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Johnny Depp to Direct a Keith Richards Biopic
Filed under: Documentary, Music & Musicals, Johnny Depp, Cinematical Indie
The Rolling Stones have collectively been the focus of some great music documentaries (Gimme Shelter; Shine a Light; Sympathy for the Devil). Now it's time for the band's guitarist, Keith Richards, to go solo with his own doc. And none other than Johnny Depp will direct it, according to The Playlist. They got the info from a Serbian website featuring an interview with the actor, who was apparently in Drvengrad last month for the unveiling of a statue in his image, the ceremony for which opened this year's Kustendorf Film Festival. It's been 13 years since Depp last went behind the camera for the Native American drama The Brave, but in a translated statement Depp said that he's wiser now and ready to direct again. He noted that while he was in Serbia, his editor was going through "kilometers" of footage of Richards. That was a few weeks ago, so the actor has likely now joined in on the process, which will surely be very different from the fiction filmmaking involved with his directorial debut. He also said that he's "very touched that Keith agreed to show up in front of my cameras." Whether that means Depp has already shot Richards or if filming is commencing soon is unclear.
'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' Shoots This Summer
Filed under: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Disney, Family Films, Newsstand, Johnny Depp, Remakes and Sequels
Disney has its heading, and they've presumably soothed Johnny Depp after Dick Cook's departure because Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is set to sail. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the fourth Pirates installment is scheduled to begin shooting this summer in Hawaii, and Rob Marshall will take the wheel as previously rumored. Depp is the only cast member confirmed to be on board, and the film is aiming for a summer 2011 release date. For awhile it seemed as though Pirates 4 was going to be shoved aside in favor of The Lone Ranger. But that proved to be idle rumor (or hopeful, depending on whether you prefer Tonto to Sparrow), and they decided to go with the tried and unsteady Captain Jack instead. It's believed he'll be chasing the Fountain of Youth this time, as indicated by the sequel grab in At World's End, and they've optioned Tim Powers' novel to give them an idea or two.
Of course, it's only January. A lot can happen between now and summertime, especially to a fourth installment of a franchise, and particularly when the third installment wasn't very enjoyable. Perhaps Disney and Marshall will be unable to decide on a villain, or the budget will skyrocket higher than the studio likes. With all this talk of angst and Twilight, will the teens and tweens still spend their money on a drunk pirate, even if he wears eyeliner? Come March, we could have a Pirates of the Caribbean reboot that'll focus on Jack Sparrow's teen years and his struggle to find his sea legs. All bets are off with these things, especially if there's a spin-off series just ripe for adaptation.
First Photo of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter from 'Alice in Wonderland'
Filed under: Fandom, Johnny Depp, Movie Marketing, Images
Back in March we gave you a peek at character art and promotional images from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, including a first look at what promises to be the main attraction of the phantasmagorical 2010 flick: Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter. But technically speaking, today's new image of Depp is the first official photo of his character - at least according to Walt Disney Pictures. Are they trying to stretch out their marketing materials with talk of "firsts" and such? Probably. But what's really important here is that we have not only another look at Alice in Wonderland, but another peek at what promises to be one of the wackiest character of Johnny Depp's already-eclectic career. (Could it be weirder than his Willy Wonka? Maybe not.)
The 3-D adventure based on Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass" finds a now-19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returning to Wonderland, where she finds Depp's Mad Hatter along with the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Little Britain's Matt Lucas), the Dormouse (EastEnders' Barbara Windsor), the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman!), and the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry). Anne Hathaway, Timothy Spall, Christopher Lee, Crispin Glover, and her royal HBC -- Helena Bonham Carter, as the villainous Red Queen -- also star.
Take a look at more images from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and mark your calendars for March 5, 2010.
So What Trailers Will We See During The Super Bowl?
