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/So What is 'Best Worst Movie' and Why Should I See It?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/so-what-is-best-worst-movie-and-why-should-i-see-it/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/so-what-is-best-worst-movie-and-why-should-i-see-it/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/so-what-is-best-worst-movie-and-why-should-i-see-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


When you try to explain what Best Worst Movie is about to anyone, even a lot of film fans, you're likely to receive a blank stare or a confused line of questioning. So it's a documentary about bad movies? How can it just be about Troll 2? Why would anyone make a documentary about Troll 2, a movie that few have seen except in some late night cable fever dream? My own attempts at explaining it were pretty lame: Well, because it's funny, and because Troll 2 has a cult following thanks to the Internet, the Alamo Drafthouse, and IMDB forums. People really, really love to laugh at this movie. It's just really funny, and the documentary explores the fandom, and the poor people behind Troll 2, and ... never mind.

But you shouldn't say "never mind" about Best Worst Movie. Yes, this is a documentary about Troll 2. You'll learn about the people they stuffed into those awful masks, about how the director nailed young Darren Ewing's own Chuck Taylors to a flower pot and made him stand for 14 hours straight, and that Rossella Drudi wrote it in a fit of pique after her friends became vegetarians. You'll learn just how mortifying it is to be in a movie that's so very, very bad and what it does to your fledgling dreams of stardom. You'll learn more than you ever wanted about Troll 2, but that doesn't mean this is a documentary to say "meh, never mind" about, because Best Worst Movie isn't just about one crappy movie from 1990. In its own kooky way, it's about everything. It's about the breathlessness of fandom, delusions of grandeur, the power of the Internet, the skeletons in your closet, and settling for ordinary when you dreamed about the stars.

Continue reading So What is 'Best Worst Movie' and Why Should I See It?

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]]>Best Worst MovieBestWorstMovieDenver Film FestivalDenverFilmFestivalDFFgeorge hardyGeorgeHardyMichael StephensonMichaelStephensonElisabeth RappeSun, 06 Dec 2009 19:02:00 ESTDemand It: 'Mystery Team' in Your Townhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Mystery TeamWe New Yorkers have it really good. We can get anything delivered to us at pretty much any time of the day or night. We have decent public transportation, albeit a system that's overpriced, occasionally breaks down during the rain, and is smelly. And we have our pick of the litter when it comes to new movies.

But! It doesn't have to be that way with Mystery Team, a little comedy from the folks from the DERRICK comedy troupe about three uber-dorks who are called upon by a little girl to find who murdered her parents. In fact, because so many more people demanded it in Phoenix than in New York City, that's where they officially unveiled it first! Mystery Team also stars the always awesome Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) as her crush-worthy older sister. The stars are doing a lot of legwork to promote their film, including giveaways, Q&As, and other good stuff. Don't you want them to come to your own? Dontcha? Demand it now, and maybe you too can join the Sword Club. Demand It worked for Paranormal Activity, and they didn't even have a Sword Club.

If you don't believe me, will you believe Cinematical's awesome EiC, Erik Davis, who caught it at Sundance and wrote, "It's Encyclopedia Brown meets Napoleon Dynamite with a pinch of Ace Ventura... and it's hilarious." You can watch DERRICK's latest short here, which is full of funny and NSFW language.

Next up are shows in Albuquerque, NM, and Chicago, IL. And maybe your town next.

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]]>demand itDemandItmystery teamMysteryTeamJenni MillerSun, 06 Dec 2009 13:02:00 ESTMichelle Williams to Play Marilyn Monroe?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/michelle-williams-marilyn-monroe/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/michelle-williams-marilyn-monroe/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/michelle-williams-marilyn-monroe/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you had to pick a young actress to play Marilyn Monroe, who would you choose? Can you even think of someone who'd truly fit the role? Personally, I can't, but I do know one thing: Michelle Williams -- God, I love her -- wouldn't even make my top 50. So, seeing the Tweet from Production Weekly claiming the Oscar-nominated actress is in talks to play the titular icon in a movie called My Week with Marilyn made me nearly fall out of my chair.

I'm not sure if my reaction is more unfair to Williams or Monroe, but I guess I imagine someone less talented and less wholesome-looking. Someone like Scarlett Johansson, who was previously rumored to be in line for the film. Or Megan Fox, Malin Ackerman, Anna Faris or any other pin-up type currently included in Maxim's Hot 100.

Continue reading Michelle Williams to Play Marilyn Monroe?

