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New French Trailer for 'I Love You, Phillip Morris'
5 December 2008 8:32 AM, PST
I thought there was something unusual about this trailer while I was watching it amble on and on, thinking to myself that there should be more edits. Then I realized what the problem was: It's the French trailer. Silly French, with their berets, incessant smoking habits, and languid movie trailers...
The movie, I Love You, Philip Morris, is - as someone in the movie described it to me - a gay prison love story. It's Brokeback Cellblock, with laughs.
Jim Carrey plays a guy who turns his back on a hetero life and becomes "gay, gay, gay." And then he gets thrown in prison for something or other. That's when he falls in love with Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), who should not be mistaken for Big Tobacco. Oh no - Carrey's definitely interesting in smoking something else. The movie is written and directed by the guys who wrote Bad Santa,
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Colin Boyd
Week in Review: Year-End Awards, 'Dark Knight' Returns, 'Watchmen' Gets Smaller
5 December 2008 6:17 AM, PST
While you might have slowly rolled back into the groove after TrytophanPhest 2008 this past weekend, there were a lot of big/interesting stories we covered here at The Big Picture. Since it's closing in on 2009, we started to see some year-end lists come our way, which will help weed out the contenders from the pretenders for awards.
Beyond that, however, there are some new things on the horizon that we have to follow, like Kristen Stewart playing Joan Jett, how much of Watchmen will remain in the film and how much will wait for DVD, and just what in the world are they going to do with a re-imagining of the Planet of the Apes prequel?
Those answers and more await you...
Mr. Skin's top 20 nude scenes of 2008
Hail, Caesar: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes remake taking shape
Is David Fincher really as big a tyrant as they say?
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Colin Boyd
Russell Brand Caught Between the Moon and New York City
5 December 2008 4:14 AM, PST
I guess I'm not so sure we need a remake of Arthur. It was one of those moment-in-time movies, the sort that wouldn't have worked two years earlier or two years later. But something about 1981, with Dudley Moore right off of the success of 10, and that smooth Christopher Cross single, pushed this thing to becoming, at that time, the highest-grossing romantic comedy ever, and by a wide, wide margin.
Could it work again? Well, you'd have to somehow capture lightning in a bottle for the lead performance; Moore was just as likely to be bad or too far over the top in movies as he was to be perfect, as he was in Arthur. And you'd have to perfectly cast the role of Hobson the valet. Tough to do; there aren't too many John Gielguds running around.
However, the central storyline and some of the shenanigans carried out by a
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Colin Boyd
Surprise: A Really Good 'Friday the 13th' Trailer
5 December 2008 2:10 AM, PST
Divorce yourself from what you know or think you know about Friday the 13th and what you've come to expect from the crew at Platinum Dunes (remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror, and The Hitcher). This trailer is actually pretty damn cool.
Sure, it doesn't leave much to the imagination, but like a hit single with bad lyrics and a hook that goes on all day, sometimes you just have to tip your cap to something you'd rather not admit has any merit. I'm still irked that this isn't really a remake of the original, and could just as easily be another useless sequel (honestly, how cool would it be to see Mrs. Voorhees again?), but for these two-and-a-half minutes, Friday the 13th more than kept my attention.
Thanks to Movie Web for the trailer
As if you couldn't guess, this movie will open on the next available Friday the 13th,
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Colin Boyd
Bryan Singer Knows Nothing About the Next Superman Movie...Again
5 December 2008 1:05 AM, PST
Do you get the feeling Bryan Singer wants a mulligan for his Superman movie? And do you also get the feeling it might only be him? Ever since it was released, when the subject of a sequel (or now, a complete reboot) comes up, Singer says he can't talk about it or that he wishes he could talk about it or he knows something big but he's sworn to secrecy.
This time, Singer was prompted by Ugo, which took time out of its interview about Valkyrie to ask the burning question that has no immediate answer. "I can’t, I….no-no I wish I could," responded Singer predictably. "Yeah! I wish I could, but there’s nothing I have to tell."
