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Tag: Film

  • ‘Room 237’ Is Now Available On Netflix

    Room 237, the much talked-about documentary exploring theories about Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (loosely based on the Stephen King novel of the same name), has now become available on Netflix (both streaming and DVD).

    While the film is listed as a 2012 release, it only saw its limited theatrical run beginning in March before making its way to DVD this month.

    While reviews are very mixed among Netflix users so far, Room 237 has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes (61% audience score). The film, directed by Rodney Ascher, explores some pretty interesting (albeit highly debated) ideas about The Shining, which have drawn significant interest on the Internet from hard core Kubrick fans for years.

    Here’s the Netflix description for Room 237:

    Room 237

    If your’e interested in the possible subtexts of Kubrick’s film, I’d also highly recommend checking out a collection of videos on the topic from Rob Ager and Collative Learning. They will give you plenty more to think about while watching The Shining the next time (and probably every other time after that).

  • Kurt Russell Added to Cast for “Fast and Furious 7”

    While every installment of the “Fast and Furious” series comes highly anticipated, there’s yet another reason to look forward to the next release. Cinema Online reports that Kurt Russell has joined the cast of “Fast and Furious 7.” For the past couple weeks, there has been speculation floating around the rumor mill that Russell was involved in the film.

    Universal Pictures released a photo that basically confirmed Russell’s involvement. The picture showed the 62-year-old veteran actor in a body shop with “Fast and Furious” franchise stars Paul Walker and Vin Diesel. Diesel took the liberty of posting the picture on Facebook, along with a few other taken on the set.

    Directed by James’ Wan, “Fast and Furious 7” also features a number of other notable cast members. In addition to Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, Russell will join the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Jordan Brewster, Tyrese, Ludacris, and “Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift,” stars Lucas Black and Bow Wow.

    Kurt Russell is famous for his big screen roles in films such as, “Backdraft,” “Tombstone,” and “Executive Decision.” There has been no further information released in regards to the details of Russell’s role in the film. However, the film is slated to hit the big screen nationwide on July 11, 2014.

     

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mary Pickford Film Found and Restored

    Mary Pickford is best known as an actress during the silent film era of Hollywood, co-founder of United Artists, and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, and now the world will soon be able to see a film of her’s that was thought to be lost forever.

    The film, Their First Misunderstanding, was found in a barn in New Hampshire in 2006 by carpenter Peter Massie.

    Massie found the only known copy of the film, along with six other reels, while he was tearing down the barn. The property where the barn was located was once a summer camp for boys. Larry Benaquist, the founder of the film program at Keene State College, where the movie was donated, said, “Apparently it had been a boys’ school — a boys’ camp, and during the summer, they’d set up this 35mm projector and show these ancient films to the boys,”

    The 1911 film is currently being restored by a project funded by the Library of Congress and will be shown at Keene State College next month.

    Their First Misunderstanding was a huge step for Pickford’s career. It was the first film she wrote and the first film she was given credit for when it came to advertising. Film historian Leonard Maltin said, “And apparently this 1911 film was the first time she received screen billing as Mary Pickford. Well in a very short time that name, Mary Pickford, became world famous.”

    The film stars an 18-year-old Pickford with her first husband, Owen Moore, as a young married couple going through their first fight. According to Benaquist, the first minute of the 10-minute comedy-drama was destroyed, but the rest is in very good condition.

    Before the release of Their First Misunderstanding, Pickford was known as “Little Mary,” ”The Girl with the Curls” and “The Biograph” girl, but she soon became known as “America’s Sweetheart.”

    Pickford founded United Artists with her husband, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith in 1919. After starring in 52 feature films and winning two Oscars, Pickford retired from acting in 1933. She continued to produce films for United Artists until she sold her shares for $3 million in 1956. Pickford died of complications from a cerebral hemorrhage on May 29, 1979.

    You can see some of Their First Misunderstanding on Keene State College’s film archive here.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Jerry Bruckheimer And Disney Set To Part Ways

    Jerry Bruckheimer And Disney Set To Part Ways

    Jerry Bruckheimer, the American film and television producer, has had a long time business partnership with Disney, but has decided to part ways. The partnership was reponsible for the Pirates of The Caribbean series most notably, but also National Treasure and others.

