A Nightmare on Elm Street feature trailer debut!

source: traileraddict.com

A brand new trailer for the upcoming remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street has debuted online. The Samuel Bayer film comes from Michael Bay's production stable Platinum Dunes, and believe it or not, it actually looks good.

The film stars Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, a wrongly-accused child molester burnt alive by a mob of vengeful parents. Krueger takes his revenge from beyond the grave, haunting the dreams of the parents' children and killing them one by one. It is a remake of the Wes Craven's 1984 horror classic of the same name - but you didn't need me to tell you that.

Check out the trailer for this "reimagining" (man I hate that word) and let us know what you think!


"From producer Michael Bay." Is there anything more chilling in this trailer than that single line?

I've never been a big fan of the original A Nightmare on Elm St, which is why I'm holding out a little hope for this remake (and why I dreaded the remakes of my beloved Friday the 13th and Halloween).

I hope the film takes advantage of the series' greatest hook - creepy dream sequences. From the looks of the trailer, it just might do that. My main concern however is whether or not Bayer can craft an intense viewing experience, instead of just piecing together a bunch of jump scares. Based on Platinum Dunes' dubious filmography, my hopes are not particularly high.

A Nightmare on Elm St also stars Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner and Kellan Lutz. It opens in Australia on May 20th.

Discuss: What is your relationship with the Nightmare on Elm St franchise?

Zoolander 2 very close! Jonah Hill to play villain?

source: deadline.com

The long-touted sequel to Zoolander looks like it might actually be happening. Ben Stiller and Paramount have reportedly enlisted Iron Man 2 screenwriter Justin Theroux to write the film and also direct. Stiller will, obviously, reprise his role as dim-witted Derek Zoolander.

Theroux and Stiller previously co-wrote Tropic Thunder together. Theroux also had a cameo in the original Zoolander film as a dreadlocked, breakdancing evil DJ.

Paramount are approaching Owen Wilson to hopefully return as Hansel, while Jonah Hill is in negotiations to play the film's villain.

In the original film, Stiller played a male model who accidentally became entwined in an international conspiracy. The film arrived in cinemas September 28, 2001 - not opportune timing for a zany comedy. A flop during its theatrical run, Zoolander built a massive audience on DVD.

Paramount will likely keep the budget for the film below $US50 million.

Discuss: So, Zoolander 2. Enticing?

Will John Krasinski be Captain America?

source: deadline.com

Deadline have revealed a shortlist of actors in contention to take on the lead role in Joe Johnston's The First Avenger: Captain America.

The list of actors include Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Cloverfield's Mike Vogel, Brothers' Patrick Fleuger, Smallville's Michael Cassidy and Friday Night Light's Scott Porter. However, the only name that has raised an eyebrow of interest (and thus, the only one we are going to give any credence to) is everyone's favourite paper salesman, John Krasinski.

Best known for his role as Jim in the American version of The Office, Krasinski has also developed a (somewhat) respectable film career in recent years, starring in Leatherheads, Away We Go, and most recently, It's Complicated.

Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) was close to scoring the role, but apparently his people could not put together a deal with Marvel.

The lucky man to take on the role of Steve Rogers/Captain America must agree to an offer of $US300,000 for the first film (and must sign nine options for future films, i.e. sequels, spin-offs). Not much for a tent-pole flick, but the inevitable success of the film will send one of these little known actors into the stratosphere.

Marvel are known for their hard-bargaining, even going so far to drop actors when they do not acquiesce to their salary demands. Little has changed since the Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle debacle it seems. According to Deadline, Johnston briefly walked away from Captain America when Marvel informed him he would have to take a pay cut to keep the budget of the film low. They've recently kissed and made up.

These aforementioned actors are being screen-tested by Marvel as we speak. However, as The Hollywood Reporter reminds us, Marvel were unsuccessful finding their Thor through screen tests. They eventually settled on Chris Hemsworth quite late in the game.

Here is the plot synopsis of The First Avenger: Captain America from THR:

"[It] tells the story of the young infirm man rejected from enlisting who becomes America's symbol of liberty during World War II and eventually a member of Marvel's superhero team the Avengers."

The First Avenger: Captain America, is tentatively slated for release in 2012.

Discuss: Who would you cast as Captain America?

Dedicated follower of fashion - A Single Man review

A Single Man - Starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode. Directed by Tom Ford. Rated M. By Simon Miraudo.

Tom Ford’s directorial debut A Single Man is unspeakably gorgeous to behold. From the glorious cinematography to the impossibly beautiful actors and actresses; no frame is wasted on anything even close to ugliness. It is impeccable. But since when has prettiness equalled good filmmaking? Ford is primarily a fashion designer and photographer, and it shows. He is best known for his five year tenure as Creative Director for Gucci, during which time he turned the nearly bankrupt fashion label into a powerhouse valued at $US4.3 billion. This man has had a lot of success in the business of beauty. However, filmmaking is a different game, and aesthetic appeal only gets you so far.

