10.22.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Paranormal Activity 2, the sequel to the already labeled cult classic original of the same name, offers more scares than the original, yet, it lost some of the genuine feeling of originality and authenticity that the first so frightfully showcased. It did add a Latino element… more on that later. Read More
10.21.2010 | By Mack Chico |
Director Brett Ratner has added two more cast members to his upcoming project Tower Heist, with Gabourey Sidibe and Michael Peña both joining the cast, according to Deadline New York.
Gabourey Sidibe and Michael Peña will play employees in a luxury apartment building who, lead by Ben Stiller‘s character, attempt to rob the scheming man in the penthouse. He is on house arrest for fraud, and he robbed these same employees of their pensions.
The two actors join a cast that already includes Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy. Alan Alda will play the white-collar criminal responsible for stealing the employees’ pensions.
Brett Ratner will direct from a script by Jeff Nathanson, who is rewriting Ted Griffin‘s original screenplay. It was said that production was set to start next month in New York.
Tower Heist comes to theaters in 2011 and stars Ben Stiller, Alan Alda, Eddie Murphy, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Peña. The film is directed by Brett Ratner.
10.21.2010 | By Karen Posada |
Hereafter is a dramatic film that has many elements that make it worth watching, its strongest being the storyline. Don’t’ be fooled by the trailer, if you are expecting an action flick it has been advertised wrong; it is about death and the possibility of an afterlife and trying to understand what happens after we die. The first scene does a nice job in taking you in and wanting to explore more, the fact that it is split into three stories carried out by completely different characters in various parts of the world makes it all the more interesting. The subject matter might make some skeptic and want to turn away; as well as the feeble romance which takes away from the film. The film does convey it’s message well which is to raise questions and curiosity no matter how you feel about the subject.
Hereafter deals with mortality and how three strangers who have completely different lives are affected by it. George (Matt Damon) has a gift or curse from which he’s desperately trying to get away from, Marie (Cécile de France) is completely happy with her perfect life until a near-death experience changes all of that and Marcus (George Mclaren & Frankie McLaren) has to face death as well as separation at a young age. We get a very in-depth look at each one of these characters lives and we get to comprehend each one of their stories which have death, mortality and loneliness as underlying themes that connect them. They each toy with the idea of an afterlife and each one is on a path that they have to travel alone and despite of having some family members or friends it is on this lonely journey that they find their answers or closure and are matured by the process.
The screenwriter Peter Morgan told us a funny story on how after a long process his script, which was inspired by a book he read and the loss of a friend, ended up on the hands of one of the executive producers Steven Spielberg; he then went on to give it to Clint Eastwood who decided to direct it. Eastwood’s name is all over the film, everything is so well thought out and organized that we can see it was done by a top notch director. Here he tried to work with special effects on a well developed sequence which runs through smoothly, but I would not say is the best CGI work I’ve ever seen; it could have been much better, throughout most of it you could pick out the CGI elements easily which took away from it. Also, the final scene has some of the corniest music i’ve ever heard; not only is it cheesy but it changes the storyline as well; I found the romance unnecessary and desperate for a happy ending. The twin brothers in this movie were amazing, knowing that they are non actors made me appreciate their scenes even more. Their story is so touching that it was hard to keep my eyes from watering, close enough to tearing. De France’s strong character shows us that after a storm the sun always comes out with some perseverance and she portrayed that beautifully. It was interesting to see Damon in such a ‘push-over’ role, most of the time he’s kind of being told what to do and he follows along; it shows the quality of his acting and how diverse it can be.
Besides posing questions the film teaches us one thing about death no matter what our beliefs are about it: we need to learn to let go and move on. I appreciated the film for kind of poking fun at one of the themes it promotes, but also because it shows us how deep human relationships go, how easily we are tied to one another and how hard it is to move on from that to be our own individual selves. It deals with the ‘hereafter’ not the idea of heaven or hell, so there’s more of a spiritual tie to it than religious which makes it easier to swallow.
10.19.2010 | By Mack Chico |
Recently Bloodydisgusting.com posted news of a new teen version of Hellraiser being developed by The Weinstein Company. The rumor is that the horror film will be made with the highest quality and with a huge budget. Producers are currently negotiating with Christian E. Christiansen (The Roommate) to direct and actress Amber Heard (Zombieland, The Stepfather, The Joneses) to star. The film has in mind to attract teenage kids to the theater and to obtain a PG-13 rating.
The idea of doing a version for teenagers is catching on among many studios, but we don’t think it necessarily is the right move for every ocassion. The original ‘Hellraiser’ is a classic of the horror genre and to dilute it to a teen audience that demands a lot of Hollywoodisms is perhaps a bit inconsiderate to the reputation of the film.
Meanwhile, the Weinsteins, as we speak, are in production of a low-budget version of the film with the intention of preserving the rights to the franchise. The film is called ‘Hellraiser: Revelations’ and will be helmed by Spanish director Victor Garcia who has made ‘Mirrors 2’ and ‘Return to House on Haunted Hill,’ all straight to DVD.
The Christiansen ‘Hellraiser remake’ has been a project that has been making the rounds since 2006, with several directors and actors attached to the production. Originally scheduled for a premiere in 2009, the film has had trouble seeing the day of light until now.
For those who have not seen the original Hellraiser, 1987, the plot revolves around Frank Cotton, a young man, violent and ambitious China acquires a box from an oriental bazaar and endowed with powers. According to ancient legend, is a kind of door to beings from another dimension. Cotton calls to open these creatures from hell fantastic, but these storms to infringe You can kill it. Twenty years later, two new tenants settle in Frank’s old house: his brother and his wife. The emergence of the spirit of Frank is the beginning of a maelstrom of horror in its purest form that your family will go crazy. A drop of blood spilled accidentally by his brother on the floor of loft, is the trigger of the tragedy. Frank, in order to regain his old form, humans need blood to provide it, secretly the wife of his brother.
