Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Brad Dourif to Provide the Voice for Chucky ... Againhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It would be nice if Brad Dourif's legacy could be his Oscar-nominated performance as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but it's far more likely that people will most remember him as the voice of Chucky, the killer doll from the Child's Play movies. So far, Dourif has lent his voice to the doll in five installments, and he's heading for a sixth. According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, who got it straight from the mouth of Child's Play creator Don Mancini, the remake/reboot of the 1988 original (which Scott first told us about a year ago) will feature a slightly redesigned Chucky, but the character will still have the voice of Dourif. The actor will also return in person to re-play serial killer Charles Lee Ray (aka "the Lake Shore Strangler"), who transfers his soul into the plastic body of a "Good Guys" doll.

Mancini also confessed again to Bloody-Disgusting that his reason to restart the franchise is to make Child's Play scary again; he claims the fans pretty much asked for this after seeing the series go too far in absurdly camp directions with the last installment, Seed of Chucky. Well, they didn't necessarily ask for a remake, but Mancini claims the only way to scare the fans again is to begin anew. Or, he could have asked us to forget the horror-comedy sequels and simply title it Child's Play 4. But anyway. The new film will be written and directed by Mancini, who singularly wrote all five of the previous Chucky movies and made his directorial debut with Seed.

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]]>brad dourifBradDourifbride of chuckyBrideOfChuckychilds playchilds play remakeChildsPlayChildsPlayRemakechuckydon manciniDonMancinione flew over the cuckoos nestOneFlewOverTheCuckoosNestseed of chuckySeedOfChuckyChristopher CampbellSat, 06 Sep 2008 14:02:00 ESTRobert DeNiro Drops 'Edge of Darkness'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The water surrounding Edge of Darkness was already rather tepid -- I'm going by the comments here on Cinematical, and the dutiful, but unenthusiastic reporting it's attracted. Were it 1996, and Mel Gibson was still everyone's favorite action star, the buzz would be something else.

But now, the rumors might really start flying. Variety reports that Robert DeNiro has abruptly left the production, which has been shooting since August 18th, though this was his first week on set. The only word came from his spokesperson, and it was good and curt. "Sometimes things don't work out; it's called creative differences." The Boston Herald has a little gossipy tidbit about DeNiro shooting a golf scene, which hardly seems big enough to have led to such unworkable tension. Was it the delay caused by excavating the sand pit? (I'm being sarcastic, of course, because I hate not knowing the truth behind a dry label like "creative differences.") We can speculate all day as to why -- is it actually worse than Analyze That, or what?

Shooting will continue, obviously filming around scenes of DeNiro's character as they run around recasting. Frankly, this could work out for the best -- many last minute casting changes do. But this film hardly needs the hint of scandal, not when the beleaguered Gibson is involved.

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]]>Edge of DarknessEdgeOfDarknessMartin CampbellMartinCampbellMel GibsonMelGibsonRobert DeNiroRobertDenirowilliam monahanWilliamMonahanElisabeth RappeFri, 05 Sep 2008 20:32:00 ESTMaguire and Raimi Back for Spider-Man 4 and 5!?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Though nothing has been made official yet, Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood says the deal is done to bring both Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi back for Spider-Man 4 and 5. Not only that, but Finke also claims the exclusive on a story we broke right here at Cinematical months ago (thanks for the credit Nikki) -- that Sony plans to shoot both films back to back, not just because it's cheaper, but also because we were informed that James Vanderbilt's (Zodiac) script included a story arc that encompassed two films, not one.

As far as Kirsten Dunst goes, she currently does not have a deal, but Finke claims her character will return and Sony is not interested in recasting her. Villains? While there's been no announcement yet, a source claims that "once you find out who the villain is, you'll know who's playing him." Naturally, that leads everyone to believe that Dylan Baker will reprise his role and ultimately become The Lizard. Should they continue along the same path Spider-Man 3 went down, one imagines another villain (or two) will show up, perhaps as a way to tease us into the fifth film. I'm sure more will arrive online soon, so until then ... are you happy about Maguire and Raimi returning to the franchise?

