DiCaprio To Play Hoover In Eastwood’s Biopic

June 18th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

DiCaprio to star in Clint Eastwood's Hoover biopic

Following his stint this summer as a morally-questionable professional in Christopher Nolan’s new film Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio will take on the role of another (albeit real-life) controversial workaholic – namely, J. Edgar Hoover in director Clint Eastwood’s biopic, which is tentatively titled Hoover.

Eastwood will reteam with his Changeling producer Brian Grazer for Hoover, which will be based on a script written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk).

Warner Bros. will distribute the film, which Eastwood is set to begin working on following the completion of his supernatural drama Hereafter with his Invictus star Matt Damon.

Hoover’s reign as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) lasted for over 37 years and began in the mid-1930s, as seen last year in Michael Mann’s period crime caper, Public Enemies.  There’s no word at this point as to how much of Hoover’s life will be chronicled in Eastwood’s film, but I would expect it to focus on Hoover’s public behavior and how it differed significantly from his private life (where he was known for being a cross-dresser amongst other things…).

This will be DiCaprio’s third leading performance in a biographical pic with an Oscar-winning director at the helm. His first two biopic outings were playing the young con man Frank Abagnale in Steven Spielberg’s film Catch Me If You Can back in 2002, and the troubled but brilliant Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 flick, The Aviator.

Leonardo DiCaprio has previously starred in biopics

Two of DiCaprio’s previous forays into the biopic genre

If the acclaimed actor does is indeed “going to spread his wings” in the role of Hoover (as an insider told Deadline) then he may be up for his fourth Oscar-nomination as well – assuming that he isn’t nominated for his Inception role, that is.

One of complaints I still hear about DiCaprio’s performance in The Aviator was that he simply looked too young to play the aging Hughes – or any other “mature” character – despite his being 30 at the time.  Six years later and DiCaprio’s appearances in two other Scorsese films – The Departed and Shutter Island – have proven him to be a rather intense actor, capable of holding the audience’s attention despite his (admittedly) youthful disposition.

What do you think?  Do you like the idea of DiCaprio and Eastwood working together?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Hoover is tentatively set to arrive in theaters sometime in 2012, though that could change in the future, given Eastwood’s tendency to work fast as a director.

Source: Deadline


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Jonah Hex Review

June 18th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

Josh Brolin in Jonah Hex movie review

Screen Rant’s Paul Young Reviews Jonah Hex

I didn’t set my hopes very high walking into the theater to watch Jonah Hex. I knew it was based on a DC comic book character and that was the extent of my knowledge on the subject. I was a clean slate, my mind a lump of unformed clay just waiting for director Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!) to wrap his hands around it like a scene from Ghost, molding it into something exciting and entertaining.

Well Hayward is no Swayze, because I’m sad to say that Jonah Hex is NOT going to be the surprise hit of the summer.  The film’s story and pacing clods along like a horse who’s thrown a shoe, unbeknownst to the rider.

The pacing issues are largely due to the scatter-brained writing style of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, or as they are known in the credits “Neveldine & Taylor.” Jonah Hex very much follows the fast-paced and hectic styling that N&T have established in their previous works, Crank, Crank: High Voltage and Gamer.

The story of Jonah Hex opens on the main character, played by Josh Brolin, doing a voice over as a group of Confederate soldiers unleash mayhem upon a bunch of unsuspecting Union soldiers. Hex talks about how he was bred for war, how war is in his blood and war is what he is good at. Then there are some jumbled cut shots of a different outfit of Confederate soldiers being captured by the Union Army for reasons that won’t be fully explained until 45 minutes into the film. The audience is just supposed to “go with it” I suppose.

jonah hex john malkovich reviews

The opening credits are actually very entertaining and are, in my opinion, the best part of the movie. Hayward has used a modified version of cell shading animation to tell the entire story of who Jonah Hex is in a short 5 minute animated clip. Jonah Hex (as he is called throughout the entire film because no one ever calls him just Jonah – EVER!)  has made an enemy in his former commander Quentin Turnbull, played by the once-great John Malkovich, who’s performance here is only slightly better than Megan Fox’s.

Jonah Hex killed Turnbull’s son and betrayed his unit – so, in an act of retaliation, Turnbull’s burns Hex’s wife and son alive forcing him to watch them die. Then, just to “rub it in,” he scars Hex with a branding iron. But that’s not how Jonah Hex gets that beautiful face we’ve all seen in the trailers. That part comes later.

