Hi kids. Welcome to another exciting edition of the Guide here on IP Movies. I missed out on things last week, and for that you have my sincerest apologies. It’s just that sometimes a lot of factors come together to make it damn hard, if not impossible, to put together the column of pimpage and movie news. So sorry about missing last week.
On that note, I see that Mike McCullar has gone out and put up the Now Hiring sign for the world. It’s always good to have more talented writers on board, but he makes it a point at the end to put emphasis on the fact that there is a certain time committment with the job, and he’s very right. People don’t really expect it at first, but review writing and column writing (especially column writing) doesn’t happen with a snap of the fingers. Not that it takes a significant chunk of time out of your week, but again, you can’t blink and pound out a review/column/whatever. So keep that in mind guys. As for me, I’m struggling just to keep the pimpage and minior news column flowing, and anyone who has followed me or corresponded with me over the past year knows I love movies and I love this ‘job’. I don’t know how I keep it though, because I figure at this point the head honchos here must consider me a pretty irresponsible reliability.
And I always fought that idea. But lately I find that it might not be so far-fetched. Life has been crazy, work and school and everything else, and it is slowly pushing the Pulse further down the list of things capable to do in a week. And, if the semester ahead proves to become even more busy/difficult as it may, well, I’ll just have to step aside and permanently render my post to someone else. We have a hell of a team here, and these guys are great writers and people. They get it done every week, and it’s unfair to them if someone else can’t. BUT, that’s a big if to be addressed in the (semi) near future, so lets bounce off the negative and into a phoned in pimpage column!
Movie Review Pimpin
Scott Sawitz has two reviews for everyone to check out this week, covering both The Greatest Game Ever Played (good), and Into the Blue (terrible).
Matthew Romanada checks in this week with a review of Capote, the new Philip Seymour Hoffman film. Fans will love it but it might be a bit too much for those without patience.
Brendan Campbell loved, loved, LOVED Serenity. I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews and analysis for this film pretty much everywhere, and Campbell confirms it for everyone. See the film, then buy the series – you’re doing yourself a huge service for doing so.
DVD Reviews
Holy hell, do we have a lot of DVD reviews this week…..okay, here we go.
Campbell has a review of Tommy Boy: Holy Schnike Edition for everyone, and of course he loved the DVD. How can you not love Tommy Boy?
Michaelangelo McCullar sits down with four big to semi-big releases this week: The Deal, which is a great movie and poor DVD; Layer Cake, which is in fact as good as you’ve heard; The Breakin Collection, a hip-hop box set that ain’t half bad; Beauty Shop, and words don’t describe this one. Awesome job Mike.
Tom Pandich has two reviews up, which is excellent news for horror fans this week. First, he reviews a long-forgotten gem of the 1960’s in The Innocents. Excellent choice for fans of horror, but don’t expect anything extra on the DVD. Also, he reviews Evil Dead 2: The Book of the Dead 2. It’s Evil Dead guys, so what do you expect the score to be?
Scott Sawitz also pulls double duty this week, with reviews of both Unleashed and The Interpreter. Both films are solid and make a nice transition to DVD.
Columns Too!
Brendan Campbell reviews last weekend’s box office It is what it is, as you know by now. Get caught up if you need to.
Brad Torreano writes a great column yet again this week, pumping out Mondo Culto XXXXI. The focus this week? Why, The Garbage Pail Kids movie, of course. Never heard of this little piece of movie…erm, excellence…from the 80’s? Well then get with the Culto!
We start the column pimpin again with Rob Sutton this week. This weeks Bad Ass-ness focuses on The Dirty Dozen, and is just an awesome read. Good work Rob, as usual.
John Cavanagh brings you another edition of What a Tease! North Country! Just Friends! The Ringer! and so many more. Gotta love the teaser trailer column.
ML Kennedy Contradicts Popular Opinion again this week, focusing on the 2001 Oscar ceremony. And, man, was he irritated by the best picture situation. He also answers a lot of mail – yay for mail.
Last but definitely not least, Matt Coates brings another Holistic DVD column to the table, #27 to be exact. It’s a Sean Connery kind of week, with both The Hunt for Red October and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen being looked at, among other things. Good times and good job Matt.
