Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Tim Burton Casts 'Alice'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/tim-burton-casts-alice/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/tim-burton-casts-alice/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/tim-burton-casts-alice/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tim Burton has cast the title role in the new adaptation of Alice in Wonderland he's working on for Disney. It is not, as was rumored a couple weeks ago, Ryan Nikole Parker, but it's not anyone more well-known, either. The role has gone to Australian actress Mia Wasikowska -- and holy crap, I have nothing but respect for anyone who can break into Hollywood and retain a name like Mia Wasikowska. Up until now, her only high-profile credits have been as a regular on HBO's In Treatment and in the much-hyped but little-seen killer crocodile flick Rogue. But the 18-year-old has parts in the upcoming Defiance (Edward Zwick's latest pitch to AMPAS) and the Earhart biopic Amelia, so she should be recognizable by the time Alice in Wonderland surfaces.

The film will be a combination of live-action and motion-capture animation, and will be released in digital 3-D -- but what big new movie won't be, these days? It was written by Linda Woolverton, who worked on The Lion King, and it starts shooting in November for a 2010 release.

I'm as big a Tim Burton devotee as you'll find (don't believe me? Find me one other person who will admit to liking the Planet of the Apes remake), so I'll gladly swoon over a Burton version of the Lewis Carroll classic. In fact, this is such an on-the-nose project for Burton that I'm kind of surprised it took him this long to get to it. But I'll take it.

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]]>Alice in WonderlandAliceInWonderlandLinda WoolvertonLindaWoolvertonMia WasikwskaMiaWasikwskaRyan Nikole ParkerRyanNikoleParkerTim BurtonTimBurtonEugene NovikovThu, 24 Jul 2008 08:32:00 ESTFan Rant: Critics of 'The Dark Knight' Are Allowed to Hatehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/fan-rant-critics-of-the-dark-knight-are-allowed-to-hate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/fan-rant-critics-of-the-dark-knight-are-allowed-to-hate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/fan-rant-critics-of-the-dark-knight-are-allowed-to-hate/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Look, I thought The Dark Knight had a lot of strong selling points: Combine a deft pace with thoughtful characterizations and a whopping IMAX design that turns the entire experience into a plot-driven theme park ride, and you've got one hefty dose of Batman adrenaline.

Still, comparisons to The Godfather Part II notwithstanding, The Dark Knight isn't foolproof -- in fact, no single movie in history is foolproof. The subjective experience of movie watching ensures that nothing can be universally liked by everyone, and rules of civility insist that humanity respect that truism. It's acceptable to feel passionately about a great work of art, and defend that perspective with rigorous argumentation, but much of the outrage over the minority perspective that The Dark Knight isn't any good has made such practical thinking impossible.

Deemed the first critic to pan the movie, New York's David Edelstein went out of his way to list the allegations against him sent along by various Batman fans. The House Next Door editor Keith Uhlich, meanwhile, fielded over a hundred rants in the comments section following his astute critique of director Christopher Nolan's questionable portrayals of violence. What's particularly shocking about this frightful deluge of negative responses is that many of these people began posting their disapproval before they even saw the movie.

Continue reading Fan Rant: Critics of 'The Dark Knight' Are Allowed to Hate

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]]>batmanbatman beginsBatmanBeginschristian baleChristianBalechristopher nolanChristopherNolandark knightdark knight bad reviewdark knight negative reviewDarkKnightDarkKnightBadReviewDarkKnightNegativeReviewdavid edelsteindavid fearDavidEdelsteinDavidFeargeorge orwellGeorgeOrwellheath ledgerHeathLedgerhouse next doorHouseNextDoorkeith uhlichKeithUhlichonly the cinemaOnlyTheCinemathe dark knightthe dark knight movi...the house next doorTheDarkKnightTheDarkKnightMovi...TheHouseNextDoortime out new yorkTimeOutNewYorkwarner brosWarnerBrosEric KohnWed, 23 Jul 2008 21:32:00 ESTMarguiles, Mortimer, and Arkin Head to 'City Island'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/marguiles-mortimer-and-arkin-head-to-city-island/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/marguiles-mortimer-and-arkin-head-to-city-island/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/marguiles-mortimer-and-arkin-head-to-city-island/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The whole idea of secret children who come out of the woodwork is challenging as it is. Should the secret be revealed, or should it stay hidden? How do you make up for lost years? How do you integrate them into the family? Now, imagine that you're part of the law, and you find out that your secret kid is in jail. That's the basic idea behind a new indie comedy called City Island, and The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer, and Alan Arkin have joined the cast.

