The Big Screen Bulletin 07.24.06: The Post-Vacation Blowout
Posted by Chad Webb on 07.24.2006
The domination of Pirates 2, Hanks gives himself a birthday present, Evil Dead: The Musical?, Haley Joel Osment gets trashed, Craig returning for a second Bond appearance, Singer wants a Superman Returns sequel, new releases, trailers, hotties, and more!
Since I have been on vacation, I cannot give my regular "Critics Quickee" section. Also, this week would normally have a "Straight to Video Nightmares" section at the top, but due to my vacation, I do not have it this week. However, the "nightmares" will return for 2 weeks in a row after this. Thanks for bearing with me.
Birthday Bash
Daniel Radcliffe is 17 – Harry Potter is getting older, and he's almost 18. His future projects are obviously Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Philip Seymour Hoffman is 39 – One of the best actors around is just about the age I would have thought for him. His next films are Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, The Savages, and Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks!
Woody Harrelson is 45 – I think the age of this guy is no surprise either. He's been around for awhile. His next films are The Walker, about a male escort, and No Country for Old Men.
Jennifer Lopez is 36 – She is rapidly nearing 40, but still as sexy as ever. She has recently changed agents, so she will supposedly do better films. That remains to be seen. Her future films are El Cantante, about the birth of the salsa dance, and the inevitably horrible Dallas adaptation.
Matt LeBlanc is 39 – Joey is not doing much of anything since the cancellation of his spinoff series. I probably would have guessed mid 30's for him. It is hard to see him as a man approaching 40, but I guess it's because all those years of Friends flew by.
The News Bulletin Dissection
It was a weekend of highs and lows at the North American boxoffice. Buena Vista Pictures' "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" continued to break records, and Sony Pictures' "Monster House" surpassed expectations with its estimated $23 million opening. However, the same can't be said for Warner Bros. Pictures' release of M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water," which grossed an estimated $18.2 million, or 20th Century Fox's "My Super Ex-Girlfriend," which came in at an estimated $8.7 million. Meanwhile, Kevin Smith's loyal fans turned out in abundance, as his irreverent sequel "Clerks II" grossed $9.6 million. Overall, the top 12 movies earned an estimated $143.2 million, an extremely healthy 10.8% increase compared with the same weekend last year. The variety of films offered seemed to draw audiences in droves.
I am amazed that Pirates is continuing to dominate. It is an unstoppable force at the box office right now. I am so glad to see so many people going to the movies. I was not surprised to see Monster House finish above the three other releases this week. However, I'm pissed that Clerks II didn't nudge out Little Man from the top 5. Meanwhile, Superman Returns drops to #8, and is sinking faster that one can imagine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If director Bryan Singer has his way, Superman will take to the air a second time. Singer, who directed the current "Superman Returns," told fans Friday at Comic-Con International, that he has had discussions with Warner Bros. Pictures about directing a sequel for release in the summer of 2009. "Superman Returns," starring Brandon Routh, has grossed $169 million domestically to date, a figure that has been regarded by some observers as a disappointment given the movie's production costs of more than $200 million.
It would be interesting to see a sequel because after watching the film, it is obvious they intended this film to spawn many sequels. On the other hand, if this still has not made as much as it cost to make, what would be the point of blowing all kinds of money, just to watch the sequel fail? I'm just saying. It would be cool to see what they have in mind for future Superman releases.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kurt Russell will replace the vanished Mickey Rourke as Stunt Man Mike in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming slasher film "Death Proof," the writer-director said Saturday at Comic-Con International. The film is Tarantino's half of the "Grindhouse" double feature, which he is shooting with Robert Rodriguez for Dimension Films. Tarantino inked the deal with Russell on Friday night, he said. "I've always wanted to work with Kurt Russell," Tarantino said. Rodriguez showed footage from "Planet Terror," his half of the "Grindhouse double" feature, which he hopes to finish filming in Austin, Texas, in a few days. Tarantino plans to start production on "Death Proof" in four weeks. Rodriguez's purposefully scratched digital footage, featuring Rose McGowan wearing a machine-gun leg, earned a standing ovation from the 6,500 fans packed into a convention center hall.
