m. night shyamalan Tagged Articles at Cinematical
New Shyamalan Project Traps You in an Elevator. With Satan.
Filed under: Horror », Thrillers », RumorMonger », Scripts »
What is Devil? It's a new movie directed by the Dowdle Brothers (the skillful Quarantine) with a script by Brian Nelson (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy) from a story by M. Night Shyamalan (uh... well, you know). It is also the coolest high concept I've heard in a long time. The plot of the Shyamalan-produced project was tightly under wraps, but some online sleuthing by Slashfilm this weekend uncovered some hints, including possibly the greatest log line of all time.The logline: "A group of people are trapped in an elevator, and one of them is the devil."
Right off the bat I should say that I have an almost irrational affection for movies that take Satan seriously as a walking, talking character. (As opposed to a tormenting spirit a la The Exorcist, which is also cool, but a whole different animal.) When The Devil's Advocate came out, I was obsessed with it for months. And I always find myself willing to tolerate a lot of crap from movies like End of Days for the same reason. My biases also include a love for claustrophobic little thrillers with a psychological bent. (This one almost sounds like something dreamed up by David Mamet.) And have I mentioned that getting stuck in an elevator is a long-standing phobia of mine?
I'm also a Shyamalan apologist, and his involvement in this isn't surprising: like all of his films, Devil is conceptually brilliant. It's the execution that's in question. The linked Slashfilm post reveals a few more details, none of them as interesting as that ridiculously beguiling conceit, which might be a bad sign.
The First Teaser for M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Last Airbender'
Filed under: Action », Animation », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Paramount », Fandom », Family Films », Movie Marketing », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels », Trailers and Clips »
One of these days, I'll actually get through Book One of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but probably not before M. Night Shyamalan buries me and my Cinematical cohorts under a slew of trailers and photos. But hey, this is the kind of thing that should appeal to the clueless non-fans as well as the Avatar devoted, so perhaps approaching it from the vantage point of a newbie is a good thing.
But whether you're a newbie or a longtime fan, this teaser trailer for Shyamalan's The Last Airbender (now officially dropping the Avatar preface) doesn't reveal a heck of a lot. The staff wielding is pretty kickass, effects are good, the music makes me want a noodle bowl something fierce, and the voiceover makes me feel like a kid listening to Don LaFontaine. The shot at the end of unknown baddies coming to blast our chosen one to bits is pretty awesome, if a bit evovative of Troy. But if I hadn't been told by friends that this is a series worth watching, I would brush the trailer off as a cheesy ripoff of every Asian movie I'd ever seen, and rap its knuckles for its unrepentant quoting of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. You never, ever want to make a "chosen line" quote in your trailer in a post Phantom Menace world.
However, that's my uneducated take. Let's hear yours, Airbender fans. The trailer is below the jump, and the movie hits theaters on July 2, 2010.
But whether you're a newbie or a longtime fan, this teaser trailer for Shyamalan's The Last Airbender (now officially dropping the Avatar preface) doesn't reveal a heck of a lot. The staff wielding is pretty kickass, effects are good, the music makes me want a noodle bowl something fierce, and the voiceover makes me feel like a kid listening to Don LaFontaine. The shot at the end of unknown baddies coming to blast our chosen one to bits is pretty awesome, if a bit evovative of Troy. But if I hadn't been told by friends that this is a series worth watching, I would brush the trailer off as a cheesy ripoff of every Asian movie I'd ever seen, and rap its knuckles for its unrepentant quoting of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. You never, ever want to make a "chosen line" quote in your trailer in a post Phantom Menace world.
However, that's my uneducated take. Let's hear yours, Airbender fans. The trailer is below the jump, and the movie hits theaters on July 2, 2010.
First Photos From 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Filed under: Action », Animation », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », Paramount », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Family Films », Newsstand », Movie Marketing », Images »
My geek cred fails me here as Avatar: The Last Airbender is just one of those things I know very little about. The original series is available on Netflix Instant Watch, but the curse of being on the movie news wire is that time to sit and watch is pretty scarce.
So, I will have to rely on you Airbender fans to give your take on these first photos from USA Today (apparently it's back to using the Avatar moniker despite James Cameron), and eagerly await your take on the controversy is raging around the film. Many fans are offended that M. Night Shyamalan didn't cast Japanese actors. Others feel that's an unneccessary sticking point as the world the characters inhabit is a fantasy one based on Asian culture, so that Shyamalan should be able to cast freely. Dev Patel just sits awkwardly in the middle of the debate -- people are simultaneously annoyed he's not Japanese and suspicious that the one non-white actor is cast in a villainous role.
