The Big Screen Bulletin 06.23.08: Monster Bashing the Weekend Away 2008
Posted by Chad Webb on 06.23.2008
The Birthday Bash featuring Selma Blair, the box office results, comparing the "Hulks", Christian Bale rumors, The Academy's rule changes, new DVD releases, new quickees, and much more!
This past weekend I attended the Monster Bash festival with Leonard Hayhurst, Will Helm, and George H. Sirois. It was a fun time. Whenever 411 writers get together, especially us, we have to notify security so they can escort us inside the building safely. Yeah, it wasn't like that, but it was fun as hell. As usual I bought a bunch of stuff I didn't need. However, I am satisfied with my purchases this year. Among them are the classic Vincent Price The Fly collection with all three movies and a special features disc. It was cheap, so I got it. I also picked up 3 of the 4 Ilsa exploitation flicks. I snagged Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS, Ilsa: Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks, and Ilsa: The Tigress of Siberia. Sadly I could not complete my collection with Ilsa: The Wicked Warden, which, if I really must own it, it will have to be picked up through Amazon used for an extravagant amount of money. I also got the 1979 Captain America mad-for-TV movie, don't ask me why, and 4D Man, which for some reason fascinated me enough by the title alone. I'll let Leonard fill you in on the guests that attended.
The Birthday Bash
Juliette Lewis turns 35 - If you were dating her, and wanted to show you parents a picture, surely this is the image to flaunt. A pose is worth a thousand words huh. She was just in the awful Catch and Release, and is set for Metropia, lending her voice as a contribution.
Meryl Streep turns 59 - Nothing against her, but that is a scary looking kiss coming at you. And what about that necklace? Anyway, the consistently brilliant actress has Mamma Mia! on the way this summer, followed by Doubt and Julia & Julia.
Selma Blair turns 26 - Another nice pose this week. Gotta love jean shorts. She has completed The Poker House, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Driving Lessons is on the horizon for 2009.
Francis McDormand turns 51 - That is a bit too much smile and teeth for me. It was hard finding a weird photo of her, but this one fits I think. She can be seen in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day from early 2008, and will also be apart of Burn After Reading later this year.
Kris Kristofferson turns 72 - I know all the 411 readers will love this picture of country singer/songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson showing off his big guns in the cut off t-shirt. On his slate is Powder Blue, For Sale by Owner, and He's Just Not That Into You with Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, and Justin Long.
The News Bulletin
Mike Myers topliner "The Love Guru" suffered from bad karma in its box office bow, while Warner Bros.' "Get Smart" had enough brains to easily win the weekend and possibly launch a film franchise for Warners and Village Roadshow. "Get Smart," starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, grossed an estimated $39.1 million from 3,911 runs, introducing a new generation to the spy spoof property created for television in the 1960s by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. The race between the two comedies wasn't even close. "Guru," from Paramount and Spyglass, placed only No. 4 for the weekend, grossing an estimated $14 million from 3,012 runs. That's a blow for Myers and partners Par and Spyglass. "Panda" declined a mere 35% in its third weekend to an estimated $21.7 million from 4,053 theaters for a cume of $155.6 million. That put the toon slightly ahead of "Incredible Hulk," which fell off a sizable 61% in its second weekend to an estimated $21.5 million from 3,508 theaters; pic has a hearty cume of $96.5 million in its first 10 days.
M. Night Shyamalan's R-rated eco-thriller "The Happening" took an expected tumble in its second frame, declining 67% to an estimated $10 million from 2,986, placing No. 5 for the frame. Cume is $50.3 million. On the specialty side, Bob Berney's Picturehouse scored a boffo per location average of $44,539 with "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl," which played in five cities where American Girl doll stores are located, including Los Angeles. Film, starring Abigail Breslin, grossed an estimated $222,697. It opens nationwide on July 11. Many had questioned the decisions of Warners and Paramount to open "Get Smart" and "Guru" on the same weekend, saying the two comedies would divide the audience. Both are rated PG-13.