George Falconer (Colin Firth) is a closeted English professor struggling to deal with the unexpected death of his partner Jim (Matthew Goode). The year is 1962 and George can hardly express or explain his grief to the people around him. Perhaps his only true friend is Charley (Julianne Moore), a middle aged woman who loves him, despite knowing full well that he does not reciprocate in quite the same way. The film takes place over the course of one day in George’s life, beginning on the very morning he plans to kill himself. Throughout the day he will encounter various people who will remind him of the richness of life, and others will remind him why he has decided to end it.

There is something oddly disquieting about a first time director with so much confidence. A Single Man (based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel of the same name) has a singular vision, and it’s undeniably Ford’s. But the project feels more like a perfume commercial rather than a feature film. There is so much symbolism; endless, endless symbolism. Metaphors range from the glaring to the obvious. The colour palette fluctuates (annoyingly) between drab and over-saturated, in time with George’s own emotions. Perhaps this is why I’m bothered by the confidence of the direction here; it feels like Ford thinks he has nothing left to learn, when that is far from the truth. The talents required to put together an attractive fashion spread for a magazine do not directly translate to the composition of a film. The composition of a frame? Yes! But we need to engage with these tragic characters more than we do the dead-eyed supermodels in Ford’s Gucci catalogue.

The heart of the film comes from Firth, who is phenomenal. The hype and the Oscar nomination are well deserved. Elegant and effete, with a bruised soul to boot. Best of all are his glimpses of cheekiness, his razor wit, his flirtatious glances, his moments of pure vulnerability. He doesn’t overwhelm with gravitas; he doesn’t release an anguished howl towards the heavens when he receives news of Jim’s passing. This is a man who has spent his whole life hiding from the world, to the point that he’s not even sure how much of himself he should reveal, even when alone.

Julianne Moore is also great as Charley; it’s a fun role, and a short one, but being Julianne Moore, she doesn’t phone it in. Also excellent is Matthew Goode as the late Jim, revealed through flashbacks as lovable and perfect. Sure, that’s exactly how George would remember him. But Jim never seems like a cliché and the credit belongs entirely to Goode. Also memorable are Nicholas Hoult and Jon Kortajarena as two boys who cross George’s path during this fateful day. Although Hoult’s role is bigger (as one of George’s students), Kortajarena leaves the biggest mark, as a friendly but very sad hustler.

I’m reminded of another film in which the filmmaker gets in the way of his highly capable cast: Lee Daniels with Precious. Although Ford’s direction is not nearly as egregious as fellow first timer Daniels, it is similarly in your face. It’s one thing to consistently remind the viewer that they are watching a film; it’s another to convince them that they are pawing through a fashion catalogue. A shame really, because the number of mainstream films featuring gay or lesbian characters (let alone led by them) remains a rare commodity. You would hope that the few that receive a theatrical release would be of the highest quality. Sadly, if it wasn’t for Firth, A Single Man would be little more than a vapid exercise in art decoration. Still, what beautiful art decoration!

3/5

Check out Simon's other reviews here!

Damon and Gyllenhaal approached to star in Avatar?!

source: latimesblog.com

Did you know that Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal were approached by James Cameron to star as Jake Sully in Avatar? You didn't?!

In a recent report by the L.A. Times, it is revealed that Cameron's first choice for the role of Jake Sully was always the relatively unknown Sam Worthington. However, the director approached big names like Damon and Gyllenhaal to placate the Fox studio chiefs who were worried about the project's massive price tag.

Obviously, the duo declined.

"I don’t think they ever had a problem with the CG," Cameron said. "Honestly, did I go out and try to woo them? No. I had my heart set on Sam. Maybe they sensed my lack of 100% commitment from me. Maybe it was the subject matter. This was a big 'Star Wars'-type movie. They’re both serious actors."

Once Damon and Gyllenhaal declined, the role was Worthington's for the taking. And then the film made a bajillion dollars.

In other news, Avatar recently won the major prizes at the inaugural International 3D Society's award ceremony. It beat other game-changing 3D films such as The Final Destination, G-Force, My Bloody Valentine 3D and The Jonas Brothers Concert Experience.

Cough.

Discuss: So, is Cameron implying that Worthington isn't a serious actor?

Coen Brothers find young girl with True Grit

source: deadline.com

Joel and Ethan Coen have found the young girl to take on the lead role in their upcoming western True Grit.

After auditioning more than 15,000 teenage actresses for the role of the bloodthirsty orphan Mattie, the Oscar-winning brothers selected 13-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. Although Steinfeld has a couple of minor credits to her name, she's a relatively inexperienced young actress. While we can't attest to her acting prowess, at least we know she can "portray Caucasian".

Her character, Mattie Ross, witnesses the cold-blooded murder of her father at the hands of Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Mattie enlists U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to take out the killer before a Texas ranger (Matt Damon) can.

