The Big Screen Bulletin 12.10.07: The Dicey December Issue
Posted by Chad Webb on 12.10.2007
A new nightmare with Species: The Awakening. Plus, check out the box office results, WGA strike updates, a new deal with AMC and Imax, a new Saint pilot, new DVD releases, new quickees, and more trailer ratings!
Straight to Video Nightmares
Species: The Awakening
Starring: Helena Mattsson, Ben Cross, and Marco Bacuzzi
Directed By: Nick Lyon
Release Date: October 2, 2007
Running Time: 103 minutes
Unrated
The Species franchise has been both a blessing and a boil on the ass of science fiction. A boil because the alien creatures are incredibly cheesy in appearance, and the plots of each installment have been convoluted and stale slasher flicks. It's a blessing because it gives fanboys a chance to oogle over sexy monsters that are nude. I am willing to accept the B-movieness of the first one with Natasha Henstridge and Michael Madsen. Director Roger Donaldson knows to entertain to a certain degree with violence and nudity (Final Rating = 7.0/10.0). Species II however is a preposterous and unintentionally hysterical sequel that amazingly got released theatrically (Final Rating = 3.0/10.0). Patrick Ross' sexual escapades and barn of children makes me chuckle to this day. Species III inevitably brought the series where it belonged initially...Direct-to-DVD. Species III premiered on the Sci-Fi channel, and quickly wound up on DVD. I did not see it. Oh no! What about continuity? Who cares? Now, on with the nightmare.
It should be noted that Species was adapted from the comics from Titan Books. This third sequel went from the titles Species IV to Species: Quattro to finally Species: The Awakening, the lousiest of the three. Miranda Hollander (Helena Mattsson) is a genius college professor, and one night after a date, she blacks out. Her body is found by a jogger and sent to the hospital. Her Uncle Tom (Ben Cross) arrives to her side, but soon sees that a bloodbath took place. You see, Miranda is an alien, and she killed many doctors with her spear tongue, apparently the most inventive weapon anyone could think up here. Uncle Tom decides it is time to flee and go to Mexico where his ex-partner Forbes can help out. He informs Miranda that she is not his niece, but a hybrid of human and alien DNA which he and Forbes experimented with. Uncle Tom drives at a ridiculously high rate of speed after the hospital incident, and then abruptly stops on the side of the road to be depressed. He must not have been in that big of a hurry after all. Miranda is still wearing her hospital gown in the car at this point. Border Patrol must have overlooked that. It turns out Tom has to give her hormones every now and then to control the alien persona, but they don't work as well now. Miranda is a smart cookie. She can hold a book and subsequently know everything about the particular subject. Speed readers eat your heart out! After arriving in Alquizar, Mexico Tom promptly starts searching for Forbes, but is attacked by a nun who flies like Neo from The Matrix. He escapes, and is directed to a taxi driver by a weird Texan dude. The taxi driver reveals himself to be an alien with an alligator beak and penis-looking tongue. It takes the slow taxi alien a lot of effort to open his beak and instill fear.
They locate Forbes (Dominic Keating) inevitably, and interrupt his sex with the nun alien. Forbes is a pimp with an Australian accent. The nun's name is Azura, and she's smokin'. Miranda meets Azura and they growl fiercely at each other. Miranda, despite just finding out she was an alien days earlier, must have suddenly realized her ability to growl like a dog. Miranda is examined and it seems she is getting old, and is about to die. They must murder a new woman and engage in a harvest session to extend her lifespan. So reluctantly, Forbes persuades Tom to murder some random chick. Oh by the way, Forbes makes aliens for a living. He brings back the dead and turns them into creatures for money, including pets. Shocking that his business has lasted so long. So Tom wanders down a dark alley into a bar and with Azura's help, knocks out some skanky Spanish whore. The procedure is completed eventually, and Miranda wakes up, but changed to the core. She is now a nymphomaniac. Score! Bring on the nudity. I'll stop there. Man the aliens are so idiotic in appearance for this film. They have tongues that stab, but they can also spit out tongue barbs, and expose crab-like arms. The reaction is boredom similar to a calculus lecture. Why does this movie suck? Let me count the ways. It is a Species movie so you'll see some naked bodies, but there is a catch. Two hot women star in this, but when they do take the clothing off, the boobs are all veiny and disgusting. Too bad for those guys waiting to masturbate. During the sex scenes, the obligatory flashes of the alien façade is shown like to the previous entries. This is unnecessary and irritating.
