Cinematical

Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Cinematical Seven: Movies That Pull an All-Nighterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/#commentsFiled under: Comedy, Cinematical Seven, Lists

I've had my share of all-nighters, and sure, some of them were for a perfectly legitimate reason like studying, but I'll be honest with you: most of them were for reasons that for the sake of propriety, I shouldn't go into here -- and I know I'm not the only one. Who doesn't have a story about that one great night? Or that one party that couldn't be missed? Exactly, we all do, and maybe that's why we all love a good story about some wild and crazy all-nighter.

This Friday, audiences will be treated to another tale full of all-night shenanigans with I Love You, Beth Cooper, which follows a high school nobody who changes everything when he utters those five words during his graduation speech. So just like every 'all-nighter' film to go before it, Cooper is about breaking out of your comfort zone and watching the best laid plans go to waste -- and usually our hero or heroine gets to fall in love along the way. So with that in mind, let's take a look back at seven other films that are about our search for a good time.

1. The Allnighter
Well, you can't have a list about all-nighters without including this 80's turkey starring The Bangles' lead singer, Susanna Hoffs. Even Joan Cusack (the patron saint of 80's comedy) couldn't save this story about a group of girls looking for a good time on their last night before graduation. The Allnighter was written and directed by Hoff's mom, and was meant to be the singer's big break into acting. Unfortunately for her, the film was so bad that not only did it fail at the box office, it managed to turn the gal off from ever pursuing a film career at all.

After the jump: find out which other all-nighter flicks made the list...

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]]>80scinematical sevenCinematicalSevencorey feldmanCorey HaimCoreyFeldmanCoreyHaimdazed and confusedDazedAndConfusedharold and kumarHaroldAndKumari love you beth cooperILoveYouBethCooperjeff goldblumJeffGoldblumJonah HillJonahHilllicense to driveLicenseToDrivelistMichael CeraMichaelCeraNick and Norahs Infinite PlaylistNickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylistsuperbadJessica BarnesThu, 09 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Race Against the Clock!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/#commentsFiled under: Classics, Thrillers, Cinematical Seven, Lists

'Back to the Future'

3 - 2 - 1 ... There's nothing like a ticking time bomb to give any movie a sense of urgency. Whether it's a literal set of explosives (as in Speed), a new ice age (The Day After Tomorrow), alien attack (Independence Day), hostage execution (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three), fatal poison (Crank), or the threat of loved ones being killed (Nick of Time), it's an honorable tradition to ratchet up the tension by pitting heroic characters in a relentless race against the clock.

This week marks the home video release of Alex Proyas' Knowing, a somewhat insane thriller in which astrophysicist Nicolas Cage comes to believe that future disasters can be predicted -- and races against time to stop the next one. You have to see it to believe (or mock) it. If you're in a countdown frame of mind, here are seven more entertaining thrillers that feature seriously motivated heroes trying to avert disaster. Consider this a starter list; see if you can be the first one to list your favorite(s) in the comments section. Go!

7. Back to the Future (1985)

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is just an ordinary high school student, doing a favor for good old Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) when he finds himself transported back in time 30 years. Before he knows what's happening, he's dodging Oedipal issues and trying to make sure his parents fall in love before he is gone, baby, gone. He is highly-motivated, to say the least, resulting in a pulse-quickening race in which a literal clock plays a major role.

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]]>back to the futureBackToTheFuturebeat the clockBeatTheClockcountdownd.o.a.DOAescape from new yorkEscapeFromNewYorkKnowingrace against the clockRaceAgainstTheClockringurun lola runRunLolaRunthe man who knew too muchthe manchurian candidateTheManchurianCandidateTheManWhoKnewTooMuchPeter MartinTue, 07 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Most Overly Used Lines in Trailershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/cinematical-seven-most-overly-used-lines-in-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/cinematical-seven-most-overly-used-lines-in-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/cinematical-seven-most-overly-used-lines-in-trailers/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Movie Marketing, Cinematical Seven, Trailers and Clips

[By: Erik Davis, reprinted from 11/3/2007]

Part of my job involves watching every single movie trailer that comes down the pipeline, and, in most cases, writing about it. Thus, it pains me to keep hearing the same old voice-over lines from the guy with the deep voice. A comedian friend of mine named Jeff Sussman once did a bit on the movie trailer voice-over guy. In it, he speculated what it would be like to live with the movie trailer voice-over guy. Do all of his dinner conversations begin with "In a world ... where chicken cutlets and mashed potatoes come together ..."? It was a pretty funny routine, and Jeff had the voice down good. Unfortunately we lost Don LaFontaine (the legendary voice-over guy) recently, but there are still a host of guys with deep voices there to tease us at every turn with the same overly used lines again and again.

