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/The 10 Most Enticing Sundance 2010 Short Filmshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-10-most-enticing-sundance-2010-short-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-10-most-enticing-sundance-2010-short-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-10-most-enticing-sundance-2010-short-films/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The 2010 Sundance Film Festival has just announced its slate of short films, broken up into several sections (U.S. Dramatic, Documentary, Animated, International Dramatic, Documentary, Animated and New Frontier). Unlike previous years where one narrative film opened the festival, Sundance will be switching it up in 2010 and premiering one shorts program, one documentary and one narrative film all on the same night, Thursday, January 21. Said shorts program will feature shorts from Spike Jonze (I'm Here), Rory Kennedy (The Fence), Patrik Eklund (Seeds of the Fall) and François Alaux and Hervé de Crécy (Logorama).

Most notable among this year's batch of shorts is that Spike Jonze and James Franco both have films screening. Jonze's short, titled I'm Here, is a robot love story starring Andrew Garfield, whereas Franco's -- titled Herbert White -- stars Michael Shannon and is based on the poem of the same name. But aside from the celebrity short filmmakers, I've highlighted 10 shorts that sound pretty damn enticing. Check them out below, and the full list after the jump.

TUB (Director and screenwriter: Bobby Miller) -- It's just your typical story about a guy who can't commit to his girlfriend...who then jerks off in the shower...and accidentally impregnates his tub.

Logorama / France (Directors and screenwriters: François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain) -- Spectacular car chases, an intense hostage crisis, and wild animals rampaging through the city, change a world constructed by heavy corporate sponsorship.

My Mom Smokes Weed (Director and screenwriter: Clay Liford) -- After a loyal son comes home to visit his aging mother, she assigns him some chores -- one of which involves a road trip to help satiate her desire for a certain special herb.

NEW MEDIA (Director and screenwriter: J.J. Adler) -- Living in the lap of luxury through no achievement of his own, an out of touch, middle-aged poseur tries to make good by getting in on the 'viral video' craze.

Continue reading The 10 Most Enticing Sundance 2010 Short Films

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedjames francoJamesFrancospike jonzeSpikeJonzesundance 2010sundance short filmssundance10Sundance2010SundanceShortFilmsErik DavisMon, 07 Dec 2009 15:45:00 ESTZooey Deschanel as 'Barbarella? Check This Out ...http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/zooey-deschanel-barbarella/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/zooey-deschanel-barbarella/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/zooey-deschanel-barbarella/#commentsFiled under: ,



You've seen Zooey Deschanel as a blonde before, most memorably for the modern holiday classic Elf, but you still might not recognize her in this new print ad for Absolut Vodka. In fact, she looks kind of like Hilary Duff as the sci-fi go-go girl promoting an Absolut-brand cosmopolitan. Regardless of who she resembles, though, the ad puts it into my head that Deschanel might be perfect for that remake of Barbarella -- if currently attached director Robert Luketic doesn't go with regular collaborator Kate Bosworth. In general, I'm reminded that everyone's favorite MPDG (manic pixie dream girl) needs to do more science fiction, even if she seemed all wrong for her Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy role and even if she need never work for M. Night Shyamalan again.

Deschanel's single Absolut ad is part of a campaign that also sees Kate Beckinsale in three different spots, including one where she too is blond and '60s-inspired. Those ads aren't quite as interesting as Deschanel's given that Beckinsale is more commonly seen in science fiction and horror. Still, I'm sure a lot of guys wouldn't mind seeing the Underworld star in a remake of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, which one of the ads references. All four of the pictures in this campaign were shot by fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who interestingly enough directed a music video for Duran Duran's "Electric Barbarella." Perhaps she can lend Luketic a hand in that remake of his?

