Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gif Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com en-us Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://podcasts.cinematical.com/rss.xmlCinematicalCinematical.com welcomes you to their podcasts -- featuring both audio interviews with top stars and directors and 'The Rocchi Review,' bi-weekly interviews with journalists and filmmakers featuring Cinematical"s James Rocchi. For more information -- or more movie news and reviews -- just go to www.cinematical.com.Donnie Darko Sequel Coming -- Unfortunatelyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/09/donnie-darko-sequel-coming-unfortunately/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/09/donnie-darko-sequel-coming-unfortunately/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/09/donnie-darko-sequel-coming-unfortunately/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

It sounds like a prank. We would all like it to be one. But it seems to be legit.

The story comes from Screen Daily, who reports that S. Darko is being shopped around, with Fox already picking up the North American distribution rights. Touted as the sequel to the 2001 cult hit, the story picks up seven years after Donnie Darko left off. The youngest Darko, Samantha, is now 18 and abandoning her commitment to Sparkle Motion. She heads to Las Vegas with her best friend Corey, but the two are plagued with bizarre visions. I imagine they will involve a rabbit.

Richard Kelly, the original director, is in no way involved. Chris Fincher will direct instead. Daviegh Chase, who played Samantha in the original, will reprise her role. It looks like she is the only one. The movie also stars Ed Westwick, Briana Evigan, and Justin Chatwin.

As to the big looming question of why, oh God, why, Simon Crowe of UK sales company Velvet Octopus says they're thinking of the children. "I think there is a new generation of cinema-goers who will be very excited to see this film."
Which generation came of age between 2001 and 2008? Why haven't they rented Donnie Darko? I am afraid these are questions to which Crowe has no answers. But he did quip, "Donnie's not in [the new film] but there are meteorites and rabbits."

Nothing is safe from the all mighty dollar, my friends. Nothing. Even when there is a pretty conclusive ending, there can always be a sequel. I'll leave you to think about that as I go pen my script for No Country for Old Men 2.

[via Empire]
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]]>Chris FincherChrisFincherDonnie DarkoDonnie Darko sequelDonnieDarkoDonnieDarkoSequelS. DarkoS.DarkoElisabeth Rappe2008-05-09T09:32:00 00:002008-05-09T09:32:00 00:00New Canadian Film Held at Border, Suspected of Pornographyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/new-canadian-film-held-at-border-suspected-of-pornography/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/new-canadian-film-held-at-border-suspected-of-pornography/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/new-canadian-film-held-at-border-suspected-of-pornography/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With every passing story I read about border control or security insanity, I'm beginning to think that once you have any responsibility for your country's safety, you go insane. Everyday objects become suspect (like a friend harassed in the US for having a couple pictures of an ex amongst the pics he was traveling with), and sometimes, objects are given extraordinary value. I was once charged a couple hundred dollars in Canadian tariffs for a Buffy DVD that was sent to me as a gift, and had to prove that the box set wasn't worth their astronomical estimated cost. But I guess I can consider myself lucky that "Buffy" didn't make the border powers that be think the discs were porn.

Canoe reports that a new Canadian film from John N. Smith (Dangerous Minds) was held at the border because of its name: Love and Savagery. The romantic drama headed to Ireland last month to shoot some scenes, and then the footage was shipped to Montreal for processing, where it was stopped by the border patrol. Smith says: "There was a big kerfuffle and they suspected us of being involved in the pornography trade. They were insisting they were going to send it off to the RCMP lab to develop it to see if we were engaged in pornography." This created a bit of a panic as they worried about the potential damage RCMP processing would have on the footage.

Continue reading New Canadian Film Held at Border, Suspected of Pornography

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]]>CinematicalJohn N. SmithJohnN.SmithKevin TierneyKevinTierneyLove and SavageryLoveAndSavageryMonika Bartyzel2008-05-08T17:02:00 00:002008-05-08T17:02:00 00:00BREAKING: Picturehouse and Warner Independent Shut Downhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/breaking-picturehouse-and-warner-independent-shut-down-for-good/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/breaking-picturehouse-and-warner-independent-shut-down-for-good/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/breaking-picturehouse-and-warner-independent-shut-down-for-good/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Man, this news truly bums me out. Variety reports that Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures are shutting down. It's not like this is shocking news; ever since New Line folded, it was all pretty much a given that both Picturehouse and Warner Independent would either close or merge in some way -- but it still stings for those who, like me, were big fans. In a statement, Warner Bros. president and COO Alan Horn claims this move won't stop the studio from taking more chances on young, indie voices. He says, "After much painstaking analysis, this was a difficult decision to make, but it reflects the reality of a changing marketplace and our need to prudently run our businesses with increased efficiencies. We're confident that the spirit of independent filmmaking and the opportunity to find and give a voice to new talent will continue to have a presence at Warner Bros."

