Frickin' Eh Movie News 03.08.08: Drift Edition

Posted by Matthew Motiuk on 03.08.2008

A double dose of new trailers, Fast and the Furious news, 8 Simple Rules takes to the big screen, and more!



Well, the weather is glorious, life is good, and I finally own a copy of Tomorrow Never Dies. It's been a good week. I am also frickin' pumped for Smash Bros. Brawl. Finally! It's been a long wait, but I'm sure it will have been worth the wait. In anticipation of acquiring the game, I couldn't restart an old game, so I played through Super Mario World, and finished it in two days. That's impressive for me. I even finished the special world. I am mildly proud of myself. But back more to the reason you're here . . .


Butler and Siegel Are Evil Twins

Gerard Butler has launched the production company Evil Twins with his longtime manager, Alan Siegel.

Variety says their first project is the psychological thriller Law Abiding Citizen, which the duo are producing for Mark Gill, Neil Sacker and Robert Katz's the Film Department.

Butler will star as a successful assistant D.A. who finds himself at the center of a vigilante plot hatched by a traumatized victim of the legal system.

Kurt Wimmer (The Thomas Crown Affair) wrote the screenplay. Warp Films' Lucas Foster and Wimmer are also producing. Shooting will begin in the summer.

Butler and Siegel, who have worked together for 11 years, have several projects in development at Evil Twins. They will produce Hanging Tale, written by Danny Rubin, with Lightstorm Entertainment; and Teacher Man, based on Frank McCourt's novel. Ronald Bass is adapting as well as producing; Howard and Karen Baldwinalso produce.

Gerard Butler has really been steaming ahead lately, and he's built a lot of momentum and popularity out of his role in 300. So this seems like the natural next step. His manager seems to be doing things right, too, so I'd say this is probably a good setup. Also, cool name for a production company.


Rodriguez Returns, Fast and Furious

Michelle Rodriguez has signed on to reprise her role of Letty in Universal Pictures' The Fast and the Furious 4. Also returning for the fourth film are first installment cast members Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster.

In the anticipated film, Brian (Walker) and Dominic (Diesel) team up to help the feds stop a heroin importer known as Braga. Brian – and ultimately Dominic – wins a place on the criminal's team, where he and his flashy Nissan plan to catch the man red-handed.

Rodriguez's credits include Girlfight, Resident Evil, ABC's "Lost," and James Cameron's upcoming Avatar.

The Fast and the Furious 4 hits theaters on June 5, 2009.

I'm actually looking forward to this only because the whole original cast is returning. Vin Diesel has a nasty habit of abandoning the things he starts, and usually, the reason the movie he stars in is a success in the first place is him. After Tokyo Drift I'd lost all faith in the franchise, partly because I despise drift racing (I suck at it in Need for Speed), but this is a good way to bounce back. With the main team back together, this is going to be one to watch out for.


New Wanted Trailer

Universal Pictures has debuted the new Wanted trailer online which you can watch below! Opening June 27, the graphic novel adaptation, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common and Angelina Jolie.

Okay, this is looking pretty awesome. This trailer seems to focus more on the action and less on the explanation of what's going on, which is good, because it makes it look sweet. I'm not quite sure how they're going to explain the hereditary aspect to shooting people, but hey, that's what we watch the movie for. Anyway, check out the trailer and enjoy, then mark your calendars.


8 Simple Rules on the Big Screen . . . Kind Of

W. Bruce Cameron's book "8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter," the sequel to his best-seller-turned-hit TV series, will be brought to the big screen by 26 Films and The Devil Wears Prada producer Wendy Finerman.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron is adapting his semi-autobiographical novel into a comedy with co-writer Cathryn Michon, author of the "Grrl Genius Guide" book series. It offers wry commentary in the same vein as his 2001 book "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," the basis of ABC's eponymous series starring the late John Ritter.

The plot will revolve around a divorced dad juggling a younger girlfriend and two daughters who both get engaged at the same time. Other details haven't been revealed, but the book's subtitle -- "And Other Reasonable Advice From the Father of the Bride (Not that Anyone Is Paying Attention)" -- provides a clue. It will be published by Simon & Schuster imprint Fireside on April 8.

This is a very interesting way to do this, I admit. I never watched the show while it was on, so I don't know a lot about it. That said, while most would try to either adapt this new book to television or make a movie based closely after the old show, this is a bit of a bold idea, throwing the second book into a new medium. I like it. That said, I expect a lot of the reason people went for the TV show was John Ritter, so without him, I'm not sure how this one will fare. But it's way too early to make any judgments yet. We'll have to see how this plays out.


Jill Culton Stays at Hotel Transylvania

Variety says Open Season helmer Jill Culton will direct Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania.

