alan rickman Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Making The (Up) Grade: Galaxy Quest
Filed under: Paramount », Fandom », Home Entertainment »
What's Already Available: Paramount originally released Galaxy Quest on DVD in May of 2000, and in addition to the film, the single-disc release featured deleted scenes, an "On Location in Space" feature, a Thermian-language audio track, cast and crew bios, and production notes.
Paramount's Deluxe Edition was released on May 12, 2009, and featured a new transfer as well as several new bonus features, including "Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest," "Never Give Up. Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector," "By Grabthar's Hammer, What Amazing Effects," "Alien School - Creating the Thermian Race," "Actors in Space," "Sigourney Weaver Raps" (yes, you read that right), deleted scenes, the Thermian audio track, and the theatrical trailer.
What's In The New Set:
Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Theatrical Reviews », Family Films », Summer Movies »
It's a tricky situation -- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a strong entry in the series about the boy wizard, but won't work as a stand-alone film. No background is provided, so audience members must have seen the previous movies or read the J.K. Rowling books or they'll be lost. Fortunately, the movie doesn't assume you've read the sixth book -- there are no gaps in the story that require the novel to fill.
In case you haven't read the book, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts in Half-Blood Prince for his sixth year of study, while Death Eaters terrorize both the magical community and the ordinary Muggle world. Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) trusts Harry with increasingly important tasks in the fight against Voldemort ... and Harry is also learning a lot from an old Potions textbook that contains clever notes from someone self-styled the "Half-Blood Prince." Harry's best friend Ron (Rupert Grint) is taking lessons in Quidditch, self-confidence, and romance -- and why is Hermione (Emma Watson) displeased? Draco lurks in hallways and towers looking pale and conflicted.
Yeah, 'Galaxy Quest' Still Rocks
Filed under: Comedy », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Dreamworks », Home Entertainment », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
Those who know and love the film will no doubt mention its innate "watchability," but newcomers to the great comedy Galaxy Quest may find themselves most intrigued by the bizarre cast. Is that Tony Shalhoub and Sam Rockwell stealing every scene that isn't nailed down? And what's Sigourney Weaver doing in a broad comedy? And wasn't that Justin Long ... and there's Missi Pyle ... and Rainn Wilson! And how is the film so funny if Tim Allen is the lead? When did Alan Rickman become so funny? And (my favorite) who is that guy playing the babbly alien leader Mathesar? He's hilarious!But the cast is not the reason that DreamWorks is re-releasing Galaxy Quest on DVD this week. Nope, it's because Dean Parisot's widely-adored Galaxy Quest is an obvious but very affectionate Star Trek satire, and what with the new Trek making all sort of waves this month, the Galaxy Quest re-release seemed like a pretty obvious idea. Clearly I believe that this fine farce deserves a spot on your DVD shelf, but is the new version actually worth the "double dip," or should you just stick with your current version?
Review: Nobel Son
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Independent », Thrillers », Mystery & Suspense », Theatrical Reviews »
They say that the music makes the man.
Actually, no, They don't, but I do, and by "man," I mean "movie". And it isn't so much that the work of composer Paul Oakenfold single-handedly undoes Nobel Son but rather unwittingly serves an accomplice to creating one aggressively atonal crime caper. His thumping techno beats are more fitting for the likes of Swordfish -- indeed, they were at the time -- and maybe more so when accompanying a night of relentless thrusting and occasional pill-popping in Ye Local Nightclub, an activity of more potential enjoyment than sitting through this movie instead. Either way, you'd end up lots of noise, plenty of flash, and little to show for it other than a lasting headache and a lingering sense of regret.
Alan Rickman is a Hookah-Smoking Caterpillar?!
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », RumorMonger », Remakes and Sequels »
I keep thinking that the casting for the remake of Alice in Wonderland can't get any better. And then I came across the latest rumor coming from Zdonk: Alan Rickman -- the man who helped make Die Hard what it is, who once played a crotch-less angel, and who keeps a stern eye on Harry Potter -- has signed on to play the Caterpillar.
Take a look at the clip above and tell me you can't hear Rickman's voice speaking those lines! Between Rickman, Crispin Glover as the Knave of Hearts, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Michael Sheen as the Cheshire Cat, and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, this is gearing up to be one heck of a well-cast feature. But there's more -- along with confirming Rickman, Christopher Lee Web says that Lee also has a role -- currently unspecified.
I'm beyond happy with the news, but weigh in below with your thoughts -- as well as any speculation on what role Lee will play!
[via The Bad and Ugly]
Review: Sweeney Todd -- Jette's Take
Filed under: Music & Musicals », New Releases », Theatrical Reviews », Johnny Depp »
I've loved the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ever since my college days, when a then-boyfriend introduced me to the original Broadway soundtrack with Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury. I've never had the chance to see a live stage version, only tapes of productions: the 1982 show with George Hearn and Lansbury, and a 2001 concert of the musical numbers with Hearn and Patti LuPone (and Neil Patrick Harris as Toby, although I didn't realize it at the time). When I heard about the play being adapted for film, I was pessimistic, especially when the big-name, small-singing-voice cast was announced. Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett? Hmpf. Although I usually am attracted to movies starring Johnny Depp, I was skeptical that he would make a believable Demon Barber.
Fortunately for me and any other fans of the musical, it turns out that the movie version of Sweeney Todd is quite charming in its dark and twisted way, although not without some flaws and odd choices. The overall look of the film is quite Burton-esque, occasionally to excess (Sweeney's outfit in the "By the Sea" number is unpleasantly jarring), but for the most part this serves the old story of the vengeful barber very well. The tone seems darker than the stage musical, perhaps because we're seeing actors and violent scenes up close.