    Bruckheimer is also responsible for several action films such as Pearl Harbor and The Rock, and this news may come as a very good thing for fans of his action films. The partnership between Walt Disney Co. and Jerry Bruckheimer has been very good for their business and earned great success at the box office.

    Bruckheimer has had a long history with the company, but when their contract expires in 2014, he says that they will not renew the deal. This will end a relationship that lasted over 20 years, resulting in more than 27 films, according to the Los Angeles Times. After the box office failure of The Lone Ranger, Bruckheimer is looking to do business on his own and make a profit for a different type of fan base.

    Fans of the series’ that Bruckheimer and Disney have worked on together will still continue with their sequels, although no more new projects will be started. He said in a statement that “The good news is we will continue working together on Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure and other projects we have developed together at the studio.” It must have been hard for him to not continue after the great success of these films, with the four previous Pirates Of The Caribbean films combining to gross $3.73 billion worldwide.

    He says that much of the reason for the break has to do with the kind of movies that Disney is making opposed to the kind of films that he wants to make. Bruckheimer is set to produce another action film called Beware The Night, which will be released in 2015, and stars Eric Bana and Olivia Munn (The Newsroom). Forbes reports that Disney wants to make Disney movies, expensive, flashy, kid-centric, four-quadrant blockbusters with hard franchise and branding potential. Contrary to that, Bruckheimer wants to get back to make the kind of movies that he used to make. Of course, many of his earlier films were also huge blockbusters such as Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun. There is also a possibility of a Top Gun sequel that was being put into motion by Tony Scott, but was then halted after he died. Bruckheimer has said that despite Scott’s untimely death, there has been some development on the project.

    In related news, Bruckheimer had a birthday today and turned 70.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTbQe6hFSfQ

    Image via Youtube

  • ‘Short Term 12’ Director And Cast Members Talk At Google

    Destin Cretton, Brie Larson and John Gallagher Jr., the director and stars of the film Short Term 12, recently spoke engaged in an interview with Film.com’s David Ehrlich in an “At Google” talk, which the company has now made available on YouTube.

    Short Term 12 is described as an indie drama following the lives of two counselors at a foster care facility for troubled teenagers. Cretton has cited Hoop Dreams and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

    Here’s the film’s trailer:

    The talk was recorded on August 15th.

    More recent At Google talks here.

  • Netflix Is About To Get More TV Content, Documentaries & Movies (Here’s What’s Coming Over The Next Week)

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    Content is added to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    Over the past week, Netflix has added more television shows, stand-up comedy performances, documentaries and movies. See what those were here. Here’s what’s coming in the week ahead.

    Available on Saturday 8/24:

    My Fair Wedding: Season 5 (2012)

    Celebrity wedding planner David Tutera surprises brides who have only weeks before their big day, and irons out all the details, from the dress to the cake. With big, sometimes outlandish ideas, Tutera brings the brides’ wildest dreams to life!

    Available on 8/25:

    The Other F Word (2011)

    Jim Lindberg, Art Alexakis, Flea, Tony Hawk, Mark Mothersbaugh, Mark Hoppus, Rick Thorne

    This insightful documentary examines the mid-life evolution of a generation of punk rockers, including Jim Lindberg, Art Alexakis and Flea, who must reconcile fatherhood and responsible family life with their status as legendary anti-authoritarians.

    The Road (2009)

    Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Molly Parker, Michael Kenneth Williams

    Set in a postapocalyptic future, this end-of-days tale follows two survivors, a father and son, who navigate an ash-covered wasteland in search of a better life — with only a sliver of hope that salvation awaits them at the end of their journey.

    Available on 8/26:

    Our Idiot Brother (2011)

    Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy, Rashida Jones

    Ned is a seemingly clueless but earnest idealist who must rely upon his three exasperated sisters for shelter and support after he’s dumped by his fed-up girlfriend and loses custody of his beloved dog, Willie Nelson.

    Spice and Wolf: Season 2 (2009)

    Skillful young trader Craft Lawrence roves from town to town, peddling his goods for a nifty profit, but when wolf-goddess Holo turns up in his cart disguised as a young woman, the quirky duo sets off on a humorous journey to her northern homeland.

