard (Paramount Pictures)
Jennifer Carpenter -- The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Screen Gems)
Romany Malco -- The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Universal Pictures)
Taraji P. Henson -- Hustle & Flow (Paramount Classics)
Nelly? Hahahahahahahahah. How absurd? In all seriousness though, Andre Benjamin was wonderful in Four Brothers. It was an under appreciated film in general, and he fit in perfectly with the other 3 guys. No other name was more memorable in my opinion.
BEST HERO
Christian Bale -- Batman Begins (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jessica Alba -- Fantastic Four (20th Century Fox)
Daniel Radcliffe -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Kate Beckinsale -- Underworld: Evolution (Screen Gems)
Ewan McGregor -- Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (20th Century Fox)
Christian Bale should walk away with the popcorn hands down. No one else comes close except Daniel Radcliffe.
SEXIEST PERFORMANCE
Beyoné Knowles -- The Pink Panther (Sony Pictures)
Jessica Alba -- Sin City (Dimension Films)
Jessica Simpson -- The Dukes of Hazzard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ziyi Zhang -- Memoirs of a Geisha (Sony Pictures)
Rob Schneider -- Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (Sony Pictures)
If Jessica Alba does not win this award, there is something wrong in the world. I will pretend to ignore Rob Schneider's name. Beyonce was hot, and Ziyi Zhang was ok, but neither of them hold a candle to Alba sexiness.
BEST FIGHT
Kong vs. the Planes -- King Kong (Universal Pictures)
Stephen Chow vs. Axe Gang -- Kung Fu Hustle (Sony Pictures Classics)
Angelina Jolie vs. Brad Pitt -- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (20th Century Fox)
Ewan McGregor vs. Hayden Christensen -- Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (20th Century Fox)
It is nice to see Star Wars get nominated for something this year isn't it. I suppose if they win anything, it will be this, because this fight was a great part of the film. However, I enjoyed Kong vs the Planes more, so my vote goes to that.
BEST KISS
Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger -- Brokeback Mountain (Focus Features)
Taraji P. Henson & Terrence Howard -- Hustle & Flow (Paramount Classics)
Anna Faris & Chris Marquette -- Just Friends (New Line Cinema)
Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt -- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (20th Century Fox)
Rosario Dawson & Clive Owen -- Sin City (Dimension Films)
This category is tremendous. Come on now, Ledger and Gyllenhaal should get props for kissing each other. The Hustle & Flow kiss was nice, but the other ones are just dumb.
BEST FRIGHTENED PERFORMANCE
Rachel Nichols - The Amityville Horror (MGM)
Jennifer Carpenter -- The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Screen Gems)
Derek Richardson -- Hostel (Lions Gate Films)
Paris Hilton -- House of Wax (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Dakota Fanning -- War of the Worlds (Paramount Pictures)
None of these films were overly good, and I'm amazed that I'm saying this, but out of these horrid horror offerings, I would vote for Derek Richardson in Hostel, even though I hated the movie with a passion.
The News Bulletin Dissection
Quentin Tarantino will direct a forthcoming biopic about Jimi Hendrix, according to reports. The infamous filmmaker is said to have agreed to shoot the film, which is thought to have been in production for some months. Tarantino will collaborate with Leon Hendrix, Jimi's brother, on the movie, and will be given full access to his name, likeness, and archive interview footage for the project. Shooting is expected to begin later this year, with the movie scheduled to take in numerous cities that played host to the life of Hendrix, including Seattle, New York, Toronto, and London.
This sounds like a rumor to me, but if it is going to happen, all I have to is "wow!" I personally think it's a bad idea to make films about his life, but if anyone can make a quality biopic about Hendrix, it is a superb filmmaker like Tarantino. There is supposed to be a Janis Joplin film in the works also. That also seems like a bad idea. These artists were very distinct, more so than Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. It will take special talent to portray them correctly.