Well I'd like to take a stand today! No more of this! The following lines have been used in countless movie trailers, and I feel it's about time we officially retire them. From this day forward, I urge all of you to take a stand and help us ban the following lines of dialogue from showing up in future trailers. Think about the children, people! This one is for them ...

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]]>Cinematical staffWed, 01 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Famous Hollywood Hoaxeshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/cinematical-seven-famous-hollywood-hoaxes/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/cinematical-seven-famous-hollywood-hoaxes/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/cinematical-seven-famous-hollywood-hoaxes/#commentsFiled under: RumorMonger, Fandom, Cinematical Seven

If you are the type of person who believes what you are told, then the release of James Gray's Two Lovers is probably your last chance to see Joaquin Phoenix 'the actor' before he takes the hip-hop world by storm -- but that's only if you believe what you've been told. For every person who is convinced that Mr. Phoenix has gone around the bend (and you can't blame them with footage like this floating around), you will find another person who thinks that the whole thing is a big hoax...and it wouldn't be the first time we've been taken for a ride by a celebrity. But until Casey Affleck releases that 'documentary' of his, we won't know for sure, and I decided it might be worthwhile to look at other Tinseltown hoaxes to remind us that you can't always believe what you read -- especially in Hollywood.

1. Stanley Kubrick Fakes the Moon Landing
It's been a popular conspiracy theory that the director provided most of the footage for the Apollo 11 and 12 Moon landings; and as the story goes, Kubrick was right in the middle of post-production on 2001: A Space Odyssey, when he was approached by NASA to create footage of a moon landing since his was so realistic. Over the years, most of these theories have been debunked, but defenders of the 'Kubrick connection' love to remind us that Kubrick later used lenses for Barry Lyndon that were developed by NASA -- which they say is the proof of payment for faking the lunar adventure.

After the jump: the birth of 'Bigfoot' and hoaxes that ended with hard time...

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]]>cannibal holocaustCannibalHolocaustcasey affleckCaseyAffleckcinematical sevenCinematicalSevenhoaxhoward hughesHowardHughesjoaquin phoenixJoaquinPhoenixkeanu reevesKeanuReevesrichard gereRichardGerestanley kubrickStanleyKubrickJessica BarnesTue, 30 Jun 2009 22:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: 'Revenge of the Fallen' Absurdities We Kind of Lovehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/cinematical-seven-revenge-of-the-fallen-absurdities-we-kind-o/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/cinematical-seven-revenge-of-the-fallen-absurdities-we-kind-o/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/cinematical-seven-revenge-of-the-fallen-absurdities-we-kind-o/#commentsFiled under: Action, Cinematical Seven

I wouldn't recommend actually sitting through Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to anyone. But in the abstract -- after you've been through the horrifying experience -- there are parts of the film that are so bizarre that the whole thing starts to look like the work of some sick, Andy Kaufman-esque jokester genius. And then it becomes kind of interesting. I mean, some of this stuff can't be for real... Can it?

1. Megan Fox's first appearance. See above. That is the first shot of Megan Fox in the film, as she works on a motorcycle in her family's garage while taking a call from boyfriend Shia LaBoeuf. Makes sense, right? Or do you not typically mount your motorcycle in that fashion, wearing knee-high boots and denim hot pants, to do some body work? If not, why not? Hysterical -- though I have to say that Michael Bay's leering at Fox throughout the movie eventually becomes a little uncomfortable. And if you didn't think it was possible for a director to leer at his star with the camera, Revenge of the Fallen proves you wrong.

2. The enormous Bad Boys II poster in Sam's dorm room. If it just appeared on someone's wall at a point in the film, that would be one thing -- a little arrogant, but not really notable. That's not what happens here. The poster for Bay's Bad Boys II -- presumably belonging to Sam's motormouth techie roommate -- is enormous, and fills the screen on at least two occasions. The self-regard is astounding. Has a director ever put in product placement for his other work in a movie before?

3. The obsession with things humping other things. It doesn't really matter what things. First, we see dogs going at it. Why? Because humping dogs are funny, that's why. Then, later, a miniature decepticon grinds against Megan Fox's leg. Why? I have no earthly idea. I guess Bay or his producers thought this would amuse someone, somewhere. Gotta spend $200 million somehow.

