Banlieue13 Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Fantastic Fest Review: District 13: Ultimatum
Filed under: Action », Thrillers », Magnolia », Theatrical Reviews », Fantastic Fest », Remakes and Sequels »
When it reached American audiences two years after it opened in France, 2006's District 13 (or B13 here) served as a breezy introduction to the art of parkour, not to mention director Pierre Morel's knack for shooting action sequences both energetically and visibly (an underrated quality, that last one). Morel moved on to Taken, though, while parkour began to infiltrate more high-profile Hollywood fare, like Casino Royale and Live Free or Die Hard.
However, writer/producer/all-around action maven Luc Besson stuck around to cash in on the promise of a follow-up, and now we're greeted with District 13: Ultimatum, a competent if flabby rehash of the first film's race-against-time plot and dystopian setting.
Luc Besson Has Some Sort of Sci-Fi Trilogy in the Works
Filed under: Action », Animation », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », RumorMonger », Remakes and Sequels »
Supposedly retired action maverick* Luc Besson, currently making the rounds on behalf of Transporter 3 (which he produced), told Collider that not only was 1997's The Fifth Element supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but that he also has vague plans for another sci-fi trilogy after finishing up the two sequels I must say: more power to the man if he just keeps coming up with ideas and happens to be good at executing them. As flimsy as his promise of retirement has been, if it brings us a sequel to District B13 and the reportedly entertaining Liam Neeson vehicle Taken (which doesn't open in the States until next January), then I can live with watching him keep on keepin' on, as it were.
(Well, except for those Arthur flicks, but perhaps that's a finger of blame better pointed towards the Weinsteins...)
*Us film bloggers are taking this word back, damn it.
'District 14' in the Works!
Filed under: Action », Foreign Language », Casting », Scripts »
I was determined to see Banlieue 13, or District 13, as soon as I saw David Belle fly feet-first through a transom. (That little ditty, in the middle of one sweet parkour scene, is above.) Action scenes usually don't prompt me to watch a movie, but the fluidity of the action was just too much to pass up. No, the film is not the greatest cinematic achievement; however, it did make me a huge Belle fan, itching for another Belle/parkour-based film.
And now it looks like we're getting it. Twitch noticed a casting call for Banlieue 14 on the official parkour website, and Allocine.fr reports that Patrick Allesandrin will direct the film, from a script by Luc Besson, when production starts next month.
While there was a casting call, I'm really hoping that this will be another Belle-starring feature. You can't really get better parkour than from the man who created it. Maybe Leito becomes a part-cop, or renegade hero, and sets out to help out other districts in France? Are you ready for more parkour?
Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 11/10
Fun with Math: The Huge Box Office Numbers for 'Precious'
Girls on Film: Domestic Violence and Media
'Spider-Man 4' Villain Rumor: Rachel McAdams as Black Cat
Original A-Team Making Cameos in New Movie?