True Grit is based on the Charles Portis novel of the same name. It was previously brought to the screen in 1969, starring John Wayne as Cogburn (the role for which he won an Oscar). The role of Mattie Ross was portrayed by Kim Darby; however, the character was not as prominent in the film as she was in the book. The Coens have previously stated that they will return the focus of the narrative back on to Mattie.

True Grit hits Australian cinemas January 20, 2011.

Discuss: How do you feel about the way this remake is panning out?

Pirates 4: Knightley and Bloom out! Ian McShane in!

source: slashfilm.com

Everyone's favourite saloon keeper, Ian McShane, is in talks to play Blackbeard in the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

McShane will join Johnny Depp (once again reprising his role as Jack Sparrow) and Penelope Cruz (who is playing an unknown character that is "Sparrow's foil and equal in many ways").

However, not returning to the high seas are Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, despite having starred in the first three Pirates films. Depp confirmed that they would not be involved in the fourth picture, which frankly, isn't surprising at all.

Blackbeard (otherwise known as Edward Teach) was a real life pirate best known for piloting the ship the Queen Anne's Revenge. He ruled the seas during the early 1700s, operating around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies.

On Stranger Tides is based on Tim Powers' pirate novel, which focuses on Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth.

It will begin production mid-2010 for a May 20, 2011 release. Rob Marshall will direct.

Discuss: More McShane and less Bloom? I'm in.

Now is the season of our discontent – The Damned United review

The Damned United - Starring Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney. Directed by Tom Hooper. Rated M. Originally published October 20, 2009. By Simon Miraudo.

Ask any soccer fan and they’ll tell you the same thing: You’ll find more drama in one season of football than in any of Shakespeare’s artsy-fartsy works. Take the story of Brian Clough; the coach who managed to bring dizzying heights of success to several fledgling teams in the 1960’s and whose blinding hubris turned him into a national joke; the man who was awarded the plum position of managing Leeds United (then the greatest team in England) and was sacked 44 days into the season. If soccer is a Shakespearean drama, then The Damned United is Richard III.

Michael Sheen stars as Clough, in all his posturing Northern glory. The film begins in 1974, with Clough being named coach of Leeds, replacing the beloved Don Revie (Colm Meaney) who has been hired as the new manager of England. His appointment is met with disdain from the Leeds community; no doubt fuelled by Clough’s admission that he has taken the job out of spite. Director Tom Hooper bounces between Clough’s doomed run at Leeds to his glorious successes in 1968, in which he and his faithful assistant Pete Taylor (an excellent Timothy Spall) coached 2nd division Derby County all the way to the top of the 1st division. The duo shares an almost uncanny knack for developing successful teams. However, as we learn over the course of the film, success for Clough is relative. Being recognised as the best isn’t enough for him; he’s looking to be canonised.

If phrases like ‘2nd division’ and ‘Derby County’ have you scratching your head in confusion, don’t be frightened away from The Damned United. Hooper manages to condense the seemingly incomprehensible English League for the layman (of which I happily categorise myself). Even the most football-ignorant will be able to relate to film’s core; specifically Clough’s obsession with besting Revie’s accomplishments. He is Salieri to Revie’s Mozart. Now, if you’re a football fan scared of the Richard III and Amadeus references, don’t you run away either. The Damned United captures the most important essence of the sports movie: the anticipation. There are plenty of pre-game jitters in which the players look like they’re about to land at Normandy, and inspirational locker room speeches that could have been penned by Patton himself. That sensation of walking onto the pitch (or onto the stage, or hell, even down the aisle) is portrayed perfectly here.

If any screenwriter is suited to making potentially unsympathetic characters seem sympathetic, it’s Peter Morgan. Here he adapts David Peace’s book of the same name; a fictionalised account of Clough’s career that became the center of a legal scandal. But that’s all par for the course. Morgan previously penned The Queen, in which he and Helen Mirren managed to make dear Lizzy seem far more lucid and spritely than the matriarch herself has managed in the past two decades. He also adapted his play Frost/Nixon for the big screen, in which one of the most despised U.S. President’s of all time (portrayed by Frank Langella) seemed more tragic than evil.

The phenomenal achievements of those previous films could be attributed to Morgan’s lucky charm and usually unsung hero, Michael Sheen, who portrayed Tony Blair and David Frost in these pictures. I would call him Britain’s best impressionist, but that feels like a dismissive insult when you look closer at what he’s really doing. Sheen embodies these historical figures and doesn’t drop his standards in The Damned United. It is one of the best performances of the year and I hope it doesn’t go as unrecognised as his previous works.

The film is likely to gain detractors from those who dispute the ‘truth’ as presented in the film. As someone who doesn’t follow soccer closely (or who hadn’t even heard of Brian Clough before), I can’t comment on the historical accurateness. However, on an emotional level, the film is sound and effective. Although Hooper tacks on a relatively happy ending, the film is at its best when trawling the murky depths of Clough’s obsession. That being said, the relationship between Clough and Taylor is the heart of this film. Clough, like Richard III, ends up betraying his “brother”, but not even Shakespeare could have written as bromantic an ending as seen here.