Retro Cinema: Die Hard
Filed under: Action », 20th Century Fox », 12 Days of Cinematicalmas », Retro Cinema »
What's the definition of a "Christmas movie?" Is it a simple matter of setting in time, a more complex question of tone, an ineffable connection to the Christmas spirit? I can't answer that, but I can tell you one thing.
Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
It's bloody, brutal and base; it's punchy, puckish and profane ... and it's unequivocally a Christmas movie, or it wouldn't be in the rotation at my house -- and, I suspect, some of yours -- every December as reliably as it is, nor would that annual process of returning to my mind seem as welcome as it is. Normally, in a piece about a film, here's where I'd recap the plot, but seriously, do you need one here? Have you been in cryogenic suspension? Are you leaving the Amish faith after 20 years and figured you'd turn to the internets to catch up? It's Die Hard. You know the plot. And if you need a refresher, go watch it. Right now. We'll be here when you get back.
Tim Roth Chose Apes Over Snape!?
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », Remakes and Sequels »
I love reading about who was supposed to be in roles, especially those roles where you can't imagine any other actor doing it justice. Sometimes the casting changes are a positive change, and sometimes they're just teamed with actor's wrong choices. This story is one of the latter. While talking to MTV, Tim Roth discussed how he was tapped to play Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series, the role that became famous because of Alan Rickman. Why didn't he take the role? He wanted to be in Planet of the Apes. Ouch. Bad choice!Roth said: "I was going to do both films. We rigged it so that I could fly back and forth. They figured out the schedule, but it just got to be overwhelming in my mind. my kids really liked the books. They were really into me doing it, but the idea of being an ape with Tim was too good." I wonder what his kids think about this decision, or if he regrets it at all, but isn't admitting it. If he had taken the role, he'd be closer to Snape's age in the books, which was late-30s. Instead, they went the Interview with the Vampire route (the super-old Armand) and got Rickman, who is currently 61.
Roth says he would have made his Snape "a very different guy." For sure! Can you imagine Roth as Snape? Would he have done an ever better job, or was the scheduling conflict a great gift to the series?
'Sweeney Todd' Site gets an Upgrade -- Now with More Singing!
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Music & Musicals », Johnny Depp »
Even though I know he has sung before on screen, I've got to tell you -- I'm not accustomed to listening to Johnny Depp sing Sondheim. The official website for Tim Burton's big-screen version of Sweeney Todd has undergone a makeover and is now packed with musical clips, downloads, and the behind-the-scenes featurette that was making the rounds on the net recently. The film stars Depp as the murderous Barber of Fleet Street and Burton's latest muse (and wife) Helena Bonham Carter, as Todd's partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, the story follows Sweeney Todd, who returns home to London after escaping the life imprisonment of Benjamin Barker only to find his wife and daughter Johanna have suffered at the hands of the man who had him falsely imprisoned (Alan Rickman). With the help of his former landlady (Carter), Sweeney launches a plan for revenge.
So if you are like me and aren't quite used to the idea of a musical Johnny Depp, then this is your chance. Because unlike most of the TV spots for the film, the web site is all about the music; in fact, you can't get away from it even if you wanted to. Depp has been quoted as saying that he took a "punk rock approach" to his singing parts in the film, and you can definitely hear a little Johnny Rotten mixed in there along with the Broadway stylings. So even though I'm not a huge fan of musicals, the combination of Burton, Depp, and Carter (who has always been one of my favorite actresses) is perfect for the black humor needed to make this film work. I'll keep my fingers crossed when Sweeney Todd hits theaters on December 21st.
Jeffrey M. Anderson's 400 Screens, 400 Blows - Early Kudos
Filed under: Brad Pitt », Harry Potter », Oscar Watch », Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows », Cinematical Indie »
It may be a bit early for this, but I wanted to get my two cents in on some of my favorite performances of 2007 so far, especially since most of these will probably get overlooked in the great Oscar crush of December. The awards almost always go to actors who are involved in biopics, message pictures, costume movies or epics, so let's start with the wonderful Alan Rickman, who has yet to earn a single Oscar nomination. This year, he can be seen toiling away once again in the small role of Severus Snape in the fifth "Harry Potter" film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (283 screens). In the third film, he practically stole the entire movie with the way he read the line "turn to page 394," but in this fifth film, he actually has a scene with some meat to it. In training Harry to block his thoughts, Harry takes a peek into Snape's own mind and finds a disastrously sad childhood. When the flashback ends, the camera lingers on Snape's face for a moment, and Rickman renders an astonishing expression of hurt and hatred that broke my heart and sent chills through my spine.
One costume movie, Becoming Jane (32 screens), was unfairly judged, perhaps because it was too much fun and not somber enough (or not based on a literary source of proper merit). The lovely Miss Anne Hathaway usually lends a kind of smart energy to her best performances, as if she were slightly ahead of the game, and she does so perfectly as the budding Jane Austen. She's playful, but tough, beautiful but restrained. And when she falls in love with her man (James McAvoy), she does so breathlessly and with her whole heart; the movie more or less explains through fantasy how Austen was able to write so passionately from such a dull existence. The real Jane was said to be rather plain, but I'd much rather imagine her like this. Add to this Maggie Smith's delightfully wry supporting performance as the wealthy aunt, who can't understand the impudent youth of today and fires off comically nasty barbs at their expense.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
Directors We Love: Jim Jarmusch
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
Shelf Life: Fight Club_thumbnail.jpg)
Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
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