Cinematical

Mixed 'Basterd' Messages From Weinstein?

Jenni Miller — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, RumorMonger, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino

I've been keeping my eye on this whole Inglourious Basterds mishegoss, because I'm a fan of Tarantino's, and of Nazi movies, and of movies where Nazis are killed in spectacularly violent ways, even though the atrociously spelled title is enough to give a copy editor or any responsible writer an aneurysm.

When I read that Harvey Weinstein spectacularly dissed the movie in an interview with GQ, I was a little confused. According to WENN, Weinstein told GQ, "It isn't funny; it isn't exciting; it isn't a realistic war movie, yet neither is it an entertaining genre spoof or a clever counterfactual wartime yarn. It isn't emotionally involving or deliciously ironic or a brilliant tissue of trash-pop references. Nothing like that. Brad Pitt gives the worst performance of his life, with a permanent smirk as if he's had the left side of his jaw injected with cement, and which he must uncomfortably maintain for long scenes on camera without dialogue."

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Frank Darabont Will Die To Make 'Fahrenheit 451'

Elisabeth Rappe — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Classics, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Casting, Mystery & Suspense, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Scripts, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp

A new adaptation (I refuse to use the word remake here) of Fahrenheit 451 has been in the works for ten years now. I was very excited by the news that Mel Gibson was planning it as a Braveheart follow-up, as it seemed like that would mark a new and serious phase of his directing career. I wish that was something I could have been right about.

Frank Darabont was the next one to take it on, and he's been attached to it since 2001, rewriting Terry Hayes' script and being delayed by everything from Indiana Jones IV, Mission Impossible III, The Mist, and Law Abiding Citizen. SciFi Wire caught up with Darabont at the Saturn Awards, and the director / writer declared that it was really time to get on with it already ... and that it might actually get underway this time, depending on whether or not the Big Name Actor he wants signs on.

"Fahrenheit is the thing I'm trying to get up next, which is casting-dependent, so it's one of those. I'm out to somebody at the moment, fingers crossed, because, boy, do I want to make that movie. I'm not giving up. I'll die in the traces before I don't make that movie ... It's not one of those movies that are vastly expensive by any contemporary standard, but money is still money, and it's of a price that requires somebody that will justify that investment. This is definitely going to be more than The Mist, so those other considerations do come into play."

You can go crazy wondering just who that Big Actor who can pull in the money and box office might be. Could it be someone that rumors have long attached, like Tom Hanks (Darabont's pick for years), Brad Pitt, or Tom Cruise? Or could we be looking at someone newly bankable, like Johnny Depp?

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Columbia Postpones Soderbergh's 'Moneyball'

Eric D. Snider — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sports, Deals, Brad Pitt

You know things are bad in Hollywood when a production gets shut down just three days before it's supposed to start filming -- and when the production in question stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Steven Soderbergh. The last three movies those guys made together all had the word Ocean's in the title. What gives?

Well, according to Variety, Columbia Pictures chair Amy Pascal found the latest script revisions for Moneyball so different from what she'd originally greenlighted that she pulled the plug on Friday. Filming was supposed to start in Phoenix on Monday. This is the equivalent of canceling a flight while the plane is accelerating down the runway. Those script revisions must have really been something. Maybe Soderbergh had decided to turn it into a four-hour biography of Pancho Villa.

Moneyball is based on a nonfiction book that uses the 2002 Oakland A's baseball team as a case study for examining how less wealthy teams can compete with richer ones (like the Yankees) by hiring players whose statistics in certain areas -- but not the ones usually considered, like batting averages and RBIs -- indicate they'll perform well. Yes, it's a book about statistics. You can see why a movie would be a hard sell to begin with. But the book was a bestseller, appealing to baseball fans (who tend to love statistics) and readers who enjoy a good underdog story. Pitt was to play A's manager Billy Beane, whose theories about which players would be most valuable went against conventional wisdom but were ultimately vindicated.

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Quentin Tarantino Will Tweak 'Inglourious Basterds'

Elisabeth Rappe — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Independent, Thrillers, Cannes, Scripts, The Weinstein Co., DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, War

The version of Inglourious Basterds that played to mixed reviews at Cannes won't be the version we see, for better or for worse. Quentin Tarantino is heading back into the editing bay next month, and giving the film an extra scene or two. (And nothing is harder to write about than a film you and the rest of the moviegoing world hasn't even seen, so bear with me here.)