4/5

Check out my other reviews here.

Kevin Smith pulls Seann William Scott off the bench for Hit Somebody

source: nhl.com

Kevin Smith has revealed that Seann William Scott will star in his next project, the ice hockey comedy Hit Somebody.

The screenplay is based on Warren Zevon's song of the same name, with lyrics by Mitch Albom, about a hockey enforcer named Buddy who wishes to score just one goal in a game. (By the way, you can listen to the song here.)

Smith recently worked with Scott on his latest film, Cop Out, which opens in the United States this weekend (March 18th in Australia).

The lovably foul-mouthed director spoke to NHL.com about his reasons for choosing Scott for the role of Buddy. "Seann, for me, was the key into the character ... I had all the elements in place, and the one thing I was missing was the personality. Generally I like to write to a voice, but I didn't know who that voice was or what that voice could be. And then after spending all the time with Seann on [Cop Out], he's pitch perfect. He is that guy.

"This dude has something in him that you can just see hangs so well on Buddy. He's got some pain that's going to work out well. More importantly he has so much love in his heart. Seann Scott is such an ebullient, happy person who's just happy to be there. And on [Cop Out] you could see it. On our set the guy is just so delighted to be working, to be making people laugh. But he's always dismissed as Stifler. … This is his chance to shine," Smith said.

Scott spoke to Coming Soon about his role in Hit Somebody.

"I grew up playing hockey, which is good because the character's not supposed to be a great player, he's a great fighter, so it's a really amazing film. He's writing it right now and he asked me about a month ago to do it and I'm like 'for sure.' I can skate okay, I'll definitely have to practice... but I can fight," he said.

Smith has previously described Hit Somebody as "the 'Forest Gump' of sports movies, but not in terms of the visual effects, ... it takes place through many different eras."

"It starts in the '50s and ends in the '80s, and primarily it's a big Valentine to the game of hockey, and an even bigger Valentine to Canada. The whole movie is about the game and the land and how they're one and how only Canada can produce a hockey player. I've been a 'Canadaphile' for years now, and in terms of influence, it helps to have the writings of Stephen Brunt, the guy who wrote 'Gretzky's Tears' and 'Search for Bobby Orr,' stuff like that completely helps fill in the gaps for me not actually being Canadian."

As regular listeners of Kevin Smith's weekly podcast (Smodcast) already know, Smith turned to the world of hockey for solace following the disastrous box office reception of his last film Zack and Miri Make A Porno. When the film bombed late 2008, Smith underwent an identity overhaul that included abandoning his beloved Weinstein Brothers (who had released all of his films since Clerks) and heading into the arms of the studio system. His was hired to direct Cop Out by Warner Bros, based on a screenplay by Robb and Marc Cullen. It is the first time Smith has directed a film he didn not write himself.

Although I'm looking forward to Cop Out, it is Smith's signature voice that makes me excited for his films. Therefore, if Smith is excited about Hit Somebody, then so am I.

Also, I'm more than happy to see Seann William Scott break out of the Stifler-template and deliver a performance with a bit more heart.

Saying that, Scott may indeed be returning to the well for a fourth American Pie film (not including those terrible spin-off sequels).

"I've been talking to them about it and there's a possibility," he told Empire. "We came up with an awesome idea and I'm kind of at the point where I'm already known as that character forever anyways. As much as I want to do a part like Christoph Waltz in 'Inglourious Basterds,' I did 'American Pie' three times and then versions of that in ten other movies. If it makes sense and if it makes people laugh than maybe."

Anyway, Hit Somebody is currently looking for studio backing. I'm sure that we'll have more news on this following the box office success (or potential failure) of Cop Out. I'm hoping for the former.

Discuss: Kevin Smith - are you happy to see him direct other scripts or do you miss his original screenplays?

The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air win top WGA awards

source: wga.org

The Writers Guild of America recognised the best screenplays in film and television this past weekend, with top prizes going to Oscar favourites The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air.

Mark Boal won Best Original Screenplay for The Hurt Locker, beating the scripts for (500) Days of Summer, Avatar, The Hangover and A Serious Man. Although The Hurt Locker screenplay is a genuine contender for this same award at next month's Academy Awards, it's a little difficult to consider it a lock. Out of this category, only A Serious Man was also nominated for an Oscar. These two films will face off against The Messenger, as well as Inglourious Basterds and Up, two dangerous contenders that were deemed ineligible for WGA nominations.

Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner won Best Adapted Screenplay for Up in the Air, trumping
the scripts for Crazy Heart, Julie and Julia, Precious and Star Trek. Once again, only Up in the Air and Precious have been nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. They will compete against An Education, District 9 and In the Loop.

Best Documentary Screenplay went to The Cove, while 30 Rock and Mad Men were the big winners in the TV categories.