Andy Garcia had previously signed on to play Vince Rizzo, "a Bronx prison official who realizes that an inmate (Steven Strait) is his secret love child. His efforts to become his guardian lead to comic complications." Marguiles is taking on the role of Garcia's wife, and it seems that the man is also looking to become an actor because Arkin will play a teacher in the acting class, and Mortimer will be a fellow student he becomes friends with. Garcia's real-life daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido will play his daughter, and Ezra Miller has also nabbed an undisclosed part.

I really don't know how all of this acting works into prison officials and long-lost bad boy sons, but we should see soon enough. The film went into production this week in the Bronx.

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]]>Alan ArkinAlanArkinAndy GarciaCinematicalCity IslandCityIslandEmily MortimerEmilyMortimerEzra MillerEzraMillerJulianna MarguliesJuliannaMarguliesSteven StraitStevenStraitMonika BartyzelWed, 23 Jul 2008 20:32:00 ESTFilm Blog Group Hug: The 'Twilight' Editionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/film-blog-group-hug-the-twilight-edition/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/film-blog-group-hug-the-twilight-edition/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/film-blog-group-hug-the-twilight-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Boy, you miss a few weeks work to move 2,000 miles, and you fall behind on all kinds of things going on in the world of Twilight. All you Twilighters have, no doubt, been keeping up to speed with everything that's been going on out there -- you're making plans to attend Breaking Dawn parties, planning what you're going to wear, entering giveaway contests, and getting your Twilight-inspired costumes put together (who knew there were so many varieties of vampire fangs out there?).

I know, you have it much more together than I do on all the Twilight madness, but hey, I've been on the road with four kids, a dog and a cat all crammed into a 1998 Ford Windstar, moving back to Seattle, so I'm just now getting around to catching up. So here's a rundown of all-things Twilight for you -- in case you, like me, have been having a busy summer.

Continue reading Film Blog Group Hug: The 'Twilight' Edition

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]]>bella swanbreaking dawnBreakingDawnedward cullenEdwardCullenjacob blackkristen stewartrobert pattinsonRobertPattinsonstephenie meyertaylor lautnerTaylorLautnertwilightKim VoynarWed, 23 Jul 2008 18:07:00 ESTNews Bites: Murray Flies Through the Air & 'Roger Dodger' Reunionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/news-bites-murray-flies-through-the-air-and-roger-dodger-reunio/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/news-bites-murray-flies-through-the-air-and-roger-dodger-reunio/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/news-bites-murray-flies-through-the-air-and-roger-dodger-reunio/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've seen Bill Murray do a lot over the years, but have we ever seen him as a tried and true, REAL stuntman? Jam! reports that the actor has signed on to parachute from a plane for an appearance at the Chicago Air and Water Show that's taking place next month. If planes buzzing about isn't something that appeals to you, maybe Murray descending from the sky will? He will perform a tandem jump with the Golden Knights skydiving team on August 15. That's a way to get new viewers -- come watch celebrities fall from the sky!

