Frickin' Eh Movie News 01.07.09: Death Race Edition

Posted by Matthew Motiuk on 01.07.2009

The Dark Knight inches closer to the Oscars, Hugh Jackman exits Cleo, new Tintin actors, and more!

Back to the grind. Ugh. University is back up and running as of Monday, which means I'm back to classes. While the usual array of standards like Philosophy, Ukrainian, and History pop up, there is one very unusual and interesting class I'm taking: Film Studies 205. An introductory class, it should be teaching me some of the theory behind film, along with exposing me to not the typical films. Which I'm looking forward to, as disturbing and strange as they might be.

But on the more popular roster, I watched Burn After Reading, Babylon A.D., Bangkok Dangerous, and Death Race this past weekend. I was very disappointed with Burn After Reading - I expected a witty Coen film like O Brother but it ended up being more of Fargo than anything else. Brad Pitt was good, and the two scenes with J.K. Simmons were hilarious and priceless, but the rest was disappointing. Maybe I just didn't get it. Babylon A.D. was good but nothing unexpected, and Bangkok Dangerous was about the same - nothing surprising, not really good but not really bad, either. However, I absolutely loved Death Race, as you'll find out at the end of this report. But enough about that. Here's some news for you . . .


The Mid-Week Box Office Time Machine

At the top of the box office last weekend we had Marley & Me once again, making $24.3 million. Second place again went to Bedtime Stories with $20.5 million. Third to Benjamin Button who brought in $18.7 million. Valkyrie and Yes Man followed with $14 million and $13 million, respectively. Seven Pounds stuck to sixth, The Tale of Desperaux to seventh, and The Day the Earth Stood Still at eight. Doubt climbed a spot to nine with $5 million, and Slumdog Millionaire crept back up to number two with $4.7 million.

What's coming up this weekend? Bride Wars opens, and this comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson tries to turn Bridezillas into comedy, which for some people isn't that hard, but for me will just never happen. Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino has its wide opening this weekend, and from what I've heard, it's a pretty impressive movie, if nothing fantastic. Not Easily Broken is the relationship drama of the weekend. The Reader is an interesting concept of a movie, a historical drama about World War II with a hindward prospective, starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes. Finally we have the horror movie The Unborn which looks like typical horror fare. So take your pick.


Producer's Guild Nominates the Dark Knight

Things are looking good for The Dark Knight's possible Best Picture nomination at the Oscars as The Producers Guild of America has just nominated the movie for its annual Producers Guild Awards taking place Saturday, January 24 at the Hollywood Palladium. The Dark Knight is going up against The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture.

The Screen Actors Guild previously nominated Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor and The Dark Knight for Best Stunt Ensemble. That awards ceremony takes place on Jan. 25.

This Wednesday, the Writers Guild of America will announce its nominees, while the Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 22.

The Producer Guild of America's documentary nominees are Man on Wire, Standard Operating Procedure and Trouble the Water. The animated nominees include Bolt, Kung Fu Panda and WALL•E.

In the television categories, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Weeds" received nominations for Best Comedy, "Boston Legal," "Damages," "Dexter," "Lost" and "Mad Men" for Best Drama, "Deadliest Catch," "Frontline," "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," "60 Minutes" and "This American Life" for Non-Fiction, "The Amazing Race," "The Colbert Report," "Project Runway," "Real Time with Bill Maher" and "Top Chef" for Live Entertainment and Competition, and "24: Redemption," "Bernard and Doris," "John Adams," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Recount for Long-Form.

Who would have thought, a couple of years ago, that a superhero movie - no, not just a superhero movie, a Batman movie - would be vying for every award out there? I know I didn't see it coming, but I'm glad it's happening. Whether it wins or not, I'm not sure, but it will make a lot of people happy to see it up there. It'll also probably make a couple people not too happy, but The Dark Knight is shooting to break all the rules. We'll have to see what comes, I guess.


Whitaker is Expendable, But Bullock Isn't

Over the holidays, it was reported that Sylvester Stallone was pursuing his Demolition Man co-star Sandra Bullock to join The Expendables, but that doesn't appear to be the case, says The Hollywood Reporter.

One name from that previous report that was confirmed, however, is Forest Whitaker. Whitaker is negotiating to join the cast and would play the CIA liaison for a group of mercenaries (played by Stallone, Jet Li, Randy Couture and Jason Statham) who are clandestinely sent to South America to overthrow a dictator.

Nu Image/Millennium Films is producing the film. Avi Lerner, John Thompson and Kevin King Templeton are producing along with executive producers Boaz Davidson, Trevor Short and Danny Dimbort.

Stallone, who will direct and who wrote the script, has been scouting locations for a February shoot.