Jonah Hex reviews

So far, even though a couple of minor plot points are hazy, the story is fairly simple and easy to follow – it’s man versus man, mano a mano, the anti-hero pitted against the villain that did him wrong. I get that, and if the writers would have left it to that, the movie probably would be much better. Instead, Turnbull leaves his freshly scarred conquest hanging on an X from which, of course, he survives with help from the Crow Indians. As Jonah Hex explains, he didn’t become immortal, but was close enough to being dead that he can now speak with the dead.

Jonah Hex turns to vigilantism after the supposed death of his archenemies and winds up on the wrong side of the law. However there is one problem: turns out Turnbull was just faking death and has plans to blow up the entire Unites States Union. Um…OK. He wants to do it using a weapon that was invented by…wait for it…Eli Whitney. That’s right, the inventor of the cotton gin apparently was a military weapons genius and designed but never built a super-mega-kill-everything-Gatling cannon.

President Ulysses S. Grant thinks the only person capable of catching and stopping Turnbull is Jonah Hex and soon sets him out on the task. The hunt for Turnbull and his rowdy band of rabble rousers begins and quickly ends 5 minutes later after Jonah Hex talks to a fresh corpse. Along the way Jonah Hex joins up with his favorite prostitute, Lilah (Megan Fox), who gets mixed up in things when Turnbull’s right hand man, Burke, kidnaps her.

jonah hex review megan fox

The rest of the film is all loud, chaotic action that makes little to no sense and includes a wealthy Southern gentleman traitor, a black general store owner that builds “high tech” weapons that only get used once, some sort of demon albino cage fighter named “Snake” and what can only be described as a case of Dragonballs. And you get to enjoy all of this action and nonsense to poorly written and executed power rock music. Because, you know, that’s how it was back then…

What worked in Jonah Hex? Josh Brolin’s performance is actually pretty good and there are some scattered moments of humor that work (I liked the bit about the horse’s name) and a couple of the fight scenes are enjoyable.

What didn’t work in Jonah Hex? Megan Fox and John Malkovich’s performances are just plain bad and neither one of them can hold a “Southern” accent. All of these characters live in Georgia and all the actors playing them can do is say “Ya’ll” a few times. It doesn’t help that most of the corny one-liners we hear in the trailer are delivered like they are corny one-liners in the film.

jonah hex reviews

I can believe a lot when it comes to movies. I can believe that Eli Whitney was a weapons genius, that a giant cannon that will obliterate everything in its path could be built in the late 1800’s and a crow flying out of a man’s mouth during an Indian medicine ritual but I draw the line in the believability sand when Megan Fox turns into a iron slinging Super whore.

Fortunately for moviegoers, Toy Story 3 opens this weekend as well and if Warner Bros. is very lucky, most people will forget that Jonah Hex was even in theaters.


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Toy Story 3 Review

June 18th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

The old gang in Toy Story 3 review
Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews Toy Story 3

Have I mentioned recently how much I love Pixar? When you have a company creating film after film, and the worst thing that you can say about its weakest (Cars) is that it was “just good,” then you have a once in a lifetime company to be treasured — and those who run it should be thanked endlessly for their work.

Some people raised an eyebrow when Toy Story 3 was announced. Was Pixar being strong-armed by Disney just to squeeze more money out of a brand consisting of two excellent movies? Were they running out of original ideas (snicker… RIGHT). Well now that it’s done, let’s be supremely thankful that Pixar veterans Lee Unkrich, John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton brought the now familiar gang back together for a final film.

Prior to the film there was a customary animated short, which I won’t describe in detail to not spoil the surprise other than to say that it was one of the most creative and cute animations I’ve seen from Pixar (and that’s saying a lot). Right up until the end, that is, where it closed with some unnecessary dialog that felt just a touch preachy. But let’s move on to the main event…

Toy Story 3 opens in a similar vein to the previous film, but this time Woody (Tom Hanks) is the hero of the imaginary adventure. We’re in the old west and he’s trying to save a train full of orphans that has been hijacked by the evil Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Right from the opening minutes the film will put a smile on your face and please you with surprises.

