Until now, director James Wan has made his name with dark horror films like Saw, Insidious and the upcoming The Conjuring. He recently signed on to direct the seventh film in the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast & Furious 7, and he’s got some good ideas about what he wants to do with it.
Like him or hate him, David Cronenberg comes up with some unique film choices. The latest on the dock is Maps To The Stars, that latest in Cronenberg's 'limo trilogy,' which has just begun shooting. Along with that announcement comes a full plot synopsis for the film that stars John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska and Julianne Moore.
We all know that Robert Downey Jr. can do anything. He’s appeared in comedies and dramas alike; has done action, horror, and neo noir. He’s played billionaire playboy philanthropists, wannabe detectives and expectant fathers. He’s even been animated. But as far as I know – and correct me if I’m wrong – Robert Downey Jr. has never played opposite himself. That might all change if the rumors concerning Ben Stiller’s Pinocchio are true.
Rumors have abounded about casting for The Expendables 3. While we know that certain cast members are definitely returning, and certain others have definitely been added, the issue of the villain remains at large. The latest villain rumors have said Mel Gibson loud and clear, but as yet there’s no official confirmation from the powers-that-be.
Despite Pacific Rim not quite making the numbers it deserves, it has helped to prove that the American public does indeed like watching big monsters destroy stuff. To this end, we’re gearing up for the far away release of the Godzilla remake, as that film crashes its way towards another Comic-Con teaser. In order to build hype, we now have a brand spanking new poster of the big nasty atomic creature, along with a little message from the film’s director Gareth Edwards.
Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead proved to be one of the most sharply divisive horror films released this year. The gore-fest ranked at a somewhat scanty 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, which does not always mean much. It does show that not everyone was on board for the visceral violence. Our own Matt Donato thought it was pretty spectacular; other critics not so much. It definitely delivered what was promised: lots of gore, lots of blood, and extreme violence enough to justify a pretty committed R-rating. Today you can decide for yourself if Evil Dead is worth the home video purchase by watching the first ten minutes for free.
I admit that the trailer for the Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher – unfortunately titled just Jobs – left me less than inspired. I always try not to judge a film based on its trailer, though. Jobs has a pretty spectacular supporting cast to make up for my lack of faith in Kutcher. Maybe the next trailer will be better, different, more unique.
Japan and America have had an interesting cinematic exchange going on ever since the 1950s. Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films – themselves informed by the aesthetics of westerns – were in turn transformed into American westerns. More recently, directors like Quentin Tarantino have helped produce Japanese films that mimic American westerns (check out the crazy Sukiyaki Western Django, if you don’t believe me). That exchange now continues with the Japanese remake of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, now titled Yurusarezaru mono and starring Ken Watanabe.
The Hollywood Reporter recently confirmed that actor Cory Monteith, known for his role as Finn on the TV show Glee, has been found dead in his Vancouver hotel.
The original How To Train Your Dragon surprised both for animation and for spectacular depth of character. It was far more than just a rote story about overcoming odds, being true to yourself, etc. As the new teaser for How To Train Your Dragon 2 hits, there’s every chance that the sequel will more than live up to its predecessor.
