Upcoming Movies - Quick Take

Bite-sized updates on upcoming movies: 

Thor - 6th May 2011: The mythical being from mountains in the sky AKA Asgard is flung down to earth as punishment. But like all positive minded individuals, he turns lemons into lemonades and becomes EARTH DEFENDER AGAINST REALLY BAD VILLAINS. Huzzah! 

Any good? It should be, as British thespian extraordinaire Kenneth Branagh is directing. Is that a good thing? I recall Ang Lee directing Hulk (the version with Eric Bana) and it didn't really fly did it? Lets just hope this one doesn't repeat that.

The Beaver - 6th May 2011: Bad boy ass-kicker Mel Gibson is back but this time he's trading his gun/sword/fists for a hand-puppet as a way to release his inner demons and to get on with life as it deals him a bad hand. 

Any good? I'm a big fan of the Gibson, so anything he does is fine by me.

Midnight in Paris - 11th May 2011 (France): Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams star in Woody Allen's romantic comedy with a holidaying family and a pair of newly engaged couple. Romantic complications ensues. Sighs ...

Any good? Hell yeah! But - only if you're a big Woody Allen fan, which I am. BTW ...

Hangover 2 - 26th May 2011: the gangs back with Stu getting married in the westerner's version of "sordid" Thailand. Laughter and painful consequences ensues. Chortle. 

Any good? Hell yeah! Go for it!

Kungfu Panda 2 - 26th May 2011: Po and the gang's back (like the hangover gang above) to defend the whole of China against a nasty villain who is out to destroy the country AND kung fu itself. Whoa nelly!
Any good? Definitely! Go for it pronto!!

The Tree of Life - 27th May 2011: acclaimed director Terence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line) returns with an interesting ensemble of Barda Pitt, Sean Penn and Joanna Going in this family drama of a son in search of the true meaning of life, as reflected on his aging father.
Any good? If drama's your thing, then it should be good. The man's a celebrated director, so yeah.  

X-Men: First Class - 3rd June 2011: An origins movie with a young Xavier and a young Magneto finding for themselves what they really are.
Any good? Maybe ... so far the X-Men franchise have been pretty decent with decent acting and storyline. So presumably they're maintaining that consistency.

Cars 2 - 24th June 2011: The return of Lightning McQueen and Matey in this sequel sees them take on the Grand Prix overseas. But the journey is long, complicated and it involves espionage (at least for buck tooth Matey).
Any good? It should be, the gang's all here (meaning the director, writer, etc).


Bad Teacher - 24th June 2011: Cameron Diaz is the bad teacher who who stop at nothing (read: really bad things) to get her man who happens to be a fellow teacher.
Any good? If you're in the mood f
or crass, black, painful, bawdy humour, then this is your cup of tea. It'll be fun to watch Diaz do the nasty by being nasty on the big screen, isnt it? Hell yeah.


Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 1st July 2011: The Autobots and the Decepticons are back for the third time but, unfortunately without the lovely Megan Fox. This time around Optimus Prime and his human sidekick Shia Labouf battles Shockwave, who has been messing about with the Russians. Muscle robots and explosions ensues.
Any good? Only if you're 12 going on 43 with a thing for robots and hot chicks.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - 15th July 2011: The second installment of the final book on a group of wizards flying about on broomsticks led by four-eyed do-gooder Harry Potter in their fight against evil wizard with no nose Lord Voldemort. Broomstick capers ensues.
Any good? Its the last book and several key characters will die. Including Harry Potter. Haha!! Gotcha.

Captain America: The First Avenger - 22nd July 2011: An origins story about World War 2 superhero Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), as he transforms from a skinny guy into a buff super soldier and battles the eviiiiil Nazis. Hitler-hating tomfoolery ensues.
Any good? Its a super hero movie set in the 2nd world war. It should be good, right? Why else would they spend gazabillion-gajillion bucks on making it, right?

Cowboys & Aliens - 29th July 2011: Craig Daniels shrugs off his tuxedo and browning automatic for a ten gallon hat and a six shooter (and later, a weird alien gun device around his wrist) to join forces with the local sheriff and a band of Apache warriors to battle invading aliens. This ain't Iraq, its the wild, wild west.
Any good? Hell yeah!

