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/Weekend Box Office: 'Ice Age' and 'Transformers' Tie While 'Public Enemies' Puts Up Strong Numbershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/weekend-box-office-ice-age-and-transformers-tie-while-publ/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/weekend-box-office-ice-age-and-transformers-tie-while-publ/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/weekend-box-office-ice-age-and-transformers-tie-while-publ/#commentsFiled under: ,

As expected, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen won't have the word of mouth to hang around Star Trek style, though its megaton opening has already made it the year's top grosser. It fell just over 60% in its second weekend to virtually tie with Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs' bow with $42.5 million in the estimates, though the final numbers will surely break the deadlock. A 60% drop is by no means unusual for a movie that opened to well over $100 million, so don't think the drop is a badge of shame or anything. Mr. Bay is still very, very happy.

Dawn of the Dinosaurs, meanwhile, collected $67.5 million over the five-day holiday weekend. That's not a bad showing either; its franchise predecessor collected about that much in its first three-day weekend, but it had virtually no competition at the end of March in 2006. The third film's numbers are likely enough to keep the franchise alive.

I was impressed with the showing for Public Enemies, which really leveraged its cast and gangster movie hook to the tune of $26.2 million over three days, and $41 million over five. Michael Mann's current top box office performer is Collateral with just over $100 million; it's unclear that Public Enemies, which is lengthy, difficult and dark, will be able to hang on long enough to toy with that number. But I think it's already earned a minor victory.

The full top 10 after the jump.


Continue reading Weekend Box Office: 'Ice Age' and 'Transformers' Tie While 'Public Enemies' Puts Up Strong Numbers

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]]>ice ageice age: dawn of the dinosaursIceAgeIceAge:DawnOfTheDinosaurspublic enemiesPublicEnemiestransformers: revenge of the fallenTransformers:RevengeOfTheFallenEugene NovikovMon, 06 Jul 2009 14:45:00 ESTHarrison Ford Returning for 'Indiana Jones 5'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/harrison-ford-returning-for-indiana-jones-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/harrison-ford-returning-for-indiana-jones-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/harrison-ford-returning-for-indiana-jones-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I guess this is the news that nobody was waiting for, but the threat of another Indiana Jones film has been inching closer to reality by the day, and now The Insider has received reports that Harrison Ford will be polishing off the fedora and the whip one last time. There have been rumblings about a fifth film ever since Crystal Skull first hit theaters, but now we've gone past rumblings and finally started to hear some details. Both Shia LaBeouf and producer Frank Marshall have recently confirmed that a film is in the works, and now, Insider's sources are saying that, "...filming will not start until next year, and it will not be released before 2011." Now, if you happen to be mathematically inclined, you might notice that Ford will be almost 70 by the time the film starts production, which would probably make for a slightly less 'active' Indy this time around.

I won't waste your time recounting all the ways that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a let-down for fans -- you know things are bad when an unflattering 'buzz-word' is created as a tribute. But maybe it's possible that a fifth film could correct some of those mistakes. Call me naive, but there is a very (and I mean, very) small part of me that thinks George Lucas and Steven Spielberg may have learned their lesson, and will go back to what made the original films so great. Maybe this time they could capitalize on the relationship between Indy and his son Mutt to try recapturing some of that Last Crusade vibe? But, I guess we can take comfort in the fact that no matter what those two come up with this time, it certainly couldn't get any worse than what was ... or can it?

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]]>featuredgeorge lucasGeorgeLucasharrison fordHarrisonFordindiana jonesindiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skullIndianaJonesIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullsequelshia labeoufShiaLabeoufsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergJessica BarnesMon, 06 Jul 2009 13:50:00 ESTNew 'G.I. Joe' Trailer Gives First Look at Cobra Commanderhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/new-g-i-joe-trailer-gives-first-look-at-cobra-commander/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/new-g-i-joe-trailer-gives-first-look-at-cobra-commander/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/new-g-i-joe-trailer-gives-first-look-at-cobra-commander/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



There's a new Japanese trailer for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra making the rounds, and while it contains most of the same footage included in the previous trailer, this one does give us our first look at Cobra Commander (aka The Doctor), as played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in all his weird masked glory. In the screencap above, The Doctor is standing next to Destro (Christopher Eccleston) and the two are plotting to destroy the world and whatnot.