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]]>laurence olivierLaurenceOliviermarilyn monroeMarilynMonroemichelle williamsMichelleWilliamsscarlett johanssonScarlettJohanssonthe prince and the showgirlThePrinceAndTheShowgirlChristopher CampbellFri, 04 Dec 2009 15:02:00 EST'The Piper' Plays a Tune to the Big Screenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-piper-plays-a-tune-to-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-piper-plays-a-tune-to-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-piper-plays-a-tune-to-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Dark and gritty have become the keywords for comic-based movies, but it's not a trend that's confined to the big screen. A lot of comics are saving studios the trouble, and spinning their own gloomy version of a popular tale, and Hollywood is responding by optioning them all up. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the latest to sign on the dotted line is Zenescope, who will be helping to bring The Piper to the big screen.

The Piper is a four-issue series by Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco, and is part of Zenescope's Grimm Fairy Tales line that puts a lot of emphasis on the grim. (That's not hard given most original fairy tales.) Piper takes the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin, and turns him into a bogeyman that is revived by high school student Sean. Tormented by bullies, Sean seeks someone to help him exact revenge. But if you've seen any film where a figure is revived by the Book of the Lost, you know things will get a lot bloodier than anyone imagined. You can check out the first few pages online. As usual with Zenescope's books, the art is pretty special.

Persistant Entertainment has the project open to writers, so if you're a screenwriter who is feeling a little bloodthirsty, you can give it a shot. The rest of us will have to wait to see if it comes together, and if it's a strong enough tune to carry us into the theater.

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]]>Joe BrushaJoeBrushaPantry FilmsPantryFilmsPersistant EntertainmentPersistantEntertainmentRalph TedescoRalphTedescoThe PiperThePiperZenescopeElisabeth RappeThu, 03 Dec 2009 13:50:00 ESTMirren to Play The Queen Again in Star-Studded Biopic?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/mirren-to-play-the-queen-again-in-star-studded-biopic/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/mirren-to-play-the-queen-again-in-star-studded-biopic/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/mirren-to-play-the-queen-again-in-star-studded-biopic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The legendary Helen Mirren may once again be serving crown and country as Queen Elizabeth II. WENN is reporting that Mirren is being called upon to play the once and current queen in Mother: The Indira Ghandi Story, a biopic about the Indian prime minister who was asassinated in 1984.

Tom Hanks and Tommy Lee Jones are also reportedly in talks to play Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, respectively, while Emily Watson is attached to play the formidable Margaret Thatcher. Director Krishna Shah calls it "the project of my life" so one hopes this could actually come together for him with this kind of cast. The film is scheduled to be released in 2010, which seems a bit too optimistic with so many schedules to coordinate, but we'll see.

Obviously, this should be filed firmly under "rumor," but it's an intriguing prospect. Indira Ghandi is certainly long overdue for a biopic, and the cast would be fantastic. It would be fascinating to see Mirren go back and play a younger Queen Elizabeth II, even for just a small part in a larger historical picture. Besides, with Michael Sheen doing triple duty as Prime Minister Tony Blair, it seems very appropriate that his onscreen monarch get another shot at the throne.

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]]>Emily WatsonEmilyWatsonhelen mirrenHelenMirrenKrishna ShahKrishnaShahMichael SheenMichaelSheenMother: The Indira Ghandi StoryMother:TheIndiraGhandiStorytom hanksTomHanksTommy Lee JonesTommyLeeJonesElisabeth RappeMon, 30 Nov 2009 18:03:00 ESTIndie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/25/indie-roundup-sweetgrass-clarkworld-broken-embraces/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/25/indie-roundup-sweetgrass-clarkworld-broken-embraces/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/25/indie-roundup-sweetgrass-clarkworld-broken-embraces/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Cinematical's Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'

Indie Roundup gathers a selection of indie film news from the past seven days and offers a peek ahead to what's coming.

Deal. Do not despair that the first month of the new year will be filled solely with the expansion of award contenders. Distribution rights in the US for Sweetgrass have been acquired by The Cinema Guild, according to indieWIRE, and the documentary will open at Film Forum in Manhattan on January 6, followed by a rollout across the country.

Directed by Ilisa Barbasch and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Sweetgrass "follows the last sheepherders to trail their flocks up into Montana's Beartooth mountains for summer pasture," per its official synopsis. After debuting at the Berlin Film Festival last year, the doc played the festival circuit quite successfully, picking up positive critical notices. Check out the splendid trailer in all its quiet, chud-chewing glory after the jump.