Tom O'Neill at the LA Times reminds us that 8 of the last 13 WGA Best Original Screenplay winners have gone on to take the Oscar. Meanwhile, 9 of the last 13 WGA Best Adapted Screenplay winners went on to Oscar glory.

The Academy Awards will take place March 7th.

Discuss: What was your favourite screenplay of 2009?

The Hurt Locker beats Avatar to top prize at BAFTAs

source: bafta.org

The Hurt Locker is well on its way to take the top prize at next month's Academy Awards after picking up Best Film at the Orange British Academy Film Awards. Kathryn Bigelow (pictured below) was named Best Director for her work on the Iraq war drama. The film picked up six BAFTAs all up, including Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing and Sound.

The Hurt Locker's biggest competition (and seemingly only Oscar rival) is James Cameron's 3D blockbuster Avatar. Despite scoring eight nominations, it only went home with Best Production Design and Visual Effects.

Of course, plenty of Brits took home awards too - except for those already inscribed with the names Christoph Waltz and Mo'nique. Colin Firth and Carey Mulligan won Best Actor and Actress for their work in A Single Man and An Education.

Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank was named Best British Film, while Duncan Jones, director of Moon, picked up Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

BEST FILM: THE HURT LOCKER

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM: FISH TANK

DIRECTOR: THE HURT LOCKER - Kathryn Bigelow

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: THE HURT LOCKER - Mark Boal

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: UP IN THE AIR - Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: A PROPHET

ANIMATED FILM: UP

LEADING ACTOR: COLIN FIRTH - A Single Man

LEADING ACTRESS: CAREY MULLIGAN - An Education

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: CHRISTOPH WALTZ - Inglourious Basterds

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: MO'NIQUE - Precious

Check out the rest of the winners here!

The winner of the BAFTA Best Film award has matched the Academy Award's Best Picture recipient only four times in the past decade.

Discuss: What are your thoughts on the winners? Is The Hurt Locker a .... LOCK .... for Best Picture at the Oscars?

Shudder island - Shutter Island review

Shutter Island - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Rated MA. By Simon Miraudo.

It doesn’t need to be said that Martin Scorsese is a living legend. He has more classic films under his belt than any filmmaker deserves. At this point, he could probably direct in his sleep, and he very well might do so in the future. Hey, he’s earned it! No one can dispute the brilliance of his seminal pictures Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas (well, not successfully anyway). His last film, The Departed, won him his first Best Director Oscar and also became his first film to claim Best Picture. Then the backlash began. That’s not to say Scorsese had never been criticised in the past. But fans began to lament the fact that one of the last remaining filmmakers of the New Hollywood movement was working on projects seemingly unworthy of his time. Sure, The Departed didn’t feature the weighty, grandiose themes of his earlier work. But it was about as perfect a crime-thriller as you can get. His latest film, Shutter Island, is even less “important” than The Departed. But Scorsese is clearly enjoying himself with this old-school throwback to thrillers past. And it’s hard not to revel in it with him.

The year is 1952. Two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), emerge from the fog aboard a rickety old ferry en route to Shutter Island. The island is home to the Ashecliffe hospital for the criminally insane. A patient has escaped, seemingly into thin air. Her name is Rachel Solondo and she’s a frail, intense woman who drowned her three children yet refuses to accept that they are dead. The marshals begin their investigation, but it seems like everyone is hiding something. Even Daniels. Especially Daniels. He suspects that the doctors are actually conducting experiments on their patients, recalling the ‘tests’ orchestrated by the Nazis. He intends to get to the bottom of the conspiracy, regardless of the danger. At night he dreams of his late wife (Michelle Williams), who warns him to stop digging. He should have listened.

Shutter Island is based on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, adapted for the screen by Laeta Kalogridis. It is not the first time Lehane’s work has been turned into a movie. Ben Affleck directed an excellent adaptation of his novel Gone Baby Gone in 2007, while Clint Eastwood developed Mystic River into a film in 2003. Now, Eastwood is a director who will not rest until he can inject each of his pictures with as much ham-fisted ‘profundity’ as possible. It didn’t exactly seem like a film, but instead a competition amongst the stars (particularly Tim Robbins and Sean Penn) to out-mug one another. Scorsese on the other hand, although perfectly adept at achieving genuine profundity, has fun with Lehane’s source material.

From the unsettling first shot to the haunting final frame, Scorsese seems to relish every moment of Shutter Island. His trademark camera tricks are all here; whip-pans, tracking shots et al. But here he’s more concerned with evoking the great psychological thrillers, particularly Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Kubrick’s The Shining, and probably a dozen more films that you and I have never seen (Scorsese, a cinephile of the highest degree, prepares a list of movies for his cast to watch for inspiration before shooting begins). It achieves the rare feat of perfectly capturing the sensation of a nightmare, much like Lars von Trier’s Antichrist and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. The sound design is particularly brilliant, with every single moment of audio custom designed to set you shivering. At times, the film boldly breaks free of its ‘psychological thriller’ shackles and ventures into genuine horror. And it is genuinely horrifying. Make no mistake, this is Scorsese trying his hand at pure genre; it’s occasionally schlocky and the scares are sometimes very cheeky. But it always feels like the work of a master.

