Babes, Bombs, and Blockbusters Movie News Report 11.04.08

Posted by Mike Gorman on 11.04.2008

Some might say one of the most important elections in US history is taking place today. Some might also say a good way to escape all the pundits and polling once you've cast your vote is to check out Mike Gorman's Top Ten Animated Films, the beautiful Alessandra Ambrosio, and some non-partisan Hollywood news. It's all bundled together for you in this week's 3B's Tuesday News Report.




Happy Election Day everyone! One way or another this race will be over after today (assuming no screw ups, massive recounts, etc.) and I will have you know I voted. I voted for my Top Ten Animated Films and the results are already in. So gather up all your hanging chads and kick back with a dose of Hollywood news and a beautiful babe chosen just for you.







Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio is currently one of Victoria's Secret Angels and has recently been appointed as the first spokesmodel for Victoria's Secret PINK line. Born in Brazil, Alessandra was selected to fill the number 2 spot on Askmen.com's "Top 99 Most Desirable Women for 2008." In addition to her modeling work she also does charity work as the National Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which is of course just some nice icing on top of her very attractive cake.



























Check out these latest Hollywood news bombs!

The jury is in
Last week I noted the opening arguments had begun in the case of a paparazzo vs. Keanu Reeves. Well it took the jury just over an over to determine that Reeves was not responsible for the alleged injuries that Alison Silva claimed were caused when he was taking Reeves' photo back in 2007. Great news for Reeves this is not the highlight of my day as now I am stuck with cases of "Free Keanu" T-shirts. Damn my hair brained schemes!

Clint's days on screen may be over
The 78 year old actor is hinting that his role in Gran Torino may be his last acting role ever. He told Ireland's Sunday World newspaper that over the years he has grown more comfortable behind the scenes as a director than he is on camera. This was well shown on the Ellen Degeneres Show this past week when Clint came out in high waisted "grandpa pants" and awkwardly conversed with the talk show host and a small child. He could clearly barely stand to be out on stage and made a hasty retreat as soon as Degeneres plugged his new film Changeling.

Hey Mo!
Peter and Bobby Farrelly will be partnering with MGM Studios to bring the tight comedic timing of the Three Stooges back to theaters. Before bringing the project to the Stooges original home of MGM, the Farrelly's had spent five years trying to get it made at Warner Bros. November 20, 2009 has already been tapped as the film's release date.

One more Last Dragon
Samuel Jackson is getting ready to portray the villanous "Sho 'Nuff" in Columbia Pictures remake of the 80s classic The Last Dragon. The film tells the story of street kid Leroy Green's quest to become a martial arts master which brings him into conflict with Sho 'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem. Might this also be a comeback vehicle for Prince protégé Vanity? One can only hope!

A Smokin' sequel is in the works
Director Joe Carnahan has posted on his blog that Universal Studios has greenlit a sequel to last year's Smokin' Aces. The film will be a prequel and go direct to video. Sounds fantastic and maybe this will help me understand the relatively incomprehensible mess this movie back in its last fifteen or so minutes. I loved 75% of the film and thought it was fun and beautifully shot. Then the ending came and I was like, "Wha-- what just happened?" But then maybe it's just me and the half dozen or so people I watched it with.

Damn dirty reboot
It has been reported on movie site, C.H.U.D. that 20th Century Fox is planning another restart of the Planet of the Apes after the obvious success of the last film. This time it will be a (hot Hollywood buzz word of the year!) re-imagining of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. From what is reported on C.H.U.D the re-imagining will involve fancy Hollywood magic like changing the year the film is set in and hopefully no creepy CGI Charlton Heston cameo.













It is pretty obvious by now that animated feature length films are a lot more than simple cartoons. Though sometimes those simple cartoons make great movies. This week I wanted to escape from all the political panic abounding because there is enough of that and take a look at ten films that I consider to be animated classics. I don't normally do this but I will first let you see which films were my honorable mentions before getting to the countdown,

Honorable Mentions:
Lilo & Stitch, Finding Nemo. G.I. Joe The Movie, The Family Guy Movie, Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown, The Secret of NIMH and Shrek


10. The Incredibles
This look at what happens when Superheroes are forced to retire was a blast. The intelligent nods to modern and classic comic book stories coupled with the very clean animation style made for a visually stimulating fun romp. Animation is still the best place to exhibit the powers of superhuman characters in my opinion and they did this well in The Incredibles. I believe this will become a classic in years to come.