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]]>bad boys IIBadBoysIimegan foxMeganFoxmichael bayMichaelBayshia laboeufShiaLaboeuftransformers: revenge of the fallenTransformers:RevengeOfTheFallenEugene NovikovThu, 25 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Non-Chick-Flicks by Women Directors http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/cinematical-seven-non-chick-flicks-by-women-directors/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/cinematical-seven-non-chick-flicks-by-women-directors/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/cinematical-seven-non-chick-flicks-by-women-directors/#commentsFiled under: Cinematical Seven

he Hurt Locker opens this week, and one of the most remarkable things about this remarkable war movie is that it plays more like a gut-busting Sam Fuller/Don Siegel WWII action film than it does one of today's somber, navel-gazing, message-driven war films. Perhaps even more remarkable -- though it's sad that it has to be so remarkable -- is that director Kathryn Bigelow is a woman, out-shooting most of today's male directors. But thankfully she's not the only one to give men a run for their money in guy-oriented genres.

1. Near Dark (1987, Kathryn Bigelow)
Bigelow has already racked up an impressive career of male-bonding films of all genres. Most of them are underrated gems or cult films, and I like all of them, but this vampire film is my favorite (though, technically, the word "vampire" is never used in the film). It was one of the first films to remove the classic gothic setting and place the bloodsuckers in the modern-day American west, among the denim-clad rednecks, neon bars and pickup trucks. It's relentlessly violent and sometimes disturbing but at the same time it knows how to pause for moments of glorious beauty and even a touching love story.

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]]>cinematicalfast times at ridgemont highFastTimesAtRidgemontHighfilmjesus sonJesusSonmikey and nickyMikeyAndNickymovienear darkNearDarkravenousthe hitch-hikerTheHitch-hikerwaynes worldWaynesWorldJeffrey M. AndersonTue, 23 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Most Contrived Rom-Com Scenarioshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/#commentsFiled under: Comedy, Romance, Cinematical Seven, Lists

Let me make this clear: when I say that I'm compiling a list of the most contrived rom-com scenarios, I'm not saying that they're automatically the worst -- although a glance at the titles doesn't exactly stray far from that correlation. Tomorrow's The Proposal finds Sandra Bullock forcing Ryan Reynolds into marriage for the sake of holding off immigration authorities and keeping her/their jobs (I guess it's not too soon to remake Green Card and Picture Perfect after all), so we're talking about seven plot points along those lines of high-concept, close-quarters thinking, with some (dis)honorable mentions along the way...

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]]>50 first dates50FirstDatesadam sandlerAdamSandleramy adamsAmyAdamsbilly wilderBillyWilderchris nothChrisNothdrew barrymoreDrewBarrymorefailure to launchFailureToLaunchforces of natureForcesOfNaturegreen cardGreenCardheather locklearHeatherLocklearhilary duffHilaryDuffhow to lose a guy in 10 daysHowToLoseAGuyIn10Dayshugh jackmanHughJackmanjack lemmonJackLemmonjohn cusackJohnCusackkate beckinsalekate hudsonKateBeckinsaleKateHudsonleap yearLeapYearmarilyn monroeMarilynMonroemeg ryanMegRyannora ephronNoraEphronpicture perfectPicturePerfectsandra bullockSandraBullocksarah jessica parkerSarahJessicaParkerserendipitysleepless in seattleSleeplessInSeattlesome like it hotSomeLikeItHotthe perfect manthe proposalthe wedding singerThePerfectManTheProposalTheWeddingSingertom hanksTomHankstony curtisTonyCurtiswhile you were sleepingWhileYouWereSleepingyouve got mailYouveGotMailWilliam GossThu, 18 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Jason's Greatest Hitshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/cinematical-seven-jasons-greatest-hits/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/cinematical-seven-jasons-greatest-hits/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/cinematical-seven-jasons-greatest-hits/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Cinematical Seven

Our pal Jason is having one hell of a big DVD day, with no less than six different releases dedicated to the masked masher. With that in mind, we dig up a piece from last February and reminisce over our favorite slasher's greatest hits.

To commemorate the re-re-reawakening of good ol' Jason Voorhees, I thought it'd be fun to toss out seven of my favorite kills from the hulking lunatic. And so I did. To find out if the new Friday the 13th has any kills worth considering, well, I guess you'll have to buy a ticket. Or wait for the DVD. Or cable.

Mark (Friday the 13th Part 2) -- This is where we learned that all bets were off: Not only would Jason gladly kill a good-looking handicapped guy who was about to get sexed up ... but he'd also give the wheelchair-bound lothario one of the series' most diabolical demises! Yep, poor Mark got a machete in the face before his wheelchair bounced (backwards!) down a giant staircase. Simple, creepy, effective.

Andy (Friday the 13th Part 3) -- Why would a guy spend his after-sex time walking around on his hands? So that Jason can chop him (downward!) from the groin to the ... I dunno really, but in a movie filled with cheesy FX and unconvincing kills, this one still comes off as impressively nasty. I was gonna go with "Jeff & Sandra's post-coital dual-skewer" scene, but the MPAA gutted most of that creativity.

