The Latest in ShowBiz News

2008/10/25 at 12:00am

Saw V

10.25.2008 | By Jack Rico |

Rated: R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity.
Release Date: 2008-10-24
Starring: Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.saw5.com/site/index.html

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SAW V is the worst film in the franchiseâ€™s history, yet itâ€™s disturbing, gory, parody of itself maintains an appeal like no other in its ilk. Bad acting, a â€˜horrorâ€™ of a script dialogue, all add to the mystique of why we as a collective mass of movie goers flock to films of this nature.

Jigsaw is dead and Detective Strahm is trying to get to the bottom of who is continuing his deranged games.

SAW movies are no longer frightening, they are just living off of their reputation from the first two. Director David Hackl reduces the bloodshed compared to itâ€™s previous incarnations and in this fifth installment he delivers more of a character driven feature, leaving us more time to be engaged by the actorâ€™s skills – why would you put us through such a thing!?

Nevertheless, the inventiveness of how to kill people is amped in this sequel; from homemade nail bombs to guillotine contraptions.

If youâ€™re looking for a fright, save your money on SAW 5 and rent The Strangers on DVD. That has more of what youâ€™re looking for. It was created to scare the skin off of you through a slow build of suspense that keeps you screaming to the very end.

Zac Efron could be casted in "Pirates 4" and "Musical 4"

By Mack Chico

2008/10/23 at 12:00am

Movies

Zac Efron could be casted in "Pirates 4" and "Musical 4"

10.23.2008 | By Mack Chico |

The latest rumor hitting the high seas — MTV UK reports that Zac Efron has signed on to star in Pirates of the Caribbean 4, for the prime sum of 6 million pounds — a deal that would also glue him to another HSM sequel. But rumor control is already in the works. MTV, stateside, reports that this all came from The National Enquirer, and that there’s no truth to the story. They talked to Efron, who says the rumors aren’t true, although he’d definitely be interested. Gee, ya think?

Whoever cooked up this rumor at least thought it out — Zac might not be interested in more HSM, but I bet he’d agree to more for the chance to star in a huge Disney feature that reaches beyond the teen girls and allows him to act alongside Depp. And from the studio’s side, Sparrow’s last male rival couldn’t hold a torch to Johnny, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney did it again.

Orlando Bloom might have been one heck of a Legolas, but I just hated him in Pirates. His charisma, or lack thereof, was no match for Depp, and to give Johnny another star that can’t give him a run for his money … that would be a shame. This franchise’s best bet: focus on Sparrow with a few co-stars who can rival Depp’s charisma and chemistry. Any suggestions?

Javier Bardem partners with Iñárritu in ‘Biutiful’

By Mack Chico

2008/10/23 at 12:00am

Movies

Javier Bardem partners with Iñárritu in ‘Biutiful’

10.23.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Javier Bardem will star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Biutiful,” the Mexican helmer’s first project after his much-publicized bust-up with former screenwriting partner Guillermo Arriaga.

Spanish-language pic “Biutiful,” which Gonzalez Inarritu wrote, shoots on location in Barcelona next week.

Pic is about a man embroiled in shady dealings who is confronted by a childhood friend, now a policeman.

Arriaga and Gonzalez Inarritu were Mexico’s most successful filmmaking duo, starting with their breakout hit “Amores Perros” in 2000 and the subsequent leap into Hollywood with English-language pics “21 Grams” and “Babel” that formed a trilogy.

Quibbles over writing credits on the three films came to a head with “Babel” when Arriaga was reportedly shut out from attending its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

“Biutiful” will be co-produced by Fernando Bovaira‘s Mod shingle and Cha Cha Cha, Gonzalez Inarritu’s three-way partnership with Alfonso Cuaron and Guillermo del Toro.

Cha Cha Cha is a $100 million, five-feature production partnership with financing, distribution and international sales handled by Universal Pictures and Focus Features Intl.

Arriaga recently helmed “The Burning Plain,” based on his own screenplay, starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

Ashton Kutcher is casted for ‘Five Killers’

By Mack Chico

2008/10/22 at 12:00am

Movies

Ashton Kutcher is casted for ‘Five Killers’

10.22.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Lionsgate has set Ashton Kutcher to star in and Robert Luketic to direct “Five Killers,” an action comedy that will begin production early next year.

Kutcher will play a former hit man whose life is turned upside down because someone from his past has paid a group of killers to bump him off.

Lionsgate acquired the project as a spec script by Bob DeRosa, and Ted Griffin is doing a rewrite.

Scott Aversano is producing along with Kutcher and his Katalyst Prods. partner Jason Goldberg.

Michael Paseornek and John Sacchi are set to exec produce.

Luketic is coming off “21” and most recently wrapped the Katherine Heigl–Gerard Butler starrer “The Ugly Truth,” which Columbia Pictures releases April 3. Kutcher is coming off “What Happens in Vegas.”

Lionsgate will distribute the film in North America, the U.K. and Australia, and Mandate Intl. will sell remaining world territories at AFM.

CAA reps Kutcher and Luketic, the latter of whom is managed by Mosaic.

By Alex Florez

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

DVD Reviews Reviews

The Strangers

10.21.2008 | By Alex Florez |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: R for violence, terror and language.
Release Date: 2008-05-30
Starring: Bryan Bertino
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thestrangersmovie.com/

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The Strangers is a chilling horror film about a home invasion. This movie doesn’t break any new ground on a plot level, but its interesting cinematography suffuses the production with an overpowering combination of paranoia and claustrophobia. This is one of those rare horror movies that concentrates on suspense and terror rather than on gore and a high body count. By keeping the premise simple and making the small group of characters seem like genuine human beings, Bertino sets the audience up for a tense and uneasy 85 minutes.

It’s 4:00 am when Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) arrive at his cabin in the woods. It has not been a good night for them – Kristen turned down his wedding proposal – but it’s about to get much worse. As they’re preparing for bed and trying to figure out how to bridge the gulf that has suddenly opened between them, there’s a knock at the door. This is the first of many such interruptions of the still night, and it isn’t long before harassment develops into something darker and more dangerous. The woods, normally empty and serene, now hold the promise of terror and death.

The Strangers (there are three of them) wear masks. They are simple masks but, as we know from the lesson taught by Michael Myers, even a blank white covering of the face can be terrifying in certain circumstances.

The Strangers is not a perfect motion picture, but it’s one of the horror genre’s rare recent standouts. The melodrama at the beginning is weak, failing to connect us to the characters to the degree Bertino intends, and the final shot is a bit of a cheat.

The Strangers is so effectively produced that if you arrive home after a night showing to find the electricity off, you will have misgivings about going inside. Horror movies come in two categories: those that deal in supernatural creatures and those that have their roots in very real dangers. The escapism that often categorizes and distances viewers in the former is absent in productions like this. There’s pain and blood in The Strangers, but the movie is more about psychological torture than the physical variety. It’s intense but not necessarily fun and may disappoint less sophisticated horror fans. However, for die-hard supporters of unsettling peeks into the dark side of human nature, this is a welcome excursion.

By Mack Chico

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

Reviews

Pride and Glory

10.21.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Rated: R for strong violence, pervasive language and brief drug content.
Release Date: 2008-10-24
Starring: Joe Carnahan, Gavin O’Connor
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.prideandglorymovie.com/

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‘Pride and Glory’ is one of the better cop films to come out in a long time. It’s still not as good as the films from the 70’s, but it can sure pack a punch in the drama and acting department. The choice of using the streets of Washington Heights and a large urban latino cast, gave the film its grit and authenticity. The film even gave us a return to Spanish speak for Ed Norton since his early work in ‘Keep the Faith’.

This story is centered around a family of New York City Police officers. The family’s moral codes are tested when Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother-in-law (Colin Farrell). For Ray, the truth is revelatory, a Pandora’s Box that threatens to upend not only the Tierney legacy but the entire NYPD.

The last two good cop films I saw were ‘Narc’ with Ray Liotta and ‘Gone Baby Gone’ starring Casey Affleck, Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. Yes, I’m not mentioning ‘The Departed’ since it wasn’t that good and you know it. Since then, every film of that nature has been monotonous, recycled and just plane ol’ stale. They just don’t make them like they used to back in the 70’s. Movies such as Bullit, Serpico, The French Connection, have stood the test of time and set the measuring bar way too high for any to reach, just ask Pacino who has not been able to replicate his own successes.

Nevertheless, Pride and Glory is darn good, I wouldn’t call it great just because I can’t see Ed Norton being a bad ass cop. As great an actor as he is, there are just somethings I can’t see him in and this is one of them. Jon Voight does his typical solid work and Farrell does his best job in years.

The performances of the Latino cast in the film composed of John Ortiz, Manny Perez, Ramon Rodriguez, Rick Gonzalez and Max Hernández were credible and sound. I particularly like the work of John Ortiz who keeps on getting better with time.

‘Pride and Glory’ is worth your time and money at the movies this weekend. It’ll remind you of a time when cop movies were something to be excited about. Let’s hope Hollywood keeps them coming.

‘SAW 5’ – Scare yourself with these 3 scenes!

By Mack Chico

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

Movies

‘SAW 5’ – Scare yourself with these 3 scenes!

10.21.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Boy are you in for a treat! Lionsgate films just gave us these 3 clips of the 5th installment of SAW.

These films are never going to win any awards, but the appeal to the SAW franchise films are an anomalie to me. Who cares, though. Around Halloween, I just need a scare in my walk and the SAW films do a hell of a job in doing that.

Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are dead. Now, upon the news of Detective Kerry’s murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive in the terrified community to assist the veteran Detective Hoffman in sifting through Jigsaw’s latest grizzly remains and piecing together the puzzle. However, when SWAT Commander Rigg is abducted and thrust into a game, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of demented traps and save an old friend or face the deadly consequences.

Brad Pitt poses for ‘Inglourious Basterds’

By Mack Chico

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Brad Pitt poses for ‘Inglourious Basterds’

10.21.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Quentin Tarantino has painted his WWII epic Inglourious Basterds as his take on a spaghetti western, even joking that he might title the film ‘Once Upon a Time in Nazi-Occupied France’.

This first look from the set shows Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine, leader of a group of Jewish -American soldiers, known as ‘The Basterds’ who are chosen specifically to spread fear among the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis.

Check out the pic below!

By Mack Chico

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Cuba and Italy to film together

10.21.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Italy and Cuba have signed a co-production agreement under which Silvio Berlusconi-owned Medusa is expected to shoot a comedy by Italo helmer Paolo Virzi on the Caribbean isle.

The Italo-Cuban co-production treaty was inked in Havana by Italian state film department chief Gaetano Blandini and Omar Gonzalez, topper of Cuban film institute Icaic.

Blandini has said he hopes the treaty will turn Italy into “a gateway into Europe” for Cuban cinema, adding that the closer rapport will make it easier for young Cuban filmmakers to liaise with Italian producers.

Meanwhile, Italy looks set to make the most of Cuba’s spectacular locations and low-cost prices.

The Italian delegation in Havana included Medusa prexy Carlo Rossella, who was quoted by Cuban press reports as saying Virzi will helm the first Italo-Cuban co-prod in the works. A Medusa spokesman in Rome declined immediate comment.

Virzi shortly before travelling to Cuba said he would like to shoot a Havana-set satire about Western sexual tourism on the Communist isle.

As part of the Italo-Cuban exchange Virzi is currently being celebrated in Cuba with a retro of his biting social laffers, including his latest, titled “Her Whole Life Ahead of Her,” a scathing sendup of telemarketing and corporate greed.

By Mack Chico

2008/10/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Almodovar has a home in the USA

10.21.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Sony has officially picked up Pedro Almodovar‘s ‘Broken Embraces’. Pathe Distribution has picked up rights in the U.K., France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Cineart has taken Dutch rights.

Pathe has distribbed all of Almodovar’s pics since “All About My Mother,” including “Talk to Her,” “Bad Education” and “Volver.”

“The deal was effortless,” said Damien Golla, Pathe’s director of trade and theater marketing department. “We have a great relationship with Almodovar and we trust him completely.”

“Broken Embraces,” which stars “Volver” thesp Penelope Cruz, will be released next spring.

Shot in the style of an American film noir, pic shot in Madrid and the Canary Islands and is now in post.

Pedro Almodovar’s shingle, El Deseo, co-owned by his brother Augustin Almodovar, has retained Spanish rights.

Other territories are being sold by Focus Features International.