Cinematical

'Tropic Thunder' Mockumentary Now Available on iTunes

William Goss — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Documentary, Dreamworks, Movie Marketing, War

Considering the lengths to which the Tropic Thunder gang went to sell all of their Hollywood fakery, it comes as little surprise that the mock making-of Rain of Madness does exist beyond a mere trailer (embedded above, and probably not kid-friendly) and website. However, while I'm sure it'll be included on the eventual DVD, who's really going to wait that long when it's currently available as a free iTunes exclusive?

That's right: for thirty minutes and zero dollars (yep), one can follow filmmaker Jan Jürgen (co-writer Justin Theroux, as if making Werner Herzog's Hearts of Darkness) as he chronicles the expensive chaos that went behind making the movie within the movie. Star/director/co-writer/probable caterer Ben Stiller explained in a recent press release: "We wanted to do a fake documentary about the making of the movie within the movie which is called "Tropic Thunder" -- not the actual movie "Tropic Thunder". The fake documentary focuses on the real movie's fake director, and what happens to the fake cast before they go into the real jungle. It's pretty straightforward."

Well, I know who I am. I'm the dude playing the dude currently downloading this S.O.B. Any of you who follow suit, share your thoughts below.

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No 'Preacher' for HBO -- Who Will Keep the Faith?

Elisabeth Rappe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Celebrities and Controversy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Religious, Western

It really seemed like we were finally going to get Garth Ennis' Preacher this time -- the dark, funny, and controversial comic book series seemed perfect for HBO. Isn't that what they do, after all?

Apparently not. Mark Steven Johnson told Comics Continuum that they've passed on the series. "We were budgeting and everything and it was getting really close to going. But the new head of HBO felt it was just too dark and too violent and too controversial. Which, of course, is kind of the point! It was a very faithful adaptation of the first few books, nearly word for word. They offered me the chance to redevelop it but I refused. I've learned my lesson on that front and I won't do it again. So I'm afraid it's dead at HBO."

But, Johnson says that he's heard that someone is trying to obtain the rights for a big screen adaptation, and that he hopes it happens -- and that whoever nabs it can do the stories justice in a series of films. "Someone" doesn't narrow it down much, but shall we let our imaginations run wild? Frankly, in this world where the legendarily un-filmable (Lord of the Rings, Watchmen) is being made every day, I can't believe Preacher remains untouched. Isn't every studio dying for its own mature comic franchise? Isn't there a daring young filmmaker who's just dying to be boycotted, picketed, and harassed? Aren't we constantly hearing that all publicity, no matter how bad and hysterical, is desirable? Let's put it to the test. Whoever that "someone" is that's angling for the rights, may they succeed, and get Preacher on the big screen.

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Fan Made: Living Green in a Hobbit House!

Monika Bartyzel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Fandom

And I thought that Star Trek apartment was pretty insane. Our fellow Weblogs site Green Daily has posted about a fully-functional Hobbit house. Talk about uber fandom. I mean, it would've been a feat to just replicate a Hobbit house, but to make it an actual home? That's super-cool and environmentally friendly dedication.

It seems that Wales resident Simon Dale wanted his family to live greener lifestyles and be closer to nature. What else is there to do but envelope yourself in bright green moss, and every little bit of nature? The new home is made from mud and rocks found right there. Solar panels store juice for computers and other electrical needs. Underground air keeps the fridge cool. Water is run, by gravity, from a nearby spring. Their loo contains a compost toilet. And it's damn beautiful inside. Check out the house's details here.

Methinks Guillermo should get this guy to help with the new film. How cool would it be if they just made a real community of Hobbit homes for future residents, rather than making sets to strike down and waste?

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DVD Peek: Slacker Indifference in 'Team Picture'

Monika Bartyzel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Comedy, Independent, New Releases, DVD Reviews, New on DVD, Home Entertainment

Team Picture trailer

Just last week I received the latest release from the critic-led Benten Films -- Kentucker Audley's mumblecore film Team Picture, which comes out on DVD today. Imagine a Slacker sort of world with everyday life and a collection of varied people, but without the rolling conversation of UFOs and Like a Virgin pap smears.

Audley's style is to show a more realistic life without the allure of stars or irresistably charismatic actors. He leads the film as a slacker musician who really encapsulates the ideas of slackerdom in every area of life -- indifferent to his girlfriend's unhappiness, the need for a future path, and even the quirks of his roommate. While not for moviegoers looking for a fast-paced, tightly written story, Team Picture does have some charm as a sort of dead-pan voyeuristic look into modern slackers. Check out the video above to see what I mean.

