The Big Screen Bulletin 05.08.06: The Beginning of the Blockbusters
Posted by Chad Webb on 05.08.2006
More Da Vinci controversy, a Houdini biopic, Tom Cruise is still nuts, Chris Tucker gets a third Rush, the whining Randy Quaid, DVD's that you won't see, Trailer ratings, and forgotten pornstar Lisa Ann!
Weekly Birthday Bash
Breckin Meyer is 32- The man who has been cast as John Arbuckle in the Garfield movies is about the age that anyone would expect. Some might think he would be a bit younger, but 32 is not a big surprise. His next project is entitled Blue State where he plays someone who vows to move to Canada if George W. Bush gets re-elected. It's a romantic comedy with Anna Paquin.
George Clooney is 45 – This is another birthday where the celebrity looks his age. 2005 was a good year for Clooney, and things are now looking up for him if he plans on making more films like Good Nigh, and Good Luck and Syriana. His next projects are The Good German, which is a post WW II murder mystery and Oceans Thirteen.
Candice Bergen is 60 – She's a lot older than I would have thought. She has aged pretty well in my opinion. She looks pretty good. The Murphy Brown star hasn't been doing much lately. Bergen has been on a lot of TV shows such as Law & Order and Boston Legal, but that's it. She has no future projects.
The News Bulletin Dissection
Tom Cruise has prompted a Californian politician to introduce legislation to ban the sale of ultrasound machines to anyone but licensed medical professionals. Last year, Cruise announced he had purchased a $200,000 ultrasound machine and admitted he performed sonograms on pregnant fiancee Katie Holmes "a lot." Assemblyman Ted Lieu believes the "Mission: Impossible III" star has gone too far and wants to prevent unqualified people from buying the machines for personal use. Lieu explains, "If someone sees Tom Cruise buy one, they think this is the thing to do." The assemblyman fears copycat fans might buy the ultrasound machines, which doctors say could harm the baby if used improperly. Doctors and technologists receive extensive training before they are qualified to perform ultrasound exams.
At least someone sees Tom Cruise for the nutcase that he is. How retarded would someone have to be to buy an ultrasound machine? I realize that Cruise has the money, but why waste that much on this machine when he could easily go to the hospital. I guess he wanted privacy or something, but this equipment is in the hospital for a reason. It's not something you buy at Sears or place a bid with on Ebay.
Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan and director Brett Ratner are all heading to Paris, France, this summer to film the second "Rush Hour" sequel. "Rush Hour 2" grossed nearly $350 million worldwide, prompting the two lead actors to demand blockbuster salaries to return - Chris Tucker will receive $20 million, while Jackie Chan will pocket $15 million. New Line film production president Toby Emmerich says, "The first two Rush Hour films have become pop-culture classics, and we are confident that the third one will deliver the trademark mix of great action and big laughs." "Rush Hour 3" is scheduled for a summer 2007 release.
This will be a quality summer release that will most likely generate some big numbers. I saw Chris Tucker's stand up act not too long ago, but he hasn't been doing jack shit as of late. He is a funny guy, who has a great comedic presence in film, but Chris you need to pick some more roles. I still think the Friday franchise could have been saved, and been ten times better if he had stayed on.
Several hit TV series of the past, including "WKRP in Cincinnati", "The Wonder Years" and "Beverly Hills, 90210", have not been released on DVD because they contain popular music on their soundtracks and the producers did not purchase rights to use the songs for home-video, the Wall Street Journal reported today (Friday). Owners of the shows have since learned that relicensing the rights now is either too expensive or too difficult to negotiate. Sony has produced DVD versions of four seasons of "Married ... With Children", but without the theme, Frank Sinatra's "Love and Marriage," because it was unable to reach a licensing deal for it, the newspaper said.
This is just disappointing. At least now I know though. I was wondering what was taking The Wonder Years so long to come out on DVD. It is a damn shame that something as stupid as this is preventing the best show about young people to ever reach future audiences. That is not even a show that is on TV a lot. The other two are shows that I'm sure people want to see on DVD too, but the major disappointment is The Wonder Years. I guess we can only hope that someone gets off of their ass and spends the cash relicense the songs.
