Support Leroy on Patreon:
MOVIES - From Variety: James Emswiller, an Emmy-winning sound mixer, died after a fall on the set on Tom Hank's Mr. Rogers' biopic, "You Are My Friend." Emswiller was 61 years old, and won his Emmy for his work on Queen Latifah's "Bessie."
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MOVIES - From Variety: HBO has acquired the Jeffrey Wright prison drama, "O.G."
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TELEVISION - From TVGuide: Jennifer Garner confirms that a reboot of her early 2000s ABC series, "Alias," is happening, but that it is still in the early stages.
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DISNEY - From Variety: Fox will be ready to close the Disney deal January 1, 2019.
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COMICS-FILM - From YahooET: Maggie Gyllenhaal remembers her "The Dark Knight" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, for being "on a whole other level" on the set of Chris Nolan's 2008 film.
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AWARDS-MUSIC - From PopSugar: Here is a list winners from the 2018 American Movie Awards.
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STAR TREK - From Deadline: First look at Rebecca Romijn as "Number One" on CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2.
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COMICS-TV - From YahooEntertainment: First look at actress Ruby Red as "Batwoman" has been released. Batwoman will appear in The CW's "Arrowverse" event that crossover through episodes of "Arrow," "The Flash," and "Supergirl."
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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap: James Gunn is in talks to writer "Suicide Squad 2" for Warner Bros./DC Comics, with the possibility of directing the film also.
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MUSIC - From RockHall: Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Radiohead among 15 nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. The acts that win induction for the Class of 2019 will be announced in December (2018).
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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct: Fox is developing a late-night talk show featuring Nick Cannon.
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MOVIES - From TheWrap: Michael Pena of Marvel's "Ant-Man" franchise, is to play "Mr. Roarke" in a film based on the classic TV series, "Fantasy Island." The late Ricardo Montalban originated the role on the ABC series.
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MUSIC - From RollingStone: Foo Fighters stage Nirvana reunion.
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 10/5 to 10/7/2018 weekend box office is "Venom" with an estimated take of $80 million. That is the largest box office opening weekend for October.
From TheWrap: "The Hate U Give" and "Free Solo" lead indie box office.
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MOVIES - From Deadline: Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, Alex Gibney, talks about how his film, "No Stone Unturned" could cause him to be arrested.
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JAMES BOND - From IndieWire: Don't expect a female James Bond, says Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.
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BUSINESS - From QZ: Did you know that Amazon has its own private brands?
OBITS:
From ESPN: Basketball coach and innovator, Fred "Tex" Winter, has died at the age of 96, Wednesday, October 10, 2018. Winter pioneered the "triangle offense," which helped propel the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls to multiple NBA championships.
From Variety: Movie producer, Arnold Kopelson, has died at the age of 83, Monday, October 8, 2018. Kopelson won a "Best Picture" Oscar for producing Oliver Stone's film, "Platoon." He earned a "Best Picture" Oscar nomination for producing "The Fugitive."
From Variety: The actor, Scott Wilson, has died at the age of 76; it was announced Saturday, October 6, 2018. Wilson was best known for playing the farmer, "Hershel Green," on AMC's "The Walking Dead" from 2011 to 2014.
From Deadline: The actress, Celeste Yarnell, has died at the age of 74, Sunday, October 7, 2018. "Star Trek" fans remember her for playing "Yeomen Martha London" in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" second season episode, "The Apple." She appeared in a number of episodes of TV series in the 1960s and 1970s and in the 1968 Elvis Presley film, "Live a Little, Love a Little."
Showing posts with label Heath Ledger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heath Ledger. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2018
Sunday, August 26, 2018
"The Dark Knight" Returns to Theaters for Tenth Anniversary
Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary with an Exclusive Limited Engagement in 70mm IMAX® Film in Select Cities
IMAX theatres in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Toronto will showcase the film for one week only, beginning August 24th
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ten years ago, Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight” was released. Commemorating the 10-year anniversary, Warner Bros. Pictures is bringing the film to four select IMAX® locations for an exclusive, one-week engagement, beginning Friday, August 24, 2018. The announcement was made by Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
With “The Dark Knight,” Nolan broke new ground—shooting select sequences of the movie with IMAX film cameras—making “The Dark Knight” the first major feature film to utilize IMAX 70mm film and take advantage of the format’s massive scale and increased resolution. The movie was hailed by both critics and audiences and went on to be the top-grossing release of 2008. In the years since, Nolan has continued to pioneer the use of IMAX film cameras, employing them on an even greater scale in “The Dark Knight Rises,” as well as “Interstellar” and, most recently, “Dunkirk.”
The exclusive limited engagement will offer the public an extremely rare opportunity to see “The Dark Knight” on the biggest screens possible, as it was intended to be seen—in IMAX 70mm film—offering a uniquely immersive cinematic experience.
Tickets for the opening day went on sale Friday, July 20th, with showtimes only announced for August 24th. The theatres will list additional showtimes for subsequent dates closer to release.
“The Dark Knight” will be playing for one screening a day at the following theatres:
AMC Universal Citywalk IMAX, Universal City
AMC Lincoln Square IMAX, New York City
AMC Metreon IMAX, San Francisco
Ontario Place Cinesphere IMAX, Toronto
“The Dark Knight” stars Christian Bale in the title role and Heath Ledger, who won an Oscar for his performance as The Joker. The ensemble cast also includes Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman.
Nolan directed “The Dark Knight” from a screenplay written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan produced the film. Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull served as executive producers.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Christopher Nolan film. “The Dark Knight” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane. The film is being re-released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It was rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.
-------------------------
IMAX theatres in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Toronto will showcase the film for one week only, beginning August 24th
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ten years ago, Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight” was released. Commemorating the 10-year anniversary, Warner Bros. Pictures is bringing the film to four select IMAX® locations for an exclusive, one-week engagement, beginning Friday, August 24, 2018. The announcement was made by Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
With “The Dark Knight,” Nolan broke new ground—shooting select sequences of the movie with IMAX film cameras—making “The Dark Knight” the first major feature film to utilize IMAX 70mm film and take advantage of the format’s massive scale and increased resolution. The movie was hailed by both critics and audiences and went on to be the top-grossing release of 2008. In the years since, Nolan has continued to pioneer the use of IMAX film cameras, employing them on an even greater scale in “The Dark Knight Rises,” as well as “Interstellar” and, most recently, “Dunkirk.”
The exclusive limited engagement will offer the public an extremely rare opportunity to see “The Dark Knight” on the biggest screens possible, as it was intended to be seen—in IMAX 70mm film—offering a uniquely immersive cinematic experience.
Tickets for the opening day went on sale Friday, July 20th, with showtimes only announced for August 24th. The theatres will list additional showtimes for subsequent dates closer to release.
“The Dark Knight” will be playing for one screening a day at the following theatres:
AMC Universal Citywalk IMAX, Universal City
AMC Lincoln Square IMAX, New York City
AMC Metreon IMAX, San Francisco
Ontario Place Cinesphere IMAX, Toronto
“The Dark Knight” stars Christian Bale in the title role and Heath Ledger, who won an Oscar for his performance as The Joker. The ensemble cast also includes Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman.
Nolan directed “The Dark Knight” from a screenplay written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan produced the film. Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull served as executive producers.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Christopher Nolan film. “The Dark Knight” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane. The film is being re-released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It was rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.
-------------------------
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 15th to 21st, 2018 - Update #26
Support Leroy on Patreon:
COMIC-CON - TELEVISION - From Deadline: Joss Whedon and Monica Owusu-Breen to shepherd a reboot of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but with a Black female lead.
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COMIC-CON - TELEVISION - From Deadline: Andrew Lincoln, who plays "Rick Grimes," the lead character on AMC's hit, "The Walking Dead," confirms that he is leaving the series during the upcoming season.