Well, that's a pretty solid group of mercenaries, I must say. Stallone might be a tad past his prime but he's still a good fit. The others, though, are perfect. Whitaker is a strange choice. He's a great actor and very talented, but amidst a pack of mercenaries, he seems like an odd fit. It's probably a good thing Bullock isn't coming on, though. I don't have anything against her, but she's not the greatest actress, and I'm sure there are better suited actresses out there.


Some Thor Rumours

How exactly does Marvel's God of Thunder Thor come to earth in preparation for The Avengers? IESB.net might have the answer. The site says:

A reliable source tells the IESB that the character of Donald Blake has been added to the end of the script. Let me reiterate that he wasn't there before, the script was set entirely in the land of the Norse Gods.

The introduction of the character is essential to how Marvel will tie Thor into the Avengers that is set in contemporary Tony Stark/Hulk timeframe. It explains how the actual Thor film will be set in the ancient time of the Norse Gods and how they will subsequently bring the character into a modern time with Donald Blake discovering the magical Norse hammer Mjolnir and turning into Thor.

The site adds that Thor director Kenneth Branagh will have an acting part in the film as well.

Thor is coming to theaters on July 16, 2010 and The Avengers a year later on July 15, 2011.

Marvel really is getting all into this realism/tying things together with The Avengers, which I'm glad to see. I like when things fit together, as long as they keep things tied together and faithful. That may already fail depending on how they do the Hulk in the movie, but that's not here nor there. As for Thor, tying it in is going to be tough, but it'll be an interesting concept, bringing Thor into the present. Hopefully it doesn't feel tacked on since they're just adding it now, but with Marvel's current direction, I don't think it will have that feel. But let's see how it all turns out in the end, shall we?


Jackman Says Goodbye to Cleo

Hugh Jackman has removed himself from discussions to star with Catherine Zeta-Jones in Cleo, a 3-D live action musical which Steven Soderbergh will direct as his next project, says Variety.

No deal had been signed as the ambitious $30 million project is completing its financing, but Soderbergh asked his Traffic star Zeta-Jones to play Cleopatra and wanted new Oscar host Jackman to play her lover, the Roman general Marc Antony.

Discussions are reportedly in the works for the role of Julius Caesar to be played by Ray Winstone (Beowulf, upcoming Edge of Darkness)

Jackman's exit is attributed by insiders to scheduling conflicts.

From my perspective, that's a very good decision on Jackman's part, regardless of the reasons. As I've said before I don't like the idea behind this film, and no Jackman gives me a bit more respect in him. Who will replace him? Hopefully someone who can sing and will do well with the role. I'm sure news on that will come up soon enough.


Pegg and Frost Join Tintin

Ain't It Cool News has received word that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (the Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz duo) have landed the roles of Thomson and Thompson in director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson's Tintin.

The movie will be animated with motion-capture technology and star Andy Serkis as Tintin's friend Captain Haddock. Thomas Sangster was previously set to play Tintin but had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts. A new Tintin has not been announced.

DreamWorks' first "Tintin" feature, targeted for a 2010 release, will be based on two of the books, "The Secret of the Unicorn" and "Red Rackham's Treasure," written by Tintin creator Herge between 1942 and 1944.

The second film will be directed by Jackson.

The two of them clearly have chemistry and work well together, so it's natural to get the two of them to play this duo in Tintin, and it's nice to see them back together. I'm not familiar with the books but I have a feeling this will be pretty good and pretty big. It's funny they haven't found a new Tintin yet, though. You'd think they'd find him before the others. But it'll come eventually, just give them a bit of time.


Four More Law Abiding Citizens

The Hollywood Reporter says Michael Gambon ("Harry Potter" films), Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney and Theresa Randle have come aboard the Film Department thriller Law Abiding Citizen. Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx already have been cast in the F. Gary Gray-directed vigilante movie.

The Longest Yard screenwriter Sheldon Turner recently came on to do production work on the script as the film moves toward its Jan. 21 start date in Philadelphia.

Butler, Alan Siegel, Lucas Foster and Mark Gill are producing; Neil Sacker and Robert Katz are executive producing.

"Citizen" is set in motion when a district attorney orchestrates a plea bargain that sets free the killers of another man's family. The aggrieved victim then seeks personal justice from the D.A.

Writers Kurt Wimmer (The Recruit), David Ayer (Harsh Times) and Frank Darabont (The Mist), who was once in line to direct "Citizen," have worked on the script.

All four of these actors are fairly accomplished, if usually minor, actors, and they should round out the film nicely. With big stars like Foxx and Butler, it'll be nice to see this talent in the background too. As for the film itself, it's got a good, rounded production in just about every part (Darabont's name especially jumps out) and it should be a good one if everything goes well.


Madagascar 2 DVD Landing February 6

DreamWorks will release Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as a Single-Disc DVD, a 2-Disc DVD that includes a new short titled "The Penguins of Madagascar" and a Blu-ray Disc on February 6.