    Available on 8/27:

    LIFE 2.0 (2009)

    Every day, computer users across the globe log onto Second Life, a virtual world populated by life-like avatars. For a few people, their everyday lives are dramatically consumed by this alternate reality, affecting their relationships on and offline.

    One Lucky Elephant (2010)

    In this sensitive tale of one man’s search to find a home for his animal companion, filmmaker Lisa Leeman documents a concerned circus producer’s efforts to place his beloved 18-year-old elephant in permanent and loving care outside of the big top. His noble quest takes him to Africa but ultimately brings him back to the United States, where he’s forced to decide what’s best for his four-ton “daughter.”

    Scandal: Season 2 (2012)

    Olivia Pope leads a team of Washington, D.C., lawyers who specialize in making scandals disappear. As they secretly handle crises at the highest levels of government, the dysfunctional team must also cope with problems closer to home.

    Avail 8/30:

    Once Upon a Time: Season 2 (2012)

    Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Carlyle star in this fantastical series that follows the travails of a young woman who is drawn to a small Maine town and discovers that it’s filled with the mystical elements of the fairy tale world.

    Revenge: Season 2 (2012)

    Inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, this modern-day drama follows a lovely young woman who moves to the Hamptons and charms the pants off her new neighbors — while plotting their downfall for sins committed against her family.

    The Possession (2012)

    Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Natasha Calis, Madison Davenport, Matisyahu, Grant Show

    After purchasing a curious old box full of mysterious relics, a young girl unwittingly unleashes the evil spirit residing within. Can the antique’s new owner and her parents break the grip the demonic force has on their family?

    Image: Our Idiot Brother Trailer (YouTube)

  • Her, Spike Jonze’s Man Falls in Love with an OS Movie, Gets a Trailer

    The first trailer for Her, director Spike Jonze’s new Joaquin-Phoenix-falls-in-love-with-an-operating-system movie, has just landed.

    Her stars Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and Scarlett Johansson (as the OS voice). It’s slated to premiere on November 20th. Here’s the official synopsis:

    In the not so distant future, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely writer purchases a newly developed operating system designed to meet the user’s every needs. To Theodore’s surprise, a romantic relationship develops between him and his operating system. This unconventional love story blends science fiction and romance in a sweet tale that explores the nature of love and the ways that technology isolates and connects us all.

    Tantalizing. With anyone else at the helm, I might have written this one off. Call me skeptical. But I trust Spike Jonze for something like this (whatever this is), who is both writing and directing the film. Plus this trailer is rather promising.

  • This Is What A Legend Of Zelda Film Might Have Looked Like

    Nintendo doesn’t exactly like the idea of letting others make movies based on their properties. I may like the Super Mario Bros. movie, but plenty of people think it’s the worst film ever made. Since then, we haven’t heard a peep from Nintendo regarding any movies based on their properties, except for that Animal Crossing anime film.

    Of course, Nintendo’s reluctance to license its properties to filmmakers doesn’t mean that said filmmakers have just given up on the idea of films based on Mario, The Legend of Zelda or Metroid. In fact, a pitch from Imagi Studios shows what a Legend of Zelda film would look like under their direction:

    “Zelda” teaser from Adam3D on Vimeo.

    According to Kotaku, the above pitch was created in 2007 in the hopes of attaining the rights from Nintendo. They were obviously unsuccessful. It is interesting, however, to see what could have been. The animators at Imagi Studios stayed pretty faithful to the designs of both Link and Zelda, but Ganondorf received a major redesign.

    Unfortunately, the pitch doesn’t tell us much else about Imagi’s idea for a Legend of Zelda film. Would they keep Link silent, or would they try try to add a voice to the stoic Hylian hero? We’ll never know, and part of me feels like that’s a good thing.

  • Here’s What’s Coming To Netflix Streaming Over The Next Week (Hint: It Includes Titanic)

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    There’s new (and old) stuff coming to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    Today, the brand new Netflix original show Mako Mermaids made its debut. Thirteen episodes are available, and more are coming in September (along with the Ricky Gervais show Derek).