Meanwhile... Are you a Roger Dodger fan? If you haven't seen this flick, you should run out and rent it, pronto. Campbell Scott stars as an uncle who takes his young nephew (Jesse Eisenberg) out on a night on the town to teach him the ways of male adulthood. While at a bar, they come across Elizabeth Berkley and Jennifer Beals, who spend some time with the pair. Now EW has found out that the two ladies are reuniting on the final season of The L Word. Instead of playing friends who do what they can to help young Nick become a man, the Showgirls star will play the straight girl who got away from Beals' Bette in college. Oh, the possibilities!

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]]>Bill MurrayBillMurrayCinematicalElizabeth BerkleyElizabethBerkleyJennifer BealsJenniferBealsRoger DodgerRogerDodgerThe L WordTheLWordMonika BartyzelWed, 23 Jul 2008 17:33:00 ESTMiley Cyrus' Stints with Sexiness #302http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/miley-cyrus-stints-with-sexiness-302/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/miley-cyrus-stints-with-sexiness-302/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/miley-cyrus-stints-with-sexiness-302/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've had the racy private photos, then the controversial Vanity Fair shoot, then wishes for a new Sex and the City. Now, Miley Cyrus' name is being attached to yet another racy-themed gig. According to MSNBC, sources are buzzing and rumors are mounting about a new project for the itching-to-age actress -- one that's making the whole racy mag shoot seem like a stepping stone into adult work.

Rumor has it that she's interested in starring in a big-screen adaptation of the annoyingly spelled Undiscovered Gyrl, a novel by Allison Burnett that is currently being shopped around. The novel is a blog from a suburban girl "who descends into a life of reckless partying and promiscuity," and there would definitely be nude scenes. Charming. Chances are, this is a buzz-generator for the book, but it could also be a buzz generator for Cyrus. Even if she doesn't take on this gig, she's getting lots of mileage out of the "Miley wants to grow up" rumor mill.

But really, if she wants to break out of the tween girl persona, the best bet is not raciness and a Britney Spears life path, but rather a few good films that give her some drama, or smarts, at her own age. You can break out of family fare without stripping and showing off the merchandise.

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]]>Allison BurnettAllisonBurnettCinematicalMiley CyrusMileyCyrusUndiscovered GyrlUndiscoveredGyrlMonika BartyzelWed, 23 Jul 2008 17:03:00 ESTRobert Hoffman Has 'The Beat'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/robert-hoffman-has-the-beat/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/robert-hoffman-has-the-beat/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/robert-hoffman-has-the-beat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



It used to be that the musicians with the beat were the Go Gos. Now the beat is getting manly. The Hollywood Reporter has posted that there's a new indie '80s comedy on the way called We Got the Beat, and Robert Hoffman has just joined the cast. He's been dancing his butt off in a bunch of films and most recently got to groove in the rain with Briana Evigan in Step Up 2.

Written and directed by John Artigo, the film follows "Brad, a high school football player who sets out to prove he's more than just a jock by quitting the team and turning his heavy metal band into a pioneering boy band." But that's not who Hoffman is playing -- he gets to be "Garth, the boy-toy and live-in lover of Brad's mother."

This sounds like one of those films that could be terribly bad, or terribly good. Here's to hoping it's all set to real '80s music and is awesome. The indie begins filming this month.

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]]>CinematicalJohn ArtigoJohnArtigoRobert HoffmanRobertHoffmanWe Got the BeatWeGotTheBeatMonika BartyzelWed, 23 Jul 2008 13:32:00 EST"Magdalena" Slashing Onto the Big Screenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/magdalena-slashing-onto-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/magdalena-slashing-onto-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/magdalena-slashing-onto-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Top Cow is on a roll! I never actually thought a week would come in which I would have two stories about that publishing company -- but here it is. Who thought sexy, weapon wielding chicks were such a draw for the movie business? Not I! (Yes, that's sarcasm.)

