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/'Clash of the Titans' Trailer Now Online!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/clash-of-the-titans-trailer-now-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/clash-of-the-titans-trailer-now-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/clash-of-the-titans-trailer-now-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


In a scant twelve years, Louis Leterrier has gone from being a production assistant on Alien: Resurrection to directing what has just, with a single trailer, become one of my most anticipated films of 2010: Warner Brothers' remake of Clash of the Titans. Sure, he has progressively proven himself a champion of the fantastic, evolving from The Transporter series to last year's The Incredible Hulk, but as much as I've been impressed by his eye for spectacle thus far, I wasn't ready for how fun his take on Titans looks. It's just our first look, but I couldn't stop smiling by the end of this teaser.

And yet, I don't know why I should be so surprised. The original is, after all, a landmark fantasy film packed with Ray Harryhausen's indelible stop-motion imagery. Add on Leterrier commanding a great cast ranging from Liam Neeson to Ralph Fiennes to Sam Worthington, and a script whose bones were written by Raiders of the Lost Ark screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan before WB brought in the duo of Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi to flesh things out. Perhaps the shock of seeing this trailer came from just how indelible Harryhausen's Titans actually were. I knew it would undergo an extreme visual overhaul, but in the back of my mind I was still expecting stop-motion giants, not Troy by way of God of War.

There's nothing stop-motion about this new re-envisioning of the wars between Gods and men. Purists will not be on board with the amount of digital wizardry, but any fan of seeing mythological worlds brought to life should be in love with the energy Leterrier has infused in his Clash of the Titans. You can see for yourself after the jump, then click over to Moviefone to grab it in a variety of HD flavors. Additionally, we've got some fantastic screenshots in the gallery below.

Gallery: Clash of the Titans

Continue reading 'Clash of the Titans' Trailer Now Online!

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]]>Clash of the TitansClashOfTheTitansfeaturedLiam NeesonLiamNeesonLouis LeterrierLouisLeterrierRalph FiennesRalphFiennesSam WorthingtonSamWorthingtonWarner BrosWarnerBrosPeter HallTue, 10 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST'Sgt. Rock' Looks to the Future with Francis Lawrencehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/sgt-rock-looks-to-the-future-with-francis-lawrence/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/sgt-rock-looks-to-the-future-with-francis-lawrence/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/sgt-rock-looks-to-the-future-with-francis-lawrence/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Once upon a time, Sgt. Rock was in the hands of Guy Ritchie, and many an Easy Company fan was upset. But you'll undoubtedly wish that Ritchie and Joel Silver had made it to the finish line, because Sgt. Rock will not make it to the big screen in a form you'll recognize. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he has a new director in Francis Lawrence and a whole new space-time continuum. Joel Silver is still on board as producer, and he's bringing Akiva Goldsman on board to help. They've hired newcomer Chad St. John to pen the script.

As you may or may not know, Sgt. Rock is a WWII soldier. He's always fought in WWII. The poor guy has never even gotten to leave the European theater. (It was rumored in Swamp Thing that he was transferred to the Pacific, but never confirmed.) Any attempt at a movie adaptation has always gone forward with this central idea of keeping him in his element. But budget, politics, and popularity has always been an issue, and no one believes you can make The Dirty Dozen in this day and age unless you're Quentin Tarantino. So Warner Bros has decided to bypass the drama, and put Sgt. Rock in the future. CG is cheaper than Nazis, and a nondescript soldier of the future is less problematic than an American fighting a good fight. (While no war is a good war, I do think we can all agree that fighting Nazis was a good thing.)

Nothing else is known about this storyline, so I hate to jump to a knee-jerk conclusion as to who or what Sgt. Rock will face there, or whether he will be transported to the future from WWII. But I think this is an unfortunate thing to do to a character who resides in WWII for a very specific and honorable reason. The last thing he should become is a Universal Soldier or Terminator ripoff.