    Some titles that will be available on Saturday (07/27):

    AE: Apocalypse Earth (2013)

    Adrian Paul, Richard Grieco, Bali Rodriguez, Gray Hawks, Michelle Jones, Steve Bencich

    In this post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy, a group of refugees from Earth lands on an exotic planet, where they must fight ruthless aliens to survive. Richard Grieco and Adrian Paul star.

    Hell on Wheels: Season 2 (2012)

    Former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon seeks his wife’s killer as post-Civil War America struggles to rebuild its identity. His quest traverses the history of Reconstruction, peopled with railroad bosses, emancipated slaves and immigrants.

    On 7/30:

    WWE for All Mankind: The Life & Career of Mick Foley (2013)

    The first ever comprehensive documentary on the life and career of hardcore legend Mick Foley. Filled with inside commentary on his most brutal matches, career struggles and multi-character evolution. Includes bonus matches and legendary moments from throughout his career.

    On 08/01:

    Alphas: Season 2 (2012)

    A team of individuals gifted with extraordinary neurological abilities is tasked with solving a series of high-profile crimes. Among them are an autistic man whose mind works as fast as a computer and an FBI agent with super strength.

    Fringe: Season 5 (2012)

    As part of Fringe Division, eager young FBI agent Olivia Dunham uses experimental science to unravel the layers of mystery surrounding a series of dangerous — and escalating — paranormal events called the Pattern.

    Munchie (1992)

    Loni Anderson, Andrew Stevens, Jaime McEnnan, Arte Johnson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Dom DeLuise

    After discovering an odd creature in a mine, young Gage runs home only to learn the “Munchie” has followed him and wants to ward off the bullies who’ve been hassling him at school. But the Munchie’s helpful intentions keep landing Gage into trouble!

    Piranha (1978)

    Barbara Steele, Bradford Dillman, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Heather Menzies

    When a school of mutant piranha is accidentally released into a river — and headed straight for a kids’ summer camp — it’s up to investigator Maggie McKeown and local woodsman Paul Grogan to prevent the potential carnage.

    The Adventures of Fish ‘N Chips (2012)

    “The Adventures Of Fish N Chips”, the animated series tells the stories of two antagonistic characters, young impressionable “Fish” and his mischievous, lifelong enemy “Chips” as they tear across both land and sea in these exciting adventures that are sure to have both children and adults laughing.

    The Haunting of Hell House (1999)

    Michael York, Andrew Bowen, Jason Cottle, Claudia Christian, Aideen O’Donnell, Brian Glanney

    This supernatural thriller interlaces the tales of two men tormented by the past: one a college student whose girlfriend died during a botched abortion and the other a university professor haunted by the spirit of the daughter he drove from his home.

    The Pitch: Season 1 (2012)

    The Pitch is an unscripted series from AMC produced by Studio Lambert that goes behind the scenes on the pressure on America’s top creative ad agencies competing to pitch a new account. Each week the two agencies go head-to-head in a presentation known as The Pitch, with only seven days to prepare.

    Titanic (1997)

    Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton

    This cinematic spectacle — winner of 11 Oscars — follows society girl Rose and penniless artist Jack as they fall in love just as tragedy strikes. Rereleased for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, the stirring romance remains timeless.

    Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

    Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Gerry Bednob, Edward Janda, Nicholas Lombardi, Chris Milan

    When platonic pals Zack and Miri find themselves in financial hot water, they make an adult film with amateur actors — including themselves — to bring in easy money. But their unspoken feelings for each other might threaten the whole enterprise.

    Zodiac (2007)

    Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Elias Koteas, Donal Logue, John Carroll Lynch, Dermot Mulroney, Chloë Sevigny

    Based on events in the 1960s and ’70s, this chilling drama recounts the actions of a killer who stalked the streets of San Francisco and left clues in the newspaper, relating the mystery through a cartoonist who became obsessed with the case.

    Finally, I just want to make sure you’ve seen the cover art for Munchie:

    Munchie on Netflix

    Not to be confused with Munchies, which pre-dated it by five years:

    Munchies

    Here, you can see some other recently added titles.

    Image: Titanic (20th Century Fox/Paramount Pictures)

  • Amazon Options Movie About Comet The Non-Red-Nosed Reindeer

    Amazon Studios, Amazon’s original content production arm, announced today that it has optioned a film project called Comet, a movie about one of Santa’s reindeer not named Rudolph.