Online / On-Demand Viewing. Debuting on demand next Sunday, Clarkworld paints a portrait of filmmaker Bob Clark. Best known for his perennial holiday favorite A Christmas Story, Clark also made the groundbreaking Porky's, which set the tone for all raunchy teen comedies to come, and the significant slasher pic Black Christmas, another flick that was a trendsetter (or at least ripped off at will). Director Deren P. Abram talked with Peter Billingsley (former child star turned filmmaker), Kim Cattrall, Jon Voight, Denise Richards, Mary Steenburgen, John Saxon, Scott Baio, and other people who weren't even in any of his movies! We have the trailer for this one after the jump, too, which makes for an interesting contrast with the one for Sweetgrass. Look for the movie on cable systems via Cinetic FilmBuff.

After the jump: box office talk; trailers for Sweetgrass and Clarkworld.

Continue reading Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'

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]]>Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansBadLieutenant:PortOfCallNewOrleansbob clarkBobClarkbroken embracesBrokenEmbracesclarkworldderen abramDerenAbramfantastic mr foxFantasticMrFoxfeaturedindie weekend box officeIndieWeekendBoxOfficepedro almodovarPedroAlmodovarpreciousprecious moviePreciousMoviered cliffRedCliffsweetgrasssweetgrass the movieSweetgrassTheMoviePeter MartinWed, 25 Nov 2009 19:02:00 ESTBen Stiller Goes Indie in 'Greenberg' Trailerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/greenberg-trailer-ben-stiller/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/greenberg-trailer-ben-stiller/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/greenberg-trailer-ben-stiller/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


The best thing about this trailer is that Mumblecore sensation Greta Gerwig has finally semi-crossed over into more "popular" fare (I can't say commercial, because this is still somewhat indie, so I guess "popular" is the right word ... but maybe not. You get the point, though, right?). The worst thing about this trailer is that it just feels like another lost-dude-looking-for-the-rest-of-his-life type flick, and I guess that's cool if you dig hip indie soundtracks and Ben Stiller with a perpetual puss on his face, but in my opinion there's nothing here that screams, "Holy crap, watch me right now!"

Yeah, so, anyway, the first trailer for Noah Baumbach's (The Squid and the Whale) next film, Greenberg, has just arrived over on Apple, and it stars Ben Stiller as a guy named Greenberg who's "at a crossroads in his life" and, after he agrees to housesit for his younger (and more successful) brother in Los Angeles, he begins to reconnect with old friends and kinda-sorta-maybe sleep with Greta Gerwig, who, mind you, totally has an Indie Kate Winslet vibe going on in the trailer.

Watch the trailer over on Apple and let us know what you think. Greenberg is due in theaters on March 12th, and I could totally see it premiering at Sundance in January ... but I'll guess we'll wait and see about that.

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]]>ben stillerBenStillercinematicalgreenberg trailerGreenbergTrailergreta gerwigGretaGerwigErik DavisMon, 23 Nov 2009 18:37:00 ESTJoshua Jackson Flies Away In a 'UFO'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/joshua-jackson-flies-away-in-a-ufo/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/joshua-jackson-flies-away-in-a-ufo/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/joshua-jackson-flies-away-in-a-ufo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There seems to be a slow and steady drive towards remaking everything that ever appeared on British television. I suppose that's all right (they do have fantastic shows and made-for-television movies in the United Kingdom) but what happens on that dark day when Hollywood runs out of British productions? Yikes. Let's not think about that, and turn instead to the dark version of 1980 that's being remade for the modern viewer, as Variety reports that British favorite UFO is being re-imagined for the big screen. UFO will be helmed by Matthew Gratzner, and will star Joshua Jackson.

The British premise for UFO was set in the near future (ten years in their case -- the show aired in 1970 and took place in 1980) where aliens had conquered Earth. Naturally, they didn't do so with altruistic means, but to use us as an organ harvesting ground. Humanity's future lay with SHADO, (Supreme Headquarters Aliens Defense Organization), a covert organization pretending to be a movie studio, who defend against the alien horde. Many have tried to remake UFO and failed, the last evolved into Space: 1999. (I can't find any reference as to V took any inspiration from it. The timing screams that it wasn't a coincidence.)

Jackson will play Paul Foster, a test pilot who joins SHADO. Foster is one of the original characters, and had an interesting little conflict after he became involved with the enemy. Since Gratzner praises his ability to show Foster's "inner conflict," the movie will undoubtedly take that and run with it. The movie is aiming to begin filming in the spring.

