Thursday, January 31, 2008

Reepacheep Revealed!

The latest poster for one of the years most anticipated films gives us a glimmer of the character who is one of the most beloved in all seven Narnian Chronicles, the might mouse himself, Reepacheep. Voiced by none other than Eddie Izard, the sword wielding mouse with the height of an infant but the heart of lion can be seen in the lower right corner of the new one sheet below. May 16th feels closer than ever!


Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Will Guillermo Del Toro Direct THE HOBBIT?


It is looking more and more like director Guillermo Del Toro (Blade 2, Hellboy, Hellboy 2, Pan's Labyrinth) will take on THE HOBBIT for Newline Cinema under the direct supervision of none other than Peter Jackson (LORD OF THE RINGS), who will act as the Executive Producer. The studio has not published any "official" word as of yet, but things are pretty much set.

THE HOBBIT tells the story of Bilbo Bagggins, and his adventures with Gandalf the Grey. Biblo is the Hobbit that finds the One Ring in Gollum's cave on his trek with the dwarfs to face the villainous dragon Smogg, before it makes its way into the hands of Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew, in the LORD OF THE RINGS.

You can read more about it at...http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/01/29/28329-introducing-the-director-of-the-hobbit/

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Video Tribute to HEATH LEDGER as The Joker...

And the Nominees are...


BEST PICTURE
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST DIRECTOR
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

BEST ACTRESS
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Laura Linney, The Savages

BEST ACTOR
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Atonement
Away From Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

BEST MAKEUP
Le Vie en Rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

BEST FILM EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST SCORE
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Falling Slowly" from Once
"Happy Working Song" from Enchanted
"Raise it Up" from August Rush
"So Close" from Enchanted
"That's How You Know" from Enchanted

Actor HEATH LEDGER dies at age 28!


Today, actor Heath Ledger, best known for his Oscar nominated role in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, along with his famed roles in A KNIGHT'S TALE, THE PATRIOT, and the upcoming THE DARK KNIGHT in which he plays The Joker, has tragically passed away. An investigation is currently underway but investigators believe a possible cause to be a overdose on sleeping pills. Ledger was found by his maid, and a masseuse who had come to give him a massage. My prayers go out to his family, his colleagues, and his two year old daughter as they deal with the heartbreak of this tragedy. You can read the whole story at...

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Review: I AM LEGEND

There is something all too familiar with I AM LEGEND. It feels like a story we have seen before, one man, alone in a world once bustling with the noises of people and life, trying to survive on his own, and seeking a future that seems all too hopeless. Part 28 DAYS LATER, part CAST AWAY, this adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel THE OMEGA MAN, which is also a 1971 film of the same name staring Charlton Heston, features one distinct difference from these other survivalist’s tales, the casting of Will Smith. Will Smith has officially made himself the new Teflon Tom (Tom Cruise) in becoming a consistently bankable Hollywood star. His past several films including I-ROBOT, HITCH, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS have all become multi-million dollar hits. What can I say, people just love him, and the fact that he picks films with some degree of gravitas only improves his and the filmmakers chances for greater success.

I AM LEGEND consists of two very distinct stories, the first is one of pure survival in the aftermath of an apocalyptic type event that leaves one man (Smith) alone in New York City with only the companionship of his faithful German Shepard, Samantha. But what the trailers and marketing materials quickly reveal is that our hero and his furry friend are not alone. What we soon find out is that a supposed cure to cancer that was injected into cancer patients has mutated, turning its users into blood thirsty monsters who can only come out at night due to their ultra sensitivity to light, which tends to melt there skin. Smith’s character, Colonel Robert Neville, has remained in the abandoned city in order to research a cure for their condition.