So while it is no crime for the great Scorsese to “lower” himself to direct a disposable thriller, it is a crime that its climactic scene almost derails the effectiveness of the picture’s first two thirds. The ending of Shutter Island is not so much unexpected as it is inexplicable. Anyone who has seen a psychological thriller before will be expecting a twist from the get go, but most audience members will likely be left scratching their heads with this one. That’s not to say it’s particularly surprising, or even inventive. The best twist endings should inform further viewings of the film; we should pick up hints and clues that we didn’t notice the first time. A second viewing of Shutter Island will likely only infuriate. It just doesn’t work.

But despite the – let’s face it – ridiculousness of the final twist, such is Scorsese’ talent that he still makes the reveal absolutely compulsive cinema. In fact, the flashback sequence that occurs at the end of the film is, in my opinion, the picture’s best moment. It helps that the cast are all incredible. DiCaprio, although not as unpredictable a foil to Scorsese as DeNiro, is great. I’m reluctant to list off the other actors who appear in the film, as their appearances are both brief and pivotal to the film’s surprises. Let’s just say that if they’re in the film, they’re brilliant. So to everyone waxing nostalgic about the director’s “good ol’ days”, I say that Shutter Island is dark, disturbing and very, very weird. Sounds like vintage Scorsese to me.

4.5/5

Check out my other reviews here.

Aussie drama Animal Kingdom set for international success

source: encoremagazine.com

David Michôd's Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom is well on the way to becoming one our country's biggest cultural exports. Sony's specialty label, Sony Pictures Classics, has acquired distribution rights for the film in the United States.

Animal Kingdom won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The film tells the story of a young man (James Frecheville) who must navigate survival amongst a criminal family. It also stars Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Luke Ford, Jackie Weaver and Anthony Hayes.

The New York Times recently profiled Michôd in an article about Blue-Tongue Films, an Australian filmmaking collective that also includes the Edgerton brothers and Luke Doolan, writer/director of the Oscar nominated short film Miracle Fish.

The signs all seem to point towards success for Michôd's Animal Kingdom's. Distribution rights for the film have also been purchased in the UK, France, Italy, Russia and Scandinavian countries.

Most importantly, Animal Kingdom will hit Australian cinemas April 29th. It goes head to head with Iron Man 2. Clearly, distributor Madman has a lot of faith in their product.

You can check out some of the reviews Animal Kingdom received at Sundance here. Also, check out the teaser trailer here.

Discuss: Aren't you all brimming with local pride?

Kurt Cobain biopic to be helmed by Oscar nominee

source: thr.com

A long-gestating Kurt Cobain biopic has been given a fresh lease on life. (Poor taste?) Oscar nominated filmmaker Oren Moverman is in negotiations to rewrite the screenplay of a Cobain biopic and also direct it.

Moverman made his directorial debut last year with The Messenger, a film about war vets who are charged with the task of delivering news of fallen soldiers to their next of kin. Moverman and co-writer Alessandro Camon scored a Best Original Screenplay nomination, while Woody Harrelson picked up a Best Supporting Actor nom.

Considering The Messengers' grim subject matter, it's no surprise that Moverman has been pegged to retell the tragic story of the most famous music icon of the 1990s.

The currently untitled biopic was first announced in 2007, when screenwriter David Benioff (Brothers) was hired to adapt Charles R. Cross’ 2001 biography of the Nirvana front man, titled “Heavier Than Heaven”.

Universal currently own the life rights to both Cobain and his widow Courtney Love, while Love optioned the film rights to Cross' book. Love will act as executive producer on this biopic.

Gus Van Sant tried his hand at capturing the final days of Cobain's life on celluloid in the 2005 flick Last Days. Michael Pitt starred as Blake (a thinly veiled Cobain figure).

Discuss: These are all the details we have on hand at the moment. No release date, no starting date, no star. Regardless, how do you feel about a Cobain biopic? Particularly one exec-produced by Love?

Rollergirls - Whip It DVD review

Whip It – Starring Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden and Kristen Wiig. Directed by Drew Barrymore. Rated M. Originally published October 7, 2009. By Simon Miraudo.

Whip It is what the Spice Girls meant when they sang about “girl power”. Back in 1994, that world beating pop band promised to bring feminism back into the popular vernacular. Hollywood was expected to jump on board and deliver female-centric films that weren’t about strippers. But here we are, almost fifteen years later, and the teenage girls that grew up listening to Wannabe are now young women, still waiting for the mainstream media to make movies that celebrate them. Instead, television shows like The Hills and Keeping up with the Kardashians, seemingly scripted by the characters from Mad Men, do irreparable damage to that old “girl power” movement. Of course, the Spice Girls aren’t to blame for this decline in standards (well, maybe Posh). But someone is going to have to explain themselves for this mess when they get to the Pearly Gates. The good news is that it won’t be anyone involved in the production of Whip It, the best and most satisfying celebration of womanhood to hit cinemas in a long time.

