Video of the Week: Thundercats Live Action Movie

I know I haven't spent a lot of time on here lately, but I thought this was so neat that I had to blog about it. Now, before you get too excited, this is not a real trailer for a real movie. It is a fan made trailer that was cut together from movies starring Brad Pitt, Vin Diesel, Hugh Jackman, and others, and has some added CGI. Anyone who remembers Thundercats will think this is a pretty cool, not just for its nostalgia, but for its fidelity to the original cartoon. Here it is:



What did you think? Leave a comment.

It has Arrived!

A little while back I announced that Netflix had finally come to its senses and would be offering the Watch Instantly feature to its Mac-using members. That day has finally come. I streamed my first movie the other night: THX 1138. The quality was pretty good. It wasn't 100% DVD quality, but it was darn close. Even in full screen mode the picture was suprisingly good—much like the Fox or ABC's online episode player. (It is sad that most of the shows I watch online are on NBC, whose video player is lower quality. In full-screen mode the picture is severely blurry.) To watch the movies on my computer, I had to download a bit of software first (Microsoft's Siverlight), but it didn't take much time and it was easy to install.

I did have a bit of a problem though because unlike some other online players, the full-screen mode did not disable my screen saver. As a result, I had to remember to touch the mouse pad every once-in-awhile. If the screen saver kicked on, I would be returned to the smaller web viewer. Also, if I exited full screen mode, when I tried to go back the picture would freeze. But going back and forth a couple of times, usually fixed the problem.

All-in-all it seems like there may be a few bugs that need to be worked out, but overall it was great. I really feel like I'm getting the most out of my Netflix membership now. In fact, I now have more movies in my Watch Instantly queue than in my DVD rental queue. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," here I come.

Are you a Mac user and a Netflix member? Tell me how your experience has been.

Video of the Week: New Star Trek Trailer

So, I know it seems like all I do now is post videos. But, honestly, there hasn't been a whole lot of exciting movie news lately. Except this: Apparently a trailer for the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie was attached to Quantum of Solace this past weekend.

Before I actually saw the trailer, I read some discussion boards from those who had seen the trailer in the theater, over the weekend, and WOW. Of course I knew that a franchise this popular and beloved would not be receive well by the die hard Trekkies because they have set the original series right up next to the bible and they take themselves waaaaaay too seriously. But I was surprised by the amount of HATE generated by a two-minute trailer.

On the other hand, many of the self-confessed moderate-Trekkies and most of the non-Trekkies thought the trailer looked awesome. After all, both Kevin Smith and Edgar Wright have already seen the movie and give it high praise.

As for me, I am cautiously optimistic, and I think the trailer shows some promise of an entertaining movie, whether or not you know anything about Trek. But I am surprised that people could get so worked-up and analyze a clip that basically gives no hint of a storyline and almost no dialogue. One post I saw actually analyzed the "realistic" beaming effect, and one guy condemned the whole trailer based on Simon Pegg's single line. When you see the trailer (follow the link, sorry I can't actually embed it here), whether you think it is awesome or rotten, you'll probably be scratching your head and saying to all the fanboys out there: "Get a life!"

Watch the trailer here.

What do you think about the new Star Trek? Let me know, I'm interested to hear your feedback.

Video of the Week: The Haunting in Connceticut

Sorry about the lack of post lately, I've been in Arizona and haven't had much time to comment on the latest movie news, let alone blog about it. Anyway, maybe this will get your spirits up.

Most scary movie trailers are fairly cheesy, or maybe intriguing, but usually I just look at them and say, "we'll see" because usually the trailers are filled with images that are supposed to be scary, but are not simply because of the nature of a trailer--a short commercial for a movie. The fact is, it's really hard to scare somebody in a 30sec ad. Real terror takes time to build up. But the trailer I have posted below actually kind of creeped me out, so I thought I would share it with the rest of you and see what you think.

I'm also interested in this movie because I know about the events that it is based on. It looks like they changed a few details and exaggerated it, but that is the nature of movies. Anyway, watch it and tell me what you think.

Howard Not Cheadle: The Petition

The blogs and entertainment websites have been a-buzz with the recent news that Don Cheadle will replace Terrance Howard as Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes in Iron Man 2. Initially, the reason given was a dispute over Howard's paycheck for the next Iron Man, but in a recent interview with Scott Simon of NPR, Howard said that there was no dispute. In fact, he says he learned about the switch just like the rest of us, through the media. In the interview, he seemed offended and remarked that Hollywood contracts aren't worth the paper they are printed on, insinuating that Marvel has broken a contract with Howard. So, why is Cheadle going to be Rhodes in Iron Man 2, and not Howard (who did a wonderful job)? We may never know, but there are some very devoted fans out there who want to do something about it.