Pressed further, Singer was asked if he's officially involved in the talk of a new Superman movie, meaning, one would assume, that he's in or not in the inner
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Colin Boyd
The Top Five Musical Biopics
5 December 2008 12:10 AM, PST
5 - Ray
4 - Coal Miner's Daughter
3 - The Pianist
2 - Walk the Line
1 - Amadeus
Quietly, she pleaded with her musician husband, "Rock me, Amadeus."
Musical biopics, even more than most biographies, can be a little too much of a tribute. We're not morons; we know these people have tons of problems. Plenty of them have used drugs or liquor, the majority of them have cheated on their wives (or husbands), and it's rarely as glamorous as it seems.
Even when the musicians reach enormous success, they would probably come apart at the seams if they didn't keep their nose to the grindstone. That's why The Stones tour into their 60s and why U2, a band with nothing left to prove, still tries to prove things.
There are some very good musical biopics, going all the way back to The Glenn Miller Story and, to a degree, Yankee Doodle Dandy.
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Colin Boyd
Movie Review - 'Cadillac Records'
4 December 2008 11:33 PM, PST
Starring Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, and Beyoncé Knowles
Directed by Darnell Martin
Rated R
Cadillac Records tells a great story. The problem is, there are at least four great stories trapped in it.
Less a musical bio-pic than a ordered set of key scenes set to music, Cadillac Records covers the birth, growth, and eventual mainstream disappearance of Chicago blues on the legendary Chess Records label.
But it's a significantly diluted version, one that can't keep its chronology straight, and if you're watching it for historical accuracy, you probably won't find much.
For example: Chess Records was run by brothers Leonard and Phillip Chess, and in the movie, Leonard is played by Adrien Brody, and Phillip...well, he's not in it. At all. He might as well have not existed in the history of the label. True, because the history of Chess Records has so many facets,
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Colin Boyd
Movie Review - 'Punisher: War Zone'
4 December 2008 11:02 PM, PST
Starring Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, and Julie Benz
Directed by Lexi Alexander
Rated R
It’s difficult to say if Punisher: War Zone is the worst superhero movie ever made –back before they were in vogue, these movies were almost always bad – but it’s easy to recognize that this is the worst Punisher movie so far. Yes, even Dolph Lundgren had more to work with when the anti-hero hit the big screen in 1989.
Marvel movies carry with them a certain expectation these days, and while the 2004 Punisher didn’t meet them from a commercial standpoint, it was different enough to at least be worth exploring.
That’s not the case here; Punisher: War Zone is just a bloody mess loaded with gunshots, uninteresting action, and some of the year’s worst dialogue.
To that end, in the interest of full disclosure, I should report that I'm
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Colin Boyd
'Dragonball' Gets a New Name?
4 December 2008 9:55 PM, PST
Coming Soon reports that the much-maligned Dragonball movie has slapped on a fresh coat of paint, renaming itself Dragonball: Prince of Thieves.
Ok, not really. It's Dragonball: Evolution according to this report, which may not be a thing Underworld: Evolution, but it might help explain the storyline in the film. As we know, the Dragonball series is way to big to cram into one movie, so maybe calling it Evolution gives a hint that we're at the beginning of the story and only the beginning. As a matter of fact, that's about all Evolution could mean in this case.
Still, fans have been unreceptive to the casting, to trailers, to posters, to what they hear the movie will keep and what it will omit, so this might just be, to borrow poisonous political parlance, lipstick on a pig.
Fox has not confirmed the name change, but since Terminator Salvation has
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Colin Boyd
Another International Trailer for 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'
4 December 2008 8:00 PM, PST
Because I fully enjoyed the last international trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still, I thought we could all go for an extended version of that trailer.
The movie opens next week, and I don't know if people are just resigned to the fact that this is coming out or if people have changed their opinion on its potential after seeing more footage, but the previous trailer we showed you didn't get booed out of the room. That's a big step up for The Day the Earth Stood Still, because this summer, people were furious anytime we even mentioned this update.