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]]>Gerry AndersonGerryAndersonJoshua JacksonJoshuaJacksonmatthew gratznerMatthewGratznerSylvia AndersonSylviaAndersonUFOUFO remakeUfoRemakeElisabeth RappeMon, 23 Nov 2009 09:45:00 ESTMichael Fassbender Goes From One Bronte To the Nexthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/michael-fassbender-goes-from-one-bronte-to-the-next/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/michael-fassbender-goes-from-one-bronte-to-the-next/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/michael-fassbender-goes-from-one-bronte-to-the-next/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Brontes are all the rage for adaptation right now. It's undoubtedly due to Edward and Bella bestowing their favor on Wuthering Heights, and had they chosen Great Expectations, perhaps we'd see Dickens adaptations flinging themselves to the big screen. I love corsets and cravats, so I'm not going to complain, and I'm certainly not going to whine if Cary Fukunaga gets this cast for Jane Eyre. Variety is reporting that Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska are in talks to play Jane and Rochester for Fukunaga, and oh, how torrid it would be!

This is actually the second time Fassbender has circled a Bronte adaptation. Last May, he was said to be in talks for Wuthering Heights, but Ed Westwick stepped into that particular waistcoat. It's a shame. I think Fassbender would have made an excellent Heathcliff, and may have been the first one to actually snarl, bang his head against a tree, and slap people convincingly. But he will make a very simmering Rochester, and is the only actor who could top Toby Stephens' wonderful turn in 2006.

Wasikowska is still a bit of a dark horse. She's becoming one of those much-discussed names, but most of us have yet to really meet her until Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland hits theaters. She's very pretty, but is just "ordinary" (if that doesn't sound too terrible) enough to fit the part of plain Jane, and as an Aussie, she'll be able to turn on an English accent better than Ellen Page. If this is the Jane Eyre that makes it to the screen, I'll be happy. Let the eerie screams, mysterious fires, and lingering looks commence.

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]]>cary fukunagaCaryFukunagaCharlotte BronteCharlotteBronteFocus FeaturesFocusFeaturesJane EyreJaneEyremia wasikowskaMiaWasikowskaMichael FassbenderMichaelFassbenderMoira BuffiniMoiraBuffiniRuby FilmsRubyFilmsToby StephensTobyStephensElisabeth RappeFri, 20 Nov 2009 15:48:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Movies That Start Fightshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/cinematical-seven-movies-that-start-fights/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/cinematical-seven-movies-that-start-fights/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/cinematical-seven-movies-that-start-fights/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



I've been meaning to purchase and wear this t-shirt since I learned of its existence a couple of months ago, but I figured I'd better let the Twilight: New Moon hysteria die down first. It would appear, after all, that openly declaring one's hostility toward the Twilight franchise on one's person, even with a statement as unquestionably correct as "Vampires Don't Sparkle," is just asking for trouble. You do not want to mess with a gaggle of rabid Robert Pattinson fans.

I do not hate the Twilight franchise, actually, though I would like to suggest that the Twilighteers may live to regret sinking so much time and emotion into something so utterly banal. But I seem to be one of the few who occupy the middle ground. Twilight might be the most divisive love-it-or-hate-it phenomenon of the last few years. Not everyone adores Harry Potter, but most people have at least a grudging respect for it; Twilight has as many haters as fawning admirers.

You gotta admit that if you can use a movie to start an argument, it's at least good for something. Here are seven other movies that seem to disproportionately divide the moviegoing population into adoring fans and angry detractors.

1. Titanic - To get the obvious out of the way. It's amazing to me how often people make offhand derisive mentions of Titanic, as if its awfulness were well-established and self-evident. As with Twilight, of course, the surprisingly widespread disdain of this movie is a backlash against its army of obsessive partisans (and from a similar demographic to boot) -- the folks who showed up on local news shows in 1997 bragging about having seen it 16 times in the theater, etc. The fact that Titanic is a fantastic film -- and not really (or at least not only) for the reasons many of its fans think -- tends to get lost in the shuffle, sadly.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Movies That Start Fights

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]]>dogvilleevent horizonEventHorizonnatural born killersNaturalBornKillersthe blair witch projectthe matrix reloadedTheBlairWitchProjectTheMatrixReloadedtitanictransformerstransformers: revenge of tefallenTransformers:RevengeOfTefallentwilight: new moonTwilight:NewMoonEugene NovikovThu, 19 Nov 2009 22:02:00 ESTJaycee Dugard's Horrific Story to Get a Sleazy Adaptationhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/jaycee-dugard-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/jaycee-dugard-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/jaycee-dugard-movie/#commentsFiled under: ,

When Jaycee Lee Dugard was 11 she was abducted from a bus stop outside her home in South Lake Tahoe, California. The search to recover her was frantic but fruitless and it seemed like the little girl would be lost to her family forever. That is until a now 29-year-old Dugard was able to emerge from her captor and alert authorities as to the unbelievable life she had been forced to endure since her kidnapping. For 18 years she was held against her will by a psychotic husband and wife duo who repeatedly abused and raped her, which resulted in Dugard giving birth to two of her captor's children, the first of whom would have been born when the poor girl was 14 years old.