Spider-Man 4 is currently scheduled to arrive in May, 2011.

UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter confirms the Spidey story today.

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedkirsten dunstKirstenDunstsam raimiSamRaimispider-man 4spider-man 5Spider-man4Spider-man5tobey maguireTobeyMaguireErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 17:40:00 ESTJennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany Debate 'Creation'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Acting couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly must have decided that life would be too calm after November 2008 -- so they have signed to play Charles and Emma Darwin in Creation. Yes, the Darwins. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be directed by Jon Amiel, from a script penned by John Collee, and based on Randal Keynes' book Annie's Box. (Keynes is Darwin's great-great grandson.) The film will portray Charles Darwin as a man torn between his love for his deeply religious wife, and his growing belief in a world where God has no place.

I hope that they explore Darwin's personal struggles and belief more deeply than the plot description suggests. To sell him as an athiest smacks of wanting to stir up controversy -- Darwin always called himself an agonostic, and his rejection of Christianity stemmed as much from the tragic death of his daughter, Annie, as his research. It's a complex and fascinating biography, one that, as a lover of science and the history of it, I would love to see done with real justice.

The cast is certainly more than capable -- Bettany and Connelly are both wonderful, and they'll be joined by Jeremy Northam, Toby Jones, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Annie Darwin has yet to be cast. (I can't help but be amused by the fact that Bettany and Northam have played Darwin-inspired characters before, in Master and Commander and Possession, respectively. Pet interest, perhaps?)

I know the merest mention of Charles Darwin is enough to cause an epic flame war in the comments. If it's possible, try to keep discussion only to the film, the actors, the book, and Darwin's biography. That may be too much to hope for, but I beg you to remain respectful and tolerant of one another.

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]]>Annies BoxAnniesBoxBenedict CumberbatchBenedictCumberbatchCharles DarwinCharlesDarwinCreationEmma DarwinEmmaDarwinJennifer ConnellyJenniferConnellyJeremy NorthamJeremyNorthamJohn ColleeJohnColleeJon AmielJonAmielPaul BettanyPaulBettanyRandal KeynesRandalKeynesToby JonesTobyJonesElisabeth RappeFri, 05 Sep 2008 13:40:00 ESTDenzel to Star in 'Book of Eli'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A double Academy Award winner is going back to the future. Denzel Washington will star in the post-apocalyptic drama Book of Eli, to be directed by Albert and Allen Hughes, according to Variety. He will play "a lone hero in a not-too-distant apocalyptic future who must fight across America to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption." Sounds like the best of all possible worlds, doesn't it? Denzel as an intellectual action hero of the future.

Denzel has been resolutely dealing with modern-day problems for the last decade, so maybe he felt like a change of pace. As far as I can tell, the only time that Denzel's tipped his toe into future waters was back in 1995 with Brett Leonard's Virtuosity. In that movie, set just four years into the future, he faced off against a virtual reality Russell Crowe. How far into the future will Book of Eli be set? Who gets the blame for the apocalypse? Will this be a tale of weary, wary survivors or vengeful warriors? And what's in that book, anyway?

Amazingly, this will be the first feature from The Hughes Brothers since 2001's graphic novel adapatation From Hell. They'll be working from a script originally written by Gary Whitta (the two new Akira films) and re-written by Anthony Peckham (Clint Eastwood's upcoming The Human Factor and Sherlock Holmes for Warner Bros). Joel Silver is on board as one of the producers. Filming begins in January.

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]]>albert hughesAlbertHughesallen hughesAllenHughesdenzel washingtonDenzelWashingtonhughes brothersHughesBrothersjoel silverJoelSilverPeter MartinFri, 05 Sep 2008 11:03:00 ESTTom Cruise to Play a Serial Killer?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I bet when you woke up this morning, you thought the same thing I did: "When are we going to get to see Tom Cruise viciously murder a whole bunch of people on the big screen ... again?" Right? We're SO on the same wavelength here, like internet, movie-related soul mates from outer space! That said, fellow soul mate, Variety tells us that Cruise and United Artists have acquired rights to The Monster of Florence, based on the book by Douglas Preston. Cruise will produce and possibly star, though there's no word on whether he'd play the killer or one of the men trying to crack the case.

