nathan lane Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Review: Astro Boy
Filed under: Action », Animation », Comedy », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Theatrical Reviews », Family Films », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
A feature-length adaptation of the classic Japanese manga, Astro Boy now comes equipped with a recycling message, both in its story and with its screenplay. Parts feel pieced together here and there from other, better, sometimes darker films, aligning the film itself less with our young protagonist and his knack for salvaging old robots and more with the villain's ability to simply assimilate other devices until it becomes one ungainly mass. That said, there's plenty of color and spunk to keep the kids interested; they'll just have to wade through some atonal waters in order to get to the fun.
Exclusive Final 'Astro Boy' Poster!
Filed under: Action », Animation », Fandom », Family Films », Images », Posters »
Cinematical has just received this exclusive final poster for Astro Boy, set to fly into theaters on October 23rd. Based on the classic Japanese manga (and eventual television series), this spanky new colorful version of Astro Boy stars the voices of Freddy Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Bill Nighy and Nathan Lane -- and it follows a young robot with big-time super powers who ventures off on a journey in search of acceptance when he's doesn't quite meet the replacement son expectations of the scientist who created him. And it's on this journey that Astro Boy faces his toughest challenge yet: help save earth from an alien race threatening the planet.
From Todd Gilchrist's fantastic post, Astro Boy, Rebuilt and Reborn for the Silver Screen: "In modern computer animation there seems to be two standards – there's Pixar, and there's everybody else. But watching three clips from the film that were mostly finished, Astro Boy promised to have a style all its own – one that feels decidedly digital but is also elegant; one sequence in particular evoked the bustling cityscapes of the Star Wars planet Coruscant. But notwithstanding Astro Boy's familiar, cylindrical profile, the other robots who inhabit his world are intriguingly weird, operating less according to a semblance of scientific plausibility than the whim of their creators."
Check out the full-sized sparkling final poster below, and the latest trailer after the jump. Astro Boy hits theaters on October 23rd.
Gallery: 'Astro Boy' Final Poster
Teaser and Photo Premiere: 'Astro Boy'
Filed under: Action », Animation », Fandom », Family Films », Movie Marketing », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Images », Trailers and Clips »
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Cinematical has been given an exclusive look at the first official still for Astro Boy (see above), while our very good looking cohorts over at Moviefone have just debuted the first teaser (see below or over on Moviefone in glorious HD). Based on the popular Japanese manga and television series, this computer-animated 3-D version of Astro Boy is being produced by those wizards over at Imagi Animation Studios, and stars the voices of Freddy Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane and Eugene Levy.
From the synopsis: "Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers. Powered by pure positive "blue" energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly-not to mention the purest spirit on the planet. Embarking on a journey across the planet to discover his powers, Astro Boy encounters a netherworld of robot gladiators and other comic characters, and learns the joys and emotions of being human. When he learns his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals all his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City, in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to embrace his place in the world."
Astro Boy will soar into theaters on October 23, 2009.
Review: Swing Vote
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Disney », Theatrical Reviews », Politics »
It must be a horrible, wonderful thing to be a movie star in this modern age -- rewarded and yet tightly caged by the public's perception of you. Stay within the expectations of the ticket-buying public, and you're likely (or, more accurately, more likely) to not fall off the public's radar; at the same time, that gilded cage must, at some point, feel more and more like a prison. I mention this in talking about Swing Vote because Kevin Costner manages a somewhat nifty trick in his performance as Bud Johnston, a New Mexico ne'er-do-well who, thanks to a close-fought election and a voting machine error, gets to pick the next president. Oh, sure, we all do that on voting day -- but, due to a electoral college tie and a tie in New Mexico, it turns out Bud's vote will be the deciding one. For, well, everyone. Before this is established by Jason Richman and Joshua Michael Stern's screenplay, though, we get a sense of Bud -- and, at first, Bud seems like another in a long line of Kevin Costner likable rascals from Bull Durham's Crash Davis to Tin Cup's Roy MacAvoy. But Bud is something more interesting -- a man whose charm can't quite cover up the holes in his soul. Bud's a drunkard. Bud's lazy. And if it weren't for his daughter Molly (Madeline Carroll), Bud would be even more adrift and frayed. Early, Bud tells his civic-minded daughter that " ... voting doesn't count for a goddamn thing." Bud's the kind of guy who's wrong a lot -- and he knows it -- but, thanks to the gentle contortions of Swing Vote's plot, never more so than now.
Imagi and Summit Announce Cast for 'Astro Boy'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », Deals », Distribution », Family Films », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
Just when you thought Astro Boy was never going to make it to the big screen, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We have received the official press release from Imagi Studios and Summit Entertainment (who are partnering for the flick) with the full cast for the anime update. Imagi finally found their lead in Freddie Highmore back in February and they have announced that joining Highmore in the cast are Nicolas Cage, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy. There is no word yet on which characters from the original series will be making an appearance, but I could definitely see Lane doing a respectable job as Hamegg.Astro Boy is the story of a boy robot looking for love and acceptance after being abandoned by his creator. After a Pinocchio-like journey of servitude in a circus, Astro was whisked off to safety by the understanding Professor Ochanomizu. Of course, Astro also spent his time battling mad scientists and out of control robots in between bouts of abandonment issues.
EXCLUSIVE: New Images from 'Swing Vote'
Filed under: Comedy », Fandom », Movie Marketing », Images »
Cinematical has just received a whole bunch of new images from the upcoming film Swing Vote, starring Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper and Paula Patton. I'm loving the concept behind this one -- imagine if an entire presidential election somehow came down to one vote ... and it was yours. That's exactly what happened to Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), a simple man living a simple life -- and Swing Vote follows Bud, as well as his 12-year-old daughter, when they're suddenly thrust into the national spotlight.
