As there appears to be no review embargo on Michael Davis’s Shoot ‘Em Up (David Poland and Variety‘s Peter Debruge have already weighed in), I’ll come right out and say it: this is the Crank of 2007. And if you didn’t like Crank, well, you can just haul your pinko ass back to Russia, Ivan. … Continue reading
I’m a huge Sidney Lumet fan, but I’ve no problem with Arthur Sarkissian remaking the director’s 1971 The Anderson Tapes, a so-so caper comedy about a burgler who plans to pull a massive inside job in his girlfriend’s lavish apartment building. Though Lumet was already a significant filmmaker when he took on this modest project, … Continue reading
(This story is a big fat vat of untruth! And it’s all Variety’s fault! Though it’s true that Gervais was approached to star in this awful-sounding comedy, he had the good sense to turn it down, thus freeing up the producers to cast Steve Martin or Tim Allen. Well done, Ricky! Sorry for doubting you.) … Continue reading
As the negative buzz crests on Fred Claus like Richard Chamberlain at the end of The Last Wave (labored!), Universal has stepped in and procured the services of Vince Vaughn for the next couple of years with a first-look deal that will grant the comedy titan safe haven to develop a trio of pictures in … Continue reading
I am easily amused. Though I’d like to think I have a highly evolved sense of humor, I am woefully susceptible to random gags and bizarre non-sequiturs*. And while I’d love to throw out some examples, explaining comedy is death; just watch "Homer Goes to College" from the fifth season of The Simpsons and know … Continue reading
Ingmar Bergman passed away this morning, leaving behind his wife, Theater, and mistress, Film, both of which he loved equally and fervently. He doted on them, dividing his time as best he could and occasionally bringing them together when he felt they might get along for a couple of hours or more. But the terms … Continue reading
At the conclusion of Wednesday night’s Beowulf presentation at the now thankfully concluded 2007 San Diego Comic Con, I muttered to Devin and Russ that any 2-D trailer of Robert Zemeckis’s picture would almost surely be negatively received. By the time we got back to our hotel room (at the rather advanced hour of 4:30 … Continue reading
This is the third year Richard Kelly has attended the San Diego Comic Con to promote Southland Tales. I’ve been conducting an informal poll over the weekend, and the consensus seems to be that this is some kind of record. The cynics amongst you might say this is a dubious achievement, and, if Kelly were … Continue reading
Chris Nolan may detest the geeks, but he’ll take their money just the same. At Comic Con 2004, Nolan and Christian Bale whetted appetites for Batman Begins with a videotaped greeting that was comical for its seething contempt. Perhaps this isn’t the case (and I doubt a confirmation from the Nolan camp is forthcoming), but … Continue reading
On the off chance that something momentous might get broken at Paramount’s big panel o’ product, I’ve decided to live blog this nonsense for your goddamn benefit – because if you’re going to hang on each morsel of casting news, title news or on-the-fly descriptions of footage that will be on YouTube before the end … Continue reading