There’s a sweet montage right after that which shows Andy (owner of our little group of friends) on videotape as we remember him from the previous films, playing with and loving his favorite toys.We see him grow up a bit, and now he’s 17 years old and days away from leaving for college. Our gang hasn’t seen much play action, spending who knows how many years now closed up in an old toy chest.

Well with Andy leaving, mom wants to clean things up and Andy has to decide what to take with him, what to throw away, donate or put up in the attic for storage. Except for Woody and Buzz (Tim Allen), the toys are freaking out thinking they’re headed for the city dump. While of course they weren’t headed that way, some confusion ensues and they do indeed end up at the curb. Woody rescues them and tries to tell them it was a mistake, but they’re all convinced that Andy was trying to get rid of them.

Hiding in a box meant for toy donations to a local daycare center, they believe they’ve found a new home where there will be an endless supply of young children to play with them forever and they’ll never be outgrown. They’re welcomed by the veteran toys, led by Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (he smells like strawberries!). He (Ned Beatty) welcomes them, explains what a wonderful place they’ve found and shows them where they’ll be living. Turns out they’ve been placed with children too young for them and they are battered mercilessly by rough play. Eventually they come to find that this isn’t a paradise, but a prison. Woody leaves prior to this discovery, and of course the rest of the film is dedicated to setting everyone free and getting back to Andy’s house whether he wants them or not.

Prior to this film Lee Unkrich directed Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. He directed and co-wrote the film, and co-writers Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter have an honorable Pixar pedigree in both writing and directing. I’m quite tempted to say that this team can do no wrong. Toy Story 3 was laugh out loud funny, exciting, heartwarming and touching.

There are so many kudos to pass around that one doesn’t know where to start… but if I have to start somewhere it’s going to be with Ken, voiced by Michael Keaton. He is hysterically funny as the self-conscious “cool guy.” The scenes with him and Barbie (Jodi Benson) will have you giggling like a little kid (if you’re not one any more).

John Ratzenberger returns as Hamm and he’s got great one-liners aplenty, as does Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Joan Cusack as the ever spunky Jessie. Blake Clark has replaced Jim Varney (who passed away February 2000) as Slinky Dog. Ned Beatty does a subtle and great job as Lotso, the seemingly friendly bear with a dark side.

And man oh man does Tim Allen deliver in the second half of the film. Buzz is captured by Lotso and re-set to factory settings — but it’s when Woody and crew undo that that he will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Puts a smile on my face just writing about it. :) Oh, and let’s not forget our three little alien friends who worship “the claaaaawwww.” They’re not in the film much, but when they do appear they’re put to great use. There are also new characters (both human and toy) to fall in love with here.

Then there’s the animation… Watch the three films back to back and you’ll see the progression in the quality of the animation — in this film the people are still stylized, but the level of detail and expression is far beyond what was in the previous film; it’s really beautiful and helps you connect to the human characters more than ever. Having said that, I did see it in 3D and frankly the film would have been just as good without it. The 3D doesn’t hurt the film — but it doesn’t really add much to it either.

And the emotional part of the film… it starts tugging at you a little bit early on, then gives way for a lot of the fun stuff, but the last 15 minutes… Holy cow, if you don’t shed a tear at some point you might just be made of stone. There’s just one scene after another, going from touching, to heartbreaking, back to touching and melancholy. There are few live action films that can reach your heart the way this one did in the last 15 minutes or so.

So why not a perfect score? Well following the opening sequence, for a while it was “just good.” Sure, we get to see our favorite characters again and that was fun, but it seemed like more of the same. It’s not really until the prison break that the film really kicks it into high gear and becomes something very, very special.

Go see Toy Story 3 and take the whole family. It might just end up being your all time favorite Pixar film.

And just for fun, here’s another look at a funny promo ad for the film that gives a good idea of Michael Keaton’s “Ken” in the film to help you decide.



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Cheadle & Pinto Joining ‘Rise of the Apes?’

June 18th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

Planet of the Apes prequel casting cheadle pinto

Just a few weeks ago, 20th Century Fox cast James Franco as the lead in their upcoming prequel Rise of the Apes and the studio is now looking to bring two other significant names onboard – namely acclaimed performers Don Cheadle and Freida Pinto.