This is actually a pretty crazy story, and I believe it was the subject of a recent 48 Hours Mystery (or Dateline) where these two guys -- Preston and Italian journalist Mario Spezi -- were on an intense search to find out who exactly committed eight gruesome double homicides between the years of 1968 and 1985. Both men claimed to have found the guy, but then -- since they knew so much about the case -- both became actual suspects themselves. It's a pretty wild story and one that's ripe for the big-screen treatment. Only problem is it kinda suffers from "the Zodiac issue" where no one currently knows who the killer is, and so they won't be able to tie a nice, shiny bow around this puppy. Regardless, it's a good story and I'm curious to see what they do with it. You?

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]]>cinematicalthe monster of florenceTheMonsterOfFlorencetom cruiseTomCruiseErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 10:02:00 ESTAshley Judd, Tooth Fairy's Girlfriendhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/ashley-judd-tooth-fairys-girlfriend/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/ashley-judd-tooth-fairys-girlfriend/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/ashley-judd-tooth-fairys-girlfriend/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In what is shaping up to be either a colossal train wreck or an inspired piece of lunacy, Southern belle Ashley Judd has joined the cast of the upcoming comedy Tooth Fairy as the titular character's girlfriend. Before (some of) you get your hopes up that a major studio production will feature a lesbian relationship, read on to learn how the superb dramatic actress figures into the story.

Dwayne Johnson was signed by 20th Century Fox for Tooth Fairy back in February, as Monika reported. He was to play "an ordinary man who's brought in to try to save the tooth fairy kingdom," though I prefer the unofficial synopsis that has found its way onto IMDb: "Tess is a 6-years-old girl who is very dissapointed when Derek (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) tells her that the tooth fairy isn't real." (Misspellings not mine.) Talk about high concept!

Variety now clarifies that Johnson will be playing a minor league hockey player nicknamed The Tooth Fairy, no doubt because he has a habit of knocking out opponents' teeth with his rough play. Judd will be playing his girlfriend, a single mother of two children, no doubt a romantic relationship that will help tame the Tooth Fairy's violent ways, especially when one of Ashley's children loses a tooth (just guessing here). You can probably write the rest of the story as predictably as two of the credited writers. Production starts in October under the direction of sitcom vet Michael Lembeck.

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]]>ashley juddAshleyJudddwayne johnsonDwayneJohnsonmichael lembeckMichaelLembecktooth fairyToothFairyPeter MartinThu, 04 Sep 2008 15:32:00 ESTEric Stoltz Heads to 'Fort McCoy'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/eric-stoltz-heads-to-fort-mccoy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/eric-stoltz-heads-to-fort-mccoy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/eric-stoltz-heads-to-fort-mccoy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

One man to not truly break through the 1980s stigma and revamp his career is Eric Stoltz. James Spader did a heck of a job with it, now being smarmy fun on Boston Legal, as did the likes of Jon Cryer, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and more. But then again, even Stoltz's '80s classics, Mask and Some Kind of Wonderful, were drowned by the likes of Molly Ringwald and her swarm of teen romances, so it's not like he ever had a bit spotlight.

Stoltz remains a bit on the outside, but still working as hard as ever. He's got a bit of a role in Milk, and now Variety reports that he's joining a wartime indie drama called Fort McCoy. Along with the likes of Brendan Fehr, Camryn Manheim, Lyndsy Fonseca, Seymour Cassel, and Kate Connor, Stoltz is nestled in Wisconsin shooting the true story, based on a script from Connor.

McCoy centers on "a barber who moves with his family during WWII to a POW camp in Wisconsin, where the children are the sole youngsters on the base -- save for a German teenager who forges an alliance that crosses language barriers with the barber's little girl." I imagine we can see how this plays out sometime during next year's festival season, with hopefully a release after that.

