Day: May 27, 2008

Categories
News

Herzog and Lynch to collaborate

NOTE: I know Edward usually posts the news, but this jumped out at me and I really dig these two guys.

Herzog and Lynch

CANNES — Werner Herzog and David Lynch are teaming for “My Son, My Son,” a horror-tinged murder drama based on a true story.

Herzog and his longtime assistant director Herbert Golder co-wrote “Son,” loosely based on the true story of a San Diego man who acts out a Sophocles play in his mind and kills his mother with a sword. The low-budget feature will flash back and forth from the murder scene to the disturbed man’s story. A guerrilla-style digital video shoot on Coronado Island is tentatively set for March.

In a separate development, Lynch’s Absurda production company has attached Asia Argento and Udo Kier to star with Nick Nolte in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s metaphysical gangster movie “King Shot.”

Marilyn Manson is touted to appear as a prophet in the “Sin City”-style film, which producer Eric Bassett said has enough sex and violence to guarantee an NC-17 rating.

Lynch is executive producing both projects, and Absurda is repping their sales rights in the Cannes market.

“Son” is produced by Eric Bassett, who also is producing “King” with his Absurda colleague Norm Hill and Clavis Films’ Simon Shandor.

Herzog, repped by Gersh, is having a busy 2008. He was set to film “Son” in the summer but postponed it to direct Nicolas Cage in a remake of Abel Ferrara’s “Bad Lieutenant” starting in July. In the fall, he will shoot the Victorian-era drama “The Piano Tuner” for Focus Features.

SOURCE: Hollywood Reporter

Categories
Text Reviews Theatrical Review

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones. The name alone brings up images of whip-swinging, leather hats, and religious artifacts. 30s pulp at its peak. The newest film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (what a mouthful), is set twenty years into the future, in the late 1950s. The change is rocky, and doesn’t succeed in my opinion.

I saw this film with my roommate at a midnight showing. I’m a fan of the previous Indy films, and came into this one with moderate expectations. I’d seen the trailer once before Iron Man and enjoyed it, but had done no other digging about the film. The theater was packed, and I was cracking jokes to my roommate through the whole movie, making several “Legends of the Hidden Temple” references, and after the plot exploded, expressing my dismay.

The shift from the 30s to the 50s is most noticable in the change in Indy himself. He’s older and stouter, and several scenes make a joke at his expense, notably one near the beginning of the film when Indy is swinging on his whip and misses his target. Despite this, Harrison Ford has a ton of fun with the role, and you can tell. Also, the enemy has changed. In the previous films, Indy took on German Nazis. Two decades later, the Reds take the spotlight, led by KGB operative Dr. Irina Spalko. Played well by Cate Blanchett, Dr. Spalko is a specialist at getting information out of people, and she plays the dominatrix-esque doctor well. Overall, I was impressed with the performances of the actors, save Mutt’s mother. She annoyed the crap out of me.

The plot (which is impossible to delve into much without spoiling the experience for the viewer) is perfect for a 50s pulp movie, but it didn’t work at all for me. At the point where it’s revealed (about an hour in), I completely lost interest in the story and did my best to block it out. It just didn’t fit my vision of what an Indiana Jones film should be. I know it was Lucas’s idea, which makes it worse. It’s a growing trend in Spielberg’s films now, as well. It’s getting tired.

Speaking of George Lucas, the special effects are great. ILM really pulled out the stops for this flick. However, it’s a problem here. Green screens are used to excess, and the CGI doesn’t fit the aesthetic of the older Indy flicks. The action sequences and the places where Indy is being Indy are awesome, and Mutt has his fair share of bad ass moments as well. Despite this, several scenes take this to a ridiculous extent, especially one involving Mutt and some spider monkeys, and another featuring a series of waterfalls. I don’t have a problem suspending my disbelief during a film, especially one as over-the-top as Indiana Jones, but this was ridiculous.