Perhaps it's because this Japanese trailer cuts around a lot and doesn't remain too long on any one scene that I'm digging it more than I did the domestic version. I think Paramount should just cut together a trailer featuring only Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow since those are easily the two coolest-looking characters, and their sword fight will most likely become a highlight of the film. I dunno ... maybe this one will surprise us in some ways and let us down in others ... but isn't that what we've come to accept from all of these based-on-an-80s-toy-line-or-comic-book movies? G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra hits theaters on August 7.

Watch the trailer after the jump

Continue reading New 'G.I. Joe' Trailer Gives First Look at Cobra Commander

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]]>cobra commanderCobraCommanderg.i. joe movie photosg.i. joe: the rise of cobraG.i.Joe:TheRiseOfCobraG.i.JoeMoviePhotosjoseph gordon-levittJosephGordon-levittthe doctorTheDoctorErik DavisMon, 06 Jul 2009 13:10:00 ESTWhat Happens When the Twilight Runs Out?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/what-happens-when-the-twilight-runs-out/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/what-happens-when-the-twilight-runs-out/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/what-happens-when-the-twilight-runs-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

As much as we might like to poke fun at Twilight now and again, there's no denying it's a multimedia juggernaut. Besides the books, you can read about the stars in their off-hours in celeb gossip mags, listen to Twilight-inspired bands like The Bella Cullen Project, read Twilght fan fiction, peep fan art, buy all the Twilight tchotchkes your heart could desire over at Hot Topic or Amazon (like this jewelry box!) and, yes, get inked with Twilight-inspired tattoos.

But unless Stephenie Meyer starts cranking out some more books about Bella and Edward, the four Twilight tomes are going to be the end of Bella and Edward on the big screen... right?

Not necessarily, according to Twilight's producers, who were caught on video by the folks over at RadarOnline.com at the 36th Annual Vision Awards this past weekend. RadarOnline's intrepid reporter tracked down Wyck Godfrey and Greg Mooradian at one of the awards parties and asked them about the possibility of a spin-off about the Volturi family.

For those not in the know -- myself included -- the Volturi family is the big daddy coven of vamps, the "de facto royal family" according to the extensive Twilight wiki. The cast list for New Moon's Volturi clan stands out because it includes Michael Sheen, star of Frost/Nixon, The Queen and Tim Burton's highly anticipated remake of Alice in Wonderland, and future Runaway Dakota Fanning.

While Greg Mooradian played coy, he left the door open for spin-offs depending on how well the saga does in theaters and "[where] the audience demands us to go from there."

Continue reading What Happens When the Twilight Runs Out?

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]]>Dakota FanningDakotaFanningMichael SheenMichaelSheenNew MoonNewMoonsequelsspin-offsstephenie meyerStephenieMeyerTwilightJenni MillerMon, 06 Jul 2009 12:30:00 ESTLucas Gearing Up Live-Action 'Star Wars' TV Show?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/lucas-gearing-up-live-action-star-wars-tv-show/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/lucas-gearing-up-live-action-star-wars-tv-show/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/lucas-gearing-up-live-action-star-wars-tv-show/#commentsFiled under: ,

george lucas star wars tv show boba fett

Over on SciFi Squad, Mike Moody debuts his new weekly column called TV Geek Week, which will not only talk about the latest and greatest news in geeky TV land, but will also take a look at what fanboy-ish goodies are arriving on the boob tube this week. Check it:

Is George Lucas finally moving ahead with that promised live-action Star Wars TV show? Sources say yes. Sources also say the show will be produced in Australia by a hand-picked crew of Aussie TV vets. And we might even get to see it before the end of 2010. But I got a question: Do we really want a live-action Star Wars TV show?

