Though I never put together a top ten list for 2006, if I had Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep would have slid into the number one or two spot. Combined with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the man is responsible for two of my favorite films from the past few years -- and, needless to say, I'm now eagerly anticipating his next film Be Kind, Rewind. Since it's pretty standard these days for early test screening reviews to eventually make their way over to AICN, one of their beloved readers sent in the scoop on Gondry's latest following a recent test screening in Pasadena. And is it any good?
Well, according to the scooper (who goes by the name Plant! Plant!) it seems Rewind is a bit more commercial than Gondry's previous films, though his trademark quirkiness is certainly apparent throughout. In the pic, Jack Black and Mos Def play two guys who run a tiny video rental store and, when all their vhs tapes accidentally get ruined after being exposed to magnetism, the boys attempt to recreate some of our favorite classic films (Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, etc ...) in order to keep the store's one loyal customer happy. Plant! Plant! says the meat of the film rests in the relationship between Black and Def, saying it is "reminiscent of the best on screen duos we've seen in the past." Another interesting aspect (which leads more toward the commercial front) is the heavy dose of physical comedy included within.
Plant! says it reminded him (or her?) of those old Laurel & Hardy shorts, and I'm not sure yet whether that's good or bad. Regardless, it's a risk for Gondry and one I sincerely hope pays off. The review itself is fairly free of spoilers, so head on over to AICN for the rest of it. Plant! notes the film looked pretty complete, and so I expect the film to be released at some point over the summer (possibly August?).
Insert Caption: Indiana Jones DVDs_thumbnail.jpg)
Cinematical Seven: When an Animated Series Goes Live Action ... and Gets it Right_thumbnail.jpg)
Full 'G.I. Joe' Cast Photos!