Some random notes... Forbes is awesome. The only character who is worthwhile. He makes aliens as his job, has sex with them, and drives an H2. How could he not drive something as cliché as an Hummer? Forbes is the only person that can try to kill Miranda one minute, and the do the nasty with her the next. On a side note, Tom is a wussy, probably the worst hero of the year. We see an alien sonogram in one scene, which was incredibly strange. More reasons why Species: The Awakening blows: the aliens move like Prince would on stage. In one hilarious scene, Azura is about to have a huge cross fall on her, and literally a minute goes by while she just stares and hisses at it as it falls on her. The action is a joke, complete with strobe lights in an anonymous warehouse. The plot is embarrassing with hardly anything even remotely interesting transpiring, and what does go down is about identical to past Species adventures. The CGI is so horribly constructed here that Peter Jackson might piss himself laughing. The Director is Nick Lyon. This is not his first time at the helm, but if there is a God, I hope it is his last. If he likes working on movies, that's fine, but pick another occupation besides directing. The abominable script was concocted by Ben Ripley, the man who gave us Species III. He probably wrote this while drunk. The acting is terrible from everyone but Forbes, played superbly by Dominic Keating. He has been on Prison Break, Heroes, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer so we know he can act. Apart from the bizarre nudity, Species: The Awakening possesses virtually no attractive B-movie traits. The end is very anti-climactic, and this can be summed up as a large cinematic turd. Don't bother with this one.
Final Rating = 3.0/10.0
The News Bulletin
The "Compass" is #1, But Not Golden
New Line's big-budget fantasy epic "The Golden Compass" couldn't find its bearings at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $26.1 million from 3,528 theaters. That's a poor debut considering the film's pricey production budget of at least $180 million. "Compass," the only new wide release of the frame, took No. 1. The weekend box office was far cheerier on the limited side, with Fox Searchlight's quirky laffer "Juno" and Focus Features' "Atonement" both scoring strong openings. "Juno" grossed an estimated $420,113 from seven theaters in Los Angeles and New York for a boffo per location average of $60,016, according to Rentrak. That bests the openings of two other Searchlight pics, "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Sideways," which opened on a comparable number of screens.
New Line said while the film's performance fell below expectations--New Line had estimated that the opening haul would be between $30 million and $40 million--"Compass" had a strong international debut, grossing an estimated $55 million from 25 territories in its day-and-date debut. At the same time, New Line's overseas take will be capped, since it sold off all international territories. Coming in No. 2 for the weekend after "Compass" was Disney's princess tale "Enchanted," which crossed the $80 million mark domestically. Film, starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden, declined just 35% to $10.7 million from 3,520 theaters for a cume of $83.9 million.
New Line is saying that they are banking on this to replicate the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Are they kidding? It is evident that audiences are not convinced that this could be a viable franchise. We all expected it to get #1, but they won't touch LOTR numbers. Otherwise, the rest of the top is holdovers with most of the remaining titles moving down a slot. Enchanted is doing wonderfully of course, and it looks as if No Country for Old Men is at #6, continuing to improve week after week. The limited releases are performing strongly, but it is December, so most of them will be popular. Why is August Rush still in the top 10? Stop seeing this putrid film please. Next week I predict I Am Legend will top Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Imax and AMC Sleep Together
Imax on Friday unveiled a 100-theater deal with AMC Entertainment that promises to greatly enlarge its U.S. commercial footprint. Friday's joint venture agreement will see 100 digital-projection systems from Toronto-based Imax go into 33 AMC locations during the next three years. An initial 50 Imax digital-projection systems will be installed from July at AMC theaters in 24 of 33 selected U.S. markets, with another 25 set for rollout in 2009 and 25 more in 2010. Once all 100 theaters are installed, Imax said it will have doubled its 3-D large-format theater presence in North America and extended its reach in the suburban multiplex market.