On a personal note, Cinematical has worked with folks from both Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures, and have always found them to be wonderful people who truly care about spreading these little indie films as far and wide as they can. Here's hoping that love, that heart and that passion will not disappear. We wish all those involved good luck in their future endeavors.
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]]>cinematicalpicturehousewarner independent picturesWarnerIndependentPicturesErik Davis2008-05-08T14:02:00 00:002008-05-08T14:02:00 00:00Fan Rant: The Selling Out of Heath Ledgerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/fan-rant-the-selling-out-of-heath-ledger/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/fan-rant-the-selling-out-of-heath-ledger/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/fan-rant-the-selling-out-of-heath-ledger/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



You know, I have always had a dislike for the collectible business. Most children of the 70's and 80's probably do, as we were generally left crying because our Transformers or Star Wars collections were incomplete. My own bitterness arises from not being able to get a figure of April O'Neill, the redheaded reporter and best friend of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That was the first time I learned that adults collected these things -- and not to play with, but to sell for ridiculously high prices. And I learned it courtesy of my dad, who knew guys hoarding April O'Neill figures, and who wouldn't cough one up to a fellow cop for his young, geeky daughter.

So, this story from the New York Post reporting Heath Ledger's Joker figure selling out everywhere makes me sad and angry. It's not that kids are being denied a Joker figure (I really do not think young children should be anywhere near The Dark Knight, and I'm pretty liberal about kids watching dark movies), but that Ledger's death is being shamelessly exploited on eBay. Because you know as well as I that those figures wouldn't be flying from the shelves if Ledger hadn't passed away earlier this year. I have no doubt it would be popular, but no one would be buying 30 of them. They wouldn't be going for $55.00 a pop. (Actually, it looks like that's some hyperbole, as a brief glance suggests it's more in the range of $30-$40, but it's still the principle of the thing. Sell enough and you've turned a tidy profit.)

Continue reading Fan Rant: The Selling Out of Heath Ledger

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]]>featuredHeath LedgerHeathLedgerJoker action figureJokerActionFigureThe Dark KnightTheDarkKnightElisabeth Rappe2008-05-08T12:02:00 00:002008-05-08T12:02:00 00:00Wow! Josh Brolin Makes a Convincing George W. Bush!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/wow-josh-brolin-makes-a-convincing-george-w-bush/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/wow-josh-brolin-makes-a-convincing-george-w-bush/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/08/wow-josh-brolin-makes-a-convincing-george-w-bush/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The world thought one thing when Oliver Stone cast Josh Brolin as our Commander in Chief: "Really? How is that going to work?" And yet, here comes our first look at W. proving that it actually does. It's creepy. Granted, it is still President Bush as filtered through the Handsome and Rugged Machine (TM), but it's not nearly as outlandish as I expected. The same goes for Elizabeth Banks. The magic of hair and makeup. Let's just hand them the Oscar for this one. Entertainment Weekly has a six-page spread on the new film; we've included another photo of Josh Brolin as George W. Bush after the jump.

No release date yet, but shooting begins in two weeks and I am beyond intrigued now. Stone should make this a new franchise. I vote Clive Owen as Vladimir Putin. What do you think? Does it work? Does this whole thing work?

Continue reading Wow! Josh Brolin Makes a Convincing George W. Bush!