Conan the Barbarian - 19th August 2011: Get ready for some sword-swinging, head-decapitating, back-snapping, blood-curdling barbaric action with pretty boy Jason Momoa. Which is a travesty and and oxymoron. An ex-male model as the barbarian? Why? If Arnie was dead, he'd be turning in his grave.

Any good? It looks good ... maybe too "mainstream good". Hmmm...

Fright Night - 19th August 2011: A remake of the classic 80's horror movie about a teen-ager who discovers that his next door neighbour is a vampire. To assist him in battling this bloodsucker, is retired TV vampire hunter actor, and his girlfriend. Blood sucking jamboree ensues.
Any good?

The Three Musketeers - 14th October 2011:  Ancient but cool military Frenchies with swords - D'Artagnan joins rogue musketeers for some ass-whupping of the old-ways kind in this updated 3D version! How cool is that? Hot damn cool is what! 

Any good? If they stcik to the story, and they maintain the same kind of buoyancy of Alexander Dumas' adventure classic, then it should be great.

Updates Updates Updates!!!

Something which I haven't done for quite a while now, latest news on the cinematic / TV scene: 

a. "I'll Be Back" says Arnie. And hell yeah, he is with a new animated series called "The Governator". Too impossibly impossible to be true? Apparently not. Its all set and ready to go. Slated for release in 2012 with an accompanying comic series. Check it out at slashfilm.com here.

b. Speaking of the Arnie-nator, they're going to do a remake of Paul Verhoven's violent and highly entertaining 1990 sci-fi action flick Total Recall, where a construction worker discovers that he's on a secret mission to mars involving a Mars uprising against an evil corporation. Sound's good? You betcha.  Read an update from blastr.com here.

c.  Wonder Woman is back on the screen, the TV screen that is. And does the new non-Lynda Carter version do justice to millions of male fans? You be the judge, check out Harry Knowles aintitcool.com's pictures here for a gander. Personally, I'd bring back Carter. This one just don't fly with my sensitivities.

d. In the mood for seafood? Or to be seafood food? The you could be in the mood for Sharktopus a monster movie with Eric Roberts battling it out with a monster thats exactly a mix of an octopus and a shark. Joblo.com has the scoop.

e. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter is going to be made into a movie. Shocktillyoudrop.com has the scoop here. So if you're a big fan of the series of mashing up existing characters, or famous classic literature with horrific back story involving vampires, zombies and the ilk, then this is your bloody cup of tea...

Scream 4 (2011)

I honestly don't understand the concept of sequels when it extends beyond the 3rd installment. Doesn't it get old after awhile? Can anyone remember what the original idea was? Does anyone care? Which brings us to the FOURTH chapter of the Scream series, happening TEN YEARS after the last Scream film. Wes Craven's on board. Why the hell for?

The Skinny: "Sidney Prescott, now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale, who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill and her Aunt Kate. Unfortunately, Sidney's appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger." taken from www.imdb.com

The Helmer: Wes Craven - Scream 4 (2011), My Soul to Take (2010), Paris Je T'aime (segment) (2006), Red Eye (2005), Cursed (2005), Scream 3 (2000), Music of the Heart (1999), Scream 2 (1997), Scream (1996), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), New Nightmare (1994), Nightmare Cafe (1992), The People Under the Stairs (1991), Night Visions (TV) (1990), Shocker (1989), The Serpent & the Rainbow (1998), The Twilight Zone (TV series) (1985 -86), Deadly Friend (1986), Case Busters (TV) (1986), The Hills have Eyes 2 (1985), Chiller (TV) (1985), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Invitation to Hell (TV) (1984), Swamp Thing (1982), Deadly Blessing (1981), Stranger in our House (1978), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), The Fireworks Woman (1975), The Last House on the Left (1972).

The Scribe: Kevin Williamson - The Bedroom Window (2012), Secret Circle (TV) (2012), The Vampire Diaries (TV series) (2009 - 2011), Scream 4 (2011), Hidden Palms (TV series) (2007), Cursed (2005), Dawsons Creek (TV series) (1998 - 2003), Glory Days (TV series) (2002), Wasteland (TV series) (1999), Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), The Faculty (1998), Scream 2 (1997), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Scream (1996).