Newz…..Right Quick
Bat News
According to recent reports, the sequel to Batman Begins may be titled Batman Attacks or Batman Strikes. Also, Meantime, reports are circulating that “film is further along than people think. Hell, you’ve got actors (and their agents) scrambling to get a role in the sequel – it’s going to be huge! Just look at all the talk about casting The Joker already. There are a lot of actors that covet that role.” The source continues, “From what I’ve heard, Nolan [director Christopher] and Goyer [screenwriter David] knew what they wanted to do in the sequel before BATMAN BEGINS was filmed. I know that Nolan hasn’t signed on, yet, but that is just a matter of time. This is why you are hearing about cast candidates and possible screentests. Things are lined up so that when that [Nolan returning – Jett] does happen, they’ll be ready to roll. There is no doubt that they have their ducks in a row.”
Paul Bettany and Lachy Hulme are the favorites to play The Joker in the sequel, while Liev Schrieber (Scream) is the frontrunner for the role of D.A Harvey Dent.
(credit: moviehole.net)
Quick Thoughts: I don’t care what they call it. I’m there. I don’t care who they cast – bring back Nolan and Bale and I’m there. Really, there’s almost nothing that can be told to me today, a significant time away from the film, to deter my already huge anticipation. Bring on the Bat and bring him on quick.
New Bond Decision Soon
The new James Bond should be chosen soon after screen tests are completed this week. The latest frontrunners are Daniel Craig (Layer Cake), Henry Cavill (The Count of Monte Cristo), Sam Worthington (The Great Raid) and Goran Visnjic (ER).
Martin Campbell starts production in January on Casino Royale, the 21st installment of the James Bond franchise.
(credit: cinecon.com)
Quick Thoughts: Does anyone even care about this anymore? I’ve been covering and reporting on this stupid Bond nonsense for what seems like a year. What the hell is so hard about casting this damn movie? I don’t know about anyone else, but the casting rumors have definitely turned me off to any of the ‘real’ news about this movie, should it ever, you know, become real news.
Kirsten Dunst – Way to Be
While Kirsten Dunst was promoting Elizabethtown last week, she may have slipped as to who Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace will play as villains in Spider-Man 3. “We have really great people though as the villains in this film, Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace — Venom and Sandman,” said Dunst, who plays Mary Jane Watson in the films.
“Maybe I wasn’t supposed to say that,” she added before reversing her claim. “It’s the other way around. You’re right,” she conceded after a journalist expressed his disbelief. Spider-Man 3 begins shooting next year for a summer 2007 release.
(credit: Cinecon.com)
Quick Thoughts: I loathe Kristen Dunst with a passion, at least when it comes to Spider-Man. I think she’s awful in the role, not to mention the negativity she expressed in public earlier in the year about the franchise. I think she sould’ve played Gwen Stacy and the Goblin should have thrown her ass off the bridge. That being said, this news is being met with skepticism, but not nearly as much as the same reports that surfaced last week. Dunst would know this information, and she’d be foolish enough to talk about it too. Still no word from the studio yet, but, really, how much more do we need here folks? And I still love the idea of Topher Grace as Venom – I think the potential is awesome.
Batman and Wolverine to Throw Curses at Each Other?
Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are in negotiations to topline Touchstone Pictures’ The Prestige, which will serve as Christopher Nolan’s next directorial outing. Bale and Jackman will play rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other for trade secrets. The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers. The title refers to the residue left after a magician’s successful trick. The script is based on Christopher Priest’s 1996 novel of the same name and was adapted by Nolan’s brother, Jonathan. He wrote the short story on which Christopher’s Nolan’s breakout movie, Memento, was based on. Prestige reteams Bale with Nolan, both of whom worked on Batman Begins.
(credit: hollywoodreporter.com)
Quick Thoughts: I think the geek inside me just had a huge joygasm. Bale and Jackman are two fantastic actors, and with both of them under the direction of Nolan? How can we lose?? And the subject matter sounds incredibly fun. If this is the film that will hold us over until the next Batman (Forget X-3 – it’s going to suck) then I’ll take it with much movie geek glee.
Fin
Another week come and gone. News is starting to flow a bit more as we get into the fall and upcoming holiday season. It’s still light content, but that’s because of my refusal to cover any of the silly gossip that 90% of the guys out there love to cover. That might change, but I’m really being stubborn about it. I don’t see the point. Anyway, that being said, it’s the weekend, so go out and see some of the best films to hit theaters in a long time. Me? Well, I should be here next weekend to tell you (hopefully) the same thing.
Until Next Time…