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]]>Elizabeth BanksElizabethBanksjosh brolinJoshBrolinoliver stoneOliverStonew.Elisabeth Rappe2008-05-08T08:45:00 00:002008-05-08T08:45:00 00:00The Old Lindsay Lohan on 'Ugly Betty'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/the-old-lindsay-lohan-on-ugly-betty/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/the-old-lindsay-lohan-on-ugly-betty/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/the-old-lindsay-lohan-on-ugly-betty/#commentsFiled under: , ,



I just had to share this picture with you guys, which was nabbed from a collect of orange-tee pics up over at Just Jared. Doesn't it seem like we just went back in time? If Lindsay Lohan wasn't sporting the blonde locks in the picture above, it almost looks like this was taken during the good old days of Lohan, when she was a popular, upcoming actress, rather than a girl struggling with personal problems and tabloid frenzies.

As I told you the other day, Lindsay will have a short stint on the show, starting with the season finale this year. She's playing an old classmate of Betty's who was bitchy to Betty back in the day, but is now down on her luck.

I think this might just be the way for LiLo to work on her career -- not something that regresses her back to kid fare, but something that merges her pre-struggle past with the hopes of her present. I could be fooling myself, but it'd be nice to see the tide change for the troubled ex child stars we hear about so much these days.
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]]>CinematicalLindsay LohanLindsayLohanUgly BettyUglyBettyMonika Bartyzel2008-05-07T19:32:00 00:002008-05-07T19:32:00 00:00Now Stride Gum Wants Uwe Boll to Quit Making Filmshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/now-stride-gum-wants-uwe-boll-to-quit-making-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/now-stride-gum-wants-uwe-boll-to-quit-making-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/now-stride-gum-wants-uwe-boll-to-quit-making-films/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not for nothing, but this could be the oddest piece of movie marketing I've ever seen. So we already know there's a petition out there to stop Uwe Boll from making films, and this came about after the infamous director told FEARNet that he'd quit making films if one million people signed a petition. For about a week or so, a number of people tried to capitalize off the dude's ridiculous antics, and Boll even viewed the whole thing as pretty good (and free) press since his new film Postal was debuting on May 23.

Cut to today: Cinematical received a press release in our inbox letting us know that Stride Gum is now "supporting the efforts of StopUweBoll.org in their attempt to convince famed film director Uwe Boll to stop making video game-based films." Oh yes, Stride Gum. Makers of ... gum. And if one million people sign this petition by May 23rd (opening day for Postal), then all one million folks will receive a digital coupon for a free pack of gum. Wait, I don't know if you were paying attention just then -- I said a FREE PACK OF GUM!

Seems odd that this promotion would coincide with the opening day of Boll's latest film, which, honestly, leads me to believe that Stride Gum is helping to promote Postal by supporting a petition calling for that film's director to quit the industry. I've seen filmmakers do some weird things before (including Uwe Boll), but this has to take the cake. Yeah, so sign the petition and look out for that free pack of gum.

(And don't thank us ... we're just doing our job.)

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]]>cinematicalpostalstride gumStrideGumuwe bollUweBollErik Davis2008-05-07T19:02:00 00:002008-05-07T19:02:00 00:00Hollywood's Accent Problem, Revisitedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/hollywoods-accent-problem-revisited/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/hollywoods-accent-problem-revisited/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/07/hollywoods-accent-problem-revisited/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Catching an afternoon screening of Iron Man last weekend, the questionably denigrating representations of Afghani villains bugged me less than the bizarre cultural references in the trailers preceding it -- especially when it came to accents. Three previews in a row contained characters speaking intentionally mangled English, a fact all the more recognizable because all of them were played by well-known actors. You Don't Mess With Zohan showed Adam Sandler as a tough Israeli hair stylist. The Love Guru preview found Mike Myers blabbering on with South Asian inflections. Rounding things out in perhaps the most innocuous case, Cate Blanchett popped up as a Communist baddie in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Are these gross caricatures or fair play?