Gallery: Beckinsale and Deschanel Absolut Ads



(via Huffington Post)

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]]>barbarellaelfellen von unwerthEllenVonUnwerthfeaturedkate beckinsaleKateBeckinsalethe happeningthe hitchhikers guide to the galaxyTheHappeningTheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxyzooey deschanelZooeyDeschanelChristopher CampbellMon, 07 Dec 2009 15:02:00 ESTWatch This: Michael Bay's Obnoxious Victoria's Secret Commericalhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/michael-bays-victorias-secret-commerical/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/michael-bays-victorias-secret-commerical/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/michael-bays-victorias-secret-commerical/#commentsFiled under: ,



When famed undergarment emporium Victoria's Secret wanted to put a little oomph into its TV advertising, it knew where to look: in the ADHD-addled brain of Michael Bay, whose junior-high-school-level enthusiasm for scantily clad hot chicks is legendary. He's actually been shooting ads for Vicky for several years, but the latest one got a high-profile debut last week during The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which apparently was a real thing that was really on CBS.

We've got the ad after the jump. Even if we hadn't told you, you could probably guess it was directed by Michael Bay. The central image is women's breasts -- just as in the Transformers movies, only this time it makes sense. Some malnourished ladies walk around in their unmentionables, occasionally pausing to straddle a chaise lounge or bend over a pool table, while behind them a helicopter flies around, because hey, why not? Then there is an explosion, also because hey, why not? I do not know if it is the helicopter that explodes or if it is something else, perhaps something that the helicopter shot at. I don't know who the good guys and bad guys are here. Oh, and one of the ladies throws some knives at another lady. Both ladies exhibit no emotion whatsoever, so, again, I don't know whom we're supposed to be rooting for. It appears the editing was done by a monkey injected with amphetamines, which is to say it was edited to look like a Michael Bay film. The commercial is 90 seconds long and has, by my count, 80 cuts.

Watch the highly persuasive ad after the jump. Women, be prepared to feel like buying a lot of underwear!!!

Continue reading Watch This: Michael Bay's Obnoxious Victoria's Secret Commerical

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]]>explosionsknivesmichael bayMichaelBayvictorias secretVictoriasSecretEric D. SniderMon, 07 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST'Avatar' Creature Designer Addresses 'Delgo' Comparisonshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/avatar-creature-designer-addresses-delgo-comparisons/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/avatar-creature-designer-addresses-delgo-comparisons/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/avatar-creature-designer-addresses-delgo-comparisons/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It only took a matter of days after the first trailer for Avatar went public that people had begun to rend the flesh from its digital bones. And while there were plenty of cries of Dances with Smurfs, the most notable detractor was a site that posted a bevy of side-by-side screen shots comparing James Cameron's high-profile gamble with the largely unseen 2008 animated film Delgo.

Floating mountains, flying creatures, blue-skinned warriors, swamps lit by alien fireflies...all of these world-building elements had a good number of people ready to demonize Cameron for stealing from one of the biggest theatrical flops in years. Now, as the film's release beckons ever closer, those involved with the secretive production have finally been made available for interview. One such person is Neville Page, the creature designer for Avatar, who was recently interviewed by the LA Times. There's plenty more to the interview, but the hot button question is clearly the Delgo one:

"Do I think there is much of a comparison? Clearly there is. I think [the video and side-by-side comparisons] was too literalized. I think it's easiest to do with many films. You can take a bunch of stuff and spin it to whatever you want. It's like any love story. There can be parallels drawn to any love story. It's who can tell it better, with more compelling imagery. That's definitely what Jim has done here. People are going to get it. Much like "Titanic." Was that a unique story, if you're not talking about the ship? No, not even close. It's "Romeo and Juliet." It's a classic, classic story. "Avatar" has the best of both, a very familiar story and a very unique vision behind it."

Continue reading 'Avatar' Creature Designer Addresses 'Delgo' Comparisons

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]]>AvatarAvatar Delgo ComparisonsAvatarDelgoComparisonsDelgoJames CameronJamesCameronNEville PageNevillePagePeter HallMon, 07 Dec 2009 13:32:00 ESTInteresting Interviews: Ricky Gervais Chats with Larry Davidhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/#commentsFiled under: , ,



A friend of mine turned me on to this fantastic interview over the weekend that was part of a Channel 4 special that aired in the UK back in 2008 (or at least that's when it was uploaded to YouTube). In it, Ricky Gervais (The Office, Extras) heads over to Larry David's (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) office for a pretty lengthy chat about, well, everything. And seeing as some of my all-time favorite comedy has come from both of these men, I couldn't resist the urge to lock myself in a room and watch this sucker because I knew how special it would be.