The website howardnotcheadle.com is devoted to a petition to let Marvel studios know that fans want Howard to be in Iron Man 2, not Cheadle.

Now, personally, I have nothing against Don Cheadle. In fact, he's probably one of my favorite actors, and I think he could do just as good a job as Howard did in Iron Man, but that is not the point. There is no need to replace Howard and doing so only disrupts the continuity of the story and characters. But in the end, a petition like this will have virtually no effect on the studio. Remember, studios don't listen to movie-goers, they only listen to movie-goer's money.

So, you can go the website and sign the petition, or you can speak with your money by boycotting Iron Man 2 and all other Marvel Studio releases in theaters and on DVD. But, who are we kidding? We'll see it anyway. And that is precisely why studios don't listen.

What do you think of the Howard/Cheadle switch? Sound off in the comments section.

Netflix Has Finally Come to Its Senses

I just recently joined Netflix. And I know what you're thinking: "The 'one guy' at One Guy's Movie Blog did have a Netflix account?" Yes, I am ashamed to admit that I have been missing out of the beauty of mail-dvd-rental goodness. But I have repented and turned my heart toward unlimited rentals and streaming movies. And that last part (the streaming movies) is the part I want to talk about. As some of you may know, I am a Mac user, and Netflix's streaming movies feature will not work on my Mac, which has been a major issue with Mac users as you can imagine. But Netflix just announced that it has finally found a platform that will allow Mac users to benefit from the "watch now" feature they are currently paying for but have not been able to use until now. Apparently, the video format runs on Silverlight, which can be downloaded for Mac or PC for free. Currently, the service has only been opened up to a handful of testers, but should roll out for everyone by the end of the year. Yipee! Hooray! Mozoltov!

Video of the Week: If Hollywood Directors Made Campaign Ads

Since the election is just a little over a week away, and McCain is down in the polls, I thought I'd post something relevant. What if John McCain hired Hollywood directors to make some new election ads for him? They might look something like this.

V ideo of the Week: Sleepless in Seattle, the Horror Movie

I've post videos in the past, and I've received lots of feedback on them, so I thought it might be fun to do it on a regular basis. Starting today, I'm going to try and post a Video of the Week every Monday.

This week's offering is a recut trailer for the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Much like the Shining recut trailer I posted a little while ago, this trailer gives a different spin on the classic romantic comedy.



Tell me what you think. Leave a comment below.

Gosling Rumored to Wear the Green Lantern Ring of Power

If you’ve been a faithful visitor to One Guy’s Movie Blog, you will have picked up on the fact that I’m a big Green Lantern fan and was thrilled when I heard that the script for the Green Lantern movie was in it’s final stages. Some guys over at Latino Review even got a copy and they were very public in their praise of the story and the characters and, basically, the whole thing.

So, some more exciting news comes our way this week as we found out that Ryan Gosling is up for the role of Hal Jordan. Now, there are some naysayers in the movie blogosphere who say that Gosling doesn’t “look” like Hal Jordan, or that he seems too soft. But I am with the majority who think Gosling would be an awesome choice. He is a great young actor who has shown a considerable range. And for those who say that Gosling can’t play the part of a cocky test pilot turned superhero, check out his movie Fracture, where he showed he could be self-assured but with a hint of humanizing self-doubt.

Since GL has been fast tracked by Warner Brothers, and aims to start shooting in early 2009, I hope they can nab Gosling before he signs on to other projects.

Can Gosling pull-off Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern? Sound off in the Comments section.

Let the Right One In: Americans Are (Apparently) Too Dumb for Subtitles

If you are into Swedish vampire films (like, who isn’t?), then you may have heard the buzz surrounding a little film called Let the Right One In, directed by Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson. In fact, early reviews for the film, which centers around the relationship between two children, one of whom is a vampire (it has been described as a coming-of-age Vampire movie), were so good that Matt Reeves (of Cloverfield fame) has been tapped to remake an American version of the film. And, get this, the remake was announced before the Swedish version even had its wide release in Sweden.

Understandably, Alfredson was a little miffed. He told Moviezine that “Remakes should be made of movies that aren’t very good, that gives you the chance to fix whatever has gone wrong, … I’m very proud of my movie and think it’s great, but the Americans might be of an other opinion. The saddest thing for me would be to see that beautiful story made into something mainstream. … I don’t like to whine, but of course – if you’d spent years on painting a picture, you’d hate to hear buzz about a copy even before your vernissage!”