The DVD has a commentary, a new epilogue, a short film, music performances, deleted scenes, trailer, and an essay by Nick Dawson.

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Haley Joel Osment Making His Comeback on Broadway

Eugene Novikov — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Casting, Celebrities and Controversy

We hadn't heard from child star extraordinaire Haley Joel Osment for a while -- at least not in any productive way. His last film (not counting the unreleased Home of the Giants) was the mediocre 2003 coming-of-ager Secondhand Lions; since then, news about him has mostly involved car accidents and drunk driving. But thankfully, things seem to be turning around. The actor, now 20 years old, will star in this fall's Broadway revival of David Mamet's challenging American Buffalo, alongside John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. I'm assuming that he'll be taking on the role of teenaged Bobby, played by Sean Nelson in the 1996 film. Not a huge part, but being one of a cast of three on Broadway certainly isn't trivial.

So few child stars make a successful transition into adult careers, but an actor of Osment's caliber deserves one. (The Sixth Sense is all well and good, but A.I.'s "David" was a masterpiece.) Now that he's no longer an adorable moppet, he should probably aim for "character actor" rather than "star." If that's the goal, then American Buffalo seems like a step in the right direction; there are few things like a little Mamet to establish some thespian street cred.

The play starts previews on October 31st and opens in November.

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Jessica Biel is Retro and has 'Easy Virtue'

Monika Bartyzel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Images

While it stars some great names in the world of film, we haven't heard too much about Easy Virtue. But now, as it gears up for that spanky Canadian festival known as TIFF, CinEmpire has published a whole slew of pictures -- a retro Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, and more.

The film focuses on an American divorcee (Biel) who has to meet the parents (but hopefully without the cat milking). But unlike Stiller's version, she's already tied the knot with a sexy young Englishman (Barnes), so Mom (Scott Thomas) and Dad (Firth) can't stop the wedding. But I'm sure there'll be lots of dirty looks, and more than one smirk, like the one above.

Virtue is yet another romcom, but at least it heads back in time a little, and originally comes from a Noel Coward play that Alfred Hitchcock adapted years ago as a dramatic silent film. Good or bad, we'll find out soon enough.

[via The Bad and Ugly]

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Well, That's That: 'Outlander' Going Direct-to-DVD

Eugene Novikov — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, New Releases, Distribution, Home Entertainment

I think this'll be my last Outlander post for a while; you're probably sick of hearing about it by now. But I think I owe you this one as a matter of follow-through. You see, the buzz on the internets is that, as feared, the Weinstein Company is sending the nearly $50 million dollar Vikings-fight-aliens adventure film to direct-to-DVD oblivion.

The source of this semi-substantiated rumor is that a couple of online DVD retailers, such as Movies Unlimited and Amazon have listed a November 18th, 2008 release date for the movie, with Movies Unlimited now accepting pre-orders. No theatrical release date was ever announced, and needless to say, if the DVD release date is accurate, it rules out any sort of theatrical appearance.

I guess I'm a little surprised at the dump, simply because the movie's so darn expensive. But it's the Weinsteins, theatrical releases themselves cost a lot of money, and this was more of a cult item from the start anyway. In any case, November is certainly sooner than I expected to be able to see the thing.

Important to note that there's no official confirmation from the distributor on the DVD release, so this could all be one big mistake. But it doesn't look good.

[via SlashFilm]

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EXCLUSIVE: New Photos from Spike Lee's 'Miracle at St. Anna'

Scott Weinberg — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Drama, Disney, Images, War

Spike Lee and Disney might sound like a pretty odd combination, but I don't really see it that way. (Lest we forget that the excellent 25th Hour was a Disney production.) Love the guy or not, Spike Lee has turned into quite the eclectic filmmaker over the last few decades -- and so when I heard that the guy was helming a $50 million WWII drama for Disney, I was intrigued but not surprised. Based on the book by James McBride -- and adapted for the screen by same -- Miracle at St. Anna tells the tale of four black soldiers who find themselves stuck behind enemy lines in Italy.

Opening September 26, St. Anna stars Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, and Omar Benson Miller. Also on board are John Turturro, D.B. Sweeney, Kerry Washington, John Leguizamo, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Riding high after his last feature film (the solid and profitable Inside Man), Mr. Lee looks to be moving into "Oscar-friendly" territory again with St. Anna -- and I know I'm not the only movie fan who's curious to Lee's first big war movie.