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]]>Brendan FehrBrendanFehrCamryn ManheimCamrynManheimEric StoltzEricStoltzFort McCoyFortMccoyKate ConnorKateConnorLyndsy FonsecaLyndsyFonsecaSeymour CasselSeymourCasselMonika BartyzelWed, 03 Sep 2008 18:03:00 ESTTim Roth is an Angelhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/tim-roth-is-an-angel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/tim-roth-is-an-angel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/tim-roth-is-an-angel/#commentsFiled under: ,

Good lord, Tim Roth is doing a lot of morphing lately. He de-aged himself in Youth Without Youth, became a weird ol' monster in The Incredible Hulk, and now he's getting his wings.

Variety reports that Roth is taking the title role in Skellig -- a UK production that will hit television screens next spring before getting a theatrical release. Based on the novel by David Almond, Skellig focuses on a boy in northern England who makes a surprising discovery. His parents have just bought a rundown house, and while investigating the shed out back, he finds a man/creature lying in the darkness who he decides to help. "Feeding him Chinese food and beer, the boy nurses the creature, who possesses magical powers, back to health."

It definitely sounds like an interesting story (read more about it here), and it's hard not to get intrigued at the thought of Roth as an angel, alongside the likes of Kelly MacDonald, Bill Milner (the cutie from Son of Rambow), and John Simm. The film has just started shooting in Cardiff.

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]]>Annabel JankelAnnabelJankelBill MilnerBillMilnerCinematicalDavid AlmondDavidAlmondJohn SimmJohnSimmKelly MacDonaldKellyMacdonaldSkelligTim RothTimRothMonika BartyzelTue, 02 Sep 2008 17:45:00 ESTAre More Chuck Palahniuk Novels Headed for the Big Screen?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you are a fan of Chuck Palahniuk then today might be your lucky day, because it looks like audiences could be getting more Palahniuk (and his merry band of screw-ups) on the big screen than they can shake a stick at. Before you get too excited, keep in mind that Mr. Palahniuk loves to mess with people, so we should probably take this news with an enormous grain of salt. The latest chatter to hit the net is that the feature film version of Palahniuk's 2002 novel, Lullaby, has begun the casting process. But that's not all! According to The Cult (the official fan site for the author), Rant (a great 50's sci-fi inspired tale) has also been optioned by an unnamed producer.

The news about Lullaby comes from Film School Rejects, who claim that they got their scoop from the man himself. According to Rejects, "Lullaby, an adaptation that hasn't been tracked nearly as closely as his other works, is already at the casting stage. The financing is in place, and even though the production won't tell Palahniuk who they are looking to cast, he believes they are waiting for a concrete production start day to make the announcement." I don't mean to be cynical, but don't you think if this was the real deal, Palahniuk would have been told that information?

Continue reading Are More Chuck Palahniuk Novels Headed for the Big Screen?

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]]>bookChokeChuck PalahniukChuckPalahniukLullabyRantJessica BarnesTue, 02 Sep 2008 15:45:00 ESTRussell Crowe Won't Be Dr. Watsonhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/russell-crowe-wont-be-dr-watson/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/russell-crowe-wont-be-dr-watson/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/russell-crowe-wont-be-dr-watson/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Well, darn! I no more than got to ponder this item from Australia's Herald Sun than it was debunked from England. The Sun was reporting that Russell Crowe was all set to play Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, instantly making Watson ten times more interesting than he's ever been allowed to be onscreen.

But just as all movie writers began pondering how incredibly brilliant it would be to see Crowe and Robert Downey Jr. pair up onscreen, perhaps as the Riggs and Murtaugh of Victorian London, it was dismissed entirely by none other than Guy Ritchie.

Ritchie was out doing red carpet duty for RocknRolla in London, when Empire asked him all about it. I'm kind of imagining a funny exercise in time difference here, where premiere reporters were being texted "Russ. C 2 be in Shlock Hlms?" from their Oz cousins just as Ritchie got out of his limo. Ritchie denied it all. "I don't have a Watson. Somebody just told me that I have Russell Crowe lined up but that's news to me. I suspect that hasn't happened and I'm still looking for my Watson." (I vote Paul Bettany. I guess he's becoming a bit of a smart sidekick cliche, but he would be really good.)