The hit animated sequel has earned $177 million domestically and $340 million internationally for a worldwide total of $517 million.

The movie did pretty good business, not surprisingly, and from what I've heard it was pretty good. It looked a little cheesy for me, but I'll probably give it a try eventually. As for the DVDs, it's nothing exciting or out of the ordinary. It shouldn't be surprising that the penguins are making another appearance on the DVD, considering they're probably the best part of the movies, so that's nice to see. The other special features I assume will be fairly standard. This should sell well, and if you're a fan or if you've got kids, mark down February 6.


Bye Bye Birdie Flying Back to the Big Screen

Bedtime Stories and Hairspray director Adam Shankman has signed on to develop and produce a long-gestating remake of Bye Bye Birdie at Columbia Pictures, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Shankman will join Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher, who will produce via their Red Wagon, as producers. Jennifer Gibgot, Shankman's partner in Offspring Entertainment, will executive produce.

A stage favorite for the past half-century, "Birdie" centers on Conrad Birdie, a popular singer whose character is based loosely on Elvis Presley. He's about to be shipped off to the army, but as part of a publicity stunt, he agrees to one last encounter with a fan before he goes to war.

The 1958 musical has had several screen adaptations, including an Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke version in 1963 and a television movie starring Jason Alexander in 1995.

Shankman recently lined up two projects, coming on to direct Bob: The Musical for Disney and Sinbad for Columbia.

Well, with the wave of remakes and musicals, it was only a matter of time that someone put two and two together. However, what are the odds that this will be a Hairspray and not a Mamma Mia! (I've heard it's awful compared to the real musical)? Only time will tell. I'm a little worried with the relevance. While the musical stage can appreciate certain references and things, will the mass audience still stick to a story about Elvis? I have my reservations.


Mirror Image: Death Race 2000 (1975) vs. Death Race (2008)

Let's get straight to this. I decided to watch the new release the other day and really enjoyed it. A very good, enjoyable action movie that was just a good time all around. Knowing it was a sort-of remake, I decided to track down the original and watch it the next night. So, with my roommate and our friend we watched the original and it was an experience. So here it is, another Mirror Image:

Allow me to put something out there right now. It's been over twenty-five years since Death Race 2000 was released and it shows. It really does. The look, the feel, everything, it's dated. But I'm never one to put that as a negative. There are cases where sometimes the age of a movie turns it into something far different than it was originally intended for. For this movie, it's comedy.

I feel I need to do this in reverse order. Death Race stars Jason Statham, Joan Allen, and Tyrese Gibson. It's a straight-up action movie, set in a futuristic world where a serious depression has hit (hmm, sound familiar?) and the people get their entertainment from a bloody race. It's got a lot of high-speed action, shooting, explosions, and all that. It's nitty, gritty, and awesome all the way. It has the feel of a game, and that's something rare to come by. Yes, it's predictable and none of the acting is stupendously good, but all the actors fit their roles, the action is fantastic, and overall, I think it's exactly what it's meant to be.

Death Race 2000, on the other hand, is another breed. When it first came out it must have been a big shock; blood, gore, sex, and everything. David Carradine, Annie Smith, and Sylvester Stallone star, and all of them are pretty good. The acting is laughable, of course; some of the lines are laugh-out-loud hilarious, and Stallone is ridiculous. The plot differs from the remake, as this one is about a future police state with a corrupt government, and the roles of Frankenstein (Carradine in the original, Statham in the new one) differ.

My roommate put it aptly: going back in time to see the release of this thing would be on the top of his time-travel plans. Set it back to '75 and this must have been a shocking movie, and quite frankly, parts of it - if they didn't look so dated - are pretty shocking still. However, over the years, the movie is less of an action movie and more of a comedy. The remake - at least, right now, that is - is sheer action.

In the end, I love both, but for different reasons. Death Race is a wild ride and an adrenaline rush that I loved, and it actually might be one of my new favourites as far as action movies go. Death Race 2000 has to be appreciated for its original goals, but for me, it's now a point of hilarity that will never fade. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard watching a movie. I might not be able to appreciate its cult nature or parts of its plot and action anymore, but it still provides ceaseless entertainment, and that's what movies are for.


Closing Time . . .

Most TV shows should be coming back from their break, so get back into your favourite shows. Personally, I'll be looking forward to seeing Scrubs again, plus more 30 Rock. I'm absolutely devastated to see the end of Pushing Daisies but I'll just have to deal with that. That's the joy of DVDs, I can watch the show forever, over and over again, if I want (and you can bet I will). As for movies, I'll be watching Eagle Eye this week hopefully, at the least, and hopefully more, depending on what my weekend entails. So until next week . . .


[All news, images, and other stuff from www.comingsoon.net, www.imdb.com, www.rottentomatoes.com, and www.youtube.com.]