Gallery: Miracle at St. Anna

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Fan Made: Han Frozen in Carbonite Cake

Monika Bartyzel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Fandom

Yeah, okay. So this isn't the first Fan Made post about carbonite. Erik has already shared George Lucas frozen in the tough stuff, but this new Fan Made is a whole lot tastier (I presume). I mean, George could be a conversation starter and all, but it's also a little bit scary, I imagine very pricey, and you can't eat it.
But you can eat the above.Today a friend sent me a link to Michele's Confectionary Delights, where I found the super-awesome cake above. While it's not a spitting image of Han Solo, I just love this cake -- it's a good example of a little ingenuity trumping over exact replicas. That being said, I can't imagine how hard it would be to cut into the sucker -- not because it's covered in carbonite, but because it looks so darned good.

Have any of you ever received a cake so cool? Maybe if you live near that Ace of Cakes dude...

[via Boing Boing]

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Screenwriter Dishes Some Early Tidbits on 'Transformers 2'

Elisabeth Rappe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Scripts, Dreamworks, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

I'm not one of those waiting for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen with a whole lot of anticipation. I feel bad about saying that, but let's face it, Transformers passed me right by as I was playing with Strawberry Shortcake. Many have tried to re-educate me on the awesomeness of Optimus Prime, and failed.

Nevertheless, even I have to admit it's pretty cool when a screenwriter drops in among their fans for a good sequel chat. That's what Robert Orci, one of the scriptwriters for Transformers 1 and 2, has done over at Transformer World 2005. The dedicated can sift through what is currently 82(!) pages of script Q&A, by the time you read this, it will probably be 182. Much of it is hints as to which robots might factor into the sequel -- including a tease that Arcee, the girl Transformer, might appear. On the other hand, he's careful to remind fans that anything you hear about the film is probably careful disinformation, but well meant. "It is fun to 'play' with fandom, not to toy with fandom -- I do not hand out disinformation."

But there's a few reliable sounding bits in here. According to Orci, the sequel will be more "global" in scale, and that there won't a lot of re-introductions. "The first movie is all about the mystery and reveal of the Transformers as a concept and a species, which means we had to hide them a lot in the first hour. In the second movie, now that everyone believes in the universe, we can jump right into the world of the Transformers." The movie will be firmly rooted in Transformers mythology, but will also maintain the "liberties" taken with it in the first film.

He insists they're listening to fan input, so anything you want to see, now's the time to demand it. I'm going to go ahead and demand Arcee, if only to ponder how Transformers can have gender, and whether she will be pink.

Continue reading Screenwriter Dishes Some Early Tidbits on 'Transformers 2'

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Bryce Dallas Howard Looks Sultry in 'Loss of a Teardrop Diamond'

Monika Bartyzel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Drama, Images

It's been almost two years since I first wrote about The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond. The forgotten Tennessee Williams screenplay started cooking up in November 2006, with a stellar cast of Ellen Burstyn, David Strathairn, Ann-Margret, Chris Evans, and ... Lindsay Lohan? This was, however, before her personal demons took center stage and made a complete mess of her career. Bryce Dallas Howard starting circling the project in 2007, and now, finally, you can get a peek of her in the film above (courtesy of Rope of Silicon).

Can you imagine Lohan up there? Methinks her struggles will be a blessing for the film, which centers on Fisher Willow (Howard) -- a 1920s debutant who makes waves because of her "distaste for narrow-minded people and a penchant for shocking and insulting those around her." When she falls for a lower-class young man (Evans), she has to trick her family into thinking that he's upper class. But when she loses a diamond (like the title suggests), you can imagine what happens.

The film will finally begin to hit our eager eyes at TIFF next month.

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Box Office: Traitorous Babylon

Matt Bradshaw — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Box Office Predictions

Tropic Thunder held onto the top spot for two weeks in a row, followed by The House Bunny and Death Race. Last week's two other newbies The Longshots and The Rocker took the number 10 and 13th spots respectively. Here's what the top five looked like:

1. Tropic Thunder: $16.2 million
2. The House Bunny: $14.5 million
3. Death Race: $12.6 million
4. The Dark Knight: $10.5 million
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: $5.6 million