Filed under: Action, Animation, Disney, Paramount, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, Johnny Depp, Movie Marketing, Trailers and Clips
In about a month, some football team will be playing some other football team at the Super Bowl. I'm not sure who will be on the field, nor do I much care since my team is already out. But I'll still be spending my February 7 at a Super Bowl party. I'll just be concentrating more on the seven layer dip and waiting for the game to be interrupted by the real entertainment, the Super Bowl commercials. And since I'm a movie lover, I'm especially looking forward to any new trailers that show up that evening.Advertising Age has a rundown of which companies have bought Super Bowl spots this year, including three movie studios. One of these, Paramount, has revealed that it will be promoting Shutter Island, The Last Airbender and Iron Man 2 during the first and second quarters of the big game. The other two studios, Universal and Walt Disney, are being a bit more secretive, though Advertising Age shares its ideas of what trailers we'll likely see. Given the inclusion of Up in last year's mix, the one certainty is that we'll see an ad for Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 3.
It's interesting to look at last year's spots, because some of the film's advertised, specifically Year One and Land of the Lost were big disappointments at the box office. Then, of course, there was the marketing travesty involving a 3D commercial for DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens. Besides misrepresenting the film in an antiquated type of 3D that doesn't do the movie or new technology justice, there were too many Super Bowl viewers who lacked 3D glasses, whether due to a shortage or complete unawareness of the necessary specs.
Discuss: Pleasantly Surprising Performances
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Independent, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sony Classics, Fandom, Johnny Depp
I've already seen my first movie of 2010, and it was The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. It was definitely a great choice to kick off a new year! I'm not a huge Terry Gilliam fan either way, so I went in fairly unbiased but excited for a good yarn, dazzling images, and some good-to-great performances. Besides, I can't resist Tom Waits as the Devil. I was immensely impressed with all of the above, especially the eerily seamless way that Terry Gilliam and co-writer Charles McKeown managed to adjust the story and direction to fit the untimely death of Heath Ledger during filming with help from actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, who stepped in to play Tony in different scenes. Naturally, Christopher Plummer was great, and Andrew Garfield (Boy A, the Red Riding trilogy) was also wonderful as the smitten Anton. And this was definitely Verne Troyer's best role yet.
I have a confession to make, though. Although I adore Lily Cole's heart-shaped face and flame-red hair on the runway, and her costumes looked fantastic, I had no idea that I would actually enjoy her performance. Or that her part would be more than just a pretty plot device to continue the banter between Mr. Nick (Waits) and Parnassus. I was horribly wrong. I know she was in St. Trinian's, which, despite my best intentions, I had to turn off after half an hour, and I haven't caught Rage, so I didn't know much else about her other than her more visible assets. As the kids say, my bad.
The Best of the Decade: Musicals
Filed under: Fandom, Johnny Depp, Lists, Best/Worst, Nicole Kidman
Film musicals used to be some of the most popular cash cows in Hollywood, but sometime over the years, the musical fell out of vogue. I blame the '80s, when we got disco dreck like The Apple and Xanadu (guilty pleasures, I admit), or perhaps the '90s (in two words: Spice World). So it was heartening for this musical fan to witness the revival of the genre that happened during the '00s, when movie musicals re-entered the Oscar race and everyone from Tim Burton to Lars von Trier put a little razzle dazzle in their step!
Of course, this rebirth had its highs and lows. Rent was still annoying as ever, even when adapted for the screen. The Producers didn't really work, either. On the other hand, we learned that our friends and neighbors (and husbands and boyfriends) shared our secret love of song, of seeing A-list, serious-talky actors belt out show tunes (or at least try valiantly) and dance their way across the screen. Remember Fred and Ginger? They used to sing and dance for a living, and they were great actors to boot. This decade, we got an X-Men mutant hero who could hoof his way to a Tony award and tear bad guys to shreds with his adamantium claws in the same year!
So here's to the best movie musicals of the decade, filtered, admittedly, through my own personal preferences. (For example: I wasn't into Sondheim's tracks, so no Sweeney Todd. Sorry.) We've got Broadway adaptations, musical biopics, and everything in between, save the rockumentary, which I'd place in the documentary category – and yes, I've dared to rank these ten musicals of the 2000s in order from good to great to greatest.
