(ed. note: This post was accidentally published at 1AM, instead of 1PM, so we're re-publishing it at the correct time.)

I've been thinking about the largely negative response to Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights (6 screens), a film I quite liked. As of today it's at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, though it opens wider this weekend (including here in the Bay Area) and more reviews are surely coming in. Most critics I've spoken with around here likewise didn't think much of it. What are the reasons for all this disappointment? The main reason has to do with its weight. It's a lightweight movie, a trifle, flimsy, vapid, thin, etc. Wong is considered one of the world's greatest filmmakers, a maker of "weighty" works of art, and so this "lighter" film is beneath him. It's a letdown, a step backward.

Well, I say that's nonsense. Many great filmmakers dallied in lightweight, lesser trifles during their careers, and it didn't make them any less great. Martin Scorsese has made lots of them. After Hours (1985) and The Color of Money (1986) may not pack the punch of Raging Bull, but they are quite enjoyable, and pure Scorsese. (His current Shine a Light, 277 screens, feels like a trifle.) Fritz Lang came to the United States from a position of great power and unlimited resources in Germany and found himself assigned cheap crime pictures. Yet few critics today would complain about the "lightness" of The Big Heat or Scarlet Street. Max Ophuls also made crime films in Hollywood (Caught and The Reckless Moment), and his reputation remains intact. Some consider John Ford the greatest American director of all time, and even though his goofball Donovan's Reef (1963) isn't counted among his classics, I love it just as much. It has moments of great beauty that reflect its maker's personality. My Blueberry Nights may not stand up to In the Mood for Love, but it's unquestionably a Wong Kar-wai film.

Cinematical has just received this lovely exclusive poster (click on above image to enlarge) for the new film My Blueberry Nights, starring Norah Jones (in her feature debut), Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Jude Law and David Strathairn. The film, which is just exploding with beautiful colors (see above poster for a small taste), marks famed director Wong Kar Wai's English-language debut -- and it centers on a young woman (Jones) who embarks on a soul-searching trip across America, running into an assortment of offbeat characters along the way. Definitely one of my favorite posters of the year so far -- once you move away from the dazzling color scheme, you're then left with the gorgeous faces of Weisz, Portman and Jones. Mmm, I can stare at this one all day long.

For more on My Blueberry Nights, feel free to check out James' review from last year's Cannes Film Festival, as well as the movie trailer over on Moviefone. My Blueberry Nights hits theaters (in limited release) on April 4.

After mentioning the wonderful Joe Morton in my DVD picks this week (for his stint in American Gangster), I started thinking about one of his early roles -- the lead in John Sayles' The Brother from Another Planet. (One I listed in my Sayles primer last year.) It's a great film, even in its cheesiness, but there's nothing quite like this absolutely terrible trailer, which you can check out above.

I wonder what Sayles thought when he saw that, because while it's endlessly amusing now, it's pretty embarrassing for such a solid film. Sporting tacky review quotes like: "It's Cheers goes to Harlem"and "it's E.T. rides the underground railroad," the trailer is just terrible and says pretty much nothing about the film. However, you can enjoy bits of Morton's alien, as glimpses of a very young Fisher Stevens, and both Sayles and David Strathairn as creepy aliens. And to think -- one day he'd bring down the world with Cyberdyne.

Empire has the exclusive first look at the new poster for Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights. While the first poster release chose to put Rachel Weisz front and center, the latest one-sheet lets you know right from the get-go that this film is an ensemble in every sense of the word. The story centers on a young woman (played by Norah Jones in her acting debut) who wastes away hours in a local cafe run by a romantically philosophical type named Jeremy (played by Jude Law). The story then follows our broken hearted gal as she rambles about the country, coming into contact with an alcoholic cop and his wife (David Strathairn and Rachel Weisz) and a gambling con-artist as played by Natalie Portman.