Grammer and Hopper play both presidential candidates, while Nathan Lane and Stanley Tucci chime in as their campaign managers. Additionally, a whole mess of real-life personalities will pop up -- like Larry King, Bill Maher, Arianna Huffington, Tucker Carlson and more. With the country stressing out over our current presidential election, it'll be nice to take in a sweet comedy that pokes fun at this ridiculous process and the even more ridiculous people who take part in it. Can't we just elect an average guy ... like Bud?
Check out the gallery below for a slew of brand new pics from the film. Swing Vote arrives in theaters on August 1.
Kevin Costner's 'Swing Vote' Gets a Cast
Filed under: Comedy », Casting », Newsstand »
Talk about a wacky supporting cast, Variety has just announced the names of folks who have just signed on to star opposite Kevin Costner in Swing Vote -- and the list is about as diverse as they come. Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammer, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and newbie Madeline Carroll will join Costner in a comedy that revolves around a working-class single dad who becomes the most important man on the planet when the entire presidential election comes down to his vote. I'm not sure how on earth that would ever happen (is he voting after all the votes are counted?), but I'm sure writers Joshua Michael Stern and Jason Richman found a way to make it somewhat believable. Perhaps they can work some of that magic and also make Kevin Costner a bankable star again? Or is that asking a bit too much?
For their part, Hopper and Grammer will play the Democratic and Republican candidates respectively, with Lane and Tucci as their campaign managers. Lopez will show up as a local TV station manager for the town that gets caught up in all the hoopla. Dennis Hopper for President? I can certainly dig it. The film, which will be directed by Joshua Michael Stern, begins shooting in Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 23. I'm curious to see how they spin this one -- will Grammer play villain; the guy who will do just about anything to win Costner's vote? Or will they decide not to choose sides, and simply play up to the difficult decision one small town guy eventually has to make? Costner financed the film himself through his Treehouse Films, and we'll all get to see who the next big-screen President will be when the film hits theaters next year (just in time for our next real presidential election).
John Turturro Is Ready to Crack Some Nuts
Filed under: Classics », Music & Musicals », Casting », Scripts », Family Films », Remakes and Sequels »
Before I get to the meaty center of this news, let's go over John Turturro's career. He first came onto the scene years ago with an uncredited part in Raging Bull. From there, he popped up in many famous films from the 80's -- Desperately Seeking Susan, To Live and Die in LA, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Color of Money and Do the Right Thing. These stints led to a starring role in Barton Fink and from there, he took off, tasting in cinema from Jungle Fever to Transformers. He even kept Christopher Walken dancing with his recent directorial stint -- Romance & Cigarettes. But did you ever imagine that he'd be ... the evil Mouse King?That's right, the nuts that Turturro will be cracking are of the Tchaikovsky ballet variety. He's signed on to the whopping $65 million dollar adaptation, Nutcracker -- The Untold Story, along with Dakota's little sister, Elle Fanning and everyone's favorite flamboyantly perky actor, Nathan Lane. Based on the story that inspired the ballet, we've got Fanning as the little girl who gets the doll in 1920's Vienna, and Lane as the guy who gives it to her. Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky adapted the story with Chris Solimine, and he will also direct it. But that's not all -- it's a musical. Tim Rice is whipping together lyrics to eight new songs from the ballet's score, and the art director behind V for Vendetta, Kevin Phipps, heading the visuals and sets. According to the director: "I have been trying to make this film for a very long time, and now that CGI and technical wizardry have come so far, I can finally realize my dream." So, he's a happy camper as the project moves towards its July 16th shooting date, but is this the answer to your dreams?
New On DVD - The Producers, The Ringer, When A Stranger Calls
Filed under: New Releases », DVD Reviews », New on DVD », Home Entertainment », Columns »
• Doogal - A saccharine, cheap-looking CGI import from Britain about a lazy, cowardly, sugar-addicted pooch (with a mullet cut) who must find a way to save the world from an icy death is not the follow-up to Hoodwinked that Disney escapees Bob and Harvey Weinstein hoped for...or we asked for. At least they've got the swell Over The Hedge in theaters this week. Formerly titled The Magic Roundabout and re-dubbed (Doogal, that is. Not Over The Hedge.)
• Duma - With most arthouse films rated "R", it is always a pleasure when one comes along that culture mavens can take their kids to, and The Black Stallion director Carroll Ballard's latest nature trek -- a visually lovely adventure -- certainly does fit that bill. It is about a 12-year-old South African boy (Alexander Michaletos) who must return his pet cheetah to the wild, encountering and overcoming a number of obstacles along the way, the biggest one being our initial reluctance to accept its premise.
Broderick and Lane: together for ever and ever
Filed under: Comedy », Music & Musicals », Awards », Newsstand », Remakes and Sequels »
At this point, Matthew
Broderick and Nathan Lane just might be regretting they ever
worked together in the first place. Despite the fact that both of them had careers (possibly you've heard of a little
picture called Ferris Bueller's Day Off? And maybe The Birdcage rings a bell?) Ok, so Lane wasn't exactly a superstar
- but still, the man was working!) well before they met, ever since they appeared on stage together in The
Producers, they can hardly take a breath without the other one showing up. First there was that giant, massive
hit of a stage production, which was followed almost immediately by the very bad movie. Then, just as we thought they'd
learned how to quit one another, they decide to co-star in a stage revival of The Odd Couple. And now, since
that clearly isn't enough, they're getting stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Together! Call me crazy, fellas, but I
really think it's time to move on.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
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Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
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Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
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