While staying true to Ayn Rand’s vision, Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 suffered from poor directing and editing. The film adaptation of Rand’s novel of individualism and mystery lacks the sleekness and cohesiveness to connect with audiences, not to mention its moribund made-for-TV-movie feel.
The first few minutes of Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 are disturbingly familiar. The world is collapsing in the relentless grip of a deep depression, exorbitant gas prices, and a government regulating the hell out of private industry. Dagny Taggart is an intelligent, driven woman who runs a large railroad company with her apathetic brother. Dagny is determined to have the biggest and best railroad in the country, and with cars and other types of transportation pretty much obsolete due to gas prices, her dream looks like a possibility.
Scream 4 plunges into theaters this weekend with a rabid Ghostface getting all stabby and plenty of meta hi-jinks. Unfortunately for legendary horror director Wes Craven and co., Scream 4 is less of a legitimate horror movie and more of a tongue-in-cheek tribute to horror films in general and the franchises they spawn. Beyond being almost tediously meta and self-referential, Scream 4 lacked any real substance or fresh ideas.
Lionsgate has released the first trailer for Taylor Lautner’s new action/thriller Abduction, online now thanks to MTV. Set for a September 23rd theatrical release, Abduction stars Lautner in his first leading-man role. John Singleton (Four Brothers) directs, and Lily Collins (of upcoming Snow White) co-stars.
Playing a teen who discovers his picture on a missing children website, Lautner finds himself enmeshed in shadowy government secrets from the past that may just get him killed. Collins plays his love interest, and Danny Glover, Sigourney Weaver and Alfred Molina co-star.
Green Day’s Broadway musical American Idiot looks like it will be getting a film adaptation, with lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong possibly playing a starring role. According to Deadline, Universal Pictures is in the process of converting the musical to film, with Michael Mayer set to direct and Dustin Lance Black (Milk) in talks to pen the script.
Anne McCaffrey’s seminal sci-fi book series, Dragonriders of Pern, is on its way to becoming a feature live-action film. According to Deadline, screenwriter David Hayter (Watchmen, X-Men) is set to adapt the first novel in the series, Dragonflight. Can you say hello franchise?
After the announcement that Paramount Pictures would remake the iconic 80's film Footloose (of the Kevin Bacon oeuvre), an innovative group of indie/amateur filmmakers and directors decided to send Hollywood a message. Fed up with the current exploitative trend of film remakes and re-imaginings, 58 directors got together and made the fabulously funny parody film Our Footloose Remake.
In an attempt to “undermine the Hollywood remake machine,” Our Footloose Remake has beat the “other” remake into theaters and has been making the indie movie house rounds nationwide for the last few months. According to a /Film report, this weekend the entire Our Footloose Remake film became available to view online. Check out the official website to watch it.
Ayn Rand’s great novel espousing free markets and individualism finally comes to the silver screen in a potential three-part film franchise. Film distributor Rocky Mountain Pictures and co-producer Harmon Kaslow have tapped certain current political demographics to rev up excitement for the limited theatrical release of Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 on April 15th.
A rather anemic version of Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, Focus Film and BBC’s Jane Eyre favors atmosphere over strong narrative. While Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender gave extraordinary performances, the film as a whole lacked cohesiveness. Released in theatres on March 11, Jane Eyre is a faithful but not inspired rendition of the timeless gothic romance.
Jane Eyre is the heroine of Bronte’s classic novel, a gothic romance full of dark secrets and forbidden loves. Jane (Wasikowska) is a passionate soul, though she is reserved and highly moral. Orphaned as a child, Jane goes to live with her distant aunt and abusive cousins. She is despised by her aunt and cousins, and before long sent away to an austere charity school. There she receives a first-class education, but it is a cold and strict environment for a young girl. When she graduates as an intelligent, sheltered young woman, she advertises for work as a governess and gets employment at Thornfield Hall.
The Beaver premiered at Austin’s SXSW film fest last week, and co-star Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) took the time to sit down and discuss the film. The film stars Jodie Foster (who also directed) and Mel Gibson, and portrays the emotional journey of a family man who deals with his depression by using a beaver hand puppet. Gibson plays Walter Black, a psychologically challenged father and husband, and Yelchin plays his oldest son Porter. Porter is terrified of ending up like his father, and spends most of the movie trying to distance himself.
Black Swan, the beautiful psycho-drama from acclaimed director Darren Aronofksy, is a stunning descent into madness. Natalie Portman stars as a vulnerable prima ballerina who discovers the true horror isn’t imperfection, but the attainment of perfection. Released on Blu-ray on March 29, the film that earned Portman her first Oscar can now be viewed in all its brilliance from home.