"An agreement of this magnitude not only bolsters our goal of expanding the network more rapidly, it also enables us to receive a more significant part of the Imax boxoffice from the theaters, as well as a continuing piece of Imax film revenues from the studios," Imax co-CEO Bradley Wechsler told analysts during a conference call Friday. Wechsler also touted the AMC deal as beneficial in financial and strategic terms as it coincides with the major studios embracing the 3-D format as digital cinema is rolled out. Imax estimated that the AMC deal will annually add $30 million-$35 million in incremental cash to its bottom line once all 100 proposed theaters come on stream by 2010, as scheduled.
As part of its agreement, Kansas City-based AMC proposes to retrofit existing auditoriums with an Imax digital-projection system designed for multiplexes. This will take place, for example, in six multiplexes in Los Angeles, including the AMC Burbank 16 and the AMC Century City 15, and six more New York venues, including three in Manhattan. As part of the deal, AMC will cover the cost of retrofitting its auditorium with a bigger screen and reconfigured seats, while Imax will carry the cost of manufacturing and installing its digital-projection systems at $500,000 per theater. Imax and AMC will then share boxoffice revenue as part of a prearranged split during the course of the joint venture agreement.
"We are committed to delivering a premium entertainment experience by offering a menu of entertainment alternatives inside our facilities," AMC Entertainment chairman and CEO Peter Brown said. "Our expanded relationship with Imax and the deployment of its state-of-the-art, next-generation digital-projection systems is a key part of our strategy of continuing to broaden and enhance the AMC experience," he added. The Imax digital-projection system, now in development and slated for launch in mid-2008, will enable theaters to receive movies on a hard drive for exhibition. That eliminates the need for costly and heavy Imax film prints that require loading on bulky projection systems. Imax argues the switch to digital projection should boost profitability for studios, exhibitors and itself by cutting out costs for film prints and increasing the number of movies passing through Imax theaters. Typically, an Imax 2-D film print costs about $25,000, and a 3-D movie runs to about $45,000 a print. Imax is betting that eliminating film print cost for studios will sharply increase a gross margins for an Imax release of a traditional 35mm movie, as the only remaining major cost to studios will be P&A.
This deal makes a lot of sense, especially considering how popular 3D is getting now. Beowulf Director Robert Zemeckis should be at least partially credited with resurrecting this technology. At this juncture, the public needs a reason to go to the theater, instead of watching films illegally online or waiting for DVD, and this is it. If certain films are a one-of-a-kind experience, people will realize more and more that going to the theater is great. This can only increase the money intake in my estimation. Imax gets more popular every year anyway. I think is interesting how organized and intelligent this deal is. They are eliminating film print costs which is huge, and splitting the box office revenue. All signs point to this being a smart decision. The only downside is we have to wait until 2010 for it to be totally finished. It would be nice if this got jump started so James Cameron's Avatar can be seen in as many Imax screens as possible.
"The Saint" Comes to Television
A former James Bond and a former Batman have played him, now British hunk James Purefoy ("Rome," "Resident Evil," "Vanity Fair") is stepping into the shoes of Simon Templar. A posting on the official site of Leslie Charteris, the late Chinese-English crime novelist who created and penned over a hundred adventures in book and TV form for her gentleman thief character The Saint, reports that a new incarnation is on the way. The posting says "we can confirm that pre-production has started on a two-hour pilot film for a new series of The Saint. It will star James Purefoy as the Saint and will shoot in Berlin and Australia in April next year. Film will be produced by William J. Macdonald, Geoffrey Moore and Jorge Zamacona." Numerous films throughout the 30's and 40's were produced with the character, George Sanders taking on the role regularly at that time. Yet the most famous incarnation was the long running 60's TV series with Roger Moore who of course went on to become James Bond. The most recent incarnation of the character was Philip Noyce's 1997 film thriller "The Saint" with Val Kilmer in the title role.