The Casts: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox , Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anthony Anderson

The Tagline: New Decade, New Rules

The Prediction: Will this fourth installment work? Will it thrill old and new viewers? Will it be clever and tongue-in-cheek like the original with its rules of horror? Will it open up to the fifth installment? Will the audience stay awake? Its sad to see horror legend Wes Craven re-hash a franchise that has trespassed into the 4th chapter, after 11 years, together with collaborator Kevin Williamson and expect something to happen. Maybe its just me, but I'd love to see Craven take on the challenge of creating something new and thrilling - possibly start a fresh new franchise. That would be deserving of the uber-ness of his position. This man created the Nightmare on Elm Street series, the Scream series, the Hills series and he was responsible for turning stomachs of many men and women in the 70s with his seminal debut Last House on the Left. So why this? Why now? Why? 

Trailer

Official Site 

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Its been a while since we've been assailed by lawyer themed movies very prevalent back in the 90s. We had Tom Cruise as a brash legal upstart coming face to face with the mafia, in The Firm, we had Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington battling political bigwigs in the Pelican Brief, and we had Keanu Reeves fighting for his soul in The Devil's Advocate. And now, in the second decade of the millennium we have Matthew M, being a brash upstart lawyer battling monsters in the Lincoln Lawyer. Okay, maybe not monsters ... 

The Skinny: Mick Haller (Matthew M) is a confident, highly snazzy lawyer who operates from the back of his Lincoln, providing his lawyerly service to the denizens of Beverly Hills. This time around, his sweet talking, miraculous ability to achieve golden plea bargains is put to the test when his rich client (Ryan Phillips) refuses to admit to the assault and battery of a social escort claiming his innocence. Based on the character of the Michael Connelly legal thrillers.

The Helmer: Brad Furman - The Talk (2007), Buried Alive in the Blues (TV doc) (2005),

Unbroken (Short) (2003), The Stranger (Short) (2003), Fast Forward (Short) (2002).

The Scribe: John Romano - The Prodigy (2011), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), The Beast (TV) (2009), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), American Dreams (TV) (2002), Monk (TV) (2002), Providence (TV) (2001), Third Watch (TV) (1999 - 2000), The Third Miracle (1999), Michael Hayes (TV) (1998), Early Edition (TV) (1996), Dark Angel (TV) (1996), Sweet Justice (TV) 1994), Class of 96 (TV) (2003), Knots Landing (TV) (1991 - 1992), Cop Rock (TV) (1990), LA Law (TV) (1990), Hill Street Blues (TV) (1986 - 87).

Michael Connelly - Novelist - The Lincoln Lawyer (novel) (2011), Blood Work (novel) (2002), Level 9 (TV) (2002).

The Casts: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, John Leguizamo, Michael Pare.

The Prediction: I'm looking forward to this movie because I know its going to be good and satisfying. Why? Let me count the ways .... Number One: Its not about aliens, demons, vampires, werewolves, cute creatures and their ilks; Number Two: Its based on a best selling legal thriller, which is always a good thing; Number Three: It has a very old (and steady) hand as screenplay writer / scriber writing the movie; Number Four: Marisa "Hot Mama" Tomei; Number Five: Michael Pare - superstar that almost made it, of the 80s, he of the Streets of Fire fame: and Number Six: Matthew M. All in all, this looks pretty decent and will prove to be an entertaining escape into Hollywood-dom. Its a no-brainer.

Official Site

Trailer

Fantasy Fanboy Films: Part 1 - Fight to the Death

This is just an idea I'm kinda formulating here - what if we were to have a series of Fantasry Fanboy Films where fanboys of the world draw up their fantasy films in the multitudes of genres: action, comedy, horror, romance etc. 

All you need to do is decide on a genre - then fill it up with fantasy plot, with fantasy actors, with fantasy scenes, and fantasy outcome. It'll be like Fantasy Football Club, but for movies. 

If you can dig it, lets start here today with Fantasy Fanboy Films: Action - Fight to the Deaths. The following makes up MY fantasy action film: 

Genre: Action

Fantasy title: Death Match 3000

Fantasy actors: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Vin Diesel

Fantasy plot: Two warriors from warring tribes in a post apocalyptic future face off in an ultimate fight to the death using only a bowie knife each, and a city to destroy each other in. 

Fantasy action: The Rock Vs Vin Diesel in a fight to the death!