The biggest problem I have with the movie is the ending. There was absolutely no payoff once the McGuffin is taken to the place of power, no great moral choice that has to be made. Add that to my other problems with the plot, and that makes this movie a waste of my money and my time, despite the coolness of the scenes featuring Indy and Mutt together, and the fight sequences.

It’s hard for me to recommend this film to anyone, because of my extreme distaste towards the plot and gratuitous use of special effects, but all the action (save a couple of ridiculous scenes) is great. If you can just put on a tinfoil helmet that blocks out the subpar plot as well as Mutt’s mother (who will remain unnamed (but still annoying) in the review), you will really like this movie. Otherwise, go see Iron Man again.

Categories
News

Del Toro Wins At Cannes

Cannes 2008 is done and Urban Cinefile reports that Benicio Del Toro took the best actor prize for Steven Soderbergh’s Che. ABC News quotes the 41 year old Del Toro “I’d like to dedicate this to the man himself – Che Guevara,” going on to say “I wouldn’t be here without Che Guevera.” “Through all the awards the movie gets, you’ll have to pay your respects to the man.” At 4 hours long Che was slammed by several critics for it’s length and for failing to focus on the more controversial aspects of the Cuban Revolution.

The Palme d’Or went to the French The Class, the first time since 1987 that a French film has won the Palme d’Or. The films director Laurnet Cantet had this to say about the movie “The film we wanted to make was supposed to look like French society: multi-faceted, lively, and complex, with conflicts that the film was not going to try to gloss over. I hope that’s what the film looks like, and that we didn’t get it wrong. Thank you very much!”

Clint Eastwood (Changeling) and Catherine Deneuve (A Christmas Tale) both won special achievement awards. The Grand Prix winner was Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah. The Jury Prize went to Paolo Sorrentino for Il Divo and the Director’s prize went to Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Three Monkeys.

Sources:

Urban Cinefile

ABC News

Categories
News

Updated Memorial Day Weekend Box Office

The updated Memorial Day Box Office numbers are in and here’s where the industry stands:

#1 Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull pulled in $126 million for the weekend, $151 million since it’s Thursday midnight opening. Crystal Skull showed in 4260 theaters. It’s production budget was roughly $185 million.

#2 The Chonicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian still in a distant second place earning $28,642,000 million in it’s second weekend, thats down roughly 48% from last weekend. Narnia showed in 3929 theaters and has so far grossed $96,687,000. It’s production budget was roughly $200 million.

#3 Iron Man still in the #3 position taking in $25,650,000, down 19% from last weekend. Iron Man showed in 3915 theaters, this is down 239. Total gross sits at $257,817,000 for 4 weeks. Production budget was $140 million.

Rounding out the top ten are:

#4 What Happens In Vegas Weekend Gross: $11,150,000 down 19% / Theaters: 3188, down 67 / Gross: $56,396,000 / Budget: $35 million

#5 Speed Racer Weekend Gross: $5,205,000 down 35% / Theaters: 3112, down 494 / Gross: $37,418,000/ Budget: $120 million

#6 Baby Mama Weekend Gross: $4,208,000 down 10% / Theaters: 2158, down 345 / Gross: $53,016,000 / Budget: $30 million

#7 Made Of Honor Weekend Gross: $4,200,000 down 10% / Theaters: 2393, down 423 / Gross: $39,861,000 / Budget: $40 million

#8 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Weekend Gross: $2,199,000 down 21% / Theaters: 1078, down 523 / Gross: $58,728,000 / Budget: $30 million

#9 Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay Weekend Gross: $1,200,000 down 39% / Theaters: 750, down 653 / Gross: $36,193,000 / Budget: $12 million

#10 The Visitor Weekend Gross: $917,000 up 36% / Theaters: 270, up 46 / Gross: $4,568,000 / Budget: unknown

A note on “Gross”: On average, studios will earn approximately 55 percent of the final gross.

 

Sources:

Box Office Mojo

IMDB Charts