Well, yeah, of course we do. For most of us, the original Star Wars trilogy was a thrilling entry point into the bizarre and inspiring world of science fiction. For an '80s kid like me, Star Wars was nothing less than a dazzling blast of awesome that I couldn't get out of my head. There was nothing cooler. (I wore the sh*t outta my Yoda jammies.) I'd love to see a Star Wars TV show deliver the same unpolished pluck, heart and spirit of the original trilogy, but we all know that's not gonna happen.

Read the rest at SciFi Squad

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]]>george lucasGeorgeLucasstar warsStarWarsCinematical staffMon, 06 Jul 2009 11:45:00 ESTA Trailer for Gyllenhaal and Maguire's 'Brothers'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/a-trailer-for-gyllenhaal-and-maguires-brothers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/a-trailer-for-gyllenhaal-and-maguires-brothers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/a-trailer-for-gyllenhaal-and-maguires-brothers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You'll have to dip a bit back into the memory banks for this project. Back in 2007, well before Jake Gyllenhaal got buff for the Prince of Persia, he and Tobey Maguire were circling an English-language remake of Susanne Bier's Brothers. No longer rivals for the web of Spider-Man, the two would play brothers that get torn apart by war, assumed death, and familial drama. The film will finally get released this year, and there's a solid first trailer over at ET Online.
Maguire plays Sam, a marine off on his fourth tour of duty while Gyllenhaal plays Tommy, his charming bad-boy brother, fresh out of jail. When Sam's copter is shot down, he's assumed dead and his wife Grace (Natalie Portman) tries to pull her life back together. Tommy helps, the line blurs, and in true Hollywood fashion, just as she starts to fall for Tommy ... it turns out Sam is alive. He was tortured by the Taliban, but now returns home visibly on edge both from his experiences and Tommy's inclusion in his family's life.

Talk about a welcome change. The film looks good. It's been long enough since the seemingly daily influx of war films that the premise doesn't seem tired, and it's almost jarring to see Maguire getting serious again -- in a gaunt and crazy Machinist sort of way. Since the first Spider-Man came out, the only non-webbed wonder movies to get released were Seabiscuit and The Good German. It's about time Maguire showed off more non-Peter Parker fare. As for Jake, well, he doesn't really look like a bad boy and brings to mind Marc Blucas in Prey for Rock & Roll, but that's not entirely surprising.

The film is slated to hit screens on December 4.

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]]>BrothersCinematicalfeaturedJake GyllenhaalJakeGyllenhaalNatalie PortmanNataliePortmanTobey MaguireTobeyMaguireMonika BartyzelMon, 06 Jul 2009 11:03:00 EST'T.J. Hooker' to Get the Movie Treatmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When we rant about remakes and reboots, it's easy to hide in hyperbole. It seems like there are a lot of them, but maybe we're just really sensitive to Hollywood's bouts with unoriginality. But then Peter wrote the piece "Which Remake/Reboot Are You Looking Forward to the Least," and when my eyes hit his list of those announced in only one month, it hit me: No, we're not exaggerating. There's a lot of frakking reboots and remakes out there. And now we've got one more on the way.

Variety reports that T.J. Hooker is going to head to the big screen as an action comedy with Short Circuit scribes Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson writing it, and Chuck Russell (The Scorpion King and The Mask) negotiating for the directorial spot. Producer Ryan Heppe says: "The series was the poster child for cop TV shows in the 1980s with great stunts, so we think there's a fun movie to be made from it." Hmmm, think they were inspired by Kevin Smith's A Couple of Dicks? It seems a little more than coincidental.

Whatever the case, I'm currently in the "not another Shat-free remake!" phase, but I fully admit that's from watching both his meddling cameo in Fanboys and part of a Star Trek episode with some classic Shatner acting over the weekend. In reality, I imagine that it'll be a non-offensive law-filled diversion. Think Adrian Zmed will pop up?