    Yes, it’s been done before. Kind of:

    But that doesn’t mean it won’t be a very different story. Besides, Prancer came out in 1989.

    Comet is described as “the underdog story of a small but determined reindeer who will face seemingly insurmountable odds to save his family’s home and join Santa’s elite sleigh team.”

    Different enough.

    Under “creative notes” on the project page, it says, “Capitalizes on a movie-going trend of ‘origin stories’ by creating one for a universally known Christmas character in a family-friendly yet sophisticated way. Script utilizes common traits from successful ‘hero’s journey’-type mythologies as well as the beats/formatting that Hollywood studios look for. ‘Comet’ has the necessary components and potential to be the next great animated franchise.”

    Earlier this week, Amazon Studios put out a couple elevator pitches for other movie projects it has in the works.

  • Amazon Shares Elevator Pitches For Original Movie Projects ‘Orange Curtain’ And ‘Her F’ing Sisters’

    Amazon Studios, Amazon’s original video content creation arm, has released a couple of “elevator pitch” videos for projects it has on its movie development slate.

    The first one is for a movie called Orange Curtain, which takes place in ’92 during the Rodney King beating trial, and is about a “deal gone wrong” that leads to some guys on the run from the police and from gangsters. Here’s the pitch:

    Amazon also has some storyboards in place for the film. Here are a few of them:

    Orange Curtain

    Orange Curtain

    Orange Curtain

    Orange Curtain

    You can see the rest here.

    The second project is a romantic comedy called ‘Her F’ing Sisters,’ which tells the story of a guy named Ryan and the “things (and people) standing between him and the girl of his dreams.”

    Here’s the pitch for that one:

    And a few of the storyboards:

    Her F'ing Sisters

    Her F'ing Sisters

    Her F'ing Sisters

    F'ing Sisters

    These are just two of many of the films on Amazon Studios’ development slate, and I expect we’ll be seeing more of these elevator pitch videos in the near term. Other projects have titles like: The Alchemist Agenda, I Think My Facebook Friend is Dead, ZvG: Zombies Vs Gladiators, For Sale By Superhero, Touching Blue, Burma Rising, Dreamcatchers, Ashes to Ashes, 12 Princesses, Hiber, Children of Others, Original Soldiers, It Came in the Mail, Soldier Boys, The 70-Year Itch, Origin Of A Species, Gideon’s Law, WizardsQuest: The Princess Queen, Seed, Animal Heads, The Detourist, Blackburn Burrow, Romeo, Juliet & Rosaline, and Leon.

    You can learn more about each of these projects here.

  • Batman Superman Movie Slated for 2015

    Rev up your best fan squeals and start your fan fictions now, because things are getting ready to heat up in the DC cinematic universe; news broke this morning at San Diego Comic Con that the “Man of Steel” sequel will feature none other than the Dark Knight himself. Director Zack Snyder made a surprise guest appearance at the convention today, and announced to thousands of eager, screaming, over-joyed fans that the super duo would be crossing paths on screen in the next movie.

    Snyder said that the film is still being written. While the news was introduced with an excerpt from the famous “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises” comic of Frank Miller fame, the director has said that the “Man of Steel” sequel will not be a continuation of the comic. Henry Cavill will be returning as Superman, but Christian Bale has stated that he will not be re-appearing as Batman. This leaves open many possibilities for the future of not just the “Man of Steel” saga, but the Batman franchise and films, as well.

    “The Dark Knight” trilogy fans need not fret too much, however; Snyder is working on the script with David S. Goyer, the man who co-wrote Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy of blockbuster fame. Christopher Nolan himself will also be appearing as a producer for this Batman-Superman movie. Nolan had this to say about Snyder and the film at the news release; “Whilst our ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy is complete, we have every confidence that Zack’s fresh interpretation will take the character in a new and exciting direction… His vision for Superman opened the door to a whole new universe, and we can’t wait to see what Zack does with these characters.”