The latest book to be optioned is Magdalena. It's rather similar to Witchblade except with a much more distinguished lineage. The Magdalena is descended from Sarah, the daughter of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. She's the supernatural defender of the Catholic Church, and can look into the human heart to show people the error of their ways. And because no heroine is complete without a weapon, she wields the Spear of Destiny (the spear which pierced the side of Jesus at the Crucifixion) against the forces of evil. Luckily, nothing in the Magdalena's Catholic contract stipulates that she dress conservatively, so she's allowed to wear the crop tops of a Top Cow heroine.

And according to The Hollywood Reporter, it's already further along in production than Witchblade. No director has been set, but the leads have been cast. Jenna Dewan is currently in talks to play Patience, the spear-wielding holy heroine. (There's been a few, it looks like they're going with the most recent incarnation.) Luke Goss is set to play Kristof, an agent sent by the secret organization that protects the lineage. In the comic, these are cardinals, but somehow I bet Kristof won't be one because that would require way too much chastity -- and the stars are way too hot. Both actors are going to be at Top Cow's panel at ComicCon this weekend. If you're going, you can ask them all sorts of pressing Magdalena movie questions.

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]]>Jenna DewanJennaDewanLuke GossLukeGossmagdalenaPlatinum StudiosPlatinumStudiosTop CowTopCowValhalla Motion PicturesValhallaMotionPicturesElisabeth RappeWed, 23 Jul 2008 11:32:00 ESTFranka Potente Escapes from Tibethttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/franka-potente-escapes-from-tibet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/franka-potente-escapes-from-tibet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/franka-potente-escapes-from-tibet/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It was a bummer to learn that Franka Potente was backing out of Pope Joan back in May, but it looks like she's found herself another weighty gig to add to her plate. Variety reports that she has signed on to star in a new German drama called Flucht aus Tibet, otherwise known as Escape from Tibet. The film, which is based on a true story, will be the big-screen debut for writer and director Maria Blumencron.

Heading out of Che Guevara territory, Potente is moving over to Tibet to play Judy Cronenberg. The woman was a press photographer who led "a group of refugee Tibetan children over the Himalayas to safety nine years ago." There's nothing more being said about the story, which seems to be surprisingly free from the Internet (anyone know the details?), but it is a big German project. The film has received FFF Bayern's largest film funding -- $1.1 million.

It should be a little bit of time before we get to see Tibet, but in the meantime, of course, we can watch her play Tania in Steven Soderbergh's The Argentine and Guerilla.

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]]>CinematicalEscape From TibetEscapeFromTibetFlucht aus TibetFluchtAusTibetFranka POtenteFrankaPotenteJudy CronenbergJudyCronenbergMonika BartyzelWed, 23 Jul 2008 09:32:00 ESTMichael Vartan and David Cross Get 'Demoted'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/michael-vartan-and-david-cross-get-demoted/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/michael-vartan-and-david-cross-get-demoted/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/michael-vartan-and-david-cross-get-demoted/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've already got The Promotion, but just in case you were itching for more man-on-man office wars, a whole new battling duo is on the way. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Michael Vartan and David Cross are going to play "bitter tire store rivals" in a new comedy called Demoted, that American Pie 2 helmer J.B. Rogers will direct from actor and writer Dan Callahan's screenplay.

In a step down from his character's success on Big Shots, Vartan will play a guy named "Rodney McAdams, a hotshot Treadline Tires sales associate who delights in tormenting his less-than-cool colleague, Ken (Cross)." But wait -- before you think Cross is being relegated to another role where he just gets tormented and takes it, or has a fear of nudity, read on: "When their boss suddenly dies, Ken is promoted and assigns Rodney to a secretarial job as payback, giving the male chauvinist a taste of his own medicine." You just don't cross the Cross!

Spit out some of your favorite workplace flicks below ...