David begins the chat by telling Gervais that the only reason he agreed to do this was because he knew it was only airing in the UK and that no one he knew would be watching. He'd kidding, of course, but there's a certain amount of truth behind that. Larry David doesn't do many relaxed, let-me-pick-your-brain interviews, and so just knowing this existed was a treat in and of itself -- but adding the fact that Gervais was the one chatting him up was the sweet cherry on top of this scrumptious piece of comedic geekdom. The two men discuss everything from cursing to comedic inspirations to their writing process to celebrity and everything in between. The only thing that slows it down a little (for me) is that they sandwich in a bunch of clips, but if you're a fan it shouldn't bother you.

And yeah, I understand this may be a little more suited for our buddies over at TV Squad, but I couldn't resist. If it makes you feel better, Gervais can be seen in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, now on DVD and Blu-ray. There. Now watch the interview after the jump.

Continue reading Interesting Interviews: Ricky Gervais Chats with Larry David

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedlarry davidLarryDavidnight at the museum 2Night at the Museum: Battle of the SmithsonianNightAtTheMuseum2NightAtTheMuseum:BattleOfTheSmithsonianricky gervaisRickyGervaisseinfeldErik DavisMon, 07 Dec 2009 12:45:00 ESTExposed Wounds: Oscar Season's Two Best Performanceshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/oscar-seasons-two-best-performances/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/oscar-seasons-two-best-performances/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/oscar-seasons-two-best-performances/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



One mark of a world-class actor is the ability to convince us that a character exists outside the confines of the screenplay. It is one thing to skillfully deliver a dramatic monologue, to tap depths of volcanic rage or crippling grief for a big Oscar moment played to the cheap seats. Far rarer and more valuable are performances that quietly suggest what isn't spelled out: key character details expressed through gait or inflection; off-screen experiences hinted at with a look, a gesture, or a wayward smile. This is really a difference between an actor and a performer. Tom Cruise is a great performer. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a great actor. So is, for example, Patricia Clarkson.

In The Messenger, Ben Foster plays Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, who is shipped home after an injury, and assigned to serve out the last three months of his enlistment on "notification duty" with the apparently unbalanced Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson). The two of them are tasked with telling the next of kin that a soldier won't be coming home, a job that consists of knocking on a door, reading from a script ("the Secretary of the Army extends his deepest condolences..."), and bracing oneself for a likely onslaught of abuse.

Continue reading Exposed Wounds: Oscar Season's Two Best Performances

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]]>academy awardsAcademyAwardsben fosterBenFosterbrothersfeaturedjake gyllenhaalJakeGyllenhaaloscarsthe messengerTheMessengertobey maguireTobeyMaguireEugene NovikovMon, 07 Dec 2009 12:02:00 ESTJack Black Gets Into Cryptozoologyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/jack-black-gets-into-cryptozoology/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/jack-black-gets-into-cryptozoology/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/jack-black-gets-into-cryptozoology/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Having kicked butt and taken names as an animated Kung Fu Panda, Jack Black is heading for the big animals of legend and grabbing his first producer gig in the animation world. Variety reports that Black will produce Jason Micallef's currently untitled animation pitch for Illumination Entertainment based on the world of cryptozoology -- you know, the super-scientific study of legendary beasts like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.

There's no word on exactly what the film will detail, other than the creature-filled theme, but it looks like this has no connection to the project stirring back in 2007 that never got off the ground. One would imagine that this feature will make it a bit farther though, since it's already got Black's name attached. However, while he seems quite involved with the project, it's only as producer. Variety noted that the actor "will not provide a voice" in the movie, but I wouldn't be surprised if he changes his mind once the script is done.

The other perk this feature has going for it, aside from the awesomeness that is Loch Ness, is that Micallef is the scribe behind the Black List script Butter, so while he's not an established writer yet, there's definitely talent there. Now all we need is to get some cryptozoology that makes it beyond the initial pitch. Will Nessie and Big Foot make it this time around? Stay tuned!