But "Get Smart," directed by Peter Segal and also starring Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin, played much more broadly. Film was produced by Mosaic Media. "We always knew we had the goods, and we couldn't have asked for a better start," said Warner prexy of domestic distribution Dan Fellman. Audience was evenly divided among men and women but skewed older, with 60% of the audience over age 25. However, younger moviegoers gave the movie better marks -- a good sign for any future franchise. Fellman said the high marks from the younger crowd was impressive considering that kids have probably never seen the TV show upon which the pic was based.
Heading into the weekend, tracking showed "Get Smart" safely ahead of "Guru." Still, "Guru" was expected to see box office in the high teens but wasn't helped by scathing reviews. Directed by Marco Schnabel, pic also stars Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley. "Guru's" opening gross is one of Myers' lowest tallies in years, although the original "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" opened to only $9.5 million in May 1997 on its way to cuming $53.9 million and birthing a successful franchise. The next two "Austin Powers" pics opened to $54.9 million and $73 million, respectively. Paramount and Spyglass co-financed "Guru," which cost under $60 million to produce. "Get Smart" cost $80 million or more. The frame was notable elsewhere. Paramount's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" neared the $300 million mark at the domestic box office, ending the weekend with a cume of $290.8 million.
The specialty side of the biz was energized by Picturehouse's "Kit Kittredge," based on the historical American Girl doll, book and magazine line. At the Grove in L.A., the theater teemed with young girls and their moms throughout the weekend. Berney, known for being one of the industry's most innovative marketing and distribution execs, said the film's initial limited release is designed to promote word of mouth, much as Berney accomplished with "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." "This movie isn't just an advertisement for a product. The reviews were good across the board. It's a phenomenal family story," said Berney, predicting that parents will begin relying on grandparents to take girls back to the theater for repeat viewings. Picturehouse scored a second time over the weekend with more traditional arthouse pic "Mongol," which nabbed a per screen average of $7,210 in its third week when grossing $744,368 from 94 locations. Domestic cume is $1.1 million. Among other new specialty offerings, Sony Pictures Classics' "Brick Lane" grossed $50,470 in its debut in seven theaters for a per location average of $7,210.
Well I should have gone with my instincts. Deep down, The Love Guru looked pretty bad to me, but I thought for sure Mike Myers could catapult it to #1. I was wrong, and I'm glad I was to be truthful. Myers has delivered one hell of a bomb in terms of numbers. More on Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk below. Kung Fu Panda is still sporting impressive showings each week. It remains at #2, which is terrific. The Happening is disappointing thus far at the box office, while Sex and the City is still doing well for the romantic comedy audience. Zohan, unfortunately, is still making money. Next week it should be fun to watch Wall-E blow Wanted into the next solar system. Don't mess with Pixar. Apparently some readers are angry that I'm quote "sucking Pixar's balls." Too bad...deal with it.
The Box Office Breakdown of "Iron Man" and "Hulk"
"Iron Man" passed the $300 million domestic box-office mark on Wednesday, the first film this year to do so, and did it in 48 days - just behind last Summer's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" which got there in 44. The superhero film is still going strong. It currently stands as the 27th most successful film all time domestically and will pass 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" $305 million total haul during the weekend. 'Iron' has racked up a massive worldwide cume of $549.6 million so far.
Global total wise though, the armor-clad superhero is being beaten by a fedora-clad archaeologist as "Indiana Jones" so far has racked up a $640 million international haul. Domestically in its 28th day of release it stands at $280.9 million and should pass the $300 million mark around the end of the month. Box-Office Mojo meanwhile has an interesting column which gives a day-by-day breakdown of the performance of both film versions of "Hulk" and the surprise is the new one has fallen behind the old - even during the week.