The Vatican has called for Catholics to boycott "The Da Vinci Code" when the film opens around the world May 19, officials with the Holy See press office confirmed Wednesday. The call for a boycott was made by powerful Archbishop Angelo Amato, the second-ranking official in the Vatican's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. The office, which had previously been called the Office of the Grand Inquisitor, is the Vatican's chief authority on doctrinal issues. "Catholics should boycott 'The Da Vinci Code' and speak out against it and reject its lies against the church," Amato told the Vatican's Professional Seminar for Church Communications Officers, according to information from press officials.
Does this news really surprise anyone? I wouldn't picture the Vatican making a statement to Catholics urging them to go see The Da Vinci Code. It should be noted that this does put a nail in the coffin of Dan Brown's Angels & Demons book ever coming to the big screen. They would obviously need to film in the Vatican, and for some reason I don't see that happening. Oh well, Brown's Digital Fortress is a superb book. Someone turn that into a film!
Catherine Zeta-Jones is in negotiations to star in the Harry Houdini indie biopic "Death Defying Acts" opposite Guy Pearce. Described as a lavish period film, "Acts" centers on Houdini during the height of his career in 1926, when he toured the world, amassing large crowds with his elaborate and daring escape performances. Zeta-Jones is set to play an exotic psychic with whom Houdini embarks on a passionate affair. Helmed by Gillian Armstrong ("Little Women," "Oscar and Lucinda"), the picture is scheduled to start filming in the U.K. later this summer. Tony Grisoni and Brian Ward penned the screenplay.
Someone is making a movie about Houdini? That is fascinating. Thankfully this news is not about another musician biopic. I am getting tired of those. This man deserves a feature film on his life. Zeta Jones and Pearce would make a good team for this also. I am really looking forward to this now. Hopefully it comes out good.
"Brokeback Mountain" co-star Randy Quaid has dropped a lawsuit over his compensation for the Academy Award-winning film. Quaid had sued Focus Features and producers David Linde and James Schamus in March, claiming he was fleeced into working cheaply by the filmmakers' assertion that "Brokeback Mountain" was "a low-budget, art-house film, with no prospect of making any money." "Brokeback Mountain," whose three Oscars included best director for Ang Lee, topped $82 million at the domestic boxoffice. Quaid had been seeking at least $10 million. His publicist, Susan Madore, said Thursday that Quaid decided to drop the lawsuit after his lawyers told him Focus agreed to pay him a bonus, which he wants split between him and other principal cast members.
I wonder how much the bonus was worth? It makes one wonder seeing as how he asked for $10 mill. Well he whined and cried and now he got himself some more money. He couldn't just be satisfied that he was in such a good award winning movie. No, he had to complain and say he was a seven figure guy. What a dork.
Jennifer Garner is in talks to star opposite Jamie Foxx in the Peter Berg-helmed thriller "The Kingdom" for Universal Pictures. Chris Cooper also co-stars in the film that revolves around an FBI team on assignment in a Middle Eastern country investigating a terrorist bombing in one of the compounds housing Western workers. Matthew Michael Carnahan penned the screenplay.
Garner and Foxx would be an interesting team on screen. The plot does not stand out to me yet, but Peter Berg is making this. He made some average films like The Rundown and Friday Night Lights, so it might be ok. The screenwriter is a complete newcomer so I can't say anything about him. It's up in the air.
Rhona Mitra has joined the cast of Antoine Fuqua's political thriller "Shooters" for Paramount Pictures. Mark Wahlberg and Michael Pena already have boarded the project, which centers on an ace marksman (Wahlberg) who is double-crossed and framed for a presidential assassination he was trying to prevent. He is forced to go on the run while trying to track down the real killer and find out who betrayed him. Mitra will play Lourdes, an FBI agent tracking Wahlberg's character.
This really sounds like an Antoine Fuqua film. I normally like whatever Wahlberg picks, but this seem like a film that will be forgotten a month after it comes out. On the bright side, Rhona Mitra is in this, and she is very hot indeed. She was the chick who showed some skin in Hollow Man. I hope she gets nude again. See my forgotten hotties section.
Benicio Del Toro has signed on and Halle Berry is in negotiations to star in DreamWorks' drama "Things We Lost in the Fire." Paramount Pictures will distribute the film, which centers on a woman (Berry) whose husband suddenly dies. The woman invites her husband's troubled best friend (Del Toro) to live with her family, and as the friend turns his life around, he helps the grief-stricken family confront their loss. Allen Loeb penned the screenplay. Susanne Bier, whose 2002 Dogme film "Open Hearts" is being remade by Paramount and helmer Zach Braff, will direct "Fire."