It's a hell of a frightening story and now it's set to become the subject of a film called Abducted Girl, An American Sex Slave, only unlike most biographic pictures, the family of Jaycee Dugard desperately wishes it wouldn't exist. A representative for the family explained, "If and when Jaycee and her family think it is appropriate, their story will be told by them, in a forum of their choosing with the respect and thoughtfulness they so deserve. Anyone else speculating about the details of such a personal hurt, for financial gain, is exploitative, hurtful and breathtakingly unkind."

And if you have any doubt that the maker of Abducted Girl, Shane Ryan, has anything but exploitative ambitions, take a look at his no-budget, z-grade horror movie filmography: Amateur Porn Star Killer 1-4 (the latest of which was in 3D!), So, We Killed Our Parents, Warning!!! Pedophile Released and Sex Kids Party aka The More the Better. Which brings up a sad question: What if a person doesn't want their story told?

Continue reading Jaycee Dugard's Horrific Story to Get a Sleazy Adaptation

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]]>Abducted Girl An American Sex SlaveAbductedGirlAnAmericanSexSlavefeaturedJaycee DugardJayceeDugardShane RyanShaneRyanPeter HallThu, 19 Nov 2009 17:32:00 ESTSean Connery Ditches Retirement to Play ... a Skateboarding Veterinarian?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/sean-connery-ditches-retirement-to-play-a-skateboarding-vete/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/sean-connery-ditches-retirement-to-play-a-skateboarding-vete/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/19/sean-connery-ditches-retirement-to-play-a-skateboarding-vete/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Good actors never really retire, they just find new and easier ways to work. Sean Connery loudly proclaimed his intention to retire from the silver screen, but he's decided to make a bit of a return. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Connery will lend his voice to the CGI animated movie Sir Billi, an independent film created by husband-and-wife team Sascha and Tessa Hartmann. Connery is an executive producer on the project, and has been heavily involved with its production.

The movie will have Connery playing "a retired, skateboarding veterinarian" who rescues an illegal fugitive who just happens to be a beaver. (I now wish this could cross over into The Beaver.) The Hartmanns have been working on the project for five years, and it's now set for a 2010 release.
The final touch is apparently a Shirley Bassey tune, and THR reports that she's signed up to record a song titled The Guardian of the Highlands for the film. Let me repeat that: Bassey singing a song called The Guardian of the Highlands. It's now my favorite song of all time, and I haven't even heard it.

So, if you've been lying awake wondering what Connery has been up to, now you know. He's been overseeing a charming Scottish cartoon, and lending his slurry brogue to a skateboarding veterinarian. But I don't this heralds a return to acting -- remember, Connery was able to literally phone in this performance and head back to the golf course, enjoying the fruits of retirement.

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]]>Sascha HartmannSaschaHartmannsean connerySeanConneryshirley basseyShirleyBasseySir BilliSirBilliTessa HartmannTessaHartmannElisabeth RappeThu, 19 Nov 2009 09:48:00 ESTInterview: Carla Guginohttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/interview-carla-gugino/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/interview-carla-gugino/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/interview-carla-gugino/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Carla Gugino has spent the better part of the last decade playing some of the most complicated and interesting female characters in Hollywood. After early roles in lighthearted fare like Son in Law, she played an appropriately combative counterpart for Michael J. Fox's deputy Mayor on Spin City before appearing in Wayne Wang's The Center of the World as a troubled seductress, Robert Rodriguez' Sin City as a tough-as-nails parole officer, Ridley Scott's American Gangster as Russell Crowe's exasperated ex-wife, and most recently in Zack Snyder's Watchmen as a sexpot superheroine with a pitch-black past. This month, she's acting in Sebastian Gutierrez' Women in Trouble, where she plays a porn star coming to terms with the news that she's pregnant.

Cinematical recently spoke to Gugino at the film's Los Angeles press day, where in between pointing out some of the bruises she earned while shooting Zack Snyder's Watchmen follow-up, Sucker Punch, she offered a few insights into her character in Women in Trouble.

Cinematical: What immediately jumped out to me about Elektra is that even though she's at her own crossroads in Women in Trouble, she seems to have the most certainty of the characters about who she is.