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]]>Akiva GoldsmanAkivaGoldsmanDC ComicsDcComicsfrancis lawrenceFrancisLawrenceguy ritchieGuyRitchiejoel silverJoelSilverSgt. RockSgt.RockElisabeth RappeTue, 10 Nov 2009 09:45:00 ESTReview: The Boxhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/review-the-box/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/review-the-box/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/review-the-box/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Richard Matheson's original short story, "Button, Button," was a nifty little morality tale about a couple faced with a peculiar opportunity -- if they push a button in a box, they'll get a sum of money but kill a stranger in doing so. That version of the story ended with the wife pushing the button and killing her husband, a man she didn't really know. As an episode of "The Twilight Zone" in 1986, the story ended with the couple paid off and assured that the device would then go to another couple to whom they qualify as strangers. Now, Richard Kelly's The Box takes that same basic premise and spins it into a mind-bender of the most baffling degree, starting out as another "Twilight Zone"-worthy variant but eventually reaching the outer limits of both patience and reason.

Continue reading Review: The Box

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]]>button buttonButtonButtoncameron diazCameronDiazfrank langellaFrankLangellajames marsdenJamesMarsdenrichard kellyrichard mathesonRichardKellyRichardMathesonthe boxthe twilight zoneTheBoxTheTwilightZoneWilliam GossFri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST'Yogi Bear' Will Cry Me A River With Its Casthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/yogi-bear-will-cry-me-a-river-with-its-cast/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/yogi-bear-will-cry-me-a-river-with-its-cast/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/06/yogi-bear-will-cry-me-a-river-with-its-cast/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Yogi Bear and Boo Boo are bringing sexy back -- and that image should make you ripe for nightmares tonight. If you doubt me, look to Variety, who reports that Dan Aykroyd, Anna Faris, and Justin Timberlake are set to go to Jellystone in Yogi Bear, which Eric Brevig is directing for Warner Bros.

Aykroyd will be voicing Yogi, and he really is the most obvious choice to play the picnic basket thief. He's funny, he sounds gruff, and if it was live-action it would be a very terrifying thing to see. So thank goodness this is being done as a CG / live-action hybrid.

Timberlake will be voicing Boo Boo. Yep. The man who wants to love your mother, put his d*ck in a box, and who will cry you a river will lend his vocal talents to playing Yogi's diminutive sidekick. In this update of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon, expect Boo Boo to be a lot more of a smart aleck. (I was going to say "sassy," but I think that would be a far different Boo Boo.)

Though Faris has done voice work before, it sounds as though she might be one of the live action elements to this unholy hybrid. Variety says she's set to play a documentary filmmaker. Presumably she discovers the tourist robbing bears, and makes a film of them. Or she has to help them preserve Jellystone against evil developers. Either way, she'll have to talk to big rubbery CG bears, and it might be kind of weird. What would be even weirder is if one or both bears fell in love with her, so let's hope she falls into the arms of whoever plays Ranger Smith. Shooting is expected to start in New Zealand next month.

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]]>anna farisAnnaFarisdan aykroydDanAykroyderic brevigEricBrevigfeaturedhanna barberaHannaBarberaJellystoneJustin TimberlakeJustinTimberlakeyogi bearYogiBearElisabeth RappeFri, 06 Nov 2009 09:03:00 ESTMaking The (Up) Grade: Heathttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/05/making-the-up-grade-heat/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/05/making-the-up-grade-heat/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/05/making-the-up-grade-heat/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Every few years, it seems necessary in the course of critiquing home video releases to clarify and designate the difference between all of those terms that distributors and producers come up with to describe films that arrive in stores in a version other than their theatrical iteration. For example, "unrated" no longer simply means that a film is too bawdy or offensive to garner a proper MPAA rating; rather, in many cases it means that the studio re-inserted footage, and didn't bother to screen it for the ratings board at all. "Director's cuts," meanwhile, sometimes really reflect the original vision of a filmmaker for his movie, and sometimes just qualify as an alternate version that was supervised or approved by the director. And most importantly, none of these changes are an automatic indication that the film will be superior to the one that you saw in theaters, even if there's a little more gore or nudity or (God forbid) character development.

Ironically, the new Blu-ray for Heat carries no such designation - to anyone buying it, this is the same film they saw in theaters and on standard-definition DVD. However, at the top of the list of the disc's special features, the topline attraction is "new content changes supervised by director Michael Mann." Even for someone who's seen more than his share of extended, alternate, unrated and director's cuts, this was particularly intriguing, which is why Heat is the subject of this week's "Making The (Up) Grade."