My Blueberry Nights marks Wong Kar Wai's first attempt at an English language film, and will also be one of the few films he has shot without the services of his usual cinematographer, Christopher Doyle. Instead, the famed director hired Darius Khondji, who has worked with Woody Allen (Anything Else) and David Fincher (Panic Room). The film premiered in Cannes back in May, and while reviews were mixed (mainly directed at Jones' acting abilities), the overall impression was that the film marked some new territory for the director -- you can read James' review here. Wong Kar Wai is a master at conveying love and longing for another person. So, even though there have been some changes in his usual methods, you know you are still in some pretty capable hands. Plus, if you consider the cast and the skill of people involved in the production, it would be a shock if it didn't all somehow work. My Blueberry Nights is set to open for a limited release on February 13th, 2008.

Project Greenlight producer Chris Moore is already busy with his directorial debut, Killers, but now The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's also executive producing a miniseries and feature-length documentary based on A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. First published in 1980, the book follows the history of the United States from Columbus and Native Americans right through the twentieth century. However, instead of your ordinary historical book, Zinn critically looked at both the triumphs and tyranny of the country.

The project is titled The People Speak, and it's looking like it could be a pretty successful documentary, if the collaborators are any indication. The history will be brought together by music and readings that focus on the country's war, class, race, and women's rights struggles. Actors like Matt Damon, Viggo Mortensen, Marisa Tomei, Danny Glover, David Strathairn, Kerry Washington, and Josh Brolin will perform, while the likes of Eddie Vedder and John Legend will add some music into the mix. This collaboration will be topped off by Zinn himself, who will give introductions and historical contest to the pieces of the film.

As Moore describes it: "It's going to be a great piece of entertainment, but more importantly, something people can watch and learn and remember how great this country has been and how individual people have changed the course of history. It's going to make them think, laugh, and cry and be proud to be American." Yet the cynic in me is waiting for those people who will say all of this is anti-American. Hopefully, it will just be a well-received, good, accurate film that teaches as well as entertains. But what do you think?

I had the chance to see The Sensation of Sight when it played the New Hampshire Film Festival last month in Portsmouth, NH where it won the award for Best Feature Film. We don't get a lot of films shot here in the Granite State, particularly ones with relatively high profile stars like David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum, Goodnight and Good Luck) and Ian Somerhalder (probably best known for his work on ABC's Lost) so there's been some local buzz about this one ever since it wrapped production a few years back.

The tagline on the poster is "When life becomes a second language..." The film's promotional materials describe Strathairn's character Fin as undergoing a mid-life crisis, but he's better described as a man who has been crippled by despair. Fin is a high school teacher who, in the wake of a tragedy involving a student for which he feels responsible, leaves his wife and son and moves into a boarding house. He spends his days walking around his small picturesque New England town, pulling a Radio Flyer wagon that carries the encyclopedias he tries to sell to the townspeople. "I didn't know they did that anymore," remarks one character about Fin's new vocation. "I don't think they do," he replies. More importantly, he only appears to have the one set of books (whose origin becomes important late in the film) and the whole process seems to be a sad desperate attempt to give meaning to a life he no longer understands..

Although I never actually saw the film, I never forgot the poster for A Tale of Two Sisters, Ji-woon Kim's horror thriller that came out in 2003. With a pristine backdrop with well-dressed parents, two girls in white bloody dresses stared out, looking dazed and confused. The movie had a pretty successful run, and now it's been picked up by DreamWorks for an English-language adaptation. Although we usually groan at the myriad of Korean thriller remakes that hit the screen, I'm actually kind of interested in this one. Not only was the original considered the alternate way to make a thriller (different than The Grudge or The Ring), but David Strathairn has been added to the cast.

He's just one of those actors you can't help but like -- and it doesn't hurt that he has the talent to boot -- grabbing an Oscar nomination for Good Night, and Good Luck. Or, if you want to go really old-school, his uber-excellent portrayal of a tough-guy alien in John Sayles' Brother From Another Planet. Strathairn will play the father of two girls who have just come home from a mental institution, and find that home life isn't so comfortable -- between an unbalanced stepmother, who is being played by Elizabeth Banks (The 40 Year-Old Virgin), and a ghost who haunts the home. The film will be the first directorial feature for Thomas and Charles Guard, from a script adapted by Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro. I'm not entirely interested in a psycho-Banks, but hopefully this remake can live up to its potential.