It bothers me that, for some reason, studio executives don’t think that American audiences can handle subtitled (or, heaven forbid, dubbed) films. It’s not as if there is not a precedent. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a big hit, and it was up for a best picture academy award. And what about The Passion of the Christ, or Apocalypto? Both of which also made a lot of money. Even a lot of the Jackie Chan American rereleases were dubbed. (Heck, do you remember that German song “99 Red Balloons”? It was a big hit, and then they made an English language version and nobody liked it.) American audiences don’t have a problem with subtitled and foreign language films when those movies are worth seeing and they are supported by the studios.

I’m just sick of the studios thinking that American audiences are dumb, and that we don’t want to be challenged by our entertainment. Granted, some of the biggest films lately have not exactly been intellectually challenging. On the other hand, look at the success of The Dark Knight. TDK isn’t your normal brainless action movie. It’s dark and thought provoking, challenging in ways that studios don’t normally think American audiences can handle. When you look at it, it is the movies that break convention, that defy audience’s expectations that make the most impact.

Personally, I don’t have a lot of faith in Matt Reeves because I didn’t think Cloverfield was very good. But more than that, often when a foreign film is remade for American audience’s it falls flat and lacks the originality and creativity that made the original so good—I’m thinking of all the J-horror remakes that we seem to have been bombarded with since The Ring.

If Let the Right One In is an original, thought-provoking, and genre-defying movie in its original Swedish, why change it just so American actors can speak the lines in English? There is no reason other than the fact that some studio exec thinks we are all stupid, and the remake will fail as a result.

Check out the trailer for Let the Right One In here, and let me know what you think.

Are we all stupid? Can a wide American audience not handle subtitles?

The Shining: A Family Film

If you have seen The Shining, this will be hilarious. If not, you won't get this at all.

Shyamalan Contemplates Unbreakable 2

So I think we can all agree that M. Night Shyamalan’s movies have not all been as successful as The 6th Sense. And his last offering, The Happening, was pretty much dreadful. However, I still have faith in Shyamalan. I stood by him with The Village, and I defended the artistry of Lady in the Water. But my favorite Shyamalan movie is Unbreakable. I know it wasn’t a huge success at the box office, but I think it was his best script so far, and it had more emotional depth than The 6th Sense. Well, Shyamalan told MTV news last week that he might be contemplating a return to the story of the physical and ideological opposites Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) and David Dunn (Bruce Willis).

Originally, Shyamalan had planned Unbreakable as a three-part story, but once he got to writing it, he realized that the first part (the origin story) was a whole movie on its own, so he never really got to the other two parts that he was planning. He says in the MTV article that while filming Unbreakable he talked with Jackson about where his character would go in the sequel if it ever got that far. And Jackson has expressed interest in working with Shyamalan again.

I, for one, would be extremely excited to see Shyamalan return to his glory days with some of the most excellent characters he has created so far. I think he’s extremely misunderstood as a filmmaker and the studios tend to market his movies in completely the wrong way (i.e., both Lady in the Water and The Village were marketed as “horror” movies, which—as anyone who has seen them can tell you—they are not). To me Shyamalan is an art-house, inde filmmaker trapped in the body of a blockbuster director. It’s too bad he was reduced to dwindling on the gratuitous bullet wounds of victims in The Happening in order to seem more “horror.”

I’m also looking forward to Shyamalan’s next project, a live-action screen adaptation of the popular cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender. I hope, when he is working with material that is not his own, he can finally hit one out of the park and prove to audiences and the studios that he is the great director he proved he could be with The 6th Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs.

What do you think of Shyamalan’s moives? Do you want to see Unbreakable 2? Leave a comment.

Marc Guggenheim writing Green Lantern Script

Although DeNiro’s departure from the latest Mel Gibson movie caused a bit of a halabaloo in the blogosphere, I would rather talk about a lesser talked about bit of information from Marc Guggenheim who is, apparently, the writer for the upcoming Green Lantern movie. At comiccon.com you can read an interview with him and he mentions that he’s been working really hard on the Green Lantern script and that it is “an incredibly faithful rendition of the character” and that they are approaching it “from a fan's perspective.”

