Sam Mendes, the director behind AMERICAN BEAUTY, ROAD TO PERDITION, and JARHEAD brings us the the reteaming of TITANIC'S Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in a story about a young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s who struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. The film is based on a novel by Richard Yates. It opens wide this January!
Here is the trailer:
This is slowly becoming one of my most anticipated films of the year!
Most notably seeing an old and grizzled Clint Eastwood unleashed.
Check it out:
Danny Boyle is a filmmaker of many different tastes. He has taken us into the world of drugs (TRAINSPOTTING), dropped us in an apocalyptic London filled with zombies (28 DAYS LATER), sent us on a space adventure to save the Earth by regenerating the sun (SUNSHINE) , and my personal favorite, he has given us a parable about what happens when a bag of a money lands in the hands of a boy wanting to use it for all the right reasons (MILLIONS). The amazing part of Boyle's films is that they are all distinctly different, yet all deal with the harsh realities of the human condition. I expect his next fore on the silver screen, the Fox Searchlight released SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, to be any different. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE revolves around a poor Indian teen who becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" the outcome of which will change his life forever. The film hits theatres this November!
Clint Eastwood delivers a one-two punch with CHANGELING, opening next Friday wide, and THE GRAN TORINO which opens in December. This is a similar pattern we saw when Clint released FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS in the fall of 2006, and then LETTERS FROM IWA JIMA in December just in time for Oscar contention. The former wen't on to garner and Oscar nomination for Best Picture. IMDB describes GRAN TORINO as...Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possesion: his 1972 Gran Torino. With CHANGELING receiving mixed reviews, could GRAN TORINO be this years LETTERS FROM IWA JIMA? With many Oscar contenders falling to next year (THE SOLOIST, THE ROAD), it very well could be.
"We knew that the journey of making a movie out of McCarthy’s book 'The Road' would be both physically and emotionality challenging. There is a certain degree of sadness, fear and regret that 'The Man' carries inside as he strives to protect his son and ensure their survival in an impossible world." — Viggo Mortensen (Interview)
My excitement for this film only continues to grow with every ounce of given detail, and they are few to come by. Now with the possibility that the film will be moved to a 2009 release, we at least have this haunting photo of Viggo Mortenson and the young star playing his son to wet our appetites. The look in Viggo's eyes says it all, this is a man of extreme sadness. His soulful eyes speak of tragedy and pain. His thin and dirty hands reveal an essence of hunger, and survival. Though, the most impressionable part of the image is of a father's hands holding his son, offering a simply notion of care, protection, and comfort. This father/son apocalyptic tale feels almost certain to break our hearts, my only fear is that it will fail to offer a sense of hope that our hearts can be mended once more. Can't wait for this one!
MAN ON WIRE is an exhilarating look into ones man's dream to do the near impossible, and how he was able to accomplish it masterfully.
In 1974, on a clear and slightly breezy early New York morning, Philippe Petit did the unthinkable, tightrope walking between the roofs of the newly erected World Trade Center Towers. Risking legal ramifications for himself and his accomplices, and more importantly his own life, Phillippe spent nearly a year practicing and preparing for the ultimate tight ropers dream, to perform at the top of the world. Phillipe walked back and fourth between these steel giants 8 times for nearly 45 minutes, his eyes fixed on the thin steel line below his feet, and the dream that he was about to accomplish, all the while the threat of death looming millimeters below every step. Though for Philiipe, death only exhilarated him more, fueling his ambition to carry out what could be seen as one of the most dangerous and most illegal artistic endeavors of our time. However, Phillipe had prepared all his life for this moment, this dream, and nothing was going to shake his confidence in his abilities, and the confidence he had in his friends that were at his side. At the end of Phillipe's 45 minute stint among the clouds, he finally relented, and returned to the roof of one of the towers where police were standing ready to take him into custody. However, the threat and final outcome of jail for Phillipe was a mere annoyance compared to not risking the opportunity of accomplishing his goals, seeing his dreams made into realities, and seeing the world from a totally new perspective.
MAN ON WIRE is itself an exhilarating piece of film that gives the audience a detailed look into just how Philippe first got the idea, prepared, and finally carried out an extremely detailed operation which included how he and his team managed to gain access to the buildings and the freight elevators, getting their equipment to the roof, escaping the threat of being seen by security guards, assembling the tightrope across both towers in the darkness of morning, and how Phillipe finally faced the ultimate challenge and dream of walking between the two tallest buildings in the world at the time. But in the end, what was the cost? Yes, Phillipe accomplished his goal, he defied all opposition, and he succeeded, or did he? The film hints by the end that Phillipe's costly endeavor, selfish ambitions, and obsessive tenancies while elevating his own need and prowess to excel in his craft, may very well have been the driving force that dimensioned key relationships in his life including his girlfriend and his best friend. Throughout the film Phillipe can be seen shunning peoples notion of "why" he did what he did. To him, he did it simply because the opportunity presented itself, and it was ripe for the taking.
The film's weakness seems to lie not its ability to create memorable characters, set up tension, or in telling a clever story, but in is ability to offer up a clearer sense of resolve, a clearer sense of "why" this mission was so imperative, so vital for Phillipe, but it offers enough to point you in the right direction. Yet, the real question for Phillipe still remains one of the heart. When those 45 euphoric minutes atop the world came to end, were they truly worth the loss of companionship, friendship, and love?
Recommendation: Use caution do to a scene of sexuality.
Grade: B+
My favorite animated film ever just got ranked the greatest animated feature of all time in Rotten Tomatoes countdown of the "50 Greatest Animated Features." I could not agree more. TOY STORY 2 is everything that TOY STORY is and more. Not only does it have one of the greatest opening sequences ever, but it's filled to the brim with and enduring story about love, loyalty, friendship, and value, also containing lovable characters, smarter dialogue, exciting action, and a pitch-perfect pacing that never drags and keeps you interested every moment. This film is plethora of purposeful film making that never leaves you with a single frame that does not deserve to be there, or say something about the environment or the characters themselves. Also, the film packs an amazingly emotional punch as the toys realize the cost of being a toy, and knowing that one day the one that loves them may be gone. However, through their enduring friendships and perseverance they begin to understand that their is always an opportunity to be rescued from loneliness, and to ultimately be made valuable. I hear they are making TOY STORY 3, in which Andy finally does grow up, and I could not be more excited. TOY STORY, and PIXAR for that matter, are a testament to the excellence that all filmmakers should aim for. Just imagine if all filmmakers had as much love of their craft and as deep a devotion for telling stories to audiences of all types and ages. What would the world be like then?
You can check out the rest of ROTTEN TOMATOES countdown HERE!
Next to the DARK KNIGHT, potentially the second best action movie of the year! Check it out:
“Yes I am starting to work on the Hobbit. A lot of the group is coming back together to work on it. It’s really a wondrous occasion. It’s fantastic guide for me to be able to go back to Middle earth and create more music , ‘cause these films, the films, are placed before Fellowship of the Ring, so I have to go back into Middle earth a little earlier and pick up my writing, and write a piece that would grow and take you right into Fellowship of the Ring.”
This has to be among the best movie posters I have seen all year, maybe the best!
The film, written and directed by Charlie Kauffman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, ADAPTATION), is the story of a theater director (Phillip Seymor Hoffman) who struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play. The film goes into limited release later this month.
Even if the movie stinks, it sure is going to be something beautiful to behold. But I trust director Baz Luhrman. He delivered what I would consider to be one of the best films of 2001, MOULIN ROUGE!, maybe even the decade. Here is hoping that AUSTRALIA is the sprawling epic that we have not seen since KING KONG and LORD OF THE RINGS.
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