We've touched on this issue before, but it looks like each month the trend gets a little stronger. There's edgy and there's a line: Borat may or may not send the wrong message, but the character's faux Kazakh accent tells you a lot about the way Americans tend to judge foreigners on the basis of their less-than-perfect English. The specific nature of the satire gives Cohen's performance an underlying purpose -- unlike, say, Love Guru, which seems more like a chance to ignorantly marvel at Myers' ability to turn Indians into a continuous punchline. Recently, a few Hindu groups launched protests against the film. This could mark uncharted terrain for Myers, who did not, as far as I know, get lambasted by any hippies after the first Austin Powers.
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]]>accentaccentsadam sandlerAdamSandleraustin powersAustinPowersboratborat movieBoratMoviecate blanchettcate blanchetteCateBlanchettCateBlanchettefake accentFakeAccentiron manIronManmike meyersmike myersMikeMeyersMikeMyerssacha baron cohenSachaBaronCohenyou dont mess with ...you dont mess with zohanYouDontMessWith...YouDontMessWithZohanEric Kohn2008-05-07T15:32:00 00:002008-05-07T15:32:00 00:00Now Lohan Heads for Televisionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/now-lohan-heads-for-television/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/now-lohan-heads-for-television/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/now-lohan-heads-for-television/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Watch out, TV land -- there's another tabloid princess on the horizon. Britney Spears' stint on How I Met Your Mother brought in a ton of viewers, and now Lindsay Lohan is getting her shot. After rumors broke last fall, Variety reports that the actress will have a guest spot on ABC's Ugly Betty. Unlike Spears, who started off with brief role, and is now reprising it, Lohan has signed on to do an extended gig. LiLo will pop up in Betty's May 22 season finale, plus another 5 episodes next season, and she's already begun filming her first stint.

It seems that LiLo will play an old schoolmate of Betty Suarez (America Ferrera). "Lohan's character was not particularly nice to Betty back then, but when the two bump into each other in the finale, Lohan's character is down on her luck, in sharp contrast to Betty's glamorous and promising career at Gotham fashion mag, Mode." Hmm... That sounds a bit familiar!

I must say -- I prefer this to the strippage, and this could be good for the actress -- re-proving her acting chops in something simple, to an already established audience, rather than mis-guided movie choices. (Although Ye Olde Times is a good pick.) Now we'll have to see if she can bring in the same audiences that Britney scored.
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]]>CinematicalLindsay LohanLindsayLohanUgly BettyUglyBettyMonika Bartyzel2008-05-05T13:32:00 00:002008-05-05T13:32:00 00:00Discuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In these supposedly progressive times, gender equality is one of those touchy issues relegated to the last paragraph of a trend piece nobody reads. When Katherine Heigl suggested to Vanity Fair that Judd Apatow's movies were sexist, the assertion came across like an after-the-fact shrug of acceptance. Ever the galvanizing provocateur, New York Times critic Manohla Dargis confronts the issue head-on with a thorough analysis of the gender bias in this year's summer blockbusters.

With "Iron Man, Batman, Big Angry Green Man" and other massive expressions of virility invading the box office, female roles appear to be relegated to the back of the multiplex. Dargis touches on the rumors that Warner Bros head Jeff Robinov believes no woman has been able to sell a movie since Julia Roberts (a point that Natalie Portman might contest, but not Paris Hilton) before sizing up numerous upcoming studio releases, with particular attention paid to Anna Faris, "who could be the next Judy Holliday but without the right material will, alas, probably end up the next Brittany Murphy." It's the kind of pronouncement that hits you in gut.

Continue reading Discuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?

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]]>amy poehlerAmyPoehleranna farisAnnaFarisbaby mamaBabyMamabatmanbrittany murphyBrittanyMurphyfilm criticfilm criticismFilmCriticFilmCriticismgregg arakiGreggArakiiron maniron man movie photosIronManIronManMoviePhotosjudd apatowJuddApatowjudy hollidayJudyHollidayjulia robertsJuliaRobertskatherine heigel wed...katherine heiglkatherine heigleKatherineHeigelWed...KatherineHeiglKatherineHeiglemanola dargisManolaDargismisogynisticmisogynymisogynyinfilmnatalie portmanNataliePortmannew york timesNewYorkTimesparis hiltonParisHiltonsmiley faceSmileyFacethe dark knightthe incredible hulkTheDarkKnightTheIncredibleHulktina feyTinaFeyvanity fairVanityFairEric Kohn2008-05-04T17:02:00 00:002008-05-04T17:02:00 00:00The Definitive Downey, Jr.http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/the-definitive-downey-jr/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/the-definitive-downey-jr/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/the-definitive-downey-jr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, Grand Theft Auto or no Grand Theft Auto, Iron Man wins at life, raking in somewhere from $32 to 35 million on Friday, depending on whom you believe. That puts it on track for an opening weekend between $90 million and $100 million, ensuring a string of sequels and a big champagne bash over at Paramount. But it may also mean a great deal for the future of one Robert Downey, Jr., who tackled the title role with spectacular wit and charm. If an über-lucrative mainstream career is what he wants, it's probably now his for the taking. His role as a blackface-donning thespian in Tropic Thunder later this summer should help even more.