The focus of this week's Trailer Park is going to be a bit more self-indulgent than usual. If you've read previous installments, you've seen how I usually discuss several trailers that can be grouped together under a common theme. Sometimes, though, as I look at all the new previews no pattern emerges, so the trailers I'm focusing on this week are mentioned here purely because they appeal to me personally. It's "what looks good to me" week on Trailer Park.

Run Fatboy Run
Based on the fact that Shaun of the Dead is one of the funniest films of all time, and Hot Fuzz, which I haven't had a chance to see yet, looks quite awesome as well, anything starring Simon Pegg will grab my attention. Pegg's co-star from Shaun, Dylan Moran, also shows up in this trailer. Unfortunately, this preview suffers from one of my pet peeves: it doesn't actually tell you what the film is about. According to the synopsis on IMDB, Pegg is training for a marathon to win back the woman he dumped ten years earlier. What we do get, however, is Pegg running around in a pair of shorts even shorter than the ones Lieutenant Jim Dangle wears on Reno 911. Who knew that was even possible? There's some pretty good physical comedy on display here; like when Pegg takes a dive down a flight of stairs (yes, grievous bodily harm can be hilarious in the proper setting) and the bit with him drinking the raw eggs made for a pretty good laugh. This film marks the feature directorial debut of Friends star David Scwhimmer from a script by Michael Ian Black. Here's Erik Davis's take on the trailer.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Obviously this is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the summer, and I'm just as excited about it as anyone. I've read all of J.K. Rowling's Potter books, and like the films, each one has been better than the last. Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is loose once again, Dolores Umbridge, has been appointed Grand Inquisitor of Hogwarts School, and having read the books I couldn't help smiling when the trailer showed a bit of the Weasley twins laying mischievous waste to the school. The preview is flat out spectacular and I can't wait for this one. See for yourself:

It's been a while since we've had some news on My Blueberry Nights, so let's catch up: Martha Fischer started reporting about the film when it was announced, and then told us about the pic's growing cast. To review, Blueberry Nights is the new, and first English feature, of writer-director Wong Kar-wai. The film is a road trip love story that centers on a woman, played by first-time actress Norah Jones, as she travels across America meeting strange, new people. It is also based on a short film about a shopkeeper who falls for a blueberry pie fiend. Also making an appearance in the flick are Rachel Weisz, Jude Law (pictures of him in the film are now on imdb), and Natalie Portman.

Filming is now completed, and David Strathairn and Tim Roth were also added to the cast. There was some rumor that Ed Harris would be in that list, but no reports seem to confirm it. I would imagine that it never came to be if he wasn't mentioned in the new Hollywood Reporter blurb, which has announced that those Weinstein boys have picked up the rights to the movie.

These days, you can't throw a stick without hitting a Weinstein. However, every time I hear the name, I can't help but think of that Kevin Smith story about Harvey walking out of Clerks. Yet the Weinsteins acquiring My Blueberry Nights makes sense. Wong sees Harvey as an old friend, and sites him as having a "key role" in introducing Chungking Express to the US. The brotherly duo may have split from Disney/Miramax, but they still have one hell of a little black book.

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond is a forgotten screenplay* penned by Tennessee Williams. In fact, if you search Wikipedia, it doesn't even come up. It is part of a collection that was found after the playwright's death, and was subsequently published in 1984. It is now coming to the silver screen -- with a headline actress guaranteed to grab people's attention.

