NEWS: Orphanage Remake Has A Problem...

It appears as though the U.S. remake of The Orphanage is in a little bit of turmoil, much to the appreciation of yours truly.

Arrow In The Head had a chance to talk to Larry Fessenden, who was as of August, attached to the project, but has since said that he has left:

THE ORPHANAGE was two years of waiting. Working on the script with Guillermo was a very exciting experience, but then I got into a casting miasma and that’s where the thing is; I think they’re gonna do it another way, actually. So I think I’m out of it. Hopefully they’ll still use my script, but I’m not sure I’m directing it anymore. That’s Hollywood for ya.

So back in August, Fessenden was attached, and casting had begun, searching for the female lead. However, it appears as all of that has been scrapped, at least as we all are aware. I’m sure the project is still looking to get made, but without Fessenden at the helm, it’s looking for a leader. Also worth noting, it will be kind of interesting to see just how much time del Toro has to give to this project, as he’s doing this little film called The Hobbit. I don’t know if you have heard of that one yet, but yeah, it’s going to suck up a bit of his time.

Personally, I want this film to die, but I know it won't. That said, if I had a choice of director, my hand would have to lay firmly on the shoulder of Ti West. I know he's not the type to do it, and I never want him too, but The Orphanage is a slow burn, and he is good at that. I've just seen an earlier film of his, Trigger Man, and while it's not a similar film to House of the Devil, it does have a similar sense of tension, which I think would be perfect for this film.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Oscar Doc Short List Down To 15...

Last week, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences released their short list of Animated films that would be up for the five spots. Well, now the Documentary side of the Academy have gotten there list up, and it’s quite the list, that has sparked quite the discussion.

It appears as though, while locks like Food, Inc and The Cove have gotten their spots, other highly talked about documentaries have been left off. Casualties like Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story, Tyson, and Anvil! The Story of Anvil, have been left off, as well as my personal favorite so far this year, It Might Get Loud.

Now, what did get nominated you may be asking? Well, here’s your list:

• The Beaches of Agnes

• Burma VJ

• The Cove

• Every Little Step

• Facing Ali

• Food, Inc.

• Garbage Dreams

• Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders

• The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and The Pentagon Papers

• Mugabe and the White African

• Sergio

• Soundtrack for a Revolution

• Under Our Skin

• Valentino The Last Emperor

• Which Way Home

However, the story here isn’t who DID get nominated, it’s who didn’t. I have seen more than a few documentaries this year, and all of which have been snubbed, along side hyped fair like We Live In Public. I thought for sure Tyson, Anvil, and Capitalism would not only make the 15, but make the final five when it was all said and done, along with The Cove and Food, Inc.

All I know now is that I guess I need to get on the ball.

Go see something good!

NEWS/POSTER: French Avatar Poster, And The Soundtrack Listing Spoils The Film...

I love film scores/soundtracks. I love them long time.

However, many times a films plot can be spoiled, almost completely, by simply revealing the titles of the tracks. Many times, a composer will list a song with some sort of thematic title, that instead of revealing plot points, simply posits the films theme/style. Take The Dark Knight’s Joker Theme, “Why So Serious?” for example. Instead of being called “The Joker Takes Control of Two Boats For A Social Experiment”, it simple plays off the films theme and style. That said, James Horner, composer of the score for Avatar, didn’t decide to do that, and instead decided to ruin much of the films plot.

But first, some unspoilery news.

First, a new poster has been released, and looks beyond gorgeous. Sure, it’s a split head poster, something that I have never really been a fan of, but honestly, there has yet to be something released about this film that has hindered my anticipation for this thing. Sure, it has been curbed a bit, particularly when seeing the human aspects of the film (which are beyond lackluster), but I’m still really excited to see what Cameron can do with this pet project of his.

Here’s the poster. Enjoy!



Also, in a ReelzChannel interview, Horner confirmed that the film would clock in right at three hours.

Now, for those who don't mind Avatar slightly spoiled for them, check out the following score track listing.

1. “You Don’t Dream in Cryo…”
2. Jake Enters His Avatar World
3. Pure Spirits of the Forest
4. The Bioluminescence of the Night
5. Becoming One of “The People”
Becoming One With Neytiri
6. Climbing Up – “Iknimaya – The Path to Heaven”
7. Jake’s First Flight
8. Scorched Earth
9. Quaritch
10. The Destruction of “Hometree”
11. Shutting Down Grace’s Lab
12. Gathering All the Na’vi Clans for Battle
13. War
14. I See You (Theme from "Avatar")

(VIA THE PLAYLIST)

It was also recently announced that, I See You, the theme from the film, was set to be sung by Leonna Lewis, so expect a big Oscar push for that track.

What do YOU think about all of this news?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Wolfman Getting New Editing Crew...

Talk about a film that just can’t get an honest shake in this world.