The director admitted to Variety's Anne Thompson that he felt overfiddling had hurt Death Proof, so he deliberately put Basterds on a Cannes deadline -- but it was one that was so tight that he had to rush "a dripping-wet print" to the festival. As a result, Basterds was 19 minutes less than he needed to retain final cut.

So, he's adding footage back in. One is a scene that he filmed, but hasn't yet assembled that introduces the characters of Michael Fassbender and Diane Kruger's more thoroughly. For those of us who didn't get to see the film at its Cannes debut, that means little. But if you read the script, it comes before the La Louisiane sequence. However, if you're hoping to see Maggie Chung as Madame Mimieux, you'll be disappointed. The scenes between Mimieux and Melanie Laurent's Shoshanna Dreyfuss won't be restored as Tarantino feels they don't add to the narrative.

But the final edit might rest on audience approval. Tarantino's going to be doing some test screenings "outside of California" to see how the film plays to the people, and will fine tune it from there -- but hopefully not to the point of Death Proof fiddling ...

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Brad Pitt to Play Steve McQueen?

Monika Bartyzel — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Drama, Casting, RumorMonger, Brad Pitt

Steve McQueen's widow might think that Daniel Craig would be the perfect actor to bring her husband back to life on the big screen, but it doesn't look like that's the direction Christine Peters and Michael Cerenzie are going with their adaptation of Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel. In fact, if rumors are true, they're looking for the man who was once rumored to be remaking McQueen's classic Bullitt -- Brad Pitt.

The Examiner says the actor is about to sign on to play McQueen in the biopic, which will kick into production later this year. They seem fairly happy with the news, stating: "The casting might work, Pitt resembles McQueen and shares the late actor's love of beautiful women, fast cars, and motorcycles." Me, I'm not so sure.

It all comes down to "the pretty." McQueen definitely had looks himself, but he was one of the men considered sexy for rugged strength and charisma, not for perfectly balanced, superstar features. He was the man you might dig in spite of yourself -- which is why McQueen's widow made a pretty good call with Craig. But Pitt ... is he too pretty? Too much of a looker and too little of the rugged machismo? While I've no doubt that he can handle the acting, could Mr. Jolie bring to life that "it" that made Steve McQueen so damn cool?

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Cannes in 60 Seconds: Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Peter Martin — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:02:00 EST

Filed under: Cannes, Festival Reports, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino

Nothing like a little war movie to bookend a day at the Cannes Film Festival. Lines began forming at the crack of dawn to see the first screening of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds this morning, and, still, many were shut out. (Erik Davis rounded up the first reactions from those who did manage to gain admittance.) Evening brought the glamour, as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie led a parade of celebrities down the fabled red carpet for the black-tie and gown gala presentation. As a cherry on top, Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell screened at midnight.

Films Sold. Amazingly -- or maybe not, when you consider all the free publicity it's already accrued -- Lars Von Trier's highly controversial and divisive Antichrist sold to IFC Films. The company says they will release the same version as the one screened in Cannes, according to indieWIRE. Specific release plans were not announced, but expect it this fall, in order to capitalize on the buzz. Also, I suggest a poster highlighting Willem Dafoe's previous, religiously-titled movie: "From The Last Temptation of Christ to ... Antichrist!"

Much less controversially, IFC also picked up Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, which the company describes as the director's "most accessible, crowd pleasing film." More details at indieWIRE.

Key Screenings. Competition: Alain Resnais' drama Wild Grass, starring Mathieu Amalric (the reviews so far, collected by David Hudson at IFC's The Daily, range from reserved to rave). Un Certain Regard: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's supernatural-tinged drama Nymph (Todd Brown at Twitch reviews), Luc Mullet's Land of Madness. Directors' Fortnight: Axelle Ropert's The Wolberg Family (a small town mayor's obsession with his family), Ho Tzu Nyen's Here (a middle-aged man deals with life as a patient in a medical institution).

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Tarantino Talks 'Basterds' Prequel in New Interview

Peter Martin — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Foreign Language, The Weinstein Co., Newsstand, Brad Pitt, War

How soon is too soon for a hard sell? Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds (sic) doesn't open in theaters in the US for three more months, but it will have its world premiere in competition at Cannes next week (May 20). Tarantino has been busy promoting it everywhere from American Idol, where he served last month as a guest "director," to the New York Times, where he mentioned in passing, "I have a half-written prequel ready to go if this movie's a smash."

