Actress with Terrible Name Joins Fright Night Remake

This post has less to do with some actress whose last name is another word for farting and more about the remake of Fright Night, a beloved movie of my 1980s teenagehood. In case you missed it, DreamWorks is overseeing the Fright Night remake (due in theaters October 2011) and has already cast Colin Farrell (Crazy Heart), Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), Toni Collette (The United States of Tara), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick Ass) David Tennant (Doctor Who) and, of course, Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later), whose flatulent last name bears no resemblance to her wispy and waifish beauty. Poots will likely play Yelchin’s girlfriend and word is the remake will hold true to the 1985 original.

My question is this: Do you think Fright Night deserves a remake and, if so, what do you think of the cast assembled thus far? Also, check out the trailer from the original Fright Night. My favorite line? “If you love being scared, this could be the night of your life!” Sounds like some film critics I know.

Movie Review (Dan’s Take): Crazy Heart

Some of cinemas most satisfying experiences can be found in small, quiet movies. The kind that don’t bowl you over with strength of their story, but rather the subtle unwrapping of their soul. Films whose strengths expand on the accessibility of its characters thanks in large part to actors who lose themselves in their roles. Crazy Heart is one of those films and Jeff Bridges is one of those actors.

If you’ve seen the trailer for Crazy Heart, you’ve sampled its flavor. Crazy Heart wears its emotions on its sleeve, gently allowing the audience into a simple country song captured on film: a story about a washed-up drunk, love and aching redemption. Crazy Heart‘s emotionally resounding  strength lies in its ability to avoid the kind of heavy-handed drama easily injected into a film about real-life blues, real-life mistakes and the man who succumbs to them. At times, Crazy Heart‘s events hint perilously close to cliche, but director and writer Scott Cooper, propelled almost single-handedly by Jeff Bridges, delivers an emotionally rich character arc that kindly averts the easy ledge and keeps things both authentically grounded and achingly real.

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Trailer Tuesday: Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors, so reading he’s receiving Oscar buzz for his portrayal of an alcoholic country singer in Crazy Heart comes as no surprise. Whether he’s resurrecting a deer in Starman, drinking a White Russian in The Big Lebowski, or chucking Robert Downey Jr. into a bus in Iron Man, the guy is 100 percent solid. Add to the cast the equally dependable Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight) and Robert Duvall (We Own the Night), as well as the underrated Colin Farrell (In Bruges), and I think you indeed have a movie with some awards potential.

Check out the trailer below and share your thoughts. Like many other movies generating Oscar buzz, Crazy Heart is only available in limited release on December 16. I think it looks fantastic. What say ye?