It appears that the long-troubled Wolfman remake that Universal is set to release, is broken in more ways than one. The film, a big-budget remake of Universal’s classic monster staple has gone through director changes (Mark Romanek leaving weeks before the start of principal photography), composer changes (Danny Elfman leaving due to delays) and release date shifts (I can’t even come up with a legit number to describe how many release dates this film has had), and now it looks like it hasn’t been edited to the level of quality that the studio would like.

According to an article from Variety, editors Mark Goldblatt and Walter Murch have been picked up by Universal to replace original editor Dennis Virkler, in hopes that they will “recut” the film.

This does not bode well for the already floundering project, one that no matter how interesting the trailers look, and they do, I just can’t get fully behind. Through all of the reshoots and delays, I have somewhat stayed open minded about this film, but honestly, I’m losing more and more hope as the days pass. Not only that, but while the trailers are interesting, it doesn’t look like they are doing anything particularly new with the project.

The Playlist also posits the idea that this may, if the film bombs as I think it will, be the death blow, at least for the time being, for all of Universal’s upcoming monster slate:

"The Wolfman" is supposed to kick-start another cycle of Universal Horror movies, with remakes of "The Bride of Frankenstein" (to be directed by "The Illusionist's" Neil Burger), "The Invisible Man" (courtesy of "Dark Knight" co-screenwriter David S. Goyer) and "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" (for "Sahara's" Breck Eisner).

If "The Wolfman" bombs as bad as it looks like it will, then all of these movies will be stalled indefinitely, for sure, and the studio will find itself in the same place it was in 2004, when the lackluster commercial performance of Stephen Sommers' "Van Helsing" cancelled similar plans for its all-star monster line-up.

I could not agree more. That said, the two editors that they brought in, do hold their own.

Murch has edited such great pieces as Apocalypse Now and The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Goldblatt has done films like The Howling and T2, so you know that these two men can hold their own in an editing room. That said, this whole film just doesn’t seem like it was truly meant to be. Not all of my hope is gone, but honestly, I just don’t see this film making much of a splash critically or monetarily. Where am I proved wrong? Nothing has gone right for this film so far, and while I hope it does come out of that and gives us something worth while, but it looks less and less likely.

That said, who knows.

Go see something good!

NEWS: Richard Linklater's Liars (A-E) Officially Dead...

This has not been the best of years for Mr. Slacker, Richard Linklater.

First, his new film Me and Orson Welles has now FINALLY found some sort of distribution, albeit limited, and has been taking blows from critics, who have not been too fond of the Zac Effron starrer. The semi-sequel to Dazed and Confused, That’s What I’m Talking About, never left the ground, and now his new Miramax project, Liars (A-E), has become one of the new Miramax casualties.

Hell, even School of Rock 2 has gone nowhere.

Movieline now reports that Liars (A-E) has become a new victim of the much publicized downsizing of Miramax. Here’s the synopsis for that film via /Film:

Announced in July, the film quickly attached Rebecca Hall and Kat Dennings to a story that would have seen the two on a road trip to retrieve stuff from Hall’s ex-boyfriends, with Obama’s inauguration in the background. The picture seemed ready to go at Miramax, with the mighty Scott Rudin producing. Now it isn’t going anywhere.

So here’s the scoop. First, the good news.

Recently, Collider has had the chance to talk to Linklater about his spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused, TWITA. According to their interview, Linklater does hope to bring that film back to life somewhere down the line:

I carefully called it a spiritual sequel to Dazed cause it’s not the same characters. If Dazed was my High School, this is my college . It’s about a weekend in college in that time period. It’s funny…I think it’s the funniest thing I ever wrote.

This is easily the biggest piece of news, personally, that has risen from the ashes known as Linklater’s 2009. I love Dazed, and hearing this premise, while a bit cliché, does sound like perfect stomping ground for Linklater and his distinct and esoteric style. Sure, there is some lack of interest amongst distributors, but when names get attached to the project, there shouldn’t be much problem finding some sort of funding.

Now the bad.

First, in the Movieline interview, he confirms that there have been no movement on School of Rock 2, which all in all, I think is a good thing. Linklater hasn’t been to up on the project, so the death of this, at least at the moment, is a bit inspiring, particularly when taken in the context of Linklater’s upcoming slate. More time on TWITA is always a good thing.

However, the overall story here is the death of Liars (A-E), which in and of itself is quite saddening. The project sounding interesting, and starred Kat Dennings, an actress I think could burst off the screen within the environment of a Linklater film.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Rob Marshall Confirmed For Pirates 4...

Singing Pirates? I think that sounds like a great idea, don't you?

All the way back in July, rumors began circulating that Chicago director Rob Marshall was at the top of the list of directors to take over the vacant directors chair for the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which had been left by original trilogy director, Gore Verbinski.