In part one of I AM LEGEND we get an in-depth look into what life might be like if you were alone in an abandoned city. Imagine hunting dear in a mustang, hitting golf balls off of an aircraft carrier, scavenging for food, and finding ways for keeping your sanity. This is the part of the film where Smith and the story truly shine. The audience is given a glimpse into an apocalyptic world, and a hauntingly plausible future, that is both riveting to watch, and haunting to think about. Will Smith gives everything to the role that without him, might very well crumble completely.

In part two of I AM LEGEND we get introduced to the creatures lurking in the darkness of New York City. They cower in the darkness, just waiting for the light of day to set so that they can scour the city searching for more blood to satisfy their hunger. If part one of I AM LEGEND was about survival, part two is more about over the top action, gigantic plot holes, and a not so real or scary looking CGI monsters. What made JAWS such a monumental achievement was the fact that it begged the audience to imagine the terror that lurked below. By seeing the terror and dread that the monster (Jaws) caused, without actually showing the monster itself, allowed your imagination to instantly run wild with infinite possibilities of what it could be, and we all know how terrifying are own imaginations can be. The minute I saw the “monsters” in I AM LEGEND, it lost a lot of the edge that the beginning, the trailers, and the hype had been building up to. Also, the films climax will either leave you scratching your head, or down right angry.

For me, the parts of I AM LEGEND that worked, notably Will Smith’s passionate performance, Andrew Lesnie’s tempered cinematography, and James Newton Howard’s haunting score, were captivating, meaningful, and beautiful. Even with its many flaws, I AM LEGEND remains a provocative entry into the action/horror genre, and the fact that it’s an action movie that actually takes its time, that breathes life into psychological and physical state of its main character remains a pleasant surprise.

GRADE: B-

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Behold... THE ENTERPRISE


The new film, ENTERPRISE, about Captian Kirk and Spock's first mission in Starfleet, opens Christmas Day, 2008!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

THE OSCARS Get A Poster!!!

Only one question remains, will the Oscars actually take place!!!

New INDIAN JONES 4 Pic!


Tuesday, January 15, 2008

2007: A Year for DRAMA

A beautiful look back at the dramatic films of 2007, and what a year it has been.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

WECOME TO 2008!!!

Review: ATONEMENT

Joe Wright has delivered one of the most visually stunning films of the year about a crime committed and how it effects the lives of all those involved.

This story of passion, crime, consequence, regret, and tragedy begins at a manor in 1935 England when Briony Tallis (Saorirse Ronan), the 13 year old daughter of a rich household accuses the son of her family’s house keeper, Robbie (James McAvoy), of committing an unsettling crime. The reason for this outrageous accusation lays in the fact that Briony, who is quite taken by Robbie and who has a quite fanciful imagination, catches him and her sister Ceceilia (Keira Knightley) in an act of passion. Robbie is then taken off to fight in the war in place of facing jail time. What proceeds is the story of three very broken people whose lives have all been affected by their own immoral acts. All three have a part to play in the tragedy of their own lives, though at times the film tends to focus more on Briony's crime, and glosses over the fact that the two lovers, Robbie and Cecelia, had entered into a secret love affair of fornication and lust. The story, beautifully told through a series of flashbacks and stunning set design from the simplicity of an old English manor, too the vastness of the war torn French countryside is excellently paced, exquisitely acted, and wonderfully rendered.

The one major flaw is this mostly moral tale comes from the very title of the film itself. The film showcases a crime and its consequences in a way that is mostly truthful and poignant, but neglects to show us any deeper sense of what "Atonement" is really about. Why is “atonement” needed? How is one actually “atoned” for their wrong doings? Does Briony actually become “atoned” for her crime against Robbie and Cecelia? The film suggests that Briony is atoned through her works as a nurse, and a final act of allowing the two lovers to finally be together, even amidst tragedy. But unfortunately, that left me a bit unsatisfied in knowing that true atonement can only be accomplished through the sacrificial shedding of innocent blood.

GRADE: B+

RECOMMENDATION: This film is for adults only. It contains one very sensual scene and some disturbing war related images.