But let's face some hard facts: The original is almost 60 years old. While it definitely has its place in film history - and I highly doubt the remake will be remembered fondly in 2068 - the Robert Wise classic is a little dated for contemporary audiences. It's a great story,
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Colin Boyd
Frank Miller Says 'Sin City 2' Could Shoot in April
4 December 2008 6:01 PM, PST
I imagine it would be the first thing anyone asked Frank Miller right now: "What the hell - Sin City 2??," or words to that effect. Miller is prepared for the question, though, and tells IGN that we'll get that movie soon enough.
"Sin City 2 is written," says the comic book legend, who co-directed the first film with Robert Rodriguez, and has The Spirit due in theaters in three weeks. "It's mainly a matter of working out the details of the production. I'm hoping to do it with Robert Rodriguez again in the same circumstances that we did the first one," Miller adds, "and we could be shooting as soon as April."
Of course, we've heard talk like that before, but Rodriguez and Miller stepped away to concentrate on other things. But April or thereabouts appears to be an open window for both men, so it could be the real deal this time.
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Colin Boyd
Will Smith Wants a 'Hancock' Sequel
4 December 2008 4:33 PM, PST
Hey, who's ready for more Hancock? No, really: Will Smith says we're going to get it whether we want it or not.
Actually, Hancock wasn't all bad, but oh, the movie it could have been...that's the stuff. Instead, it was a neat idea wrapped up in way too damn many effects and a third act that was just a little too Die Hard with a Vengeance for what they should have been trying to accomplish.
Still, Will Smith is well be the gold standard for box office success these days, and Hancock, even with direct competition from The Dark Knight two weeks after it was released, made over $200 million in the U.S., and over $600 million worldwide. Yikes! So you can't use the argument that nobody liked the movie.
JoBlo asked Smith if he'd ever play another superhero, and he shot into full-on Hancock mode, explaining that there were
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Colin Boyd
'Slumdog' Named Best Film of 2008 by National Board of Review
4 December 2008 2:04 PM, PST
The National Board of Review, annually the first group to award its end-of-the-year honors, has named Slumdog Millionaire its top movie of 2008. No argument here. Clint Eastwood won an award, too - for Best Actor in Gran Torino, if you can believe it. Actually, it makes no difference whether or not you believe it; he won.
Though the Board is not usually a predictor for the Academy Awards, it's rare that some of the group's major winners are completely left out in the cold. Here's a list of the National Board of Review winners, from Awards Daily, along with the Nbr's list of the ten best films of the year. It should be noted that for the top ten list, the National Board of Review omits the winner, thereby essentially creating a top eleven.
Best Film - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director - David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Actor - Clint Eastwood,
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Colin Boyd
Fearless Forecast - 'Four Christmases,' Round Two
4 December 2008 1:33 PM, PST
We said a few weeks ago that the real box office action this fall was in November, not December. Just look at the results: Three straight movies debuting with over $60 million, three straight movies setting a new mark for the fourth-highest opening of 2008.
Madagascar had $63 million, and it now sits just shy of $150 million, then Quantum of Solace beat that debut by about four million, and its worldwide number is staggering - it'll hit half a billion this weekend, and might still get to $700 million overall. Twilight, of course, was the wild card, and we're looking at at least $150 million for that after a $70 million opening.
And December kicks off with...Punisher: War Zone. Meh. There will be a little life in December with The Day the Earth Stood Still, although I don't think that's a $70 million debut, and looking ahead, maybe Seven Pounds and Yes Man will do pretty well,
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Colin Boyd
New Final Poster for 'My Bloody Valentine'
4 December 2008 12:49 PM, PST
Lionsgate just sent us the brand new poster for My Bloody Valentine 3-D, and though I have often harped on how you need a consistent message in your movie marketing, I actually think the three different looks we've seen for this are pretty good.
The first one was a bit too Dark Knight, but that's Ok. The second one was pure 3-D slasher flick fun, and this one is a lot more serious, has an awful lot of detail (notice the reflection in the eye of the gas mask), and adds another cool tag line - "Get your heart broken."