Continue reading Interview: Carla Gugino

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]]>american gangsterAmericanGangstercarla guginoCarlaGuginosebastian gutierrezSebastianGutierrezsucker punchSuckerPunchthe center of the worldTheCenterOfTheWorldwatchmenwayne wangWayneWangwomen in troubleWomenInTroublezack snyderZackSnyderTodd GilchristWed, 18 Nov 2009 20:45:00 ESTIndie Roundup: 'Cracks,' 'Harry Brown' Deals and Trailershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/indie-roundup-cracks-harry-brown-deals-and-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/indie-roundup-cracks-harry-brown-deals-and-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/indie-roundup-cracks-harry-brown-deals-and-trailers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Cinematical's Indie Roundup: 'Cracks,' 'Harry Brown'

Indie Roundup: Your quick guide to what's new and upcoming in the independent film community.

Deals. Our friends at indieWIRE report that Cracks has been acquired by IFC Films, which plans to release it next year via its IFC in Theaters platform. The film is the feature directorial debut of Jordan Scott, daughter of Ridley Scott. Eva Green (The Dreamers, Casino Royale) stars as a teacher and diving coach in an Irish boarding school for orphaned girls; Juno Temple, Imogen Poots, and Maria Valverde also star. "The trials and tribulations, for both the students and their unorthodox teacher," writes Kurt Halfyard at Twitch, "gradually are brought to a boil that subverts many of the typical paths in either a coming of age story or a typical 'school-girl dormitory' tale."

Michael Caine stars as Harry Brown, a retired Marine who determines to clean up his neighborhood after his best friend is killed. Samuel Goldwyn Films picked up theatrical rights to the thriller; indieWIRE notes that the film opened in the UK last weekend, though the US release date has not yet been announced. Daniel Barber directed. UK site Pure Movies calls Harry Brown "a superior offering - albeit a gritty and bleak one."

On Demand / Online Viewing. Check out On Hallowed Ground, available exclusively this month on Babelgum. Andre Braugher narrates the documentary, which explores Rucker Park, a basketball court in Harlem where legendary future NBA players, and those who should have been famous, once played. Speaking of gritty players, if you're curious to catch up with Troy Duffy's The Boondock Saints, it'll finally be coming to video on demand in January.

After the jump: watch trailers for Cracks (absolutely gorgeous) and Harry Brown (dark and intense)!

Continue reading Indie Roundup: 'Cracks,' 'Harry Brown' Deals and Trailers

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]]>cracksdaniel barberDanielBarbereva greenEvaGreenharry brownHarryBrownjordan scottJordanScottmichael caineMichaelCaineon hallowed groundOnHallowedGroundPeter MartinWed, 18 Nov 2009 19:03:00 ESTInterview: Joseph Gordon-Levitt on 'Uncertainty', 'Inception' and His Favorite Movieshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/joseph-gordon-levitt-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/joseph-gordon-levitt-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/joseph-gordon-levitt-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Lynn Collins and Josephn Gordon-Levitt in Uncertainty


Whether as a fast-talking high schooler in a film noir (Brick) or a disfigured soldier in a big budget blockbuster (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proven himself to be one of the most talented young actors. His new movie, Uncertainty, takes the viewer on a journey into two different worlds, where a flip of a coin takes a young couple (Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins) into an innocuous visit to her family and decisions about their future and another takes them into a strange criminal underworld where everyone is after a cell phone they found in a cab. Directed by David Siegel and Scott McGehee, Uncertainty was filmed on the fly with hand-held cameras in S16m and HD as the couple race towards their different futures. In this interview, we discuss the freedom of improvising within a structured world, his favorite movies, and what he can't say about G.I. Joe sequels or Christopher Nolan's Inception.

Cinematical: Can you discuss the beginning of the movie a bit? I was confused if it was symbolic or literal or what.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: What do you think was happening?

Cinematical: Well, I went back and I watched it again and wasn't sure.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: I don't want to be evasive or anything... You know, it's the kind of movie that's meant to stimulate a conversation or provoke your own creative thoughts about it, so I hesitate to say, "Well, what it means is blah blah blah." First of all, because it means something different to everybody. And second of all, I would never want anybody to say, "Well, I read an interview where the actor said that it means blah blah blah, so it means that and it doesn't mean anything else. 'Cause to me that's the beauty of movies, is that it can mean really whatever you want. The act of watching a movie, I think, is a creative act; it's not just input. All of us, as audience members, we're telling the story the way that we see it.