Marvel Studios has hired Jon Favreau to develop and direct the big-screen adaptation of "Iron Man" and has attracted an impressive roster of writers to help bring some of its high-profile characters such as Captain America and Thor to the big screen. Favreau will direct a feature version of Marvel's armored hero and develop the script with the writing team of Arthur Marcum and Matt Holloway ("Convoy"). The project originally was set up at New Line with Nick Cassavetes directing. In the comic, Iron Man's real identity is that of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, who develops an armored suit that lets him fly and shoot "repulsor rays." The comic debuted in the 1960s, and Iron Man's origin involved Stark being a prisoner of the Viet Cong. The comic evolved into Stark fighting spies, both political and industrial, while also battling alcoholism.
Jon Favreau is a decent director, who knows how to make an enjoyable film. I feel like he is still searching for that one special project that will put him on the map. Maybe this is it. Comic book films are the biggest thing going right now, and this comic book hero brings with him a great looking story. I am looking forward to this film.
Walt Disney Pictures has hired Kathryn Price and Nichole Millard to write "I'd Tell You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You," an adaptation of a young-adult novel by Ally Carter. Debra Martin Chase is producing. Carter's book centers on a 15-year-old girl who attends an elite spy-training academy in Washington and must deal with the mystery surrounding the death of her CIA agent father, her "Alias"-style spy education and a cute, off-limits civilian boy who doesn't know her true identity. The book was published in the fall by Hyperion Kids, which bought the manuscript in a pre-emptive publishing deal.
I'm sure they will cast two young morons for the two stars, which means it will be terrible. It is Disney though, so we may be surprised, but I doubt it. The plot does sound intriguing, but we all know that they will take the script way over the top. Just by reading the summary, you know this is doomed.
Ice Cube and his producing partner Matt Alvarez have signed an exclusive two-year, first-look deal with the Weinstein Co. and Dimension Films to produce film and television projects for the companies through their Cube Vision Prods. Cube Vision was formed in 1998 and has produced the "Friday" series for New Line Cinema and the "Barbershop" franchise for MGM. The company's credits also include the 2005 boxoffice hit "Are We There Yet?" Cube Vision movies have generated more than $450 million at the boxoffice. On the television front, Cube and Alvarez were executive producers on FX's "Black.White."
Every now and then Ice Cube will fashion a hit. Friday was great in its own way, but they took it too far, and without Chris Tucker, it was just a lost cause. I didn't care for Barbershop at all, and I didn't see Are We There Yet?, but I must admit that Ice Cube seems to make interesting projects all the time. I did see the Black.White show recently, and I really thought that was dumb. At least, the episode I saw was dumb.
Amber Heard is starring in "The Beautiful Ordinary," a teen comedy-drama being directed by newcomer Jessica Manafort. Persistent Entertainment partners Judd Payne and Matthew Rhodes are producing. The movie, which Manafort also wrote, revolves around the relationship dynamics of a group of suburban teens on the last day of school in 1999. Heard will play a cool "stoner" chick who is looking for direction and meaning in her life. A shoot beginning next week in Wilmington, N.C., is being planned.
This chick has picked some decent roles as of late. She was Young Josey in North Country, and she will be in Alpha Dog later this year. I must admit, the plot looks cliché and boring. We have seen these types of films so many times before, and I am growing tired of them. The director is brand spanking new here, so we don't have anything to go on by her resume. We will have to wait and see.
Walt Disney Pictures has pre-emptively picked up "The Feynman Chronicles," an action-adventure spec by Ashley E. Miller and Zack Stentz. Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray are producing via their Disney-based Mayhem Pictures banner. The adventure is triggered after a mysterious object crashes into a remote mountain in 1940s Africa, and centers on brilliant young physicist Richard Feynman, who is recruited by the government to investigate it. He teams with a beautiful English spy and a cynical French aviator in a race against the Nazis to find the object and unlock its secrets. Jason Reed and Casey Wolfe oversee for Disney.
This does have Disney written all over it. At least the plot looks different. The world could use a good adventure story. Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray have produced films like Miracle and The Rookie together. They have another sports movie entitled Invincible and a Knight Rider movie planned for this year. If this says anything, then The Feynman Chronicles does have a chance to be enjoyable.