So kudos to these guys. I think being the first horror movie to embrace the new 3-D trend is a great gimmick, and though I would still have my doubts about its "quality," however you gauge that sort of thing for a horror movie remake, at least they're doing something
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Colin Boyd
Get the Big Picture on The Mike O'Meara Show This Afternoon
4 December 2008 11:41 AM, PST
I just received word that instead of our usual Friday chats with Mike O'Meara, we'll be on his show this afternoon at 5pm Eastern, 2pm Pacific. So if you're used to hearing us talk about all the new releases and other entertainment news on Fridays, be sure to tune in today instead.
On the chopping block this week is Punisher: War Zone and Cadillac Records.
You can listen to Mike O'Meara live on Wjfk in Washington, D.C., and on stations nationwide. Or, if you can't figure out a radio, the show streams live.
Colin Boyd
Reminder: 'Repo!' Hits the Road Again This Weekend
4 December 2008 10:53 AM, PST
Just a reminder that director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II - IV) and co-creator and cast member Terrance Zdunich will be on tour this weekend with Repo! The Genetic Opera, making stops in New Orleans, Boston, and Philadelphia Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and kicking off their second Repo Road Tour here in the greater Phoenix area at Chandler Cinemas. The show starts tonight at 10pm.
The movie has an unusual concept - in the future our organs begin failing, and one company keeps producing healthy organs for us that are transplanted like car parts, but you better make your payments... - and it stars Alexa Vega, Paul Sorivno, Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Anthony Head, and one of the original divas, Sarah Brightman.
Get more info on the tour by clicking the pic below.
Repo! will also open in some more cities tomorrow - Seattle, Baltimore, and Riverside, California. Go to Repo-Opera for continuing updates,
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Colin Boyd
'Terminator Salvation' First Look Coming to Et Next Week
4 December 2008 9:47 AM, PST
Consider this a teaser for a teaser. Entertainment Tonight recently announced they'd have "your first look" at Terminator Salvation on Tuesday, December 9th.
And here's video that gives us our first look at our first look, featuring Christian Bale.
Yeah, I'm with you; it's still weird hearing the words "director McG" in connection with this. I'm less concerned about the story, though, than I was with T3. After all, we know from the beginning of the series what has to happen in the next trilogy, so really, it's just a matter of making that convincing. And it looks like they're off to a good start.
We'll see more Tuesday, and then the movie rolls into theaters next May.
Colin Boyd
'Knowing' Poster Will Stop the World and Melt With You
4 December 2008 6:04 AM, PST
There is a terrific visual effect in the trailer for Knowing, the new sci-fi thrilla by Alex Proyas. On the whole, it doesn't look like his best work, but the moment the plane crashes into the bridge...well, that's movie magic.
Isn't it odd, by the way, that we commend something we see in an action flick that would haunt us for the rest of our lives if it actually happened right in front of us?
Knowing stars Nic Cage as a guy who puts together a sequence of numbers that seem to have predicted "every major catastrophe" the world has seen in half a century. But what happens when the number stop? My guess is that a Roland Emmerich movie would break out.
Ain't It Cool News got its hands on a new poster for Knowing, and it leaves me wanting more. I guess the numbers falling off like embers is a nice touch.
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Colin Boyd
Depp, Burton to Make 'Dark Shadows' Next Summer
4 December 2008 3:00 AM, PST
I don't know if there's anybody in Hollywood whose word is gospel, but if there is, it might be Richard Zanuck. He's a legendary producer, having produced everything from Jaws to The Sound of Music, and his father was one of the architects of the industry. Zanuck is probably not one of those guys who will talk about something if it's not going to happen.
He's one of the producers for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and in fact, he's produced four other Burton movies in the past, so when he talks about a project with Tim Burton, again, you can be pretty sure it's on the level. And that's what makes his comments to Collider so interesting:
"I'm doing next summer - with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp - Dark Shadows, which is an old 70s soap opera here in the United States," Zanuck announced. We knew Dark Shadows was on the way,
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Colin Boyd
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