That's a big "if." Will people turn out to see a funny -- and likely to be extremely violent -- World War II movie in the dog days of August, even with Brad Pitt? Inglourious Basterds takes place in "a Quentin period world," according to production designer David Wasco, in which "a band of Jewish-American soldiers [go] on a scalp-hunting revenge quest against the Nazis," as the NYT describes the plot. Reportedly, 70% of the dialogue will be in French and German with English subtitles. One of the actors playing a Nazi, Daniel Brühl, considers the film an out-and-out laugh fest: "If a comedy is intelligent and has depth, it's a very legitimate way to talk about Fascism in Nazi Germany."

But what about a prequel? "Once the Basterds get through with Europe," Tarantino says, "they could go to the South and do it to the Kluxers in the '50s. That's another story you could tell." Another possibility is a shelved subplot following "African-American soldiers stuck behind enemy lines." His first hurdle is getting past the notoriously prickly Cannes critical corps. The rest of us can pass judgment in August.

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Cinematical Seven: Our Most Anticipated Films of Summer '09

William Goss — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Animation, Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Disney, Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, Fandom, The Weinstein Co., Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Cinematical Seven, Harry Potter, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Lists, War, Summer Movies

Not many movie-going summers have had the good sense or fortune to formally kick themselves off with the likes of Hugh Jackman and his razor-sharp jazz hands, but as these are the times in which we live in, it's a clear indication that we're in for about eighteen weeks of spectacular spectaculars worth gulping down popcorn and guzzling down pop* with.

Eugene's already shone the spotlight on a fair amount of smaller titles worth your while, so our staff tried to keep the focus on that which we haven't seen, those spectacles for which we're most excited and least likely to text during. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls: sit down and shut up, because these are the seven movies that we're fairly f**kin' pumped for.

(*Okay, I pretty much never call soda that, but you get the idea.)

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Our Most Anticipated Films of Summer '09

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Cannes Film Festival Reveals Lineup, Somehow Gets Cooler Than Ever

William Goss — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Language, Horror, Independent, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Cannes, Mystery & Suspense, Disney, Universal, Focus Features, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Depp, War

Ah, the Croisette. I can feel the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, the gentle crash of the waves reverberating through my ear canal... oh, wait. None of that rings a bell, because I've never been to the Cannes Film Festival.

But those who have seem to love it, and with a lineup like this year's, it's not hard to see why. As we recently mentioned, the fest will open with Pixar's apparently awesome Up, and showcase the latest from Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds), Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock), Terry Gilliam (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon), Pedro Almodovar (Broken Embraces), Ken Loach (Looking for Eric), Lars von Trier (Antichrist), Alejandro Amenabar (Agora), Michel Gondry (L'epine dans le coeur) and Park Chan-wook (Thirst), among others.

Yes, there's more. Sundance hit Precious (formerly Push) will make an appearance, as will SXSW fave Drag Me to Hell (to see all those tuxes and gowns jolt from their seats might qualify as an entertainment all its own). The 62nd Festival will run from May 13th to the 24th, and Erik, Scott: you still totally have time to send me, and I still totally have time to get a tux, and to update my passport, and to learn French... Just think about it.

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What Turned Your "Tween / Teen" Crank?

Elisabeth Rappe — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Fandom, Family Films, Brad Pitt

For better or worse, we're living in a generation dominated by the "tweens." Granted, I think this is largely the media and movie industry being reminded that the young exist, have a little disposable income, and like soft, safe movies with Zac Efron and sparkly vampires. I don't mean that as dismissively as it may sound. Adolescence is an awkward thing, as I'm sure we all remember, and while I don't want the tastes of 10-13 ruling studios for the next ten years, it's good to cater to them with a movie or two.

Thinking back though, I'm at a loss as to what ruled my tween / teen years. I was an odd duck though, focused on Renaissance Faires and all things medieval, so the only thing that looms very large is Braveheart. I also remember being quite impressed by Legends of the Fall and Brad Pitt's long, tousled hair. I believe he and Mel Gibson were my first pin-ups, which I'm sure explains a lot about me to this day.