A prequel to the original 1968 Planet of the Apes film, Rise of the Apes revolves around a modern-day scientist (Franco) who conducts genetic experiments on a chimp he dubs Caesar, in the hopes of developing a cure for Alzheimers.  Caesar begins to develop human-like intelligence and leads a rebellion against his captors (which happened before in the 1972 sequel Conquest of the Planet of the Apes) that eventually results in a world dominated by apes.

Brit Rupert Wyatt was officially confirmed as the film’s director last month and will work from a screenplay that was restructured by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver following the fallout between original Rise of the Apes director Scott Frank and Fox Studio officials.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in Vancouver this July, with Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital (King Kong) set to bring the apes to life via CGI and motion-caputure animation, instead of makeup and prosthetics (which were used in all the previous Apes films).

Planet of the Apes prequel

Cheadle is an Oscar-nominated talent who is currently making waves in theaters as Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine in Iron Man 2.  He’s always a welcome presence in my book – even when he’s doing his horrible Cockney accent from the Ocean’s 11 trilogy – so I’m all for Cheadle joining the new Apes film.

Pinto left a good impression on most moviegoers with her performance as Latika in Slumdog Millionaire and will hopefully continue her winning steak in this year’s Woody Allen flick You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.  Presumedly, she and Cheadle will play human characters in the Apes prequel, since it sounds as though the apes will be primarily GGI creatures that are more realistic in design than those of the original Planet of the Apes (or even Tim Burton’s “re-imagining”).

So what do you think?  Do you like the idea of Cheadle and Pinto joining Rise of the Apes?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Rise of the Apes is scheduled to arrive in theaters in the U.S. on June 24th, 2011.

Source: BD Horror News


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The 10 Best Movie Threequels of All Time

June 18th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

Best Threequel Movies Of All Time

This weekend marks the release of Toy Story 3, which is already getting rave reviews as a brilliant third installment to a near-flawless franchise. But when you look back at the handful of threequels in movie history, the memories are not quite as bright.

From Batman Forever to Spider-Man 3, there are far more awful third installments of beloved movie franchises than great ones. So, in honor of the hard work from the good folks at Disney/Pixar, we are going in a different direction… Rather than relish in the horrendous examples of failed threequels, we are going to present our 10 favorite third installments of popular franchises.

Some examples are part of a grand saga, while others are the closing chapter of an unforgettable tale. Either way, they won over our hearts and left us smiling.

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10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

When Alfonso Cuarón took the reigns of the Harry Potter franchise, everything got a little brighter by getting a lot darker. The tone of the film was what many movie fans hoped for, but maybe the child stars just needed a chance to grow into the roles.

Cuarón set the tone for the rest of the franchise, which begins its final chapter this winter. The Dementors are a staple of Azkaban that remain a favorite of many. But the addition of Gary Oldman as Sirius Black was the move that assured this film a spot amongst our favorites.

9. Goldfinger

James Bond Goldfinger

There have been 22 James Bond films, but only one can truly call itself a threequel. It is difficult to find a favorite amongst the classic renditions of the sleek spy. Even some of the more recent films have taken spots near the top of fans’ lists. But Goldfinger became a kind of revolution. It broke boundaries and tested audiences, all the while giving them the spy they wanted.

One of the main reasons for the enduring love for Goldfinger is the henchman known as Oddjob. Featured in our Most Awesome Weapons list, the bladed hat he used to chop the head off a statue became an icon within the film.

Even more memorable is Jill Masterson’s gold-covered body. Shirley Eaton, the actress portraying Masterson, was even featured on the cover of LIFE Magazine in a photographed reprisal of the scene. And let’s not forget Ms. “Pussy Galore.”

On top of it all, Goldfinger laid the ground work for Austin Powers in Goldmember. Unfortunately, that was not as enjoyable a threequel as its the film it spoofed.

8. Die Hard: With a Vengeance

Die Hard With A Vengeance Bruce Willis Samuel L. Jackson

New York City has never seen an action film quite like Die Hard: With a Vengeance. It perfectly blended the comedy, thriller and action genres into one cohesive movie. Ultimately, Samuel L. Jackson’s presence alongside the always great Bruce Willis brought a dynamic duo that gave tremendous flow to the film.

While Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber is one of cinema’s best villains, Jeremy Irons brilliantly portrays his brother, Simon. The cat-and-mouse games, Simon Says jokes and Advil gag make Vengeance one of our favorite threequels of all time.