Babylon A.D.
What's It All About: Vin Diesel stars in this futuristic actioner as a bodyguard charged with delivering a young woman from Russia to the U.S. Little does he realize that she is hosting an organism that a cult hopes to use to create a new messiah.
Why It Might Do Well: While not on a par with this Summer's biggest flicks, Babylon A.D. represents the last gasp of the season's eye candy movies and it's getting a really wide release.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Those thinking this might be a big screen version of Babylon 5 may be in for a disappointment. Also, with five reviews in, Rottentomatoes.com is giving this 0% rotten as of this writing.
Number of Theaters: 3,200
Prediction: $23 million

College
What's It All About: Drake Bell from Nikolodeon's Drake and Josh plays one of several high school kids on a college visit looking to party. Hijinks and projectile vomiting ensue.
Why It Might Do Well: Someone must feel nostalgic for those bowl-hugging college days.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Because part of me wants to believe there is justice in the universe.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $5 million

Disaster Movie
What's It All About: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the writer/director team behind Meet the Spartans, Epic Movie and the Scary Movie franchise go to the well once again with a flick that parodies disaster movies, super hero flicks and various pop culture icons.
Why It Might Do Well: Like them or not, Friedberg and Seltzer's movies tend to make a respectable if not stellar profit.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Maybe the public has had enough of these things. I can dream, can't I?
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $11 million

Traitor
(opens Wednesday)
What's It All About: Don Cheadle stars in this tale of international intrigue as a deep cover CIA agent under investigation by the FBI as a possible terrorist.
Why It Might Do Well: In addition to Cheadle the impressive cast includes Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Fresh off the Summer blockbuster season, will audiences want a film about such weighty matters?
Number of Theaters: 2,054
Prediction: $9 million

Box office predictions become a much wilder and woolier proposition once blockbuster season ends, making it all the more exciting if you ask me. Here's what I think next week's top five will be:
1. Babylon A.D.
2. Disaster Movie
3. Traitor
4. Tropic Thunder
5. Death Race

Last week's top five took us all by surprise. Most didn't think Tropic Thunder would take another week at number one, and many expected The Rocker to do better. Here's how we all did:
1. LostinaFog: 7
2. I Eat Robots: 6
2. Romel: 6
2. Smiggy: 6
2. Victor de la torre: 6
2. Mike: 6
2. Adam P: 6
2. Vera: 6
3. Matt: 4
3. Chris: 4
3. Alex: 4
3. Liz: 4
3. Vega: 4
3. Zctop: 4
3. NP: 4
3. Ray: 4
3. VP: 4
3. AJ Wiley: 4
3. Greatone: 4

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

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Steven Spielberg Still Directing 'Tintin'

Elisabeth Rappe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:03:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Family Films, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Comic/Superhero/Geek

With all the publicity surrounding Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I thought we would certainly have some definitive Tintin news. Confirmation that Thomas Sangster was taking the lead? Cast members that would join Andy Serkis? Any indication, at all, that the film was going to start shooting next month? Nope.

But a tiny update comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, although it's more like a baby controversy. Herge Studios, holders of Tintin's rights, claimed today that Peter Jackson was moving into the director's chair for the first film, replacing Steven Spielberg. Both Spielberg and Jackson have denied that this is the case, and that Spielberg is still attached to direct the first Tintin installment, Jackson the second. Not even Abraham Lincoln will get in the way, it is the next film on his agenda. No start date has been announced, though. THR is also reporting that Thomas Sangster is starring as the motion captured Tintin, so at least that's official now.

Perhaps the most interesting news in all of this official spokesperson stuff is the blurb about which books are being adapted for the big screen. The first film (scripted by Doctor Who's Steven Moffat) will be based on The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure. Now that's worthy of discussion! What do you Tintin fans think about that -- and which books ought to be adapted for film two and three?

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Review: Traitor

William Goss — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Drama, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Theatrical Reviews

As with most any other genre, pitching a thriller seems to go that much more swimmingly once one finds an ideal blockbuster reference point with which to do half of the leg work. It's 'Die Hard meets this', 'Speed on a that', and, when in doubt, just say the damn thing is 'Hitchcockian'.

Post-2001, the likes of TV's '24' and 'Sleeper Cell', and film's Jason Bourne franchise, have tapped into both our political climate and pop culture zeitgeist, into a globe-trotting, gun-toting fear of the here and there and always now. Jeffrey Nachmanoff's Traitor feels like the first film that has itself been directly spawned in the wake of those successes, as opposed to merely being bolstered by it, and while it may overtake, say, Vantage Point in terms of plausible plotting and worldly knowledge, it remains a film that is good enough to grasp the bar and yet not quite enough to raise it.