I am big Kurt Russel fan, and an even bigger Tarantino fan. Together, I don't see how it can miss. Just by looking at the titles, I can say these films sound simply awesome. These are horror films which I am looking forward to, and for me that's a rarity because everything today sucks balls.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Even though he won't be seen on the big screen as James Bond until "Casino Royale" opens Nov. 17, Daniel Craig, the latest actor to be granted a license to kill, will remain on Her Majesty's Secret Service for a second film. James Bond franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said Thursday that Craig star will return as Agent 007 for the 22nd installment in the franchise, which has a working title of "Bond 22." MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment also have carved out a spot on the schedule for the film, which will be released by Columbia Pictures on May 2, 2008. Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment recently staked out the same date for the bow of their comic book-based tentpole "Iron Man".
Oh come on, they have to give us more than that. "Bond 22"? Boring. I guess no one can really state whether or not this is a good idea because we have not yet seen him in his first Bond film. I am anxious to see it. The previews look very true to Bond films of the past, but not going over the top like Die Another Day did.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Hanks is celebrating his 50th birthday by visiting seven baseball parks with his pals. The movie star, who celebrated his big day earlier this month, came up with the sporting tour as a gift to himself and asked The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard and comedian Dennis Miller to join him. The trio made their third stop at a Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Mets game in Ohio on Wednesday and followed that with a trip to a Detroit Tigers game yesterday. Hanks insists he won't be revealing the ballparks he still hopes to visit, stating he plans to arrive without fanfare. He says, "This is the dream you have all the way back." Having comedian Miller along for the ride came in useful on Wednesday when the funnyman helped entertain the crowd in Cincinnati during a two-hour rain delay.
Wouldn't it be a surprise to have a seat next to these three guys. The baseball game would definitely not be tiresome like they usually are. I suppose Mr. Hanks will be visiting some of the older parks during his tour. It is no secret, I am a Tom Hanks fan, and to be honest, the more I read about him, the more I think he is a good guy. He is very normal, and does not seem like a snob.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Los Angeles police suspect Haley Joel Osment was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed his car in the early hours of yesterday morning. The 18-year-old suffered a broken rib, fractured right shoulder blade, cuts and abrasions when he crashed his 1995 Saturn station wagon into a pillar and flipped it at 2:10 a.m. (PST) in the community of La Canada-Flintridge. The Sixth Sense star was not charged by police, but L.A. County Sheriff's sergeant Mark Slater admits "we suspect alcohol played a role in the accident." Osment--who was driving alone--could not be breathalyzed at the scene, but a blood sample was taken after he was admitted to Huntingdon Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. Slater tells the New York Daily News, "The results will not be ready for another three weeks. There is going to be a full investigation."
They knew whether or not he was drunk. Don't let them fool you. If he was indeed drunk, he better get some heat for it. He probably won't though. It's a shame. I hope there is a "full investigation", but I would be surprised to hear a whole lot more about this. It appears as if Osment was missing his "sixth sense" when he was driving this car. When will idiotic teenagers learn not to drink and drive. You have it pounded into your head all through school, but kids still do it, and then stuff like this happens.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's now official: any film can become a musical. In this day and age, when the likes of "Legally Blonde" and "The Lord Of The Rings" are going tuneful, it should come as no surprise that The Evil Dead is the latest to make it to the stage. "Evil Dead: The Musical" will arrive in New York in October, having already been work shopped in Toronto and Montreal. Created by George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris and Frank Cipolla, the show will be co-directed by Hinton Battle, best known to TV viewers as Sweet, the demon from Buffy's musical episode. The plot roughly follows the film's story, but focuses on a group of friends – instead of just Ash – who unleash the evil at the secluded woods cabin. And in keeping with the movie's popcorn status, the musical will play at 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights, with the first few rows labelled the Splatter Zone
Who has the ideas for musicals? Why would anyone want to turn this film into a musical? I don't understand. I see they are butchering the good name of the movie by changing the story. How can this be good? I realize I have asked more questions than made statements, but this announcement boggles my mind. This is just stupidity in my opinion. Musicals are going to hell. What happen to all the original ideas?
Animaniacs-Volume 1 - Since it has been so long since I have thought about this show, I would say this is worth buying if you're a fan. If you have never seen it, don't worry about this, but the show was funny. Buy
Pinky and the Brain-Volume 1 - These two were hilarious, and I would absolutely buy this set. It is amazing that these guys are given a 4 disc set their first time out. Buy
Chappelle's Show-The Lost Episodes (Uncensored) - I am growing to like this show, even though sketch comedy is not my thing. For the price, it might not be a bad buy, but I don't think it is worth it. I still can't figure out which season Wayne Brady is on.
Final Destination 3 - They went all out for this DVD, and I have no idea why. It has some really cool special features, but the movie itself still sucks. Avoid
The Benchwarmers - It has some moments where one might chuckle, but overall the film is a dud. Avoid
A Canterbury Tale-Criterion Collection - This new criterion release does interest me. As I always say, these films are usually worth the money no matter what.