For those who don't know, The Saint creator Leslie Charteris made the character in 1926, and wrote about him until 1993 in many novels. It inspired over a dozen film adaptations, and one TV series starring Roger Moore. Now it looks like they are trying again. I could voice how absurd this sounds since it has been done before, but it could work on TV nowadays. It could also fail miserably. The Val Kilmer film version was criticized heavily for being a James Bodn ripoff, so if you saw it when it was released, near Goldeneye, that is what you may have thought. I saw it years later, and didn't mind it. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it was ok. I never watched the Moore show. The idea of James Purefoy playing the role could be effective. He is not a household name or anything, and for that reason I think the film pilot/show could flourish.
Hudson and Hathaway Are At War
In a premise that sounds disconcertingly like the ultimate chick flick, Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are to play battling brides in New Regency's forthcoming comedy "Bride Wars." Gary Winick ("13 Going on 30", Charlotte's Web") will helm the pic, which pits the two screen beauties against each other when their wedding dates clash. The action revolves around the friends competing for venues, services and guests, with both brides refusing to back down. According to Variety, production will start early next year as screenwriters June Diane Raphael and Casey Wilson (as well as co-writers Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith) finished the script before the WGA strike.
Oh man you know this is going be a complete waste of time which will likely make mounds of cash at the box office. Can't you already picture the trailer for this in your head? I mean look who is directing it. Gary Winick, who also did an episode of Ugly Betty. What else do you need to know about this film? Yes, it is safe to say I hate the thought of this movie even before it begins filming.
Futbol Biopic in the Works
Manchester United's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez is to star in his own biopic that will be a cross between "8 Mile" and "City of God", according to a report in Variety today. The film will focus on the diminutive soccer star's early years, from his harsh upbringing in Fuerte Apache, a crime, drug and whore-ridden slum in Buenos Aires, to eventually making it big after signing for top side Boca Juniors. Presumably the ineligible registration controversy that dogged his time at West Ham won't get a mention. Argentines Gaston Pauls and Alejandro Suaya will produce the movie, which will begin shooting in May. The 23-year Tevez joined English Premier League champions Manchester United this summer and has also made 35 appearances for the Argentine national side.
This is a biopic that has potential, but by comparing it to 8 Mile and City of God, it kind of sucks a bit of the power the story could have possessed. Maybe comparisons were inevitable, but now we know they'll happen, and that is a shame since this guy is playing himself. All bullsh** aside though, this might be a fascinating true story taking place in an area of the world many might not be familiar with.
Strikes Updates
Contract talks between the WGA and studio reps have broken down again. The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers blamed the latest break-off on the guild's refusal to remove certain demands from the bargaining table. Those include a call for first-time jurisdiction over reality TV and animation writing, the management group said. "We're puzzled and disheartened by an ongoing WGA negotiating strategy that seems designed to delay or derail talks rather than facilitate an end to the strike," the AMPTP said in an end-of-day statement after Friday's bargaining session.
Another major sticking point is a guild demand for new contract language allowing writers to go out on sympathy strikes with other guilds. "Their quixotic pursuit of radical demands led them to begin this strike and now has caused this breakdown in negotiations," the AMPTP said. "We hope that the WGA will come back to this table with a rational plan that can lead us to a fair and equitable resolution to a strike that is causing so much distress for so many people in our industry and community." The impasse is the second since the WGA and AMPTP launched their contract talks July 16. The first came Nov. 4 and resulted in the writers strike being launched the next day.