Though I know I was hideously out of touch with my demographic, I wonder if my generation is a "lost" one of 20-somethings that escaped being pigeonholed into a particular taste and demographic. Casper was about as gently gushy as we got. There was no in-between like Twilight, you had to jump straight from Disney into Tarantino. It was eye-opening and kind of scary, and makes me empathize with those who enjoy a chaste stepping stone of Hannah Montana and Edward Cullen. I know I was too young to see some of that stuff ... but then again, I also turned out just fine.

Continue reading What Turned Your "Tween / Teen" Crank?

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Watchmen's Screenwriter Pens 'Battling Boy' for Brad Pitt's Plan B

Elisabeth Rappe — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Paramount, Scripts, Family Films, Newsstand, Brad Pitt, Comic/Superhero/Geek

Back in November, Brad Pitt and Paramount fell hard for Paul Pope's Battling Boy, which they snapped up before it had even hit store shelves. The book isn't due to be published until 2010, but according to The Hollywood Reporter the film adaptation already has a screenwriter: Alex Tse, who is fresh off Watchmen and busy penning scripts for Ninja Scroll and Zack Snyder's adaptation of The Illustrated Man.

Battling Boy centers on the wee offspring of a god, whose dad urges him to leave their immortal mountaintop home and descend to Monstropolis, and rid the city of its plague of monsters. Considering the city is the size of a continent, this might take him awhile. The monsters aren't your cute and cuddly Monsters Vs Aliens type either, but according to Pope are "horrible, Grimm's fairytale, Beowulf-ish monsters, awful things. Child-stealers. Plus some of the vampires and mummies and wolfmen we remember from the old black and white Hollywood horror films." If you'd like another glimpse at the book, Pope did celebrate Battling Boy getting optioned by publishing some additional artwork on his blog.

There's not much more to go on, and no indication as to whether Pitt might take the role of Senior Deity, so we'll have to sit tight and wait for the book. Clearly though, Pitt and Paramount have been studying their comic book movies -- if Tse can adapt Watchmen, he can probably do a fair job at adapting anything graphic novel you throw at him.

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Scenes We Love: Snatch

Elisabeth Rappe — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Brad Pitt, Scenes We Love

Blame this on Anderson Cooper and the exhaustive coverage of President and First Lady Obama's trip to London. I can never see my favorite city on television without wanting to board a plane, and since I can't do that right this moment, I must haul every British film out and watch it to get my fix of Anglophilia.

Of course, few London visitors get close to the underworld inhabited by Guy Ritchie -- though the Obamas might meet a few Snatch characters if they get close to the protesters. (I'm not talking the ones who actually are there for real reasons, I'm talking about the ones just chugging lager cans because, well, why not. If you saw any of the news footage, you know what I mean.) I can't find my favorite "Who took the jam out of your doughnut?" scene, so "Two minutes!" will have to do.

I can't believe this film is nearly ten years old. Remember 2000, when people still liked Ritchie, Swept Away wasn't on the radar, Brad Pitt was kind of edgy, and Jason Statham was an ordinary Englishman, not a ripped demigod? How time flies ... and the thought takes the jam right out of my doughnut.

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'Benjamin Button' Jumps Straight to Criterion

Elisabeth Rappe — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, Distribution, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Brad Pitt, Home Entertainment

Some films languish, waiting for their proper Criterion release, looking enviously at Michael Bay's Armageddon. But at least one film has been given the Criterion treatment on its very first go -- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The DVD hit store shelves on May 5 in three different formats: a Single-Disc DVD, and a Two-Disc Criterion in standard and Blu-Ray. As is the case with all Criterion releases, Button is coming loaded with more than three hours of bonus features:

The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button four-part documentary. Academy Award-nominated director David Fincher introduces the surprising beginnings of what would become an epic masterpiece including the casting of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, the decision to change the location of the story to New Orleans and more.
Follow the production from day one including the challenges of aging Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, designing over five thousand costumes and creating the animatronic baby.
Explore the incredible visual effects techniques created specifically for the film that allowed Brad Pitt to play the title character at virtually every age. Also includes a visit to the scoring stage with composer Alexandre Desplat.
Walk the red carpet at the film's premiere in New Orleans, with final thoughts from cast and crew.
Audio Commentary by director David Fincher

The fact that this is getting the Criterion treatment so soon is causing quite a stir -- after all, this is it. This is the definitive release, and the company has given it the "important classic" crown. Is Benjamin Button deserving of it?

