Recently by Scott Sparks
The Wackness is a movie with great buzz right now. It premiered at Sundance this year and pretty much everyone who saw it has had nothing but good things to say. Here's the official plot synopsis:
"Set in New York in the sweltering summer of 1994, THE WACKNESS tells the story of a troubled teenage drug dealer, who trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist.. Things get more complicated when the kid falls for one of his classmates, who just happens to be the doctor's daughter. Set against the backdrop of the greatest year in hip hop history, THE WACKNESS is a coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, music-and what it takes to be a man."
Doesn't immediately grab my attention and neither does the trailer for that matter, but I'll still be in line to see it when it does hit theaters on July 3rd (New York and L.A.). Check out the trailer below.
"Set in New York in the sweltering summer of 1994, THE WACKNESS tells the story of a troubled teenage drug dealer, who trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist.. Things get more complicated when the kid falls for one of his classmates, who just happens to be the doctor's daughter. Set against the backdrop of the greatest year in hip hop history, THE WACKNESS is a coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, music-and what it takes to be a man."
Doesn't immediately grab my attention and neither does the trailer for that matter, but I'll still be in line to see it when it does hit theaters on July 3rd (New York and L.A.). Check out the trailer below.
Bad Ass! I love this poster. I'm so excited about this movie it's not even funny. I've always love the Hulk, I love Ed Norton, and I think the first trailer was cool. Can't wait to see it.
I honestly don't understand why folks don't seem very excited about this one. I guess it's the fact that there's been a real lack of publicity. Personally though, I like that. All too often nowdays - especially with the internet - there aren't many surprises in the movie theater. I see this as a plus but like I said, I'm kinda in the minority.
Now, back to the poster which is totally cool. It really illustrates the inner conflict that Bruce Banner deals with and that's such an important aspect to the whole Hulk mythology. Plus, how cool does the Hulk look? I love it. Have I said that enough? I love it.
I honestly don't understand why folks don't seem very excited about this one. I guess it's the fact that there's been a real lack of publicity. Personally though, I like that. All too often nowdays - especially with the internet - there aren't many surprises in the movie theater. I see this as a plus but like I said, I'm kinda in the minority.
Now, back to the poster which is totally cool. It really illustrates the inner conflict that Bruce Banner deals with and that's such an important aspect to the whole Hulk mythology. Plus, how cool does the Hulk look? I love it. Have I said that enough? I love it.
I've been a fan of the Speed Racer movie since I first heard about the concept. Not everyone out there has agreed with me though. There's been a lot of internet chatter about how bad people think the first few trailers looked. Granted the more recent trailers have gotten slightly better buzz but the overall response has still been so-so.
There's a new international trailer out now and I hope that this one changes a few more minds. This one gives us a better idea of the film's final look and I think more people are gonna "get" the Wachowski's vision. It's really slick and has that live-action cartoon feel that's been talked about with this film.
Anyways, check it out below and see for yourself. If you wanna see it in HD, head over to the official Speed Racer movie site.
There's a new international trailer out now and I hope that this one changes a few more minds. This one gives us a better idea of the film's final look and I think more people are gonna "get" the Wachowski's vision. It's really slick and has that live-action cartoon feel that's been talked about with this film.
Anyways, check it out below and see for yourself. If you wanna see it in HD, head over to the official Speed Racer movie site.
Words I would use to describe this trailer before I saw it: stupid, a waste, garbage. Words I would use to describe it after I saw it: interesting, cool, WTF (while it's not technically a word I thought it was fitting).
The movie is basically this guy going around to see if there was any truth to the theories proposed about Mary Magdalene and Jesus and a royal bloodline in The DaVinci Code. Like I said, I thought it sounded like a bad idea until I saw the trailer. There is a part of me though that thinks it looks a bit fake - the kind of movie where at the end they're gonna reveal that it was actually fiction - but whatever, I wanna see it.
The movie is basically this guy going around to see if there was any truth to the theories proposed about Mary Magdalene and Jesus and a royal bloodline in The DaVinci Code. Like I said, I thought it sounded like a bad idea until I saw the trailer. There is a part of me though that thinks it looks a bit fake - the kind of movie where at the end they're gonna reveal that it was actually fiction - but whatever, I wanna see it.
Stars: 4.5
It's a real shame that The Ruins is fairing miserably at the box office this weekend. It's one of the rare horror movies that's really well thought out, well acted, and well executed. Not that I'm not a fan of the genre - I enjoy most horror films but even I can admit most are lacking in the substance category. This one however has more than its' share.