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SCANDAL - From CBR: Old social media posts get James Gunn ("Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise) fired by Disney.
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SCANDAL - From TheWrap: Lionsgate's legal affairs department is hit with sexual misconduct accusations.
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MOVIES - From TheWrap: Their will be a movie musical based on the legendary musical, "Cats." Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellan, James Corden, and Taylor Swift will be among the cast.
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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct: Zazie Beetz (FX's "Atlanta") in talks to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Warner/DC Comics' standalone film, "The Joker."
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COMIC-CON - From BleedingCool: New Line announces a third film in its "Annabelle" horror movie franchise.
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MOVIES - From Deadline: Sony Pictures moves Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" to August 9, 2019.
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COMICS-FILM - From YahooTheTelegraph: Once upon a time, online morons/trolls were totally against Chris Nolan casting the late Heath Ledger as "The Joker" in "The Dark Knight."
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STREAMING - From YahooEntertainment: Chris Rock joins Eddie Murphy in Murphy's Rudy Ray Moore biopic, "Dolemite is My Name," which will be exclusive to Netflix in 2019.
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CELEBRITY - From YahooSports: An article about former NBA legend Kobe Bryant's upcoming projects.
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COMICS-FILM - From DenofGeek: Everything you need to know about Warner Bros./DC Comics' "Shazam" movie, which is due April 5, 2019.
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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap: Black Canary, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya will join Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn in the "Birds of Prey" film.
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TELEVISION - From CBR: Their may be a TV series based on the "Aliens" film franchise.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Harrison Ford is considering starring in a big-budget adaptation of the Jack London's 1903 novel, "Call of the Wild." Previous film versions of the classic novel about the Klondike gold rush have starred Clark Gable and Charlton Heston.
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MOVIES - From IndieWire: Keanu Reeves cast doubt on "Bill & Ted 3" because the project is still facing challenges.
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CULTURE - From NYTimes: "When Black actors use their "White voice."
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/13 to 7/15/2018 weekend box office is "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" with an estimated take of $44.1 million.
From Variety: "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" also passes new release "Skyscraper" at the international box office.
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EMMYS- From Variety: Here is a complete list of the 70th/ 2018 Emmy Award nominations.
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MOVIES - From TheGuardian: A lost screenplay, "entitled Burning Secret," written by the late Stanley Kubrick ("Full Metal Jacket") has been found.
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MOVIES - From RollingStone: The original director, writers, and actors will return for a sequel to the hit 2009 film, "Zombieland."
----------
MOVIES - From PopSugar: Dwayne Johnson is not sure if he is going to be in "Fast & Furious 9"
OBIT:
From PittPostGazette: Former NFL player, Gabe Rivera, has died at the age of 57, Monday, July 16, 2018. Rivera was the Steelers first round pick in 1983 out of Texas Tech. Six games into his rookie season, his career ended when he was injured in a car accident and paralyzed from the waist down. Rivera was notoriously chosen ahead of hometown boy Dan Marino who was picked later in the first round by the Miami Dolphins where he went on to have a legendary and record-setting, NFL Hall of Fame career.
VIDEOS:
From YouTube: The first official trailer for "Glass," the sequel to M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" and "Split."
From YouTube: Second official trailer for "The Predator."
From YouTube: First trailer for Warner Bros./New Line/DC Comics' "Shazam" (due Spring 2019).
From YouTube: First full(?) "Aquaman" trailer.
COMIC-CON - TELEVISION - From Deadline: Joss Whedon and Monica Owusu-Breen to shepherd a reboot of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but with a Black female lead.
----------
COMIC-CON - TELEVISION - From Deadline: Andrew Lincoln, who plays "Rick Grimes," the lead character on AMC's hit, "The Walking Dead," confirms that he is leaving the series during the upcoming season.
---------
SCANDAL - From CBR: Old social media posts get James Gunn ("Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise) fired by Disney.
---------
SCANDAL - From TheWrap: Lionsgate's legal affairs department is hit with sexual misconduct accusations.
----------
MOVIES - From TheWrap: Their will be a movie musical based on the legendary musical, "Cats." Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellan, James Corden, and Taylor Swift will be among the cast.
----------
COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct: Zazie Beetz (FX's "Atlanta") in talks to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Warner/DC Comics' standalone film, "The Joker."
----------
COMIC-CON - From BleedingCool: New Line announces a third film in its "Annabelle" horror movie franchise.
----------
MOVIES - From Deadline: Sony Pictures moves Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" to August 9, 2019.
----------
COMICS-FILM - From YahooTheTelegraph: Once upon a time, online morons/trolls were totally against Chris Nolan casting the late Heath Ledger as "The Joker" in "The Dark Knight."
----------
STREAMING - From YahooEntertainment: Chris Rock joins Eddie Murphy in Murphy's Rudy Ray Moore biopic, "Dolemite is My Name," which will be exclusive to Netflix in 2019.
----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooSports: An article about former NBA legend Kobe Bryant's upcoming projects.
----------
COMICS-FILM - From DenofGeek: Everything you need to know about Warner Bros./DC Comics' "Shazam" movie, which is due April 5, 2019.
----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap: Black Canary, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya will join Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn in the "Birds of Prey" film.
--------
TELEVISION - From CBR: Their may be a TV series based on the "Aliens" film franchise.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Harrison Ford is considering starring in a big-budget adaptation of the Jack London's 1903 novel, "Call of the Wild." Previous film versions of the classic novel about the Klondike gold rush have starred Clark Gable and Charlton Heston.
----------
MOVIES - From IndieWire: Keanu Reeves cast doubt on "Bill & Ted 3" because the project is still facing challenges.
----------
CULTURE - From NYTimes: "When Black actors use their "White voice."
----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/13 to 7/15/2018 weekend box office is "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" with an estimated take of $44.1 million.
From Variety: "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" also passes new release "Skyscraper" at the international box office.
----------
EMMYS- From Variety: Here is a complete list of the 70th/ 2018 Emmy Award nominations.
----------
MOVIES - From TheGuardian: A lost screenplay, "entitled Burning Secret," written by the late Stanley Kubrick ("Full Metal Jacket") has been found.
----------
MOVIES - From RollingStone: The original director, writers, and actors will return for a sequel to the hit 2009 film, "Zombieland."
----------
MOVIES - From PopSugar: Dwayne Johnson is not sure if he is going to be in "Fast & Furious 9"
OBIT:
From PittPostGazette: Former NFL player, Gabe Rivera, has died at the age of 57, Monday, July 16, 2018. Rivera was the Steelers first round pick in 1983 out of Texas Tech. Six games into his rookie season, his career ended when he was injured in a car accident and paralyzed from the waist down. Rivera was notoriously chosen ahead of hometown boy Dan Marino who was picked later in the first round by the Miami Dolphins where he went on to have a legendary and record-setting, NFL Hall of Fame career.
VIDEOS:
From YouTube: The first official trailer for "Glass," the sequel to M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" and "Split."
From YouTube: Second official trailer for "The Predator."
From YouTube: First trailer for Warner Bros./New Line/DC Comics' "Shazam" (due Spring 2019).
From YouTube: First full(?) "Aquaman" trailer.
Friday, April 7, 2017
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 8th, 2017 - Update #20
Support Leroy on Patreon.
TELEVISION - From ScreenDaily: John Ridley gets emotional talking about his series, "Guerilla," for the British broadcaster, Sky."
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SPORTS - From YahooSports: LaVar Ball blames UCLA's NCAA men's basketball tournament loss on 3 slow of foot white guys. His son, Lonzo, plays on that team.
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MOVIE - From SlashFilm: The long talked about "The Legend of Conan" is not happening... maybe someone will consider it again in the future.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Adam McKay is developing a Dick Cheney biopic. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Amy Adams are in talks to appear.