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]]>CinematicalDan CallahanDanCallahanDavid CrossDavidCrossDemotedJB RogersJbRogersMichael VartanMichaelVartanMonika BartyzelTue, 22 Jul 2008 19:32:00 ESTVal Kilmer: The Origin of Mini-Mehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/val-kilmer-the-origin-of-mini-me/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/val-kilmer-the-origin-of-mini-me/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/val-kilmer-the-origin-of-mini-me/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We know that Val Kilmer is talented, whether it's morphing into icons like John Holmes or Jim Morrison, or voicing KITT, or being Bruce Wayne. But these days, Kilmer is all about the inspiration. There was talk recently of a collaboration with 50 Cent on some music, and now the actor has told MTV that he's the man behind Dr. Evil's Mini-Me -- not quite the news you'd expect to hear.

He explains: "[I was] the genesis of Mini-Me... [On] Island of Dr. Moreau, I told Marlon Brando my plan to save my performance just in case there was a giant hole in the second half. I was going to strap the little man to my chest. And, you know, you can't get around that visual. And then he [Brando] STOLE my little man!" So then he sees Vern Troyer on the big screen as Mini-Me, and "I asked Mike Myers about it myself. He said, 'absolutely.'" (That it came from the movie.)

So there you have it, folks. Val Kilmer is the reason that we now have Vern Troyer.

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]]>Austin PowersAustinPowersCinematicalMike MyersMikeMyersMini-MeVal KilmerValKilmerVern TroyerVernTroyerMonika BartyzelTue, 22 Jul 2008 18:32:00 ESTGoodbye, Ebert and Roeper -- Hello, Lyons and Mankiewicz!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/goodbye-ebert-and-roeper-hello-lyons-and-mankiewicz/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/goodbye-ebert-and-roeper-hello-lyons-and-mankiewicz/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/goodbye-ebert-and-roeper-hello-lyons-and-mankiewicz/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday, we learned that At the Movies was changing in a big way. Richard Roeper had decided to leave the show to pursue a new reviewing program, while Roger Ebert sent out a statement saying that he was out as well, that other projects were in the works, and that Disney was taking the show in a new direction.

Banking on the buzz whipped up by both of their exits, Variety reports that Disney has announced Roeper and Ebert's replacements -- the much younger Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz. If you happen to follow any other on-screen critics, Lyons (on the right) has been a big part of E!, while also popping up in shows like MSNBC at the Movies and Access Hollywood, while Mankiewicz has been the host for Turner Classic Movies, and has an alt pop culture show on Sirius called "The Young Turks."

Of course, new, young blood also means an update to the format, and Disney says that the show will get a new look and new segments when the new incarnation kicks off on September 6. These changes will include a "Critics Round-Up" that will have the two Bens discussing films with other critics via satellite. I dig the simplicity of the past, so hopefully this whole deal won't get too flashy.

What say you, Cinematical readers? Can Ben and Ben fill the big shoes left by Siskel, Ebert, and Roeper, and do you want to see At the Movies get updated?

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]]>At the MoviesAtTheMoviesBen LyonsBen MankiewiczBenLyonsBenMankiewiczCinematicalRichard RoeperRichardRoeperRogert EbertRogertEbertMonika BartyzelTue, 22 Jul 2008 14:31:00 ESTGet Ready for 'The Wiffler'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/get-ready-for-the-wiffler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/get-ready-for-the-wiffler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/get-ready-for-the-wiffler/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We have the Stifler, but I never thought we'd get the Wiffler.

Variety reports that we're about to get a new mockumentary about the epic, skill-testing sport. It's not coming to us from the mocku-God Christopher Guest, but rather Garden Party co-star Ross Patterson. He wrote The Wiffler: The Ted Whitfield Story, which Tommy Reid is currently directing in California. This will be his second feature after 7-10 Split, which starred Patterson and also featured the likes of Tara Reid, Ray Wise, Vinnie Jones, Robyn Lively, Rachel Hunter, and a ton of other left-of-A-List celebs.

Set during the Major League Baseball strike in 1994, the film will focus on "a nation turning its eyes to wiffleball and attempts to break the homerun record." It's strange enough that it could work, although it will definitely depend on the cast, which also features Joey Kern, Alana Ubach, Christine Lakin, Nick Thune, Richard Gant, Richard Riele, and Chris Tarantino.