Blissfully unaware of his unsuitability is newcomer Noah Ringer, who plays Aang. Apparently, he's always gone by the nickname "Avatar" due to his resemblance to the cartoon character (he always sports a shaved head) and his lethal martial arts skills. He won the part after sending a home made DVD of himself ... talk about an easy day for the casting director.
Give your thoughts, Airbender fans. And I promise, I'll start watching the series this weekend ... in the meantime, can you tell me what's up with Aang's hand?
So, I will have to rely on you Airbender fans to give your take on these first photos from USA Today (apparently it's back to using the Avatar moniker despite James Cameron), and eagerly await your take on the controversy is raging around the film. Many fans are offended that M. Night Shyamalan didn't cast Japanese actors. Others feel that's an unneccessary sticking point as the world the characters inhabit is a fantasy one based on Asian culture, so that Shyamalan should be able to cast freely. Dev Patel just sits awkwardly in the middle of the debate -- people are simultaneously annoyed he's not Japanese and suspicious that the one non-white actor is cast in a villainous role.
Blissfully unaware of his unsuitability is newcomer Noah Ringer, who plays Aang. Apparently, he's always gone by the nickname "Avatar" due to his resemblance to the cartoon character (he always sports a shaved head) and his lethal martial arts skills. He won the part after sending a home made DVD of himself ... talk about an easy day for the casting director.
Give your thoughts, Airbender fans. And I promise, I'll start watching the series this weekend ... in the meantime, can you tell me what's up with Aang's hand?
Shyamalan's 'Last Airbender' Kicks Off Filming in PA
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Fandom », Family Films », Newsstand »
If you thought M. Night Shyamalan's career was over after The Happening, you were wrong. And, uh, not very bright. But I do have to admit that I was among those who thought that his planned adaptation of the Nickelodeon "American anime" Avatar: The Last Airbender would never actually come together: it just seemed too bizarre a combination of filmmaker and material, and James Cameron already had an Avatar in the pipeline. But the movie, written by Shyamalan and renamed The Last Airbender to steer clear of this winter's 3D behemoth, has begun filming in rural Pennsylvania, for a July 2010 release.This Reading Eagle article has quite a few details on the project, including some set photos that are too boring for me to transplant here. One of its insights is a worrisome explanation for what attracted Shyamalan to the project:
"'The film is very spiritual,' said [Shyamalan's long-time producer Jose Rodriguez]. 'The storytelling is more layered (than on the series). There's a Shakespearean quality about it: a ruthless king destroying a peaceful world. I think it's fair to say it has an almost operatic power.'"
Scenes We Hate: Lady in the Water
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Mystery & Suspense », Warner Brothers »
There is only one press screening I can recall that caused a member of the professional media to actually stand up and begin beating his head against the back wall of the theater. I could go on about how clumsy and indulgent the film is as a whole, but I already did that to the tune of 1,500+ words here, and while my rant then was justified, I inevitably find myself curious to give the film itself another look (not today; gots me some errands). At the moment, though, I know there's at least one scene that just plain doesn't work and won't work again, and I'm hoping to make that my focus of Scenes We Hate That Don't Necessarily Gross Us Out.
Discuss: For Your Razzie Consideration
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Drama », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Awards », Mystery & Suspense », Disney », Lionsgate Films », Warner Brothers », 20th Century Fox », Remakes and Sequels », War »
As the season marches on, 'for your consideration' ads litter the trades and various awards analysis websites. However, there aren't nearly enough campaigns for the year's worst performances.You have your obnoxious kids (Jaden Smith in The Day The Earth Stood Still, Logan Lerman in Meet Bill). You have your touched individuals who straddle the line between functional and, ahem, 'full retard' (Sophie Okonedo in The Secret Life of Bees, Omar Benson Miller in Miracle at St. Anna, David Morse in Hounddog). You've got your guys that give 'insane' a bad name (Jason Butler Harner in Changeling, Donny Osmond in College Road Trip), and you've got your girls that give English a bad name (Ahney Her in Gran Torino, Natalya Rudakova in Transporter 3).
Oh, and then there's just about the entire cast of The Happening. (If I had to pick just one person, though, I'd go with the gardener who babbles on about hot dogs. The man's priceless.)
So, unless we're about to let Witless Protection sweep the Razzies, what were some of your least favorite performances of the year?