Well, it appears those rumors have been verified, and we can now say that Pirates 4 will be directed by Rob Marshall. At the recent DGA screening of Nine, Marshall indeed confirmed that he is now slated to direct Pirates 4. Here’s what he had to say:

“ya’know, it’s something that I was offered and never in the world thought I would do but then I was like ‘why not?’… I’m doing ‘Pirates of the Caribbean….”.

This is all according to a report from AICN, which also states that Johnny Depp, rumored to be out of the project, was excited to get to work with Marshall. Interesting news indeed.

Now, aside from this news, the only other thing that we truly know is that the film will be based on a pirate novel written by Tim Powers, called, you guessed it, On Stranger Tides, which had been picked up by Disney a few years back. Here’s the synopsis:

Puppeteer John Chandagnac, bound for Jamaica to recover stolen money from his uncle, becomes Jack Shandy after pirates attack his ship and force him to join their crew. Shandy’s struggle to accept his new life grounds the story for readers, even as Blackbeard and vodun magicians whisk everyone away to dreamlike lands where the Fountain of Youth itself awaits. The chaotic sea battles sing, though at times key events happen so quickly that they get lost in the shuffle as Jack tries to comprehend where he’s going and what’s at stake.

Most people may shake their heads at this idea, but personally, I love the choice. While I’m not the biggest fan of Chicago, I think Marshall has a very distinct style, one that could be interesting when put in context of a pirate film. He also has made his money in costume/style heavy fair, which this is definitely a part of. Sure, it won’t be a musical, but I think Verbinski, while a fantastic director, was beginning to feel stale in the directors chair of that film, and I’m very excited to see that Disney is set to shift to a very different style. It at least gives me hope that Disney is going to try to do something interesting with this film, which about a month ago, I would never have thought.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: What Will Wes Anderson Do Next?

With the limited release of Wes Anderson’s newest film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, now under way, two things are happening. People are starting to sing the films praises (currently a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes), an people are also starting to ask “what’s next?” for the film’s director.

Well, a light has been shined on that exact subject.

Over a year ago, word came out that Anderson was going to work on a remake of the French film, My Best Friend. It looks like that project hasn’t been scrapped (like some rumors were proclaiming), but instead, was going to be his next film. A script has been drafted, and is now titled The Rosenthaler Suite. Here’s the scoop from /Film (via The Playlist, who attained a draft of the script):

The Playlist got a copy of the script and runs down some of the differences between it and the original film. The French My Best Friend is a comic meditation on the nature of friendship. It follows François (Daniel Auteuil), an arrogant and unpleasant antique dealer who was challenged by his business partner, Catherine (Julie Gayet), to produce his best friend (not believing that he had one). If he succeeds, he will be able to retain possession of a valuable Greek vase he purchased using company money. François sets out to look for a best friend and finds Bruno (Dany Boon), a gregarious cabbie, who will hopefully help him win the bet.

In Anderson’s version, transplanted to New York, the primary character is Nicolas, an art dealer. The plot is kicked into motion by rival art dealer Lucinda, and Bruno becomes a Polish cab driver named Zbigniew. (The Playlist notes that George Clooney seems like a lock for Nicolas, that Angelica Huston or Meryl Streep would be ideal Lucindas, and that Adrien Brody could be Zbigniew. For the latter, I’m envisioning Eugene Hutz, were it not for his similar role in Everything is Illuminated.)

Could this be his next project? My hunches are no, as he has been reported as saying that he wants to simply do something wholly original, so while it’s not out of the question, I highly doubt it. A rumored Fantastic Mr. Fox comic book could be on the horizon, but honestly, I don’t even think Anderson knows what his next project is, but I think that’s a good thing. I haven’t seen Fox, but it looks similar to his previous films, and I think doing something, even script wise, wholly original, could be good for him. I’m with The Playlist in hoping that Roman Coppola could pick up Suite, but who knows.

What would YOU like to see Anderson do next?

Go see something good!

POSTER/BUZZ: Crazy Heart...

Originally built with the help of the CMT network, Crazy Heart is a film that has burst out of nowhere (set for a spring 2010 release originally), and has gathered MASSIVE buzz for both the film as a whole, as well as the films male lead. Well, add a poster to that buzz.



What the hell is Crazy Heart you all may be asking? Here's the films synopsis:

Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. Bad also becomes the mentor to a contemporary country star, Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), while simultaneously struggling in the rising young crooner’s shadow.

The film stars Jeff Bridges, who is getting Mickey Rourke size buzz for his performance as the lead, Bad Blake. Bridges isn't only a strong performer in the film, according to those who have seen it, but he also sings in the film, a bonus that the Academy truly loves. It's not a super strong year for male leads, so so far this year, it looks like Bridges and Colin Firth, for A Single Man, look like the Rourke/Penn double team for this year.

Along with buzz from critics, Bridges is going to get not only nominated, but be put right in the forefront, because the man has been pumping out performance after performance for 40 years now. Seriously, this a performance the Academy jerks itself off to in their golden coked out daze.

Just saying, watch out for this film come Oscar time.