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Three 'Inglourious Basterds' Posters Pop Online

Elisabeth Rappe — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Drama, Thrillers, The Weinstein Co., Newsstand, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Movie Marketing, Images, War, Posters

Just as the Inglourious Basterds teaser talk died down, and "I want my scalps!" faded from Facebook and Twitter updates comes "Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France ..."

Yep, Basterds has a new tagline, and we've got something else to whet your appetite for Nazi carnage, as three brand new bloody posters have debuted online. Their origin is a little murky -- Empire is claiming them as an exclusive, as is IGN and Ain't It Cool News, but they're here now, and can be found in our Basterds gallery:

Gallery: Inglourious Basterds

Striking, aren't they? Everyone will have a favorite! (Mine's the rifle.) Whatever you think of the teaser, you can't deny that they're a little bit brilliant. Quentin Tarantino's posters are always things of beauty, and especially welcome in a world of increasingly bland and Photoshopped floating heads. Will these become staples of dorm rooms and film fanatic dens like the Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill posters have? In fact, if you're one of those who still has Pulp Fiction framed on your wall, I suggest you replace it with one (or all) of these. Not only will guests assume that by idolizing Tarantino you know buckets about grindhouse cinema and spaghetti westerns, they'll also realize you're in favor of Nazi smackdowns and scalpings. You'll be the coolest person they know.

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'Inglourious Basterds' First Look!

Elisabeth Rappe — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Independent, Thrillers, Universal, The Weinstein Co., Newsstand, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Movie Marketing, War, Trailers and Clips

UPDATE 3: The full trailer is now online over at Yahoo!

UPDATE 2: A much better HD version of the ET trailer is over here.

UPDATE: Entertainment Tonight premiered the first trailer earlier this evening, and so until it arrives online, here's one of those cruddy bootleg versions to keep you entertained.

What does it mean when we crave footage so much that we post a preview of a trailer? Granted, this is a Quentin Tarantino movie, and it is one that we've been teased with for ten years. I think we can be forgiven for salivating over snippets of footage ... especially when even the tease is fun to watch.

While the official Inglourious Basterds trailer hits Entertainment Tonight later , The Movie Box managed to get a snippet and put it on YouTube in the wee hours of the morning. If you want a big, high-definition version, that's where you should click. But just in case you don't want to leave the cozy confines of Cinematical, we've embedded above. Tell them thanks as you enjoy Brad Pitt's crazy ass accent -- and remember, it's only a few more hours until you get to see the whole damn thing.

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How Brad Pitt Almost Played The 'Button' Baby

Erik Davis — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Drama, New Releases, Fandom, Newsstand, Brad Pitt

This past week, a whole lot of you probably took in a screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (I took the girl to see it last night), and you've probably shared your opinions with friends, family and significant others. Some feel it's just way too long, while others argue it needs to be long in order for you, the audience member, to "feel" and adequately "experience" the main character's life-long journey. One aspect of the film a lot of people have discussed was how -- and there might be mild spoilers here -- if Brad Pitt's character starts out as a tiny old man, he should turn into an adult-sized baby at the end of the film. That would make the most sense, right?

Well, director David Fincher sat down with MTV recently and admitted that the original plan was to have Pitt play the baby. He says, "We were prepared to do that ... We just ran out of money. We could have made him into a baby. Anything you want to do, you can do now." Now THAT would've been worth the price of admission all on its own ... even though the image of Pitt as a big, weird-looking baby may have been all folks talked about afterward. Fincher also addressed those comparisons to Forest Gump, noting: "Forrest Gump? What's that? Instead of the ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances, I thought of [Benjamin] as an extraordinary man in very ordinary circumstances. I don't know how much an audience can relate to a guy who's aging backwards that ends up looking like Brad Pitt. My whole thing from the beginning has been that it's not high concept. The reason it's relatable is how it's dramatized. Everybody remembers their first kiss and hangover and person they fell in love with."

For those who've seen it, what do you think: Should Pitt have played an adult-sized baby?