Continuing her attraction to almost larger-than-life casts, Lindsay Lohan will star in the feature, which also includes Chris Evans, Ellen Burstyn, David Strathairn and Ann-Margret. The script tells the story of Fisher Willow (Lohan), a 1920's debutante from Memphis with an allergy to narrow-mindedness and a habit for throwing shocks and insults. She falls for Jimmy (Evans), the poor son of an alcoholic man (Strathairn) who works for her family. Obviously, the class divide causes a strain which is further amplified when Fisher loses a diamond.

The casting seems fitting on all accounts. Lohan has made an image for herself as a shocking socialite, and she is familiar with the pressures of losing high-price jewellery, a mistake that is becoming a trend. Burstyn as the southern matriarch is a no-brainer, as is Ann-Margret as Fisher's spinster aunt. And Strathairn, well, he embodies great, gritty acting.

I see this film going one of two ways. There could be a reason no one knows about the play ... and if it's bad, it could swallow the talents of the cast. Or, it could take the Titus route. Although Titus Andronicus was a surprising choice from Shakespeare's vast collection (although one of my personal favorites), it came together in an intriguing, artsy horror fest.

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

*Thank you, Derek for pointing out that this wasn't a theatrical play, but a screenplay. MB

After a flurry of 9/11-related films and Hurricane Katrina docs, Hollywood is now setting its sights on the 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, with an official death count somewhere in the range of 230,000.

Variety reports the always reliable David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) has signed on to star in Hereafter, to be produced by Chris Bender, Ben Katz and Madeline Ryan. Michael Patwin will make his directorial debut (from his own script) with a story that centers around an American clothing designer who goes on a frantic search for his wife and children after the tsunami separates him from his family. Pic will begin shooting in Thailand early next year, with filmmakers donating a portion of the proceeds to orphaned children forced into child labor following the tsunami.

Because it's apparently now time to depict national tragedies in cinematic form, we can add a movie about the Challenger disaster to the list. The movie, entitled Challenger, will examine the space shuttle explosion from the perspective of its investigators, primarily that of physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Feynman's involvement in the investigation grew largely out his own work on the Manhattan Project, and an accompanying personal determination that none of the negligence and/or mistakes that may have led to the accident be swept under the rug.

Though the film seems to be a ways from production, it has been announced that Oscar nominee David Strathairn will play Feynman. Challenger will be directed by Philip Kaufman (who knows his space movies -- he made The Right Stuff), who will be working from a script by Nicole Perlman.

A few other odds and ends of interest today:

• Oscar nominee David Strathairn has been added to McG's untitled movie about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed much of the Marshall University football team. Strathairn, who is expected to play the university president, joins Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox in the cast.

• According to its director, Anthony Hopkins' previously-announced Papa (in which the actor was to play his doppelganger Ernest Hemingway) has been pulled. Roger Donaldson, who just directed Hopkins in The World's Fastest Indian, claims that the movie never even got to pre-production: "There were too many problems with the rights and the financing, and the schedules mean it won't happen."

• Moviehole reports the totally unsubstantiated rumors that Kiefer Sutherland has a contract with Fox for not one, not two, but three whole 24 movies, the first of which will start shooting some time next year. Oh, and Bruce Willis wants to be in it. If either story turns out to be true, we'll let you know.
  

While many people are still recuperating from Sundance, I'm getting excited about the SXSW film festival even if it is six weeks away. When you have a big film festival practically in your backyard, you can't help but look forward to it. The festival has just announced more of its scheduled features, many of which are world premieres. The premieres include Al Franken: God Spoke, the title of which should be self-explanatory; The Life of Reilly, about Charles Nelson Reilly's one-man show; Fired!, a documentary about employment based on an upcoming book by actress Annabelle Gurwitch; Heavens Fall, based on a real-life 1930s trial, with a cast that includes David Strathairn and Timothy Hutton; and The Oh in Ohio, which reminds me of the days when all good indie-rich festivals included at least one Parker Posey movie.

The best-known and most likely to be popular title on this list isn't a world premiere, though, and it already played in Austin to a select crowd at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon last year: V for Vendetta. The full line-up of SXSW feature films will be available next week on the film festival page.

[via Matt Dentler]