Go see something good!

NEWS: Thor To Go Into Production in January...

Oh Twitter, how easily you break news.

So, basically, over on their Twitter, Production Weekly said that Marvel Studios is set to begin principal photography on Thor, sometime in January. Hopefully, in the run up leading up to principal photography starting, we may be able to get a hold of some production materials, and maybe even a script. However, all we know now is this.

- Kenneth Branagh is helming the project

- Script is written by Mark Protosevich (with alleged revisions by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz

- The movies plot is basically this: The movie’s story sees the god of thunder Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions re-ignite an ancient war. As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans. Once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

- Chris Hemworth is starring in the titular role

- Odin will be played by Anthony Hopkins

- Natalie Portman is Jane Foster, nurse to Thor’s alter-ego, Donald Blake

- Loki will be played by Tom Hiddleston

- Jaimie Alexander and Stellan Skarsgard are also in the cast.

- Production will kick off in L.A. in January, and then will move to New Mexico in March, and should be in the can by April, if all goes well. Expect SOMETHING to be seen at Comic Con, if not earlier.

What are YOUR thoughts on this project?

Go see something good…

NEWS: Release Dates Galore..

Early this week, we all got our first look at what will be Noah Baumbach’s new comedy, Greenberg, which stars Ben Stiller, Rhys Ifans, and Greta Gerwig. Well, today, we have officially found a new release date for the film as well.

The film, which was created by Baumbach and his wifey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, stars Ben Stiller as Roger Greenberg, who is a man in his 40’s at the crossroads in his life. Here’s the synopsis from The Playlist:

The film is about a man in his 40s at a crossroads in his life, Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) ends up housesitting at his brother’s home in Los Angeles. There, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with his brother’s assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring singer. Florence and Greenberg’s encounters lead to an uncertain and wonderfully vulnerable courtship. Rhys Ifans plays one of Stiller's old best friends. The film also co-stars Brie Larson, Juno Temple, Chris Messina and Mark Duplass.

The release date you ask? How does March 12th, 2010 sound to you all?

I’m not the biggest fan of Margot at the Wedding, although I do see merits below that films sort of mumble-core surface. However, with his two previous films, Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale, Baumbach is a truly fantastic film maker. Full of fantastic music and some of the most true to heart moments on screen in recent memory, Baumbach is a film maker who is willing to go out on a limb, and take chances. With Stiller in the lead, this will hopefully work on a better and higher clip than Margot, as Jack Black was that films true weak link. Stiller is a far better actor, and has proven that he can do something a bit more serious, or at least something a bit more dry, as is a staple in Baumbach’s films.

We also found out that Focus Films will also be releasing the Jamie Bell vehicle, The Eagle of the Ninth in the third quarter of next year, the new Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck film, It’s Kind of a Funny Story in November, and finally, Sofia Coppola’s new film, Somewhere, arriving sometime, most likely fall, of 2010.

Finally, The Playlist also reports that Anton Corbijn, who hit the film scene with the brilliant Joy Division film, Control, will have his new George Clooney star-er, The American, on September 1st. Interesting spot, for an interesting film.
What are your thoughts on these films?

Go see something good!

NEWS: The Monopoly Film Is Exactly What We Thought It Would Be...

One would hope that, with Ridley Scott at the help, the upcoming Monopoly film would at least sound a tad bit interesting, and could somehow be solid, but nothing, and I mean nothing, could have led anyone to believe that the film would be as George-Lucas-esque bad as the recently discussed premise is. Here’s what Frank Beddor, the man behind the mustache (well, at least the film and its concept), had to say.

[H]e’s in this very vibrant place, Monopoly City, and he’s just come out of a Chance Shop. As it goes on, he takes on the evil Parker Brothers in the game of Monolopy. He has to defeat them. It tries to incorporate all the iconic imageries - a sports car pulls up, there’s someone on a horse, someone pushing a wheelbarrow - and rich Uncle Pennybags, you’re going to see him as the maître d’ at the restaurant and he’s the buggy driver and the local eccentric and the doorman at the opera. There’s all these sight gags.

Uhh, yeah. I honestly have no idea what to say.

Hero Complex, who had the scoop on all of Beddor’s verbal vomit, goes on to discuss the character who we will follow, who happens to be a “comedic, loveable loser, who’s not so hot at his job in Real Estate.” Comparisons to Jumanji and Zathura have run rampant throughout the web, and honestly, those comparisons are for the hopeful. This thing sounds beyond “Indiana Jones 4” style stupidity.

That said, /Film brings up a good point, that this guy, Beddor, is NOT penning the final screenplay, and Pamela Pettler is. Throughout a films production, screenplays change, stories shift, and movies grow and change equally. This needs that to happen, and fast. We don’t know what will be the final story, but how awful the story sounds, and how corny all of the iconography is, just leaves me even more worried about the project than I previously was.