Continue reading Making The (Up) Grade: Heat

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]]>al pacinoAlPacinoheatheat blu-rayHeatBlu-raymichael mannMichaelMannrobert de niroRobertDeNiroval kilmerValKilmerwarner home videoWarnerHomeVideoTodd GilchristThu, 05 Nov 2009 21:02:00 ESTMorgan Freeman Wants To Be a 'Dirty Old Man'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/morgan-freeman-wants-to-be-a-dirty-old-man/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/morgan-freeman-wants-to-be-a-dirty-old-man/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/02/morgan-freeman-wants-to-be-a-dirty-old-man/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

While Morgan Freeman has dabbled in comedy in his long and illustrious career, I don't think he's ever really gotten a chance to really cut loose. He certainly hasn't gotten to play in the raunchy end of the pool, but it sounds as though he's taking the leap in Dirty Old Men. The Hollywood Reporter says that he's attached to star as an aging playboy in the tentatively titled project, and we'll either be laughing or horribly traumatized by his efforts.

Men was penned by Josh Cagan and Greg Coolidge, and is said to be similar in tone to The Wedding Crashers and The 40 Year Old Virgin. It centers on two aging playboys who have been each other's wingmen for over 40 years. One of them meets the love of his life, leaving the other (played by Freeman) to chase skirts on his own. Well, that just won't do. The lonely playboy does everything he can to break up the new couple. I will bet money there's at least one I-hid-the-Viagra scenario. No, I don't like to think about it.

Peter Segal is in talks to direct, and the hunt is on for the playboy-husband-to-be. Warner Bros is hoping Jack Nicholson will take the part and reteam with his Bucket List buddy. But if he turns it down, may I humbly suggest they look to Freeman's real life wingman, Clint Eastwood? If Viagra jokes must be made, let them be the two that make them.



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]]>clint eastwoodClintEastwoodDirty old menDirtyOldMenGreg CoolidgeGregCoolidgejack nicholsonJackNicholsonjosh caganJoshCaganMorgan FreemanMorganFreemanPeter SegalPeterSegalwarner brosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeMon, 02 Nov 2009 12:48:00 ESTMoon Bloodgood's Topless 'Terminator: Salvation' Scene: Worth the 'R' Rating?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/moon-bloodgoods-topless-terminator-salvation-scene-worth-th/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/moon-bloodgoods-topless-terminator-salvation-scene-worth-th/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/moon-bloodgoods-topless-terminator-salvation-scene-worth-th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Moon Bloodgood in 'Terminator: Salvation'What's happened to all the great movie nudity lately? Billy Crudup started the year off with a bang, so to speak, with his big blue penis in Watchmen, and Marcus Nispel's Friday the 13th reboot featured sweaty sex and generous amounts of naked female flesh, but the summer and fall seasons have been curiosly bereft of talked-about sex scenes or body parts. Jessica Biel's bravely-bared breasts and backside in Powder Blue went direct to video, Hayden Panetierre nonchalantly limited her exposure to 'side boobage' in I Love You, Beth Cooper, and Megan Fox decided to keep her nipples to herself in the proudly feminist relationship drama ('cause it sure wasn't horror) Jennifer's Body.

In my youth, movies educated me about the wonderful diversity of naked bodies. Today, television and the Internet have stolen much of the thunder once claimed exclusively by the theatrical experience. (Case in point: Susan Sarandon's daughter, Eva Amurri, just made a big splash by going topless in Californication.) No wonder Terminator: Salvation director McG teased the audience at WonderCon earlier this year, bringing actress Moon Bloodgood up on stage and asking: "Who wants to see Moon's boobs in the picture?" She later said: "I'm a woman, I have boobs, it's a beautiful shot." As anyone who saw the movie in a theater knows, though, her toplessness was cut, reportedly as part of Warner Bros.' effort to secure a PG-13 rating.

The unrated director's cut is due out on DVD and Blu-ray on December 1, and the deleted scene has, apparently, hit the Internet (watch it after the jump). The verdict?

Continue reading Moon Bloodgood's Topless 'Terminator: Salvation' Scene: Worth the 'R' Rating?

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]]>mcgmoon bloodgoodmoon bloodgood toplessMoonBloodgoodMoonBloodgoodToplessmovie nudityMovieNudityterminator salvationTerminatorSalvationPeter MartinFri, 30 Oct 2009 12:02:00 ESTCharlize Theron and Tom Hardy Confirmed for 'Mad Max'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/charlize-theron-and-tom-hardy-confirmed-for-mad-max/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/charlize-theron-and-tom-hardy-confirmed-for-mad-max/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/30/charlize-theron-and-tom-hardy-confirmed-for-mad-max/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

After weeks of breathless speculation as to who would be riding George Miller's bleak highways of Mad Max: Fury Road, there's been a conformation. Variety reports that Charlize Theron has boarded the film, but that it'll be Tom Hardy (Bronson) who takes over the coveted lead. The script is being kept under tight wraps, so we still don't know if Mad Max: Fury Road will be a reboot or a sequel. Speculation has been rampant for more than twenty years, and as is the case with so many revived franchises, we'll probably end up being terribly wrong. Hopefully for the better.