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OBIT - From TMZ: Legendary stand-up comic, Don Rickles, has died at the age of 90, Thursday, April 6, 2017. Rickles, an "insult comic," was known as the "king of the zing." Rickles was also an actor with numerous film and TV appearances. R.I.P. Mr. Rickles, I'll always love your humor.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Jeremy Renner and Hannibal Buress are joining Ed Helms in the comedy, "Tag."
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MOVIES - From Variety: Eric Roth, who wrote the screenplay for "Forrest Gump," will write director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" reboot.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Demian Bichir will headline "The Nun," a spinoff from "The Conjuring 2."
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CELEBRITY - YahooCelebrity: Heath Ledger documentary, "I Am Heath Ledger" says that Ledger wanted fame, but didn't want it when he got it.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Colin Farrell is considering joining Viola Davis in Steve McQueen's "Widows."
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DISNEY - From Variety: There is a live-action remake of Walt Disney's animated classic, "Dumbo," to be directed by Tim Burton. Michael Keaton, who has starred in three films directed by Burton, is in talks to play the villain.
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STAR TREK - From YahooNews: Sonequa Martin-Green ("Sasha" from "The Walking Dead") will play a character on CBS's upcoming "Star Trek: Discovery." The character has finally been revealed as "First Officer Michael Burnham."
----------
MOVIES - From JoBlo: Arnold Schwarzenegger says he is not finished with "Terminator" franchise.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Steve Carell's Amazon drama, "Beautiful Boys," casts the youngest son.
----------
POLITICS - From YahooTV: George Takei, LGBTQ activist and "Sulu" on the original "Star Trek," is not running for office. It was a joke.
----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 3/31 to 4/2/2017 weekend box office is DreamWorks Animation's "The Boss Baby" with an estimated take of $49 million.
----------
COMICS - From THR: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, who had a hit run on the comic book, "Batman," beginning in 2011, are creating a DC Comics event story line for late summer, "Dark Night: Metal." This will be "bigger than Batman."
----------
COMICS-FILM - From RollingStone: Joss Whedon is directing a "Batgirl" movie.
----------
CULTURE - From Jacobin: An alternative obituary of plutocrat, David Rockefeller (who recently died at the age of 101) by Erik Wallenberg
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LGBTQ - From Variety: Best Picture Oscar winner, "Moonlight" wins top film honor at GLAAD Media Awards.
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MOVIES - From THR: Zac Efron says that Hugh Jackman saved him from a fire on the set of the upcoming "The Greatest Showman," which is about P.T. Barnum.
TELEVISION - From ScreenDaily: John Ridley gets emotional talking about his series, "Guerilla," for the British broadcaster, Sky."
----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports: LaVar Ball blames UCLA's NCAA men's basketball tournament loss on 3 slow of foot white guys. His son, Lonzo, plays on that team.
----------
MOVIE - From SlashFilm: The long talked about "The Legend of Conan" is not happening... maybe someone will consider it again in the future.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Adam McKay is developing a Dick Cheney biopic. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Amy Adams are in talks to appear.
----------
OBIT - From TMZ: Legendary stand-up comic, Don Rickles, has died at the age of 90, Thursday, April 6, 2017. Rickles, an "insult comic," was known as the "king of the zing." Rickles was also an actor with numerous film and TV appearances. R.I.P. Mr. Rickles, I'll always love your humor.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Jeremy Renner and Hannibal Buress are joining Ed Helms in the comedy, "Tag."
---------
MOVIES - From Variety: Eric Roth, who wrote the screenplay for "Forrest Gump," will write director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" reboot.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Demian Bichir will headline "The Nun," a spinoff from "The Conjuring 2."
----------
CELEBRITY - YahooCelebrity: Heath Ledger documentary, "I Am Heath Ledger" says that Ledger wanted fame, but didn't want it when he got it.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Colin Farrell is considering joining Viola Davis in Steve McQueen's "Widows."
----------
DISNEY - From Variety: There is a live-action remake of Walt Disney's animated classic, "Dumbo," to be directed by Tim Burton. Michael Keaton, who has starred in three films directed by Burton, is in talks to play the villain.
----------
STAR TREK - From YahooNews: Sonequa Martin-Green ("Sasha" from "The Walking Dead") will play a character on CBS's upcoming "Star Trek: Discovery." The character has finally been revealed as "First Officer Michael Burnham."
----------
MOVIES - From JoBlo: Arnold Schwarzenegger says he is not finished with "Terminator" franchise.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Steve Carell's Amazon drama, "Beautiful Boys," casts the youngest son.
----------
POLITICS - From YahooTV: George Takei, LGBTQ activist and "Sulu" on the original "Star Trek," is not running for office. It was a joke.
----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 3/31 to 4/2/2017 weekend box office is DreamWorks Animation's "The Boss Baby" with an estimated take of $49 million.
----------
COMICS - From THR: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, who had a hit run on the comic book, "Batman," beginning in 2011, are creating a DC Comics event story line for late summer, "Dark Night: Metal." This will be "bigger than Batman."
----------
COMICS-FILM - From RollingStone: Joss Whedon is directing a "Batgirl" movie.
----------
CULTURE - From Jacobin: An alternative obituary of plutocrat, David Rockefeller (who recently died at the age of 101) by Erik Wallenberg
----------
LGBTQ - From Variety: Best Picture Oscar winner, "Moonlight" wins top film honor at GLAAD Media Awards.
----------
MOVIES - From THR: Zac Efron says that Hugh Jackman saved him from a fire on the set of the upcoming "The Greatest Showman," which is about P.T. Barnum.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 24th to 31st, 2016 - Update #56
Support Leroy on Patreon.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/29 to 7/31/16 weekend box office is "Jason Bourne" with an estimated gross of $60 million.
From Variety: "Jason Bourne" makes a $60 million debut at the box office.
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HARRY POTTER - From TheWrap: The boy wizard is done says J.K. Rowling.
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POLITICS - From YahooNews: Trump asserts that the NFL is on his side because both are against two presidential debates that are the same time as NFL games.
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MOVIES - From CinemaBlend: Will Smith totally starstrck by Batman on set of "Suicide Squad."
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OBIT-COMICS - From MADMagazine: Jack Davis, one of the founders of "Mad Magazine," has died at the age of 91, Wednesday, July 27, 2016.
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MOVIES - From ScreenRant: John Carpenter and his fellow plaintiffs won a lawsuit against French filmmaker, Luc Besson, claiming that Besson's film, "Lockout" was plagiarized from Carpenter's cult 1981 film, Escape from New York.
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POLITICS - From YahooNews: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump insult Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past weeks 2016 DNC. Khizr spoke and castigated Trump. the Kahns' son, Humayun was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004.
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TELEVISION - From TheWrap: "Season 8" will be the final season of HBO's Emmy-winning "Game of Thrones."
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POLITICS - From YahooNews: Women feeling empowered by Hillary Clinton's nomination.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Rising acting talent, Paul Dano, is making his directorial debut with the film, "Wildfire," based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel.
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MOVIES - From HitFix: "Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part II" get title changes. "Avengers: Infinity War Part I" is not just "Avengers: Infinity War."
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MOVIES - From TheWrap: Danny Trejo wants Betty White to be in his next movie.
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POLITICS - From NYPost: Malia Obama, Barack and Michelle's older daughter, skips the DNC and goes to Lollapalooza instead, and conservatives, Obama-haters, and racists freak out.
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SPORTS/CRIME - From YahooSports: Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion, Curt Schilling, won't face criminal charges for his video game company scam which cost Rhode Island tax payers $112 million.
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MOVIES - From TheVillageVoice: John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs" (1970) is back.
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MOVIES - From YahooMovies: 30 years of "Stand By Me," so we have an oral history of the film that almost didn't make it into theaters.