Jack (Friday the 13th) -- Most hardcore fans would probably pick Annie (nasty throat slice) or Marcie (axe to the face!), but there's something about that hand popping up from beneath Kevin Bacon that always freaked me out. Plus the "arrow throat" gag works exceedingly well, whether you're watching the American version or the slightly messier UK edition.

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]]>friday the 13thFridayThe13thjasons best killsJasonsBestKillsCinematical staffTue, 16 Jun 2009 22:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Terrific Train Thrillshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/#commentsFiled under: Action, Drama, Thrillers, Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Lists, Cinematical Indie

Top: 'Runaway Train,' bottom: 'Spider-Man 2'

I'm not certain when, exactly, my long-time fascination with trains was born, but it probably started the first time I walked through Union Station in Los Angeles, a cathedral dedicated to mass transit that opened in 1939. Opportunities to ride the rails were few and far between, so I treasured any chance to experience a train trip vicariously through the movies. Eventually I moved to New York and, still later, visited Europe, banking thousands of hours on all manner of subways and trains. Still, I've never had a personal train trip as thrilling as those I've enjoyed at the movies. With Tony Scott's The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 racing into theaters tomorrow, let's honor a few of the films that have provided terrific train thrills of the cinematic variety.

1. Runaway Train
The other movies on this list feature excellent scenes set on or around trains or subways (see also "Honorable Mention" and "Sensational Subway Scenes" after the jump) but Andrei Konchalovsky's thriller, based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, spends the majority of its running time on a train speeding through the bitterly cold, snowy winter landscapes of Alaska. Jon Voight and Eric Robert are two hardened convicts who've broken out of prison and, by chance, happen upon the just-departing train. When the engineer suffers a heart attack, the cons are at the controls of an out-of-control beast they cannot hope to master.

2. Spider-Man 2
I'll dance around needless spoilers by saying there is a coda to the runaway train scene that caught me unaware, filled with grace and humanity. That elevates a very good, thrilling, fast-paced suspense sequence involving helpless passengers and the heroic, masked Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as he fights Doc Ock (Alfred Molina).

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]]>emperor of the northemperor of the north poleEmperorOfTheNorthEmperorOfTheNorthPolerisky businessRiskyBusinessrunaway trainRunawayTrainspeedspider-man 2Spider-man2subway thrillersSubwayThrillersterrific train thrillsTerrificTrainThrillsthe taking of pelham 1 2 3the taking of pelham one two threethe wrong trousersTheTakingOfPelham123TheTakingOfPelhamOneTwoThreeTheWrongTrouserstrain thrillersTrainThrillerswallace and gromit in the wrong trousersWallaceAndGromitInTheWrongTrousersPeter MartinThu, 11 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Terrible Movie Tattooshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/cinematical-seven-terrible-movie-tattoos/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/cinematical-seven-terrible-movie-tattoos/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/cinematical-seven-terrible-movie-tattoos/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Images

Tattoos in the movies have a storied history, from the simple, classic LOVE/HATE knuckle tattoos in The Night of the Hunter to the slick and sexy additions to Angelina Jolie's existing body art in last summer's Wanted. Recent movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Eastern Promises have used tattoos to great effect; in Button, Captain Mike's homemade tattoos both referred to his life on the sea as a sailor, which in that era was the most visible tattoo population, and his own father's discouragement of his hopes of becoming an artist. Instead, he brings his art with him everywhere he goes. And Eastern Promises based its tattoos (hello, Viggo in his undies sipping a shot of vodka getting tattooed) on the heavily researched Russian tattoos and their different signifiers in the gangster underworld.

Unfortunately, most recent movies have the tendency to slap some crappy tribal on a character to make him or her seem more bad-ass, which, given the context of tattoos in the movies, is kind of understandable. But what's not is just how freaking terrible they are! Here are my personal picks of the worst ink spilled onscreen, plus a bonus mention for the most gorgeous tattoos in a movie, both in design and story use.