Universal Pictures has picked up North American distribution rights for 2929 Prods.' "We Own the Night." The crime drama, written and directed by James Gray, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall and Eva Mendes. "Night," which is shooting in New York, is set in the 1980s during a violent struggle between New York police and brutal Russian mobsters who targeted officers and their families. Phoenix and Wahlberg play brothers, one a cop, the other the black sheep of the family who manages a nightclub controlled by the mob.
I reviewed Director James Gray's previous film TheYards when it came to DVD. Regardless of my review, this man has the potential to make a great film because he has some of the best actors around with him for his new release. Joaquin Phoenix was in The Yards also. Just by glancing at the cast and the plot, I think this could end up as something substantial. However, Gray uses some different directing techniques such as weird colors and lighting. This does affect how his film turns out….trust me.
Have no fear, the voice of Underdog is here. "My Name Is Earl" star Jason Lee is lending his voice for the title character of "Underdog," Spyglass Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures' live-action adaptation of the classic 1960s cartoon. "Underdog" followed the adventures of a humble dog named Shoeshine Boy who became the superheroic Underdog, who spoke in rhyme. In the movie, he is adopted by a 12-year-old boy and uses his superpower to protect his love, Polly Purebred, and the citizens of Capitol City from the evil Simon Barsinister. Peter Dinklage has been cast as Barsinister.
I am so happy that Jason Lee's career is taking off. I hate TV right now, but My Name is Earl is a fabulous show. I can watch that and be entertained. The cast looks to be getting better with Peter Dinklage and now Lee joining. The director is Frederik Du Chau, and he only known for giving us Racing Stripes from last year. At least he has a good cast going for him.
The motion picture studios and record companies are pushing colleges across the country to clamp down on music and movie piracy on so-called "dark nets" operated on campuses. The RIAA and MPAA sent letters on Thursday to 40 university presidents in 25 states alerting them to piracy problems on local area networks run on their campuses and encouraging them to take immediate action to prevent theft by their use. While the most illegal copying and distribution of music and movies occurs over the public Internet P2P file-sharing systems, students at colleges and universities have been increasingly using programs like Direct Connect (DC++), MyTunes and OurTunes to engage in such activity on campus LANs without using the broader public Internet. The perceived security and privacy of these campus LANs encourage students to engage in activity they have learned is otherwise illegal and unacceptable, the trade groups said.
They are cracking down more and more on piracy these days. It is the worst on college campuses, and even though I am guilty as charged for having downloaded my share of songs, it's time that this comes to an end. I am all for immediate action in these circumstances.
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi's movie fee has multiplied ten times over the past three years - thanks to roles in blockbusters "Memoirs Of A Geisha" and "Hero." Filmmaker Hou Yong, who directed the star in Jasmin Flower three years ago for which she was paid $500,000, is amazed by the actress' sudden rise to the Hollywood A-list. Yong says, "When Zhang Ziyi made this movie her salary was $500,000. Now, her salary is $5 million. It's a tenfold jump. It's really amazing."
Ummm. Ok. That is one hell of a pay raise huh? I didn't get a raise like that at my job. I'm going to complain, and demand more money tomorrow. She has been in some quality films lately, but that is a monumental increase in pay. I am happy for her though. She is a great actress, and she probably deserves over other people.
Hoping to answer the perennial question, "Can female porn stars really act?", the Fox Reality Channel is planning to cast the actresses from several U.S. porn studios in a theatrical drama to be performed in London's West End. The series, "My Bare Lady", will follow the actresses as they undergo acting lessons to the time they appear "before a discerning British audience," according to a Reuters report. "It's a wonderful tale of redemption," David Lyle, general manager of Fox Reality, told the wire service "Do they want lines that are a little more challenging than 'Oh, here's the pool guy...'?"
This will be hilarious, and depending on what porn stars they use, I will watch it. If Jessica Simpson can be in a feature film, so can some of these ladies. It looks as if they will be scrutinized by a tough audience. This should be really interesting.