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From YahooMovies: Sometimes actors do cosplay, too.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Oprah Winfrey is in final negotiations to appear in the film, "A Wrinkle in Time," which is being directed by Ava DuVernay ("Selma"). Winfrey appeared in "Selma."
From EntertaimentWeekly: 5 things we want to see in Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time" adaptation.
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COMICS/FILM - From ThePlaylist: Disney is developing a reboot/sequel of its 1991 film, "The Rocketeer."
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OBIT - From TheWrap: The actor and radio talk show host, Jerry Doyle, has died at the age of 60, Wednesday, July 27, 2017. He was probably best known for his role as "Michael Garibaldi" on the cult TV show, "Babylon 5."
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MUSIC - From YahooMusic: Kanye still pushin' the Taylor Swift message.
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POLITICS - From CNN: President Barack Obama's entire Democratic convention speech at the 2016 DNC.
From CNN: Some GOP are feeling jelly about President Obama's speech.
From YahooTV: People loved First Lady Michelle Obama's DNC sppech, but the designer of her dress is in awe that she chose to wear it.
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POLITICS - From CNN: Bradley Cooper was at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and now, some Republicans are angry. Why? Read on...
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TELEVISION - From PopSugar: 6 teaser photos from "American Horror Story" Season 6.
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TELEVISION - From PopSugar: The Netflix reboot of the "Gilmore Girls," which is called "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" has a premiere date: November 25, 2016.
----------------
MOVIES - From YahooCelebrity: Kim Ledger talks about the tragic death of his son, Heath Ledger.
From YahooMovies: Jared Leto will play "The Joker" in the upcoming "Suicide Squad." He talks about playing the character after Heath Ledger, who played the Joker in "The Dark Knight," and won a posthumous Oscar for his performance.
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CRIME - From YahooNews: In 1981, John Hinkley shot and injured President Ronald Reagan and 3 others, during an assassination attempt on Reagan. He will be freed by August 5th, 2016 from a government psychiatric hospital.
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MOVIES - From IndieWire: Charlie Hunnam, the lead in "Pacific Rim," will not return for the sequel. He's not enough of a star for this to be considered a big lost. There must be at least 20 young white actors of his age and talent and overblown status that could take Hunnam's place.
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HARRY POTTER - From YahooMovies: What critics are saying about the stage play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."
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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity: Eddie Murphy, his current girlfriend (Paige Butcher), and ex-wife (Nicole Murphy), make nice on the red carpet.
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OBIT - From TMZ: The website is reporting that Youree Harris, best known as the iconic TV psychic, "Miss Cleo," has died at the age of 53, after a battle with cancer.
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POLITICS - From RSN: Michael Moore has five reasons Donald Trump will win the presidency.
---------------
COMICS - From Variety: Kiersey Clemons (a breakout in "Dope") is in talks to star as "Iris West" in Warner Bros. and DC Comics' "Flash" movie next to Ezra Miller as "Flash." Rick Famumiya, the director of "Dope," is directing "Flash."
---------------
COMIC-CON - From Refinery29: Zendaya to play a character named "Michelle" in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
From BusinessInsider: The lead villain in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is "Vulture."
---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: First Lady Michelle Obama delivers a soaring powerful speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
---------------
CULTURE - From YahooSports: After years of relative silence, Michael Jordan is speaking out on the issues of police shootings and police shooting people. Cop killers buy sneakers, too, eh, Mike?
---------------
COMIC-CON - From BleedingCool: The links to 300 Bleeding Cool articles on the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in one place.
---------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/22 to 7/24/2016 weekend box office is "Star Trek Beyond" with an estimated take of $59.6 million.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooNews: It did not take much convincing for Michael Rooker to appear in blue makeup for a Marvel Studios panel discussion "Guardians of the Galaxy 2."
--------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From LATimes: Ben Affleck confirmed as director of standalone "Batman" film.
---------------
SDCC-TV - From YahooTV: The Comic-Con trailer for "Sherlock Holmes" Season 4 shocks viewers.
---------------
POLITICS - From NYT: Donald Trump, Jr. has said that his father, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, would turn over foreign and domestic affairs to his vice-president, if Trump were be elected president...
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From Variety: Marvel vs. DC - comic book movies at Comic-Con.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: Comic-Con debuts a new trailer for "LEGO Batman."
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: A new, longer "Doctor Strange" trailer debuts at Comic-Con.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: Oscar-winner Brie Larson ("Room") officially announced as Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel." Her solo film arrives in 2019.
-- Also, Danai Gurira, "Michonne" of "The Walking Dead," was introduced as the latest member of the "Black Panther" squad.
---------------
TRAILERS:
From BleedingCool: The trailer for Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall" with Matt Damon.
From YouTube: Teaser trailer for "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," due in January 2017.
From YahooMovies: First teaser trailer for "T2: Trainspotting," the sequel to the film, "Trainspotting."
COMICS - From YahooMovies: First full "Wonder Woman" trailer, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con International 2016.
COMICS - From YahooMovies: Warner Bros. unleashes footage from its "Justice League" movie.
MOVIES - From YahooMovies: King Kong is massive in "King: Skull Island."
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/29 to 7/31/16 weekend box office is "Jason Bourne" with an estimated gross of $60 million.
From Variety: "Jason Bourne" makes a $60 million debut at the box office.
---------------
HARRY POTTER - From TheWrap: The boy wizard is done says J.K. Rowling.
--------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: Trump asserts that the NFL is on his side because both are against two presidential debates that are the same time as NFL games.
---------------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend: Will Smith totally starstrck by Batman on set of "Suicide Squad."
---------------
OBIT-COMICS - From MADMagazine: Jack Davis, one of the founders of "Mad Magazine," has died at the age of 91, Wednesday, July 27, 2016.
---------------
MOVIES - From ScreenRant: John Carpenter and his fellow plaintiffs won a lawsuit against French filmmaker, Luc Besson, claiming that Besson's film, "Lockout" was plagiarized from Carpenter's cult 1981 film, Escape from New York.
---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump insult Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past weeks 2016 DNC. Khizr spoke and castigated Trump. the Kahns' son, Humayun was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004.
---------------
TELEVISION - From TheWrap: "Season 8" will be the final season of HBO's Emmy-winning "Game of Thrones."
---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: Women feeling empowered by Hillary Clinton's nomination.
---------------
MOVIES - From Variety: Rising acting talent, Paul Dano, is making his directorial debut with the film, "Wildfire," based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel.
---------------
MOVIES - From HitFix: "Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part II" get title changes. "Avengers: Infinity War Part I" is not just "Avengers: Infinity War."
---------------
MOVIES - From TheWrap: Danny Trejo wants Betty White to be in his next movie.
---------------
POLITICS - From NYPost: Malia Obama, Barack and Michelle's older daughter, skips the DNC and goes to Lollapalooza instead, and conservatives, Obama-haters, and racists freak out.
---------------
SPORTS/CRIME - From YahooSports: Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion, Curt Schilling, won't face criminal charges for his video game company scam which cost Rhode Island tax payers $112 million.
---------------
MOVIES - From TheVillageVoice: John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs" (1970) is back.
----------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies: 30 years of "Stand By Me," so we have an oral history of the film that almost didn't make it into theaters.
---------------
From YahooMovies: Sometimes actors do cosplay, too.
---------------
MOVIES - From Variety: Oprah Winfrey is in final negotiations to appear in the film, "A Wrinkle in Time," which is being directed by Ava DuVernay ("Selma"). Winfrey appeared in "Selma."
From EntertaimentWeekly: 5 things we want to see in Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time" adaptation.
---------------
COMICS/FILM - From ThePlaylist: Disney is developing a reboot/sequel of its 1991 film, "The Rocketeer."