Filming is set to start in a month, so expect an Inglorious Bastards-like flurry of casting news. According to Susan Downey, producer of RocknRolla and owner of Robert, the story is all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, and yet none. "The world is within all the stories and it actually goes back to the books but the story is actually one that we made for the movie. What we can tell you is that he's a badass in this movie alright. That's what we're going back to, any Holmes fan that we've spoken to is getting really excited about this one."

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]]>cinematicalguy ritchieGuyRitchierobert downey jrRobertDowneyJrrussell croweRussellCrowesherlock holmesSherlockHolmesElisabeth RappeTue, 02 Sep 2008 11:02:00 ESTJohnny Depp Responds to 'Riddler' Rumorshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/johnny-depp-responds-to-riddler-rumors/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/johnny-depp-responds-to-riddler-rumors/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/johnny-depp-responds-to-riddler-rumors/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

At last, the focus of at least one obsessive Batman 3 rumor has adressed. Johnny Depp was recently on a Florida radio show promoting the reunion show of his band, The Kids. (I know how the girls love Johnny, you can listen to the entire interview in two parts here.) A persistent fan called into the station to remind them to ask Depp about playing the Riddler for Christopher Nolan.

Depp's answer was essentially a denial and as enigmatic as well, the Riddler. "Oh yeah I heard about that. Not that I know of. It seems like it'd be a fun gig for a while, yeah."

A denial isn't surprising since we know Nolan isn't even signed, let alone writing or casting. But given that the rumor machine is going regardless of that fact, here's more fuel for the fire. There's no doubt Depp would do a fine job. He could probably play me to perfection. And he's open to taking just about any role that interests him. So, those of you keeping score can mark Depp as "interested" and various news agencies that don't read these things carefully can report it as "confirmed." For my part, I'm going to go ahead and tell my sister that Depp is "totally doing Batman 3" because that's one way to interest her in the franchise. Except then she'll start working on a Riddler costume for a certain lookalike. Never mind, then.

[Thanks to The Comic Book Cynic for sending this to us.]

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]]>Batman 3Batman 3 casting rumorsBatman3Batman3CastingRumorsChristopher NolanChristopherNolanfeaturedJohnny DeppJohnnyDeppRiddlerElisabeth RappeMon, 01 Sep 2008 11:32:00 ESTQuentin Snags a Few More 'Bastards'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/quentin-snags-a-few-more-bastards/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/quentin-snags-a-few-more-bastards/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/01/quentin-snags-a-few-more-bastards/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Bastards, bastards, bastards! The best part about Quentin Tarantino appropriating the title for his upcoming movie from Enzo Castellari's high-energy original is that I get to satisfy my inner 11-year-old and tell you all about the latest Inglorious Bastards withour fear of recrimination from parental figures. Diane Kruger is the highest-profile new bastard, according to Variety, joined by Christoph Waltz and writer / actor / comedian Paul Rust.

Kruger, the hellenic beauty who first made a splash on these shores opposite Orlando Bloom in Troy -- which also starred soon to be chief bastard Brad Pitt as a bit of a heel -- will play Bridget Von Hammersmark (not "Hammer Snark," smart guy), a German actress. Kruger is fine casting since, of course, she is a German actress, and already has experience playing WWII theatrics with the flick Joyeaux Noël (Merry Christmas), but I'm sorry that Nastassja Kinski will not be playing the role. She's the kind of 40-something actor that could use a juicy role to remind people of who she is.

Waltz is an unknown quantity to US eyes, though he's done plenty of TV work in Germany. He snared the role of Col Hans Landa, the main Nazi antagonist, the part that Leonard DiCaprio was "in talks" to discuss. If nothing else, Waltz shouldn't have a problem with the accent. Paul Rust has written for Adult Swim's Moral Orel and MTV's Human Giant and appeared in Semi-Pro. Let me go out on a limb and guess that he's been cast -- as the comic relief? I'm sure somebody out there in Commenter Land has read the script and can guess for the rest of us.