The Green Lantern is one of my most favorite comic book heroes ever. To me the most interesting thing about Hal Jordan and the other GLs is that their rings’ strength is based on their own willpower, which is deeply psychological: You’re only as strong as you believe yourself to be. I think there’s some really deep and interesting things to explore with Hal Jordan.

My only concern is that any GL movie will get bogged down in all the space stuff and the aliens, etc.—All the special effects stuff—instead of focusing on Hal Jordan’s inner battle with his belief in himself. In fact, the Green Lantern movie could potentially have the same psychological complexity as The Dark Knight. But we’ll see. Please Hollywood, don’t mess this one up.

Are you looking forward to a big screen adaptation of the Green Lantern, too? Leave a comment.

The Dark Knight: 1966

Just a little fun for Friday. What if The Dark Knight had been made in 1966? What would it look like? The result is pretty cool.

BATMAN: The Dark Knight 1966 Trailer (BATMAN!) from gurgledurr on Vimeo.

Batman 3: Rumors and Speculation

Probably the biggest news going on right now is speculation over the plot and cast of the next Batman movie. For the past few weeks rumors have been flying around concerning Johhn Depp or Brian Austin Green as The Riddler, Cher as Catwoman, and Verne Troyer or Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin, not to mention the pictures of Kristen Bell dressed as Harley Quinn. In fact, Michael Caine caused a raucous earlier this week when he announced that he had a conversation with a studio head who told him that Depp and Hoffman would be playing The Riddler and The Penguin respectively. All this despite the fact that Nolan has already said he has made no definite plans for the next Batman and is going to make one or two other movies before returning to the franchise.

Well, Depp responded that playing the Riddler would be a “cool gig”; Hoffman said he didn’t think he would make a very good Penguin; and I’m guessing that no one even remembers Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills 90210, anyone?). But in the end, know that any Batman casting speculation is just that, speculation. Not only is Nolan taking some time off, but he’s also said that he’d rather focus on some lesser known Batman villains in the future rather than retreading villains used in previous movies.

Personally, I’d love to see Bane on the big screen or maybe the Mad Hatter. As well, the Verntriloquist would fit in well with the mob undertones of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I’ve also read about a lesser known villain named Mr. Zsasz who is essentially a serial killer who uses knives to kill his victims and then cuts himself to mark each kill on his own body, so he’s covered with scars. That kind of darkness would fit right in with the tone of the movies so far.

What villain would you like to see go up against Bruce Wayne in the next Batman movie? Leave a comment and let me know.

Michael Cera Denies All Knowedege of a Possible Arrested Development Movie

A little while ago (a few months, that is) Jason Bateman hinted that an Arrested Development move was in the works, based on the critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged TV show of the same name (MTV). And it wasn’t just an “I’ve been talking with some people about the possibility” kind of a thing, but a “Michael Hurwitz has a story and all the actors have agreed to do it” kind of thing, like “just waiting on scheduling.” But the National Post just released an interview with Michael Cera (who played Jason Bateman’s son) for his upcoming comedy, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, where he denies any knowledge of an Arrested Development movie, and, in fact, sounds downright unenthusiastic about the possibility. He says “I don't think I would want to see a movie of the series if I was a fan, anyway, [...] and I don't really see a need for it if you can get the three seasons on DVD” (National Post).

Well, I don’t know about other fans, but I’d line up right now for an Arrested Development movie. Where is the faith, Michael Cera? I know that the show was on the verge of cancellation for its entire three season run, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some very dedicated—and rabid—fans out there wanting more. In fact, I don’t know any other type of Arrested Development fan but the rabid and obsessed. If done right, as Bateman hints to in the MTV interview mentioned above, an Arrested Development movie might bring joy to millions of fans whose loss of the Bluth family has left their daily lives dull and depressing.

Do you want to see an Arrested Development movie? Leave a comment and let me know.

Retraction: Babylon A.D.

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I wrote a post extolling the awesomeness of the Babylon A.D. trailer? Well, I want to retract any excitement I had for this movie. Right now, Babylon A.D. is has a 5% over at RottenTomatoes, not to mention the fact that the director actually released a public statement saying that the movie was really horrible, just a few days before its release. Apparently, The director, Mathieu Kassovitz, wanted to make a full-fledged R-rated action movie, but the people at Fox wanted to make it a PG-13, so they sidestepped Kassovitz and cut the movie down. Apparently, a lot of the plot fell on the cutting room floor, and Kassovitz was pretty pissed off. (Click here to read his reaction).

In sum, don’t judge a movie by its trailer.