So, we only know that Hardy is playing "the male lead. Will it be the Mad Max, made so iconic by Mel Gibson? Or will Max have taken on some kind of mythological, Robin Hood like status in the barren wasteland, and someone simply takes on the title? It could go either way (but hopefully not the way of Kevin Costner's The Postman), and I'm excited that Hardy has the part. He's been one of those actors lurking under The Really Big Time, and this could be the film that pushes him into stardom.

Theron's role might be the biggest and coolest surprise. She's a big enough name that I can't believe she'll be shoved into a corner as The Wife of Mad Max. Will she be a post-apocalyptic warrior too? I hope so. With so few remnants of humanity left, you need all the badasses you can get. It would be nice to see that reflected beyond Tina Turner.

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]]>charlize theronCharlizeTheronGeorge MillerGeorgeMillerMad Maxmad max 4mad max: fury roadMadMaxMadMax4MadMax:FuryRoadMel GibsonMelGibsontom hardyTomHardyElisabeth RappeFri, 30 Oct 2009 09:03:00 EST"Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/matt-damon-new-trailers-for-invictus-and-green-zone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

August gave us the voice of Matt Damon in Ponyo, September gave us the inner voice of Matt Damon in The Informant!, and now October has brought us a look at his next two performances.

Clint Eastwood's Invictus is one of the last big likely contenders of the awards season, though it is as of yet unseen (unless those very few who have seen it are very good at being very quiet). Damon plays real-life rugby captain Francois Pienaar, whose team saw the support of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) as a rallying point around which they might lift the spirits of South Africa in the wake of apartheid. It's political! It's underdog! It's opening in December! It's Oscar bait for certain, and Apple has the exclusive trailer.

Paul Greengrass' Green Zone, on the other hand, was shuffled out of the Oscar race once Universal decided to sort out its slate after a lackluster summer at the box office, and that may have been a wise move. Yahoo's trailer (which is also embedded below) comes across as more of a straight-up actioner than a ready-made contender, with Damon back in Bourne mode as a betrayed soldier on the hunt first for WMDs, and then for answers. Based on the best-seller Imperial Life in the Emerald City, it opens on March 12, 2010.

Continue reading "Matt Damon!" New Trailers for 'Invictus' and 'Green Zone'

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]]>amy ryanAmyRyanApartheidclint eastwoodClintEastwoodgreen zoneGreenZonegreg kinnearGregKinnearinvictusmatt damonMattDamonMorgan FreemanMorganFreemanPaul GreengrassPaulGreengrassrugbyRugbyWorldCupWilliam GossTue, 27 Oct 2009 22:32:00 ESTSteve Carell Ready to Hit the 'Links'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/steve-carell-ready-to-hit-the-links/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/steve-carell-ready-to-hit-the-links/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/27/steve-carell-ready-to-hit-the-links/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The lovable and hilarious Steve Carell is a bona-fide TV star, but his big screen career has never taken off quite the same way. There were plenty of successes along the way, and he hasn't had an honest to goodness flop (actually, Evan Almighty lost a whole lot of money), but he just hasn't had that movie role that makes you think "Uh-oh, I think Scranton is going to get a new branch manager," you know? I don't know if Carell's latest will be the role that makes him into a full-fledged movie star, but The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business Blog is reporting that the comedian is in talks to star in the golf-comedy Missing Links.

Links is based on Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly's novel by the same name, and it centers on a group of working class friends who scheme to sneak into an elite country club to escape their crappy public golf course. Reilly has some experience as a screenwriter, having already written the period sports comedy Leatherheads, but for Links, The Break Up's Jay Lavender will be in charge of the script. Carell has yet to commit to Warner Bros for Links, and he already has a pretty tight schedule with his role on The Office, the upcoming sequel to Get Smart, and Brigadier Gerard, so I guess we will have to wait and see if he signs on the dotted line.