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]]>brad pittBradPittchristoph waltzChristophWaltzdiane krugerDianeKrugeringlorious bastardsIngloriousBastardspaul rustPaulRustquentin tarantinoQuentinTarantinoPeter MartinMon, 01 Sep 2008 09:32:00 ESTTelluride Review: Slumdog Millionairehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/31/telluride-review-slumdog-millionaire/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/31/telluride-review-slumdog-millionaire/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/31/telluride-review-slumdog-millionaire/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Fans of director Danny Boyle's work will find much to appreciate in his latest film, Slumdog Millionaire, a sweeping, hopeful story about a boy in the slums of India who becomes an instant celebrity after he wins millions on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. Adapted by Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) off the novel Q &A by Vikas Swarup, the tale is framed within an interesting narrative structure that revolves around the young man, Jamal, being interrogated for fraud by the police, who cannot believe that a "slumdog" orphan could possibly have known the answers to the questions on the show.

Boyle uses this conceit to take us back and forth from the police station, where Jamal (Dev Patel) is tortured to get him to confess how he cheated, to his appearance on the show, to the events throughout his youth that led to him knowing the answers to the game show questions. How did a boy growing up in the slums amid piles of garbage and filth know which US president is on the one hundred dollar bill, or who invented the revolver? Boyle takes us back through Jamal's life story to show us the mean-streets education that led to him knowing the answers, while managing to avoid making the set-up feel contrived.

Continue reading Telluride Review: Slumdog Millionaire

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]]>danny boyleDannyBoyledev patelDevPatelslumdog millionairetelluride film festivalTellurideFilmFestivaltifftiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalKim VoynarSun, 31 Aug 2008 20:03:00 ESTCount Bryce Dallas Howard In for 'Spiderman 4'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/count-bryce-dallas-howard-in-for-spiderman-4/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/count-bryce-dallas-howard-in-for-spiderman-4/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/count-bryce-dallas-howard-in-for-spiderman-4/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I feel like I have this long checklist of cast and crew that we're slowly crossing off for this theoretical film. Now, you can put Bryce Dallas Howard on the "would sign tomorrow" list, thanks to MTV. "I would love to be apart of any continuation of the franchise. But, I also really understand that there's so many different story lines that the fans are really excited to see, and the studio, and the producers, and the filmmakers really need to appease everyone," the actress said. "Whether or not Gwen Stacy comes back, I mean, I wish it was up to me, but it's not. But yes, if they'd call me, I'd be there in a heart beat."

I'm not sure how they can really fit Gwen Stacy in -- is there a point in having a romantic rival when Spider-Man is never ever going to leave Mary Jane onscreen? I remember when we all thought (or maybe it was just my corner of the Internet) that they would reverse comic book history, and kill off Mary Jane and hook Mr. Parker up with Gwen. (If House of M is to be believed, and it probably isn't, that's who he really wanted anyway.) Is there even any emotional impact if they kill off Captain George Stacy in a fourth film, as James Cromwell once said they planned on doing? Is the subplot of "I'm really sorry your dad died, my one-time love interest" really worth exploring? I could probably think more clearly if I could get the breakdancing scene out of my head.

Of course, this is all idle speculation when no official announcements have been made. And as for Sam Raimi he's now playing coy with MTV about returning to the director's chair, and says he wants to wear the Spidey suit instead. That's one way to cut the budget.






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]]>bryce dallas howardBryceDallasHowardcolumbia picturesColumbiaPicturesgwen stacyGwenStacyJames CromwellJamesCromwellSam RaimiSamRaimisony picturesSonyPicturesspider-man 4Spider-man4tobey maguireTobeyMaguireElisabeth RappeFri, 29 Aug 2008 17:03:00 ESTRobert Downey Jr. Wants to Be a Criminal 'Master Mind'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/robert-downey-jr-wants-to-be-a-criminal-master-mind/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/robert-downey-jr-wants-to-be-a-criminal-master-mind/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/robert-downey-jr-wants-to-be-a-criminal-master-mind/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's not too hard to find some super-sympathetic villains right now. You can travel the Internet waves and check out Dr. Horrible, or head to toon town and watch The Monarch and the other Guild of Calamitous Intent members in Venture Brothers. You can see dudes sending in applications to the evil organizations, bad guys storm the wrong building, and even crappy reassignments that suck one's loathing hatred out of their job. These incarnations are great, addictive pieces of fun.

