Bloody Progress

Nic

It’s just been announced that filmmaker Adam Green’s upcoming Hatchet sequel (aptly titled Hatchet 2) will premiere unrated in theaters across the country. This marks the first horror film to be shown on those big silver screens in the unrated format in two decades.

Green cut the deal with AMC, way to go AMC! As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven’t seen Hatchet, but regardless this is exciting news for any cinema lover. AMC is the second largest movie theater chain in the good ol’ U.S. of A, and they are showing a little out-of-the-box gusto. Who knows if this will have a lasting affect on what we see at the cinema. At the very least it’s a victory for artistic vision and a middle finger to those bastards at the MPAA.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. Nickelodeon

Scott Pilgrim was a great time at the movies. Being an aspiring snob I usually don’t attend movies where I have much fun. So, it was a pleasant surprise to have my thirst for fun clever film quenched by Mr. Wright‘s latest cinematic foray. But after watching this clip I’m not so sure how I feel. It’s clear that some plagiarism of Avatar: The Last Airbender has occurred. Nickelodeon should fight Universal resulting in someone’s head mashed up exploding coins into the chilly Toronto air.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Expendables

Whenever I watch a movie/stand-up and hear a clever line I feel I could’ve come up with it. I can’t enjoy its quality because I’m thinking “Great. I’ll never be able to make that one lest I am accused of Mencia-ing it.” This, however, was not the case when I caught Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. It’s safe to say that I haven’t seen any movie quite like Scott. It was visually inventive almost to a fault. Wright is a master of using editing and pace to compliment comedy outside the punchlines themselves.  The script was by the numbers but you don’t buy a ticket for a movie about hipster doofuses fighting each other over blue-haired manic pixies for the emotional catharsis or social commentary (which you might find upon further viewings). Oh, and Michael Cera didn’t play himself. It’s okay to watch this in the theaters.

Its box office impact is floundering. Scott needs your help. This movie is the most visually thrilling theater experience I’ve had of 2010. Not bad for a year containing How to Train your Dragon and Inception and The Good The Bad The Weird.

Franco

Stick Around

Remember around 5 years ago when that hiker cut off his arm with a Swiss Army knife to free himself from a boulder? Now they’ve made a movie about it. And by “they” I mean Danny Boyle. There’s no way you couldn’t pick up on that by watching the trailer. The marketing department is banking that you loved Slumdog Millionaire or one of his other features. I’m surprised they aren’t focusing on the crazy remarkable event itself. No matter, this trailer has me excited. Danny Boyle + James Franco + an hour or so of no dialogue means I’m in. The best thing about Slumdog Millionaire’s tremendous success is Mr. Boyle having enough clout to push for this project to be green lit. He’ll be given screenwriting credit for the first time so it’ll be exciting to see him venture into that arena.

I’ve got a feeling the look of the film will be rich and beautiful. Catch this one at the cineplex. 127 Hours in theaters November 5th, 2010.

Franco

In My Top 3 of 2010 (so far)

Franco

This poster is weird but don’t let it fool you. There’s nothing weird about this movie unless you think great is weird. I guess  nowadays great movie is kinda weird.

The film follows an Australian crime family coming to terms with the end of their careers. Armed robbery is no longer a viable means to make a living. The pay isn’t worth the risk. They are dinosaurs among woolly mammoths. The protagonist is a teenager who by extenuating circumstances is forced to reconnect with his seedy uncles and creepy grandmother. The feces hits the fan and he finds himself in the grips of Detective Guy Pearce’s prickly mustache. He’s stuck between loyalty to his estranged family and a possible happy ending. There’s nothing original about the script but believe me, it won’t matter.

Writer/Director David Michod keeps a consistent edge-of-your-seat pacing (think No Country For Old Men) through letting scenes build up without a payoff. This type of cinematic blue-balling  climaxes at the right moments leaving you gripping your pillow tight, errrr… armrest. Michod should also be praised on how well he writes and directs his actors. This film was superbly acted having me empathize in one way or another with all its characters. It has been a while since I saw a movie in theaters where I could say that pacing and character development were the two standouts.

Animal Kingdom is the type of drama Hollywood should be releasing on the regular. US studios have the capital and the brains to consistently come out with intelligent adult films that speak to us on multiple levels. Vote with your dollar. Go watch it.

Franco

Trailer Trash

Nic

Above is the trailer for the movie Hatchet 2. Yeah, you know the sequel to Hatchet. It’s about a boy who survives a plane crash and has to survive in the forest…..oh, wrong Hatchet.

Well, if you don’t remember it, Flix it, I am sure it is great; in the trailer for it’s sequel a bunch of uncredited movie critics had some amazing things to say about it.

I actually not going to bash this trailer, because my brother is in the movie (and briefly the trailer – at 44 seconds). So, check it out!

Rolling our Way into the Semis

Know someone who’s a movie buff and has a birthday coming soon? Here’s the perfect gift. Some Pixar employee  has a hobby where he illustrates a screen shot from an R-rated movie in the form of those Little Golden Books. It’s kinda got it all. The art work, the movie quote, and the exclusivity.

Franco

40 und ein Flicken

Ep. 10 at your service.

Nic and Franco search the country far and wide on a moped for their two biological parents who may or may not turn out to be dope dealers. They pick up two vagrants along the way and wax philosophically on the merits of David O. Russell’s 1996 Flirting With Disaster. They round out the debauchery with their top road trip movies. Enjoy the sausages and booze.

Lebafun

Who needs peace in the Middle East when war has given us films like Writer/Director Samuel Maoz’s Lebanon? Like 2008’s Oscar nominated Waltz With Bashir Maoz’s film takes place in Israel’s 1982 invasion of, you got it, Lebanon. It follows a lone tank in a hostile town where Murphy’s Law is strictly enforced. The gripping trailer shows that most of the film will take place within the confines of the claustrophobic tank and the teenagers’ man balls. Lebanon looks like it will be a suspenseful conversation starter and not dumb “summer fun.” Yay!

Lebanon is currently out in limited release

Franco

I’m Still Beard

Franco

I’m Still Here is a documentary following a year in the life of Joaquin Phoenix now famous for retiring from a successful acting career to pursue life as a hip hop artist. Many might watch for a peep at the train wreck Joaquin Phoenix’s life seems to have become. I hear there’s a lot of male frontal nudity so expect more than a peep.

I’ve got a feeling I’m Still Here will be this fall’s Exit Through the Gift Shop where we are presented with a doc that might all end up as a hoax. The beauty is that we’ll never know. This poster however is awesome because there is a pair of sunglasses over a big beard hiding under crumbling text, “I’m Still Here.” Yes, but for how much longer?

Casey Affleck‘s directorial debut opens in limited release on September 10th.