The plot sounds very simple on paper, but this could be something big. Zach Braff is a filmmaker who could very well craft a masterpiece if he is careful enough. Garden State was fantastic, so I am looking forward to whatever he does next. I like the title too. It rolls off the tongue nicely.
A diverse group of vocal talents, including Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Michael Berry Jr., Paul Dano, Tom Noonan, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker and Michelle Williams, has been recruited to provide the voices of the titular characters in writer-director Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." The film, which Warner Bros. Pictures is producing in association with Legendary Pictures, will combine voice performances, live-action puppetry and computer animation to dramatize the ad-ventures of Max, a rebellious young boy who runs away from home after a fight with his mother and finds himself in a forest where the wild things roam.
This is an unusual cast of voices that could lead to something substantial if they work it right. Spike Jonze has made some pretty fabulous films so I have faith that he will do what he can to make this special. This book seems very appropriate to adapt into a movie. My girlfriend was telling me how good the book was so maybe the film will be decent.
After a six-year wait from the previous installment, Paramount Pictures' "Mission: Impossible III" blasted into theaters in North America this weekend and rang up an estimated $48 million in receipts at the boxoffice to capture first place. On the international stage, the Tom Cruise starrer did a bit better as it made off with an estimated $70 million, bringing the worldwide tally to about $118 million.
The domestic debut of the J.J. Abrams-helmed "M:I-3" fell short of the openings of the first two films; however, each of those pictures bowed during a four-day Memorial Day weekend frame. The original "Mission: Impossible" debuted with $56.8 million for the four-day weekend ($45.3 million for Friday-Sunday), and "M:I-2" bowed to $70.8 million ($57.8 million from the Friday-Sunday portion).
So it appears that some people have grown tired of Tom Cruise's actions in the past year. Many people have told me they refuse to see it because of what type of person Tom Cruise has become. I sincerely hope that The Da Vinci Code lives up to its expectations. I plan on seeing Mission Impossible 3 this week. I have heard it's the best one yet.
What's Coming to DVD…Buy or Avoid?
Munich - In my opinion this was the best film of the year. This 2 disc limited edition is what you want to buy, not the single disc. Buy
The New World - A beautiful and brilliant film by a great filmmaker in Terrence Malick. The rumor is that an extended version will be released at some point. This is still worth purchasing no matter what. Best Buy is releasing an exclusive cover art version for their stores. Buy
Rumor Has it - I didn't see this, and to be honest I don't want to. The only reason for seeing this film is Shirley MacLane. Avoid.
Nanny McPhee - Not be confused with the sexy McPhee on American Idol. Anyway, I have Mary Poppins so I don't need this and neither does anyone else. Avoid
The Towering Inferno - I didn't see this one yet. It will have to go on my rent list. I haven't really heard to many good things about it. Avoid
The 400 Blows-Criterion Collection - A tremendously good film finds its way to Criterion DVD. I think this is on Ebert's all time top 10, and the IMDB top 250. Buy
Big Momma's House 2 - I thought this looked horrible. I could be wrong. I did not get a chance to see it. If it were me would stay away. Avoid
Cinderella Man (HD-DVD) - One of best films of 2005, and one of the best boxing movies ever. Buy
Grandma's Boy – Unrated Edition - A lot of people might think this is stupid, but to me it was a hilarious random comedy. If you enoyed Sandler's early stuff, you'll enjoy this. Buy
Jarhead (HD-DVD) - This had some good acting and good direction, but as a whole the movie fell short of being anything special. Avoid
Training Day (HD-DVD) - An awesome movie with great performances and a terrific storyline. Buy
The West Wing (The Complete Sixth Season) - I have never watched this show, but I have always wanted to. I know a lot of people who own multiple seasons, so it must be good. Buy
RV - If you like Robin Williams, you will like this film. It is over the top and silly at points, but it has laughs for the whole family. Jeff Daniels and Williams are superbly stupid in their roles. Director Barry Sonnenfeld struck gold with Men In Black, but this film should add to the better part of his resume. At times, the jokes are stupid, but Williams comes in to the save the day at every turn. This is well worth seeing in the theater, but it will also be nice to rent when it comes out on DVD. It is impossible not to be entertained at some point, even though it's predictable. 6.5/10.0