----------------
OBIT - From TheWrap: The actor and radio talk show host, Jerry Doyle, has died at the age of 60, Wednesday, July 27, 2017. He was probably best known for his role as "Michael Garibaldi" on the cult TV show, "Babylon 5."
---------------
MUSIC - From YahooMusic: Kanye still pushin' the Taylor Swift message.
---------------
POLITICS - From CNN: President Barack Obama's entire Democratic convention speech at the 2016 DNC.
From CNN: Some GOP are feeling jelly about President Obama's speech.
From YahooTV: People loved First Lady Michelle Obama's DNC sppech, but the designer of her dress is in awe that she chose to wear it.
---------------
POLITICS - From CNN: Bradley Cooper was at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and now, some Republicans are angry. Why? Read on...
---------------
TELEVISION - From PopSugar: 6 teaser photos from "American Horror Story" Season 6.
---------------
TELEVISION - From PopSugar: The Netflix reboot of the "Gilmore Girls," which is called "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" has a premiere date: November 25, 2016.
----------------
MOVIES - From YahooCelebrity: Kim Ledger talks about the tragic death of his son, Heath Ledger.
From YahooMovies: Jared Leto will play "The Joker" in the upcoming "Suicide Squad." He talks about playing the character after Heath Ledger, who played the Joker in "The Dark Knight," and won a posthumous Oscar for his performance.
---------------
CRIME - From YahooNews: In 1981, John Hinkley shot and injured President Ronald Reagan and 3 others, during an assassination attempt on Reagan. He will be freed by August 5th, 2016 from a government psychiatric hospital.
---------------
MOVIES - From IndieWire: Charlie Hunnam, the lead in "Pacific Rim," will not return for the sequel. He's not enough of a star for this to be considered a big lost. There must be at least 20 young white actors of his age and talent and overblown status that could take Hunnam's place.
---------------
HARRY POTTER - From YahooMovies: What critics are saying about the stage play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."
---------------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity: Eddie Murphy, his current girlfriend (Paige Butcher), and ex-wife (Nicole Murphy), make nice on the red carpet.
---------------
OBIT - From TMZ: The website is reporting that Youree Harris, best known as the iconic TV psychic, "Miss Cleo," has died at the age of 53, after a battle with cancer.
---------------
POLITICS - From RSN: Michael Moore has five reasons Donald Trump will win the presidency.
---------------
COMICS - From Variety: Kiersey Clemons (a breakout in "Dope") is in talks to star as "Iris West" in Warner Bros. and DC Comics' "Flash" movie next to Ezra Miller as "Flash." Rick Famumiya, the director of "Dope," is directing "Flash."
---------------
COMIC-CON - From Refinery29: Zendaya to play a character named "Michelle" in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
From BusinessInsider: The lead villain in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is "Vulture."
---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: First Lady Michelle Obama delivers a soaring powerful speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
---------------
CULTURE - From YahooSports: After years of relative silence, Michael Jordan is speaking out on the issues of police shootings and police shooting people. Cop killers buy sneakers, too, eh, Mike?
---------------
COMIC-CON - From BleedingCool: The links to 300 Bleeding Cool articles on the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in one place.
---------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/22 to 7/24/2016 weekend box office is "Star Trek Beyond" with an estimated take of $59.6 million.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooNews: It did not take much convincing for Michael Rooker to appear in blue makeup for a Marvel Studios panel discussion "Guardians of the Galaxy 2."
--------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From LATimes: Ben Affleck confirmed as director of standalone "Batman" film.
---------------
SDCC-TV - From YahooTV: The Comic-Con trailer for "Sherlock Holmes" Season 4 shocks viewers.
---------------
POLITICS - From NYT: Donald Trump, Jr. has said that his father, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, would turn over foreign and domestic affairs to his vice-president, if Trump were be elected president...
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From Variety: Marvel vs. DC - comic book movies at Comic-Con.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: Comic-Con debuts a new trailer for "LEGO Batman."
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: A new, longer "Doctor Strange" trailer debuts at Comic-Con.
---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: Oscar-winner Brie Larson ("Room") officially announced as Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel." Her solo film arrives in 2019.
-- Also, Danai Gurira, "Michonne" of "The Walking Dead," was introduced as the latest member of the "Black Panther" squad.
---------------
TRAILERS:
From BleedingCool: The trailer for Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall" with Matt Damon.
From YouTube: Teaser trailer for "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," due in January 2017.
From YahooMovies: First teaser trailer for "T2: Trainspotting," the sequel to the film, "Trainspotting."
COMICS - From YahooMovies: First full "Wonder Woman" trailer, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con International 2016.
COMICS - From YahooMovies: Warner Bros. unleashes footage from its "Justice League" movie.
MOVIES - From YahooMovies: King Kong is massive in "King: Skull Island."
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Review: "The Order" is Unfortunately Out of Order
The Order (2003)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for violent images, sexuality and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Brian Helgeland
PRODUCERS: Craig Baumgarten and Brian Helgeland
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nicola Pecorini
EDITOR: Kevin Stitt
COMPOSER: David Torn
MYSTERY/HORROR/THRILLER with elements of and fantasy
Starring: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Benno Fürmann, Mark Addy, Peter Weller, and Francesco Carnelutti
The subject of this movie review is The Order, a 2003 mystery-horror film from writer-director, Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger as a young priest who travels to Rome to investigate the troubling death of the head of his order.
In Oscar® winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland's (L.A. Confidential) The Order, two priests belonging to an arcane order known as the Carolingians and a troubled painter track a figure of Catholic lore known as the Sin Eater. When the leader of the Carolingians, Dominic (Francesco Carnelutti), dies, Alex Bernier (Heath Ledger) goes to Rome to investigate the circumstances of his mentor’s mysterious death.
Dominic’s body bears strange scars that may be the markings of the Sin Eater, a renegade who offers absolution of the gravest sins. This is the only way to heaven for those who are outside the jurisdiction of the church, either by choice or because of excommunication. However, there is a bigger problem; as Alex and his own colleague Father Thomas Garrett (Mark Addy) search for the Sin Eater, there may be a conspiracy surrounding Alex, drawing him closer to the Sin-Eater, a centuries old man named William Eden (Benno Fürmann).
The Order has an interesting premise, and it actually could have been a fairly good suspense thriller (and a creepy one, at that) without the hokey special effects. The Order’s story is basically a tale of religious conspiracy, in this case, that old Hollywood standby, a conspiracy reaching the upper levels of the Roman Catholic Church and involving arcane Catholic lore. One can wonder what Helgeland was thinking when he dreamed up this story. It’s all flash and no substance. What are the themes? What is it really about? Is it just a film exercise meant to be a scary movie.
Two things really hurt The Order. First, the special effects and fantasy, horror, supernatural elements seem tacked on, as if the studio knew that people would not go for some religious mystery thriller if there wasn’t some unholy bump in the night going on. Secondly, the actors, except for a few, spare moments, are pitiful. They lack energy and seem lethargic or drugged. Speaking accents and dialects are plentiful, but no actor is consistent. Each one seems to grab whatever accent works for the moment, as if he or she will simply try everything in hopes that something will stick.
If you’re looking for a hardcore horror movie, this isn’t it. If you like mystery and religious conspiracies, this isn’t a totally bad way to spend VCR time.
4 of 10
C
Updated: Wednesday, September 04, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Review: "Monster's Ball" Retains Its Dark Power (Happy B'day, Halle Berry)
Monster’s Ball (2001)
Running time: 111 minutes (1 hour, 51 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, language, and violence
DIRECTOR: Marc Forster
WRITERS: Milo Addica and Will Rokos
PRODUCER: Lee Daniels
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roberto Schaefer (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Matt Cheese
COMPOSERS: Asche and Spencer with Chris Beaty
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/ROMANCE
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Peter Boyle Buck Grotowski, Heath Ledger, Coronji Calhoun, Sean Combs, Mos Def, and John McConnell
The subject of this movie review is Monster’s Ball, a 2001 romantic drama from director Marc Forster. The film is best remembered for Halle Barry winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, the first black actress in a leading role to win the award.
Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thorton) is a racist prison guard who works on death row. As he followed his father Buck (Peter Boyle) into the profession, so has his own son Sonny (Heath Ledger, The Patriot) followed him as a prison guard. When Sonny botches the “last walk” of a condemned black man, Lawrence Musgrove (Sean “P. Diddy” Combs), Hank and Sonny fallout and a brutal physical confrontation with tragic consequences. Hank meets and falls in love with Lawrence’s widow Leticia (Halle Berry) who also loses her son Tyrell (Coronji Calhoun). Their relationship confuses and conflicts them as they awkwardly seek their way towards love for each other.
Monster’s Ball is one of those films that does not work as entertainment so much as it explores the storytelling possibilities of a visual medium. Directed by the little known Marc Forster, the film is tightly directed, every frame is of importance to the story. Forster’s visual panache recalls Steven Soderberg’s bold indie feature sex, lies and videotape, and Forster takes great care in steering away from formula storytelling.
The script by Milo Addica and Will Rokos occasionally plays fast and loose with credulity. The viewer really has to suspend disbelief during several scenes. What saves the story is the gritty realism that permeates the script. The writers trust the visual communication of the film, but don’t rely on glitz and glamour to prettify the story. The screenwriters understand that the director and the cast will contribute as well. The screenplay is blueprint and a drama as well.
The acting is superb. Too watch these fairly well known actors open themselves up to what must surely be alien lives and idea is breath taking. Nothing that Heath Ledger has done to date has been this good. His Sonny is both an angel and a martyr; his youthful and clean face is a glimmer of hope extinguished by the pain of his family’s sordid past. Peter Boyle has a long career of making great characters, and his portrayal, as Hank’s racist senile father is another creation well played.
The star crossed and cursed lovers of the film played by Thorton and Ms. Berry are mesmerizing. Thorton has tackled unusual and compelling characters in his career. Ms. Berry has let her guard down and plays a character worlds apart from the high profile, glossy, sex objects she usually plays. To open herself to play a character that would be ridiculed, reviled, and pitied in the real world, who is akin to a pariah, is an act worthy of praise. Ms. Berry bares herself before the camera to be a plain and common woman beset by sorrows. Leticia’s simple needs, wants, and desires are foreign to many viewers and actresses. It’s good to see a cutie pie actress tackle serious and challenging drama.
To watch Thorton and Ms. Berry on the screen is a gift. When the mind calls for something other than a simple pastime, this movie fits the bill. A more unusual and hypnotic screen pair than Thorton and Ms. Berry is rare. They give bravura performances. Monster’s Ball may not be entertainment per se, but it is still a fine cinematic experience.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Halle Berry) and 1 nomination: “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Milo Addica and Will Rokos)
2003 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Halle Berry)
2002 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Halle Berry)
2002 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Theatrical - Best Actress” (Halle Berry)
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Review: "The Dark Knight" Rose Above All Other Batman Movies
The Dark Knight (2008)
Running time: 152 minutes (2 hours, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
WRITERS: Jonathan Noland and Christopher Nolan; from a story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (based upon the characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
PRODUCERS: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lee Smith
Academy Award winner
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and CRIME/DRAMA/THRILLER
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Monique Gabriela Curren, Nestor Carbonell, Eric Roberts, Colin McFarlane, Joshua Harto, and Michael Jai White
Director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, the sequel to his 2005 film, Batman Begins, is indeed as good as practically everyone who has seen it says. The Dark Knight is both loud and complex, sometimes as scary as it is over the top, but the heart of the movie isn’t loud explosions and violent confrontations. For all the attention paid to this film’s villain, The Joker as portrayed by the late Heath Ledger, Nolan uses The Dark Knight to examine the heart, soul, and guts (constitution) of a hero, in particularly both the character Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne.
The steadfast Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the heroic District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) join Batman’s (Christian Bale) plot to destroy organized crime in Gotham City for good. The three are highly effective, as they track Gotham organized crime’s cash, the hundreds of millions of dollars that criminals hide in Gotham banks. They’ll follow the money even when it means Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and his partner Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) must undertake a secret mission to Hong Kong.
However, their success is short lived, when The Joker (Heath Ledger), a rising criminal mastermind, inserts himself into the situation. The Joker practically bullies Gotham’s crime lords into hiring him to kill Batman. The Joker’s antics throw Gotham into anarchy, and his acts of terrorism force the Dark Knight and everyone one around him ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.
So many things stand out as being exceptional about The Dark Knight. The story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, who wrote Batman Begins together, is quite fine, but the script by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan is the cream on top. For one thing, it takes four of Batman Begins’ excellent supporting characters, Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), and Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, but previously played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins). Not only does the script emphasize their connections to Batman, but all four of the characters also genuinely contribute to the action, ideas, and philosophies of the larger narrative. When four fine actors (with Caine and Freeman being Oscar-winning legends) get this kind of character writing, they can work wonder – as they do here.
As for the much-talked about performance of the late Heath Ledger as The Joker, it is the real deal. Topping Jack Nicholson’s turn as the clown prince of crime in the 1989 Batman seemed impossible, but Ledger simply took the character someplace even darker. Ledger’s Joker isn’t just a criminal; he’s an anarchist, a terrorist, and a madman. He eschews society’s morals, rules, and excepted standards of behavior. To hell with society; he just wants to see the world burn. That kind of personality and behavior will always be the makings for a memorable villain, but Ledger takes that material and turns it into a Joker the he sears into the audience’s memory.
For all the fireworks of Heath Ledger’s performance, The Dark Knight is, in the hands of Chris Nolan and actor Christian Bale as Batman, about Batman’s battle for his own soul. Together, Nolan and Bale test the limits of endurance of a superhero. Batman’s bravery isn’t in question, but his honesty, integrity, morals, and honor are. Will he go to the “dark side,” so to speak, and thusly, himself become a villain in order to fight villains (Joker and his crime lord cohorts)? Is he a warrior sworn to uphold values of courage and honor or is he just like weaker mortals – people who are all too ready to drop their civilized ways and become monsters the moment something really terrifies them?
Like Batman’s conundrum, The Dark Knight is ominously complicated, but it is so damn entertaining and intelligent and thought provoking and better than most summer blockbusters and superhero movies could hope to be. The Dark Knight is by no means perfect; sometimes, it goes over the top trying to make its points. Sometimes, it’s way too loud and maybe just a bit too pretentious and heavy with its own self-importance. But it’s still so damn good.
9 of 10
A+
Sunday, August 03, 2008
NOTES:
2009 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Heath Ledger – Posthumously won with the award accepted by his father, mother and sister) and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Richard King); 6 nominations: “Best Achievement in Art Direction” (Nathan Crowley-art director and Peter Lando-set decorator), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Wally Pfister), “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Lee Smith), “Best Achievement in Makeup” (John Caglione Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan), “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo, Ed Novick), “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber and Paul J. Franklin)
2009 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Supporting Actor” (Heath Ledger –Posthumously); 8 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Wally Pfister), “Best Costume Design” (Lindy Hemming), “Best Editing” (Lee Smith), “Best Make Up & Hair” (Peter Robb-King), “Best Music” (Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard), “Best Production Design” (Nathan Crowley and Peter Lando), “Best Sound” (Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, and Gary Rizzo), “Best Special Visual Effects” (Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul J. Franklin, and Tim Webber)
2009 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Heath Ledger – Awarded posthumously with the award accepted by Christopher Nolan on Heath Ledger's behalf)
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Saturday, October 23, 2010
Review: "Brokeback Mountain" is Broke in the Middle (Happy Birthday, Ang Lee)
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexuality, nudity, language, and some violence
DIRECTOR: Ang Lee
WRITERS: Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana (based upon the short story by Annie Proulx)
PRODUCERS: Diana Ossana and James Schamus
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto, A.S.C.