When talks resumed last month, CAA partner Bryan Lourd replaced the federal mediator by taking over as an ad hoc mediator. Definite progress was made on issues such as compensation for content streamed over the Internet. But the past couple days have been less productive, and there were signs earlier Friday that the latest session wasn't going well at all. Swapping claims and assigning blame to one another is nothing new for the WGA and the AMPTP, but this time they did so while negotiators were still at the bargaining site.
The guild, which began the swap of statements, said it wanted to address "disturbing rumors" that management was about to bolt the negotiations. The guild issued a second statement, once the break in talks was announced by the AMPTP. It acknowledged the management demand to withdraw its call for new jurisdictions and suggested several other areas also remain problematic. "We received a similar ultimatum through back channels prior to the discussions of Nov. 4," WGA negotiating committee chair John Bowman said in the Friday night statement. "At that time, we were assured that if we took DVDs off the table, we would get a fair offer on new-media issues. That offer never materialized.
"We reject the idea of an ultimatum," Bowman said. "Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums." One of the other big stumbling blocks appears to be the guild's demand for mandatory arbitration when studios' licensing arrangements for Internet businesses are called into question. Bowman said such language -- which the guild has dubbed its "Fair Market Value" proposal -- would serve as "our protection against vertical integration and self-dealing (by the studios)."
Bowman added that AMPTP president Nick Counter has informed the guild, "When you write us a letter saying you will take all these (objectionable) items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you." IATSE international president Thomas Short issued a statement after the impasse was announced, and as is often the case recently he was critical of WGA leaders. "I don't believe the WGA ever intended to bargain in good faith," Short said. "They are destroying a lot of lives in the process. As a result of their irresponsible and irrational behavior, the number of IA members who have lost work is fast approaching 40,000 people ... in the U.S. and Canada." "Unless and until the WGA leadership starts behaving responsibly -- which is unlikely -- not only wages, health insurance coverage and pension benefits will be lost. Homes and businesses will be lost, too," he said.
So I guess the strategy of the AMPTP is to make the WGA feel as guilty as possible due to the ramifications. I am sure the WGA knew what they would be getting into by commencing a full-fledged strike, so I doubt comments such as this will sway them to agreeing on a quick resolution. All of us hope this ends sooner rather than later, but the WGA deserves better treatment, and I can hold out until they get it. I mean, they are the writers. Give them what they need, or you get no scripts. Sadly, this dilemma does not appear to be gaining any positive ground. At least you can count on the opinions of all the 411 news reporters. Just about every one of us who has a column posts an update weekly. Both sides just seem to be jabbing back and forth until someone gives. I hope this issue concludes rapidly, and everyone gets what they need. Until then stay tuned for more updates.
The 20 Second Sermon
I just have to say all this bashing on Jennifer Love Hewitt for the way her body looks is absolutely ridiculous. Anybody that thinks she is fat needs a reality check. Stop reading stupid gossip. She is still gorgeous. Michelle Williams has scored a role in Martin Scorsese's upcoming Shutter's Island. Everyone is still labeling her as the "former Dawson's Creek star." She has surpassed that by now. She is a tremendously talented actress. Thankfully Josh Brolin has voiced his opinion on why a Goonies sequel should not happen. He doesn't know why people would want one. Amen. A teaser poster for The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan's new film, is online. It actually looks neat. The Kate Brewster character in Terminator 3 is set for Terminator Salvation, but without Claire Danes portraying her. That sucks. This franchise has too much recasting. The Punisher sequel is not a sequel persay, but a reboot it seems. Why? First on my Christmas list is no more reboots.
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
DVD Headline of the Week
The Bourne Ultimatum - I think this was better than anyone imagined it would be. Paul Greengrass is a terrific filmmaker, and Damon is outstanding. This is a riveting threequel, and a must purchase. You can pick up a brand new box set with all three films as well. Buy
UA 90th Anniversary Prestige Collection - This mammoth box set has a fitting 90 films packed into it. It is currently tagged at around $600, and judging by the titles, it would make a nice gift if you were rich and buying for someone who hasn't heard of a DVD player yet. This is also available in a smaller, $200 set.
