About a year ago, Wanted exploded its way through skulls and into the collective hearts of American filmgoers. Based on a comic of the same name, the movie jettisoned the original conceit of a superhero slayer and replaced it with an assassins gone amok storyline. Exceeding expectations, Wanted‘s hyper stylization and flippant violence opened the tap to a shower of love from audiences. While this kid appreciated the creative conceits and imaginative action of Wanted, in the end the only …
Author: Dan
Good grief, Twilight just won’t stop giving. More news today– while Stephanie Meyers scratches her head over Deseret Book pulling her Twilight books off store shelves*, she’s responding to the news of David Slade being chosen as director for Twilight: Eclipse. “I am thrilled that David Slade will be directing ECLIPSE. He’s a visionary filmmaker who has so much to offer this franchise. From the beginning, we’ve been blessed with wonderful directorial talent for the Twilight Saga, and I’m so …
For everyone fretting about how the Mormon church has been treated by way of Big Love and Proposition 8 protests, it’s always nice to have a reminder that you’re not the only one who feels picked on. Apparently, advocates of the Catholic Church are steamin’ mad at Ron Howard’s treatment of their religion (i.e- the church has villainous priests) in the forthcoming Angels & Demons. Whenever anyone starts complaining about how a film unfairly portrays a character or group, my …
Cormac McCarthy is one of those rare and celebrated artists who don’t need to die before their recognition as legendary. With a heap of plays and novels under his belt, Cormac McCarthy’s gained even more clout in recent years thanks to the Coen brothers Oscar-winning adaptation of No Country for Old Men and his most recent novel, The Road. Or, as it’s come to be known between Andy and me: The book guaranteed to turn you survivalist. The Road, a …
The new Star Trek has an interesting dilemma. The film looks like a summer blockbuster. It’s definitely on the radar. On ground level, however, there’s a mixed bag. I’ve had quite a few people ask what my thoughts are on the whole thing. Namely: “Is it worth seeing?” “Will it suck?” “Watching Star Trek is like punching myself in the face with rocks and pine branches.” I haven’t seen Star Trek yet, so I can’t say. Andy’s not hopeful, but …
The following photo is one that will probably make the Twi-hards (Really? That’s what Twilight fans have named themselves?) swoon while their male partners find retribution and solace in breaking out a quick list of homophobic insults. USA Today has premiered a promo shot for Twilight: New Moon. No, it’s not Edward– it’s the “Wolf Pack” boys exposing eight nipples, four belly buttons and a Photoshop workout that would make Tony Horton sad. Once again, the image is an exclusive. …
Word on the streets is X-Men Origins: Wolverine is all kinds of shabby– bloated, loosey-goosey and vapid. You know, just like the rest of our favorite summer movies. Of course, those streets may be populated with mouth-breathing comic book purists, but they’re streets nonetheless. I’m going to wait and see– and while this trailer is somewhat trite in the way it’s cribbed from a sweaty locker room full of sport icon/rehydration drink commercials, I couldn’t help but feel some gid. …
Star Trek’s never been known for it’s monsters. While alien creatures beyond a guy with a mask/jacked up forehead are few and far between, Star Trek has always prided itself on high-minded hypothesis, scientific based discovery/exploration of the cosmos and the universal themes of humanity– IE- knobby foreheads, nerdtasticism, and a screen full of boring… … which is why JJ Abrams, for the love of all that’s space opera, was hired to inject some directorial freshness. The trailer definitely shows …
Andy and I had a little disagreement a while back. He said the 90’s Costner vehicle Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was crapola. I disagreed. After viewing it again a few nights ago, I think I might have to acquiesce… it might be a little dated and a little silly. Or maybe I wasn’t feeling 90’s action vibe at the time. Either way, I’m sorry, Kevin Reynolds. I’ll still go to bat for Waterworld and Count of Monte Cristo though… …
As a 10-year-old kid in the middle of the Cold War circa 1984, Red Dawn freaked me the crap out. Hollywood’s first wide-release PG-13 movie, Red Dawn earned it’s 13 with enough surprisingly violent and grounded in enough realism to make it both bleak and frightening. Red Dawn also has the honor of being the film that originally coined the now legendary “Wolveriiiiiiiiines!”– a war cry I shout out every time I think about having to enter a Wal-Mart. While …