Continue reading Review: Traitor

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Cast and Crew Head Back for Some Extra 'Twilight' Shooting

Elisabeth Rappe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Romance, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand

No, Twilight fans -- it's ok! This is good news and it isn't going to result in a delay of the movie. Summit wouldn't break your hearts like that. Even though the clock is ticking, the studio is taking a bit of time to smooth out the movie's kinks. According to MTV, they're going back and filming some extra scenes, months after principle photography wrapped -- a move planned long before Twilight snagged the vacant Harry Potter date.

It isn't because anyone's dissatisfied with the film -- the cast insists the opposite is true. "They liked it so much, they are bringing us back for some encore time - to beef it up," says Peter Facinelli, who you all know better as the vampire Carlisle Cullen. "A little salt and pepper." Taylor Lautner, the head of this whole "Team Jacob" thing, says that rehearsals for the new scenes were "a ton of fun" and that they're just to clarify a few plot points. "I know they've been showing it to some people, and some people go, 'I want to see a little more of this,' or, 'I don't quite understand this,' " he explained.

None of the cast members could reveal what the new scenes were, but you Twilight fans can probably guess from the hints, such as Facinelli's being a flashback. "It gives us a little bit of history of the Cullen family. They are just shooting a couple of different added scenes, and the scene I'm in, I can tell you it's me and Robert Pattinson ... Rosalie and Emmett are in that scene."

The ending is also being tweaked to include Lautner. "I am going to be in the prom scene now, at the very end of the film," he said. "At first we didn't film that, and now some people are saying they want to see a bit more of Jacob, and they want him in the prom scene at the end."

It drives me nuts not to know what any of this means, which means it's time to borrow the book from someone. In the meantime, Twilight fans, discuss these developments among yourselves.

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Cinematical Seven: Movies to Watch While Stuck in an Airport

Jette Kernion — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Classics, Comedy, Cinematical Seven

Can everyone guess where I am right now, and what I'm doing? I'm very thankful that the New Orleans airport has free wireless available while I wait for an airplane crew to show up for my flight, so I can return to sunny Austin. In the meantime, I have a laptop and Internet access and a stack of DVDs to watch. I am prepared. I can watch movies indefinitely if necessary, especially if I can get Hulu or Netflix's Watch Instantly cranked up.

I have a few suggestions for packing / purchasing / (legally) downloading movies to watch on your laptop or other device in an airport or on a plane. Pick at least one or two movies that are old familiar favorites. Sometimes when you're stuck in a terminal with poor food choices, a "comfort movie" can be your very best friend. In addition, I find it difficult to listen clearly to movies on an airplane or even in a noisy terminal (you don't want the sound too loud, so you can hear updates on your flight's delay), so it's best to pick something where you already know what's going on and don't need to catch every last nuance of dialogue. Big goofy action films and physical comedies have an advantage over talkier films where you have to pay attention.

In compiling this list of specific recommendations, I tried to avoid the overwhelmingly obvious choices for watching movies in airports -- personally, I don't want to watch disaster films at times like this, or even spoofs of disaster films like that timeless comedy Airplane. The Terminal and Snakes on a Plane also a little too close for comfort. I thought instead of lighter fare, with scenes that emphasized the fantasy world of airline travel, good or bad, and the magic of escapism. Next time, I'm tucking a few of these in my laptop bag myself.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Movies to Watch While Stuck in an Airport

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Move Over Shaun, Woody Harrelson's Huntin' Zombies!

Monika Bartyzel — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Comedy, Horror, Casting

I guess that if there is anyone suitable to be a zombie fighter, it'd be a guy who has experience as a Natural Born Killer. (If you can bring down humans, slow, mumbling zombies must be a breeze.) The Hollywood Reporter posts that Woody Harrelson has signed on to star in a new horror comedy called Zombieland.

This brains-obsessed tale will focus on "a mismatched pair of survivors who find friendship and redemption in a world overrun by zombies." Woody will be one of the two survivors -- "a zombie fighter named Albuquerque." There's no word yet on zombie hunter #2. But more importantly -- where does the redemption fit in?!

The film was written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who worked together on The Joe Schmo Show, although more suitable credits would be Reese's involvement on Monsters Inc. Jumping into the directorial chair, we've got Ruben Fleischer -- most recently a director for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he's also worked with Mike White on Chuck & Buck and The Good Girl.