Two Lane Blacktop - Criterion Collection - This is some sort of strange road film with musicians James Taylor, Warren Oates, and Dennis Wilson, but it's from Criterion, so it must be ok.
December Boys - One of the first of Daniel Radcliffe's attempts to break apart from the Potter franchise. I didn't see this, and didn't hear much about it.
Awake - Fact: the premise for Awake is intriguing and has potential. Unfortunately, another fact is that Writer/Director Joby Harold chose to apply too many twists and innate gimmicks to sustain our attention. I was shocked at how short this was at 85 minutes, but at least it is not too long. Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba are not good actors, but they are tolerable here, largely due to how simple the roles are. The problem is the plot is extremely predictable in almost every way. At the same time, the parts which are surprising are ridiculous on a new level. So the story goes that Christensen's character of Clayton undergoes surgery for a heart transplant, can hear and feel what is happening, but can't move or scream. This is cool, but then why have him start an out of body experience, and simultaneously explore flashbacks somehow. Apparently when you are given anesthesia, you can also travel through time. Whatever excuse you may have to defend this method, it is still dumb any way you slice it. With Terrence Howard, one never can tell what type of performance you'll receive from him. He is forgettable here. Aside from the reliably brilliant work of Christopher McDonald, the best scene is Alba in the bathtub. Sorry, I can't help myself. Actually, the sequences of Clayton's body being cut open might make you cringe. Joby Harold's script needed a tune-up, and his cast required an overhaul. As far as heart transplant films go, I still prefer John Q. This wanted to be a thriller, but the storyline does not mesh with those elements. It should have been a drama. If Clayton cannot move, yet is aware of what is occurring, why didn't they try to employ some sort of effect to convey how he is incapable of speaking or moving? Final Rating = 5.0/10.0
Atonement - This hot new romance epic should definitely be on your list of movies to see. Check out my review by clicking here.
I'm Not There - I highly recommend looking for showings of this bizarre but beautiful new music biopic on Bob Dylan. Read my full review by clicking here.
The Savages - I find it sad that the studio chose to bill Writer/Director Tamara Jenkins's new film as a comedy instead of what it truly is…a drama. Sure, some dry and dark humor is laced in, but this does not rely on what makes you laugh. This is a touching story about taking care of a parent when they develop a sickness like Dementia or even Alzheimer's. It also revolves around how tending to that person who cannot do anything for themselves causes chaos in your own personal life. I have seen how this sort of scenario can change your whole existence, and I am deeply fond of how honest and delicate Jenkins chose to approach the material. The performances are terrific, especially the always brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman as John Savage. Laura Linney gives an awkward, emotional, and profound depiction as Wendy Savage, and her father is nailed beautifully by Philip Bosco. His empty expressions, his angry outbursts, and his mannerisms as his children escort him from place to place are unbelievable. This is a great piece of acting not because of any stirring lines, but how perfectly he became this helpless old man. The script is blunt and personal, the atmosphere is cold and dreary like the topic, and humor is appropriately subtle. I was not expecting a drama, but that is what I got. This is not the most cheerful of films, but those thinking this is just depressing should be surprised. This might not be spotless, but it is one of the more memorable tales this year has offered in terms of tension and mood. For those who enjoy independent pictures and movies that make you think, look for this. Final Rating = 8.5/10.0
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Bollywood - Bollywood is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai -based Hindi-language film industry in India. Bollywood is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood is one of the largest film producers in the world, producing more than 1,000 films a year, with an audience of 3.6 billion people. The name is a portmanteau of Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. Though some deplore the name, arguing that it makes the industry look like a poor cousin to Hollywood, it seems likely to persist and now has its own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. Bollywood is commonly referred to as Hindi cinema, even though Hindustani, the substratum common to both Hindi and Urdu, might be more accurate. Bollywood consists of the languages of Hindi, Urdu and English. The use of poetic Urdu words is fairly common. The connection between Hindi, Urdu, and Hindustani is an extremely contentious matter.