After the jump; moments from other great golf comedies -- and no, I didn't include Dorf...

Continue reading Steve Carell Ready to Hit the 'Links'

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]]>Brigadier GerardBrigadierGerardCaddyshackESPNget smartGetSmartgolfHappy GilmoreHappyGilmoreleatherheadsRick ReillyRickReillySteve CarellSteveCarellthe officeTheOfficeJessica BarnesTue, 27 Oct 2009 20:15:00 ESTThe 'Unknown White Male' Nabs Diane Kruger and January Joneshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/26/the-unknown-white-male-nabs-diane-kruger-and-january-jones/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/26/the-unknown-white-male-nabs-diane-kruger-and-january-jones/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/26/the-unknown-white-male-nabs-diane-kruger-and-january-jones/#commentsFiled under: ,

If I told you the next Dark Castle horror-thriller flick would star January Jones and Diane Kruger, you'd probably be interested. If I told you that the most recent Dark Castle horror flicks were Whiteout, Orphan, and Return to House on Haunted Hill ... you'd probably be a little less interested. But with the presence of two stunning blondes (and a half-decent concept), Dark Castle's Unknown White Male is starting to sound a little intriguing.

According to Variety, Ms. Jones and Ms. Kruger will join the very busy (and very lucky) Liam Neeson in Unknown White Male, which "centers on a man who awakens from a coma to find that someone else has assumed his identity, and no one, including his wife, believes him." The director is Jaume Collet-Serra, whom the horror freaks may remember from (Dark Castle) flicks like Orphan and House of Wax. The stunning Diane Kruger is best-known for her work in Troy, Inglourious Basterds, and both National Treasure movies, while January Jones (even the name is sexy!) has been seen in We Are Marshall, American Wedding, and the upcoming Pirate Radio. She's also a big hit on that Mad Men series.

Variety doesn't make mention one way or another, but I do believe this film is a feature (loosely) based on this documentary of the same name. And that's a damn good documentary.

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]]>dark castleDarkCastlediane krugerDianeKrugerjanuary jonesJanuaryJonesliam neesonLiamNeesonunknown white maleUnknownWhiteMaleScott WeinbergMon, 26 Oct 2009 15:45:00 ESTShelf Life: Contacthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/shelf-life-contact/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/shelf-life-contact/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/21/shelf-life-contact/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Admittedly, a big part of the appeal of "Shelf Life" (as a film writer, anyway) is having a legitimate excuse to go back and watch a lot of movies we remember loving, partially for the hell of it, and partially because we wonder if our feelings have changed significantly over time. Interestingly, this has thus far not begat a lot of pure reassurance, nor transformed initial or even evolved/ devolved reactions; rather, it's given us a window into - and more specifically, a stronger argument for - some of the appetites and interests we've developed as our sensibilities as moviegoers (much less critics) has evolved.

This week's case in point is Contact, Robert Zemeckis' 1997 film about humankind's first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Released during the summer after my college graduation, when I was at the height of my pretentiousness as a cinephile, it nevertheless knocked my socks off when I saw it, combining a sense of wonder with technical proficiency and an emotional sophistication that wouldn't register with yours truly until much later. If it still has - which is precisely why it's this week's "Shelf Life" subject. (Well, that and the fact it's just been released on Blu-ray by Warner Home Video.)

Continue reading Shelf Life: Contact

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]]>carl saganCarlSagancontactfeaturedjodie fosterJodieFostermatthew mcconagheyMatthewMcconagheyrobert zemeckisRobertZemeckisshelf lifeShelfLifeTodd GilchristWed, 21 Oct 2009 21:15:00 ESTAdam Shankman Will Headbang To 'Rock of Ages'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/20/adam-shankman-will-headbang-to-rock-of-ages/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/20/adam-shankman-will-headbang-to-rock-of-ages/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/20/adam-shankman-will-headbang-to-rock-of-ages/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you live in New York, you may have caught the Broadway musical Rock of Ages, and left high on hairspray and Whitesnake. But most of us will be encountering this little-hit-that-could in its big screen incarnation. Late last year, Tobey Maguire and New Line bought the rights to the musical with an eye to bringing it to the multiplex (a bidding war that involved three studios). Now Variety reports that it's setting out on the right foot by hiring Adam Shankman as its director. The film will go into production next summer, and is aiming to hit theaters in 2011.