Facebook:The Movie, and Other Product Placement Movies

Yes, read the headline again. It says what you think it says. Apparently, (as reported by multiple websites including /film and Yahoo Movies) Facebook: The Movie is coming. Not only that, but Alan Sorkin (Charlie Wilson’s War, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) is penning the script. It seems that there is nothing so popular that movie executives can’t try and make a buck off it.

Just a few months ago I heard about a deal Milton Bradley made with a major studio to develop movies based on its most popular games, like Monopoly, Life, and Boggle (seriously, Boggle? Yes, Boggle was specifically mentioned.)

Also, news comes today that Bret Ratner (Rush Hour, X-Men 3) is trying to make a Guitar Hero movie (/film). Why do people feel the need to make anything that is even remotely successful into a movie? How did the movie become the greatest measure of success in this country? You’re not important until someone has made a movie about you, your book, or your “What I Did Last Summer” essay from 5th grade.

I am at a loss. Facebook: The Movie, Guitar Hero: The Movie, Boggle: The Movie? I’m not sure I have heard of a dumber ideas since … my goodness, I’m not sure I have heard of a dumber ideas for movies.

Are you holding your breath for Sorry: The Movie? Leave a comment and let me know.

See Films Differently

This is just a quick one, but I stumbled across a great set of promo-type commercials made by VW to promote independent film. They are hilarious; a man reducing Die Hard to a movie about fashion, a woman interpreting Toy Story as an expression of adolescent sexuality, Mary Poppins is really the Exorcist with songs, and more. I've posted two of my favorites below and to the right, and posted a link to others on YouTube. If you love movies, you'll love these short videos. And if you don't love movies, you'll probably think they're stupid.

See Films Differently YouTube Channel: Here

Theaters without Movies: The Wave of the Future

A couple of news stories this week have caught my attention because of they indicate that that old media is finally giving in to new media. First off, Warner Brothers has announced that it is launching a Hulu-like site for its properties like Veronica Mars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, One Tree Hill, The OC, etc. (/film). The site will be ad-supported like many of the network sites, but it is also providing a way to search shows not only by title and season but by theme and keyword. For example, you could search for the word “Spike” within Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it will bring up all the episodes that deal with the character Spike. This new service will also provide mashable downloads that you can post on your own site (or YouTube?).

Second of all, the makers of No End in Sight (an Iraq war documentary) are releasing the Sundance award-winning film on YouTube between Sept. 1 and Nov. 4th for free. Between those dates, all you have to do is logon to YouTube and you can watch the entire documentary for free (Hollywood Reporter).

Let the Internet revolution begin! Personally, I prefer watching TV online, when I don’t have to pay attention to time slots, or if I’m going to be home on time. And, to boot, there are less commercials, so you spend less time watching Ronald McDonald and the Geico Gecko and more time with Buffy and Veronica. And if you don’t like sitting at your desk to watch, nowadays it’s super easy to hook your computer up to your TV.

Of course, there is no word as to whether WB will offer movies on its site, but the makers of No End in Sight have offered their movie up for free. Which is probably easier to do for documentary features than fiction because of lower costs, etc. But it shows a willingness on the part of moviemakers to get their work out to the people without having to filter it through multiplexes and PBS.

Taken to its extreme, eventually there might not be any need for movie theaters. Just logon to Marvel.com to watch Iron Man 4 on the day of its release. Some might say this would be sad, and I grant that the theater experience can’t really be duplicated with a TV and a couch. But drive-ins still operate, right? Old media doesn’t die; it just becomes nostalgia.

Check out my love for cheap late-night cinema at Adventures @ the Dollar Theater. Do you want to watch movie theaters go extinct? Leave a comment below.

Veronica Mars: The Movie?

I know I haven’t made a post in almost a week, but honestly, there wasn’t much news to talk about; however, I came across a tidbit that is interesting, and I’m not sure how I feel about it: Entertainment Weekly, and a handful of websites are reporting that Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas (not the guy from Matchbox 20, the producer/writer) have been in some preliminary talks about a possible Veronica Mars movie.

On the one hand, I loved the short-lived Veronica Mars. It only ran two full seasons, and the last season was kind of scattered and wasn’t tied up when the show was canceled. But it had great writing and acting, critical acclaim, and was just a joy to watch. And, honestly, I think the show should have gone on (as Rob Thomas pitched to WB execs) as Veronica Mars in the FBI, which would have been a natural continuation of her story and character. But making a movie doesn’t seem like the right move.