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]]>doomsdayeastern promisesEasternPromiseslove an a .45LoveAnA.45rocknrollaromper stomperRomperStomperstar trekStarTrekstrangelandsynecdoche new yorkSynecdocheNewYorktattoosthe bucket listthe curious case of benjamin buttonthe number 23the salton seaTheBucketListTheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButtonTheNumber23TheSaltonSeawantedxxxJenni MillerTue, 09 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Wicked Hangovers on Filmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/#commentsFiled under: New Releases, Johnny Depp, Cinematical Seven, Lists, Summer Movies

If Benjamin Franklin is right (and I suspect he is) that beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy*, then hard liquor may be proof that Satan exists, and laughs at our agony the morning after indulging. But if there's a silver lining to a hangover, it's that it inspires a movie actually called The Hangover, allowing us to laugh about our own drunken antics ... and sigh in relief that they've never been bad enough to land us with a tiger, a baby, or a Mike Tyson punch. Then again, depending on what college or parties you've attended, you may have preferred to wake up with all three and a missing tooth rather than whatever or whoever you found yourself with. It doesn't always stay in Vegas.

So, in honor of the hard-partiers in The Hangover, here's seven wicked hangovers captured onscreen. It's difficult to narrow it down to just seven, so I've tried to represent just about everything except Cocktail. There's individual scenes, dark tales, and laugh out loud fratboy antics here, and ranked completely at random. They might actually make you think twice about accepting another shot of tequlia. Of course, if we ever learned from cinematic example or past experience, we'd probably never bite the lime or shout "Nastrovia!" more than once in our entire lives.

*There's no proof Franklin ever said this, but let's just lie and say he did

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]]>28 Days28DaysBASEketballcinematical 7cinematical sevenCinematical7CinematicalSevendude wheres my carDudeWheresMyCarleaving las vegasLeavingLasVegasSummer 2009Summer2009the big lebowskiThe HangoverThe LibertineTheBigLebowskiTheHangoverTheLibertineWicked HangoversWickedHangoverswithnail and iWithnailAndIElisabeth RappeThu, 04 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Actors Who Need to Return to Their Rootshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Lists

With never-ending zeal, Hollywood looks back to the good ol' days with remakes and re-imaginings. But it's always the plots; always the stories. What about the actors? If there was any way that looking to the past would be beneficial, it would be grabbing those actors of today and getting them to dip back into the roles of yesterday -- the gigs that made us love them, but were so soon forgotten or cast aside.

Between casting ruts and earnest attempts to foster specific career paths, actors all too often leave their well-loved roots in the past, becoming an entirely different sort of performer. Very rarely do we get glimpses of those early years, and as nice as it is to see glimpses of former glory in a skit that pops up on SNL or Funny or Die, it's not the same as a feature-length, starring gig.

What follows are seven actors and actresses who are ripe for a return to the past. Naturally, this is only the start of a very long list, so be sure to add your picks in the comments.

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]]>Billy CrystalBillyCrystalCinematicalEric RobertsEricRobertsJane FondaJaneFondaKate HudsonKateHudsonSean PennSeanPennSusan SarandonSusanSarandonTom HanksTomHanksMonika BartyzelTue, 02 Jun 2009 22:15:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Horror Replacement Actorshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cinematical-seven-horror-replacement-actors/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cinematical-seven-horror-replacement-actors/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cinematical-seven-horror-replacement-actors/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Lists

Melanie Griffith in 'Joyride'; Sissy Spacek in 'Carrie'

Oh, what might have been! Alison Lohman gives a terrific performance as the cursed loan officer Christine Brown in Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell, which opens tomorrow. If not for the vagaries of scheduling, though, Ellen Page would have played the lead role. Would Page have been any better? We'll never know, but she joins a long list that inspires thoughts of 'What if ...?'

Once upon a time, we might have seen Leslie Howard as the titular Frankenstein and Bela Lugosi as The Monster. Instead, Colin Clive played the good doctor, Boris Karloff got a jump-start on life, and the rest is horror history. Here are seven more recent examples of actors and actresses who were considered for key roles in great horror films ... and the ones who replaced them, listed in chronological order. [Disclaimer: Based on information provided on IMDb's "trivia" pages, so no guarantees on accuracy.] Better? Worse? You decide.

1. Melanie Griffith / Sissy Spacek (Carrie)

Even though she was in her mid-20s, Spacek looks so young and fragile as Carrie that it's difficult to imagine anyone else in the role. Griffith was 18 or 19 and already had made an impression in Night Moves, The Drowning Pool, and Smile when she auditioned to play the telekinetic high schooler. Conveying Carrie's complexities might have been beyond her still-developing skills at that point. The pic above, left, is from Joyride, released the following year.