Watch This: Hollywood Director Attack Ads: Part 2
Filed under: Comedy », Fandom », Trailers and Clips »
Not long ago, we brought you a video called Hollywood Director Attack Ads in which some clever folks created three John McCain attack ads ... as if they were directed by John Woo, Kevin Smith and Wes Anderson. Well now they're back with the sequel and three more Hollywood directors (except one features a writer and a director): Diablo Cody/Jason Reitman, David Lynch and M. Night Shyamalan. For the Cody one, the dialogue is absolutely hilarious -- all Juno-esque, as you can imagine. The David Lynch one is also quite fantastic if you happen to be a Lynch fan or that the guy's flicks are a little beyond weird and absurd. I was somewhat iffy on the M. Night commercial, however it does include a twist ending and a moronic cameo from a guy playing M. Night, and so it's totally worth the watch. Still in love with the Wes Anderson commercial from last time, though I'm diggin' these and hopefully we'll see more before election day.
Which one is your favorite so far, and which directors should they tackle next? (Ahem, I'm still waiting for Michael Bay, though something tells me these cats probably don't have enough in the budget to do Bay.)
Shyamalan Hints at 'Unbreakable' Sequel in Weird Interview
Filed under: RumorMonger », Celebrities and Controversy », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels »
Man is M. Night Shyamalan ever a strange dude -- and this is coming from probably one of the biggest fans he has left.In this interview with Sci-Fi Wire, the filmmaker announces that he is still contemplating making a sequel to Unbreakable, his 2000 comic book genre-bender. He doesn't quite have the story, but says that "I know me: As soon as I give up on it is when the idea will come to me." Fantastic! Seeing as Unbreakable is one of my favorite movies of the decade, I'm obviously excited about any prospect of Shyamalan returning to that universe. And maybe it's just the ticket to restore his suddenly-struggling career.
But then I read the rest of the article, and... uh... he needs to hire a (better) publicist. Discussing how he felt after Unbreakable's mixed reception, he says that he was heartbroken, lamenting: "God, I took so many incredible risks." And then, as he describes his (quite correct) realization that the film actually has a good number of admirers, he relates this anecdote: "I'll be on the street, and some kid will run across traffic with it in his backpack--he just is carrying it in his backpack--and he'll be running [saying], 'I can't believe it's you!' Will you sign my Unbreakable DVD?' And quoting the thing and all that stuff."
Geek Daily: Who's Sad, Who's Mad, and Who's Just Happy to Be Here
Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Newsstand », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels », War »
I think this is the quietest week in the land of the nerdy since I started here at Cinematical. No major casting news from Marvel, no new graphic novels optioned, no reboots announced. It was a pretty crazy summer when it came to superheroes -- maybe everyone is just really tired. Nevertheless, let's look at what has come across the wire, shall we? It's a very verbal day -- Alan Moore still hates Hollywood, William Shatner is still annoyed at JJ Abrams, and M. Night Shyamalan is all wistful. There's plenty to discuss here!- Geoff Boucher interviewed Alan Moore over on HeroComplex and finds him as intractable as ever when it comes to the upcoming Watchmen movie. He believes it sounds like "more regurgitated worms" as Hollywood is wont to produce. (Not just of his work, mind you, but of films in general.) He even hinted that its recent legal woes (which he finds "wonderfully ironic") might, in fact, originate from his corner of the world. "Perhaps it's been cursed from afar, from England. And I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come." I'm not surprised, but I do wish he could concede that there are good films just as there are bad comic books. Can we send him something by Darren Aronofsky? Perhaps a gift set of The Fountain and its graphic novel companion?
400 Screens, 400 Blows - Cult of the Director
Filed under: Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows », Cinematical Indie »
As a kid I fell in love with movies mainly for the stories and characters, and every once in a while, maybe some special effects. As I got older, my love affair was renewed when I discovered the Cult of the Director. The Cult of the Director allows one to look at movies in a far more personal way. It's an ongoing game; one can discover long-forgotten works, or piece together old puzzles, but one can also look ahead and guess how a director's career arc will come together. Basically, there are roughly four kinds of directors. The most common is the kind with no personality, and perhaps very little skill, someone like Brian Robbins, the director of Meet Dave (58 screens). Many of these folks eventually disappear without ever making much of a mark. After that, we get the craftsman, someone with lots of skill and talent but still no personality. These guys are the most interesting to talk to; they're unpretentious and tell the best stories. Brad Anderson, the director of Transsiberian (81 screens), is a good example.
Then there's a weird category of directors who have somehow come to popular attention, despite a lack of skill and/or a lack of personality. These can range from moneymakers like Brett Ratner to Oscar winners like Ron Howard. But of course, since we're talking about live human beings here, there's a lot of wiggle room in these categories, and I could probably establish several sub-categories. Not to mention that any director's career can suddenly change course at any point. Yes, even Brett Ratner could suddenly make a good film. (I'm not saying he will, just that he could.) These people manage to stay on top through a lucky combination of subject matter and promotion. Even though films like Brick Lane (31 screens) and Mongol (16 screens) have no skill or personality, they seem like great films because of their stories and packaging.
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