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The Latest in ShowBiz News

Salma Hayek to join Adam Sandler’s new comedy
Mack Chico
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2009/03/18 at 12:00am

Movies

Salma Hayek to join Adam Sandler’s new comedy

03.18.2009 | By |

Salma Hayek to join Adam Sandler’s new comedy

Adam Sandler’s new, yet-to-be-titled Sony comedy is finally upping its estrogen content, adding Salma Hayek.

It’s still shaping up to be an excuse for Sandler to act alongside some of his comedy mates – Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Rob Schneider are already all aboard.

And regular Sandler collaborator Denis Dugan is directing the tale of five high school best mates who reunite 30 years after graduating.

Since Sandler’s producing, he gets to have Hayek play his missus, while Rudolph will be Rock’s other half.

Elegy
Jack Rico
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2009/03/17 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Elegy

03.17.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: R for sexuality, nudity and language.
Release Date: 2008-08-08
Starring: Nicholas Meyer
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:NULL
Official Website: http://www.onpictures.com/peliculas/elegy/index.htm

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Catalan film director Isabel Coixet won various Goya awards in Spain (equivalent to the Oscars in the US) in 2006 for a small English spoken film called ‘The Secret Life of Words’ (La Vida Secreta de las Palabras) starring Tim Robbins and Canadian actress Sarah Polley. An ironic event since her native tongue isn’t even Spanish. Now, two years later, Coixet is at it again, in the Anglo-Saxon language, as she teams up with screenwriter Nicholas Meyer to bring to the big screen ‘Elegy’, starring Ben Kinglsley and Penélope Cruz.

The premise, based on Philip Roth’s short novel ‘The Dying Animal’, tells the story of the relationship between literature professor David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley), who is renowned for his cultural pedigree and Consuela Castillo (Penélope Cruz), his young and sensual Cuban student who falls in love with him.

But there is more here than just sexual play, the narrative essentially centers on how Kepesh deals with the fear that Consuela may leave him because of his age (thought to be around 55 or 60). Kingsley gives a charming and engaging performance that could be his best work in years. Cruz complements him beautifully as she plays the part of the erotic muse to perfection. Great dialogue, fabulous acting by a strong supporting cast (Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson), along with unexpected sub-plots keep you absorbed for the entirety of the film.

A note, if you’ve been watching summer blockbuster Hollywood films one after another, the normal pacing of this film will either be a drastic change for you or a sight for sore eyes. I’ve noticed that after sitting in a dark theater consuming films the likes of ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘The Mummy’, you become rather impatient with mid-tempo cinema. ‘Fight through it’, I say ardently! Elegy will be worth your troubles.

Knowing
Jack Rico
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2009/03/17 at 12:00am

Reviews

Knowing

03.17.2009 | By |

Rated: PG-13 for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language.
Release Date: 2009-03-20
Starring: Ryne Douglas Pearson, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White, Stuart Hazeldine
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://knowing-themovie.com/

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Knowing

‘Knowing’, Nicolas Cage’s new apocalyptic action-thriller pic, is a mammoth and entertaining mega-production that possesses a captivating plot (rare in Hollywood these days), but due to its risible acting and incongruous occurrences, the enormity of the film becomes just a distraction to its script deficiencies. Is it entertaining? You betcha, but you’ll have to wait almost an hour to see the best scenes.

Nicolas Cage stars as a professor who stumbles upon terrifyingly tragic predictions about the future of the world – as he sets out to prevent them from coming true.

Blowing up Earth is where Hollywood has had some of its best box office successes and saving it is where Cage is king. His last two films, Bangkok Dangerous (2008) and National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), were #1’s at the box office respectively, not to mention several others throughout his career. Regrettably, just because he topped the b.o doesn’t mean those movies are great. It means he works in films that the public likes. These type of movies that incorporate computer generated graphics are a huge attraction, but in the case of ‘Knowing’, the gaping holes are just too blatant to ignore. Worse is its denouement – its conclusion is the most random and absurd ending to any film I have ever seen!

If you’re in the mood to zone out and do not mind preposterous irrationalities, then you’ll enjoy this film. If you’re looking for a stimulating and thought provoking sci-fi flick, you’ll be very disappointed.

Punisher: War Zone
Jack Rico
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2009/03/16 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Punisher: War Zone

03.16.2009 | By |

Rating: 0.0

Rated: R for pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use.
Release Date: 2008-12-05
Starring: Nick Santora, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA, Canada
Official Website: http://www.punishermovie.com/

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This film is so bad, it’s not worth our time writing a review for it.

‘MacGyver’ going to the big screen!
Mack Chico
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2009/03/16 at 12:00am

Movies

‘MacGyver’ going to the big screen!

03.16.2009 | By |

'MacGyver' going to the big screen!

New Line Cinema is using twine, bubble gum and a pencil to throw “MacGyver” into development as a feature film.

Raffaella De Laurentiis, daughter of Dino De Laurentiis, is producing through her Raffaella Prods. along with Martha De Laurentiis and series creator Lee Zlotoff.

