Owner: The Blog with No Name - Movie News and Reviews URL:http://www.theblogwithnoname.com Join Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 01:24:49 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Musings about movies and the world of entertainment. News, reviews and commentary on current films, classic movies, foreign titles and much more! Site statistics:Click here
Opening this Week 2007-06-15 00:09:46 First up in the new crop of films in wide release for this week is Nancy Drew, the big screen adaptation of the classic girl detective novels starring Emma Roberts in the title role. I’m not sure how this one will do at the box office - the trailer for this looked kind of crappy, and I’m not sure how much appeal the books hold with today’s youth.
DOA: Dead or Alive is one movie this week I can pretty much guarantee will totally blow. It’s based on a best selling video game so, yeah. No Uwe Boll though, so that’s a plus.
The big blockbuster fo the week is Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I have high hopes for this, as it’s based on the best FF story ever. Hopefully it’s a little better than the first FF borefest.
Of the films in limited release this week, I’m most looking forward to Fido. It looks like Zombies meet Pleasantville. Will this be the zombie film that finally has the scene that trumps Zombie vs. Shark? We̵
Trailer: I am Legend 2007-06-11 12:20:54 I really like the look of this trailer for I am Legend
starring Will Smith. This will be the third adaptation of the novel (the first was The Last Man on Earth, and the second was the classic Heston flick: The Omega Man). I’m not the biggest Smith fan in the world, but I think he’s pretty good and what he does, and the big epic shots of the post-apocalyptic New York look fantastic.
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Capsule Movie Review - The Asphalt Jungle 2007-06-01 18:16:19 A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel.
Directed by John Huston
Genres
Crime, Film-Noir, Drama
Cast
Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam Jaffe, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence, Barry Kelley, Anthony Caruso, Teresa Celli, Marilyn Monroe, William ‘Wee Willie’ Davis, Dorothy Tree, Brad Dexter, John Maxwell
****/*****
From director John Huston is the awesome and atmospheric film noir. Sterling Hayden (Dr. Strangelove) stars as a hard as nails ex-con who gets wrapped up in a jewelry heist. The Asphalt Jungle
also marks an early role for a young Marilyn Monroe.
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On the Lot 2007-05-31 17:59:50 I’m enjoying On the Lot so far. It’s a little too Idolesque for my taste, but I can deal.
That said, I can’t understand how Carolina and Phil could be voted out, while Jess (with her terrible light bulb short) and Kenny (with his equally terrible Wack Alley Cab nightmare) are allowed to stay.
Get it together America!
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Capsule Movie Review - Sin City 2007-05-30 00:31:29
A film that explores the dark and miserable southern town Basin City and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in the violent corruption of the city.
Directed by
Robert Rodriguez
Genres
Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Cast
Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Cara D. Briggs, Jude Ciccolella, Jeffrey J. Dashnaw, Rosario Dawson, Jesse De Luna, Benicio Del Toro, Jason Douglas, Michael Clarke Duncan
*****/*****
Guns, dames and castrations abound in director Robert Rodriguez’s (Planet Terror, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) stylish and totally faithful adaptation of Frank Miller’s comic-book series. Specifically, the film adapts four of Miller’s short stories: it begins with “The Customer is Always Right”, a short little ditty (featuring a surprisingly well cast Josh Hartnett) that sets the tone for the awesome, hyper-charged neo-noir that is to come. Sin City
then moves on to tell the first part of “That Yellow Bast Read more:Capsule
Movie Review - George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead 2007-05-22 11:25:10 The living dead have taken over the world, and the last humans live in a walled city to protect themselves as they come to grips with the situation.
Directed by
George
A. Romero
Genres
Action, Horror, Thriller
Cast
Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento, Robert Joy, Eugene Clark, Joanne Boland, Tony Nappo, Jennifer Baxter, Boyd Banks, Jasmin Geljo, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, Tony Munch, Shawn Roberts, Pedro Miguel Arce
Land of the Dead marks the return of the legendary horror director George A. Romero to the genre he created in 1969 with the original Night of the Living Dead. Romero had a lot to live up to with this film. Night’s first sequel, Dawn of the Dead is one of the greatest horror films ever made, and its follow-up Day of the Dead, is an underrated film that has yet to be matched for stomach turning gore. What makes Romero’s zombie films special however is the director’s clever use of social satire, the most famous example of which is the critiq Read more:Movie Review
Ye Ol’ Links 2007-05-10 16:35:49 New Transformers Photos! (ComingSoon.net)
Tim Roth is the Abomination? (ComingSoon.net)
No Depp in Pirates 4? (The Movie Blog)
‘Spider-Man 3′ Busts Box-Office Records With Amazing Opening Weekend (VH1)
Deuce Bigalow Director to Helm Shrek 4 (AWN)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y1Uyn82US8
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Review - 28 Days Later 2007-05-09 11:00:44 In honour of the upcoming release of 28 Weeks Later, here is a review I did a while ago for Danny Boyle’s original film 28 Days Later:
In a Nutshell: Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.