Hey, we got ping pong and dodgeball, why not wiffleball? But what's next? Kickball?

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]]>Alana UbachAlanaUbachChris TarantinoChrisTarantinoChristine LakinChristineLakinCinematicalJoey KernJoeyKernNick ThuneNickThuneRichard GantRichard RieleRichardGantRichardRieleRoss PattersonRossPattersonThe Wiffler The Ted Whitfield StoryTheWifflerTheTedWhitfieldStoryTommy ReidTommyReidMonika BartyzelMon, 21 Jul 2008 21:35:00 ESTPaul Thomas Anderson Directs Play With 'SNL' Membershttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/paul-thomas-anderson-directs-play-with-snl-members/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/paul-thomas-anderson-directs-play-with-snl-members/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/paul-thomas-anderson-directs-play-with-snl-members/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

First, he gets a mainstream comic actor to act in a contemplative art house narrative with Punch-Drunk Love. Now, he's putting two of them on a stage. According to cigarettes and red vines, Paul Thomas Anderson has written and directed a play in Los Angeles with Saturday Night Live stars Maya Rudolph (Anderson's partner) and Fred Armisen. It premieres at the Largo on August 5, but specific details about plot remain unrevealed. Still, the prospects of seeing Anderson's eerily detached style in a live performance are intriguing, to say the least. As Slashfilm points out, the production has a few logical attachments to the filmmaker's past: Anderson directed a short film for SNL back in 2000, and Rudolph starred in Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion, which Anderson may or may not have ghost-directed in parts.

Now that Anderson has proven he can craft epic period pieces of the raunchy (Boogie Nights) and morose (There Will Be Blood) kind, he's reached a point where audiences will basically allow him to take them wherever he wants to go. The dynamics of the stage, however, differ greatly from those of the cinema. Since the name and subject matter are a mystery, there's a lot left to the imagination. Will Anderson allow Rudolph and Armisen to unleash their comic potential? Or is that a milkshake I hear brewing?

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]]>a prairie home compa...APrairieHomeCompa...boogie nightsBoogieNightsfred armisenFredArmisenlargolos angeleslos angeles theaterLosAngelesLosAngelesTheatermaya rudolphMayaRudolphpaul thomas andersonpaul thomas anderson playPaulThomasAndersonPaulThomasAndersonPlaypunch drunk lovePunchDrunkLoverobert altmanRobertAltmansaturday night livesaturday night live ...SaturdayNightLiveSaturdayNightLive...slashfilmtheaterthere will be bloodThereWillBeBloodEric KohnMon, 21 Jul 2008 18:32:00 ESTFergie Heads for 'Nine'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/fergie-heads-for-nine/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/fergie-heads-for-nine/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/fergie-heads-for-nine/#commentsFiled under: , ,



(Warning: Foul language in the clip, and a helping of gore in the final seconds.)

It didn't seem all that surprising when Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson) signed on for a role in Grindhouse. It was a pulp, grindhouse film -- one that suited random cameos. But watching her performance above, did you ever think "Gee, she'd be great acting alongside the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis and Judi Dench"?

Variety reports that the singer and actress is in negotiations for a part in Nine -- the musical re-do of Fellini's 8 1/2. She'll play Saraghina, who "introduces Guido to the world of sexuality." Yes, that means she gets to teach Daniel Day the saucy ways of love. Is this for real? Am I the only one wondering how on earth this came to be?

Shooting starts this October in the UK, and features a wickedly diverse cast that boasts Day-Lewis, Marion Cottilard, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman, and Judi Dench.