A TV series with Veronica in the FBI would have been great because the show would have time to develop over a season—building characters and transitioning from the previous seasons—but throwing Veronica into the FBI for a movie with no time to transition her from a college freshman would seem to alienate fans and the VM mythos. I would hate for it to turn out like other TV-shows-turned-movies like Mission: Impossible (where the entire premise of the show as basically thrown out the window to make an action movie) or the new X-Files: I Want to Believe (that, as a stand-alone storyline, doesn’t really satisfy the mythos of the original show).

I’m just trying to say that it would be hard for Thomas to reign in all the VM history and make it relevant in a new storyline that also works as a stand-alone movie. Serentiy turned out well, but Joss Whedon was only working with half a season’s worth of shows. In any case, I hope all things turn out for the best. And in the mean time I’ll be watching Kristen Bell electrocute people on Heroes.

Are you a VM fan? What do you think about a possible movie? Leave a comment below and let me know.

EW source article: Here.

Babylon A.D.: Totally Sweet Trailer

I just saw the trailer for Babylon A.D. yesterday and I was blown away. I'd heard about this movie and seen a short behind-the-scenes featurette a few months ago, but the full trailer took my breath away. I have to tell you, I'm not a big Vin Diesel fan, but this movie turns out half as good as the trailer, I might become one.

Quick synopsis: Vin Diesel is a hired to transport a mysterious girl from a futuristic, war-torn Eastern Europe to the future megalopolis of New York.

If Blade Runner and Children of Men are two of your favorite movies, you'll probably get all giddy watching this trailer like I did. Of course, there is always the chance that this movie will completely suck (there are plenty of good trailers for bad movies), but at least the trailer makes me want to go see it, which is what a good trailer should do.

I suggest going to the Apple Movie Trailers website here and clicking the Babylon A.D. poster to view the trailer. If you don't have Quicktime, you can watch here on YouTube, but it's not very high quality.

If this trailer excites you too, let me know; leave a comment below.

Let the Boycotts Begin: Disability Groups Rage Against Tropic Thunder

Yesterday, The New York Times reported that Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics, is calling for a boycott of the upcoming movie Tropic Thunder, opening this Friday. Apparently, Ben Stiller plays an actor who makes a film called “Simple Jack,” about a mentally disabled boy, in an attempt to win an Oscar and, in this context, the word “retard” is used several times. However, this is only a sub-plot—an appendage to a movie who’s main focus is to skewer the excesses of Hollywood and degrade the cult of celebrity.

Now, I am not going to say that these guys should just “cool it,” or “can’t they take a joke?” Admittedly, “retard” is offensive to the mentally handicapped community. But what most boycott groups often forget is the context within which these things are spoken. The word “retard” is not used in this movie to degrade the mentally challenged; it is used to degrade those people who use that language. There is a supreme difference between glorifying offensive language and writing a character who uses offensive language to illustrate the fact that that character is an idiot. In fact, DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan has said of the controversy that “‘Tropic Thunder' is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses and makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the-top characters in ridiculous situations. The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities”(The New York Times).

Satire is about offending people with extreme negative stereotypes in order to get people to think about the way that those stereotypes actually affect them. It makes fun of those people who are offensive, rude, and stupid, by showing them for what they really are. If anything, I would think that the writers, actors, and directors of this movie are trying to illustrate the idiocy and bigotry of those who actively use offensive language without regard to those whom it actually affects.

For heaven’s sake, Robert Downey, Jr., dons blackface to illustrate the excesses of self-absorbed actors. Do you think the character he plays is supposed to be a positive role model of cultural sensitivity? No. Because this is a satirical comedy, I would suggest that the use of offensive language and images is not aimed at degrading the subjects themselves (be they disabled or African-American), but rather aimed at mocking the peddlers and sellers of such ignorant stereotypes.

Am I wrong? Leave a comment and let me know.

A Sneek Peek at The Road

I have to tell you. I’m not usually the type to get all weak in the knees at the prospect of looking at stills of a movie in production. When I see that Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince pictures have been released on the web, I shrug my shoulders while other salivate, or do an in-depth analysis of a the new trailer (I’m looking at you RottenTomatoes). So, I would not in good conscience subject you all to my inner fanboy, but this one is special.

USA Today has posted the first look at The Road, based on the Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It stars Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, and 11 year-old Kodi Smit-McPhee.

I bring you this news simply because I am excited about it. It is a movie based on a book by my favorite author, in my favorite genre (sci-fi), and starts one of my favorite actors (Viggo Mortensen, although Charlize Theron is no slouch). A trifecta for me. Anyway, I hope you are as excited as I am (and praying that it doesn’t turn out really badly). Read the article, including some insights from Mortensen, and check out the pictures here.