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]]>CinematicalCryptozoologistscryptozoologyJack BlackJackBlackJason MicallefJasonMicallefMonika BartyzelMon, 07 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST'The Nutcracker' Ditches Its Ballet Rootshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-nutcracker-ditches-its-ballet-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-nutcracker-ditches-its-ballet-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/the-nutcracker-ditches-its-ballet-roots/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


"This Christmas...CRACK SOME NUTS!" Ah, I can see the poster's tagline now. Darren Lemke (upcoming Shrek Forever After) is penning a live-action action-adventure version of the classic Tchaikovsky Christmas ballet The Nutcracker for production company Temple Hill Entertainment.

The original ballet tells the story of a little girl whose nutcracker doll comes to life and fights an army of mice. "I like the classic stories, but only if you can find a way to embrace them, without betraying them, and tell the tale with a forward thrust, making them feel modern," Lemke told The Hollywood Reporter. The tone of Lemke's pitch is said to be in the vein of the live-action Narnia films.

I love the music, but I've found every version of The Nutcracker I've seen to be excruciatingly boring. Yes, I realize that makes me sound like an uncultured, knuckle-dragging caveman. I have no doubts that seeing a live performance would change my tune, but, until then, I'm interested in the idea of a dance-less, action-oriented fantasy film (just don't lose the Tchaikovsky, please). I'm also expecting plenty of product placement from Planters.

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]]>Christmasdarren lemkeDarrenLemkeTchaikovskythe nutcrackerTheNutcrackerJohn GholsonMon, 07 Dec 2009 10:33:00 ESTSummit Entertainment and Brad Pitt Staking 'Vlad'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/brad-pitt-vlad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/brad-pitt-vlad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/brad-pitt-vlad/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

You would have to be living under a rock in the deepest regions of the jungle, or the frostiest regions of the Arctic to avoid knowing that Summit has made some major money out of a bunch of broody vampires. So, while they're developing comic books and Houdini franchises, they're also making sure they have another immortal in their stable. The immortal of all immortals: Dracula. But it isn't the bloodsucking Dracula, but rather the one of historic legend known as Vlad Tepes.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Summit has optioned a script by actor-turned-writer Charlie Hunnam that tells the story of the young Vlad Tepes. Brad Pitt's Plan B is producing, and they're in negotiations with Anthony Mandler to direct. This would be Mandler's directorial debut, and he reportedly wowed them with a sizzle reel reminiscent of 300. THR notes that Summit has very much wanted their own 300 since losing Zack Snyder's to Warner Bros, and what better historical figure to adapt to that style than the Impaler?

The film is said to be "an action oriented take" but Vlad's military record is completely wrapped up the thousands upon thousands of people he had dismembered and impaled. You don't make a film about Vlad Tepes unless you're going to revel in that sort of thing. I immediately want to say that you can't even make him sympathetic, but Bram Stoker's Dracula repainted him as a lovesick lord, so there you go. (He even impaled people -- but they were Turks so no one blinked an eye.) You have to hand it to Summit, though. Whereas most studios find it daring to take on William Wallace or King Leonidas, they're going for the king of all horror and splatter. One frame of this might make up for all those angered by Twilight's bloodlessness.

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]]>Anthony MandlerAnthonyMandlerbrad pittBradPittcharlie hunnamCharlieHunnamfeaturedPlan Bplan b entertainmentPlanBPlanBEntertainmentsummitSummit EntertainmentSummitEntertainmentVladVlad the ImpalerVladTheImpalerElisabeth RappeMon, 07 Dec 2009 09:45:00 ESTWeekend Box Office: 'The Blind Side' Takes Over a Low-Key Weekendhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/weekend-box-office-the-blind-side-takes-over-a-low-key-weeken/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/weekend-box-office-the-blind-side-takes-over-a-low-key-weeken/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/weekend-box-office-the-blind-side-takes-over-a-low-key-weeken/#commentsFiled under: ,

We are currently in the calm before the storm, waiting to see what manner of box office havoc Avatar and Sherlock Holmes will wreak starting December 18th. This weekend was conceded to the leggy The Blind Side, which took over the top spot from New Moon to bring its total gross to around $130 million. New Moon took another big hit, but it hardly matters; the movie will struggle to get to $300 million, but has a fighting chance at it. The movie that's petered out a little domestically is 2012 -- it's at $148 million and won't get much farther, though its worldwide numbers ($600 million and counting) more than make up for it.