10.18.2010 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, with family animation still chasing emotional lift, How to Train Your Dragon remains a reminder of how wonder, friendship and flight can still do the work.
10.18.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: Not available
Release Date: 2010-07-09
Starring: Alex Litvak & Michael Finch
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.predators-movie.com/
Predators, a re-invention of the film that was made popular by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987, is what should have been Predator 2 from 1990. For me, Predators, with an ‘S,’ is a cross between a remake and a sequel.
The plot is very similar – a group of murderers are best hunted in a game by three aliens known as Predators.
The film is not as good as the original version. While for DVD it’s entertaining, I hope you didn’t spend your money for it in the theater.
The action is a bit weak and there are no charismatic characters as Arnold was. Not much here to please.
The film features a modest cast: Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Alice Braga and Adrien Brody.
10.18.2010 | By Mack Chico |
Johnny Knoxville and his “Jackass” gang are even bigger hits in three dimensions. “Jackass 3D,” their latest big-screen collection of crazy stunts and antics, opened with a whopping $50 million, soaring past the debuts of their first two movies, according to studio estimates Sunday.
It was the third-straight No. 1 opening for Paramount’s franchise, which launched with a $22.8 million opening for 2002’s “Jackass: The Movie” and then a $29 million debut for 2006’s “Jackass Number Two.”
“Jackass 3D” set a record for biggest October debut, topping the $48.1 million opening weekend for “Scary Movie 3” in 2003. Premiering at No. 2 with $22.5 million was Summit Entertainment’s action comedy “Red,” starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker in the tale of retired black-ops agents targeted by the CIA.
Despite the huge opening for “Jackass 3D,” Hollywood was unable to pull out of a box-office slide that has persisted this fall. Overall revenues totaled $133 million, down 4 percent from the same weekend last year.
Sony’s acclaimed Facebook drama “The Social Network,” which had been No. 1 the previous two weekends, held up well as it slipped to third-place. Estimated ticket sales, in millions, for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com.
1. “Jackass 3D” … $50
2. “Red” … $22.5
3. “The Social Network” … $11
4. “Secretariat” … $9.5
5. “Life as We Know It” … $9.2
6. “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” … $4.2
7. “The Town” … $4
8. “My Soul to Take” … $3.2
9. “Easy A” … $2.7
10. “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” … $2.4
10.16.2010 | By Mack Chico |
New York, NY (October 16, 2010) – The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers announced today that Elvis Mitchell will host a live webcast to reveal the nominees for the 20th Anniversary Gotham Independent Film Awards™ on Monday, October 18th.
Signaling the official kick-off to the film awards season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ nominations will be announced at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. / PT to a global audience on UStream TV at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gotham-independent-film-awards-2010. There will also be a link from IFP’s website. Mitchell, currently host of the public radio show The Treatment, as well as the newly crowned co-host of the revamped TV series Roger Ebert Presents At The Movies, set to air on PBS in January 2011, will announce the Gotham Award nominations in six competitive awards categories including Best Feature, Best Documentary, the Alfred Dunhill Breakthrough Director and Breakthrough Actor Awards, Best Ensemble Performance and the Royal Bank of Canada, Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You Award. The Festival Genius Audience Award nominees will be announced early November.
“As a New Yorker, I’m thrilled to be part of an event that’s so important to the independent film world,” said Mitchell.
“We are very excited to announce this year’s 20th Anniversary Gotham Awards nominees live and streaming on line,” said Joana Vicente, executive director of IFP. “Elvis is a highly regarded film critic whose decades of reviews have cemented him as a formidable presence in the film world.”
IFP’s 20th Anniversary Gotham Independent Film Awards™ ceremony will be held on Monday, November 29th at Cipriani Wall Street. In addition to the competitive awards, actors Robert Duvall and Hilary Swank, director Darren Aronofsky and Focus Features’ CEO, James Schamus will each be presented with a career tribute.
As the first major awards of the film season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ provide critical early recognition and media attention to worthy independent films. Previous winners for Best Feature and Best Documentary include THE HURT LOCKER (2009), FOOD, INC (2009), FROZEN RIVER (2008), TROUBLE THE WATER (2008), INTO THE WILD (2007), SICKO (2007), HALF NELSON (2006) and CAPOTE (2005). The awards are also unique for their ability to assist in catapulting award recipients prominently into national awards season attention, including recent winners and ultimate Oscar® contenders: feature winners; THE HURT LOCKER (2009); Breakthrough Actors, Melissa Leo (2008), Ellen Page (2007), Rinko Kikuchi (2006) and Amy Adams (2005).
10.10.2010 | By Jack Rico |
New York, NY (October 10, 2010) – Award-winning filmmaker Terry Gilliam will premiere his short film THE LEGEND OF HALLOWDEGA starring David Arquette and Justin Kirk with special appearances by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip and more on October 31st, 2010. The film, produced by AMP Energy Juice and @radical.media, will premiere on Halloween Sunday with the first chapter to debut on ESPN just prior to the start of the AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Starting Halloween night, the film will be available in its entirety on www.LegendofHallowdega.com. THE LEGEND OF HALLOWDEGA is the first short film for Gilliam.
Director Terry Gilliam says, “To bring our little circus into the world of a truly monster circus was a thrill.”
The comedy, THE LEGEND OF HALLOWDEGA, explores the mysteries around Talladega Superspeedway as the host of an investigative news show (Justin Kirk) joins forces with a techno-geek paranormal expert (David Arquette) to dodge close-calls and chase crazy leads to get to the bottom of THE LEGEND OF HALLOWDEGA.
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