September 10th, 2008
Here’s a link to a new trailer for the upcoming James Bond movie, due to hit theaters Nov. 14.
It’s the usual mix of snippets of plot development, glimpses of high tech equipment and tantalizing shots of over-the-top stunts. (The one where Bond and some badguy fall through a roof, then keep falling, is the most impressive.) Good to see Dame Judi Dench returning as M and Jeffrey Wright coming back as CIA agent Felix Leiter, and of course it’s a pleasure to have Daniel Craig starring as 007 once again. He brings a real intensity to the role, making the spy game seem like something genuinely dangerous and even a little spooky at times.
Remember when he played Paul Newman’s disappointing son in the 2002 film ROAD TO PERDITION, someone who seemed no match for Tom Hanks’ gangster character? Here’s the movie trailer to remind you. Craig shows up around the 47 second mark.
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Times have changed, eh?
September 5th, 2008
BURN AFTER READING, the new comedy from the Coen Brothers — make that the Oscar-winning Coen brothers* — opened the Toronto International Film Festival Thursday night, and the reviews are starting to be heard. Good news, Coen fans — it looks like another winner.
James Rocchi of Cinematical.com says he laughed a lot and the movie has “carefully-timed punchlines and comedy so dry it’ll leave your lips chapped. ” Brad Pitt, as a dimwitted fitness trainer is, Rocchi says ” is, bluntly, inanely great — full of verve and conviction, and deeply funny.”
Over at Hollywood Elsewhere, Jeffrey Wells calls BURN “brilliant” and adds “When (Joel and Ethan Coen are) in the mood to dispense their extremely low opinion of human behavior, they are masters of the form. Nobody knows from dry, diseased and delectably deadpan like these guys. It’s in their bones and their blood.”
Sounds good to me! The movie opens in theaters next Friday, Sept. 12.
* And yes, I know they won an Oscar years ago for FARGO. I mean last year’s big victory for NO COUNTRY.
August 21st, 2008
Last week, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY released its “Fall Movie Preview” issue. (You know, the one with the big picture of Harry Potter — whose movie isn’t coming out until summer — on the cover.) Though it’s tough to get out to the theater with a three-year-old at home, I still like to plan some autumn cinema going. Here’s what looks good to me:
MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA — Spike Lee’s World War II epic holds promise, his self-indulgent sniping at Clint Eastwood aside. With THE 25TH HOUR, THE INSIDE MAN and WHEN THE LEVEES BREAK on his recent resume, Spike’s on a bit of a roll. Let’s hope it continues.
BURN AFTER READING — Naturally, the Coen brothers follow their dark, Oscar-winning drama NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN with a wacky comedy. The cast is great — Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich. If it’s less INTOLERABLE CRUELTY and more RAISING ARIZONA, it’ll be great.
RIGHTEOUS KILL — DeNiro and Pacino, together again for the almost first time (they had that one diner scene in HEAT years ago). It looks like a fairly standard cop drama, but just watching these two powerhouses chew the scenery should be an entertaining way to pass two hours.
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 — Just kidding.
BODY OF LIES — Here’s the rule: Fat Russell Crowe (THE INSIDER, MASTER AND COMMANDER, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL) equals good. Fit Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR, A BEAUTIFUL MIND ) equals less than good. He looks pretty chunky in this one. Plus, Leonardo DiCaprio is costaring.
W. — I’m as curious about Oliver Stone’s Bush biopic as anyone. And Brolin is coming off a hell of a year (NO COUNTRY, GRINDHOUSE and AMERICAN GANGSTER). Plus, Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney? Brilliant!
SYNEDOCHE, NEW YORK — Charlie Kaufman, screenwriter of ADAPATION, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and a personal favorite, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, directs his first film. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a theater director who builds a life-sized (well, almost) replica of New York City in a warehouse. Advance word is it’s difficult, confusing and no crowd please, but I think it sounds brilliant, and I’d watch anything Kaufman wrote.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED — Barry Levinson directed this adaptation of producer Art Linson’s hilarious Hollywood tell-all. The names have been changed, but the stories should still be funny. (Bruce Willis, incidentally, is playing a guy based on Alec Baldwin. Read the book — it’s worth it.)
AUSTRALIA — I liked Baz Luhmann’s lush, over-the-top MOULIN ROUGE. This could be a similar cinema feast.
THE ROAD — Viggo Mortensen stars as the dad in this beyond-bleak tale of a post-apocalyptic journey of a father and son. My wife read the book and loved it — even if it was an Oprah selection. I’m curious enough to wait for the movie.
QUANTUM OF SOLACE — After the greatness that was CASINO ROYALE, I’m dying to see where the new Bond goes next.
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD — Sure Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet starred in the biggest movie of all time. But you know what else? They’re also arguably the two best actors of their generation. This period drama set in the 1950s doesn’t have a big sinking ship, but it’s guaranteed to have at least two great performances.
THE SPIRIT — Um, I still can’t decide how I feel about Frank Miller’s take on this classic comic book. Check back with me sometime in November.
THE CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON — This might be the movie I’m looking forward to most of all. David Fincher, coming off the completely brilliant ZODIAC, reunites with his SEVEN and FIGHT CLUB star Brad Pitt for a story about a guy who ages backward. The scope looks epic, and the effects look nothing less than amazing.
OK, that’s my take. What are you looking forward to?