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]]>adrienne kingAdrienneKingalienanne lockhartAnneLockhartcarriedrew barrymoreDrewBarrymorefriday the 13thFridayThe13thhalloweenhorror replacement actorsHorrorReplacementActorsjack nicholsonjackie earle haleyJackieEarleHaleyJackNicholsonjamie lee curtisJamieLeeCurtisjohnny deppJohnnyDeppmelanie griffithMelanieGriffithneve campbellNeveCampbellnightmare on elm streetNightmareOnElmStreetrobin williamsRobinWilliamssally fieldSallyFieldscreamsigourney weaverSigourneyWeaversissy spacekSissySpacekthe shiningTheShiningveronica cartwrightVeronicaCartwrightPeter MartinThu, 28 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: TV Stars Who Should Be in More Movies (Female Edition)http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/27/cinematical-seven-tv-stars-who-should-be-in-more-movies-female/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/27/cinematical-seven-tv-stars-who-should-be-in-more-movies-female/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/27/cinematical-seven-tv-stars-who-should-be-in-more-movies-female/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Lists

Evangeline Lilly

Isn't it funny how the entertainment world plays around with the calendar? The "official" television year ended last week, and the "official" summer movie season is in full bloom, so what better time to think about TV stars who should be in more movies? Last month we offered our picks for the gentlemen of the dramatic arts; now it's time to focus on the women.

Even though I just used the royal "we," let me hasten to add that the following picks reflect my own personal thinking. Thanks to a nifty new DVR, I watched more television shows over the past season than in the past, but I won't pretend this is a comprehensive list. These are the women that jumped off the screen.

1. Evangeline Lilly

That memorable image of her from the first season of Lost -- in her underwear, at the beach -- pretty much defined her, initially. Lilly had precious little acting experience before the series began, so she had to learn on the job. And she hasn't always been terribly convincing. But she's come into her own, and is now able to capture attention even without speaking, even with all her clothes on, even as part of that ridiculous love quadrangle. She's learned that less is more and cuts a strong figure as a loving, adoptive mother and a sexy, deadly criminal. She has a small part in The Hurt Locker, which finally opens next month, and could easily transition into supporting roles in just about any kind of movie now that Lost is nearing its finale.

Evangeline Lilly Photos

(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA RIGHTS*** Cannes Film Festival attendees attend the Chopard Trophy party at Baoli restaurant. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56107EX Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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ITALY OUT (ITALY OUT)Actress Evangeline Lilly attends The Chopard Trophy at the Baoli restaurant during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2009 in Cannes, France. 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival - The Chopard Trophy Cannes, France May 18, 2009 Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.com To license this image (57479029), contact WireImage.com

Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.com

Actress Evangeline Lilly attends The Chopard Trophy at the Baoli restaurant during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2009 in Cannes, France. 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival - The Chopard Trophy Cannes, France May 18, 2009 Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage.com To license this image (57478676), contact WireImage.com

Dominique Charriau/WireImage.com

(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA*** "Looking for Eric" premiere at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56082EW Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA*** "Looking for Eric" premiere at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56082EW Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA*** "Looking for Eric" premiere at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56082EW Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

ELIOT PRESS/bauergriffinonline.c

(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA*** "Looking for Eric" premiere at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56082EW Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

ELIOT PRESS/bauergriffinonline.c

(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA*** "Looking for Eric" premiere at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Picture Shows: Evangeline Lilly NON-EXCLUSIVE May 18, 2009 Job: 56082EW Cannes, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

ELIOT PRESS/bauergriffinonline.c

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Actress Evangeline Lilly attends The Chopard Trophy at the Baoli restaurant during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2009 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evangeline Lilly

Getty Images

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Actress Evangeline Lilly attends The Chopard Trophy at the Baoli restaurant during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2009 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evangeline Lilly

Getty Images

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]]>anna torvAnnaTorvdania ramirezDaniaRamirezevangeline lillyEvangelineLillykaley cuocoKaleyCuocoolivia wildeOliviaWildesarah shahiSarahShahisummer glauSummerGlauPeter MartinWed, 27 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Summer Movies Before Jawshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/26/cinematical-seven-summer-movies-before-jaws/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/26/cinematical-seven-summer-movies-before-jaws/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/26/cinematical-seven-summer-movies-before-jaws/#commentsFiled under: Cinematical Seven, Summer Movies

Most historians agree that Jaws was the first "summer movie." It was the first time that studios made the connection that summer = summer vacation = kids home from school with disposable allowances. It was also a movie that actually took place during the summer and on the beach. It was also a brilliantly simple film that could be advertised almost exclusively by word of mouth and by a great poster. Hence, it practically invented the term "blockbuster." But just because the studios officially established the summer movie season from then on doesn't mean that people didn't go to the movies during the summer before that. Here's my list of seven great summer releases from the days before the hype.

1. North by Northwest
Released July 17, 1959
Hitchcock released quite a few of his great films in the summer -- including Strangers on a Train, Rear Window and Psycho -- but I like to think that this big, lightweight, but precision-perfect thriller is his best "summer movie," due to its general brightness and upbeat tone and its impressive collection of picturesque locations. (It's like a mini-vacation from your seat.) And, on a hot summer day, Cary Grant in his sleek gray suit is the epitome of cool.