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Edgar Wright Gives a Much Needed 'Scott Pilgrim' Update

Jessica Barnes — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Romance, Universal, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek

If ever there was a pairing to hipster fan-boys everywhere; it is Michael Cera and Edgar Wright. Think about it, Cera made a name for himself being the awkward hero, and who can write an unlikely hero better than the man who helped write the Blood and Ice Cream trilogy? In an interview with Wizard Universe, Wright got the chance to update the status of his indie-comic feature, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (if you have also been waiting with bated breath for news on his Ant Man adaptation, there are a few tidbits to be had as well). So if you were worried that Pilgrim would fall by the wayside in the light of some of Wright's other projects, fear not, all is well in Pilgrim-land.

The original series was about a young Canadian and wannabe-rock star who falls for an American girl with the memorable name of Ramona V. Flowers (aka, the perfect girl). But in order to win the lady fair, our slacker must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in hopes of winning a date with his dream girl. Cera plays Pilgrim, the bassist for the terribly titled band, Sex Bob-Omb, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead will star as Ramona. Wright isn't counting on making any more sequels the film as the comic was originally a 6-part series. Instead, Wright told Wizard that, "The script that we've written essentially covers all six. If it was at the level of Harry Potter we might be able to talk about doing six films but in this case our film is very much an adaptation of the entire six."

Continue reading Edgar Wright Gives a Much Needed 'Scott Pilgrim' Update

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New DVD Picks of the Week: 'Nightmare Before Christmas' & 'Lynch'

Monika Bartyzel — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Animation, Documentary, New Releases, DVD Reviews, New on DVD, Home Entertainment

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Last week, I alerted you to a few sneak previews for the new Collector's Edition of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and now you can see the discs in all their glory for yourselves!

The stop-motion classic stars Chris Sarandon as the voice of Jack Skellington -- the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown. He gets bored with the town's work of scaring humans on Halloween, and when he accidentally falls into Christmas and sees all the good tidings, he comes back with a plan to nab Santa and have Christmas Halloween-style. This, of course, leads to a whole big mess of kidnapping and stolen paramours.

Being a real Collector's Edition (and not a crappy re-release preying on our collector mindsets), there's a ton of special features to enjoy. There's a commentary, a tour of the Haunted Mansion done up for a holiday tour, a featurette on the seasonal transformation, Tim Burton's original poem narrated by Christopher Lee, and a making-of featurette -- just on the first disc! The second mainly includes the goodies from the previous release. There's Frankenweenie, Vincent, deleted scenes,art galleries and animation tests, a storyboard/film comparison, and a selection of posters and trailers. The blu-ray disc only offers an extra 30-second intro, but the ultimate contains a digital copy on a third disc, plus funky keepsake packaging and collectible extras.

Check out Patrick's Review | Buy the Collector's Edition DVD, the Ultimate Set, or the Blu-Ray disc

Continue reading New DVD Picks of the Week: 'Nightmare Before Christmas' & 'Lynch'

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Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor Get Close in 'I Love You Phillip Morris'

Jessica Barnes — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Comedy, Gay & Lesbian, Romance, Movie Marketing, Images

Jim and Ewan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N..well, you get the idea. Thanks to Jim Carrey Online, we now have our first official look at the happy couple in the black comedy, I Love You Phillip Morris. Elisabeth brought us a behind the scenes photo back in May, but in spite of the thrill of seeing Jim Carrey and Rodrigo Santoro dripping with sun-tan oil and Versace, I was a little disappointed that my favorite Scot was nowhere to be seen -- until now.

Morris was written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who are also the guys responsible for the raunchy holiday offering Bad Santa. The script was based on the book by the same name from the Houston Chronicle crime reporter, Steve McVicker. Carrey stars as Steven Russell, a happily married con-man who finds himself falling in love with his cell-mate, Phillip Morris (as played by McGregor). Russell spent years defying the judicial system, and also spent most of his criminal career hopping in and out of prison through a variety of elaborate schemes. Russell even posed as his Morris' lawyer to get him switched to a closer prison. But it all came crashing down when in 1988, Russell was sentenced to 144 years in prison. Leslie Mann joined the cast back in April as Carrey's abandoned wife, and Santoro also stars as another of Carrey's paramours.

Even though plenty of actors still struggle with playing characters in same-sex relationships, without 'wimping' out all together (yes, I'm looking at you Will Smith). But like always, I think that McGregor will pull through just fine. As for Carrey? Now that's another question all together...what do you think?

I Love You Phillip Morris is scheduled to arrive in theaters in Spring, 2009

[Thanks: Coming Soon]

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