Could the same be said of Ben Stiller's forays into the fold? (*cough* Mystery Men) Not really. But would it help with Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey? Entertainment Weekly posts that both actors are looking into joining Stiller's animated villain film, Master Mind. (Christopher blogged about it here, last year.) The premise is simple. A villain accidentally kills the guy he's arching, and loses his will to live.

Having these two voices certainly sweetens the pot, but as we've learned after many years of disappointment -- amazing casts don't necessarily make even decent movies. It all comes down to the script (written by Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons), and Stiller's involvement. We'll have to wait and see.

Note: EW says that Cameron Hood and Kyle Jefferson are still on to direct, but Moviehole talked to a Dreamworks source who said that they left the project months ago. IMDb, meanwhile, says it's Gary Trousdale.

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]]>Alan SchoolcraftAlanSchoolcraftBen StillerBenStillerBrent SimonsBrentSimonsCameron HoodCameronHoodCinematicalGary TrousdaleGaryTrousdaleKyle JeffersonKyleJeffersonMaster MindMasterMindRobert Downey Jr.RobertDowneyJr.Tina FeyTinaFeyMonika BartyzelThu, 28 Aug 2008 19:03:00 ESTRon Livingston Returns to the Office!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/ron-livingston-returns-to-the-office/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/ron-livingston-returns-to-the-office/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/ron-livingston-returns-to-the-office/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



*Warning: Clip contains foul language.*

Only nine years ago, Ron Livingston played the young, fax machine-stealing, disgruntled worker Peter Gibbons in Office Space. Whoever would've thought that less than a decade later, he'd head back to the office to be an aging businessman. Man, Hollywood is tough on age.

Variety reports the Livingston will lead an indie comedy called The Company Men, that Raul Sanchez will direct from his own screenplay. As the star, Ron gets to be "an aging businessman who struggles with a collapsing economy as he tries to save a sinking company." I guess the over-the-hill moniker sticks (Livingston is 41). It'll be interesting to see how this lives up to the cult favorite, and fan expectations. But really, the big question is: Will he use a red Swingline stapler?

Meanwhile, Livingston has a co-starring gig in The Time Traveler's Wife, which hits screens on Christmas Day.

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]]>CinematicalOffice SpaceOfficeSpaceRaul SanchezRaulSanchezRon LivingstonRonLivingstonThe Company MenTheCompanyMenMonika BartyzelThu, 28 Aug 2008 18:33:00 ESTHilary Swank is a Bad Best Friendhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/hilary-swank-is-a-bad-best-friend/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/hilary-swank-is-a-bad-best-friend/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/hilary-swank-is-a-bad-best-friend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You think Hilary Swank would have learned her lesson after finding deep love that died way too early and left her with a suspenders scar. You'd also think she might be wary about her involvement in perky fare, since her forays into the genre haven't brought her as much success as her dramatic work. Guess not.

Swank is going nuts scooping up projects to produce and star in. Earlier this month, she was looking at Fat, and now Variety reports that she wants to backstab her best friend. Along with producing partner Molly Smith she's grabbed Emily Giffin's debut novel, Something Borrowed. Instead of borrowing, say, a hairbrush, she's stealing her friend's man. This potential starring vehicle for the actress focuses on a "Manhattan attorney who becomes involved with her best friend's fiance following her 30th birthday." Yes, her best friend since elementary school. Oh, but before you think she's the only jerk -- the woman realizes she's in love with the man and sick of her manipulative friend. Wait. That's still jerky.