All this is by way of introduction to the fantastic long-player on Downey that is this month's GQ cover story. It covers the bases of the actor's famous checkered past -- the arrests, the tumultuous rehab stints, Matt Palmieri's violent intervention -- but also his slow-and-steady return, and his current precarious, drug-free perch at the top. Matthew Klam spent the day with the actor, hanging out at Downey's Brentwood Mansion, going indoor skydiving, and having a kung fu training session during which Downey punched him in the face. He lets loose with all sorts of candid details about the man's life and recovery (endless health shakes and vitamin pills, a butler-slash-best-friend), but it's more than just a piece of celebrity gossip -- it's a genuinely interesting look at a multifaceted, one-of-a-kind talent who's been through a lot. Take a look.
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]]>GQiron manIronManrobert downey jrRobertDowneyJrEugene Novikov2008-05-04T11:02:00 00:002008-05-04T11:02:00 00:00Tribeca Update: Harmony Korine Talks 'Mister Lonely' and 'Fight Harm'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/03/tribeca-update-harmony-korine-talks-mister-lonely-and-fight/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/03/tribeca-update-harmony-korine-talks-mister-lonely-and-fight/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/03/tribeca-update-harmony-korine-talks-mister-lonely-and-fight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

If you're anywhere near New York City this weekend, you simply must check out the work of this great new filmmaker named Harmony Korine, whose strangely fantastical movie, Mister Lonely, opened yesterday at the IFC Center (it hits Los Angeles on May 9). Some readers may confuse this Korine for the angry young radical who wrote Larry Clark's teen sex drama Kids when he was 19 and later directed the startling divisive, sharply confrontational films Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy.

I assure you that the 1990's-era Korine is long gone -- or, rather, has morphed into an agreeably warmer artist. Mister Lonely, which stars Diego Luna as a Michael Jackson impersonator and New German Cinema legend Werner Herzog as an eccentric priest, doesn't always make sense, but that's precisely what Korine was going for. "I've always been interested in making a perfect nonsense," he told a crowd at the Apple store in lower Manhattan Thursday night. "I never really cared much about plot. I wanted to make movies about moments that went through you, that were experiential."

Continue reading Tribeca Update: Harmony Korine Talks 'Mister Lonely' and 'Fight Harm'

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]]>appleapplestoredavid blainedavid blaines lates...DavidBlaineDavidBlainesLates...fight harmFightHarmgummoharmony korineHarmonyKorinejulien donkey boyJulienDonkeyBoymister lonelyMisterLonelynew yorkNewYorksohowerner herzogWernerHerzogEric Kohn2008-05-03T12:32:00 00:002008-05-03T12:32:00 00:00Peter Jackson's 'The Lovely Bones' Delayed; Production Hurting?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/02/peter-jacksons-the-lovely-bones-delayed-production-hurting/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/02/peter-jacksons-the-lovely-bones-delayed-production-hurting/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/02/peter-jacksons-the-lovely-bones-delayed-production-hurting/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Say it ain't so! I want this to be nothing more than hyperbole and ugly rumor mongering. But let's look at it anyway: According to Flicks.Co.NZ, there are troubling stories surrounding the set of Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones.

The first is a bit of a yawner. Reportedly, Jackson is having creative differences with his art director over the best way to portray Heaven -- a pretty key location in the book, if you remember. Things even reached a point where the production had to take a break as the disagreement was sorted out, according to reports.

But then came word (today) from The Bad and Ugly that the film has now been delayed, and instead of a March 13, 2009 release date, it's been pushed to Fall, 2009. No word on whether this was due to production issues or if they'd rather hold the film for a potential Oscar push.