What do you think about The Road? Leave a comment below.

Lock, Stock, and One Intelligent Gentleman Smoking a Pipe?

A couple of weeks ago, I heard that Robert Downey, Jr., has just been cast in a new Sherlock Holmes movie, which wasn’t much news. But today IESB is reporting that not only is Downey, Jr., playing Sherlock Holmes, but that Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) is directing and promising an “action packed” Sherlock Holmes, where Holmes is not only good at “deduction and all that stuff” but is also a skilled martial artist. He promises that the newer, updated version (presumably present day?) has all the elements of the original, Watson included.

I agree, updating the character for the 21st century might be kind of cool, but I’m not sure “action packed” and “martial arts” are exactly what Holmes is all about. And if Ritchie’s previous movies are any indication of what to expect from the Holmes update, we might see Holmes hanging out in a strip club with gangsters, beating the pulp out of a stooge, all the while spewing obscenities that would make Dick Cheney blush.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.

Source: http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5292&Itemid=99

Evil Dead 4 a Strong Possibility for Raimi

Okay, so I know I just got on the Terminator geeks about looking forward to a franchise that hasn’t had much going for it in the last few years. Now it’s my turn to geek out. (Just a little bit). Apparently, Sam Raimi, at the Drag Me Down to Hell panel at Comic Con, revealed that he’s been thinking about and planning on doing another Evil Dead movie, and expressed an interest in having Bruce Cambell reprise his role as Ash, our chainsaw-cum-steel-handed hero (he’s probably better know to the kiddies as the fussy usher from Spiderman 2 or the French waiter from Spiderman 3).

I have to admit, Army of Darkness (Evil Dead 3 for the uninitiated) came out when I was about 15 and I thought it was one of the coolest movies ever made. Granted, I watched it more recently and I realized that it was one of those movies that is gloriously bad but you love it anyway.

But let's get down to brass tacks: Army of Darkness had two endings, one for an American audience and one for a European audience, that are very different and would spawn two very different follow-ups to the Evil Dead franchise. The American version ends with Ash waking up in the present day and shooting a demon with his “boom stick” in S-Mart (“Shop smart, shop S-Mart”). The other version has Ash taking too much of the sleeping potion and waking up in a post-apocalyptic London, laughing manically. So the question is, should Ash fight demons in a modern day discount store or in a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Either way, I’m game.

Remakes and Sequels Galore!

Darren Aronofsky Confirmed for new RoboCop
This is slightly odd news considering that Aronofsky's previous films (Requiem for a Dream, Pi, and The Fountain) have not only been inde films but very deep and contemplative about subjects like death, addiction, and the meaning of life. I would imagine that a new RoboCop movie (which is rumored to be a sequel, not a remake) would be a big-budget, blow-em-up type film, very different from Aronofsky's other work. But, heck Nolan did it with Batman. Maybe Aronofsky can bring some death, addiction, and life to a new RoboCop.

Tr2n
That would be "Tron 2" for those of you who can't tell that the 2 is supposed to be an O. Yeah, I didn't get it at first either. Apparently, ComicCon attendees were completely caught off guard by a teaser trailer for an upcoming Tron sequel--with Jeff Bridges! You can read a complete description of the footage shown at ComicCon here. There have been rumors of a Tron sequel for years, but no one (at least I didn't) give it much credence. Apparently, it's happening and set for release in 2010.

The Wolfman
Yes, folks, the old Wolfman think Del T is being remade with Benicio Del Toro in the lead role. Personally, Ioro kind of looks like a wolf, so this should be perfect for him. You can visit the site for the new movie here. It doesn't offer much but a teaser, so I'll hold off on speculation until we see a trailer.

Other Bits
In other news, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Warner Bros. is looking to remake classic Twilight Zone episodes into feature length movies and Tim Burton has found his leading lady for a new Alice in Wonderland adaptaion.

I know everybody always complains that Hollywood can't come up with new ideas anymore and all they do is rehash what they've already done, and sometimes I agree. But, at the same time, sometimes the remakes, reboots, and far-off sequels actually turn out better than the originals. Who knows? Maybe there is something to be said for updating stories that touched us in the past so that they may wow us again and make us think about them in new ways.