7. Mission: Impossible III

Mission Impossible III Tom Cruise

Many fans consider John Woo’s Mission: Impossible II to be a minor slip-up after the intelligent and exciting first film. Others love Woo’s escapist action, which used slow motion and a lot of Doves to say that Ethan Hunt can do just about anything. All things considered, J.J. Abrams’ third installment could easily be considered the best of all three.

Abrams truly brought his creativity to the trilogy with a mysterious villain, a deadly weapon and a romantic edge that never felt hokey. On top of it all, Tom Cruise brought his believable performance from the first film back for this threequel.

6. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi

First of all, Return of the Jedi is the third best of the original Star Wars trilogy – let me put that out there right now. But the least favorite of one of the most cherished trilogies of all time is not exactly the worst label. So, here we are at #5 with Return of the Jedi.

So much is resolved in the final chapter of the Star Wars saga that it becomes a legacy of its own. The epic saber-to-saber combat between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader is a near-perfect finale. And just when you thought Vader’s paternal revelation in The Empire Strikes Back was the twist of all twists, Lucas gives Vader a glorious and honorable death.

Return of the Jedi struggles only because its predecessors are so great. A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back are a pair of films that are almost impossible to top. But the third installment was created as a closing chapter of the saga, and in doing so it was a success – even with the Ewoks.

Continue to our top 5 threequels…

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Debut Trailer for ‘Last Exorcism’

May 27th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

the last exorcism

Films about innocent country girls, possessed by demonic forces, aren’t exactly a rarity in Hollywood and judging by the new trailer for director Daniel Stamm’s upcoming horror The Last Exorcism, the devil-girl genre isn’t going anywhere.

Director Eli Roth (Hostel) is producing the film with Lionsgate handling distribution.

The trailer does a decent job of introducing us to the Last Exorcism plot  - though, the film follows a pretty traditional possession story format:

“When he arrives on the rural Louisiana farm of Louis Sweetzer, the Reverend Cotton Marcus expects to perform just another routine “exorcism” on a disturbed religious fanatic. An earnest fundamentalist, Sweetzer has contacted the charismatic preacher as a last resort, certain his teenage daughter Nell is possessed by a demon who must be exorcised before their terrifying ordeal ends in unimaginable tragedy. Buckling under the weight of his conscience after years of parting desperate believers with their money, Cotton and his crew plan to film a confessionary documentary of this, his last exorcism. But upon arriving at the already blood drenched family farm, it is soon clear that nothing could have prepared him for the true evil he encounters there. Now, too late to turn back, Reverend Marcus’ own beliefs are shaken to the core when he and his crew must find a way to save Nell – and themselves – before it is too late.”

Check out the debut trailer for The Last Exorcism:

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THE LAST EXORCISM TRAILER

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The plot may be familiar, i.e. priest visits small-town family with demonic daughter troubles, but the presentation definitely doesn’t disappoint with a lot of disturbing imagery that, at least from the trailer, doesn’t seem to go over-the-top. Judging by what we can see here, the film appears to follow closely to the tone of the movie that inspired the genre – William Friedkin’s The Exorcist.

the last exorcism trailer

That said, at this point, the documentary “style” of the film could make or break The Last Exorcism. The format definitely has advantages – preying on the audience’s nerves with chaotic and jostled camera work. But the frantic style could also detract from the creepy tone that made earlier exorcism endeavors so engaging.

Not to mention the fact, and I realize we’re all suspending disbelief here, but when portions of a horror film are presented documentary style – it’s especially hard to understand, outside of the needs of the actual film, why anyone would keep rolling. Even during last summer’s hit Paranormal Activity, there were numerous awkward explanations for why Micah kept picking up the camera.

What do you think of another exorcism film? Do you think the documentary camera style will be a good or bad addition?

The Last Exorcism opens August 27, 2010.

Source: Yahoo Movies

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First Details Emerge For ‘Rollercoaster Tycoon’ Movie

May 26th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

Rollercoaster Tycoon movie

A couple of weeks ago it was announced that a movie based on the video game Rollercoaster Tycoon is being made. At the time we didn’t know anything of the plot or what form it would take, other than it will be some sort of live-action/CGI hybrid.

However, now we have the first details about what sort of movie Rollercoaster Tycoon will likely be. The details come from the guys over at Cinema Blend, who hada chance to talk to Harald Zwart (The Karate Kid remake), the exec producer and possible director.