The story centers on Simon Van Helsing, the youngest in a long line of monster hunters. The last thing Van Helsing wants to do is fall in love with Dracula's Daughter, Mavis. Upon discovering that they are natural enemies, the doomed couple attempts to bring peace between monsters and humans. In the end, each family will have some new blood.

Writers have not yet been set.

Well, this just doesn't sound very good to me. I enjoy silly movies involving monsters and vampires and stuff (such as the real Van Helsing), but this just seems to be a whoring out of the story to a younger audience, and that makes me sad. But for the audience they're directing it at, I'm sure it will be at least marginally enjoyed.


A Tease at Righteous Kill

Overture Films has released the new teaser trailer for Righteous Kill, which reunites Heat stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on the big screen. The Jon Avnet thriller co-stars 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg and Brian Dennehy.

In the September 12 release, longtime partners Detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan investigate a series of vigilante killings.

This looks to be a solid police movie, and the thing I think will be very interesting is how Pacino and De Niro handle the characters, because their characters probably don't actually mind all these killings. I'm also not going to complain about any trailer that uses a good Rolling Stones song to tie it together. Not too excited to see ‘Fiddy' return to the big screen, but hey, maybe he'll pleasantly surprise us.


Cusack and Goodman Are Shopaholics Too

Variety says Joan Cusack and John Goodman have joined the cast of Touchstone Pictures' Confessions of a Shopaholic. Isla Fisher has already boarded the comedy as the star.

The movie is based on the bestselling Sophie Kinsella novel, which centers on a woman who must deal with the stresses of mounting credit card debt while trying to navigate the New York magazine world.

Goodman and Cusack will play the parents of Fisher's character. Hugh Dancy and Krysten Ritter also star.

P.J. Hogan is directing, and Jerry Bruckheimer produces. The pic is filming in New York and Connecticut.

I have no particular feelings on this movie. I know the books are popular and women seem to like them, so I expect the movie will probably do the trick for fans. I don't think either of these actors will make or break the movie, either, they're just a nice addition to the cast. Nothing special or exciting. Next!


Winstone Joins Some Live Girls

ShockTillYouDrop.com reports that Ray Winstone (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Beowulf) will star in Darclight Films' Live Girls, a vampire thriller written and directed by Rob Green (The Bunker).

The plot synopsis of this goes something like this: he goes to a strip club, has wild sex with a woman, then starts changing and searches for answers. Can you guess what the stripper was? That's right, a vampire. Give yourself a prize. It sounds like a vampire flick for sure, nothing too out of the ordinary here. Ray Winstone is a skilled and experienced actor, so he should help this movie a lot, especially with his momentum coming out of Beowulf and Indiana Jones.


Rapid-Fire: Die Another Day (2002, starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens)

I went on a very brief James Bond spurt after I picked up a couple movies on sale at Best Buy last weekend, so this week I present Commander Bond in:

I've never understood what people's problems are with the last few James Bond movies and, in particular, this movie. Die Another Day is another standard outing for 007 fans, yes, with a few key differences that set it apart but don't change what it really is. We've got the usual Bond girls, the climatic final fight, gadgets, sex, shooting, and witty quips.

The acting is nothing to be excited about, but it's nothing to complain about, either. Brosnan is still probably my favourite Bond, and he handles the role like he always does, slick and cool. I'm not sure if Halle Berry was the best choice for the Bond girl, but she does a good job. Stephens as Graves makes a sinister enemy, but Rick Yune as Zao is probably the best enemy Bond faces in this movie, especially with the very painful looking diamonds sticking out of his face.

There are a few points to critique. I don't like the slow motion that they decided to throw in every once in a while, but usually, I don't like that in any movie. I'm sure it's an attempt to make it more cinematic, but it just comes off as more cheesy. Obviously there are the usual logical errors – what's the purpose of that machine Jinx is strapped to, with the lasers around it that can cut through the machine? – but you know you're watching a Bond movie, so just sit back and enjoy the mindless action.

This may not have been the best Bond movie (Goldeneye for sure) but it's standard fare, and definitely not much worse than any of the others. With the glory days of 007 gone, this is all we've got left.


Closing Time . . .

Well, while I should be studying Anthropology this week, I will instead hopefully be playing Smash Bros.. Can you tell I'm excited? Anyway, an interesting side note from Anthropology. Apparently Americans (and I don't know this for sure, I'm just going off my prof's story) measure distance in physical distance (How far is [city]? Oh, it's about a hundred miles) whereas here in Canada (and this much I can attest to, at least where I live), we answer in time (Oh, it's about an hour away). Just something to think about. Anyway, enjoy the week and, if you're lucky like me to be blessed with good weather, the glorious outdoors!