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]]>Brent MaddockBrentMaddockChuck RussellChuckRussellCinematicalSS WilsonSsWilsonT.J. HookerT.j.HookerTJ HookerTjHookerWilliam ShatnerWilliamShatnerMonika BartyzelMon, 06 Jul 2009 10:03:00 ESTRed-Band 'Jennifer's Body' Trailer Answers All Of Your Prayershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/red-band-jennifers-body-trailer-answers-all-of-your-prayers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/red-band-jennifers-body-trailer-answers-all-of-your-prayers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/red-band-jennifers-body-trailer-answers-all-of-your-prayers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



You no longer have to wait until Bruno to catch a glimpse of Jennifer's Body a.k.a that Megan Fox horror movie where she might show her boobs! ShockTillYouDrop has a red-band trailer directly from the Body team of Karyn Kusama, Diablo Cody, and Jason Reitman. According to the filmmakers, this is the trailer that truly captures what the film is all about: "Fox is putting a trailer of Jennifer's Body in front of Bruno this Friday. Great, right? Only problem is it's not our trailer. It's kind of a straight horror preview and while we're sure it'll appeal to many of you, we wanted to make sure you guys got to see our cut ... Lets call it the "filmmaker's cut". We think it captures the comedy and scares of the horror films we grew up on - a kind of nostalgia for when horror films were fun. Can't wait to show you the whole film ... In the meantime, here's the red band trailer we wanted our fans to see."

And you know what? It's a pretty awesome trailer. I was neither here nor there about the film, but this looks like a hell of a lot of fun ...

Head to The Horror Squad for the red-banded fun

Gallery: Megan Fox

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]]>adam brodyAdamBrodyAmanda SeyfriedAmandaSeyfriedamy sedarisAmySedarisDiablo CodyDiabloCodyFox AtomicFoxAtomicjason reitmanJasonReitmanJennifers BodyJennifersBodykaryn kusamaKarynKusamaMegan FoxMeganFoxElisabeth RappeMon, 06 Jul 2009 09:03:00 ESTYesterday, Did You Celebrate Our 'Independence Day'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/yesterday-did-you-celebrate-our-independence-day/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/yesterday-did-you-celebrate-our-independence-day/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/yesterday-did-you-celebrate-our-independence-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Maybe I just follow far too many movie nerds on Twitter to get an accurate reading on this, but did Independence Day turn around and become an honest-to-goodness movie staple over the Fourth of July holiday while I wasn't looking?

I mean, I get that it was huge when it landed on said weekend back in 1996, and I know that President Pullman's speech (embedded below) is quotable as all get out -- though extra points to the pal who instead posted "Eagle-20! Fox-2!" -- but I usually see war movies and TV show marathons as go-to fodder for the 4th, however less fitting their titles may be.

So how many of you actually did watch ID4 yesterday? How long had it been since you watched it? How fond of it were you thirteen years back? Did you watch it because it harkens back to a big, loud, relatively healthy level of cheese that we used to get from our blockbusters, back when we could see what exactly was going on in any given action scene? Or was it simply a more welcome/convenient option than going to see a third Ice Age or a two-and-a-half-hour gangster drama, or perhaps a memorial to the late Jeff Goldblum?

Comment away!

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]]>bill pullmanBillPullmanid4independence dayIndependenceDayjeff goldblumJeffGoldblumrandy quaidRandyQuaidroland emmerichRolandEmmerichwill smithWillSmithWilliam GossSun, 05 Jul 2009 17:02:00 ESTThe Kiddie Matinee, Or: My Summer with Hot Tamales in My Hairhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-kiddie-matinee-or-my-summer-with-hot-tamales-in-my-hair/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-kiddie-matinee-or-my-summer-with-hot-tamales-in-my-hair/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-kiddie-matinee-or-my-summer-with-hot-tamales-in-my-hair/#commentsFiled under:




One summer, my home town's local movie theater got the bright idea to run a series of kids-only matinees. As far as I remember, it was the only summer that they did this. Looking back, it's one of those ideas that was probably a lot better on the drawing board than in execution.

The LaMar Theater was a real, old-school, small-town movie palace. Just a block from the ocean in Manhattan Beach, California -- hence the compounded Spanish for "the sea" -- with thick, red velvet curtains and a big screen above a raised stage. There was a ceiling mural that featured dolphins arcing above curling waves, and big plaster sea shells served as covers for the sconces that lit the walls.