All in all, this is not a project that I have too high of hopes for. Ridley Scott is showing that he may (doubtfully) be losing a step, at least with Body of Lies, but overall, I still have faith in him. But only when the source material works, and this is the polar opposite of that. Chance Shop? That should kind of spell out what the f*** for those out of the 1st grade.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Fincher's Next Project...

There may not be a single film maker working today that, if a film of his is being released, I will be waiting in line before the script is even written, bigger than David Fincher.

The guy is a genius.

Now, currently shooting The Social Network, the much talked about adaptation of The Accidental Billionaires, a.k.a. the Facebook Story, it appears as though he has signed up for his next project, and Fincher fanboys rejoice, he’s going back to thrillers.

According to THR, Fincher has signed on to adapt The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, based on a script written by Andrew Kevin Walker, who also happened to pen the script for the essential serial killer film, Fincher’s Seven. Here’s the scoop:

‘Proud’ centers on a college professor who begins having recurring dreams and nightmares and, realizing they are images of a past life, decides to search out the source of the visions. With his girlfriend in tow, he discovers a woman and her grown-up daughter who are keys to his past life.

This is beyond fantastic news. This is like Darren Aronofsky actually getting his Noah’s Ark project off the ground. Not only will it be great to see Fincher and Walker back together on the big screen, because as I said above, Seven is easily the first serial killer film any knowing cinephile will come up with when asked their favorite serial killer film. Also, Fincher has made his name on dark thrillers, and this seems to be familiar territory. I’m a massive fan of Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but I do reckognize it’s faults. However, you look at what Fincher has done in the thriller genre, and you have a long list of fantastic entries, ranging from the aforementioned Seven, to Zodiac, Fincher’s deconstruction of the genre.

While I’m insanely interested The Social Network, based on Fincher, the cast, and the Sorkin script (one of many collecting dust on my desk at the time being), but I do think that this is a more intriguing film, simply because it’s something that I think Fincher can truly knock out of the ballpark. I do think Social Network is going to be great, and a fantastic film, because minus Alien 3, that’s all Fincher makes, but I am personally more interested in this than Network.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Battleship To Feature Boats. Fighting Aliens...

So yeah, board game to film adaptations are set to be the new remake in the eyes of Hollywood, and to kick it all off, will be Battleship directed by Peter Berg.

However, one can not help but be intrigued at the idea of the man who brought us The Kingdom, The Rundown, and Friday Night Lights taking on a title like Battleship, for many reasons, the main one being that this, unlike a remake or sequel, has no previous canon or story to deal with.

Just two people, some pegs, and sinking battleships.

Well, you can add aliens to that list.

According to Latino Review, it appears as though the villain(s) in Berg’s upcoming adaptation of the legendary game will not be a warring warship, but instead, you guessed it, aliens.

This has depressing and low expectations written all over it. First, the script is being written by the brother duo of Jon and Erich Hoeber, who recently gave us the Citizen Kane of our era (I really hope you all can taste the sarcasm dripping off that statement) Whiteout. Second, it’s based on a Hasbro board game, and looks to be as equally over the top dumb as this year’s G.I. Joe, and possibly as racist as this year’s Transformers 2 (okay, that I have no idea about, but it’s bound to be as stupid as that pile of drek anyways).

Third, and most sad, is that recently Berg left his Dune adaptation, and from the looks of it, looked to be going full steam ahead. While I am glad to see Neil Marshall and Neil Blomkamp in the hunt to pick that film up, it just makes me sad that instead of getting an interesting adaptation of Dune out of Berg, we are going to get this loud, over the top, explosiongasm the likes of possibly nothing we have seen so far, that will feature boats. Fighting aliens. Hopefully not starring Robert Pattinson.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Three More Join Black Swan...

It looks like one of the first scripts I’ve ever reviewed, Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, is not only brilliant in and of itself, but the cast being assembled around it is one of the most interesting I can remember.

Add three more huge names to that list.

Black Swan, which is going to begin being shot in New York City in a matter of weeks, is set to star Natalie Portman as Nina, a veteran ballerina who is locked in a battle with another, hot shot dancer Lilly, which is going to be played by Mila Kunis. According to /Film and his faithful spies, three more top notch actors are going to join up. Here’s the scoop, straight from the horses mouth:

So what other actors and actresses will join Portman and Kunis in the new Aronofsky film? Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey (The Portrait of a Lady). There are three Academy Award nominations within the credits of these three new additions.

One can assume, and this appears to be correct according to sources, that Ryder will portray Beth, Nina’s “friend” who is running right into the end of her illustrious career. The ballet’s director, Yevna, will be the role that Cassel will portray, and Hershey will most likely play Nina’s mother, which is interesting, because at one point in time, Meryl Streep was rumored to be in the hunt for this role.