Additionally, Susan Sarandon seemed like she was pretty iffy on the film and especially her performance while speaking to press at the London premiere of Speed Racer: "I play the comic relief, an alcoholic grandmother - my first grandma - but she doesn't really seem like a real grandmother because she has a lot of hair and jewelery and nails and liquor. I don't think I ever talk without a cigarette and a drink in my hand. Peter Jackson is really a nice guy and very interesting. It was really a very different way of working. We had a good time, I'm really curious to see what it's like because he kept pushing me to be more and more extreme and sometimes that's when you make your big mistakes so I'm not sure how it will come off -- it will be interesting to see it from the point of view of the audience."

Continue reading Peter Jackson's 'The Lovely Bones' Delayed; Production Hurting?

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]]>Peter JacksonPeterJacksonsusan sarandonSusanSarandonThe Lovely BonesTheLovelyBonesElisabeth Rappe2008-05-02T18:25:00 00:002008-05-02T18:25:00 00:00The Many Roles of Patrick Dempseyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/the-many-roles-of-patrick-dempsey/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/the-many-roles-of-patrick-dempsey/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/the-many-roles-of-patrick-dempsey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With Made of Honor now hitting the screens, we're getting even more McDreamy. But being a "made of honor" who wants to crash his best friend's wedding is far from Patrick Dempsey's first gig. There are many other roles in the mix, so Entertainment Weekly has thrown together a list of the actor's 16 "key roles." Now, this isn't all super-star material, since Dempsey dipped out of the spotlight for a while, but the list definitely takes you back in time.

The guy has been around -- from gigolos to road trips, literary adaptations to monkey viruses. (Do you remember him in Outbreak? I completely forgot that he was in that.) It's a pretty decent list. Frankly, I'd forgotten all that came between Can't Buy Me Love and Scream 3.

I have to say -- I like him much more these days. I was one of those people who never liked Can't Buy Me Love. I'd watch it with friends, and their hopeful glances would turn into insidious lasers prodding for a positive reaction. Ronald Miller just wasn't for me. But I realize that I'm in the minority on that one. Sound off below on your favorite Dempsey flick, or if you're not a fan at all, rant about the sensation that is Dempsey.
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]]>Cant Buy Me LoveCantBuyMeLoveCinematicalMade of HonorMadeOfHonorOutbreakPatrick DempseyPatrickDempseyMonika Bartyzel2008-05-01T18:02:00 00:002008-05-01T18:02:00 00:00Will Smith's 'Seven Pounds' Ticks Off Local Ladyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-smiths-seven-pounds-ticks-off-local-lady/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-smiths-seven-pounds-ticks-off-local-lady/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-smiths-seven-pounds-ticks-off-local-lady/#commentsFiled under:

While it can be quite neat to stumble upon a movie set when walking down the street, scouring all the type and posters to try and figure out what film it is, I imagine it has to be a big pain in the ass when long shoots film for weeks on end in people's neighborhoods. It certainly seems to be the case for 65-year-old retiree Dresden Graham. The Hollywood Reporter posts that she has become incensed over production of Will Smith's Seven Pounds, which is filming in her 'hood.

Now you might just think that it's an old woman getting crotchety. But imagine this: for two weeks, a film production moves into your neighborhood taking up the parking places (some people in the area have had to take shuttles to get to their apartments because there is no parking), using "bright lights, rain machines, and Great Danes" until 3 AM, and the kicker: parking the portable toilets right in front of your house. No wonder she's ticked. I wouldn't be happy to be bathed in sewer smells for two weeks so that a movie could shoot in a neighbor's house.

Graham is so unhappy that she's put up huge posters telling the production to hit the road (which seems to have gotten her some cash, according to the report). Reuters adds that this has made the production have to "construct a false flowered wall to hide them from the camera's view." So, if you hit theaters for Seven Pounds, and you spot that flowered wall, now you know who was behind it.
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]]>CinematicalSeven PoundsSevenPoundsWill SmithWillSmithMonika Bartyzel2008-05-01T17:32:00 00:002008-05-01T17:32:00 00:00Will Soderbergh's Che Guevara Biopics Find a Distributor?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-soderberghs-che-guevara-biopics-find-a-distributor/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-soderberghs-che-guevara-biopics-find-a-distributor/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/will-soderberghs-che-guevara-biopics-find-a-distributor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