EDITORS: Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E.
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/ROMANCE
Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid
Two young men: Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger), a ranch hand, and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), a rodeo cowboy, meet in the summer of 1963 while shepherding sheep on Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming. They unexpectedly fall in love and form a lifelong connection. At the end of the summer, they part ways. Ennis remains in Wyoming and marries his girlfriend, Alma (Michelle Williams), and they have two daughters. Jack returns to Texas to ride bulls in the rodeo where he falls in love with and marries a cowgirl, Lureen Newsome (Anne Hathaway), and they have a son. However, for the next 20 years, Ennis and Jack meet a few times a year for a fishing trip where they can freely express their love for one another, both emotionally and physically. The film shows the toll hiding their forbidden love takes on them and their relationships outside their romance.
Brokeback Mountain has the burden of history on its shoulders, being a movie about a love between cowboys, and the fact that it is the first film distributed by a big Hollywood studio (Focus Features, a division of Universal) and getting a wide release that directly focuses on a gay love affair between men. While the film can take a lot of credit for being a landmark in American cinematic history, the contents of the film aren’t as great. Mainly it is a combination of faulty direction and a flawed script. Like director Ang Lee’s previous film, 2003’s The Hulk, Brokeback Mountain is choppy, clumsy, and often dull. Add the fact that this film is alternately dry and cold, and you don’t have the makings of a great romance film. Sometimes The Hulk had moments that were quite novel, really clever, or simply brilliant filmmaking choices, and Brokeback Mountain is that way. However, dross sometimes weighs down the clever cinema. As for the script, an adaptation of an E. Anne Proulx story by Diana Ossana and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove), it does indeed seem like a short story padded with a sagging and problematic middle to make a longer story.
That shakiness carries over to the acting. Heath Ledger is superb, often rising above the material and sometimes dragging the material up to his heights. His performance rings true; he certainly comes across as a dirt-poor cowboy, trouble and conflicted about all his personal relationships. His eyes are so expressive, and his facial expressions are riveting and absorbing. On the other hand, Jake Gyllenhaal really isn’t that good, and except for a moment here and there, his performance seems forced… phony even. That especially puts a damper on the screen chemistry between the leads. The supporting performances are good, though the parts are too small. Randy Quaid is menacing as the surly rancher who discovers Ennis and Jake’s secret. Michelle Williams is also quite good as Ennis’ long-suffering wife, Alma, and there are moments when she lights a fire that is as good as anything else in this film.
Certainly there are moments in Brokeback Mountain that completely impressed me. The opening act of the film, which reveals the origin of the cowboy’s love, is truly, truly expert filmmaking. The ending is heart-rending and poignant, with Ledger giving a performance in the last act that is good enough to save the entirety of another film. It’s the vast, clunky wasteland in the middle of Brokeback Mountain that keeps it from meeting its promise greatness.
6 of 10
B
Sunday, January 29, 2006
NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 3 wins: “Best Achievement in Directing” (Ang Lee), “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Gustavo Santaolalla), and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)
2006 BAFTA Awards: 4 wins: “Best Film” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), and David Lean Award for Direction” (Ang Lee); 5 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Editing” (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)
2006 Golden Globes: 4 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture: (Ang Lee), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla-music and Bernie Taupin-lyrics for the song “A Love That Will Never Grow Old”), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 3 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Heath Ledger) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michelle Williams)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexuality, nudity, language, and some violence
DIRECTOR: Ang Lee
WRITERS: Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana (based upon the short story by Annie Proulx)
PRODUCERS: Diana Ossana and James Schamus
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto, A.S.C.
EDITORS: Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E.
Academy Award winner
DRAMA/ROMANCE
Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid
Two young men: Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger), a ranch hand, and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), a rodeo cowboy, meet in the summer of 1963 while shepherding sheep on Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming. They unexpectedly fall in love and form a lifelong connection. At the end of the summer, they part ways. Ennis remains in Wyoming and marries his girlfriend, Alma (Michelle Williams), and they have two daughters. Jack returns to Texas to ride bulls in the rodeo where he falls in love with and marries a cowgirl, Lureen Newsome (Anne Hathaway), and they have a son. However, for the next 20 years, Ennis and Jack meet a few times a year for a fishing trip where they can freely express their love for one another, both emotionally and physically. The film shows the toll hiding their forbidden love takes on them and their relationships outside their romance.
Brokeback Mountain has the burden of history on its shoulders, being a movie about a love between cowboys, and the fact that it is the first film distributed by a big Hollywood studio (Focus Features, a division of Universal) and getting a wide release that directly focuses on a gay love affair between men. While the film can take a lot of credit for being a landmark in American cinematic history, the contents of the film aren’t as great. Mainly it is a combination of faulty direction and a flawed script. Like director Ang Lee’s previous film, 2003’s The Hulk, Brokeback Mountain is choppy, clumsy, and often dull. Add the fact that this film is alternately dry and cold, and you don’t have the makings of a great romance film. Sometimes The Hulk had moments that were quite novel, really clever, or simply brilliant filmmaking choices, and Brokeback Mountain is that way. However, dross sometimes weighs down the clever cinema. As for the script, an adaptation of an E. Anne Proulx story by Diana Ossana and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove), it does indeed seem like a short story padded with a sagging and problematic middle to make a longer story.
That shakiness carries over to the acting. Heath Ledger is superb, often rising above the material and sometimes dragging the material up to his heights. His performance rings true; he certainly comes across as a dirt-poor cowboy, trouble and conflicted about all his personal relationships. His eyes are so expressive, and his facial expressions are riveting and absorbing. On the other hand, Jake Gyllenhaal really isn’t that good, and except for a moment here and there, his performance seems forced… phony even. That especially puts a damper on the screen chemistry between the leads. The supporting performances are good, though the parts are too small. Randy Quaid is menacing as the surly rancher who discovers Ennis and Jake’s secret. Michelle Williams is also quite good as Ennis’ long-suffering wife, Alma, and there are moments when she lights a fire that is as good as anything else in this film.
Certainly there are moments in Brokeback Mountain that completely impressed me. The opening act of the film, which reveals the origin of the cowboy’s love, is truly, truly expert filmmaking. The ending is heart-rending and poignant, with Ledger giving a performance in the last act that is good enough to save the entirety of another film. It’s the vast, clunky wasteland in the middle of Brokeback Mountain that keeps it from meeting its promise greatness.
6 of 10
B
Sunday, January 29, 2006
NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 3 wins: “Best Achievement in Directing” (Ang Lee), “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Gustavo Santaolalla), and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)
2006 BAFTA Awards: 4 wins: “Best Film” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), and David Lean Award for Direction” (Ang Lee); 5 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Editing” (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)
2006 Golden Globes: 4 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture: (Ang Lee), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla-music and Bernie Taupin-lyrics for the song “A Love That Will Never Grow Old”), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 3 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Heath Ledger) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michelle Williams)
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Thursday, May 6, 2010
Review: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
WRITERS: Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown
PRODUCERS: Amy Gilliam, Terry Gilliam, Samuel Hadida, and William Vince
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nicola Pecorini
EDITOR: Mick Audsley
Academy Awards nominee
FANTASY/ADVENTURE/ART
Starring: Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Tom Waits, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell
In late January 2008, Terry Gilliam’s film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, although still in production, was thrust into the spotlight when one of its headliners died. When he died on January 22, 2008, Heath Ledger had only completed half his work on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, performing the role of Tony. After filming resumed, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell assumed the role of Tony. Each actor portrays a different incarnation of Tony, who physically transforms whenever he travels into a dream world.
Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is the leader of a traveling theatre troupe, which includes his sarcastic and cynical sidekick and confidant, Percy (Verne Troyer), a versatile young player and sleight of hand expert, Anton (Andrew Garfield), and Parnassus’ daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole). Parnassus has the gift of inspiring the imaginations of others, and his stage show is called, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. During the show, Parnassus offers audience members (what few there are) the chance to transcend their mundane reality. They do so by passing through a magical stage mirror that transports them into their imaginations (a kind of dream world), where they are offered two choices, and choosing one or the other determines their fate.
In reality, Parnassus is an immortal, and both his long life and magic came at a steep price. Over the years, he has made various deals with the devil, known as Mr. Nick (Tom Waits). Now, Mr. Nick has come to claim his ultimate prize, Valentina on her upcoming 16th birthday. Meanwhile, oblivious of her fate, Valentina adopts Tony (Heath Ledger), a charming outsider she rescues from dire circumstances, into the troupe. Tony joins the troupe as a barker and sets about to improve the troupe’s fortune. In order to save his daughter, Parnassus makes one final bet with Mr. Nick, and while the rest of the troupe tries to beat the devil, Tony’s motivations for helping come to light.
There is something inimitably romantic about a ragtag troupe of performers traveling about the land, performing on and living in their stage. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus captures the ramshackle romanticism of such a “wagon show,” and the performers, with their whimsical ways and odd charms, are winning, for some reason unknown to me. The narrative, however, is messy. Sometimes, the story comes across as a listless but thoughtful collection of scenes from a college art project. Other times, the film sparkles and brims with inventive imagery that is mesmerizing, especially when the characters jump through the stage mirror. This kind of visual ingenuity is what one can usually expect of a Terry Gilliam film/mind trip, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus recalls Gilliam’s work as an animator and artist. Some of it reminded me of Gilliam’s short animations for Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
The performances are quite good. Christopher Plummer is brilliant as the tormented Parnassus, and Tom Waits practically matches him in one of my favorite renditions of the devil, Mr. Nick. I would be remiss in not commenting on Heath Ledger’s performance. Although this isn’t close to being his best work, especially since he never got to finish the role, Ledger is quite good as Tony, and the film is certainly livelier when he is onscreen. As for Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, it is obvious why they are movie stars. They’re all good actors, and they give good performances here. The camera loves their stunningly handsome facial features, especially the magical Depp.
Thematically, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is about stories and the importance of imagination. In the film, characters must choose between their imaginations and their desires, presented as a dream, but they must be able to distinguish between a dream of imagination and a dream of desire. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is not perfect, but I was sad to see this colorful, visually overloaded movie end. That is a feeling I suspect many others also will have.
6 of 10
B
NOTES:
2010 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Art Direction” (David Warren-art director, Anastasia Masaro-art director, and Caroline Smith-set decorator) and “Best Achievement in Costume Design” (Monique Prudhomme)
2010 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Make Up & Hair” (Sarah Monzani) and “Best Production Design” (David Warren, Anastasia Masaro, and Caroline Smith)
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Imagination Can't Save Clunky "The Brothers Grimm"
The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, frightening sequences, and brief suggestive material
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
WRITER: Ehren Kruger
PRODUCERS: Daniel Bobker and Charles Roven
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITOR: Lesley Walker
FANTASY/ADVENTURE with elements of action, comedy, horror, and mystery
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Stormare, Lena Headey, Peter Stormare, and Monica Bellucci
The Brothers Grimm, Wilhelm (Matt Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger), are renowned collectors of folklore and are also frauds. They travel from village to village in French-occupied Germany (around 1811 or 1812), and, with the help of two assistants, rid the hamlets of monsters and other “enchanted” creatures – monsters that are of their own making. The Napoleon government calls their bluff, however, when Delatombe (Jonathan Pryce), a French military official, demands that Will and Jacob investigate the disappearances of 11 girls in and around a remote village and a nearby forest.
Initially the brothers assume that a group of men are pulling the same stunts they do, but they discover that the events in the forest really do involve the supernatural. The disappearances are directly connected to a 500 year-old curse. In an ancient tower deep in the dark forest sleeps the immortal sorceress, the Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci), and though she sleeps, she commands the denizens of the fearsome magic forest, both animal and plant, to gather what is necessary to break her sleep and return her to her youthful beauty. With both French officials and the villagers doubting them, Will and Jake, joined by a village trapper named Angelika (Lean Headey), race solve the mystery of the curse if they are to save their own necks from the French and to free the village of the great evil.
Combine the dazzling visuals of visionary director Terry Gilliam (Brazil and 12 Monkeys
, as well as being a Monty Python alum) with the imagination of horror movie scribe, Ehren Kruger (Scream 3 and The Ring
), and in theory we should get something great. However, the first hour of Gilliam and Kruger’s collaboration, a new film entitled The Brothers Grimm, is an absolute disaster – a walk-out-the-theatre, sleep inducing disaster. Somewhere deep into the film’s second act, it comes alive. The film takes the real life folklore collectors, of course the Brothers Grimm, and turns them into fraudulent monster hunters, but also creates a scenario in which they redeem themselves and launch their literary career.Kruger’s imaginative and radiant spin on the Grimm fairytales really doesn’t come to life until late; before that, all his script manages to do is drag out a concept that is itself nothing more than a fairytale – short and sweet, but not a two-hour movie. How Will and Jake got to the point of their conflict with the Mirror Queen is of little or no interest. In a written folktale, that would amount to maybe two paragraphs and not more than two-minute voiceover narration in a film. The story is really about the Brothers Grimm versus the Mirror Queen; all the other stuff (brotherly feuds, worrisome French officials, and the brothers’ snake oil show) becomes refuse if you stretch it out too long, which Kruger’s script did. When the Grimms finally take on the Queen, the film becomes a messy, but entertaining little fairy tale flick.
Gilliam, whose film career has sputtered much of the last decade, maintains his visual aplomb. The Brothers Grimm has production values to rival great films, whether they are serious costume drama or classic fantasy films like The Wizard of Oz
or Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas
. The costumes, sets, props, visual effects, cinematography, etc. are fabulous – from the dreary village hovels and mud-soaked streets to the haunted forest and the interiors of the Mirror Queen’s sumptuous (though dusty and filled with spider webs) sleeping chamber – and affirm Gilliam’s eye for creating period detail in fantasy movies.Sadly, he doesn’t seem to have much control over the film’s narrative. At times, The Brothers Grimm
is a clunky action movie, and then it becomes a comic fantasy full of bumbling oafs with weird accents, striking images (the horse that swallows a child whole), whimsy, and a variety of strange creatures. Gilliam seems powerless before Kruger’s awful dialogue for this movie (much of it hard to hear because of poor sound work). In the end, all he can do is make it an action/adventure fairy tale, in which all the characterization is lost in the sound, the fury, and the art direction/set decoration. Still, he’s the one who salvages any entertainment out of this messy script. The Brothers Grimm is like a Gilliam sampler of the director’s film trademarks – medieval shenanigans and gilded surrealism.None of the actors here is worth mentioning, only to say that Heath Ledger still has that winsome handsomeness that makes him such a captivating boy. Gilliam and Kruger do great disservice to the female leads in this film, Lena Headey and Monica Bellucci. Ms. Bellucci is quite beautiful, but great actress she’s not. Her Mirror Queen won’t have people thinking of the White Queen in Disney’s Snow White
. If you must see Gilliam’s dazzling vision on a big screen, then, by all means go. Otherwise, The Brothers Grimm is a home video experience – a fractured fairy tale that kids won’t dig, but movie lovers might appreciate for the clever visual invention.5 of 10
C+
Sunday, August 28, 2005
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