In its first six days 2003's "Hulk" took in $77.6 million to 2008's "Incredible Hulk" with $70.7 million. Yesterday was the first time the new Hulk outpaced with the old with $4.5m vs. $4.35m. At its current rate, the new "Hulk" looks like it'll gross a total around the $130 million mark - the same as Ang Lee's so-called 'flop'. Reviews aren't a huge margin of difference either. Rotten Tomatoes has 2003's "Hulk" scoring a 61% positive & 6.2/10 score vs. 2008's "Incredible Hulk" score with 66% positive & the same 6.2/10 average score. Over at Metacritic its more divided with old "Hulk" getting a 54/100 & 5.2/10 score whereas new "Hulk" got 61/100 & 8.1/10.
A congratulations is well deserved to Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. who have earned all this success. It is a fantastic movie, and hopefully it keeps bringing in the cash. The really fascinating part is the information on both Hulk flicks. This new version is perceived as a hit, yet it will be fortunate to make more than Ang Lee's adaptation. Even the critical reaction is about the same with a few percentage points difference. So I guess this was not the rendition to make right all the "wrongs", according to some. Perhaps the above numbers is how the public views "The Incredible Hulk" character no matter how much action is included in the films or how close the script is to the comics. Maybe some folks should not have assumed so quickly that it would destroy Ang Lee's completely. Sometimes quality has no effect on the money intake. It is also worth noting that both budgets are close, with 2003's being a few million more.
Christian Bale is Robin Hood?
Here's a very interesting casting rumor. The Daily Mail reports that Ridley Scott is keen to cast Christian Bale as Robin Hood in his upcoming reinvention of the legend "Nottingham". The new version pains the Sheriff of Nottingham (Russell Crowe) as a more noble character forced to work for a tyrant, whilst Hood himself will be portrayed as a much darker and dangerous personality than previous incarnations.
Sienna Miller was cast earlier this week to play Maid Marion who becomes the center of a love triangle with Hood & the Sheriff. Vanessa Redgrave, William Hurt and young "Atonement" actress Saoirse Ronan will also apparently appear in the project which begins costume fittings next week.
I definitely approve of this casting rumor. Bale would make a badass Robin Hood, especially since he won't be portrayed as the goodie two-shoes that he normally is. As long as people are living on the planet, they will never get sick and tired of Robin Hood adaptations into shows, films, mini-series, and so forth. I can bet with Ridley Scott at the helm, this could be one of the better re-tellings in recent memory. The cast is phenomenal, and if Bale does sign on, that would be his fourth project due out in the next two years. He is a busy man tackling some very major roles. If this has an inkling of truth, it should be entertaining and worth paying attention to.
"Inglorious Bastards" Splits Like "Kill Bill"
After announcing at this year's Cannes that his next film would definitely be his World War II actioner Inglorious Bastards, the Net has been rife with speculation about Quentin Tarantino's upcoming effort. A particularly juicy nugget emerged from aintitcool today, with the site reporting that QT himself told Enzo Castellari – director of the original Inglorious Bastards – in an interview for the film's DVD release that his update would be split over two films, similar to Kill Bill.
Apparently, during research for the script – which revolves around a team of hardened criminals who break free from a transport during WWII and have to fight both the Nazi's and the Allies enroute to freedom in neutral Switzerland –Tarantino uncovered so much material he felt it couldn't be shoe-horned into one feature. We still haven't heard any casting confirmation, though QT faves such as Tim Roth, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, as well as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, have all been discussed for roles.
Whenever QT speaks, speculation, gossip, and various forms of rumors on the internet are insane. It does seem that Inglorious Bastards will move forward, though one never knows with Quentin. Tarantino understands how to separate films, yet still make each part fabulous to watch. He is not afraid to make it as long as he sees fit, and I respect that. As far as the casting rumors, Arnold Schwarzenegger will most certainly be a negative, but I would love to see how Sly Stallone fairs in a QT picture. They could work some magic together. He has described this remake as an homage to all the older war films. The original is difficult to find right now, but the new edition is on the way soon. It is 2 or 3 discs. Anything Tarantino does is worth discussing so hopefully his new venture goes well.