In the 1940's my grandmother was manager of the LaMar for a time, and I have photos of her posing with movie stars and USO workers, doing publicity when the theater hosted special shows to benefit the war effort. My mother worked at the theater as a barely legal usher, and told me that during one of these drives she shot craps backstage with Donald O'Connor and some of the musicians. Sadly, the theater is now gone, torn down in the 1980s to make room for a McDonalds and a multiplex.

The summer of the children's matinee fiasco, I was maybe ten or eleven years old. I loved movies -- Mom, the former movie usher, reared me with daily viewings of Ben Hunter's Movie Matinee on KTTV, watching old black-and-white films from the 40's and 50's while she did laundry. Every day he'd run a contest called "Hunter's College of Obscure Knowledge," showing a photo or clip and asking a trivia question, and awarding a prize to the first caller with the correct answer. My mother never called the show, but she got every question right.

Continue reading The Kiddie Matinee, Or: My Summer with Hot Tamales in My Hair

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]]>Dawn TaylorSun, 05 Jul 2009 13:02:00 ESTDiscuss: Little 'Orphan' Aneurysmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/discuss-little-orphan-aneurysm/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/discuss-little-orphan-aneurysm/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/discuss-little-orphan-aneurysm/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Another day, another snafu on the ol' political correctness front. It seems that adoptive parents and adoption agencies are up in arms because of a line in the trailer for Warner Brothers' forthcoming thriller, Orphan: "It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own."

A full ABC News report has parents calling for the studio to remove the line from the trailers, which it did, despite the fact that the trailer can only play before other R-rated films. But that's not enough, because apparently, the film itself can be and has been taken as one big campaign playing up the stereotypes and exploiting the fears of adoption.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'd like to think that any potential parent who finds themselves scared off from real-world adoption because of something they saw in a heavily exaggerated movie probably do not have the proper judgment to serve as a parent in the first place. As for the effect that line and the whole premise might have on adopted kids specifically, I really can't speak to that, as I don't know how exposed to the film's marketing they'd be if watching appropriate channels and seeing appropriate movies.

What are your thoughts? Over-reaction? Just right reaction? Or are we simply overdue for this summer's next big controversy?

[Thanks to Shock for the heads-up.]

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]]>adoptionadoptive parentsAdoptiveParentscontroversyjaume collet-serraJaumeCollet-serraorphanpeter sarsgaardPeterSarsgaardvera farmigaVeraFarmigaWilliam GossSun, 05 Jul 2009 11:02:00 ESTThe Lure of the Cheap DVD Rackhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-lure-of-the-cheap-dvd-rack/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-lure-of-the-cheap-dvd-rack/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/05/the-lure-of-the-cheap-dvd-rack/#commentsFiled under: ,



Consider this post your confessional as well as my own. You see, I can't resist a cheap DVD. Even if the film isn't something I'd even put on a top 10 or 20 list, if I see it for $10.00 or less, I must own it.

This week's guilty grab was Australia, a film I was very disappointed in, and planned never to see again unless I stumbled on it while flipping through cable channels. But there it was on half.com, "watched once, brand new" for $5.00. I thought about how very nice "the bucket scene" is, and how it's chock full of beautiful sunsets and rugged Australian landscapes (several that aren't named Hugh Jackman) and I caved. It's really the perfect movie for knitting to, because I can just concentrate on turning my sock heel, and look at the pretty cinematography. My DVD shelf is chock full of such films. Kate and Leopold, The Long Kiss Goodnight (worth far more than whatever I paid), my entire Mel Gibson collection, Marie Antoinette, The Wedding Singer, and so on. The list is long and not very illustrious (Vanishing Point remake, anyone?), but at least I can say I didn't go out of my way for most of them. I just threw them into the Target cart while shopping for flip flops. I'm always on the hunt for more. I saw The Transporter in a hologram box awfully cheap, and it's begging to come home with me for those awkward Sunday nights when I need something short before heading back to the grind.