You’re not alone in wondering what sort of plot there could be for a movie based on a video game where you build your own theme parks and elaborate rollercoasters. Well, what Zwart describes sounds like it’s in the same vein as a certain blockbuster franchise about inanimate objects springing to life. Have a read at what Zwart said:

“Well we had a pitch, a story– it’s basically a theme park comes to life… We had a story woven into the theme park of the Rollercoaster Tycoon, and that’s what we sold to Sony, and that’s what we’re hoping to make into a movie… Just the idea of taking a ride like in Disneyland and the rides suddenly come to life, [or] you’re able to step off and stay behind when everybody else had gone.”

Harald Zwart Rollercoaster Tycoon movie

The obvious early comparison is that it sounds like Night at the Museum – “Night at the Theme Park,” if you will (™ Screen Rant 2010 :-P ). I actually had major reservations about a Rollercoaster Tycoon movie, but I must admit that ain’t a half bad direction to go in (I’m surprised it never came to mind when the project was first announced). The first Night at the Museum (not so much the second) was a lot of fun and I’d be up for a similar situation set within the kid’s paradise known as a theme park.

What do you think of the direction they’re going with the Rollercoaster Tycoon movie? Can you think of a better basic plot?

Source: Cinema Blend

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New Clips From The Karate Kid

May 26th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

The Karate Kid with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith

Sony Pictures will release its remake of the 1980s classic The Karate Kid in just over two weeks and we have three new clips from the film for those yearning to see Jaden “Son of Will” Smith and Jackie “I can still kick butt” Chan in action as this generation’s Ralph Macchio/Pat Morita.

In a plot very similar to the original, the remake of The Karate Kid focuses on a young teenager named Dre (Smith) who is tormented by bullies and trained in the martial arts after he and his mother (Oscar-nominee Taraji P. Henson) move to a new country.  Fortunately Mr. Han (Chan), the local janitorial worker  at the pair’s apartment complex, is secretly a master of martial arts and agrees to educate the troubled young Dre in the ways of self-defense and life in general.

This time around, the setting has shifted from California to China, Dre is a 12-year old from Detroit,  and he studies the art of Kung Fu rather than Karate.  Due to this last change, the title of the film was almost changed to The Kung Fu Kid,  before the marketability of The Karate Kid name brand seemingly won out in the end.

However, for those of you still seething about the fact that the title to this remake seems inaccurate, it actually does have relevance to the story (hint: the Kung Fu-trained bullies think Dre is a punk because all he knows is Karate).

Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith atop the Great Wall of China

How else will the remake differ from the original?  Based off this early footage, Mr. Han will be more of a grumpy stoic than Mr. Miyagi (Morita) was in the original Karate Kid; Dre is more of an inexperienced kid whereas Daniel (Macchio) was your average hot-headed teenager; and the training montages will be set to hip-hop music instead of synthesized ’80s tunes like “You’re the Best” in the original film’s “tournament fights” sequence.

But enough from me.  Have a look at the clips below:

Does this new Karate Kid look like it could stand on its own?  Well, Smith is kind of annoying in these clips but that seems natural enough for a 12-year-old.  The homage to the “catching a fly with chopsticks” scene in the original Karate Kid seems kind of uninspired, as does the martial arts training montage.  Honestly, I find this new footage to be more boring and by-the-numbers than anything else.

The Chinese landscape is a visually impressive backdrop for the action in the Karate Kid remake and these new clips do have some lovely bits of aerial footage of national landmarks like the Great Wall.  That alone could make this a film worth checking out on the big screen.

But what do you think?  Do you find Smith charming so far?  Does Chan seem like a wise old stoic – or just kind of bored?  Sound off in the comments section below.

The Karate Kid arrives in theaters in the U.S. on June 11, 2010.

Source: Collider

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Post-Apocalyptic Indie Action Thriller White Wall

May 26th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

James Boss and Michael Teh in White Wall

Indie films are an acquired taste and post-apocalyptic indie films are even more so.  The two latest films in that genre, The Road and Book of Eli, both were merely “eh” on the enjoyability scale (although Screen Rant Reviewer Kofi really enjoyed The Road). Maybe it was the use of big name actors or the fact that a couple of major Hollywood studios were involved with the projects, but for whatever reason big-budget apocalyptic films never seem to do well *cough Water World cough*.