There has been a growing presence of Indian English in dialogue and songs as well. It is not uncommon to see films that feature dialogue with English words and phrases, even whole sentences. There are a growing number of English films. A few films are also made in two or even three languages (either using subtitles, or several soundtracks). Raja Harishchandra (1913) was the first silent feature film made in India. It was made by Dadasaheb Phalke. By the 1930s, the industry was producing over 200 films per annum. The first Indian sound film, Ardeshir Irani's Alam Ara (1931), was a super hit. There was clearly a huge market for talkies and musicals; Bollywood and all the regional film industries quickly switched to sound filming. The Indian film industry has preferred films that appeal to all segments of the audience (see the discussion in Ganti, 2004, cited in references), and has resisted making films that target narrow audiences. It was believed that aiming for a broad spectrum would maximize box office receipts. However, filmmakers may be moving towards accepting some box-office segmentation, between films that appeal to rural Indians, and films that appeal to urban and overseas audiences.
Bollywood films are multi-million dollar productions, with the most expensive productions costing up to $10 million. Sound in Bollywood films is rarely recorded on location (otherwise known as sync sound). Bollywood film music is called filmi music (from Hindi, meaning "of films"). Songs from Bollywood movies are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors then lip synching the words to the song on-screen, often while dancing. Constrained by rushed production schedules and small budgets, some Bollywood writers and musicians have been known to resort to plagiarism. They copy ideas, plot lines, tunes or riffs from sources close at hand from other Indian films or far away ( Hollywood and other Western movies, Western pop hits). Some films (including music) in Pakistan are also inspired by Bollywood. Down the years, Bollywood, whose annual output of over 800 films a year, and an audience of 3.6 billion people, has shown progress in its popularity, and has been entering the consciousness of Western audiences and producers. (Credit -- Wikipedia.org )
Based on the Trailer…
Newest Trailers
Speed Racer - This film looks weird. I mean, it should visually amazing like only the Wachowskis know how, but I'm not sure about this one yet. It should be entertaining though. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - I must admit, after disliking the first one, this trailer actually has me anticipating the sequel. Perhaps they improved with age. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Sex and the City - I have yet to start watching this show, but I have access to the DVD's through my girlfriend, so I might wanna begin watching soon so I understand the film. This doesn't strike me as all that wonderful right now though. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
The Great Debaters - Denzel stars in and directs this film, and it looks to be carried by a powerful cast. I'm not sure how original the story is, but I think it looks good. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Jumper - Boy does look retarded. Doug Liman must have thought applying these nifty special effects to a story would work out. I doubt it. This should be pretty dumb. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Funny Games - I'll give credit to whoever created this preview. It's different and gets your attention, but also annoying. Still, Tim Roth seems to be his share of projects lately. This should be worth a look. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Untraceable - A new thriller starring Diane Lane and Colin Hanks. Not a cast you dream of every day, but hey, this premise sounds intriguing to me so I'm in. It's likely to rely on a twist at the end, but oh well. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
December Releases
The Kite Runner - I have not yet read the book, but the film looks to have Oscar potential for sure. I enjoyed this trailer, but like so many, it gives away too much. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
National Treasure: Book of Secrets - I loved the first film, despite harsh reviews. It was entertaining. This one looks more of the same adventure of history. It's right up my alley. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Alvin and the Chipmunks - I am probably nuts, and even though I hate to see Jason Lee taking his career in this direction, I kind of enjoyed this teaser. It looks funny. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - This might be mildly humorous, but probably nothing more. My respect for John C. Reilly will get me into the theater, but the plot looks blase. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
The Perfect Holiday - Another filled with an all-star cast but a mediocre script. I am sure people will flock to the theaters, but we all know this will suck. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