So while Scott Weinberg was positively crowing about the fact that I'd willingly purchased Australia with my own money, I see nothing wrong in it. I can spend $5.00 on a lot sillier things, like a magazine that ultimately ends up in my recycle bin, or an enormous Starbucks espresso that is gone in a matter of minutes. But Hugh Jackman's tight shirt? That lasts forever.

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]]>Australiacheap DVDsCheapDvdsHugh JackmanHughJackmanElisabeth RappeSun, 05 Jul 2009 09:03:00 ESTTrailer Park: Carrying, Retreating and Informinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/trailer-park-carrying-retreating-and-informing/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/trailer-park-carrying-retreating-and-informing/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/trailer-park-carrying-retreating-and-informing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Carriers
A decent looking tale of an apocalyptic plague and four friends attempt to survive it. If you've read The Stand or seen the mini-series based on it the idea seems kind of similar. Chris Prine, the new James T. Kirk stars and I thought the faces drawn on the surgical masks were a nice touch. Things start getting germy on September 4.

Couples Retreat
Four couples head to a tropical resort where they learn that couples' therapy is a mandatory part of the program. The impressive cast includes Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, and Kristen Bell. The retreat commences on October 9.

Planet 51
There's a new full length trailer for this animated comedy about a human astronaut landing on an alien world that looks strikingly like an American suburb. The residents of the planet see the visitor as a threat and it looks like there's probably a decent message for kids about prejudice, but this one doesn't thrill me. The idea is cute and they get points for the use of The Killers' song "Spaceman" but it didn't have me laughing. Planet 51 touches down on November 20.

Continue reading Trailer Park: Carrying, Retreating and Informing

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]]>CarriersCloudy WIth a Chance of MeatballsCloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballsCouples RetreatCouplesRetreatPlanet 51Planet51The InformantTheInformantMatt BradshawSat, 04 Jul 2009 21:03:00 ESTRon Weaseley Has Swine Fluhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/ron-weaseley-has-swine-flu/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/ron-weaseley-has-swine-flu/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/ron-weaseley-has-swine-flu/#commentsFiled under: ,

It may not be a celebrity story to rival the endless coverage of Michael Jackson's death, but actor Rupert Grint, who plays ginger-kid Ron Weaseley in the Harry Potter films, is reportedly recovering from a mild case of swine flu.

Grint's management said that he took a few days off from work on the adaptation of the series' final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which will be released as two movies. The next flick in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters on July 15.

Swine flu aside, it must be something of a relief for Grint -- along with fellow Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson -- to be finally seeing the end of the J.K. Rowling gravy train. While the massively popular film series gave the trio instant celebrity and all the opportunities that brings, they've been chained to the Potter films for half their lives. Grint, who was 13 when he made the first film, turns 21 in August, and seems to have made solid choices so far in building his career. Along with a fair amount of British radio and TV voiceover work, he was praised for his role in 2006's Driving Lessons opposite Laura Linney and Julie Walters.

Continue reading Ron Weaseley Has Swine Flu

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]]>featuredharrypotterandthehalf-bloodprincenewsrupert grintswine fluDawn TaylorSat, 04 Jul 2009 19:02:00 ESTQuick List: Romance for Boyshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



It's funny, but I've been watching Kevin Smith movies for a long time now, but it was only as I was reading through Total Film's list of the Best & Worst: Kevin Smith, that I realized something that I never really thought all that much about before -- and what was my big epiphany? Well, I finally discovered that Smith's films in the end are just rom-coms with poop jokes. Smith may have been considered a foul-mouthed stoner for most of his career, but now that I've looked beyond his shtick, I've finally come to the conclusion that the guy is a big old softy. Which got me thinking: Is there such a thing as romance for boys?

Now if you're the observant type, you've probably noticed I'm not a dude, so what do I know, right? But I've been told time and again that I'm not the 'average girl' (whatever that means) when it comes to my movie tastes, so I'm going to put that theory to the test, and get in touch with my masculine side to create a list of romantic movies for men.

After the jump; My 5 picks for boy-friendly romance...

Continue reading Quick List: Romance for Boys

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]]>40 year old virgin40YearOldVirginfeaturedHigh FidelityHighFidelityjohn cusackJohnCusackjudd apatowJuddApatowkevin smithKevinSmithpt andersonPtAndersonPunch Drunk LovePunchDrunkLoveromanceJessica BarnesSat, 04 Jul 2009 17:03:00 ESTLori Petty's Directorial Debut to Hit Screens on July 17http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/lori-pettys-directorial-debut-to-hit-screens-on-july-17/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/lori-pettys-directorial-debut-to-hit-screens-on-july-17/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/lori-pettys-directorial-debut-to-hit-screens-on-july-17/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hearing about a mixture of Lori Petty and David Alan Grier immediately brings to mind the wonderful '90s, when Petty was the tough-as-nails Tank Girl in a post-apocalyptic water-hungry world and Grier was one of the big names of In Living Color. But now the two have teamed up, and it's not for some quirky bit of comedy, but rather a super-heavy drama that's finally going to hit the big screen.

Variety reports that Phase 4 Films has picked up the U.S. rights to The Poker House, which just so happens to be Petty's directorial debut from a script she wrote with Grier. The Living Color alum stars with Selma Blair and Jennifer Lawrence in the story which can, simply and vaguely, be described as "a portrait of life in a poor small town in Iowa in 1976," as Variety says. But a little more specifically, it's the story of a young basketball playing girl who has heavy troubles at home -- think prostitutes, pimps, and the struggles of desperation and poverty.

For IGN, Todd Gilchrist compared the film to the heaviness of Boys Don't Cry, Monster, and In the Bedroom, but stated: "Ultimately, The Poker House just isn't a very good film, regardless of where it came from, who made it or what it's trying to say." So why bother? One, it's looking to be one of those films you love or hate. Two, it's based on Petty's actual experiences, so it could give you a look into the mind of our Tank Girl.

The film hits theaters on July 17.

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]]>CinematicalDavid Alan GrierDavidAlanGrierLori PettyLoriPettyThe Poker HouseThePokerHouseMonika BartyzelSat, 04 Jul 2009 15:02:00 ESTSnag This: Jazz on a Summer's Dayhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/snag-this-jazz-on-a-summers-day/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/snag-this-jazz-on-a-summers-day/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/snag-this-jazz-on-a-summers-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Anita O'Day from 'Jazz on a Summer's Day'What are your plans for the weekend? Here in the U.S., most folks are enjoying a long holiday weekend, filled with food, friends, and fireworks -- and maybe a free concert and a movie or two. On a personal note, with local temperatures soaring above 100 degrees for the past week or so, I'm staying inside and out of the weather as much as I can. And so I was pleased to find Jazz on a Summer's Day is available for free online viewing, courtesy of our friends at SnagFilms.

Directed by Aram Avakian and Bert Stern, the film documents the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the America's Cup sailing tournament, two events which go together like a cool drink on a hot day. Performers at the festival include Thelonius Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Anita O'Day (pictured), Dinah Washington, Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, and Mahalia Jackson. My knowledge of jazz is extremely limited, so all I can add to that list is that I very much enjoyed listening to all the musicians. As much as anything, I got a kick out of the spectator footage -- nicely dressed folks, a number in business suits (!), stylish sunglasses, bright colors, the whole nine yards -- and the dulcet-toned, super low-key announcer.

Frankly, this is a good doc for watching, and listening to, in the background. We've embedded it after the jump. More information is available at SnagFilms.

After the jump: Watch Jazz on a Summer's Day!

Continue reading Snag This: Jazz on a Summer's Day

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]]>anita odayAnitaOdaybert sternBertSternjazz on a summers dayJazzOnASummersDaylouis armstrongLouisArmstrongnewport jazz festivalNewportJazzFestivalsnag thisSnagThisthelonius monkTheloniusMonkPeter MartinSat, 04 Jul 2009 13:02:00 ESTRight Now on TV Squadhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/right-now-on-tv-squad/#commentsOur 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:
  • Seth Green is promoting the DVD release of Robot Chicken: Star Wars -- Episode II with a touring ice skating show.
  • Despite his recent death we're still going to be seeing TV commercials starring pitchman Billy Mays.
  • America's Got Talent has found there own version of Brit singing sensation Susan Boyle in Kevin Skinner, a chicken catcher (whatever that is) from Kentucky.
  • Summer's only just started but TV Squad has screened some of CBS's new shows for the Fall. Here's what they think.
  • For those who can't get enough weirdness in their life, the upcoming final season of Lost is going to be 18 hours long instead of 17.
  • ...and finally, after hosting the Tonys and TV Land Awards, Neil Patrick Harris is about to close a deal that will have him hosting the Emmys.