Geeks Geek-out Over New Terminator Movie

Why is there so much excitement over the new Terminator movie, Terminator: Salvation? Sure, the first one was arguably awesome. It had a great concept, great script, and great special effects that had never been seen before. It also gave a huge career boost to the now governor of California. T2? Yeah it was great . . . when I was twelve years old. And did anyone actually see T3?

Okay, even if you still think that T2 was one of the greatest movies ever made (say, next to Lawrence of Arabia), the new movie is still being brought to you by McG (which is like Kevin Smith making a sequel to Lawrence of Arabia—it would give you pause). And if his name doesn’t make you want to take him seriously, neither will his movies. This is the man who brought us both vapid Charlie’s Angels movies, the wonderfully bad We Are Marshall, and don’t forget The Offspring Complete Music Video Collection.

I would like to give this new addition to the franchise the benefit of the doubt. I want it to succeed. I would like to see this movie legend revived much the same way Batman Begins (not to mention TDK) and Iron Man have breathed new life into superhero movies. It’s just hard to take it seriously.

Hopefully, Terminator: Salvation can give the franchise a much needed shot in the arm. Since it’s been 16 years since T2 came out, the franchise needs one heck of an adrenaline shot to get its blood pumping again.

Megan Fox Puts on Weight for Transformers 2

Multiple sources are reporting that Megan Fox was asked to gain (yes, I said gain) weight for Transformers 2 (at least 10 pounds). Naturally, there is some speculation as to why she was asked to gain weight. I have heard the theory that director Michael Bay likes bigger girls, but this seems ridiculous—even if Fox gained 10 pounds, she would still border on anorexic. Although, she did say (at people.com) that Bay “doesn’t like skinny girls,” giving this theory some credence.

Mostly, the weight gain is attributed to the fact that Fox just finished shooting the Diablo Cody penned Jennifer’s Body, where she lost some weight and—she says—she got “scrawny.” And, I suppose, in order to play a high-school-cheerleader-turned-serial-killer you might lose some weight. Doesn’t everyone know that cheerleader serial killers don’t have a lot of time to eat healthy between all the rigorous cheerleading workouts and the dismemberment?

Remember when Carrie Fisher was told to lose ten pounds before shooting Star Wars? I suppose actresses are still regularly asked to lose weight, but there are still quite a few actresses that probably need to be tied up and have Crisco forced down their throats. (I’m looking at you Olsen twins.)

TDK, BIggest Opening Day EVER!

So, if you haven’t heard the news, The Dark Knight has officially had the the biggest opening day EVER. With $66 million on Friday alone, The Dark Knight beat out the last winner Spiderman 3 ($59 million). Of course, a good chunk of that came from midnight showings (about $17 million). But not only is there good news for the big wigs at Warner Bros.; all the early reviews—and all the word of mouth I have heard—places TDK at the top of a very short list of the best reviewed movies of the year. It’s currently at 94% at RottenTomatoes.com and not likely to take a dive at this point.

To reiterate my last post: I hope $66 million on opening day makes Warner Bros. sit up and take notice, so that they will give other talented directors like Christopher Nolan the money and creative space to explore their other DC properties and turn them into both critical and financial successes.

You Can't Outrun Yourself: Studios Finally Discover That Superheroes Are More Than Cartoons

Over at slashfilm.com I just read some rather non-news about the upcoming Flash movie in development. The non-news is this: The Flash is in development. A while ago I heard this from another movie site, which also posted a tag line for the upcoming movie: “you can’t outrun yourself.” How friggin’ sweet is that?

I’m glad that superhero movies are taking a turn for the better. Finally mass audiences (and the movie industry) are cluing into something that comic book lovers have known all along: comic books are not about the flashy costumes, big explosions, and cool gadgetry; they’re about the characters. As much as I loved the Tim Burton Batman movies. The subsequent movies quickly devolved into flashy action movies with no heart and no character progression. Carey’s Riddler and Jones’ Two Face were just second-rate reincarnations of the campy Batman TV series of the 60s (not to mention Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze). Thank goodness for Christopher Nolan, who took Batman and actually made him a real person, not a caricature.

Apparently, after the success of the new Iron Man movie and the fantastic Hulk reboot, Warner Bros. is taking another look at its DC properties, namely The Flash and The Green Lantern, as well as Green Arrow and others, which may mean potential fast-tracking and better stars/directors than the lame attempt they were trying to make earlier this year with a Justice League movie, sans Superman and Batman, with a league of B, C, and D list talent. All I can say is that if the advance buzz for the The Dark Knight lives up to the hype, Warner Bros. better treat their other DC properties like the royalty.