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]]>Christopher NolanChristopherNolanG.I. JoeG.I. Joe The Rise of CobraG.i.JoeG.i.JoeTheRiseOfCobrainceptioninterviewJoseph Gordon-LevittJosephGordon-levittlynn collinsLynnCollinsuncertaintyJenni MillerFri, 13 Nov 2009 12:45:00 ESTKristen Stewart Goes Southern in 'The Yellow Handkerchief'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/kristen-stewart-the-yellow-handkerchief/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/kristen-stewart-the-yellow-handkerchief/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/kristen-stewart-the-yellow-handkerchief/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


She's about to open the second-biggest film of her career, so what better timing than now to point you to a new peek at Kristen Stewart's next non-Twilight film? Check out the new trailer for The Yellow Handkerchief, a Sundance entry that follows three strangers in post-Katrina Louisiana - Martine (Stewart), Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), and Brett (William Hurt) -- as they search together for life, love, and the perfect Southern accent.

Ok, so it seems the Southern slangin' is done primarily by Stewart, while Brit Redmayne goes American and Hurt rocks the ex-con handlebar mustache. As they embark on a road trip together, the two teens listen to Brett's tale of the woman who got away (Maria Bello) while they navigate the murky waters of young love. (Read Erik Davis's Sundance review here.)

Watch the trailer after the jump.

Continue reading Kristen Stewart Goes Southern in 'The Yellow Handkerchief'

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]]>Eddie RedmayneEddieRedmaynekristen stewartKristenStewartMaria BelloMariaBelloWilliam HurtWilliamHurtYellow HandkerchiefYellowHandkerchiefJen YamatoThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:32:00 EST'Make-Out with Violence' For Free in L.A.!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/make-out-with-violence-for-free-in-l-a/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/make-out-with-violence-for-free-in-l-a/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/make-out-with-violence-for-free-in-l-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Indie movie lovers of the greater Los Angeles area, take note of a wonderful gem from this year's SXSW festival that's coming your way. Make-Out with Violence is an angsty teenage zombie horror comedy that I caught last year at the Oxford Film Festival, and tonight - November 12 - it screens in Los Angeles. For free!

Ok, technically it's screening in Alhambra. But this one-night only engagement will likely be your only chance to see the underappreciated indie film that our own Scott Weinberg called "pretty damn good" - and if I may add my own endorsement, Make-Out with Violence is original and gorgeously shot, a great alternative to mainstream (i.e. made with way more money) films about either teenage life or zombies. The best part? Make-Out with Violence is about both of those things. (It's also got the most attractive zombie hottie of the year, with apologies to Zombieland's Amber Heard.)

Continue reading 'Make-Out with Violence' For Free in L.A.!

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]]>Deagol BrothersDeagolBrothersMake-Out with ViolenceMake-outWithViolenceJen YamatoThu, 12 Nov 2009 09:48:00 ESTDiscuss: What Will Everyone Else Think About 'Precious'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/precious-movie-debate/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/precious-movie-debate/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/precious-movie-debate/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Oprah is pushing both Precious and the book it's based on, Push by Sapphire, on her show, and I'm seriously curious to know what her audience will think about it. How many people will be able to watch a film told from the point of view of an illiterate high schooler who is raped by her father, physically (and, in the book, sexually) abused by her mother, hates herself for not being white, has given birth to one child with Down's Syndrome who's nicknamed Mongo (short for Mongoloid), and is pregnant for a second time with her father's child?

Let's assume that Oprah's reach is strong enough and far enough to get her demographic to plunk down their eight to 12 dollars to see Precious - the Oprah Effect in full effect. (You can find out where and when Precious is playing near you on the official movie website.)

I'm not talking about critics and journalists or the people in big cities who like to participate in a friendly Oscar pool or want to be up on what was in the New York Times. They're already seeing the movie in droves; it made $1.8M in limited release its opening weekend. The latest numbers I could find on her demographic are from 2007, back when people were wondering if Oprah could help get a president elected. (Answer: Yes, she can.)

According to Nielsen via MSNBC, "Oprah's audience is predominantly female, white, and over the age of 55. Nationally 7.4 million people watch Oprah daily -- about 2.6% of American households. Four percent of American women (about 5.7 million) watch her daily, compared with 1.2% of men (1.7 million people). Overall, 2% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watch Oprah."