Directed by
Danny Boyle
Genres
Sci-Fi, Horror, Thriller
Cast
Alex Palmer, Bindu De Stoppani, Jukka Hiltunen, David Schneider, Cillian Murphy, Toby Sedgwick, Naomie Harris, Noah Huntley, Christopher Dunne, Emma Hitching, Alexander Delamere, Kim McGarrity, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Justin Hackney
The latest effort from Danny Boyle, the director that brought you �Trainspotting�, is 28 Days Later, a stylish zombie horror that manages to stay true to the roots of the genre, while at the same time propelling it forward. The result is one of the best zombie films of the past decade, and indeed, a film that transcends the genre, and is a legitimately good movie in its own right.
The story opens with a gaggle of r
Stanley Kubrick Week Day 2: Capsule Review - Paths of Glory 2007-06-18 15:21:24 Director: StanleyKubrick
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphie, George Macready, Wayne Morris, Richard Anderson
Paths
of Glory is a bleak and sombre war film from early in Kubrick’s career, and set during the First World War. Kirk Douglas stars as Colonel Dax, a french officer who is ordered to send his men on a costly and deadly mission to take Ant Hill at any cost. The mission fails, and the Generals in charge attempt to cover up their mistake with the execution of some of Dax’s innocent soldiers.
Kubrick’s innovative tracking shots of the trenches create some of the films most memorable scenes, and Kubricks usual visual flair is present in the wonderful black and white photography. Kubrick’s future wife also appears briefly at the end of the film as a singer.
One of the greatest anti-war films of all time, Paths of Glory is a must watch for fans of Kubrick and fans of war films alike.
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Stanley Kubrick Week Capsule Review - The Killing 2007-06-17 14:37:55 Director: StanleyKubrick
Cast: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards
*****/*****
One of Kubrick’s early films, The Killing
is a tight and suspensful film noir that is truly one of the standouts of the genre. Sterling Hayden (one of the few actors who collaborated with Kubrick more than once) stars as Johnny Clay, an ex-con with a plan to steal $2 million from a race track. Clay assembles a crew of crooks and desperate men to pull off the heist, but slowly their plan begins to unravel.
The film features fantastic black and white photography, an innovating structure, and all the hallmarks of great film-noir: hard boiled men, a reacherous femme fatale, and gritty story telling.
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Stanley Kubrick Week Begins! 2007-06-17 02:01:26 Stanley Kubrick
is without a doubt my favourite director. In his honour, I’m going to devote this week entirely to Kubrick and his work. I’m going to do capsule reviews of each of his films (the ones that I have access to anyway), along with some other surprises. I’ll being later today with a capsule review of one of my favourite Kubrick films, which also happens to be one of my favourite film-noir: The Killing.
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Hammer Horror Capsule Review - Brides of Dracula 2007-06-17 00:37:50 Vampire hunter Van Helsing returns to Transylvania to destroy handsome bloodsucker Baron Meinster, who has designs on beautiful young schoolteacher Marianne.
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Peter Cushing, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda Jackson, David Peel
****/*****
It’s the classic Hammer
Horror setup: a young woman, travelling alone in Europe, is invited to stay in a remote castle by a mysterious baroness for sinister, vampire related reasons. The great Peter Cushing - a hammer regular - returns to play a drunked and understanbly paranoid Dr. Van Helsing (no relation to Hugh Jackman).
While it doesn’t measure up to the classic Cushing/Christopher Lee collaborations, Brides
of Dracula
is an entertaining member of the Hammer stable of films.
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Kubrick Week Day 5: Capsule Review - A Clockwork Orange 2007-06-21 13:47:24 Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Malcom McDowell, Patrick Magee, Andrienne Corri, Miriam Karlin
Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel is probably his most infamous film. A ClockworkOrange
stars Malcolm McDowell, as Alex, a psychopathic criminal hooligan that stalks the streets of a futuristic London. Theft, assault, rape and murder are all everyday offenses of Alex and his gang of “droogs.”
When Alex is arrested and brainwashed into a proper citizen, Kubrick tackles issues of the duality of good and evil, the corruption of power, and the nature of human violence.
Kubrick had A Clockwork Orange
pulled from UK theatres after a string of violent crimes that were thought to be inspired by the film. Today the film stands up as one of Kubrick’s most ambitious and controversial films.
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AFI likes Citizen Kane 2007-06-21 00:50:36 So, Citizen
Kane has come out on top once again in AFI’s top 100 American films list - and rightfully so. There are films that I like more than Citizen Kane, but there is no better movie in American cinema. It’s got it all: the groundbreaking direction of Orson Welles (which anticipates film noir very nicely), the performances and the writing. I just can’t image AFI choosing anything else.
I’m just glad that they dropped Dances with Wolves off the list. I like Costner as much as the next guy, but that has got to be the most overrated movie ever. It beat Goodfellas for the best picture Oscar.
Goodfellas.
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Kubrick Week Day 4: 2001 a Space Odyssey 2007-06-20 23:47:22 Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood
2001 a SpaceOdyssey
is one of Stanley Kubrick’s most famous and acclaimed films. Kubrick won his only Academy Award for the special effects, which were revolutionary and groundbreaking for their time, and still stand up perfectly today.
