Michael Keaton Tagged Articles at Cinematical
'Post Grad': How (Not) to Sell Gentle Comedy?
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », New Releases », 20th Century Fox », Movie Marketing », Summer Movies »
How, exactly, do you market a genial, low-key comedy -- without raunch or major stars -- to a mainstream audience nowadays? Post Grad, which opens on Friday, features Alexis Bledel as a college graduate forced to move back home with her eccentric family. Bledel is an up-and-coming star, still known best as Rory in the long-running TV show The Gilmore Girls, but gaining increasing recognition through her roles in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its sequel. 20th Century Fox Film is capitalizing on her appeal by marketing Post Grad as though it were a starring vehicle for her. Bledel is quite charming as the beleaguered yet ultimately determined Ryden Malby, a go-getter set on working at a publishing house until things go very wrong.
As I watched the film, though, I found myself more captivated by the supporting characters than by Ryden's job and relationship dilemmas. Jane Lynch as her mother, Bobby Coleman as her odd little brother, Carol Burnett as her live-in grandmother, and, especially, Michael Keaton as her father. In fact, Keaton appears to be channeling his role as the fast-talking, idea-popping Bill Blazejowski in Ron Howard's Night Shift from 27 years ago, all grown up as a semi-responsible adult; it's a wonderful comic performance.
And it struck me that Post Grad feels very much like a second cousin to Juno and Little Miss Sunshine and Sunshine Cleaning and Away We Go. While it may not be as successful as the best of the 'indie flicks that feel mainstream' -- in part because it doesn't strain to be profound or hip or edgy -- in its own, family-friendly way, Post Grad is positioned as a 'little film that could.'
400 Screens, 400 Blows - Considering Keaton
Filed under: Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows »
Enough talk about up-and-coming actors and spotlight celebrities. I'd like to throw a little love to some great actors who are older than me, still working, and turning in consistent quality performances, starting with Michael Keaton. My dream of Keaton making a splash comeback with his directorial debut The Merry Gentleman (7 screens) seems to have been all but dashed. The film only earned mixed-to-positive reviews and has so far pulled in less than half a million in tickets. But at the very least it was a chance to see this amazing actor in action once again.
The Geek Beat: 20 Years of Batmania
Filed under: Comic/Superhero/Geek », The Geek Beat »
I was all of seven years old when Batman came out (I know, a lady never reveals her age, but when have I ever acted like a lady?), which means I have only vague recollections of the pre-release period. I remember we were buzzing about it at my school, and that it was looming on our radar long before we were out for the summer. But while I remember that shadowy poster of the Bat symbol decorating my multiplex, I can't recall the casting of Michael Keaton, the eager whispers of Jack Nicholson and his hidden make-up, or the trailers. Event movies were so different in my childhood. They just seemed to happen overnight, and were probably the better for it. Movies will always be magical to me, but I really long for those days before the Internet and its marketing mania. (Yes, I realize the irony inherent in my saying that, but at least I make it fun, right? No, don't answer that.)
Because I was all of seven, and thus too young for Frank Miller, my exposure to Batman was purely through Adam West reruns. I knew Gotham City as a place of goofy villains and BAM! and POW!, so to say that Burton's version terrified me was an understatement. I don't remember what I went in expecting (I know it wasn't Adam West), but I do remember being absolutely horrified by Nicholson's Joker. Maybe I was still reeling from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? the year before, but his acid-soaked origin left me faintly ill, as was every shot of him sans whiteface and lipstick.
Review: The Merry Gentleman
Filed under: Drama », Theatrical Reviews »
By Scott Weinberg (originally published 1/22/08 -- Sundance Film Festival)
The title of Michael Keaton's directorial debut -- The Merry Gentleman -- is meant to be pretty ironic, because the only true gentleman in the movie is anything BUT merry. He is, as a matter of fact, a cold-blooded assassin who contemplates suicide after completing every contract. Even the normally perky Kelly Macdonald is generally quite miserable too, here playing a woman on the run from an abusive husband -- and a woman who just (unknowingly) became friends with that assassin guy.