The Academy Changes Some Rules
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has altered limits and procedures in its original song category. Starting with the 81st awards in 2009, the Acad will permit no more than two songs from a single film to be nominated for an Oscar, although there's still no limit to the number that may be submitted for consideration. In the last two years, "Dreamgirls" and "Enchanted" have each received three Academy Awards song nominations and walked away empty-handed. After recent protests by some Oscar voters, the current two screenings of the eligible song clips (held in New York and Los Angeles) will be supplemented by DVDs of those clips, which will be made available to music-branch members unable to attend the screenings.
Ballots will accompany the DVDs and must be returned by mail. Voters are required to watch the scenes in which the music appears. Music-branch members who have one or more songs in contention for nominations do not vote in that phase of the balloting. They remain eligible to vote on the final ballot to select the winner. The only other significant change involves the procedure for the foreign-language film voting. It's still a two-phase process. Now, the phase one committee will vote to determine only six of the nine films that will ultimately go to the phase two committee. The other three titles will be determined by members of the 20-person foreign-language film award executive committee. The executive committee's selections will be made after the phase-one voting has been tallied. The governors of the Academy approved the rules on Tuesday evening. The org always reviews the past awards season and updates its voting and campaign regs accordingly.
This should have been changed a long time ago. We know whenever a film has 3 songs nominated, that they will all customarily cancel each other out, and something else will walk away victorious. To be honest, Once should have had more than one song nominated, but that's another story. It only makes sense that anyone voting for the nominees should actually see the scene in which the music is used. Isn't that the whole point? The foreign film category was somewhat controversial this past year because of the fact that all 5 nominees were not released during the ceremony, and the public had no clue what they were, whereas other acclaimed titles which were in theaters like 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days were totally overlooked. Word has is that the group who usually votes on foreign films is the main cause of the problem.
The 20 Second Sermon
In addition to the Watchmen teaser attached to The Dark Knight, get ready for a Terminator: Salvation teaser as well. Should be exciting! Rockstar games is not allowed to make an adaptation of the hit video game since the title is owned by Fox Atomic who is currently remaking the 1977 Ron Howard film of the same name. Oh well. It's not like it would have been a masterpiece anyway. Clive Barker is unhappy with Lionsgate's treatment of Midnight Meat Train and urges folks to complain at his website. Six James Bond titles will be released on Blu-Ray three weeks prior to the release of Quantum of Solace. Among them are For Your Eyes Only and From Russia With Love. The major studios are moving forward with their best and final offer to the SAG. Stay tuned to see if these negotiations conclude.
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
DVD Headline of the Week
In Bruges - In the middle of a slow year, this action/comedy/drama is one of the finesy offerings of 2008 so far. Farrell and Gleeson are terrific. I highly recommend checking this out. Buyable
Futurama: The Beats With a Billion Backs - A new adventure with the Futurama gang is a blind buy for sure in my book. I loved the last film, so here's hoping this one is a good follow-up.
10,000 B.C. - Roland Emmerich knows how to market his pictures better than anyone, but regardless, nothing in the world overshadow how clumsy, ridiculous, and horrid this movie with hardly any story is. Forgettable
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Remember when Freddie Highmore was the next big thing among young stars? Well, I actually haven't seen this, but I was unimpressed by the trailer. If the opportunity presents itself, I'll watch it. One and two-disc versions are available.
Definitely, Maybe - Besides one of the worst trailers of the year, and one of the worst titles, this did have some commendable performances for a romantic comedy. The problem was the ending, which was terrible. Borrow
Persepolis - This is one of the few Oscar nominees I did not see. This is top on my list of rentals. I have only heard positive comments.
Xanadu (Magical Musical Edition) - Somewhere along the line, people have tried to convince the world that this musical is bizarrely likable. I hated it. The music was annoyingly catchy, the acting was atrocious, and it made Gene Kelly look like a fool. Oh, and the plot was laughable. Forgettable
The Furies - Criterion Collection - This western melodrama stars Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston. Another interesting release from the folks at Criterion.