This all could not be better news. I’m on the record as calling the script brilliant, and “like a slow burn that leaves you with a scar for days.” The script really stuck with me, and some of the images in the film, just the script itself, haunted me for more than I would have liked. It’s a dark, dark tale, one that I think is going to be damn near impossible to truly market, but one that I think will be something that NO ONE is going to want to miss. Now with a cast like this, it’s just even more anticipated by me, particularly in the addition of Cassel. I love Ryder, and think that she is perfect to play this dancer on the tale end of her career (hopefully with a Mickey Rourke-esque supporting role turn), but I don’t think Aronofsky could have gotten a better or more pitch perfect actor for this role. It’s a charismatic character, one that sexy, violent, and controlling. I love Cassel as an actor, and I think he is perfect for not only this dark film, but also the role itself.

I don't want to go too deep into the plot right now, but if you want, click the link below to head over to my script review of Black Swan.

CLICK HERE FOR MY REVIEW OF THE SCRIPT
What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

NEWS: Boyle's Next Film To Feature An Hour of No Dialouge?

I love silent films.

One thing I love even more, is when a modern film incorporates the idea of silent cinema, and brings it to modern audiences.

Triplets Of Belleville, my favorite animated film of all time, is a perfect example. The opening 20 minutes of Wall-E, or even the tear jerking 5 minute montage in the opening of Up (the best part of that film), are all great examples as well. However, it’s not often used, outside of There Will Be Blood (which may be the single best use of this idea), in the realm of live action films.

That said, Danny Boyle is about to throw his hat in the silent ring, and with more than one could have expected.

About a week ago, it was reported that Danny Boyle would not be doing sequels to 28 Weeks Later or Trainspotting as his next film, but instead, 127 Hours, the story of Aron Ralston. Who is Aron Ralston? Well, he’s more of a man than any of us could ever be, as he is a famous mountain climber who, after being trapped by a boulder for nearly five days, had to amputate his own arm to free himself. Balls? F*** yes.

Indiewire recently had a chance to talk to the film maker, who confirmed that Slumdog Millionaire scribe Simon Beaufoy is tapped to pen the screenplay, but has not yet started a draft, which will be adapted from Boyle’s treatment. However, that’s not really the news. The biggest chunk of news is that Boyle intends for the first hour to be completely dialogue free. In the actual story, Ralston WAS completely alone, and stuck in a canyon, so one could imagine that there wouldn’t be much talking. The film will rely solely on the acting ability of whatever actor is cast (Ryan Gosling has been rumoured).

Boyle continues and says the film has no green light or budget right now, but after winning an Oscar, that shouldn’t be too hard to attain.

This is beyond good news. The story itself is full of drama, and the idea of having a Castaway type story like this, without the horrible plot device that was the volleyball, is intriguing. I think Boyle is a brilliant film maker, as much as I didn’t like Slumdog, and I think if they get the right actor, this thing could be beyond fantastic. The story is inherently interesting and full of intensity and drama, and throw in the idea of being completely alone, the film could not only be a great piece of cinema, but a true horror film. Imagine the Decent, but featuring only one character, and no monsters.

This actually reminds me a lot of the upcoming Ryan Reynolds indie, Buried, which is a script that I still have to get through. In that film, he plays a man who was buried alive, with only a cell phone, and is allegedly getting a release sometime next year. Both of these films sound fantastic.

But what do YOU think?

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NEWS: Oren Peli's Area 51 Gets Some Leads...

During their coverage of the American Film Market, Bloody Disgusting came across the names of the three leads for Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli’s next film, Area 51. The names are all unknowns, which is a great relief, as for most film makers, after a hit like PA, they would easily go Hollywood and look for standard lead actor picks. The three actors are Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovne.

The only one to really see the screen is Warner, and hasn’t been in much besides guest spots on The Unit and Eli Stone. The budget of the film is also a hint at what to expect, as it is somewhere right around $5 million, and can be expected that the majority of that will be put to effects.

Here is what /Film has to say on the upcoming film:

Peli began shooting Area 51, another found-video thriller which is described as a “claustrophobic terror”, last month in Utah. Peli is trying to keep details under wraps, saying “I’d rather not say anything about ‘Area 51′ except that I am very pleased to be working with the same team who stood by me for the two or three years it took ‘Paranormal Activity’ to get into theaters.”

Sure, I’m not the worlds biggest Paranormal Activity fan, but honestly, the idea of a found footage horror film set in Area 51 sounds like a film straight out of my dreams. Alien films have been scarce lately, and it is about time that this generation gets their Fire In The Sky. The idea of this film interests me like very few have, and I can’t wait to get a chance to find out more about it. Here’s the full press release:

PELI TO EXPLORE “AREA 51” WITH INCENTIVE AND IM GLOBAL

LOS ANGELES, October 6, 2009 - Writer-director Oren Peli is set to start production next week on AREA 51, his follow-up to the supernatural chiller PARANORMAL ACTIVITY which after creating exceptional underground notoriety since its production in 2007 is now in the early stages of its US release by Paramount.