Dino De Laurentiis is exec producing.

“MacGyver” was a science-oriented adventure series that ran from 1985-92 on ABC. Richard Dean Anderson, later of “Stargate: Atlantis” and “SG-1” fame, starred as an incredibly resourceful secret agent for the Phoenix Foundation who frequently would escape from dangerous situations with ingenious and lightning-quick engineering trickery.

Two telefilms starring Anderson aired in the years after the show’s cancellation. The character eventually achieved enough cultural penetration to become a reference for anyone attempting to jury-rig a solution out of household items. “Saturday Night Live” took the concept to the next level with its spoofs “MacGruber,” starring Will Forte.

No writer is attached, but the studio hopes to find a script that can acknowledge how the concept has staked a place into pop culture yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie.

“We think we’re a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise,” said New Line’s Richard Brener, who will oversee with Sam Brown and Walter Hamada.

The Last House on the Left
Jack Rico
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2009/03/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Last House on the Left

03.13.2009 | By |

Rated: R for sadistic brutal violence including a rape and disturbing images, language, nudity and some drug use.
Release Date: 2009-03-13
Starring: Adam Alleca, Carl Ellsworth
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.thelasthouseontheleft.com/

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The Last House on the Left

‘The Last House on the Left’ is as uncomfortable a film as I have ever seen. Uncomfortable because the movie possesses elements that blur the lines between violence, abuse and entertainment. Cinematically, the film is arresting through and through due the high caliber of the production, the reliable and convincing acting performances and its engrossing premise to boot. But how can one recommend a movie that possesses a barbaric rape scene, as a good cinematic selection? It is a complex response, but ultimately, you need to be the judge.

This is the third remake of ‘The Last House on the Left’. In 1972, the first feature effort of Wes Craven, was a reworking of Ingmar Bergman’s 1960 picture, The Virgin Spring, which won the 1961 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. This third version, is more reminiscent to the 1972 edition. The story takes place after the kidnapping and butchering of two female teenagers. The guilty gang unknowingly finds refuge with the parents of one of the victims, hosts who devise a gruesome revenge.

Women be forewarned. If you have never been privy to scenes of sexual abuse, this is not the film to get acquainted with it. The rape scene images seen here are some of the most gruesome, disturbing and down right reprehensible ever committed to a Hollywood film. I’m not sure many will be able to withstand it and walking out of the theater just might be your best option. But if you can cover your eyes and get through it, there is a redeeming third act that will quench your thirst for revenge. 

After seeing the entire film, I must say, Greek director Dennis Illiadis was a fantastic director who maintained a level of dread, suspense and retribution throughout the whole film. This is not a horror movie but a highly intense thriller that works the mind to feel contempt in its first half then vindication in its denouement.

‘The Last House on the Left’ is not a “pretty” movie, but it does challenge the boundaries of entertainment, and hopefully with an open mind, you’ll be the one entertained.

Race to Witch Mountain
Jack Rico
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2009/03/12 at 12:00am

Reviews

Race to Witch Mountain

03.12.2009 | By |

Rated: PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements.
Release Date: 2009-03-13
Starring: Matt Lopez, Mark Bomback, Andy Fickman
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.disneylatino.com/FilmesDisney/La_montania_embrujada/index.html

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Race to Witch Mountain

What an entertaining movie! I would dare say ‘Race to Witch Mountain’ will be one of the breakout hits of the young year. The story, the fast-action-packed sequences, the charming performances, all add to a fun time with the family at the movies this weekend.

In this new re-imagining of Disney’s “Escape to Witch Mountain” (1975) and its sequel “Return from Witch Mountain” (1978), a UFO expert enlists the help of a cabbie (Dwayne Johnson) to protect two siblings (AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig) with paranormal powers from the clutches of an organization that wants to use the kids for their nefarious plans.

Disney, known for its animation, surprisingly presents an amusing live-action sci-fi flick that provides escapism for today’s troubled times. The film immediately begins with a suspenseful, special effects driven scenery that sets a swift pace for the rest of the film. Dwayne Johnson once again does a fantastic job of adding humorous and credible layers to his performance. This script fits him like a glove and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do more roles like this (The Game Plan) in the next few years. The rest of the cast are appealing without being histrionic with the alien script.

‘Race to Witch Mountain’ feels like a Disney theme ride (I wouldn’t be surprised if one is in the works) extracting elements from E.T. and the Terminator while adding the Disney touch to make it viewable for kids and comfortable enough for parents to enjoy. There are some moments that are incoherent and random, but I say, so what? It’s a Disney film with all the bells and whistles made to be an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Exclusive! 7 scenes from ‘Broken Embraces’!
Jack Rico
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2009/03/12 at 12:00am

Movies

Exclusive! 7 scenes from ‘Broken Embraces’!

03.12.2009 | By |

Exclusive! 7 scenes from 'Broken Embraces'!

If you’re a Pedro Almodovar fan or a Penelope Cruz fan, you are in for a treat. We have just obtained 7 exclusive scenes from ‘Broken Embraces’, movie which will be released in the U.S on November 6th, 2009. These scenes tell a bit more than what both the teaser and the theatrical trailers have shown. We don’t see too much of Penelope, rather the secondary actors led by Blanca Portillo and Lluís Homar.

This is Almodovar’s first ‘film noir’. He has gone to extreme measures to make sure the film feels old, yet modern. Many of the scenes are interconnected with a wonderful and magical score that should be one of the best of the year. It really sets a dark and mysterious tone to the whole film. John Huston would be jealous today. To see and read more, check out our comprehensive ‘Broken Embraces’ film page.

Sunshine Cleaning
Ted Faraone
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2009/03/11 at 12:00am

Reviews

Sunshine Cleaning

03.11.2009 | By |

Rated: R for language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use.
Release Date: 2009-03-13
Starring: Megan Holley
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: NULL

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Sunshine Cleaning

“Sunshine Cleaning,” the third feature from helmer Christine Jeffs, is an amusing trifle of a chick flick that manages to hold attention for 102 minutes.  It does so despite a thin plot mainly due to smashing performances by Alan Arkin as con-artist cum paterfamilias Joe Lorkowski, Amy Adams as his less than successful elder daughter Rose, and crisp dialogue by screenwriter Megan Holley.  Arkin is making a career at playing pretty much the same existential character he played in “Little Miss Sunshine.”  Fortunately for “Sunshine Cleaning,” this time his character is not killed mid-flick.
 
Plot centers on Rose’s almost “I Love Lucy” style effort to better her circumstances.  A star high school cheerleader, opening cuts show her working as a maid days while screwing her now married high school boyfriend (Mac played by Steve Zahn) nights.  An unwed mother, her son Oscar’s (Jason Spevack) expulsion from public school ignites her immediate need for more money to pay private school tuition.  The Ethel in the duo is slacker younger sister Norah (Emily Blunt).  “Sunshine Cleaning” is a biohazard cleanup concern Rose starts after Mac mentions that it is a lucrative growth industry – a point driven home by pic’s opening in which a fellow played by Christopher Dempsey offs himself by shotgun in a sporting goods store.
 
After a shaky start, all goes well until Norah accidentally burns down a client’s house.  That puts uninsured Rose out of business.  A couple of notes of pathos (and tears) are introduced via the revelation, mid flick, of absent mother’s (Marya Beauvais) suicide when the siblings were tots.  The revelation is set up by an odd subplot with lesbian overtones that leads to a dead end.
 
Sharp editing by Heather Persons and Jeffs’ firm hand at the throttle move things along at a fine clip, making “Sunshine Cleaning” seem far more compelling than it is.  Its message, if it has one, is the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.”
 
A weepy ending would be out of the question.  Jeffs avoids it with a couple of scenes that appear to be almost tacked on – the pivotal one being a sort of deus ex machina that is not entirely set up by what went before, but is at least consistent with pic’s humorous tone.  Editor Persons offers a nicely balanced touch in which quick cuts at the film’s open and end accomplish a good deal of exposition.  “Sunshine Cleaning” is a bit like Chinese food.  It seems more substantial than it is while one is eating it.
 
Minorities are almost conspicuously absent in this flick set in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Beyond a few seemingly Mexican-American small roles, cast credits reveal only a few Spanish surnamed actors.  One, however, Clifton Collins (a.k.a. Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez) plays a pivotal although not necessarily ethnic role.
 
Distributed in the US by Overture Films, “Sunshine Cleaning” is rated “R” due to language, violence (the suicide in the first reel), and sexual content.

Confirmed! Mickey Rourke will be ‘Iron Man 2’
Mack Chico
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2009/03/11 at 12:00am

Movies

Confirmed! Mickey Rourke will be ‘Iron Man 2’

03.11.2009 | By |

Confirmed! Mickey Rourke will be 'Iron Man 2'

Mickey Rourke has closed his deal to play the Russian villain in “Iron Man 2.”
His involvement was expected, but dealmaking was arduous after Marvel Entertainment offered “The Wrestler” star only $250,000 for his first major studio film in years.More than one option

Rourke’s salary will be now better than that.

While his ICM rep, David Unger, battled for more dough, Rourke’s encounters with “Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr. on the awards circuit sealed his participation in the film.los

Rourke won the Golden Globe and was Oscar nominated for “The Wrestler” and Downey got Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for “Tropic Thunder,” so Downey used each occasion to recruit Rourke.

When Downey, Rourke as well as actors including Frank Langella and Anne Hathaway took part in a roundtable discussion with Newsweek’s David Ansen, Downey interrupted the proceedings, reached across the table and flat out asked Rourke to do “Iron Man 2.”

Rourke also met with Jon Favreau and scribe Justin Theroux and got to be part of the development of his character. He’ll play Whiplash, a character that includes elements from that comicbook villain and Crimson Dynamo, another Russian baddie.

Marvel wouldn’t confirm Rourke’s involvement, but he’s planning to join Downey, Sam Rockwell and Samuel L. Jackson, with Scarlett Johansson the frontrunner to play the Black Widow.

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