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]]>CinematicalFergieNineStacy Ann FergusonStacyAnnFergusonMonika BartyzelMon, 21 Jul 2008 17:32:00 ESTVideo Fix: 'Dark Knight' Cameos -- Batmanuelhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/video-fix-dark-knight-cameos-batmanuel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/video-fix-dark-knight-cameos-batmanuel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/video-fix-dark-knight-cameos-batmanuel/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When I got to the theater an hour and fifteen minutes early on Thursday night and faced an almost entirely packed theater, I almost turned my tired butt around and went home. But then there was the Watchmen trailer, and then the wonderful The Dark Knight. The film wiped away every bit of tiredness and had me not only in a flurry of awe, but in small cameo sightings. Batman's latest romp is not only a great and worthy film, but also an excellent smorgasbord of cameos and talent.

Over the next week, I'm going to share my five favorite cameos in the film, and there's no way I can start with anyone other than Batmanuel. When Nestor Carbonell's face popped up, my brain raced to fit the face to a memory. Soon I realized -- it was Batmanuel from The Tick ... as the Mayor of Gotham! Between the power of Batman and the machismo of Batmanuel, it's surprising that any evil dude would dare to set up shop in Gotham City. Now if only the DVD for this film has a goofy short film where both of the winged heroes save the day...

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]]>BatmanBatmanuelleCinematicalLestor CarbonellLestorCarbonellThe Dark KnightThe TickTheDarkKnightTheTickMonika BartyzelMon, 21 Jul 2008 16:02:00 ESTTobey Maguire Recreating Brown v. Board of Educationhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/tobey-maguire-recreating-brown-v-board-of-education/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/tobey-maguire-recreating-brown-v-board-of-education/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/tobey-maguire-recreating-brown-v-board-of-education/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At first blush, this has all the marks of the sort of tepid, respectful, boring prestige picture that's normally a huge turn-off. Director Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) will reteam with Tobey Maguire for The Crusaders, a film about the lawyers who litigated the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education (of Topeka, but who keeps track?). That, of course, was when the Court unanimously held that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

Maguire will play idealistic young lawyer Jack Greenberg, who teamed with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall (Terrence Howard was rumored for that role, but that seems to have gone away) to fight the segregationists. This project has been kicking around for a while, and Topher Grace was previously attached to star in what is now Maguire's role.

Ross and Maguire's Seabiscuit, which I thought was precisely the sort of unimaginative, tediously reverent historical Oscar-bait that the Academy loves but anyone with any taste can't stand, bored the pants off me. This sounds like a similar sort of project -- though on the other hand, having spent significant time venerating Brown v. Board in law school, I'm curious to see what Hollywood will do with this story. Sort of in the same way a geologist might be fascinated with The Core, y'know?

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]]>brown v boardBrownVBoardgary rossGaryRosspleasantvilleseabiscuitterrence howardTerrenceHowardthe corethe crusadersTheCoreTheCrusaderstobey maguireTobeyMaguiretopher graceTopherGraceEugene NovikovMon, 21 Jul 2008 12:03:00 ESTDjimon Hounsou is 'Thulsa Doom'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/djimon-hounsou-is-thulsa-doom/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/djimon-hounsou-is-thulsa-doom/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/djimon-hounsou-is-thulsa-doom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Djimon Hounsou's "dream project" has finally been confirmed in the trades. Variety reports that Hounsou is pairing up with Dynamite Entertainment to star in and produce a movie about Thulsa Doom, nemesis of King Kull and Conan the Barbarian.
The character originally appeared in Robert E. Howard's story Delcardes' Cat, and is getting his own comic book series (courtesy of Dynamite) next year.

You probably remember Thulsa Doom as being played by the incomparable James Earl Jones in the classic Conan the Barbarian movie. But if you're a fan of Howard's work, you know that Jones' character didn't resemble the literary one very much. The original Thulsa Doom is an undead sorcerer with the face of a skull, with eyes of fire, and all kinds of scary powers.