The film stars Ellen Page as Bliss Cavender, an indie-rock loving teenage misfit from Bodeen, Texas. Wait, where are you going? Relax; Page isn’t playing this like a Texan Juno. Bliss is a completely different girl. She lacks Juno’s bravado and confidence and also has this undercurrent of frustrated rage seething under her surface. She could really use a Paulie Bleeker in her life to give her some solace from her oppressive mother (Marcia Gay Harden), who wants nothing more than for her daughter to follow her footsteps and become a beauty queen.

Bliss is more intrigued by the Austin Roller Derby League, which is populated by tattooed female action figures with funky names like Iron Maven, Bloody Holly and Eva Destruction. You need to be as tough as your name implies if you are going to engage in this game. It’s kind of like a running race on wheels crossed with rugby. The sport intrigues Bliss and the captain of The Hurl Scouts, Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), tells her to try out for the team. Soon, the once-confused teen finds herself surrounded by like minded rebels; a group of strong women eager to take her under their wing and teach her how to be herself. And wouldn’t you know it – Bliss becomes their star player! Just don’t tell mum.

Whip It was written by Shauna Cross, adapting her own 2007 novel Derby Girl for the big screen. The script is solid, but the real MVP is first-time director Drew Barrymore. The 34-year-old actress here emerges as an exciting up and coming director. She also has a supporting role as one of the Hurl Scouts, named Smashley Simpson, a dim-witted stoner who has taken a few too many blows to the head. It’s interesting that Barrymore would cast herself in this role; it’s as if she is acting like what many would expect her to be in real life. But behind her whole flighty-flower-power act lies a natural director. Few first-timers could handle this project, which hinges on some incredible roller-blading action sequences and still requires a deft emotional touch. What can I say? Gertie pulls it off.

Speaking of those roller-blading sequences ... wow. Although some will write off the sport itself as silly, it is portrayed in Whip It as thrilling as Rollerball. The blading actresses, including Wiig, Barrymore, Page, Zoe Bell, Ari Graynor and Juliette Lewis, definitely have some impressive moves. While I’m sure some stunt-women were used, it is amazing how often the actresses are quite clearly playing the sport themselves. Should this whole ‘acting’ thing not work, they’ve got a career in the Roller Derby leagues waiting for them. Of course, that won’t be necessary. The supporting cast are great comic foils, and Page is such a talented actress she can star in silly comedies and not once make you doubt the Academy for once nominating her for an Oscar.

At this point, I’d like to acknowledge some of the highest grossing female-centric films of 2009 so far: He’s Just Not That into You, Hannah Montana: The Movie, The Ugly Truth and My Sister’s Keeper. Whip It, meanwhile, has barely made a splash at the U.S. box office. Now I don’t want to give the wrong impression and say “Whip It is one of the most important movies of all time!” That’s obviously not the case. It is a fun, harmless movie that exceeds the low standards set by similar films. However, it treats its mostly female cast of characters with respect, and this is (sadly) a rare treat in cinema. Hannah Montana may be this generation’s Spice Girl, but Bliss Cavender is the one really waving the “girl power” flag.

3.5/5

Check out my other reviews here.

Aussie film Passengers to debut at Adelaide Fringe Festival

source: filmink.com.au

Passengers, an independently produced feature about an Australian couple living in Los Angeles, is set to make its local debut at the Adelaide Fringe Festival next week.

The film was written and directed by ex-pat Michael Bond and stars Aussies Cameron Daddo and Angie Milliken, as well as Oscar nominee Bruce Davison.

Daddo stars as Tom, an aspiring screen-writer trying to make it in L.A, while Milliken plays his wife Melony, a struggling actress who is gradually losing her mind.

The majority of Passengers takes place within the confines of a car, and follows the disintegration of their marriage during a particularly arduous traffic jam.

It's an intriguing concept; one that reminds us of Rodrigo Cortes' Buried, in which Ryan Reynolds spends the entire film in a coffin. Of course, Passengers is less a thriller and more a drama, but you get the idea.

Passengers played at the Mill Valley Film Festival in the U.S. last October. Smokin' Aces director Joe Carnahan described it as "compulsive viewing" while actress Gena Rowlands called the film "eloquently directed".

Australians eager to check the film out can catch it at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, which kicks off this Friday. Passengers will screen at Nova Cinema on the 24th of February and Palace Nova EastEnd Cinema on the 26th of February. Bond and Daddo will hold a Q&A after both screenings. You can purchase tickets here.

For more information, check out the official Passengers website here.