The story of Rock of Ages isn't terribly original. A couple meets at the Sunset Strip club Rock of ages, fall in love, and try to stay together amid the sex, drugs, and excess of 1980s rock. Their turmoils are all set to the tunes of Journey, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Joan Jett, and Jon Bon Jovi. Like Mamma Mia!, it's all an excuse for a great nostalgic soundtrack, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Shankman tells Variety that he was itching to get back into musical territory after Hairspray, and sees Rock of Ages as a distinctly masculine musical: "When I watched Rock of Ages, I was struck by the fact that not only had much of the audience seen it more than once, every guy in the audience knew the words to the songs. I thought, 'This is Mamma Mia! for dudes.' What an extraordinary opportunity to open the genre to an audience that otherwise wouldn't go see a musical." If this could succeed in converting ordinary men to musicals (something Hugh Jackman hasn't even managed), I will love it on principle. Maybe it'll even bring back big hair -- and yes, I wish for that every day because I never got to rock that look.

Pop below the jump for a little Rock of Ages from the Tony Awards. Think it'll convert the menfolk out there?

Continue reading Adam Shankman Will Headbang To 'Rock of Ages'

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]]>Adam ShankmanAdamShankmanfeaturedNew LineNewLineRock of AgesRockOfAgesTobey MaguireTobeyMaguireWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeTue, 20 Oct 2009 10:33:00 ESTDon't Panic When You Hear About 'Monster Squad'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/dont-panic-when-you-hear-about-monster-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/dont-panic-when-you-hear-about-monster-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/19/dont-panic-when-you-hear-about-monster-squad/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

You will see this headline pass through your Google readers and your Twitter feeds today: "Mike Mitchell to Helm Monster Squad." Your heart will race, your skin will flush with fury, and you'll set off to your favorite site (hopefully it's Cinematical) to pound out your anger via your keyboard. Not another remake! Not The Monster Squad! But here's where I can reassure you. Calm down. It's not Fred Dekker and Shane Black's Monster Squad.

Let's let your heart rate settle back to normal. Is it? All right then. According to The Hollywood Reporter and its misleading headline, Mike Mitchell is indeed directing a film called Monster Squad for Warner Bros. Like Dekker's film, it too is a supernatural comedy. But unlike Dekker's film, it once boasted the title Nightcrawlers, and was based on a spec by Brian Lynch.

It's reportedly changed plotlines numerous times. Variety notes that it was once centered on an international organization of children who have made it their mission to combat the monsters under the bed. (Familiar!) Michael Arndt rewrote the script to star a neurotic father who must face down childhood monsters. Warner Bros is keeping the current version by Brad Copeland under tight wraps, but it doesn't take much to suppose it deals with "monsters" and a "squad" that deals with them on some level. All teasing aside, this is good news because it means Warner Bros has opted for an original (but undoubtedly reminiscent) idea over their rival Paramount, who was toying with a remake as of last year.

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]]>Brad CopelandBradCopelandMichael ArndtMichaelArndtMike MitchellMikeMitchellMonster SquadMonsterSquadNightcrawlersWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeMon, 19 Oct 2009 09:08:00 ESTJackie Earle Haley Denies Sinestro Talkshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/18/jackie-earle-haley-denies-sinestro-talks/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/18/jackie-earle-haley-denies-sinestro-talks/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/18/jackie-earle-haley-denies-sinestro-talks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

You can't keep a good actor out of the comic book flicks. Jackie Earle Haley already has one of the most iconic DC characters notched on his belt, but rumor has it that he might get to pick up another. As you may have read earlier, Ain't It Cool News was reporting that Martin Campbell is in the process of finalizing his cast for The Green Lantern, and that Haley is at the head of the line to play Sinestro.

Haley has told Collider that no one has approached him about the part, and that he hasn't been screen tested ... but that doesn't mean he won't be. Haley suggested the Internet generally hears things before he does. "You guys are out in front of it and I don't know anything about it yet. If something comes up I'll let you know."

Even as rumor and guesswork, it's an intriguing possibility. Haley certainly has the villainous chops to pull off Sinestro, and Watchmen proved he had the physical chops. I've always pictured someone British in the role, though, and the best fan suggestion I've seen yet is Daniel Day-Lewis. I doubt the Method actor would ever delve into the world of DC Comics, but oh how wonderful it would be if he'd bring a bit of Daniel Plainview into the Green Lantern Corps.