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]]>cinematicalenter the dragonEnterTheDragonfilmhatarimoviemr. hulots holidayMr.HulotsHolidaynorth by northwestNorthByNorthwestonce upon a time in the westOnceUponATimeInTheWestrosemarys babyRosemarysBabythe seven year itchTheSevenYearItchJeffrey M. AndersonTue, 26 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Great Time Travel Movieshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/cinematical-seven-great-time-travel-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/cinematical-seven-great-time-travel-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/cinematical-seven-great-time-travel-movies/#commentsFiled under: Cinematical Seven

Terminator: Salvation hits theaters today and to commemorate that we're looking at films that veer into the fourth dimension (that's time for us non-technical folk). Time travel is a story device with all kind of possibilities built right in. If I could travel back to 2005 and locate Jennifer Aniston would I be able to convince her that making The Break-Up was a really bad idea? I can dream, can't I? Anyway, here are seven of my favorite time travel movies.

Back to the Future (1985)
Between constant reruns on basic cable and just being a pretty awesome flick is there anyone in this world who hasn't seen Back to the Future? Eccentric scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) while demonstrating his Delorean-mounted time machine sends Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) back to the 1950s. Marty's return to 1985 must be timed to the split second to coincide with a lightning bolt that will power the Delorean's Flux Capacitor, but in the meantime Marty disrupts the event that got his parents together thus threatening his very existence. Before he can return to his own time Marty needs to put his folks back on the path to marriage, put a bully in his place and invent the skateboard all set to the music of Huey Lewis and The News. This movie is just plain fun. The following year Lea Thompson who plays Marty's mom graduated from coming on to her own son to putting the moves on a cranky water fowl in Howard the Duck.

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]]>Army of DarknessArmyOfDarknessBack to the FutureBackToTheFutureCinemaCinematicalfeaturedGroundhog DayGroundhogDayMoviesPrimerStar Trek: First ContactStarTrek:FirstContactThe Butterfly EffectTheButterflyEffectTimecrimesMatt BradshawThu, 21 May 2009 21:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Inciting Mall Mayhemhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/cinematical-seven-inciting-mall-mayhem/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/cinematical-seven-inciting-mall-mayhem/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/cinematical-seven-inciting-mall-mayhem/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Home Entertainment, Cinematical Seven, Lists

As Spin-ematical alerted you earlier today, the cinematic wonder that is Paul Blart: Mall Cop is now available on DVD and Blu-ray for our movie-loving paws. But that doesn't mean we want it. (I hope!) Why go for the "harmlessly humorless" when you can revel in true commerce comedy?

There are a number of better options to satisfy your yearnings for officers of the shopping law and mall mayhem. Most of them are funny, one is downright scary, and all offer something both entertaining and worthwhile. And that's the key -- isn't it? Being entertained without feeling like we've been lobotomized?

Read on for my selections, and be sure to comment with your own favorite mall mayhem movies. Beware: some of the following clips are full of f-bombs and adult language, so NSFW.

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]]>Bad SantaBadSantaCinematicalCluelessDawn of the DeadDawnOfTheDeadmall moviesMallMoviesMallratsmalls cops on filmMallsCopsOnFilmObserve and ReportObserveAndReportScenes From a MallScenesFromAMallWeirdsvilleMonika BartyzelTue, 19 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Favorite Con Men (and Ladies)http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/14/cinematical-seven-favorite-con-men-and-ladies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/14/cinematical-seven-favorite-con-men-and-ladies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/14/cinematical-seven-favorite-con-men-and-ladies/#commentsFiled under: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Steven Spielberg, Cinematical Seven

There's a caveat or two with which I submit this list of our favorite con artists on film, to correspond with tomorrow's NY/LA bow of The Brothers Bloom (our review from Toronto is here; our interview with director Rian Johnson, there).

One: I have not seen the following -- David Mamet's House of Games, David Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner, and ~~David Mamet's~~ Frank Oz's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I know, for shame, boo and hiss and so on and so forth.

Two: I've seen but don't fully recollect either The Grifters or Nine Queens enough to feel comfortable including them as if I had (I also missed the English-language remake of the latter, Criminal, though I've been told that's for the best). If I were a slier man, then maybe I could fittingly deceive the lot of you, but I'm not, so I won't.

While I don't doubt that the characters in those films would be worthy of a slot on our list, there are still at least seven other con (wo)men in the movies worth shining the spotlight on, and I do hope that you do think that may make do when all's said and done.