Fantasy Tagline: Only One Will Survive.

Fantasy Ending: Vin Diesel gets his face obliterated with a series of super fast knife jabs. 

Get the idea? Give it a try - the good ones will end up in the next blog update. Good Luck! (Quoting Marko in "Taken").

Red Riding Hood (2011)

I'm surprised there aren't many hollywood productions coming out from fairy tales; instead we have the re-treading of old TV series and movies from 40 years back, sequels & prequels to lackluster summer so-so hits, and other abysmal attempts at entertainment. Fairy tales on the other hand has always been there; a pool of untapped tales of grim adventures and fatal lessons. Take aside Disney's attempts at envisioning the classic tales, you don't have many other effort undertaken by the major studios (except maybe the porn studios, but thats a whole other universe altogether with its own set of values, and erm, fans). So, its a nice surprise indeed to see something like this movie coming up, on a tale that is essentially very, very disturbing, interpretable on so many levels, dealing with so many issues.

The Skinny: Not so Little Red Riding Hood has to go to the granny's house but she has to be careful as there's a werewolf about. But who really is the werewolf? A mature take on a much loved horrific tale of innocence lost, cannibalism, hatchet death and dead grannies. Huzzah!

The Helmer: Catherine Hardwicke - Hamlet (2011), Freeheld (2011), Red Riding Hood (2011), Twilight (2008), The Nativity Story (2006), Lords of Dogtown (2005), Thirteen (2003).

The Casts: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Virginia Madsen, Lukas Haas, Julie Christie, Shauna Kain.

Release Date: 21 August 2011 (Malaysia)

Tagline: Believe the Legend, Beware the Wolf

The Prediction: I'm not that familiar with the helmer except for the 2005 film Lords of Dogtown, the true story of the birth of skateboarding as an extreme sport. Impression of that movie was that it was okay, not bad. But then she went on ahead and did Twilight, the very unmanly movie of teen love with skinny paleface vampire, buff male-bimbo werewolf and a girl with fatal armpit smell. Based on that alone I'd give this movie a wide berth, drop it in the sink of hot magma, or have it trampled by an 18 wheeler truck bound for hell. But I like the look and feel of the trailer, and the mystery of the killer wolf running about killing the villagers. It has the distinct atmosphere of Neil Jordan's 1984 coming of age sexual awakening werewolf horror drama The Company of Wolves. That makes a slight difference. So maybe I'd recommend it. Only if it has lots of blood, where paleface vampire sissies and werewolf male bimbos are killed, butchered by real wolves. We can only hope.

Trailer

Official Site

Super (2011)

I like James Gunn. I like Rainn Wilson. I like to see them do a movie project together. I like to see "Super". Nuff said.

The Skinny: Everyday man Frank D'Arbo (Wilson) dons a cape and a cowl to fight crime, and to get back his beautiful wife from the smarmy git of a drug dealer Jacques (Bacon) who has successfully seduced her away from him. To aid him in his crime busting scheme, and to act as the other half of the dynamic duo'ism, you have Libby (Page), his female sidekick. 

The Helmer: James Gunn - Movie 43 (2011), Super ((2010), PG Porn (TV) (2008 - 2009), Humanzee (TV) (2008), Sparky & Mikaela (TV) (2008), Slither (2006), Troman's Edge TV (TV) (2000), Sgt Kubikiman Public Service Announcement (Short TV) (1997), Hamster PSA (Short) (TV) (1997), The Tromaville Cafe (1997), Tromeo & Juliet (1996).

The Casts: Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon

The Tagline: Shut Up Crime!

The Prediction: This is a great combination of people coming together; you have cult-like helmer Gunn spewing forth his helming wisdom (if you've seen the 2006 skin crawling quivering alien comedy horror Slither  both written and directed by him, you know you're in for some gobsmacking sicking goodness), then you have veteran part-evil-part-twitchy-part-intense flinty Kevin Bacon as the bad guy facing off innocent, not-very-smart/completely-shameless Rainn Wilson who is assisted by very-smart Ellen Page (Inception (2010), Juno (2007). Mix it up, shake it about, then pour out the content - and whaddya have? Super hero mayhem with that extra edgy-ness.

Official SIte - The Crimson Bolt
Trailer