Archive for June, 2009
June 24th, 2009
According to an article in Variety, director David Fincher is, as they say, “in talks” to direct THE SOCIAL NETWORK, a movie about the development of Facebook. Script is courtesy of Aaron Sorkin, write of A FEW GOOD MEN, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, and, on TV, THE WEST WING and (ahem) STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP.
“The film will focus on the evolution of Facebook from its 2004 creation on the Harvard campus by sophomore Mark Zuckerberg to a juggernaut with more than 200 million members.”
Look, I love Fincher’s work (FIGHT CLUB is a personal favorite, ZODIAC is arguably the best movie of the 21st century, and even the overlong BENJAMIN BUTTON isn’t bad), but I wonder about a Facebook movie. Sure, it’s popular now, but if the Internet has taught us anything, it’s that there will be another Web fad around before long to grab the public’s attention. Already Twitter has all the buzz (and even it’s getting old). Imagine a movie about MySpace now. Would anyone see it?
June 23rd, 2009
I realize watching a 50-year-old, black-and-white, subtitled Swedish drama about a knight returning from the Crusades to confront difficult questions of life, death and belief might not seem like the most entertaining way to spend your movie night, but I really want you to give THE SEVENTH SEAL a try. It’s a genuinely great movie, and it’s enjoyable to boot.
Here’s a link to my written review…
 And here’s the video version, complete with plenty of striking black-and-white clips.
June 23rd, 2009
Here’s the new trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s eagerly awaited (at least by me) World War II epic INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. We get a bit more of the actual plot this time around, plus a glimpse of the Nazi high command and Mike Myers (yes, that Mike Myers) in a Nazi uniform…
June 23rd, 2009
Ed McMahon, the man who made “Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!” a classic catchphrase and served more than 30 years as Johnny Carson’s TONIGHT SHOW announcer, died early today at the age of 86.
I’m sure you know McMahon was the announcer for THE TONIGHT SHOW, and I’m pretty sure you know he was the host of the popular syndicated talent show, STAR SEARCH. But did you know, long ago in 1957, he provided the bizarre narration for an almost forgotten horror movie called DAUGHTER OF HORROR?
 It’s true. And you can hear a bit of Ed’s work in this strange little clip…
June 22nd, 2009
These images are all over the Internet today (I snagged ‘em from Filmjunk.com), but in case you haven’t seen them, here are the first three publicity images from Tim Burton’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND…
Here’s Anne Hathaway as the White Queen…
Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter….
And, creepiest of all, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen.
The cast also includes Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Crispin Glover as The Knave of Hearts, Stephen Fry as The Cheshire Cat, Michael Sheen as The White Rabbit and Alan Rickman as The Caterpillar.
It hits theaters next March.
June 22nd, 2009
Gene Kelly (right) stares in disbelief at how far his star has fallen.
If you want to start your Monday morning off on a downbeat note, check out “With a Whimper, Not a Bang: 15 Particularly Depressing Cinematic Swan Songs from Talented Actors” over at the Onion AV Club. Â The article charts the final film appearances of such legends as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin (yukking it up in CANNONBALL RUN 2), Bela Lugosi (appearing in scraps of footage years after his death in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) and Gene Kelly (roller-boogie-ing it up in XANADU).
That picture that leads off the article, of Groucho Marx from DUCK SOUP ( arguably the Marx Brothers’ finest film) makes the realization that Groucho finished his career in the painful to watch comedy SKIDOO even more depressing.
June 19th, 2009
Ever since 10-year-old Colby Curtin of Huntington Beach, Calif., saw the previews for UP, she couldn’t wait to see the movie.
But Colby had vascular cancer, meaning she was too weak to make a trip to the theater. Worse, she didn’t have long to live – and almost definitely wouldn’t be alive in the fall, when the movie would arrive on DVD.
Read what happened here.
June 19th, 2009
In this week’s Video Vault column, I review the comedy ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, which arrived in theaters in 2006, failed to impress critics or attract audiences, and quickly faded from view. If you ask me, though, it’s well worth another look — especially if you ever served time in an art class.
Here’s a link to my review…
 And here’s the film’s original trailer (language a bit salty)…
June 18th, 2009
… but it sure is fun watching everything go ker-blooey in this new trailer for 2012, the end-of-the-world movie due this fall from Roland Emmerich. We’ve got a crack splitting up God and Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Danny Glover as the president and the aircraft carrier the USS John F. Kennedy smashing the White House.
To be honest, I’m guessing this movie won’t be very good — Emmerich’s track record isn’t exactly stellar — but as this trailer proves, there are a few minutes worth of juicy scenes in there somewhere.
I can’t embed the trailer here, but you can see it by clicking this link.
June 18th, 2009
According to Cinematical.com, Frank Darabont has spilled the beans that he, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and the rest of the gang are indeed planning a fifth Indiana Jones movie…
“It’s really about the script,” said Marshall. “Once we see that, we’ll see. We’re not going to wait another 20 years. We’d all love to make another one. I’m anxious to hear the idea!” But he quickly added that he really didn’t know what Spielberg was cooking. “Until there’s a script, nothing’s definite. I haven’t heard the idea.” (He should ask LaBeouf. I bet he knows.) Marshall also confirmed that Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford were equally eager to return for a fifth outing. “Yeah. We had a great time making the last one and, as Harrison said, we need to make this one soon. We’re not getting any younger.”
Well, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL was a disappointment to virtually ever critic and moviegoer who saw it (this guy included), but it’s hard to argue with a 700-million-plus global box office.
Speaking of Darabont, you know what’s a good movie? THE MIST, which he directed. Much better than CRYSTAL SKULL, in fact.
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