Demonstrating that horror movies can produce a sales bonanza not only at the box office but also at the video store, Sony's "Hostel" took the top spot on VideoScan's First Alert DVD sales chart for the week ending April 23. The movie, marketed as a "sicker and more twisted unrated" version of the R-rated theatrical release, pushed the family film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", to No. 2 on the sales chart after holding the top spot for two weeks. "Hostel" placed second on Home Media Retailing's video rental chart, narrowly losing out to "Fun With Dick & Jane", which remained the leader for the second straight week.
Does this surprise anyone? It's not like anything substantial came out anyway. Narnia had held the top spot for a couple weeks so it's only natural that a horror DVD would knock it off. More importantly, why do people waste their money on such shitty films. The film was terrible, and that's that.
Al Pacino has signed on for a role in "Ocean's Thirteen." Pacino will play Willie Banks, the owner of a high-profile Vegas casino.Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones won't be back for the sequel. However, Steven Soderbergh will once again direct and George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, and Bernie Mac will all be back.
I didn't care for another sequel to these films, but now I am interested. If Al Pacino is involved, it could definitely spice things up. What they need now is some big female names because with the absence of Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta Jones, they could use some talent like that. My question is, how will they explain the absences of Roberts and Jones. If they want this to be as big as the last two, they have a lot of work ahead of them. Who will be the new 12, and who will be 13?
Will Smith is set to star in "I Am Legend," the heavily delayed film that was once set to star Arnold Schwarzenegger.Loosely based on "The Omega Man," the movie is set in a post-apocalyptic New York where the human race has been wiped out by a deadly virus. Trapped during the day in his home, the last remaining healthy human (Smith) must battle mutants at night if he wants to survive.
In the book The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made by David Hughes, this story is one of them. The book was written by Richard Matheson, and when it was released, everyone loved it. Ridley Scott was set to direct, and Arnold was going to star, but things fell apart, and now we have Will Smith and director Francis Lawrence, who made Constantine. I enjoyed Smith's sci-fi I, Robot so I know he can be a sci-fi star, but this is damn huge role for him. Hopefully, it is not a failure.
Viggo Mortensen is set to star in "Eastern Promises" for director David Cronenberg. Mortensen starred in "A History of Violence" for the director last year. The film will be about a Russian girl who dies in childbirth. A nurse investigating her death soon discovers the girl was mixed up in sex trafficking and with the Russian mob. Mortensen will again play a mysterious man with ties to the mob.
It is said that one should not try and re-create a hit, and it looks as if that is what Mortensen and Cronenberg are trying to do. Oh well. I loved A History of Violence. I hope this is good.
What's New on DVD…Buy or Avoid
The Family Stone- In my opinion, this was better than Meet the Parents, which it is similar to. A terrific and charming comedy, with a superb cast. Buy
Hoodwinked!- A different type of CGI film, that is funny at times, and stupid at the same time. It is worth a rent, but nothing else. Avoid
Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons - This show was pretty funny when it was on the air, and it's been awhile since I've though of it. I think this is worth buying if it's on sale. Buy
A Streetcar Named Desire - A two disc version of this film is worth it. The ending was a bit disappointing, but it was still good. Buy
Tennessee Williams Film Collection - The only film that worth going out of your way to buy from this box set was mentioned above. With the price, this is not quite worth the purchase. Avoid
Last Holiday - I did not see this, and I don't want to now. Critics gave it average reviews, but it looks too predictable and stupid to buy. Avoid
Flight 93 - Don't get this confused with the film being released in theaters. Actually, a friend told me this was decent, but I would spend more money on the Paul Greengrass film. Avoid
King of the Hill: Complete Season 6 - To me, if you own one of the seasons of this show, that is sufficient because no season overly stood out. Avoid
The Critic's Quickee