If you thought leading a revolution was easy, try filming one. In The Huffington Post, Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere discusses Steven Soderbergh's two-part Che Guevara biopic, comprised of The Argentine and Guerilla. Despite earlier rumors to the contrary, it appears that both movies will definitely screen next month at the Cannes Film Festival, where Soderbergh was warmly welcomed last year for the premiere of Ocean's Thirteen. The reception of his latest project could be even more positive, but its distribution prospects are another story: As Wells explains, Soderbergh's project guarantees to offend some people for its apparent exclusion of Che's stint as the overlord at La Cabana fortress, where he ordered the execution of over 600 political prisoners. Add to that the heavy amount of Spanish dialog and the director's insistence that the two movies should be enjoyed as a four hour-plus package, and you've got enough red flags to send even the bravest U.S. distributors packing.

Wells, who read both scripts, analogizes the project to Lawrence of Arabia. "Hey, how about presenting the two films as a single, gargantuan Lawrence of Arabia-styled deal with an intermission, running between four or four and a half hours?" he suggests, perhaps somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

Jon Stewart had it right during the Oscars this year when he ironically geeked out over Lawrence of Arabia on an iPod. If most audiences can't appreciate that movie on the big screen now, why would they turn up for something like this?
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]]>argentinecannes film festivalCannesFilmFestivalche guevaraCheGuevaraguerillahollywood elsewhereHollywoodElsewherehuffington postHuffingtonPostipodjeff wellsjeffrey wellsJeffreyWellsJeffWellsjon stewartJonStewartla cabanaLaCabanalawrence of arabiaLawrenceOfArabiaoceans thirteenOceansThirteenoscarssoderberghsteven soderberghStevenSoderberghEric Kohn2008-05-01T16:32:00 00:002008-05-01T16:32:00 00:00Uwe Boll Goes After Billy Zanehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/uwe-boll-goes-after-billy-zane/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/uwe-boll-goes-after-billy-zane/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/uwe-boll-goes-after-billy-zane/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I think it's time for the Energizer Bunny to be retired so that Uwe Boll can take over. Man, that guy never, ever stops. I wonder if he exhausts himself just getting worked up about everything, rather than just plain working. Last month, he goaded anti-Boll legions together in an anti-Uwe petition. On the heels of that news, Erik posted that Boll was ranting up a storm again, calling Michael Bay a "f**king retard," and complaining about Eli Roth's movies.

But anger, vehemence, and drama are never done for Boll. Now The Hollywood Reporter posts that he has sued Billy Zane in Los Angeles Superior Court. No, not the Zane! How could anyone hate Zane? Uwe Boll. That's who.

Boll claims that he's owed around $700,000 in revenue from his big floppity flop Bloodrayne. He says that Zane suggested Romar Entertainment handle distribution, he promised the film would open in 2,000 theaters, and that a $10 mil advance from Boll would be used to promote the flick. He goes on to say that almost a million bucks was paid to Zane and Romar's James Schramm, and the movie opened in only 950 theaters. Perhaps this doesn't have to do with a Zane scheme, but the fact that after a budget of $25 mil, it only brought in about $4 mil worldwide.

You can take 'im Zane! Now that would be a good showdown -- Zane and Boll in the ring!
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]]>Billy ZaneBillyZaneBloodrayneCinematicalUwe BollUweBollMonika Bartyzel2008-05-01T14:32:00 00:002008-05-01T14:32:00 00:00Javier Bardem Backs Out of 'Nine'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/javier-bardem-backs-out-of-nine/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/javier-bardem-backs-out-of-nine/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/01/javier-bardem-backs-out-of-nine/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last month, he gets replaced by a woman. This month, he's just too tired to go on. Variety reports that Javier Bardem is backing out of his lead role in Rob Marshall's upcoming musical, Nine. They say: "Though his camp said that Bardem loved the script and the idea of working with Marshall, he pulled out because he is exhausted from work and awards seasons, and will take as long as a year to recharge his batteries."

I'm sorry, but that seems like overkill. Getting tired is understandable, as is needing a break. But let's recap. In the last few years, there was Goya's Ghosts, No Country for Old Men, and Love in the Time of Cholera. He's topping that off with two more -- Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Killing Pablo. Needing a year break after this seems like overkill. I mean, in the same amount of time, Peter O'Toole has taken on 12 roles (being 37-years Javier's senior), Scarlett Johansson, his Vicky co-star, has nine roles, a TV gig, and a directorial gig, Robert Downey Jr. has 11, and so on and so forth.