The project is out to writers, and Swank has already practiced one unhappy-lookin face (look to the upper right).

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]]>CinematicalHilary SwankHilarySwankMolly SmithMollySmithSOmething BorrowedSomethingBorrowedMonika BartyzelThu, 28 Aug 2008 14:33:00 ESTNews Bites: A 'Twilight' Star, Aleister Crowley, and Solondz Finds Fundinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/news-bites-a-twilight-star-aleister-crowley-and-solondz-fin/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/news-bites-a-twilight-star-aleister-crowley-and-solondz-fin/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/news-bites-a-twilight-star-aleister-crowley-and-solondz-fin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here are some news bites for our long weekend:
  • Ashley Greene has had a whirlwind of press lately, once she signed on to play Alice Cullen in Twilight. Now The Hollywood Reporter posts that she's signed onto an indie thriller called Summer. In it, she'll get another horror-themed family, but much less sexy than well-coifed, blood-sucking vampires. See, she plays a girl looking for the "father she's never known." And while that's always a risky adventure -- you never know what you'll find -- this is even more so because her family is a group of serial killers. The film is currently in production in Ottawa.
  • Meanwhile, Variety reports that CMG has closed deals for Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson's Chemical Wedding. Starz/Anchor Bay are handing distribution in North America for the film that focuses on "the most evil man in Britain," Aleister Crowley. CMG President Edward Noeltner has noted about the big, Iron Maiden fan base eager to see the film, and I have to say -- I'd go see it for the experience. Forget a woman-filled theater of Sex and the City fans. Can you imagine a theater full of Maiden worshippers?
  • And finally, there's some great news for Todd Solondz. As I outlined at the beginning of this year, the indie filmmaker has had some issues funding his work, which was leaving his PeeWee Herman-led Life During Wartime in limbo. But now Variety reports that a new indie production company, Werc Werk Works (yes, that's their name..), will fully finance the part-companion piece to Happiness. On the negative side, it looks like Mr. Reubens might be out of the production. (Variety says he was only rumored.) Whoever ends up starring, it is scheduled to go into production in October.

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]]>Aleister CrowleyAleisterCrowleyAshley GreeneAshleyGreeneBruce DickinsonBruceDickinsonChemical WeddingChemicalWeddingCinematicalLife During WartimeLifeDuringWartimeSummerTodd SolondzToddSolondzMonika BartyzelThu, 28 Aug 2008 13:33:00 ESTClooney Will Headline Jason Reitman's 'Up in the Air'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/clooney-will-headline-jason-reitmans-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/clooney-will-headline-jason-reitmans-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/clooney-will-headline-jason-reitmans-up-in-the-air/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the longest time -- until earlier this week, in fact -- I was convinced that Jason Reitman's next directing project was Diablo Cody's horror flick Jennifer's Body. Maybe that's because at a Team Juno roundtable interview last year, the two of them talked about it like it was their project (which it is, sort of -- Reitman's producing). Anyway, it's actually Karyn "Aeon Flux" Kusama who is directing Cody's follow-up, while Reitman is moving on to helm an adaptation of Walter Kirn's Up in the Air.

I strongly recommend the novel, which is a terrific satire about a perpetually transitory businessman obsessed with collecting a million frequent flyer miles. I liked it better than Kirn's more popular Thumbsucker which was already adapted into a film. The movie could be very funny in the hands of a guy like Reitman -- sharp and insightful. It should be closer in tone to Thank You for Smoking than to Juno.

Reitman has already shifted the project into a higher gear by setting his sights on George Clooney, who's in talks to star as the narcissistic protagonist. While I'm pretty sure the character is quite a bit younger than the actor, Clooney has precisely the effortless comic chops this project needs. His profile won't hurt, either.

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]]>george clooneyGeorgeClooneyjason reitmanJasonReitmanjennifers bodyJennifersBodyjunokaryn kusamaKarynKusamathank you for smokingThankYouForSmokingthumbsuckerup in the airUpInTheAirwalter kirnWalterKirnEugene NovikovThu, 28 Aug 2008 09:03:00 EST