I Am Legend - This is what I call a brilliantly constructed trailer. It gives you just enough to be excited, and then rips it away from you. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Youth Without Youth - This has the potential to be amazing. I am not sure what to expect from the trailer, but it looks stunning. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - This Tim Burton musical looks to be a perfect mesh with his dark quirks and a great story. I am looking forward to it, especially with such a wonderful cast. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep - The "loch ness" angle in the story intrigues me, but I'd bet this is a Free Will tale all over again. No thanks. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Charlie Wilson's War - I didn't expect this to be more of a comedy, but it still looks great, with a terrific cast, and a brilliant director. It is on my predictions for Best Picture nominees. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem - I disliked the first one because of the trivial human plot, and this appears to be more of that sludge. I'll see it out of curiosity, but I'm not expecting anything out of this world. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
January Releases
Cloverfield - Sorry I haven't gotten this one up yet. The footage here is intriguing because of all the mysteriousness regarding the premise. I am officially ready for this to come out though. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Rambo IV - The trailer is not nearly as awesome as the unrated clips that leaked earlier this year, but I am still counting on this to rock. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Be Kind Rewind - Michel Gondry usually makes films that are original if nothing else. I like his style of directing, and this plot looks to be a lot of fun. Jack Black and Mos Def should be an interesting duo. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
27 Dresses - Katherine Heigl stars in this predictable looking film that is sure to have more females' attention than males'. It might be ok because of Heigl, but I doubt it will deliver anything special. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
One Missed Call - Another horror flick remade from a Japanese film. I'm sorry, but this just looks agonizing. Would it kill Hollywood to have an original idea for this genre? Trailer Rating = 2.0/10.0
February, TBD, and Beyond Releases
The Eye - This is a horror remake starring Jessica Alba. I think she has talent, but no as a lead, and this movie doesn't impress me. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Fools' Gold - This Matthew McConaughey/Kate Hudson flick is either a bad adventure story or a sappy romantic comedy. Either way, I could care less. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Strange Wilderness - This comedy looks weird. It has Ernest Borgnine and Jo Don Baker in the cast, besides the Happy Madison crew. It should be good for some laughs. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Vantage Point - Hmmm. I'm not sure about this political thriller. The cast is fine, but will that matter if the film blows hard? Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
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
10,000 B.C. - I'm not sure if this wants to be Apocalypto or Pathfinder. Either way it is helmed by Roland Emmerich, so it is likely to blow aside from the special effects. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Drillbit Taylor - Another movie from the people who brought us Superbad and Knocked Up, and this one has Owen Wilson as bodyguard to high school kids. It looks ok I suppose. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Semi-Pro - This is only a teaser, but it was certainly funny. Ferrell seems to be doing the same film over and over again, but people like him. I'll see this. It will be good for laughs. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Iron Man - I must admit, any trailer that has Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" is ok by me. This looks funny and could be a decent blockbuster. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
411 December Roundtable - This month I compiled the thoughts of the movie zone staff on the summer releases of December! Fact or Fiction - Ben Piper gathers the thoughts of Will Helm and Ron Martin this week! Furious on Film - Arnold Furious gives you his opinions on new and old films every week. What!!-This-Column!?? - Bryan Kristopowitz continues his column about…stuff. Two Tivos to Paradise - Al Norton brings all the news and updates in television that you can handle. Ask 411 Movies - Leonard Hayhurst answers all the questions in Ask 411 movies. The USB Evening Movie News - George Sirois brings the Thursday news for you. Misunderstood Masterpieces - Will Helm gives you his weekly misunderstood masterpiece for your reading pleasure. The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks - Thanks again to John Meehan for providing my banner here, and for the Alphabet feature.
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. (All news sources from Hollywoodreporter.com, ign.com, moviehole.net, and definitions from Wikipedia.org)
Great job! I'm also very excited about the National Treasure sequel. I loved the first film even though everyone else around me spent more time bashing the film than watching it.
Posted By: Dorn (Guest) on December 10, 2007 at 02:50 AM