    Fans of both series are no doubt just as excited to see their heroes working in tandem on the big screen, as well. It will be interesting to see how Snyder and Goyer choose to bring the two together, as well as how they will interact with one another. Fans are certainly on pins and needles, and it seems they will remain that way for a while; the film is slated for 2015, according to today’s news release.

  • Andrew Garfield Vouches For Bisexual Spiderman

    With Pride month, the overturn of DOMA and Prop 8, and strides towards possible legislation that would provide protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender, the nation has been in a whirlwind of progress for LQBTQAI+ individuals and their rights. And now, it seems like Hollywood might be close behind in supporting the equality cause; at least, if Andrew Garfield has anything to say about it.

    Andrew Garfield, the actor who portrays Spiderman’s current on-screen incarnation, is not shy about his support for equality; he came out publicly about his support in April of this year, according to his Wikipedia page. When expressing his thoughts about his role in the 2006 play Beautiful Thing, which centers around a gay teenage boy named Jamie, Garfield proclaimed, “There is no argument against equality. How can anyone argue against compassion and understanding?”

    In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Garfield claimed that, during a conversation with The Amazing Spiderman‘s producer Matt Tolmach, the subject of Peter Parker’s sexuality was broached. When talking about Mary Jane Watson (Parker’s love interest), Garfield said, “What if MJ is a dude? Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It’s hardly even groundbreaking! … So why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be into boys?”

    The likelihood of Garfield’s idea ever reaching the big screen is unlikely, though the future is murky. The LGBTQAI+ community has been teased with possibilities of queer-identifying heroes before, but with few promises kept, especially when it comes to popular blockbusters, like Spiderman. The idea of a bisexual Spiderman isn’t completely out of the question, however; Batwoman and Green Lantern have both seen queer-identifying incarnations. The fact that Garfield is so public with his support and ideas, however, is enough for many people in the LGBTQAI+ community; it sparks a conversation that could lead to bigger changes in the future.

    This writer, personally, is incredibly supportive of a bisexual Spiderman. Tackling bi (and pan) erasure while bolstering LGBTQAI+ representation in media, especially popular media, would be a huge step in achieving equality and justice for every individual who prides themselves on being a member of the queer community.

  • Sharknado: The B Movie That Conquered Twitter

    Few things in this world are as fantastic and all-around fun as a campy, so-bad-it’s-good B movie. From the crowds that flock to see “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in droves or those who swear by the ever infamous masterpiece, “The Room,” one would be hard pressed to not find at least one person on their friend list who dabbles in the tacky delights that are B movies. This insatiable love for B movies took over Twitter yesterday with the looming debut of the ScyFy channel original film, “Sharknado.”

    Scyfy channel is not a stranger to B movies; other titles that have ran on the channel include “Sharktopus,” “Mega Shark,” “Mansquito,” and “Mongolian Death Worm.” What stands out about “Sharknado” and separates it from the herd, however, if the way it managed to completely conquer Twitter. The tag began to trend yesterday, and blew up Twitter feeds (and a few other social media sites) across the web. Even celebrities and political officials joined in on the fun, including Los Angeles’ mayor.

    This writer gathered with a group of friends yesterday for a viewing party and is confident in saying that the film did not fail to achieve everything the hype brought hope for. Though the ScyFy channel’s viewer ratings did not increase significantly, there was enough interest generated for ScyFy to announce that they would be scheduling an encore presentation for Thursday. Though, admist all this joy and hype, we all mustn’t forget to remember that the sharks are the true victims in this film, revealing a deeper meaning, according to writer Thunder Levin, in this wonderful interview (that you should definitely go read, right now, in fact).

    “What does it say about humans that when poor displaced sharks are ravaged by nature’s uncaring fury we try to kill them with chainsaws? I think we need to take a good long look in the mirror over that one.” [sic]

    So true, Thunder. So true.

  • The Lone Ranger Reviews Rip The Film A New One

    The Lone Ranger Reviews Rip The Film A New One

    Disney’s modern-day re-imagining of the classic radio-serial-turned-television-show “The Lone Ranger” is facing a gratuitous amount of harsh feedback from critics. The film, which released in theaters on June 22, is facing criticism for being too long, riddled with incomplete and unnecessary sub-plots, and for straying too far from the original source material. The film has a mere 26% rating on rottentomatoes.com, and other sources have not been much kinder in their judgments.