The weekend's new arrivals did not make much of a splash. Nearly $10 million for Brothers sounds okay to me -- the movie is a painful, dead-serious drama that would have been buried deep in the arthouses were it not for its star power. $6.6 million for Screen Gems' Armored is neither here nor there; the marketing was awfully generic (though I'm curious about the movie since Nimrod Antal's Vacancy was terrific). $4 million for Everybody's Fine on 2000 screens is a disappointment; I think Family Stone-type numbers ($12 million) were achievable. It seems like Miramax has been totally neutered.

Oscar front-runner Up in the Air got a promising start on 15 screens, landing at #13. And the dreadful-looking Transylmania scored the third worst wide release of all time with a $272 average on 1000 screens.

The full chart after the jump.

Continue reading Weekend Box Office: 'The Blind Side' Takes Over a Low-Key Weekend

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]]>armoredbrotherseverybodys fineEverybodysFinenew moonNewMoonthe blind sideTheBlindSidetransylmaniaweekend box officeWeekendBoxOfficeEugene NovikovMon, 07 Dec 2009 09:02:00 ESTInterview: John Woohttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/john-woo-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/john-woo-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/john-woo-interview/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When I was in college in the 90s in Austin, Texas, I used to frequent a video store called "I Luv VIdeo." The locals all called it "I Heart Video," though, because of their distinctive sign. They had an amazing array of video tapes from all over the world, including a huge section of Asian cult hits. This is where I was introduced to John Woo and his movies like Hard Boiled, The Killer, and Bullet in the Head. The man is an amazing director, but since moving to Hollywood his work has been erratic. For every Mission: Impossible 2, there's a Windtalkers. For every Face/Off, there's a Paycheck.

Red Cliff is his first film since Paycheck, and it's a triumphant change for Woo as he moves into epic storytelling with a film so large it had to be split into two parts. Unfortunately, American audiences only received a cut-down version of both films, but Woo says that the full version will be coming to DVD soon. Right now, you can catch Red Cliff in theaters (it opened nationwide in the US on November 25) or On Demand in some markets, and I can testify that it is still a very satisfying film to watch. This is a huge movie with a ton of action, a great story, and it's good to see Woo returning to his Asian roots.

Read on for our full interview with John Woo just after the break.

Continue reading Interview: John Woo

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]]>ChinaHard BoiledHardBoiledJohn WooJohnWooRed CliffRedCliffKevin KellySun, 06 Dec 2009 21:02:00 ESTSo 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 EST'Back to the Future' With a Gay Mom?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Lea Thompson and Michael J. Fox in 'Back to the Future'

Idle thoughts on a Sunday afternoon: How radically different would some movies be if the sexual orientation of a single character was changed? Actress Meredith Baxter revealed last week that she's a lesbian, which made me think of her most famous role as a mother in Family Ties, which made me think of Michael J. Fox, who played her son in that series. And that made me think of his most famous role as a son in Back to the Future, which made me think: what if Marty McFly's mother (played by Lea Thompson) was gay?

That would eliminate the most squeamish element of the movie: Lorraine's attraction to Marty. (When she's admiring him in his Calvin Kleins, yeesh! Get me out of here.) Instead, Marty might have time traveled back to 1955, seen that Lorraine wasn't attracted to George McFly (Crispin Glover), and then gradually come to realize -- with his 1985 perspective -- that his mother wasn't attracted to any of the boys in school, but was nursing a secret crush on one of her female classmates. Recognizing the social pressures against homosexuality in the 50s and battling his own mixed feelings, Marty still maneuvers circumstances so that his mother will decide to remain in the closet and marry George. Marty goes back to the future with a heavy heart, glad to be alive but with the secret, bittersweet knowledge that his self-sacrificing, loving mother may not be not truly happy.