9. Akira
A darker take on superhuman powers left unchecked, Akira is already a classic. On my experience the strength of its story and characters have made it accessible even to people that dislike the Anime style. Graphically violent and full of breathtaking images this film will definitely make you think of animation as much more than kids' films. Akira is an example of hand drawn animation at its best.

8. Transformers the Movie
Yes the death of Optimus Prime was upsetting but overall this movie shows you why they just don't make afternoon cartoons like the used. The war between the Autobots and the Decepticons came to life in this larger then life medium back when I was just a kid with a collection of Transformer toys. I've recently read that one of the major reasons for making this film was to clear away many of the characters left as the television series ended its second season so that a new toyline could be released for the third. That idea captures the mood of the 80s for me in a nutshell and in a twisted way gives me more respect for the movie's creators.


7. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
The only film on my list that blends live action with animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was breathtaking when it was first in theaters and still holds up to repeat viewings today. This film is a lot of fun to watch and also brings along a great story that is clearly about racial discrimination and bigotry. It is also featured Jessica Rabbit who has interestingly gone on to be the toon object of many people's fantasies.


6. The Last Unicorn
The Last Unicorn is a fantasy classic which features the epic tale of the last unicorn's quest to restore her fellow unicorns who have been driven off the earth by the Red Bull, a mystical fire elemental under the control of a human King. Along the way she finds friendship in the form of Schmendrick the not so perfect magician and even love when Schmendrick's magic goes awry. The animation in this film is striking which is what one would expect from a Rankin/Bass production. I was captivated by this film as a child and glad to see it seeing a revival of sorts with DVD releases.


5. Justice League : The New Frontier
This direct-to-DVD superhero film is based on the DC Comics popular graphic novel written by Darwyn Cooke. The story is an homage to the Silver Age heroes who gathered together to form the next wave of superheroes following the retirement of the Justice Society. Focusing on Hal Jordan/Green Lantern as its touchstone character, the throwback animation style and well developed story make this tale almost timeless. In times of crisis heroes will arise, whether that's in comics or real life, and The New Frontier lets us be a part of that journey.


4.Watership Down
This movie was almost shocking to me as a child in its dark and realistic telling of this rabbit's tale. No Bambi or Dumbo, this film used an almost photo-realistic animation style and unlike many animated films stayed very close to its source material. The graphic violence that is a part of the animal kingdom is on full display here as a band of rabbits search for a safe home. This film had a lasting impact on my young mind and is definitely worth your time to give it an adult viewing.

3. Ratatouille
I will go out on a limb here and say that Ratatouille is my favorite film from last year. It is not just memorable for the fantastic PIXAR animation but more so for the fact that it is a touching film with a story full of character and depth. It is a film that will immerse you in its details and human moments if you let yourself go. I'm honestly not sure how to really put into words the impact of the film, but I will say it has resonance on many levels.

2. Nightmare Before Christmas
When it came down to the last two films I realized that they are not really two films that can be ranked above or below each other. One is a shining example of craft and artistry, the other is more about laughing and leaving a movie with the desire to see it again and to talk about it incessantly. The first example is of course The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is a gorgeously done piece of work that will probably never be surpassed in its attention to detail and the sheer whimsical quality of its production. It is Tim Burton at his best and one of my favorite films of any kind.


1. South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut
I will probably take heat for giving this film the number one slot on my list but I really don't care. Before viewing it I really wondered if the essence of "South Park" the TV show would work on the big screen. If the creator's humor could fill a feature length slot. You know what? It does and in an amazing way. The film craft's a wacky plot and then wraps it in the humor we know and love. It can be watched repeatedly and each time you will find something new to laugh at, like Cartman's show stopping musical number "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch!" to Conan O'Brien's conflicted assistance with the capture of Terence and Philip. It stands atop my list proudly, is it on yours?




















Good luck today America!



(All information and gossip gathered from Fark.com, Aintitcoolnews.com, Hollywoodreporter.com, Hollywood.com, Reuters.com, Variety.com, MTV.com, IMDB.com)