    Moria McDonald of The Seattle Times regards the movie as “off balance” and incomplete, stating that “Hammer is charming but bland, and Depp, hidden behind a mask of makeup, mostly gives Tonto a deadpan dignity; their often rote interactions don’t justify the film’s two-and-a-half-hour running time.” Peter Debruge of Variety seems to be in agreement, saying, “No longer simply the sidekick, Tonto gets top billing in Disney’s extravagant but exhausting reboot, whose vaguely revisionist origin story partners a heavily face-painted Johnny Depp with the blandly handsome Armie Hammer.”

    It seems that even the two leading men, full of potential, experience, and a relatively abundant fan base were unable to save a film where “There are so many bad decisions on display… that I feel… it’s a film worth studying, if only to see clearly how not to bring a beloved character back to the big screen,” as Drew McWeeny of HitFix none-to-gently phrases it.

    Overall, the film is a complete flop with critics who are certainly eager to tear it to shreds. One can only hope that Disney might take to the lesson from this film and learn to properly re-imagine classic, beloved characters and stories without completely destroying them in an attempt to milk them for all they are worth. Might this writer suggest that, next time, they start with not casting a white guy for the role of an American Indian?

  • Sophia Loren Returns To Cinema To Star In Son’s Film

    Sophia Loren hasn’t starred in a full-feature film in almost a decade. She’s now coming back to film thanks in part to her son.

    The Hollywood Reporter reports that Loren will be returning to star in La Voce Umana, or The Human Voice. The film is directed by Loren’s son – Edoardo Ponti. It’s based on a one-person play written by French poet Jean Cocteau in 1930.

    For those just joining us, Loren is widely recognized as the most famous actress to ever come out of Italy. She got her first big break in 1953 in Aida, but she had been starring in films as early as 1950. Since then, she has starred in over 80 films across genres including romances, dramas and comedies. In fact, her last major starring role was in 2004’s Peperoni Ripieni e Pesci in Faccia. Beyond starring roles, she also starred in the 2010 made-for-TV movie La Mia Casa e’ Piena di Specchi.

    Of course, it should also be noted that this isn’t the first time Loren has worked with her son either. In 2002, she starred in Cuori Estrani, a drama with a title translates to Between Strangers. Here’s the trailer for that film:

    Here’s hoping Loren’s return to film will see her starring in a few more roles before she permanently retires from the medium that she brought so much to.

    There’s no date for when La Voce Umana will be released, but it’s safe to say that we’re at least a year out from its release.

    [Image: Immortal Truth/Wikimedia Commons]

  • ‘Terms And Conditions May Apply’ Gets New Trailer (Featuring Classic Mark Zuckerberg)

    ‘Terms And Conditions May Apply’ Gets New Trailer (Featuring Classic Mark Zuckerberg)

    There’s a new trailer out for the documentary, “Terms and Conditions May Apply”. The film, which focuses on major Internet companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter, and the user privacy associated with them, premiered at Sundance earlier this year.

    The movie was made by Cullen Hoback, who made Monster Camp, and FrICTION.

    Obviously user privacy is a pretty big issue right now in light of recent events. This should only help the film’s release.

  • Movie Theaters Want to Cut Lengthy, Spoiler-Filled Trailers

    Despite the fact that I’ve seen every movie trailer online way before I see them inside the movie theater nowadays – I still kind of like watching trailers at the cinema. Maybe it’s nostalgia – it’s always been like that. The lights go dark, you watch a few trailers, and finally your movie comes on. That’s the experience.

    But there’s a problem. Are movie trailers too long and thus too revealing? It’s not uncommon to spend 20 minutes watching previews during the average theatergoing experience. And by the end of that 20 minutes, I usually have a pretty good idea about the entire plot of at least 4 or 5 movies that are set to come out in the near future.

    Spoilers. Spoilers. Spoilers.

    Apparently, theater owners aren’t too happy about this part of the moviegoing experience. They think that trailers are too long and too revealing, and they are looking to change that.

    The Hollywood Reporter says that the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) are making a push to cap trailers at 2 minutes – 30 seconds shorter than the current norm. Hollywood studios, as you might imagine, aren’t too happy about this.