What other movies might be radically changed if the sexual orientation of one of the characters was different?

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]]>back to the futureBackToTheFuturecrispin gloverCrispinGlovergay back to the futureGayBackToTheFuturelea thompsonLeaThompsonmarty mcflyMartyMcflymereth baxterMerethBaxtermichael j foxMichaelJFoxPeter MartinSun, 06 Dec 2009 17:02:00 EST'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' Teaser Trailer!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1-teaser-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1-teaser-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1-teaser-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


A few days ago, a bootlegged and blurry copy of the first Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows teaser went live before being predictably yanked by Warner Bros. But it didn't take long for the studio to release an official copy, complete with an introduction from producer David Heyman and director David Yates. While the teaser attempts to explain what the Deathly Hallows actually are, Harry Potter fans will be too busy scanning the footage for recognizable scenes. If you know what you're watching, there's quite a bit to see! I would nerdishly list all the moments but no one wants to read that, and it's more fun to let something like this unfold for each and every fan. You might choke up a little. I did. It's the last one!

For those unfamiliar with the final book you may wish for a little more context, but you'll undoubtedly be glad to see all the dark and gory images on display. Deathly Hallows is really the Potter story where the danger, the horror, and the despair really take over the story. Think of the end of The Empire Strikes Back and Frodo's march through Mordor in The Return of the King, and you have an idea of what a grim, unrelenting story this two-parter will be.

The trailer is embedded below the jump. Part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hits theaters on November 19, 2010.

Continue reading 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' Teaser Trailer!

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]]>Daniel RadcliffeDanielRadcliffedavid heymanDavid YatesDavidHeymanDavidYatesemma watsonEmmaWatsonharry potter and the deathly hallowsHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part IHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part OneHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows teaserHarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallowsHarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallowsPartIHarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallowsPartOneHarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallowsTeaserrupert grintRupertGrintwarner brosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeSun, 06 Dec 2009 15:02:00 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 ESTWho Will Direct Brad Pitt in 'Moneyball'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/who-will-direct-brad-pitt-in-moneyball/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/who-will-direct-brad-pitt-in-moneyball/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/who-will-direct-brad-pitt-in-moneyball/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brad PittIt's the ninth inning, two outs and the bases are loaded. The famous starting pitcher has been sent to the showers. Brad Pitt is the catcher and is waiting on the mound with the manager, who is calling for the ace reliever to save the game. And his name is Bennett Miller.

Steven Soderbergh was three days from the start of filming on true-life underdog baseball flick Moneyball when he was unexpectedly yanked from the director's chair by Columbia Pictures head honcho Amy Pascal. She didn't like the latest script revisions, so Aaron Sorkin was hired to make sure Moneyball takes a more mainstream, less documentary approach than what Soderbergh evidently had in mind. To complete the task, Variety reports that Columbia is now ready to put the ball in the hands of experienced mainstream director Bennett Miller ... whoops, that's not right.

Miller may not be well-known, but he directed the critically-acclaimed, true-life Capote four years ago, so maybe the studio feels that he has an affinity for the genre. Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Academy Award for his performance in that film, and Miller was nominated, so, again, that speaks to his ability to work with actors. Capote was a very good picture, in part because Miller took a measured, low-key approach. Will that work with Moneyball? In the best of all possible worlds for Columbia, Moneyball, based on a non-fiction sports book by Michael Lewis, will follow the audience-pleasing, financial successful path of another movie based on a non-fiction sports book by Michael Lewis: The Blind Side.

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]]>bennett millerBennettMillerbrad pittBradPittmichael lewisMichaelLewismoneyballsteven soderberghStevenSoderberghthe blind sideTheBlindSidePeter MartinSun, 06 Dec 2009 11:05:00 EST400 Screens, 400 Blows - Based on a True Storyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/400-screens-400-blows-based-on-a-true-story/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/400-screens-400-blows-based-on-a-true-story/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/400-screens-400-blows-based-on-a-true-story/#commentsFiled under: ,



This week's column is based on a true story. Did I get your attention? Why is it that all the awards organizations love true stories so much? So many of this year's award contenders are based on true stories: Public Enemies, The Damned United, A Woman in Berlin, Julie and Julia (229 screens), Coco Before Chanel (145 screens), Amelia (1975 screens), Bright Star (25 screens) and even The Informant! (62 screens), as well as up-and-coming contenders like Invictus and The Young Victoria. And even if they're not specifically "true" stories, we have movies like The Last Station, about a real-life person, or movies like Brothers and The Messenger with torn-from-the-headlines plots.