So, unless Hounsou is going to bury his handsome face behind make-up or CGI, the new Thulsa Doom will be more in line with Jones' character, and another departure from Howard's original pulp stories. Already, they are looking to make a demonic villain more inviting, as Hounsou's film will show how the once heroic Doom went all mean and nasty. Just once, wouldn't it cool to have a movie about a demonic sorcerer who happily eschewed the straight and narrow? Thank goodness J.R.R. Tolkien left no such wiggle room with Sauron or Morgoth, eh?






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]]>Conan the BarbarianConanTheBarbariandjimon hounsouDjimonHounsoudynamite entertainmentDynamiteEntertainmentThulsa DoomThulsaDoomElisabeth RappeMon, 21 Jul 2008 10:32:00 ESTReview: 'Take'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/19/review-take/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/19/review-take/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/19/review-take/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,



Death is the ultimate dramatic device, but great art doesn't emerge from strong devices alone. In Take, the directorial debut of Charles Oliver, the impact of a single, startling tragic death immediately conveys the sense of watching a gravely serious movie, which is definitely the case. However, having immediately provided a tone, Oliver fails to follow up with a story powerful enough to justify it. That's not to say that the experience Ana (Minnie Driver) goes through after her son dies in a freak accident before the start of the film isn't relentlessly bleak, but there's hardly anything distinctive about the circumstances to make viewers care any more than they would if they were glancing at it in the morning headlines.

Still, Olilver has made a quietly observant work solely driven by the specific needs of two downtrodden protagonists with completely believable motives. In flashback, we learn that Ana struggled with her son's elementary school, which wants to put him in a special needs program. Meanwhile, she has a hard time communicating with her husband and finding decent work to get by. Elsewhere, reckless gambling addict Saul (Jeremy Renner) destroys his life in a whirlwind of debt. His misfortune, as it's shown in early scenes at a prison where Saul awaits execution, will lead him to accidentally murder Ana's innocent child, Jesse (Bobby Coleman).

Continue reading Review: 'Take'

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]]>bobby colemanBobbyColemancharles oliverCharlesOlivercrashdeath penaltydeath rowDeathPenaltyDeathRowjeremy rennerJeremyRennerminnie driverMinnieDriverpaul haggisPaulHaggisrestorative justiceRestorativeJusticetaketake tribecaTakeTribecatribeca takeTribecaTaketyler measomTylerMeasomEric KohnSat, 19 Jul 2008 18:32:00 ESTWho's Replacing Governor Schwarzenegger in 'Terminator Salvation'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/18/whos-replacing-governor-schwarzenegger-in-terminator-salvation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/18/whos-replacing-governor-schwarzenegger-in-terminator-salvation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/18/whos-replacing-governor-schwarzenegger-in-terminator-salvation/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Why, an enormous Austrian bodybuilder. Obviously. Did you have to ask? What's wrong with you?

More specifically, it's Roland Kickinger, a really big dude who actually played a young Schwarzenegger in the 2005 TV movie biopic See Arnold Run. He's guest-starred on a slew of sitcoms, and had a part in Lethal Weapon 4. He will also play the Hulk in the anxiously awaited (by which I mean dreaded) parody Disaster Movie this Labor Day.

Kickinger will take over Schwarzenegger's T-800 character, an early model cyborg that was sent back in time in all three Terminator films -- first as the villain and then as a hero after being reprogrammed by the resistance. In the latter two films, he bonded with his human charges and sort of became the heart of the franchise, as well as its comic relief. It was definitely Schwarzenegger's greatest achievement as an actor, such as it was. I doubt they'll be trying to recreate that in Salvation, not least because the characters encounter the robot 20 years before the events of the earlier films. (Damn time travel.)

Some slightly spoilerish quotes from the Clinton News-Record article announcing Kickinger's involvement, after the jump.

Continue reading Who's Replacing Governor Schwarzenegger in 'Terminator Salvation'?

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]]>arnold schwarzeneggerArnoldSchwarzeneggerroland kickingerRolandKickingerterminator salvationTerminatorSalvationEugene NovikovFri, 18 Jul 2008 16:33:00 EST