The film is truly epic - beginning with our prehistoric ancestors and vaulting into our future of a colonized space and the unknown reaches of our solar system. The human performances are subtle and understated, and the standout character is certainly the HAL 9000 - a monotone speaking artificial intelligence that controls the spaceship and appears to have a sinister agenda of it’s own.
Like all of Kubrick’s films, 2001 features fantastic visuals. The pace of the film is slow and ponderous and nearly hypnotic - but never boring. Kubrick and co-screenwriter Arthur C. Clarke do a great job of creating an intelligent and compelling story that does not pander to the audi Read more:Space Odyssey
Zombie’s Halloween lacks suspense? 2007-06-20 14:27:35 Taking a break from Kubrick week for a moment: AICN has posted a early review from a test screening of Rob Zombie’s upcoming Halloween
remake. It’s relatively positive (7/10), and it sounds like parts of it are pretty cool, but this part kind of worries me:
Cons:
Lack of suspense. A huge element of what made the original ‘Halloween’ work was it’s suspense. In the remake, Michael is on screen for a majority of the film. You know where he is in almost every scene and you can guess at what he is about to do. What else is he gonna do? Bake a cake?
The best part of Carpenter’s original Halloween was the unbelievable suspense and feelings of dread that it created, but I guess that isn’t really Zombie’s style.
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Kubrick Week 2: The Secret of the Ooze 2007-06-25 07:14:14 Well, I didn’t get everything done I wanted to during Kubrick
Week, so I’m giving myself another seven days. I’ll finish with capsule reviews of the rest of Kubrick’s filmography as well as some other stuff I’ve been working on.
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Finally 2007-06-25 07:08:51 Thank-you John Lasseter.
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First set pic of Indy from the new Indiana Jones 2007-06-23 03:13:49
This pic has made it’s rounds all over the internets already, but I thought I’d weigh in anyway.
So, Harrison looks pretty good here! I’ve been pretty much against this production of this film from the beginning, but I can’t help but be a little excited to see the Man with the Hat again. The cast is shaping up really well too. Damn you Lucas and Spielberg!
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, Indiana
, Indiana Jones
Kubrick Week 2: Capsule Movie Review - Full Metal Jacket 2007-06-27 10:27:01 Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey
Full MetalJacket
is Kubrick’s second war film. Unlike Paths of Glory however, Full Metal Jacket can’t be considered to be a truly anti-war film. Rather it’s a relatively objective portrayal of the Vietnam war and the soliders who fought in it.
The first half of the movie concentrates on basic training, and features a stand out performance from R. Lee Ermey as Gny. Sgt. Hartman. This first half of the story focuses mainly on the characters of Pvt. Joker (who wants to become a combat reporter) and Pvt. Gomer Pile, a slow and fat recruit who repeatedly incurs the wrath of Hartman as well as the other soliders in training.
The film then moves to Vietnam and loses some steam in the process. This makes Full Metal Jacket Kubrick’s most uneven film. While still thought provoking and entertaining, the second half of the film cannot match the greatness of the firs Read more:Capsule
On the Lot 2007-07-06 10:29:38 Tuesday’s episode of On the Lot was the first one I’ve enjoyed in a long time. I’m glad the producers have ponied up to let the contestants make new shorts again. Did they really think no one would notice that Kenny’s “short” from a couple weeks back had scenes with about 12 inches of snow on the ground - in the middle of June?
The horror films this week were pretty good. Kenny and Jason totally redeemed themselves for me. Kenny’s Zombie/Mountain Men/The Hills Have Eyes effort was intense and cool, and Jason totally knocked it out of the park with his ghost story. Eli Roth made a good judge too as he actually gave some real feedback (unlike Michael “work more on style” Bay)
I still can’t believe that Spielberg/Burnett and Co. all got together to conceive the format of On the Lot, and the best they could come up with was an American Idol clone. Am I the only one who finds the 30 second clips they give of the production of
Funny 2007-07-06 10:15:33 This comic from Wednesday’s Penny Arcade is pretty funny - and not too far off I bet. I don’t know if we’ll be seeing that character on the big screen any time soon, but I bet the studios start dredging up every 80s franchise they can think of now. Thundercats? He-Man? She-Ra? Voltron?
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Transformers Sets Records, New Theme Song Sucks 2007-07-05 15:26:13 Michael Bay’s Transformers
has apparently shattered the record for highest Tuesday opening with $27,450,000 according to boxofficemojo.com. I haven’t seen it yet, but I hope it’s better than the new re-imaging of the Transformers theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qX_W7mcNnM
Terrible! I’m not sure what’s worse - the bad synth intro, the “nu-metal” rapping, or the part where they name all the Autobots.
I prefer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fQ5YBcfhwo
Or even:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq0ZJgb-VX4
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, Theme
Movie Trailer - Sunshine 2007-07-04 11:47:26 Courtesty of apple.com is the new extended trailer for Danny Boyle’s upcoming sci-fi flick. Sunshine I’m a big fan of Boyle, and this looks awesome so far.
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