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]]>Daniel Day-LewisDanielDay-lewishal jordanHalJordanjackie earle haleyJackieEarleHaleymartin campbellMartinCampbellRyan ReynoldsRyanReynoldsSinestroThe Green LanternTheGreenLanternwarner brosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeSun, 18 Oct 2009 18:32:00 ESTReview: Where the Wild Things Arehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/review-where-the-wild-things-are/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/review-where-the-wild-things-are/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/review-where-the-wild-things-are/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Next to the table of contents in the new book Heads On and Then We Shoot: The Making of Where the Wild Things Are, there's a list of songs that Spike Jonze says were influential and inspirational in the making of his adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's classic. Among them are plenty of melancholy mood pieces, including The Smiths' "Cemetry Gates," "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whose lead singer composed original tunes for the film, and perhaps most obviously, Arcade Fire's "Wake Up," which ultimately appeared in Wild Things' theatrical trailer. But in my opinion, the most telling track included on that list was Langley Schools Music Project's devastating cover of The Beach Boys "God Only Knows" sung by a chorus of Canadian schoolchildren in the late 1970s, it captures the deeper sentiment of desperation and loneliness in Brian Wilson's lyrics even as it reverberates with the naïve, wholesome enthusiasm of voices unfamiliar with real heartbreak.

In the best possible way, Jonze's film also harnesses that contradiction: it feels like a grown-up story told by kids, where all of its emotional weight is buried in the story or otherwise ignored because nobody seems to know better than to emphasize it. Bereft of nostalgia, much less a cinematic style that lends itself easily to conventional spectacle, Spike Jonze brings Where the Wild Things Are to life in a way that no one could have possibly expected, but thankfully in one better than they could have ever imagined.

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]]>james gandolfiniJamesGandolfinilauren ambroseLaurenAmbrosemaurice sendakMauriceSendakmax recordsMaxRecordspaul danoPaulDanospike jonzeSpikeJonzewhere the wild things areWhereTheWildThingsAreTodd GilchristThu, 15 Oct 2009 21:32:00 ESTShelf Life: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factoryhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/shelf-life-willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/shelf-life-willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/15/shelf-life-willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This week, Spike Jonze's long-awaited adaptation of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are finally arrives in theaters, rewarding us for years and years of devoted attention to the production's twists and turns. But as exciting as the saga of its making has been, we've been bummed out that there are so few stopgap releases offering a similar kind of creepy, beautiful melancholy for kid audiences (and especially, audiences that are kids at heart).

Then again, looking back at the legacy of so-called family films that truly offer something transgressive, much less a little bit trippy, there aren't a whole lot of titles that come to mind as consummate entries in that rewarding, rarified canon. All of which brings us to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. No, not Tim Burton's 2005 film about a dentist's son who overcomes his obsession with Michael Jackson impersonation with the help of an adorable street urchin; the 1971 Mel Stuart film that turned the stuff of kids' dreams into a palpable reality, while offering a few future nightmares along the way.

Whether by accident or design, Warner Home Video released Willy Wonka on Blu-ray last week as a home-video supplement to Wild Things, and both because of our affection for borderline-creepy kid stories and of course our appetite for all things high definition, Stuart's film is the subject of this week's "Shelf Life."

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]]>gene wilderGeneWildermel stuartMelStuartroald dahlRoaldDahlspike jonzeSpikeJonzewhere the wild things areWhereTheWildThingsArewilly wonka the chocolate factoryWillyWonkaTheChocolateFactoryTodd GilchristThu, 15 Oct 2009 19:45:00 ESTMel Gibson Takes Us to the 'Edge of Darkness' in New Trailerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/mel-gibson-takes-us-to-the-edge-of-darkness-in-new-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/mel-gibson-takes-us-to-the-edge-of-darkness-in-new-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/mel-gibson-takes-us-to-the-edge-of-darkness-in-new-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Counting out Signs and We Were Soldiers, it's been nearly a decade since Mel Gibson's knocked some skulls (if you're willing to factor in 2000's The Patriot; if not, then exactly a decade since 1999's Payback), and in the trailer for Edge of Darkness -- embedded post-jump -- it looks like old habits die hard.