If this handful of roles and awards has worn him down too much, I have to wonder if he will be able to continue this career for many years to come. Then again, maybe he isn't tired of working, but just tired of the big-name system. Since he got his first credit role in The Ages of Lulu in 1990, he's had at least one gig a year, except for 2005, which remained Bardem-free. It's not like he's a complete newbie. Oh well. At least we still have Vicky and Pablo on the way.
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]]>CinematicalJavier BardemJavierBardemNineMonika Bartyzel2008-05-01T10:32:00 00:002008-05-01T10:32:00 00:00Tribeca Interview: 'Bigger, Stronger, Faster' Director, Chris Bellhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/tribeca-interview-bigger-stronger-faster-director-chris-be/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/tribeca-interview-bigger-stronger-faster-director-chris-be/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/tribeca-interview-bigger-stronger-faster-director-chris-be/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In Bigger, Stronger, Faster, a big hit at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, documentarian Christopher Bell takes a hard look at steroid culture and the bad rap it gets from mainstream America, tackling the Western obsession with body image. Clocking in just under two hours, Bell's sprawling overview deals with the impact of 1980's pop culture icons like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, then dives into the gritty details of steroid usage in sports and the recent congressional hearings where baseball players were reprimanded on national television.

Bell doesn't view the issue in black-and-white terms: His own brothers, featured in the film, continually use steroids to enhance their bodybuilding careers. Contrasting the personal with the political, Bigger, Stronger, Faster diagnoses a distinctly American malady. Cinematical spoke with Bell last week in New York, where Bigger, Stronger, Faster has been screening at the Tribeca Film Festival. The movie opens May 30.

Cinematical: The movie tackles a major issue that many Americans have strong opinions about, but it also has a personal component because of your family's story. What's it been like facing the growing public awareness of the film?

Christopher Bell: It's so rewarding to hear, "Hey, you made a good movie. Thanks for telling the truth." We haven't really been criticized or attacked by anybody. There was one woman at Sundance who really upset about 'roid rage, saying that we glossed over it. I think we actually explained it pretty well.

Continue reading Tribeca Interview: 'Bigger, Stronger, Faster' Director, Chris Bell

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]]>arnoldarnold schwarzeneggerArnoldSchwarzeneggerbigger stronger fasterbigger-stronger-fasterBiggerStrongerFasterchris bellChrisBellchristopher bellChristopherBellcongressmagnolia picturesMagnoliaPicturessteroidssteroids investigationsteroidsinvestigationsundancesundance2008Eric Kohn2008-04-30T21:02:00 00:002008-04-30T21:02:00 00:00Is it Time for 'Mission: Impossible 4'!?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/is-it-time-for-mission-impossible-4/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/is-it-time-for-mission-impossible-4/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/30/is-it-time-for-mission-impossible-4/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The seas haven't been smooth for used-to-be-totally-loved shortie Tom Cruise. Lions for Lambs didn't help his career commercially, and Valkyrie continues to have problems, so of course, thoughts would turn to his popular fluff fare. There have been some rumors about Mission: Impossible 4, and according to Slashfilm, an insider has told Life & Style Magazine: "Tom will make M:I 4 once Paramount greenlights the script. There will most definitely be another Mission: Impossible!"

This could be pure rumor just as much as fact, but I imagine it's true. There's only so long Cruise can stay relevant in the tabloids unless he gets back on track professionally, or jumps on some more couches. But I wonder if it could, or will, be a hit. Excitement has moved to other franchises, and while number three still brought in some cash, it's gross was under the money pulled in by the first two.

So, the question becomes: What could Paramount do to make this film relevant, other than re-starting the franchise with a new actor? Should this be a story about passing the torch? Is there a way to make people visit the film in bigger hordes? Should Tom Cruise give up, or is there a different franchise that might help his career?
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]]>CinematicalMission ImpossibleMission Impossible 4MissionImpossibleMissionImpossible4Tom CruiseTomCruiseMonika Bartyzel2008-04-30T12:32:00 00:002008-04-30T12:32:00 00:00