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The Rocchi Review with Kris Tapley of In Contention

James Rocchi — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Awards, Podcasts, Brad Pitt, Interviews, Oscar Watch, The Rocchi Review: Online Film Community Podcast

Which year-end lists are really worth caring about? What films got a boost from the Broadcast Film Critics and Golden Globe nominations, like Happy-Go-Lucky, and which ones got lost in the shuffle? What's Iron Man doing on the AFI Top Ten Films List, anyhow? And what long, epic films are perfect for enjoying with a turkey sandwich on Boxing Day? Joining James this week to talk about all these topics and more is Kris Tapley of the weblog In Contention. You can listen to the podcast here at Cinematical by clicking below:

As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

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Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

James Rocchi — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:32:00 EST

Filed under: Drama, Romance, Paramount, Theatrical Reviews, Brad Pitt, Oscar Watch

I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button weeks ago, and yet every time I tried to think about it -- whether it was to contemplate a decision in David Fincher's direction, a deviation from F. Scott Fitzgerald's story, a moment in Eric Roth's script or a note in the performances of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett -- I would soon find myself, invariably, distracted from the large-scale visions and moments of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and instead contemplating the smaller-scale moments of my own life. This was at best annoying; what did it say about the film that I couldn't hold it in my attention? What did it say about my attention that I couldn't even focus it on a film? But Zen gives us the parable of the master who points to the moon, and the student who looks at the master's finger. Fincher, Roth, Pitt and Blanchett have all, in their way, made a film of true sincerity and (ironically enough in light of its technical achievements) real simplicity; resting your gaze on the film, without directing it onto the things it encourages you to look at, seems like staring at the pointing finger.

Fitzgerald's tale is a brief fantasia, the story of Benjamin Button, a man who, born old, ages backward; at the same time, the slenderest books often become the best films, the lush drapery of moviemaking lending their slight grace weight, the stark simplicity of the plot a place for a director's vision to find purchase and grow. Within moments -- as an old woman lies dying in a modern New Orleans hospital, slate-gray rain battering the windows, her daughter (Julia Ormond) paging through her diaries and scrapbooks as the old woman fades in and out of consciousness, flickering between past memory and present reality -- we know we're not in the world established in Fitzgerald's 1922 short story. The woman's diaries are not just hers, and as the daughter reads, we learn about the birth and exile of Benjamin Button, born old in New Orleans in 1918 just after the Great War. ...

Continue reading Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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Tales of a BNAT Newbie

Scott Weinberg — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:02:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Animation, Classics, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Disney, IFC, Lionsgate Films, Universal, Warner Brothers, Festival Reports, Fandom, Focus Features, Family Films, Brad Pitt, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, War

I don't need much of an excuse to visit Austin, Texas. Find me an event that A) strings more than four movies together, and B) takes place at one of the Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters, and there's a good chance I'm checking my bank account, desperately scrambling for flight money. But despite the fact that I've done five SXSW visits, three Fantastic Fest trips, and a few more Austin journeys just for the heck of it ... I'd never attended a BNAT shindig. But I made it to the tenth annual Butt-Numb-a-Thon, and of course I had a damn good time once it got rolling.

Let's just do a quick run-through, chronologically speaking, and I'm listing just the FULL movies here. At the end I'll go over the various clips we were treated to...

Continue reading Tales of a BNAT Newbie

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Brad Pitt Digs Con Men and Meth Heads

Jessica Barnes — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Drama, Deals, Paramount, Scripts, Brad Pitt

So before anyone accuses me of pandering to celebrity by putting a picture of Brad Pitt on this news item, I want you to know that I tried to find a picture that was a little more 'newsworthy', but caved when I came up with nothing. So, it's Pitt you get. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Pitt's production company, Plan B, have purchased the rights to the true life tale of local journalist Linda Trest, and her take-down of a conman posing as a federal agent in Gerald, Missouri.

Anthony Walton and Andrew Dresher have already been tapped to write the story of a small town journalist by the name of Linda Trest who had been receiving complaints about drug searches that had been conducted by Bill A. Jakob (a new-to-town federal agent who had supposedly been sent to handle the town's Methamphetamine problem). After conducting her own investigation, Trest uncovered that Jakob was an unemployed former trucking company owner, a former security guard, a former wedding minister and a former small-town cop -- one thing he wasn't was a federal agent. Jakob eventually pleaded guilty to impersonating an officer, and is facing six years in prison.

Plan B has been snatching up new properties left and right lately, including Eat, Pray, Love, with Ryan Murphy directing, The Killer and Black Hole with David Fincher, and the just-announced Battling Boy. Like with most Plan B projects, rumors are already brewing over whether or not Pitt will star (presumably as Jakob). But as we all know, Pitt has the bad habit of dropping out of movies even after signing on the dotted line, so we'll have to wait and see.

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