Jackie Brown and the lack of QT

That last post reminds me, saw QT's Jackie Brown lately. So poor! What happened? It's the same ingredients (long convos about nothing, small mafia deals, eccentric characters, outbursts of sex, outbursts gore, outbursts of the 'n' word), but with no flair! Compare Samuel Jackson's speech to Chris Tucker outside the flat, with the 'cheese burger' talk in Pulp. Even the kinda funny opening with the AK-47's on tv is way too self conscious for QT. Kill Bill has it's flaws (and I refuse to watch Death Proof), but at least that it is all still QT, through and through. I can respect that. But Jackie Brown just doesn't even feel like Tarantino. Nolan did it too (Insomnia), so maybe it's just something great filmmakers go through (god knows Spielberg and Scorsese are having a spell). But for the moment, you know that new Jackie Brown blu-ray there all pushing for you to get? Don't get it. Get Dogs, Pulp, Inglorious, or Kill Bill (vol.1!) instead. Unlike Jackie Brown, you won't regret it!

Rant over. Over and out.

Kerry Washington joins the Django cast

He was looking for a newcomer. For hours and hours he was looking at the tapes of auditions. In the end, QT has decided on the one he wanted in the first place. Kerry Washington. She was good in Ray and the Last King of Scotland, but not sure how much potential Washington has. Maybe less of a Uma Thurman casting and more of a Pam Grier casting then? That's not to say were not hopeful. This could be her breakout performance, and hey, why not!?



Washington will play the kidnapped wife of Jamie Foxx's (yes, there back together again) slave Django. So it'll be for Kerry Washington that Foxx will turn himself into a bounter hunter and track down DiCaprio's evil plantation owner.

This addition is just another lot of icing in what is becoming a very big cake. The stellar cast now contains an eye watering amount of stars including: Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel Jackson, Christopher Waltz, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kurt Russell as well as the pre-mentioned Foxx and Washington. Unlike Contagion, we're hoping all these stars are put to good use. It should be out Dec. 2012.

Moby Dick...in space

While this may seem like Hollywood butchering another classic novel, it is in fact a genuine idea from the director of Ratcatcher and We Need to Talk about Kevin. With this latter being a brilliantly handled, chilling, drama, the Scottish born Lynne Ramsay has proved herself one of the few female directors (how sad is that comment?) with the potential to pull this off. Thus instead of just dismissing the idea of 'Moby Dick in space', we are going to give her a chance to explain. So, here we go...

"This is really the first time I've spoken about it" says Ramsay. "Moby Dick is a fantastic novel, an American classic, and I'm working on something loosely based on that. It's science-fiction, so we're taking the premise into the galaxy, creating a whole new world, and a new alien. It's a very psychological piece, mainly taking place in the ship, a bit like Das Boot, so it's quite claustrophobic."

So there we have it. That's the pitch. What do you think? This is the second mention of a Moby Dick themed film. Both taking the book way out of context (Wanted's Timur Bekmambetov wanted a FX heavy, action-adventure, revenge film). While neither one is true to the novel though, there is a clear winner as far as the art of film goes. Indeed the concept seems more interesting from Ramsay's mouth. For the moment then our screams of anguish are replaced my murmurs of interest but we will have to wait and see whether she can really turn a literary classic, based in the ocean, into a film classic, based in "the galaxy". So what's your thoughts? Will it be a brilliant piece of psychological art, or a butchering of a classic novel? Both? Can you make a classic film that destroys a classic novel? Is one person's artist another's butcher? Let the lines blur....

Angelina Jolie...the filmmaker?

Wow didn't see this coming. She's at the top of her acting career and is already setting up a new one. Writing and Directing this film about the Balkan War is no mean feet. She's definitely testing herself.



Unfortunately by the look of this trailer, it isn't coming off too well. For me, probably one of the worst trailers of the year. But, this could be a gross misjudgment on my part, and maybe this wanna-be, deep meaningful drama will actually be a deep, meaningful drama.

Now I may be mocking too much, so feast your eyes on the new (fairly long) trailer below and give your thoughts on Jolie's new career move....


the Land of Blood and Honey: Official Trailer

the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Update

Could it be his Chinatown? Maybe that's getting a bit overexcited. We can be excused though, since we've just learnt that Fincher wants a three-hr(!) cut of Dragon Tattoo! Whether he gets it is another matter (the big Sony execs decide), but this at least proves that this is more than just a simple blockbuster for the director (unlike Panic Room). Indeed, this is shaping up to be a worthy cinematic entry from the top-of-his-game, should-have-got-the-Oscar-last-year, director.