The AREA 51 storyline is a closely guarded secret but is reputedly centered around three teenagers whose curiosity leads them to the legendary and mysterious Area 51 Air Force base deep in the Nevada desert. AREA 51 will, like PARANORMAL ACTIVITY employ a “found footage” narrative strategy. Though Peli will enjoy a significantly larger budget than the $11,000 he spent to make PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, he will continue to work with undiscovered actors.

AREA 51 is produced by Jason Blum under his Blumhouse Productions banner, with Room 101’s Steven Schneider and IM Global chief Stuart Ford serving as executive producers. The film was co-financed by Aramid Entertainment Fund and Incentive Filmed Entertainment, with IM Global handling worldwide sales and CAA co-repping the title in the U.S.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY has enjoyed sell out midnight screenings in 33 cities over recent weeks and Paramount is set to expand the film to around the clock screenings in 40 cities this weekend.

Said Peli: “Actually, I’d rather not say anything about AREA 51 except that I am very pleased to be working with the same team who have stood by me for the two or three years it took PARANORMAL ACTIVITY to get into theatres.”

Said Blum: “Oren has already proven that he has a unique gift for using technology and our inherent fear of the unknown to tell simple yet emotionally compelling stories. In this case his canvas is just a little larger.”

Said David Molner, Chairman of both Incentive and Aramid Capital Partners:” Not since ‘Blair Witch’ has such innovative film-making set off such a stampede among young movie audiences. We are proud and privileged to be in business with Oren and Jason and our longtime partners at IM Global.”

Said Ford: “We’ve already had a crazy ride with Oren and Jason on PARANORMAL ACTIVITY that looks set to get even crazier. It’s exciting to be launching into AREA 51 with Oren just as a worldwide audience is discovering his thrilling debut.”

Go see something good!

NEWS: Paranormal Activity 2 Coming Soon?!?

It seems like one train that just can’t be stopped is the train driven by Oren Peli, and it consists of his $15,000 indie, Paranormal Activity. With the film reaching $85 million in domestic gross, his film is easily one of cinemas biggest stories from this year, and it may be one of the biggest stories of next year too, if the film maker has his way.

Shot in a week at Peli’s home, PA has been scaring the shit out of audiences for about two months now, in what has been called one of the most inventive and impactful release patterns in cinema. Now it looks like Paramount hopes to feed off of that huge buzz, and bring it over into the much rumored and talked about sequel. Here’s the scoop from The Hollywood Reporter, via The Playlist:

It appears that the success of the film - it has grossed $85 million to date and is Paramount's biggest profit maker this year - has earned the attention of Viacom (who own Paramount Pictures) CEO Philippe Dauman. In an earning's call on Tuesday, while smartly noting that the breakout success of the film can't be duplicated, Dauman said, "Our team will come up with the right creative and marketing approach to make sure that we benefit from a sequel."

Translation? You can probably bet on "Paranormal Activity 2" being ready in time for Hallowe'en 2010. The "right creative and marketing approach" probably boils down to: don't spend a lot of money, do a lot of low-cost viral marketing and advertise to the core audience. It's a process that Lionsgate already has down to a science with the "Saw" franchise.

So, as many of you know, I hate remakes, and in many cases, sequels are equally as bad. This is one of those cases in my eyes. Instead of coming off of the success of this film and say, getting his area 51 film done by next year, we will see a useless sequel, which will probably tread the same ground as the first film. I have had my respect for PA grow over time, but overall, I don’t see the need for a sequel, particularly with how the first film ended. If the ending was a bit more ambiguous, sure, but it seemed to close a bit more Hollywood and a bit more solid, that it really doesn’t leave much room for a sequel. Sure, the marketing is going to be great and fun, but really, take a look at the Saw franchise for why I don’t think this will work really at all.

The report continues and mentions that Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick are set to pitch Blair Witch 3, and it is an interesting comparison between PA and Blair Witch, one that I think, with the 10 year anniversary of BW here, I may have to revisit and do an editorial on. It’s also going to be interesting to see what other micro-budget horror films get pushed into production to play off of PA’s success. Could this be the new fad, taking the place of torture porn?

Go see something good!

NEWS: John Hillcoat's Next Project, and It's One Hell Of A Project Indeed...

It looks like rumors are indeed true, and John Hillcoat is already eyeing a new project to follow up his soon to be hit and probably Oscar contender The Road, and it’s one hell of a project indeed.

Back at the beginning of October, the trades have been circulating a rumor stating that Hillcoat was looking at filming an adaptation of Matt Durant’s novel, “The Wettest County In The World”, which, as The Playlist puts it, is a “depression-era crime drama about three brothers who ran a bootlegging gang during Prohibition.” Now, with the fact that the novel was written by a grandson of one of the men that the book is based on, this is a project to put on your must watch list, right? Well, you can add a screenwriter and leads to that mix too.