    THR’s sources says that studios execs are a little sour about NATO’s proposals, which are being pushed by its executive board.

    “My trailers are 2.5 minutes because that’s what we need to send the right message. This could be a paradigm shift. Thirty seconds is a long time,” one anonymous studio exec told THR.

    Although the idea is barely in its nascent stage, studios are concerned that the voluntary guidelines proposed by NATO could lead to theaters strong-arming longer trailers out of rotation.

    What do you think? While you think, enjoy my favorite spolier-filled trailer. Want to watch the movie The Island in 2 minuteas and 20 seconds – I mean, the entire thin? Well, thankfully you can.

  • Banderas To Play ‘Super Mario’ In Upcoming Film

    Antonio Banderas will portray “Super Mario” in an upcoming film. No, it’s not a Super Mario Bros. reboot, but a film about the 33 Chilean miners who became trapped for over two months back in 2010.

    Mario Sepúlveda (aka “Super Mario”) is considered the public face of the 33 men. That is, according to 33miners.com, a blog chronicling the activities of the men after being rescued.

    The film is called “The 33,” and is expected to be released in 2014. It’s being directed by Patricia Riggen, whose previous work includes: Girl in Progress, Lemonade Mouth, Revolución (segment “Lindo y querido”), Under the Same Moon, Family Portrait (documentary short) and The Cornfield (short).

    The film’s description (IMDB) is simply: “Thirty-three miners are trapped in a collapsed mine shaft for more than two months.”

    The 33 is written by Mikko Alanne and Jose Rivera. Alanne’s writing credits include 5 Days of War, History Undercover: Terror Strikes Moscow, Voice of Dissent (documentary short), Breaking Dawn (short) and Sleep, the Monster Whispered (documentary short). Rivera’s include On the Road, Letters to Juliet, The Winged Man (short), The Tape Recorder (short), Trade, The Motorcycle Diaries, and The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story, to name a few. He also did an episode of Family Matters.

    Leopoldo Enriquez and Carlos Eugenio Lavin are serving as executive producers and Edward McGum and Mike Medavoy are producers. Carla Hool is responsible for casting.

    The addition of Banderas as Super Mario was announced at the Cannes Film Festival.

  • Scarface Actor Who Died Was Also The Anchor In Robocop [Video]

    Mario Machado, a broadcast news reporter, who also played the part of a reporter in Scarface, Robocop, Rocky III, and Brian’s song, died on Saturday at a convalescent facility in West Hills, Los Angeles.

    Machado was an eight-time Emmy award winner, and in 1970, became the first Chinese-American on-air TV news reporter and anchor in LA, an possibly in the U.S.

    He was so good at his job that the movie industry couldn’t get enough of using him as a reporter. He appeared in all three Robocop films as anchor Casey Wong. Here’s a compilation of Robocop news reports:

    Machado was seventy-eight years old. According to a statement from his daughter, he died from complications of pneumonia, and had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

    He was born in Shanghai in 1935, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1956. He became a U.S. citizen in 1965.

    He got is start in the reporting business at local Los Angeles news stations like KCBS and KNXT. He also hosted medical investigation show Medix.

    In addition to his Emmy awards, he won the Howard Blakeslee Award, San Francisco’s Interceptor Award, and was even named honorary mayor of Granada Hills for eight years. He was also named LA Commissioner of Cultural Affairs. In 1983, Mayor Benjamin Norton proclaimed December 4, Mario Machado Day.

  • Pulitzer Prize Winner Dissects ‘The Searchers’ For Google

    Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Frankel recently gave an “At Google” talk discussing the film, “The Searchers”.

    “Glenn Frankel, beginning in Hollywood and then returning to the origins of the story, creates a rich and nuanced anatomy of a timeless film and a quintessentially American myth,” Google explains. “The dominant story that has emerged departs dramatically from documented history: it is of the inevitable triumph of white civilization, underpinned by anxiety about the sullying of white women by “savages.” What makes John Ford’s film so powerful, and so important, Frankel argues, is that it both upholds that myth and undermines it, baring the ambiguities surrounding race, sexuality, and violence in the settling of the West and the making of America.”

    More recent At Google talks here.