There are plenty of jokes to be made about Grudge Match being "down for the count" or "K.O.'ed," but the sad lows this movie hits aren't a laughing matter for any of the stars involved.
The Batman vs. Superman rumors continue to persist this week as Denzel Washington has been thrown into the mix for Zack Snyder's upcoming sequel. At first, sources said he was being looked at for the role of Lex Luthor, perhaps because Joaquin Phoenix had turned it down. Now, however, Nuke The Fridge is reporting that Warner Bros. wants Washington as John Stewart, the third Green Lantern and the one who succeeded Hal Jordan.
I know I'm typically the "horror guy" here at We Got This Covered ("Why can't you watch nice things!" is typically a comment heard numerous times while visiting the parentals), but believe it or not, on top of the 90 horror films I was able to catch this year, I do watch what more conservative movie fans would call "real cinema." I'm not a horror only guy, trust me, I'm a cinephile through and through - but horror just happens to be the most fun genre to write about in my eyes.
Every once in a while, a teaser/fake trailer comes along that completely rocks the cinematic world, but the project never takes off. Fans are left with nothing but wishes of what could have been. Usually these are nothing but fun little side projects for the players involved as the joke goes out and people love it - but nothing comes in the way of a feature production.
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty offers a momentary distraction from life's hustle and bustle, but fails to become the kind of life-changing film that will make people jump out of their seats with a whole new personal outlook.
My list is pretty varied this year, containing reboots gone awry, sequels that aren't really sequels, independent films that forget to be creative, mainstream flops, and novel adaptations with the worst of intentions. There wasn't one finger to point, but multiple fingers pointing in all different directions, including at one of the most iconic horror directors to come out of the Giallo era of Italian horror filmmaking. Don't define 2013 by these duds, as there are PLENTY of horror movies I'm going to be praising unconditionally, but just do yourself a favor and don't become another victim claimed by these grueling headaches.
Maybe the true story of Marcus Luttrell's astounding survival is blinding me with patriotism, but I firmly believe Lone Survivor pays proper tribute to many deserving souls through entertaining, respectful filmmaking.
Strange - I'm having a bit of déjà vu sitting here trying my hardest not to make the obvious joke of Keanu Reeves knowing kung fu. Weren't we just exposed to a movie where Keavu tries to display his ancient fighting knowledge? Oh yes, that was Man Of Tai Chi, a more modern film compared to his most recent effort, 47 Ronin. First time director Carl Rinsch certainly is starting on an incredibly ambitious note, tasked with helming a 3D movie heavy with mystical witchcraft, choreographed battle sequences, and fantastical creatures conjured using CGI technology. Opening against heavy hitters like DiCaprio, Stallone, and De Niro, will Keanu's moves be enough to score a Christmas box office miracle? Honestly, I don't know, but when I think Christmas, I think Keanu Reeves fighting dragons with enchanted swords - don't you?
It takes more than two people to produce such a fantastic film, and that was obvious during the press day I attended for The Wolf Of Wall Street. Not only were Leonadro DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese present, but much of the surrounding team were there to weigh in as well. Fellow actors Kyle Chandler and Rob Reiner were on hand, writer Terence Winter was there to explain the writing process, and producers Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Riza Aziz, and Joey McFarland all were there to talk about the film's financial journey. Sure, questioners wanted to talk to Leo and Marty most of all, but everyone stayed involved in what was a fun press conference - especially when Rob Reiner dropped some comedic relief. Enjoy reading about Leo's experiences with the real Jordan Belfort, adapting the book to screen, and everyone's favorite moments from the production.
When Quentin Tarantino crowns a film his "Favorite Movie Of The Year," it's impossible not to become hypnotized by expectations just a teensy bit. As a critic, it's extremely important to go into any film with an open mind, no matter what the hype might suggest, but when someone of Tarantino's status puts such an emphatic recommendation on a film, how can you not get a little excited? Big Bad Wolves, an Israeli revenge flick with some sick twists, is the movie that mesmerized Tarantino and provoked his comments, but could writers/directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado win over larger audiences along with their not-so secret admirer?