Akeelah and the Bee - The spelling bee movies are getting on my nerves, but I did not expect to like this as much as I did. It is a heartfelt and even touching film at times. Keke Palmer plays Akeelah brilliantly. Her character has natural talent, but spelling is not exactly the highest priority for her. In addition, Laurence Fishburn gives one of his strongest performances in years as her coach Dr. Larabee. The trailer made this seem so stupid, and judging by the box office totals, a lot of people shared my opinion. The ending might surprise you, and writer/director Doug Atchison inserts some nifty touches to make an authentic depiction of an underdog. It is not perfect though. It has the usual clichés of one mean enemy speller, who inevitably makes it to the final. The character of Dylan Chu was the main flaw of the film. 8.0/10
Stick It - I'm sorry, but I did not see this film. I had planned to go see it many times, but I never got around to it. I am not sure why I was going to see it, but oh well. It looks mildly entertaining. Maybe I'll see it this week. Projected Rating = 6.0/10.0
Based on the Trailer…
Superman Returns - This film will be huge at the box office, but I am not sure it will be that great. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Da Vinci Code - This trailer is very good, but it gives away too much. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Poseidon - This remake looks to be well done. This preview will draw in the viewers. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Cars - I can't wait for this film. It looks great and when its Pixar and Disney, you can expect good things. This is the better trailer. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Clerks II - I look forward to any Kevin Smith film. This looks very funny, but I have doubts. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
X-Men: The Last Stand - This is one of the best trailers out right now. It makes the film look fabulous. Trailer Rating = 9.5/10.0
Just My Luck- a new Lindsay Lohan film. Yay! This will either suck or be average. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Casino Royale- I had my doubts, but this Bond film looks to be damn good after looking at this. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Teaser Trailer - A teaser trailer is a short trailer intended to entice the audience about an upcoming movie and to begin hype on major films. Sometimes it is merely a truncated version of a theatrical trailer, but this is most often not the case.
Teaser trailers, unlike the typical theatrical trailer, are usually very short in length, usually under 30 seconds. The purpose of the teaser trailer is not to show a bunch of out-of-context clips in order to give the audience an understanding about the movie's plot or theme, but rather to let them know that the movie is coming up in the near future, and to add to the hype of the upcoming movie event. Teaser trailers are often made while the film is still in production or being edited and as a result they may feature scenes or alternate versions of scenes that are not in the finished film. Teaser trailers today are increasingly focused on internet downloading and the convention circuit.
Teaser trailers are usually only made for big-budget and popularly themed movies. Recent examples of major motion picture events that used teaser trailers to gain hype are the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the new "Star Wars" films and the "Spider-Man" films. "The Da Vinci Code" teaser trailer was released before a single frame of the movie had been shot. An early example of the teaser trailer was the one for the "Superman" film by Richard Donner when as the film was already nearly a year late was designed to re-invigorate interest in the release. The teaser for the "Batman" film starring Michael Keaton in 1989 was an emergency marketing move that successfully convinced angered comic book fans that the film would respect the source material.
Teaser trailers are usually shown among other movie previews, and appear months before the longer and more detailed theatrical trailer does. Some teasers have been known to appear as long as nine months to a year prior to the movie's final release date (for example, the first teaser trailer for the Pixar film "The Incredibles" was attached to the May 2003 Pixar film "Finding Nemo", a full 18 months before "The Incredibles" was even released). They are usually regarded as a bonus to cinema goers. However, in the case of the teaser trailer for "The Phantom Menace" that was attached to the film "The Siege", it was reported that a large number of people had paid to see the film just to watch the trailer, and then walked out after the trailer had screened [1]. Most DVD versions of these movies will have both their teaser and theatrical trailers in their bonus sections. Teaser trailers are very similar to, but not the same as, TV spots.
Forgotten Hotties
Rhona Mitra
Angie Everhart
Lisa Ann
Other Stuff to Read
411 May Roundtable - Scott Rutherford gathers the readers thoughts on the May releases and more!
Scene Anatmy - George H. Sirois discusses Mean Girls
Slapshots: Some Observations From the Rink-Over on the sports section, Gregory Langley continues his Slapshots column and gives you the inside scoop on the first round of 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)