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]]>Gabourey SidibeGaboureySidibelee danielsLeeDanielsmariah careyMariahCareymarketingmoniqueoprahoscarPaula PattonPaulaPattonpreciousPrecious:BasedOnTheNovelPushBySapphirepushtyler perryTylerPerryJenni MillerWed, 11 Nov 2009 22:18:00 ESTIndie Roundup: Swanberg Sex, Veterans Day Docshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/indie-roundup-swanberg-sex-veterans-day-docs/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/indie-roundup-swanberg-sex-veterans-day-docs/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/indie-roundup-swanberg-sex-veterans-day-docs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Cinematical's Indie Roundup

Indie Roundup is your guide to what's new and cool in the indie film world.

On-Demand / Online Viewing. Love him or find him irritating, he's practically a category unto himself now. Joe Swanberg continues to explore the endlessly fascinating topic of twenty-something romantic relationships in Young American Bodies, a web series now on IFC.com. Season 4 debuted on Monday at IFC.com, and future episodes of the five-part series will premiere on a weekly basis. If you're a Swanberg fan, you'll want to check it out: it expands on his vision of sex and everything that leads up to it and follows afterward: elusive, kinda real, kinda fake, pretty messy.

In honor of Veterans Day, SnagFilms presents a selection of films appropriate for the occasion, covering a national shrine in Arlington: Field of Honor, dangerous missions in Baghdad Bound: Devil Dog Diaries, remembering the Battle for Midway, and so one. Truly, there's something for everyone to discover among the documentaries showcases. Similarly, Hulu has two films of interest: Jerabek, the tragic story of U.S. Marine Ryan Jerabek, and When I Came Home, which covers the troubling issue of homelessness among veterans.

Also newly available online: the enchanting "banjo player goes to Africa" doc Bela Fleck: Throw Down Your Heart (on iTunes) and a close-up (sorry) view of artist Chuck Close (also on iTunes).

Deals. As always, our friends at indieWIRE has been tracking recent acquisitions. The latest: romance My Year Without Sex (Strand Releasing, due spring 2010); drama The Good Heart, with Brian Cox and Paul Dano, directed by the very talented Dagur Kari (Magnolia Pictures, due next year); and social satire The Joneses, with David Duchovny and Demi Moore (Roadside Attractions, due spring 2010).

After the jump: more than Precious at the box office.

Continue reading Indie Roundup: Swanberg Sex, Veterans Day Docs

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]]>bela fleck throw down your heartBelaFleckThrowDownYourHeartchuck closeChuckClosejerabekjoe swanbergJoeSwanbergmy year without sexMyYearWithoutSexthe good heartthe jonesesTheGoodHeartTheJoneseswhen i came homeWhenICameHomeyoung american bodiesYoungAmericanBodiesPeter MartinWed, 11 Nov 2009 18:02:00 ESTExclusive: 'Wonderful World' Posterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/wonderful-world-movie-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/wonderful-world-movie-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/wonderful-world-movie-poster/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click on the image below to view full poster

Cinematical has just received the official poster for Matthew Broderick's sharpie-smiled Wonderful World. It's been a good two years since the actor signed on to the project, which was then simply described as a movie that "centers on a depressed, divorced, and unemployed father who finds solace in his Senegalese roommate's sister." That now sounds as telling of the story as saying The Lord of the Rings is about a journey to play a fiery game of ring toss.

The directorial debut of writer Joshua Goldin, this feature also marks a reunion with Broderick, who starred in his 1992 script, Out on a Limb. But this flick sounds like it will be even further out on that limb, making Broderick's stint in Election sound like your Average Joe kinda day:

"A pessimistic pothead struggles with his own cynicism after his Senegalese roommate is stricken ill and an insensitive municipal employee inadvertently exacerbates an already desperate situation. Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) wanted to be a children's folk singer; instead he's become a career proofreader and the world's worst weekend dad. But while Ben's life may be a mess, at least his regular chess games with his roommate Ibou offer some amount of intellectual release. That all changes with Ibou falls mysteriously ill, and his malady is compounded by the indifference of a rude municipal employee. Convinced that his negative worldview has finally been confirmed, Ben channels all of his energy into a frivolous lawsuit against the city before discovering that his misanthropy may be a simple matter of perspective."

Chess, folk singing, Senegalese roomies, proofreading ... I'm getting the funny feeling that there's a lot going on behind that piece of yellow-lined paper, and I'm dying to see it. In one of those VOD-before-theater marketing pushes, Magnolia's Wonderful World will be available on VOD starting December 4, and then have a stint in theaters in the New Year, on January 8.

Check out the full poster in the gallery below.

Gallery: Wonderful World Poster

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]]>CinematicalJoshua GoldinJoshuaGoldinMatthew BroderickMatthewBroderickWonderful WorldWonderfulWorldMonika BartyzelWed, 11 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST