pras Tagged Articles at Cinematical
The Underwhelming 'Mutant Chronicles' Teaser
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », War », Trailers and Clips »
This may sound paranoid, but I am convinced that Thomas Jane must have made some enemies in Hollywood. The guy is talented, he has great screen presence, he's awfully easy on the eyes; and still he ends up flicks like Mutant Chronicles. If you don't believe me, take a look at the new teaser for the sci-fi thriller over on the actor's personal site, and tell me this movie doesn't look destined for obscurity.Chronicles is loosely based on the successful role-playing game of the same name from Target Games. In Philip Eisner's (Event Horizon) script, the world has been divided into four corporations who are constantly at war. When a new plague of mutants are unleashed unto the world, an ancient society recruits a battle-hardened soldier (Jane) as humanity's last chance for survival. Joining Jane are Ron Perlman as the mystic Brother Samuel, Devon Aoki as a fellow bad-ass, and John Malkovich as the political leader Constantine.
On paper, the whole thing sounds fine; mutants, elite military squads, and pseudo-mysticism -- what could go wrong? After watching the trailer, the answer would appear to be ... everything. The film was originally announced back in 2006, but other than a quick poster release and a website, there hasn't been much attention paid to the film...and now I'm starting to understand why.
Mutant Chronicles is scheduled for release later this year.
[via Coming Soon]
Pras Michel Gets Dark in Oz
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Deals », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
The last time a so-called 'urban' musician took on The Wizard of Oz, we ended up with The Wiz. Hopefully things will work out a little better this time. Variety reports that Pras Michel (of The Fugees) has secured the film and television rights to the comic series Dark Oz. The story centers on a much more violent and scary Land of Oz. A grown-up Dorothy Gale is back in town along with some of the familiar faces (Tinman, The Scarecrow), and even some less familiar characters from Frank L. Baum's fantasy. The comics were created by Aaron Denenberg, Ralph Griffith and Stuart Kerr, and were released by Caliber Comics. After twenty issues, six specials, and two three-issue limited series, the Oz line was completed. Then, the series was revived under Arrow Comics and earned the name change of Dark Oz to finish the stories originally started in the first series. After five issues, another name change was on board, and Dark Oz became The Land of Oz. When these later stories began, a much more conventional (and far less Gothic) vision of Oz returned.
Pras is planning to produce all three live action films adapted from the Dark Oz line. Plus, he has his sights on playing The Scarecrow in the feature film. For those of you out there who only know Pras as a musician, he already has plenty of experience in the business. In 2007, he produced and starred in a documentary about the homeless, and he is also behind the sci-fi thriller The Mutant Chronicles with Thomas Jane. There is no word yet on who Pras has in mind to write or direct Oz, but stay tuned to Cinematical for any updates that come our way.
Now Playing at Cinematical Indie: Your Mommy Kills Animals, a Homeless Fugee, and Who's Dating Miranda July?
Filed under: Comedy », Documentary », Drama », Foreign Language », Independent », Distribution », Newsstand », Politics », Cinematical Indie »
What's been going on over at Cinematical Indie the past few days? Let's take a peek ...- In film distribution news, the provocatively titled Your Mommy Kills Animals (yeesh), which takes its name from a PETA brochure, scored distrib this week. The film played at HotDocs earlier this year to positive reviews from the likes of Variety and eFilmCritic, and sold out screenings at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival. Congrats to director Curt Johnson.
- This week's Indie Film Blog Group Hug tossed some love around to lots of blogs writing about interesting things in the world of film. Highlights: Christopher John Stack's film An Exercise in Vigilance is screening at the Action on Film International Film Festival in Long Beach, Movie City Indie's Ray Pride interviews filmmaker Usama Alshaibi, Lost in Negative Space blogger Peet Gelderblom has seen Famke Jenssen's sister in her underwear, and guess who's dating indie-film darling Miranda July ... ?
- Been wondering what the members of The Fugees are up to? Even if you haven't, you might be interested to know that former Fugee Pras Michel is starring in a documentary about homelessness. In the film Skid Row, Pras lived as a homeless person for nine days, recording the results on video. The film has been picked up for distrib by Screen Media Films, and will open August 24 in a limited NYC-LA-Washington DC run. If it plays well in those cities, maybe it will get a wider open down the road and the rest of us might get to see it.
- The Guardian posits the question: What great filmmakers haven't had real bios?
- Jette tells us about Paul Verhoeven's Soldier of Orange being made into a musical in the Netherlands -- but she's holding out hope for Showgirls!
- Ryan Stewart reviews Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox.
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