Gibson plays a Boston detective whose daughter is killed in a hit meant for him. Naturally, he starts knocking on doors and following trails to determine if his daughter had actually been the target all along, and why. Writer William Monahan is no stranger to either Beantown (The Departed) or elaborate conspiracies (Body of Lies), and director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) already made a BBC miniseries out of the material back in 1985. (No wonder it was reminding me of State of Play, title similarities aside.)

I wasn't sure then why a film with such firepower on paper was being relegated to next January, but it seems to be in stride with the turning tide of this past January's strong performance. Just as The Cabin in the Woods 3-D had been pushed back to the same weekend that My Bloody Valentine 3-D had, I believe that Darkness is being positioned on the same weekend that Taken had for a reason. (Even the poster is not far from that of the righteous-father flick.)

Let's hope Mel McKickass has all the right reasons to warm things up next winter.

Continue reading Mel Gibson Takes Us to the 'Edge of Darkness' in New Trailer

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]]>danny hustonDannyHustonedge of darknessEdgeOfDarknessmartin campbellMartinCampbellmel gibsonMelGibsonray winstoneRayWinstonewilliam monahanWilliamMonahanWilliam GossWed, 14 Oct 2009 21:16:00 ESTRobert Rodat To Write Sam Raimi's 'Warcraft'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/robert-rodat-to-write-sam-raimis-warcraft/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/robert-rodat-to-write-sam-raimis-warcraft/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/14/robert-rodat-to-write-sam-raimis-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The news that Sam Raimi would be helming the game movie of all game movies, Warcraft was met with both squeals of joy, and stunned silence by the movie blogosphere. But now that it's had a little time to sink in, people seem to be really looking forward to it. Some might even wish he'd do a last minute duck out of Spider-Man 4. But at least the wait is broken up by a bit of news, and that's Raimi announcing his screenwriter. MTV and Variety both report that Robert Rodat is set to pen Warcraft for Raimi and Warner Bros.

"We want to be really faithful to the game," Raimi told MTV. "We would have our writer, Robert Rodat, really craft an original story within that world that feels like a World of WarCraft adventure. Only obviously it's very different 'cause it's expanded and translated into the world of a motion picture. [We hope to capture] the Horde and the Alliance and the mythology that takes place in the game, and the archetypes that the game presents. I think we would try and find touchstones within the game to make it accurate and true and choose one or some of the lands that are portrayed in the game with as much accuracy and authenticity as possible."

Rodat might strike some as an odd choice as he's best known for the screenplay to the relentless Saving Private Ryan and the fanciful The Patriot. But both scripts prove he knows his way around a sweeping action scene, and revels in heroes with puffy shirts and villains with cold sneers. So this could turn out quite well indeed.


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]]>blizzard-entertainmentBlizzardEntertainmentRobert RodatRobertRodatSam RaimiSamRaimiWarcraftWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:15:00 ESTIs 'Wild Things' for Adults or Kids?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/13/is-wild-things-for-adults-or-kids/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/13/is-wild-things-for-adults-or-kids/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/10/13/is-wild-things-for-adults-or-kids/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

'Where the Wild Things Are' (Warner Bros.)No, silly, I'm not asking about the steamy modern noir from 1998, but the big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's classic that opens on Friday. Cinematical will have a full review of Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are later this week; my personal reaction is that it's a sweet adventure, suffused with melancholy, displaying a delicate, altogether pleasant and grounded spirit of childish wonder. But is it for kids or adults?

Fears about the film's suitability first surfaced more than a year ago when test screenings reportedly reduced some children to tears. Delays and reshoots ensued, with some fans expressing concern that 'the scary bits' would be excised from the final product. I have no idea what children find scary these days; many young ones were in attendance at the screening I attended last night and I heard nary a whimper or a scream. Some early reviews have suggested that it's "a movie about a child that isn't a children's film," as Brent Simon wrote in his review for Screen Daily. Is that because it's still too scary? No, but because "family audiences may find it too challenging." Jonze himself has acknowledged that it's not "a studio film for kids, or ... a traditional film about kids. We didn't have like a Movie Kid in our movie, or a Movie Performance in a Movie Kid world. We had a real kid and a real world."

Based on what you've heard and seen so far, are you planning to see Where the Wild Things Are? Do you have any concerns that it might be too "adult" for your kids? Or, on the other hand, does it sound too childish for teens or adults?

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]]>featuredmaurice sendakMauriceSendakspike jonzeSpikeJonzewhere the wild things areWhereTheWildThingsArePeter MartinTue, 13 Oct 2009 10:03:00 EST