Professional hitman Frank Logan is at the end of his rope. Clearly fed up with a life spent taking lives, Frank finishes up his latest contract, and then hops onto a rooftop ledge and considers a long plunge. At that same moment, on street level, a sweet young lady named Kate looks up to appreciate the new snowflakes -- and catches a glimpse of Frank. She screams, he slips and falls (backwards), and when the cops show up they find pretty much nothing. But the next morning (once a corpse is found in an upstairs office) two smart detectives pop up to ask Kate a few questions about the man she saw.
Needless to say, a killer of Frank's expertise is already well-aware of what the witness saw.
Exclusive: 'The Merry Gentleman' Trailer Premiere!
Filed under: Drama », Fandom », Movie Marketing », Trailers and Clips »
.jpg)
Cinematical has just received this exclusive trailer for The Merry Gentleman, starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Macdonald. Not only does Keaton star here, but it's also his directorial debut -- and with it he gives us a story about a suicidal hitman (Keaton) who forms an unlikely friendship with a woman he finds underneath a Christmas tree. In his positive review from last year's Sundance Film Festival, Cinematical's Scott Weinberg called The Merry Gentleman a "crime drama that brings a strange sense of warmth, dark humor, and even some odd romance to a potentially dreary tale" -- adding that Keaton does "a fantastic job on both sides of the camera," creating "a straightforward "people" story, albeit one with a little more brains than usual."
On a personal note, we're all huge Michael Keaton fans here at Cinematical -- we're pumped to see the man back in action and honored to premiere the trailer for his directorial debut. The Merry Gentleman arrives in theaters on May 1.
To view a larger version of this trailer, click here.
400 Screens, 400 Blows - Where Are They Now?
Filed under: Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows »
I don't know about anyone else, but I thought that was a pretty exceptional summer, as far as good, entertaining movies went. I've seen summers in which almost every movie seemed mediocre and not one standout ever emerged (2000 and 2006, for example). But this year, there were at least five standouts and at least five more really good movies. Call me crazy, but I caught up with Speed Racer on DVD this week, and even that one didn't seem so bad. (Sure, it's no Iron Man. I think it probably plays better on the small screen, although I did have trouble with the length and with the annoying Spritle character.) And, of course, we saw a lot of stars at their best this summer: Robert Downey Jr., Heath Ledger, Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Ben Stiller, James Franco, Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz, etc. Good times! It was all so exciting that I nearly forgot about some of my other favorite stars.
It's weird. You can get caught up in the ebb and flow of this business and it may not occur to you that, say, Neve Campbell hasn't been around lately. I miss her. I interviewed her in early 2004, just after Robert Altman's The Company came out. That was a masterful film, a great piece of work, on which Neve had writing and producing credits. It looked like she was really going places: from there, she was poised to play the great silent film star Louise Brooks in a biopic. I saw her again in James Toback's twisted When Will I Be Loved, which I liked more than just about anyone else.
Jodi Benson & Michael Keaton to Play Barbie & Ken in 'Toy Story 3'?
Filed under: Animation », Comedy », Disney », Family Films », Remakes and Sequels »
Now here's a fun little scoop from IESB.net: Turns out that not only will Jodi "Ariel" Benson be returning to the Toy Story series to reprise her role as the legendary Barbie (such a doll) , but this time she'll be dragging her boyfriend into the story. And according to IESB, that Ken doll's voice will be provided by none other than Michael Keaton. So that's why you cover the press junkets for video flicks like The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning -- so you can score cool information like this.Best known as Batman, Beetlejuice, Johnny Dangerously, and Mr. Mom, the always-cool Keaton is no stranger to the voice acting business. He recently did some fine work in Pixar's Cars, and his pipes can also be heard in certain episodes of King of the Hill and The Simpsons. Anime fans will remember that Keaton also provided a voice for the U.S. version of Miyazaki's Crimson Pig (aka Porco Rosso) back in '92.