Ask the Dust - This seemed like it would be ok to me, but I never had the opportunity to go see it in theaters. Probably worth a rental.
Hudson Hawk - This is not a good Bruce Willis film, period. Avoid
Rawhide-The Complete First Season - My dad enjoyed this show a lot, but it's a little past my time. It is a decent show, so maybe this is worth it to you.
WWE Vengeance 2006 - The PPV was entertaining, and had some quality matches, but nowhere near good enough to buy. Buy
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Spaghetti Western - Spaghetti Westerns is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western film that emerged in the mid-1960s, so named because most of them were produced by Italian studios. Originally they had in common the Italian language, low budgets, and a recognizable highly fluid, violent, minimalist cinematography that eschewed (some said "demythologized") many of the conventions of earlier Westerns—partly intentionally, partly as a result of the work being done in a different cultural background and with limited funds. The term was originally used disparagingly, but by the 1980s many of these films came to be held in high regard, particularly because it was hard to ignore the influence they had in redefining the entire idea of a western up to that point.
The best-known and perhaps archetypal spaghetti Westerns were the so-called Man With No Name trilogy (or Dollars Trilogy) directed by Sergio Leone, starring the American TV actor Clint Eastwood and with musical scores composed by Ennio Morricone (all of whom are now synonymous with the genre): A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The last is one of the most famed Westerns of all time (although, atypically for the genre, it had a relatively high budget in excess of one million USD).
Many of the films were shot in the Spanish desert region of Almería, which greatly resembles the landscape of the American Southwest. (A few were shot in Sardinia.) Because of the desert setting and the readily available southern Spanish extras, a usual theme in Spaghetti Westerns is the Mexican Revolution, Mexican bandits and the border zone between Mexico and the USA.Spaghetti westerns are known as "macaroni westerns" in Japan.
The name led to various other non-US westerns being associated with food and drink.Sometimes the names chorizo/paella Western are used for similar films financed by Spanish capital, although Leone's earlier films were actually shot in Andalucia. Publicity for the Japanese comedy film Tampopo coined the phrase "Noodle Western" to describe the parody made about a noodle restaurant. Robert Rodriguez's Westerns have been called "Burrito Westerns." Sometimes Hrafn Gunnlaugsson's Viking movies are called "Cod Westerns". The German Westerns of the 1960s, which were successful in Europe before the Italian Westerns, were made after novels by Karl May and mostly filmed in former Yugoslavia. German Westerns are often called "Kraut Western". The Red Dwarf episode Gunmen Of The Apocalypse has been described as the world's only "Roast Beef Western". John Woo's Western movies were described by Roger Ebert as Dim Sum Western. The "Red Western" or "Ostern" is the Soviet and eastern bloc's take on the genre. (Time magazine dubbed the animated TV series Samurai Jack, which combined elements of — among others — anime and the Sergio Leone films, a "sashimi Western.")
Based on the Trailer…
Snakes on a Plane - This film is going to kick major ass. If you have seen the trailer, you already know if you will love this or hate it. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Scoop - This looked very intriguing to me. It seems like a funny and creative movie with a superb cast behind it, and of course a great director. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Spiderman 3 - Despite my dislike of the second one, this trailer is friggin awesome. The black spiderman suit storyline was always one of my favorites. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Transformers - My initial reaction to this teaser was laughter, not like I thought it looked bad, but because it was totally unexpected. A little early to tell, but so far so good. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Hollywoodland - This is a really interesting unsolved mystery, and I think this movie looks very good. A great cast with a great plot. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
The Ant Bully - I must admit, this teaser was quite creative. The new trailers are a bit different, but the cast of voices is good, and the movie looks like a lot of fun. However, its not Pixar. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Ghost Rider - This looks decent to me. The special effects might be a downfall, but all in all I'm looking forward to Cage in this role. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Accepted - This could be really funny or really dumb, but holy shit, comedian Lewis Black is in this! Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Little Miss Sunshine - This looks pretty funny to me with a nice cast in Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, etc. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
World Trade Center - A wonderful trailer in every way. This will not be like United 93, but it can still be good. I can't wait to see this trailer in the theater. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Miami Vice - Normally, I think remakes of TV shows are bad ideas, but Michael Mann looks to have cleared out the cobwebs, and used his own vision. I think this looks good. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
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
Forgotten Hotties
Tammie Hannum
Rhonda Shear
Tracy Scoggins
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