New 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer Goes Farther Down Burton's Rabbit Hole
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Disney, Family Films, Johnny Depp, Trailers and Clips
There is something pretty wonderful about the second trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Yes, we get to see more of Wonderland, more of Alice, and more of all the people and creatures she meets in Wonderland, but that's not precisely the wonderful I'm referring to. I love that there is no reason to explain the story.The teaser trailer, which glimpsed Alice shrinking down after drinking the potion and meeting up with the weird denizens of Wonderland, was intended purely to announce two things. First, that Tim Burton would be putting his particular stamp upon the classic tale. Second, box office favorite Johnny Depp would be filling seats as the Mad Hatter. Given the teasing nature of that first trailer, one would expect the second, longer look at the film embedded below to feature a typical Hollywood family film trailer voice over explaining why Alice goes down the rabbit hole, who the Mad Hatter is, who the Red Queen is, and why Alice is important.
And yet, no such elaborations are necessary. Even 144 years after Charles Lutwidge Dodgson published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland under the pen name Lewis Carroll, people still know the story. They know the characters, they know the creatures, and they know the world of Wonderland. That alone puts a smile on my face. Sure, it doesn't hurt that Burton's version looks appropriately loony, but what I love most is how it further exemplifies how much of a staple the story has become no matter what generation it's being told to or tailored for.
Plus, as a bonus, it looks fun enough to completely erase any foul memories of Syfy's extremely dull mini-series updating of Alice that aired last week. I suppose for that favor alone, I'm now obliged to buy a ticket come March 5th, 2010.
The Best of the Decade: Action Flicks
Filed under: Action, Foreign Language, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Disney, Lionsgate Films, Magnolia, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Sony Classics, Universal, Warner Brothers, Focus Features, 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Depp, Peter Jackson, James Bond, Lists, Miramax, Best/Worst, War, Daniel Craig
Cinematical is about to launch into our best-of-the-'00s series, with a different writer tackling a different genre over these last few weeks of the aughts (or whatever it was we decided to call this decade). Yours truly has been tasked with sifting out the most exciting action flicks these years have had to offer, and in the list-making equivalent of flinching, I've decided to divide them up by superlative instead of ranking them in order of awesomeness.
Oh, and before you comment away about what's missing (which we do want), I have left off The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2, X2: X-Men United and The Incredibles, so they may be included in any superhero or animated list to come. If those movies are left off those lists, then by all means, give them hell. I might even join you.
Johnny Depp to Play Pancho Villa?
Filed under: Foreign Language, Casting, Johnny Depp
If there's one actor working today who is worth waiting for, it's Johnny Depp. Unfortunately, not all filmmakers have the luxury of being able to postpone a project long enough to fit the busy star in. His many commitments may, for instance, force Terry Gilliam to replace the actor in his second attempt to make The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (Robert Duvall claims to be Yet Serbian director Emir Kusturica, who last collaborated with Depp on the underrated and under-seen Arizona Dream 16 years ago, is holding off production of his latest, titled Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman With Six Fingers, until 2011 in order for Depp to play the title role. According to Variety, the actor is still merely in negotiations to play the Mexican Revolution hero, whom he would reportedly portray entirely with Spanish dialogue.
'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominations
Filed under: Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Language, Music & Musicals, Awards, Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Oscar Watch
There are a few good reasons to hate on the Satellite Awards. First of all, we really don't need any more end of the year movie and television honors. Second of all, the Satellites seem to be little more than a knock-off of the Golden Globes, which are already pretty unnecessary. Third, they happen way too early, missing out on seeing and thereby qualifying perhaps the biggest film of the year (Avatar). But over the years I've come to appreciate the Satellites and their bestowing organization, the International Press Academy, for their constant surprises when it comes to nominating and awarding unlikely films and talent. Just look at some of last year's acting winners: Richard Jenkins; Rosemarie DeWitt; Ricky Gervais; Michael Shannon.
Now check out this year's nominees, which continue to prove that IPA voters like to go at least slightly against the grain. Okay, so there are a lot of predictable titles in the lot, including Up in the Air and Nine, which leads with 11 nominations. Yet there are some films I don't expect to be recognized by the Golden Globes, let alone the Oscars, such as The Maid and The Stoning of Soraya M., both of which feature in the Best Actress (Drama) category.
Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams Reunite for 'Mission Impossible 4'
'Big Top Pee-Wee': The Original Benicio Del Toro Wolfman
Spin-ematical: New on DVD and Blu-ray for 2/9
Watch This: Brilliant Oscar-Nominated Short 'Logorama'
Chris Nolan to Lead 'Superman' Reboot!?
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