The Ruins follows a group of vapid twenty something Americans on vacation in Mexico. They've been spending the whole time getting drunk and soaking up the sun, but on the second to last day of their trip, they get an offer they can't refuse...the chance to visit some long-forgotten ruins off the beaten path. The invitation comes from a German dude whose brother took off for the ruins a few days back with some cute archaeologist and has yet to return. So, they find the place only to be greeted by a bunch of Mayans who are none too happy to see them but force them up on the ruins and won't let em leave. At first, the kids are stunned but soon start to peace the whole story together...they're some sort of a sacrifice. But to who? Or what? The shit really starts to hit the fan pretty quickly and the real psychological tension begins.
This movie is, like I said before, really well done...and extremely creepy. From the opening scene (which shows an attractive woman screaming for her soon to be extinguished life at the bottom of an archeologic dig within the ruins) the movie sets a nice grim tone. They really touch on all aspects of fear, from the classic "jump" scares to searing psychological horror to supernatural fear. This movie really goes all out and is absolutely successful.
It's no surprise however that the ruins centers on such a well crafted story. It's based on the novel of the same name by Scott B. Smith who also gave us the novel A Simple Plan and then adapted it for the big screen (if you haven't seen A Simple Plan you should go right now and rent it...it's amazing and as a bonus, it's directed by Sam Raimi). Smith also adapted The Ruins again showing his talents as a screenwriter and novelist (often the two don't go together).
If this movie has a weak point it's in its' underdevelopment of the characters. There's really no time given early in the movie for us to get to know em and invest any interest in them so consequently there's little emotional connection to the four leads. This doesn't end up being too big a problem since what they're going through is enough to freak anyone out, but the experience could have been intensified if the film had taken an extra ten or fifteen minutes to set them all up thoroughly.
That being said, all four of the leads give strong performances and are beautiful in the process. The standout is the always entertaining Jenna Malone in yet another well chosen role. She's yet to be in a bad movie (OK so maybe that's debatable, but look at her filmography: The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Saved!, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys). The rest of the cast is also strong . None have had quite the career that Malone has, but all are recognizable from their prior work. Jonathan Tucker has been seen in the series, The Black Donnellys and the recent film In the Valley of Elah. Shawn Ashmore has been seen in the X-Men films as Iceman and Laura Ramsey has been in The Covenent and She's The Man.
The movie is directed by Carter Smith who's a relative newcomer having only directed one movie previously: 2006's gay-horror film Bugcrush. He's skilled in directing in this genre and has a good sense of how to convey fear and dread and anxiety and all the other emotions required here.
Overall, this movie is a winner. Like I said, my only complaint is the lack of character development although this movie didn't really suffer from it, it just could have been made scarier if we'd known and identified with the leads a little more. This movie is gonna appeal to horror fans and maybe even bring more fans to the genre with its up and coming and pretty cast. I really hope people go see this movie - even if they are going for the hot girls and guys. It's too good to have the kind of box office showing it's having this weekend.
The Ruins follows a group of vapid twenty something Americans on vacation in Mexico. They've been spending the whole time getting drunk and soaking up the sun, but on the second to last day of their trip, they get an offer they can't refuse...the chance to visit some long-forgotten ruins off the beaten path. The invitation comes from a German dude whose brother took off for the ruins a few days back with some cute archaeologist and has yet to return. So, they find the place only to be greeted by a bunch of Mayans who are none too happy to see them but force them up on the ruins and won't let em leave. At first, the kids are stunned but soon start to peace the whole story together...they're some sort of a sacrifice. But to who? Or what? The shit really starts to hit the fan pretty quickly and the real psychological tension begins.
This movie is, like I said before, really well done...and extremely creepy. From the opening scene (which shows an attractive woman screaming for her soon to be extinguished life at the bottom of an archeologic dig within the ruins) the movie sets a nice grim tone. They really touch on all aspects of fear, from the classic "jump" scares to searing psychological horror to supernatural fear. This movie really goes all out and is absolutely successful.
It's no surprise however that the ruins centers on such a well crafted story. It's based on the novel of the same name by Scott B. Smith who also gave us the novel A Simple Plan and then adapted it for the big screen (if you haven't seen A Simple Plan you should go right now and rent it...it's amazing and as a bonus, it's directed by Sam Raimi). Smith also adapted The Ruins again showing his talents as a screenwriter and novelist (often the two don't go together).
If this movie has a weak point it's in its' underdevelopment of the characters. There's really no time given early in the movie for us to get to know em and invest any interest in them so consequently there's little emotional connection to the four leads. This doesn't end up being too big a problem since what they're going through is enough to freak anyone out, but the experience could have been intensified if the film had taken an extra ten or fifteen minutes to set them all up thoroughly.
That being said, all four of the leads give strong performances and are beautiful in the process. The standout is the always entertaining Jenna Malone in yet another well chosen role. She's yet to be in a bad movie (OK so maybe that's debatable, but look at her filmography: The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Saved!, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys). The rest of the cast is also strong . None have had quite the career that Malone has, but all are recognizable from their prior work. Jonathan Tucker has been seen in the series, The Black Donnellys and the recent film In the Valley of Elah. Shawn Ashmore has been seen in the X-Men films as Iceman and Laura Ramsey has been in The Covenent and She's The Man.
The movie is directed by Carter Smith who's a relative newcomer having only directed one movie previously: 2006's gay-horror film Bugcrush. He's skilled in directing in this genre and has a good sense of how to convey fear and dread and anxiety and all the other emotions required here.
Overall, this movie is a winner. Like I said, my only complaint is the lack of character development although this movie didn't really suffer from it, it just could have been made scarier if we'd known and identified with the leads a little more. This movie is gonna appeal to horror fans and maybe even bring more fans to the genre with its up and coming and pretty cast. I really hope people go see this movie - even if they are going for the hot girls and guys. It's too good to have the kind of box office showing it's having this weekend.
Stars: 4
"Winner, winner, chicken dinner". Those are the words that open the movie 21 along with a brief history of their significance to the game of blackjack. This begins our immersion into the world of Vegas blackjack as experienced by a group of card counting MIT students.
The movie follows the story of an MIT student named Ben Foster who's currently saddled by the impending costs of Harvard Medical School. He gets invited to join a clandestine group of other MIT students who are led by a charismatic math professor in their endeavors to break the bank in Las Vegas. Once he joins and learns the card counting system, things start looking up for Ben financially but nothing that perfect lasts forever, right?
The movie is based on the real life story of a group of MIT students who really do learn to count cards and really do successfully win a ton of money in Vegas. Their story was brought to attention by Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House which detailed their rise and fall in the world of high stakes blackjack and was an instant success landing on the New York Times bestseller list.
The movie is directed by Robert Luketic who so-far, has stuck to the romantic comedy genre, gives us a really well paced, tight drama. His previous films, while funny (Legally Blond, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton) didn't really give us much substance to look at. This movie is an interesting departure for him and shows that he's capable of branching out. He does a good job of balancing the comedic moments (of which there are a few) with the more dramatic and tense.
Jim Sturgess who plays the film's lead role does a great job. He's currently on everyone's radar as an up and comer in Hollywood right now since his role in Julie Taymor's awesome Across the Universe. He's charismatic and instantly likable in this role. He's got great appeal as a kind of "everyman" who guys can relate to and women can swoon over. He has definitely increased his marketability with this movie.
The supporting cast includes the always brilliant Kevin Spacey and the perenially cool Laurence Fishburne. They both as usual do a bang up job as the professor/mentor and the Las Vegas security officer respectively. The rest of the supporting cast (including a healthy looking Kate Bosworth) are passable but none are outstanding or particularly memorable.
The major problem with this movie is with the ending. Now, trying not to give too much away...the movie just sort of seems a little tidy at the end. That's not to say that everyone's story turns out well or that our hero gets everything he set out for, but everything seemed just a bit too neat and compact and wrapped up. Now, I haven't read the book so I don't know the "real story" so maybe I'm being a bit critical, but I'm just saying that in my experience life is never that easy.
The movie follows the story of an MIT student named Ben Foster who's currently saddled by the impending costs of Harvard Medical School. He gets invited to join a clandestine group of other MIT students who are led by a charismatic math professor in their endeavors to break the bank in Las Vegas. Once he joins and learns the card counting system, things start looking up for Ben financially but nothing that perfect lasts forever, right?
The movie is based on the real life story of a group of MIT students who really do learn to count cards and really do successfully win a ton of money in Vegas. Their story was brought to attention by Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House which detailed their rise and fall in the world of high stakes blackjack and was an instant success landing on the New York Times bestseller list.
The movie is directed by Robert Luketic who so-far, has stuck to the romantic comedy genre, gives us a really well paced, tight drama. His previous films, while funny (Legally Blond, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton) didn't really give us much substance to look at. This movie is an interesting departure for him and shows that he's capable of branching out. He does a good job of balancing the comedic moments (of which there are a few) with the more dramatic and tense.
Jim Sturgess who plays the film's lead role does a great job. He's currently on everyone's radar as an up and comer in Hollywood right now since his role in Julie Taymor's awesome Across the Universe. He's charismatic and instantly likable in this role. He's got great appeal as a kind of "everyman" who guys can relate to and women can swoon over. He has definitely increased his marketability with this movie.
The supporting cast includes the always brilliant Kevin Spacey and the perenially cool Laurence Fishburne. They both as usual do a bang up job as the professor/mentor and the Las Vegas security officer respectively. The rest of the supporting cast (including a healthy looking Kate Bosworth) are passable but none are outstanding or particularly memorable.
The major problem with this movie is with the ending. Now, trying not to give too much away...the movie just sort of seems a little tidy at the end. That's not to say that everyone's story turns out well or that our hero gets everything he set out for, but everything seemed just a bit too neat and compact and wrapped up. Now, I haven't read the book so I don't know the "real story" so maybe I'm being a bit critical, but I'm just saying that in my experience life is never that easy.
The upcoming film adaptation of Tony-winning musical, The Nines is one that we've been watching closely for sometime now.
The cast already includes Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, and Sophia Loren but now 2 more A-listers are supposedly in final talks to appear in the film. Nicole Kidman and Dame Judy Dench are no strangers to musicals (Kidman having starred in Moulin Rouge and Dench in multiple stage musicals) and would make a really nice addition to the cast.
The show centers on Bardem who plays a film director and the many women in his life. Can't wait to see how this one turns out especially with Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) at the helm.
The cast already includes Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, and Sophia Loren but now 2 more A-listers are supposedly in final talks to appear in the film. Nicole Kidman and Dame Judy Dench are no strangers to musicals (Kidman having starred in Moulin Rouge and Dench in multiple stage musicals) and would make a really nice addition to the cast.
The show centers on Bardem who plays a film director and the many women in his life. Can't wait to see how this one turns out especially with Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) at the helm.
I personally loved the first Hellboy movie - I thought it was just really fun and action packed and really pretty different from other films in the genre. Now that Guillermo Del Toro is a bigger deal and has a little more power in Hollywood he's brought the franchise back for a second installment. This movie looks bad-ass. The first trailer was great but in this one, we get a better glimpse of some of the creatures and see that Del Toro's at it again with truly unique and stunning visuals. Here are just a few pics from the film. You can find a whole bunch more over at Slashfilm and you can see the new trailer at the bottom of the page.
The writing/directing/acting team that brought us the brilliant Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are currently working on the third film in their "Cornetto trilogy".
As everyone who's seen the film knows, these guys are seriously funny and any film that they're working on is gonna be worth checking out. They announced that the name of the new film is gonna probably be The World's End and will be in the whole sci-fi/apocalyptic genre of films.
The previous two films did a wonderful job of spoofing their respective genres, horror and cop films, and this one should be no different. The trilogy is supposedly named after Wright's favorite ice cream snack, the Cornetto and is an homage to Krzysztof Kieslowski and his Three Colors series. The food has made cameos in each of the previous films. In Shaun, the Cornetto was red (strawberry I think) to symbolize blood. In Hot Fuzz, the Cornetto was blue (vanilla) to symbolize the police force. The Cornetto in the next film will supposedly be mint chocolate chip flavored - can't wait to hear the significance behind that one!
As everyone who's seen the film knows, these guys are seriously funny and any film that they're working on is gonna be worth checking out. They announced that the name of the new film is gonna probably be The World's End and will be in the whole sci-fi/apocalyptic genre of films.
The previous two films did a wonderful job of spoofing their respective genres, horror and cop films, and this one should be no different. The trilogy is supposedly named after Wright's favorite ice cream snack, the Cornetto and is an homage to Krzysztof Kieslowski and his Three Colors series. The food has made cameos in each of the previous films. In Shaun, the Cornetto was red (strawberry I think) to symbolize blood. In Hot Fuzz, the Cornetto was blue (vanilla) to symbolize the police force. The Cornetto in the next film will supposedly be mint chocolate chip flavored - can't wait to hear the significance behind that one!
I can't wait for this movie. Every trailer I've seen is freakin' hilarious (especially the red band) and each article I've read about it just makes it sound awesome. Now they've released the first poster and I have to say, I'm totally sold. This movie is gonna rock!
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