American Dreamz - It is expected that a satire would be exaggerated in some for, but this film goes overboard. Hugh Grant is the only reason for viewing this as he makes an appropriate Simon Cowell. Besides him, every performance is terrible, and top of that the jokes fall as flat as a pancake. Filmmaker Paul Weitz is usually hit or miss, and this is a strike out. Dreamz relies on its ending, which could have saved the film had it been creative, but instead, it's a complete disaster. 5.0/10.0
Silent Hill - Director Christopher Gans has presented moviegoers with probably the best and most ambitious video game adaptation yet. There is a problem though. You WILL leave the theater scratching your heads in utter confusion. I appreciated this film for some reason. The ghost town was creepy, the performances were all solid, and the crew proved that they worked hard. If you log onto IMDB.com, there is a full explanation given on the ending in the forums. If not for the ending, it could have been a lot better. 6.0/10.0
The Sentinel - Michael Douglas was born to play these types of roles. He is a fabulous actor, and with Kiefer Sutherland by his side, they make this film work. The inside look viewers get on the Secret Service makes it worth your time. The plot is pretty straightforward, and pans out with few surprises, but it is still enjoyable. Eva Langoria and Kim Basinger provide equal, but steady supporting roles. Similar to Harrison Ford in Firewall or Pacino in Two for the Money, this has Douglas doing what he does best. 7.0/10.0
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
C-movie - In the 1980s, with the growth of cable television, the C-grade movie (deserving only filler time on cable) designation became known. C-movies were used as a source for a type of late night television programming in some major cities where they are shown back-to-back until the early hours of the morning. The 1990s television series "Mystery Science Theater 3000" used C-movies in its episodes, where they were shown (often edited for time) while being subjected to sarcastic commentary by the program's stars. David A. Prior and Mario Bava are prominent figures in the C-movie industry, and Ed Wood has been credited by some as a master of the form (although the term better applicable to his work would be "Z-movies").
Z-movie - Z-movie (or "Grade-Z movie") is a term applied to films with an extremely low budget and a miserable quality. In contrast with B-movies, which were professionally if quickly made, a Z-movie is ineptly made, often on a shoestring budget. A Z-movie is so terrible that it does not even fit within the bounds of normal movie criticism.
Ed Wood is considered an iconic director of Z-movies, with his famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) "Plan 9 from Outer Space" widely touted as top contender for "worst film ever produced", though another outspoken group gives the honor to Vic Savage's "The Creeping Terror", the cult classic with voice-over "dialogue paraphrasing" narration over close-ups of the speaking actors, a unique low in production value.
Troma is probably the best-known producer of Z-movies. Since its founding in 1974, Troma has released such classics as "Redneck Zombies" and "Surf Nazis Must Die". Sometimes these films are produced in-house, and sometimes they are purchased from other studios and re-released, especially when such films represent the early work of a newly-famous actor. A good example of this is "Sizzle Beach U.S.A.", one of Kevin Costner's first films, which was purchased by Troma and re-released to capitalize on his popularity in "Silverado" and the then-upcoming "The Untouchables."
Troma's most notorious film is "The Toxic Avenger". Released in 1985, it tells the story of a man who is thrown in a toxic dumpster where he gets strange powers and is mutated into "Toxie", the toxic avenger, an extremely ugly and strong creature that cleans the streets of scum. This movie is important in the Troma history because after its release, Toxie became the icon of Troma.
Doctor in the Hallway - Check out Ben Moser's news report for some updates on Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards.
Slapshots: NHL Postseason Preview-Over on the sports section, Gregory Langley debuts his Slapshots column and gives you the inside scoop on the playoffs.
411 Top 5-Trevor Snyder puts together everyone's top 5 guilty pleasure movies!
Ask 411 Movies - Leanord Hayhurst answers all the questions in Ask 411 movies.
Make sure to check out all of this weeks reviews of DVD's, Movies, Music, and more!
And of course read every movie review with the name Chad Webb attached to it.
Thanks for reading the whole way through, and make sure to tune in next week.
(All news sources from IMDB.com and Hollywoodreporter.com, definitions from Wikipedia.org)