Man of a Thousand Faces - I haven't seen this one, but I really want to now that I know James Cagney is playing Chaney.
Charlie Bartlett - This was a very enjoyable 2007 Tribeca comedy with some heartfelt performances are adept direction. Well worth a rent. Rentable
Before the Rain - Criterion Collection - The second Criterion release of the week from Macedonian filmmaker Milo Manchevski. The plot sounds very strange. Click to read.
Bonneville - A 2006 movie with Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, and Joan Allen. It's not my cup of tea, but it might be for you.
Honeydripper - This is a movie that was released earlier this year and did receive from satisfactory reviews. Might be worth looking at sometime.
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Steampunk - Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality.
Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely.
Although many works now considered seminal to the genre were published in the 1960s and 1970s, the term steampunk originated in the late 1980s as a tongue in cheek variant of cyberpunk. It seems to have been coined by the science fiction author K. W. Jeter, who was trying to find a general term for works by Tim Powers (author of The Anubis Gates, 1983), James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986) and himself (Morlock Night, 1979 and Infernal Devices, 1987) which took place in a Victorian setting and imitated conventions of actual Victorian speculative fiction such as H. G. Wells's The Time Machine.
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's 1990 novel The Difference Engine is often credited with bringing widespread awareness of the genre among science fiction fans (although, as mentioned above, the term was coined by Jeter in 1987.) This novel applies the principles of Gibson and Sterling's cyberpunk writings to an alternate Victorian era where Charles Babbage's proposed steam-powered mechanical computer, which he called a difference engine (a later, more general-purpose version was known as an analytical engine), was actually built, and led to the dawn of the information age more than a century "ahead of schedule".
Alan Moore's and Kevin O'Neill's 1999 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series (and the subsequent 2003 film adaption) greatly popularized the steampunk genre and help propel it into mainstream fiction. There are also numerous instances of the Steampunk subgenre in manga and anime and Japanese video games – famous examples are Fullmetal Alchemist, Hayao Miyazaki's Laputa as well as the more recent Katsuhiro Otomo's Steamboy, the latter both Japanese animated features, the last being set in a Victorian England shaped by alternate history.
--from Wikipedia.org
The Critic's Quickee
The Happening - It seems that there are two separate audiences for this film. You either like Shyamalan or you don't. Even after the dreadful Lady in the Water the iffy Village, I still had faith that he could deliver the goods. Unfortunately, that is not the case with this latest thriller. Those who dislike Shyamalan will beat this movie into oblivion, calling it one of the worst films of the year. While this effort at crafting an environment thriller was bad, it is far from a worst of the year candidate. Mark Wahlberg gives a terrific performance, as does Zooey Deschanel, and the rest of the supporting cast. Shyamalan always understands how to mold his cast into believing in the material. The storyline, and the explanation at the end, is what will divide most people. Shyamalan takes a huge risk. I appreciate his creativity, but not his execution of the idea, despite the important message. Whether or not the scientific mumbo jumbo has truth to it, I cannot say, but at least it was intriguing. The majority of the death scenes are legitimately frightening, but then a few of them creep up that totally ruin the effect because of how incredibly cheesy they are. Without revealing spoilers, I'll just say the lawn mower guy and the zoo guy. I was on the fence after I saw this. Ultimately, I kept coming back to one thing. How can I seriously defend a movie where the characters are trying to outrun the wind? Shyamalan has reached the point of no return for his career now. He and the studio need to have a meeting. He must change his whole approach and style for his next offering. They cannot bill it as if a big twist will occur. He should make a comedy. That might be neat. The Happening is a disappointment for many reasons, and all of those will overshadow its positive aspects. Final Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Incredible Hulk - Let me say that comic book faithfulness and references to the television series has little impact on my rating. It is BASED on the comics, and that's fine. All I want is an entertaining movie. This delivered some exciting action sequences, splendid performances, and an admirable storyline when it was all set and done. One thing that does perturb me is that this one seemed determined to capitalize on all the complaints made from the first film, and using that as its means of success. It really doesn't need that. This can stand on its own. I thought the final two scenes should have been handled better. One in particular should have been moved to further down the credits. I had no doubts on the acting. Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, and Tim Roth did wonderfully in their respective roles. Norton should have been afforded more time to flex his dramatic muscles as this character, but that is minor. Another small gripe was how the people started calling him "Hulk." I won't spoil anything, but it made no sense. Director Louis Leterrier understood how to please the masses this time around, and he does a fine job in pacing and timing of the action and conversations. In comparison to Ang Lee's version, I would rate it about equal. Where this new Hulk amped up the action, it lacked as much heart and compassion as the previous film. The transition from man to hulk made more sense, and the way Bruce described it was absorbing. Hulk had some issues, but then again, so did this new re-imagining. Both were fine in my eyes. The Incredible Hulk actually caused me to have more respect for Iron Man since that was certainly the superior summer superhero experience. This is a good film, and an easy 3 stars. Final Rating = 7.5/10.0
Based on the Trailer…
Newest Trailers
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - This film looks amazing. David Fincher is the man, I will be waiting to purchase my ticket. A plot about someone who ages backwards has all sorts of possibilities. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Death Race - Anyone who remembers the Top 10 B-Movie feature a couple years back, knows that the original is a favorite of many staffers here. I must admit, this doesn't look near as bad as anticipated, as long as the Statham routine is toned down. It looks to have nothing in common with the original. I'll see it out of curiosity. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Encounters at the End of the World - Werner Herzog is a magician, and I cherish each and every offering he bestows to the world. This documentary is about Antarctica, and I can't wait to see it. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Miracle at St. Anna - I get annoyed by some of Spike Lee's comments, but he is a fabulous filmmaker, and this new war epic looks marvelous with Derek Luke and Joseph Gordon Levitt. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Punisher: War Zone - This is only a teaser, but I get the impression I have seen all I need to. This sequel (or whatever is in relation to the previous film) looks like an comic action nightmare with cliches up the wazoo. I'm not a fan of the Punishers movies thus far, and this does not look to change that. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
June Releases
Wanted (2) - This movie does look extremely cool, but I still se a lot of Matrix elements. Oh well, Angelina Jolie is sexy, Morgan Freeman is playing his customary wise instructor role, and the special effects look neat. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Wall-E - Another Pixar classic is under our belt, and I can't wait for the next one. This robotic adventure should be great, and easily superior to Robots. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Wall-E (2) - The second trailer for Pixar's upcoming film makes me want to see it even more. I'm sorry, but this company is doing wondrous things right now. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Wall-E (3) - How can some people not be lovers of Pixar? This movie looks wonderful, and I'm pleased this trailer revealed some added characters. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
July Releases
Hancock - Will Smith plays one of the most extraordinary looking super heroes in history. I'm actually excited to see this. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Hancock (2) - This is the superhero movie that is top on my list. Unfortunately this 3 minute trailer gives away basically the whole storyline. These previews anger me. The movie looks cool, but this trailer is not. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Wackness - This little indy was a hit at Sundance, and definitely looks funny and creative by the teaser trailer. I'll be giving it a chance for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Meet Dave - Just when you think Eddie Murphy will only dove lower for his comedies, this to me, actually looks kind of funny. I'm having trouble admitting that after Norbit, but this seems original. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Midnight Meat Train - You watch this preview, and it strikes you as a riveting thriller, then the title comes up, and you can't help but chuckle. It seems to take itself way too seriously for a bizarre title like that. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Space Chimps - A new CGI film about chimps going to space. Ehhh…don't care. The voice cast looks fair, but the jokes in the trailer are weak. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Mamma Mia! - I have never seen this musical on Broadway, but I suppose I'll have to see this film, featuring music from Abba…ugh. It doesn't look terrible, but it's not my type of thing. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - I loved the first film, and am greatly anticipating the sequel. It looks to have kept the same sense of visual excitement and adventure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