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]]>barbara stanwyckBarbaraStanwyckcatch me if you canCatchMeIfYouCancon artistcon artistscon mancon menConArtistConArtistsconfidenceConManConMengene hackmanGeneHackmangriftgriftergriftersjames foleyJamesFoleyleonardo dicaprioLeonardoDicapriomatchstick menMatchstickMenpaper moonPaperMoonpaul newmanPaulNewmanrachel weiszRachelWeiszrobert redfordRobertRedfordryan onealRyanOnealsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergtatum onealTatumOnealthe brothers bloomthe lady evethe royal tenenbaumsthe stingTheBrothersBloomTheLadyEveTheRoyalTenenbaumsTheStingWilliam GossThu, 14 May 2009 22:33:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Movies with Angels (But Only a Few Demons)http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/12/cinematical-seven-movies-with-angels-but-only-a-few-demons/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/12/cinematical-seven-movies-with-angels-but-only-a-few-demons/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/12/cinematical-seven-movies-with-angels-but-only-a-few-demons/#commentsFiled under: Cinematical Seven

Angels & Demons, director Ron Howard's sequel/prequel to The Da Vinci Code, is less about actual angels than it's about Action Tom Hanks running, jumping, and climbing trees to solve a city-wide Sudoku puzzle and save the world from the Illuminati. At least that's what I think it's about from watching the trailer, and from the five pages of Dan Brown's book that I read before I gave up and threw it across the room.

But it did get me thinking about angels in movies, and what a fascinating subject they are -- even when they're mishandled. Here's a few favorite movie seraphim:

1. All That Jazz - Bob Fosse's wickedly raw, musical autobio offered a luminous Jessica Lange, who appears to Roy Scheider's Fosse as a sexy angel of death, flirting and cajoling him into finally going towards the light. As the embodiment of all that Fosse found seductive in his self-destruction, Lange was a heavenly body, indeed.

2. Dogma -- Kevin Smith's irreverent examination of faith and religion cast Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as two laid-off angels headed for New Jersey, hoping to find a loophole that'll put them back in God's graces. Along the messy, uneven way, Smith gives his characters some wonderful lines -- like when the angel Metatron (Alan Rickman) explains, "Human beings have neither the aural nor the psychological capacity to withstand the awesome power of God's true voice. Were you to hear it, your mind would cave in and your heart would explode within your chest. We went through five Adams before we figured that one out."

3. Wings of Desire -- Wim Wenders' 1987 fantasy about an unhappy angel (Bruno Ganz) who longs to be human is a slow, seductive dream of a movie, full of sadness and beauty. Henri Alekan, the cinematographer who shot Jean Cocteau's Beauty And The Beast, came out of retirement to make this film, and it's a masterpiece. Plus, it's got Peter Falk, and an amazing performance by Nick Cave:

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]]>all that jazzAllThatJazzangels and demonsAngelsAndDemonscharliesangelsconstantine maroulisConstantineMaroulisdogmaprophecywingsofdesireDawn TaylorTue, 12 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Franchises J.J. Abrams Should Reboothttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/10/cinematical-seven-franchises-j-j-abrams-should-reboot/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/10/cinematical-seven-franchises-j-j-abrams-should-reboot/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/10/cinematical-seven-franchises-j-j-abrams-should-reboot/#commentsFiled under: Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Lists

Now that J.J. Abrams has reinvented, and especially, reinvigorated Star Trek for an all new generation of fake-pointy-eared fans, it would be unfair to let the filmmaker simply take time off to garden or crochet, much less celebrate the film's projected $72 million opening weekend. Especially since there are just so many other franchises and film series that deserve - or perhaps more accurately - need his golden touch. As such, we've thoughtfully assembled a short list of franchises that Abrams could and should take over, tackle, and reboot. And while we tailored our selections to suit the filmmaker's writing and directing strengths, we encourage you to leave your comments and suggestions which films and franchises you think might be better suited to Abrams' cinematic style.

In no particular order:

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]]>arnold schwarzeneggerArnoldSchwarzeneggerback to the futureBackToTheFuturebryan singerBryanSingerfireflygeorge lucasGeorgeLucashan soloHanSoloj.j. abramsJ.j.Abramsjames cameronJamesCameronjoss whedonJossWhedonmichael j. foxMichaelJ.Foxmichelle monaghanMichelleMonaghanmission: impossible 3Mission:Impossible3robert zemeckissandra bullockSandraBullockserenityspeedspeed 2: cruise controlstar trekstar warsStarTrekStarWarssupermansuperman returnsSupermanReturnstrue liesTrueLieswonder womanWonderWomanTodd GilchristSun, 10 May 2009 22:33:00 EST