Talking to Atomic Popcorn, Hillcoat confirms that Shia Labeouf and Ryan Gosling are both attached, but that he “shouldn’t talk about it”, which basically means that it’s not all done yet. However, one thing we can be sure of is that Nick Cave, who also penned Hillcoat’s brilliant western, The Proposition, will be penning the script. Honestly, if the two rumored leads pick up their roles, the film is easily going to launch into the top 10 of my most anticipated for whatever year the film is set to be released in. The Proposition is a fantastic western, with one hell of a script, and both Gosling and LaBeouf are two of the best young actors of their generation, at least in the discussion (Gosling more so).

Here’s the books synopsis:

This family saga follows the Bondurants, bootlegging brothers runnin’ stills, runnin’ loads, and runnin’ from the law in Depression-era Virginia. The book is mainly narrated through the experience of the youngest Bondurant, Jack (in truth, a grandfather of the author), and his family’s moonshine enterprise supplies the action in a plot that evokes the culture of distilling and distributing white lightning. To optimistic Jack, bootlegging is both a bond to his older brothers, Forrest and Howard, and a means to make cash to impress a girl. Forrest, by contrast, is taciturn and suspicious: the world is violent, and he meets it on that ground. Tender of the stills and imbiber from same, burly Howard is always ready to take on the Bondurants’ enemies, corrupt law officers. Wending through this conflict in flash-forward mode is novelist Sherwood Anderson, who plumbs the Bondurant story a few years after the brothers’ climactic confrontation with the county sheriff. Descriptively gritty and emotionally resonant, novelist Bondurant dramatically projects the poverty and danger at the heart of the old-time bootlegging life.

Also, in smaller news, according to The Playlist, Hillcoat will be taking Nick Cave’s newest novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, and will be adapting it for television, as something in an HBO style, so probably a few serialized chapters as a Generation Kill style miniseries. Can’t wait.

Go see something good!

NEWS: Baldwin and Martin to Host Oscars...

Well, it appears as though I may have spoke too soon.

About a week ago, I posted some news, reporting that Neil Patrick Harris would be the host of the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. However, the sources must have been wrong, as it appears he will not be hosting, but instead, the dynamic duo of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.

Coming hot off the heels of Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller declining hosting duties, Martin and Baldwin have officially been named hosts of the 2010 ceremony. Rumors had been circulating that Martin may be hosting either alone or with the help of Tina Fey (as was proposed by anyone who saw the two tear up the stage last year), but it looks like he will be teamed with Alec Baldwin in what should be one of the most interesting and in my own eyes, hotly anticipated award ceremony that I can remember.

Not only do I think Steve Martin is a comedic genius, and always has been, but Baldwin has hosted more episodes of SNL than 99% of celebrities, with increasing results. Both of these guys have insanely strong comedic chops, and it should make for one hell of a fantastic show when it airs in March of next year.

Here’s the news straight from the horses mouth, via their press release:

“We think the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars,” said Shankman and Mechanic. “Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event.”
“I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin,” said Martin.
“I don’t play the banjo but I’m thrilled to be hosting the Oscars – it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Baldwin.

Couldn’t have said it better.

The duo star in “It’s Complicated”, alongside Meryl Streep that will hit theatres later this year

Go see something good!

NEWS: Clooney Joins The Descendents...

A little while back, news came out that I Are Movies favorite, Alexander Payne, had ditched his midget, uh, “little people” comedy, “Downsizing”, and instead shifting his efforts to his adaptation of “The Decendents”, a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings. Fox Searchlight owns the rights, and purchased them in hopes of getting it done by Payne, based on a script by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Here’s how The Playlist sums up the novel:

The novel is a tragicomedy that centers on the story of an attorney who finds himself at a crossroads in his life after his wife dies and takes a trip with his two daughters to find the man she was having an affair with.
Scheduled to start shooting in January of next year, it looks like Payne is getting a bit of a cast lined up. Well, at least a leading man that will definitely get the film a tad bit of buzz, because, the guy happens to just have the last name of Clooney.

Yes, that is right, George Clooney, who is currently over in Italy working on Anton Corbjin’s “The American”, is looking like he wants to stay a bit busy over the upcoming holiday season. Currently in talks to take the lead, Clooney would not only give a ton of clout to this already anticipated film, but also make this much more of a mainstream film, particularly in combination with the tagline “from the director of Sideways,” a film which I think is much more widely seen than many people think. Getting HUGE buzz out of Up In The Air, Jason Reitman’s new film, Clooney is not only at the top of his game, but he’s also in the ever important Oscar race, and barring 5 roles that NO ONE is talking about, should at least be nominated for Best Actor this year. I’m a huge Payne fan, and really, I don’t think there are many actors that can stand up to Clooney when he is on his game. Also, it’s nice to see the only real Hollywood star, continue to help smaller projects get made. Can’t wait. No way to better wash down horrible news of a remake than with a tall glass of Clooney. Delicious.

Go see something good!