It's getting so bad that, while watching it, I was even wondering whether Up in the Air was based on a true story. And certainly Precious seems based on a true story, even though it's very clearly "based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire." But why do we need this? Is it a cushion? What happens if we're exposed to pure imagination for a change? Would Star Trek have been better if it had been based a true story? What about Up? Could those balloons have really hauled that house halfway around the world? Probably not, but nobody questioned it for a second, and it doesn't matter.

Continue reading 400 Screens, 400 Blows - Based on a True Story

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]]>Fargoinglourious basterdsInglouriousBasterdsJeffrey M. AndersonSun, 06 Dec 2009 09:03:00 EST'Death at a Funeral' Trailer Causes Death to Funhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/#commentsFiled under: ,

Oh, Screen Gems, Screen Gems, Screen Gems. You guys just can't crank 'em out fast enough, huh? Last year, you managed to be in the process of remaking [REC] while it was still making the festival rounds, and this year, we see the trailer for next year's more multi-cultural remake of 2007's Death at a Funeral. (It's after the jump.)

Neil LaBute of Lakeview Terrace fame replaces Frank Oz to direct a cast that includes Chris Rock, Danny Glover, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Columbus Short, and a handful of white people - including James Marsden in Alan Tudyk's under-the-influence funeral guest role (inspired casting, I'll admit) and Peter Dinklage in the part last played by... Peter Dinklage. Hell, even the same screenwriter is credited, because the screenplay would appear to be almost identical, save for a few more race-related remarks.

Far be it from me to judge from just two minutes, but the tone of this seems far more broad and slapsticky than its bawdy British predecessor. Oh, well, a black comedy has now become a black comedy in a completely different sense of the word.

DAAF 2.0 lands April 16, 2010.

Continue reading 'Death at a Funeral' Trailer Causes Death to Fun

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]]>alan tudykAlanTudykchris rockChrisRockdanny gloverDannyGloverdeath at a funeralDeathAtAFuneraljames marsdenJamesMarsdenmartin lawrenceMartinLawrenceneil labuteNeilLabutepeter dinklagePeterDinklagetracy morganTracyMorganWilliam GossSat, 05 Dec 2009 17:03:00 ESTTrailer Park: Brooklyn's Finest on a Crazy Man's Chesthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Brooklyn's Finest
Three cops, each trying to get through the day. Richard Gere plays a veteran of the force just days from retirement, Don Cheadle has been working deep undercover for a long time and Ethan Hawke is a husband and father of seven desperate to provide for his family. I'm not sure I buy Gere as uniform cop at his age, and I kept expecting him to say "I'm too old for this sh*t!" Watch for this one on January 16.

Crazy on the Outside
Tim Allen plays a recently released convict who has spent three years in the big house, though his mother thinks he was in France, and now he needs to get his life back on track. The premise sounds pretty simple, but there are some laughs here and an interesting cast including Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammer.

Continue reading Trailer Park: Brooklyn's Finest on a Crazy Man's Chest

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]]>33 Inch Chest33InchChestBrooklyns FinestBrooklynsFinestCinemaCinematicalCrazy on the OutsideCrazyOnTheOutsideDistrict 13: UltimatumDistrict13:UltimatumMicmacsMoviesMatt BradshawSat, 05 Dec 2009 14:03:00 ESTRight Now on TV Squadhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/right-now-on-tv-squad/#commentsFiled under: ,

Our brothers and sisters over at TV Squad have busted through the boob tube and brought with them the following juicy bits of must-see eye candy.

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]]>CinemaCinematicalMoviesTV SquadTvSquadMatt BradshawSat, 05 Dec 2009 11:02:00 EST