Mr. Keaton would be joining a very familiar crew: Returning for round three are Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Wallace Shawn, and (of course) John Ratzenberger. Toy Story 3 -- which apparently centers around our favorite playthings' misadventures at a day-care center -- won't hit theaters until the summer of 2010, but if that's how long it takes to make a worthy follow-up to two of the sweetest animated films ever made ... then 2010 it is. Obviously we'll bring you the latest on TS3 as soon as it pops up.
After Images: Batman (1966), (1989), (2008)
Filed under: Fandom », Comic/Superhero/Geek », After Image », Columns »
On a cloudless January day in 1966, Los Angeles was such a dull small town that children could be alerted to something as small a skywriter at work. My parents must have been watching the Rose Bowl, as they did every New Year's Day. In those days we lived five miles or so away from the arena, on the heights over the Arroyo Seco. They saw the plane on TV buzzing the big game and urged me to go outside and have a look. Up in the sky, the small plane, low enough that you could hear the drone of the engine, spelled out the words in smoke B-A-T-M-A-N I-S C-O-M-I-N-G.
Monday Morning Poll: Your Favorite Batman?
Filed under: Action », Fandom », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels », Monday Morning Poll », Polls »
.jpg)
Finally. After God knows how many trailers, TV spots, viral sites, movie posters, merchandise, fan art, contests, Batman Anonymous meetings ("Hi, my name is Earth ... and I'm addicted to Batman), and an assortment of tomfoolery, The Dark Knight will officially arrive in theaters this Friday. And I've heard shows are already sold out through March 2011. Right on! That said, this might be the week you want to reflect back and read your favorite Batman comics, watch your favorite Batman movies, or spend some alone time with your favorite Batman.
Which brings us to this week's super awesome Monday Morning Poll: Who is your favorite Batman? For this we're sticking solely to folks who've played the Caped Crusader on the big screen. Since a lot of Bat-fans have come to adore Kevin Conroy's voice performance, we'll include both live action and animated versions. For me, it's a toss up between Christian Bale and Michael Keaton. Bale has the looks and the charm, but Keaton had that "insanity factor" -- one look in his eyes and you knew this guy had a few screws loose. Tough choice. Where do you stand?
Sundance Review: The Merry Gentleman
Filed under: Drama », Independent », Romance », Sundance », Theatrical Reviews »
The title of Michael Keaton's directorial debut -- The Merry Gentleman -- is meant to be pretty ironic, because the only true gentleman in the movie is anything BUT merry. He is, as a matter of fact, a cold-blooded assassin who contemplates suicide after completing every contract. Even the normally perky Kelly Macdonald is generally quite miserable too, here playing a woman on the run from an abusive husband -- and a woman who just (unknowingly) became friends with that assassin guy.
Professional hitman Frank Logan is at the end of his rope. Clearly fed up with a life spent taking lives, Frank finishes up his latest contract, and then hops onto a rooftop ledge and considers a long plunge. At that same moment, on street level, a sweet young lady named Kate looks up to appreciate the new snowflakes -- and catches a glimpse of Frank. She screams, he slips and falls (backwards), and when the cops show up they find pretty much nothing. But the next morning (once a corpse is found in an upstairs office) two smart detectives pop up to ask Kate a few questions about the man she saw.
Needless to say, a killer of Frank's expertise is already well-aware of what the witness saw.
'Spider-Man 4' Villain Rumor: Rachel McAdams as Black Cat
Original A-Team Making Cameos in New Movie?
Is the 'Avatar' Budget Approaching $500 Million?_thumbnail.jpg)
Exclusive: Poster Premiere for 'Extraordinary Measures'
Quick List: Five Of The Scariest Stares