The Dark Knight (2) - I have to admit, despite the endless news bits about this film, the trailer is marvelous and could not have been handled better. This will rock. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
The Dark Knight (3) - I'll be honest. I was getting sick of everyone talking about this movie, that is until I saw this trailer. It is amazing, and Heath Ledger's performance looks to go down as one of the best in term so of comic book adaptations. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D - This will most likely be cheesy and preposterous, but hey, it's in 3D, and it has Brendan Fraser, so it should be semi-enjoyable. This should be fun in the theater, but not much else. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The X-Files: I Want to Believe - I really need to revisit this series. From what I read, a list of episodes are related to this film. Either way, the trailer looks average to me. I like what Duchovny has been doing lately, so I'll see this no matter what. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Step Brothers - Now this is a Will Ferrell comedy I can't wait to see. The premise is unusual, and the jokes in this preview are hilarious. Plus, it's directed by Adam McKay, who knows his stuff. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
August Releases
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Months ago when this premise was announced, I laughed at it. Now that the trailer is finally out, it still looks bad. I like Brendan Fraser, but not this new approach with following the son character. I'll see this only out of curiosity. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
The Accidental Husband - How many ways can we package a typical romantic comedy? This doesn't fool me. It is the same old song and dance we get every year, only this time with Uma Thurman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
The Rocker - Rainn Wilson from The Office finally gets to star in a comedy of his own…with some Jonah Hill wannabe guy. This actually looks really funny, mainly because I enjoy Rock ‘n Roll and Rainn Wilson. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - It might be Star Wars, but this movie looks goofy to me. It starts out with an excessive amount of Yodaness which made me chuckle. The animation looks nice, but isn't this a bit of overkill? Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - I generally hate the term "chick flick", but really what else applies here. Never saw the first one, won't see this one, and this trailer is not up my alley. That is all. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0
Hamlet 2 - I heard a lot of positive things about this comedy, plus I'm a huge fan of Steve Coogan, who is the star. Catherine Keener and Amy Poehler also star. It is about a high school drama teacher who writes a musical called "Hamlet 2." Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Tropic Thunder - I am liking the plot to this film, and the trailer is pretty funny. Hopefully this is a Ben Still flick I don't hate. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The Pineapple Express - This is the red band trailer by the way. I Haven't laughed this hard at a trailer in awhile. This is going to be great. The cast is fantastic, and James Franco is being put to good use. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
September, TBD, and Beyond Releases
Nights in Rodanthe - An adaptation of a novel from Nicholas Sparks, so this might not be too bad for a romance. It has Richard Gere and Diane Lane reuniting from Unfaithful, so I'm in. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Burn After Reading - The new comedy from the Coen Brothers looks funny as hell. I am not totally sure where the plot goes, but then again, that is why I am so fascinated by it. The cast looks great, and I am definitely seeing this one. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Choke - A new adaptation from author Chuck Palahniuk, and that gets me excited. I love his books, though I haven't read this particular one. I will before the movie comes out though. This has Sam Rockwell in the lead, so it should be funny. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Righteous Kill - The new crime thriller with Pacino and De Niro! This looks average at the moment, but it should be fantastic with the two of them as a duo on screen for most of the film. The supporting cast looks excellent as well. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Blindness - This is a movie that proves how I have changed. It stars Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. It involves an infection. That sounds rather bland right? Well, it's directed by Fernando Meirelles, a brilliant filmmaker, so I'm in, even though it doesn't sound outstanding. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - This is some sort of weird DVD trailer, but we see the basic layout of the plot, and it is not very funny or interesting. I could care less about this one. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0