Discuss: What is your favourite movie to take place in a single location? Phone Booth and Wait Until Dark are two of my favourites (even if they don't entirely fit that description).

The same old song - Crazy Heart review

Crazy Heart - Starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Colin Farrell. Directed by Scott Cooper. Rated M. By Simon Miraudo.

There are few films as modest as Scott Cooper’s Crazy Heart. It’s so afraid of seeming over the top and inauthentic that it completely retreats from anything resembling a conflict. Instead of being a fist pounding underdog story (a’la Rocky) or a devastating document of descent (a’la The Wrestler), writer/director Cooper takes his aim right down the middle of the road. Throughout the course of Crazy Heart, country singer Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) traverses the short-distance between mild failure to relative success. Ironically, so does the film.

Now, modesty in storytelling isn’t a flaw in and of itself. There’s something to be said about intimate, subtle films like this. However, there are absolutely no stakes in this tale. It tries to convince the audience that it is the story of a hard-living musician, desperately clinging to the only life he knows. Doctors warn Bad Blake that he needs to cut down on his smoking or drinking, otherwise he might develop emphysema or cancer. Might develop. Dun dun dun!

Of course, such a revelation comes later in the film. When we first meet Bad Blake, he is driving across America, playing small-town bars and the occasional bowling alley. Once a county music powerhouse, he has since slipped out of the limelight and into a drunken haze of obscurity. A young music journalist named Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) wishes to do a story on the fallen star, but they’re in bed together before she can uncover any real insights. Inspired by Jean and her young son, Blake tries to get his career back on track, and he accepts an offer from his former protégé (and current superstar) Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell) to write him some songs.

And aside from a couple of predictable conflicts, that’s about it. At no point did I buy the relationship between Blake and Jean. Bridges and Gyllenhaal are both fine actors, but neither can overcome the machinations of their seemingly unmotivated romance. Why does she fall in love with him? She doesn’t care about country music, and he’s hardly charming when they first start dating. Is it just because he shared a doobie with her? I appreciate that Cooper wants to avoid any typical clichés (such as the old ‘she falls in love with him because she grew up listening to her daddy’s Bad Blake records blah blah blah’), but no motivation isn’t automatically better than a contrived one.

Also, why do Blake and Jean have to fall in love? Wouldn’t it be more interesting if Blake begins to understand himself better after a series of interviews with this intelligent, challenging woman? Wouldn’t the screenplay sizzle if the two of them played off of one another more? They could flirt beneath the veneer of their task, yet still remain fully aware that their careers are dependent on the success of the article. I hate to sound like a Bob McKee ‘Story’ seminar, but Cooper plays this story so low-key, you can barely hear the character growth.

Jeff Bridges is undeniably great as Bad Blake. However, because of Cooper’s ultra-restrained hand, Bridges isn’t given many opportunities to shine. That is, until he gets on stage and begins performing Blake’s heartbroken blues. This feels like music written by a truly complex character; one that does not exist in the film’s script (the music was actually penned by T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham and the late Stephen Bruton). Bridges deserves all the acclaim he is receiving for making Blake more interesting than he has any right to be. Gyllenhaal works hard, but not even she can make Jean an appealing character. Robert Duvall is also a lot of fun as Blake’s local barkeep, and the film is always more interesting when Farrell is on screen.

Crazy Heart is based on Thomas Cobb’s 1987 novel of the same name. Now, I’m not sure how faithful the film is to the source material, and whether the lack of conflict and general lethargy is a reflection of the book. However, the picture could have used, if not a shot of adrenaline, a shot of tequila. It is by no means a bad film, and occasionally even flirts with being great. The picture looks phenomenal, thanks to the work by DP Barry Markowitz. For the most part however, the film seems to go out of its way to be underwhelming. Cooper is so afraid of being bold and baring some soul, he achieves little more than the anachronistic, cookie-cutter blues that his lead character spent a lifetime trying to avoid.

2.5/5

Check out my other reviews here.

Judd Apatow producing Kristen Wiig comedy

source: variety.com

Comedy kingpin Judd Apatow will produce a film written by and starring Saturday Night Live comedienne Kristen Wiig.

The untitled picture was co-written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo. The project will be Wiig's first as leading lady. She had supporting roles in the films Knocked Up, Whip It and Adventureland.

According to Variety, the film revolves "around women competing to plan a friend's wedding party."

Paul Feig, creator of the great television show Freaks and Geeks, is slated to direct. Apatow was a writer, director and executive producer on the ill-fated show. Hopefully this news will help push along an Australian DVD release of this excellent show (which introduced the world to Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel and Martin Starr).

We only recently discussed how Apatow's slate of films looked light, with Get Him to the Greek his only 2010 release. I guess he was keeping this little nugget a secret.

Production is expected to begin on the untitled Kristen Wiig project in the next couple of months.

Discuss: Kristen Wiig is pretty much the funniest living woman (sorry Tina Fey) so this is great news. Your thoughts?