We'll have to wait till boxing day to find out whether our excitement has been justified, but until then we've got the new poster below to scrutinize and tease apart. Not as controversial as the last entry, but take a look and see if the Swedish proverb and the fading, over-lap images do it for you....

Shame (continued)

Sorry but even the poster is gorgeous...

Shame

Provocative. Uncomfortably provocative. And absolutely compelling....


Shame - Official Trailer

I hope this is as good as it looks. If it is it could be something very special. This kind of ambition is surely what film making should be about...

Jospeh Gordon-Levitt: Congrats!

Gordon-Levitt has taken off. After the success of 500 days of Summer and Inception, the young wonder has nailed a part in Spielberg's Lincoln, as well as Nolan's new Batman (the event of the summer!), and is now in talks for Tarantino's Django Unchained on top of everything!

That sound is the jealous groans of young actors everywhere.

He's basically ticking of the best directors working at the moment. Up next?? Scorsese? Mann? Fincher? We could be waiting a while to find out with his pact schedule...

 

Meloncholia

A truly amazing picture. Pitty it has been overshadowed by the idiocy (or should it be odyssey) of Von Trier. Nonetheless,  one of the best films of the year.

Contagion: Hollywood does a flu advert

Soderbergh's Traffic was an example film in how to handle an ensemble cast. Contagion is unfortunately not. Marion Catillard disappears while none of the others have enough screen time anyway to make a connection. Not that they necessarily would if they did.

The character's stories are stereotypes (look at Kate Winslet's 'hard working scientist' who has to cope with the no good, evil, admin women), while the script lags any momentum. Not even Soderberg can give the story of an unknown 'flu' killing people across the world, real credibility. The lectures about how many times we touch our face, the long lingering look at people who sneeze (uh oh!), and the slow steady wiping of a glass with someone's hand. It's all silly.


Take away the voice over and add a $60 million budget to a flu NHS advert. That's Contagion.


The over emphasis on these incorruptible, hard working officials does not ring true either; of course the drugs companies are going to be pulling the strings and milking it, and yes, some of these noble price winner scientists might help them a bit sometimes. Its true. At best, the idea of these officials getting all the stick and not deserving it, is not a relevant theme in a society over loaded with, yes, corrupt officials!

So want a sneak peak of Soderbergh's latest starring tonnes of unnecessary stars including Matt Damon, Gwyenth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Lawrence Fishburne and Marion Catillard? Check out this NHS advert on mute below...

NHS flu advert i.e. Contagion trailer

J.Edgar Poster and Trailer (for those interested)

New J. Edgar Poster. Eastwood and DiCaprio unite. Not keen on the look of this one myself but there's a trailer below for those wishing to be converted...

J.Edgar Trailer

recent trailers of Dragon Tattoo haven't being nearly as good. Still very excited though...

Lars Von Trier: He'll never speak again

Weird. Check this one out.

Lars Von Trier Statment (obviously not spoken):

"Today at 2pm I was questioned by the Police of North Zealand in connection with charges made by the prosecution of Grasse in France from August 2011 regarding a possible violation of prohibition in French law against justification of war crimes."

"The investigation covers comments made during the press conference in Cannes in May 2011. Due to these serious accusations I have realized that I do not possess the skills to express myself unequivocally and I have therefore decided from this day forth to refrain from all public statements and interviews."

Lars von Trier

Avedøre, 5. October 2011

Can't decide whether this is a good thing (he was stupid for saying he sympathized with Hitler whether he was joking or not!) or not. Either way I don't think this one will last. He'll be back to make more mazuma, i'll gurantee it. I can see it now: "Von Trier speaks out after ... years of Silence". Thoughts?

Young Adult Trailer: Jason Reitman + Diablo Cody (on form) + Charrlize Theron (on form) = Kinda Excited

Jason Reitman did some stunning work on Up in the Air. Not sure he can top it, but with another sharp script from Diablo Cody and Charlize Theron on amazing form, this should be decent stuff, worth keeping an eye on.

The trailer will increase your excitement. Check it out below.

Out Feb 10 2012

Young Adult Trailer