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]]>CinemaCinematicalMoviesTV SquadTvSquadMatt BradshawSat, 04 Jul 2009 11:02:00 ESTChristian Bale's Rollercoaster Careerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/christian-bales-rollercoaster-career/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/christian-bales-rollercoaster-career/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/christian-bales-rollercoaster-career/#commentsFiled under: ,

Christian Bale Rollercoaster

From Pacman to Public Enemies, he's had more ups and downs than most other actors of his generation. Christian Bale has careened between extreme highs and deep lows, in the view of the folks at MovieFill, and they decided that a rollercoaster was the most apt visual metaphor for his career. A reduced-size version can be seen above.

They squeeze most of his films into the chart, though they left out a few. Before his sensational role in Mary Harron's American Psycho, he was very appealing in Metroland and got good notices in Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine; pre-Batman Begins / The Dark Knight, he was fun to watch as a frisky villain in John Singleton's Shaft and an uptight, would-be psychiatrist in Laurel Canyon. I don't agree with every notation in the chart. Harsh Times, for example, is cited as one of his "lows," but Bale was riveting. Two notorious off-screen incidents are included, which both affected his public perception, though it seems somewhat unfair to lump those in with his films.

Still, the rollercoaster graphic provides an easy way to look back and consider the range and daring of what he's done, especially earlier in his career. Recently he's been in more big-budget productions than anything else, and next up is David O. Russell's boxing biopic The Fighter. I'd love to see him in a couple of smaller indie flicks. What are your thoughts on Christian Bale's career so far? More ups than downs?

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]]>american psychoAmericanPsychobatman beginsBatmanBeginschristian baleChristianBalefeaturedharsh timesHarshTimeslaurel canyonLaurelCanyonmetrolandpublic enemiesPublicEnemiesshaftthe dark knightTheDarkKnightvelvet goldmineVelvetGoldminePeter MartinSat, 04 Jul 2009 09:02:00 EST400 Screens, 400 Blows - Sci-Fi Goes to War http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/400-screens-400-blows-sci-fi-goes-to-war/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/400-screens-400-blows-sci-fi-goes-to-war/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/400-screens-400-blows-sci-fi-goes-to-war/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



A few months ago, I saw two new sci-fi movies at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and now both are in limited release: Duncan Jones's Moon (21 screens) and Aristomenis Tsirbas' Battle for Terra (2 screens). And it got me thinking. These two movies couldn't be more different, and the main distinction between them is this. Moon is sci-fi based on an actual sci-fi idea. That means that science actually figures into the fiction somewhere. And Battle for Terra is the perfect example of a war film decorated with sci-fi trimmings; its big "twist" is that the humans are the bad guys and the aliens are the good guys, but aside from that the story unfolds exactly like a regular war film. The aliens, spaceships and other gizmos don't really figure into the major themes or plot.

It got me thinking about how many science fiction movies are really just war movies in disguise. (The current Terminator Salvation is another one.) It's very easy to transform the combatants of a war to alien races and make the cause of the war something fictitious, like the "spice" in Dune (1984). It's much easier to explain why people are fighting over that powerful stuff than why they're fighting over differences in religions or beliefs. And it's much nicer to justify battling alien invaders than it is to justify humans fighting humans. Frankly, I'm all for this little bit of deception, provided the sci-fi movies have three things. Battle for Terra has none of them.

Continue reading 400 Screens, 400 Blows - Sci-Fi Goes to War

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]]>battle for terraBattleForTerracinematicalfilmhurt lockerHurtLockermoonmovieJeffrey M. AndersonFri, 03 Jul 2009 21:03:00 EST