Lost Boys: The Tribe - I stumbled upon this trailer for the Direct-to-DVD sequel starring Corey Felmdman. For a B-movie, it doesn't look half bad, though Feldman is not the actor he once was. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Bangkok Dangerous - Nicolas Cage continues his "Next" phase with this assassin story. Ehh, Cage is starting to piss me off. He's such a talented actor, and he does this junk. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Quarantine - I suppose this wants to be the Cloverfield of "infected" movies. I say this will suck big time. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0
Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Kevin Smith's new comedy looks hilarious. I'm anxious to see this because I know he is a great filmmaker that can flourish outside of Jay and Silent Bob. Note: This may not be online anymore. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Regilulous - Well, Bill Maher is always one to stir up controversy, and I'm sure this documentary will do the trick. I think it looks funny personally, so I'll give it a shot. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Igor - The concept has potential, but I can't see this being anything more than a couple laughs. John Cusack does not sink into the character well. I'll see this for Steve Buscemi‘s contribution, but I'm not all that impressed. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Duchess - This is a goofy trailer. You wonder who could be introduced, and then the title "The Duchess" comes up, and you wonder why all the hassle of building it up. Knightley is to period pieces as Seagal is to B-movie action. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
City of Ember - Here is a film that could end up being pretty neat. The cast alone is worth the price of admission. You have Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, and Tim Robbins, among others. Gil Kenan is a decent director and the plot is creative, so I'm in. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
The Escapist - A British prison break film starring Brian Cox. This is my favorite genre, so I can't wait for this, but in order for this to make a splash, it will have to be something special. The critic quotes being from random guys worries me. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Star Trek XI - The teaser was superbly placed before Cloverfield, and this causes me to be amped for the next installment despite my doubts about the cast. I hope it's as good as we deserve. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Lakeview Terrace - Patrick Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson star in this thriller about an insane neighbor who is also a cop. This seems sort of like Cape Fearto me, but not nearly as good. Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Australia - The new epic from filmmaker Baz Luhrman seems to have left out his usual exaggerated flair. Kidman and Jackman will make a fine team. I think this looks rather good, and the trailer has a splendid piece of music accompanying it. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Eagle Eye - Mr. LaBeouf surprises me with every passing role. I'll start giving him more credit. This thriller teaser has me intrigued for sure. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Defiance - This new Edward Zwick film looks outstanding with Daniel Craig leading the cast in World War II story. This gave me chills. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
The Spirit - This is the new adaptation from Frank Miller. I'm anxious to see this, but from this teaser, it looks a bit too similar to Sin City. Oh well. I loved that film, so maybe this will be just as entertaining. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The 411 Movie PODCAST - This week we have "Hot or Not" with various female celebrities and models!
Make sure to check out all of this week's 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.
why should it get on your nerves that everyone expected the new Hulk film would "destroy" the Ang Lee version? it is better in almost every aspect. Perhaps every one is leary after the 2003 disaster. Perhaps word of mouth will spur on greater commercial success. It is still a vastly superior version.
Posted By: fury (Guest) on June 23, 2008 at 01:52 AM
Wouldn't Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow also be considered a "steampunk" movie?
Posted By: Kain (Guest) on June 23, 2008 at 02:40 AM
Actually 2008 Hulk will make more money than the 2003 Hulk. Because it's not going to drop off the radar like that Hulk did. Trust me.
Secondly, critically it's doing a lot better. Maybe not statistically but the original Hulk had one major reviewer give it a good score (Ebert) and the rest panned it. Not so this time.
Third and most important, the new Hulk has to overcome the HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE stigma of the old Hulk. Go post in a forum sometime about the new Hulk and see how many people respond about being on the fence of going to see it JUST BECAUSE of how horrible the first one was.
If Batman Begins came out 5 years after Batman & Robin it'd had a hill to climb too.
Posted By: Uh (Guest) on June 23, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Man of a Thousand Faces, James Cagney's son, who becomes Lon Chaney Jr. a.k.a. The Wolfman, is played by Roger Smith, husband of Anne Margaret.
Posted By: HoosierJim500 (Guest) on June 23, 2008 at 04:05 PM