White Wall does not have big names in front or behind the camera, so could that mean it won’t suffer from a weak script or poor character development? Well if the trailer below is any indication, then the answer is “maybe”.

Here’s a breakdown of the story:

In the near future, the VXII, the deadliest virus ever created, spread like wildfire and decimated the majority of the world’s population. The non-infected survivors, including Shawn and his brother Jude, live behind a wall designed to protect them from the deadly virus. Raised as orphans by the militia, Shawn, Jude and others are forced to fight in backwoods death matches. The brothers were able to hone their fighting skills and escape but soon become estranged. Shawn dreams of curing the virus while Jude took a darker path, one that could spell disaster for everyone.

Enjoy the trailer:

White Wall was written by first timer Vivian Kyinn and has James Boss playing dual roles as the lead character Shawn Kors, as well as directing the film. It also stars Gary Kohn, Michael Teh, Aurelie Kyinn, John Klemantaski and Hugh Mason. Avantmark Pictures and Shoreline Entertainment teamed up to produce White Wall.

White Wall could turn out to be a great post-apocalyptic film because it looks to be framed well and the fight choreography seems to be on point as well. The one thing big Hollywood studios can do that indie films just can’t replicate without a budget is large sets. Book of Eli, The Road, Mad Max, The Postman, Water World all looked vast and expansive because they could afford to film in vast and expansive locations.

White Wall and other indie films of this genre, on the other hand, suffer slightly from smaller budgets, but they usually make up for it with better stories. Hopefully this film will be one of the good post-apocalyptic indie films, but time will ultimately tell.

What do you think about White Wall, the story and its action scenes so far?

White Wall was available for purchase on DVD and Blu-ray May 25th, 2010.

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Hillcoat To Direct ‘The Revenant’ With Bale To Star?

May 26th, 2010 by lawwebbhh651109j87hN5gxp2l | Comments Off | Filed in Movie

The Revenant movie based on Michael Punke's novel

Director John Hillcoat’s critically-acclaimed adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel The Road was all but ignored during last year’s awards season (you can read Screen Rant’s own positive review HERE).  Fans of Hillcoat’s post-apocalyptic flick will be glad to hear that the director may now be set to direct another intense drama, an adaptation of The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge.

According to screenwriter Mark L. Smith (Vacancy), Hillcoat is attached to direct his script for The Revenant, which is based off Michael Punke’s novel of the same name.  In addition, Smith has informed Bloody Disgusting that Christian Bale (heard of him? ;-) ) is currently in negotiations to star in the film as Hugh Glass, an 1820s frontiersman who hunts down the men that left him for dead after he was attacked and mauled by a bear.

The protagonist at the focus of The Revenant’s narrative – a physically battered man obsessed with surviving the harsh wilderness around him – bears more than a passing resemblance to Viggo Mortensen’s Man in Hillcoat’s version of The Road.  Hillcoat has also directed the tale of a vengeance quest set against the wild frontier before, in his 2005 Australia-set flick The Proposition. Revenant sounds like an excellent fit for the director’s dark, intense approach to storytelling.

Guy Pierce in The Proposition

Guy Pierce in ‘The Proposition.’

According to CHUD, director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) was at one point set to direct a film adaptation of The Revenant with Samuel L. Jackson playing the role of Hugh Glass.  Hillcoat’s sensibilities as a filmmaker seem a better fit for the revenge story than Chan-wook’s – though the latter’s gritty, violent tendencies as a director would’ve been interesting to see in a western setting. Here’s hoping the project actually comes to fruition this time around.

How likely is it that Hillcoat will get to make The Revenant with Bale onboard?  Well, Bale’s schedule is not too crowded at the moment and – with the obvious exception of Batman 3 – he isn’t set to appear in any big-budget films that would take priority over this project anytime soon.  If he does sign on for Hillcoat’s thriller, it would be Bale’s second venture into the western genre after his previous turn in the 3:10 to Yuma remake from director James Mangold (Knight and Day) back in 2007.

3:10 to Yuma remake from 2007

Christian Bale in ’3:10 to Yuma.’

So what do you think?  Does The Revenant sound more interesting with Hillcoat directing and Bale possibly starring?  Sound off in the comments section below.

We’ll keep you updated on new information concerning The Revenant as it comes in.

Source: CHUD, BD (via The Playlist)

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