Well, it took longer than necessary, but MGM and New Line appear to have arrived at the inevitable conclusion that Peter Jackson needs to direct “The Hobbit” if this film is ever going to happen.
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Zack Snyder will get Superman back in flight
Comic geek and master of stylistic action Zack Snyder has been named by producers Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas as the next director of the Superman franchise. Snyder (“300,” “Watchmen”) will begin work on the film as soon as he wraps post-production on “Sucker Punch,” which comes out in March.
“Social Network” pokes the box office
Facebook might be worth $25 billion, but Sony/Columbia will gladly take the $22.4 million hall for their critically acclaimed drama. The film was the only newcomer this week to place in the top five and did so handily. The surprise was that “Let Me In,” the hyped American remake of the acclaimed Swedish film, finished [...]
Archive Review: The Great Escape (1963)
As far as war films go, “The Great Escape” doesn’t rank in the most dramatic or the most eye-opening. It doesn’t even make the list of World War II epics with the most compelling characters. It’s a movie with that intangible “it” factor that only comes from an impressive story. Films such as this one [...]
Review: The Social Network
You’d be hard-pressed to think of a film concept more socially relevant and relatable to 500 million people than a movie about the origins of Facebook. “The Social Network,” however is not some insouciant attempt to capitalize on the world’s most popular social networking site for revenue purposes. It is a loaded drama that unlike [...]
Weekend Preview (10.1.10)
October is upon us, which means horror movies are in full swing. Ugh, and I have to actually worry about whether I’m going to end up needing some form of Halloween costume at some point … Anyway, we start with two horror entries, the long-delayed “Case 39″ and the buzzed-about remake of the Swedish horror film [...]
10 Movie Ideas Based on Popular Technology
There have always been socially relevant films, but until the release of “The Social Network” on Friday, none will have used widespread media/technology as the selling point for their film. Sony/Columbia Pictures, when they greenlit the project, essentially banked on the popularity of Facebook as their means of getting folks in theaters. This weekend, we’ll [...]
Tony Curtis (1925-2010)
Longtime film and television actor Tony Curtis (“Some Like It Hot,” “Spartacus”), father of actress Jamie Lee Curtis, passed away from a heart attack in his Las Vegas home yesterday. He was 85.
Trailer Wednesday: True Grit, The King’s Speech
Can you feel that? Oscar season is getting closer … this Trailer Wednesday features the Coen brothers’ yearly entry, this time a more mainstream film in a remake of the 1969 Western “True Grit.” Then there’s the little period drama that could, “The King’s Speech,” which made waves of Oscar buzz at the Toronto International [...]
Big gains for “Wall Street”
Money never sleeps, but owls do, only it’s during the day. What I mean by that is, Zack Snyder’s animated film “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” finished modestly (to be nice) and the sequel to “Wall Street” took first at the box office this weekend.
Archive Review: Jesus Camp (2006)
With a subject as delicate, personal and even as controversial as religion, the wisest choice “Jesus Camp” filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady make is to keep their voice and presence out of the film and let their subjects tell the story. Documentaries are always better with some kind of guiding force and a hint [...]
Weekend Preview (9.24.10)
After last week’s foursome boosted the box office by a third, another quad enters the fold, once again playing to a diverse crowd. The biggest animated film of the early portion of fall comes out and it’s directed by Zack Snyder. Then there’s a sequel 23 years in the making, a multi-generational all-girls affair and [...]
Trailer Wednesday: The Fighter, The Tourist, The Dilemma
A trio of “The ____” titles doesn’t scream originality, but these Holiday/Winter releases ought to make some waves come wintertime anyway. We start with an awards season boxing drama, which is always worth a look. Mark Wahlberg stars in the true story of “Irish” Mickey Ward for director David O. Russell (“I Heart Huckabees”). Then [...]
Box office goes to “Town”
Four films went at it this weekend and much to the box office’s benefit. Business was up about 32 percent as the Ben Affleck-directed “The Town” took top honors as one of those rare super-successful crime dramas. Of the other new entries, “Easy A” gave Emma Stone some serious pull in future film contract negotiations [...]
Review: The Town
Ben Affleck’s second feature film as a director — if nothing else — proves he’s no fluke. In all the ways his sincere and revealing debut “Gone Baby Gone” succeeds, so does “The Town.” Both are Boston-based crime dramas that are both touchingly dramatic at times yet gripping at others. More impressive with his work [...]
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