Welcome to yet another edition of the Weekly Movie Pulse, it’s been a long time since I wrote one of these things, hope there isn’t much rust. It’s a little late this week due to family coming down from Boston and then heading to Tennessee for a few days with them to see some other relatives so I hope you can understand the slight delay. And might I just say I never knew just how in to Jesus and religion the south was until I stepped in to all the local gift shops.
Columns
Per usual we start this weeks column off with a pimp for R0BTRAIN’s Bad Ass Cinema, this week Rob takes a look at the film Tokyo Drifter directed by Seijun Suzuki.
Mike Noyes goes Off The Beaten Path (bet you didn’t see that one coming) with a look at the under appreciated Tom Hanks film The Burbs. Great timing with this weeks OTBP seeing as The Da Vinci Code is coming out shortly, now the TV section needs to hurry up on that Bosom Buddies piece.
Brad steps away from obscure films as this week Mondo Culto Goes Mainstream taking a look at a number of pictures we’ve all come to know and love.
ML Kennedy is back with yet another movie to pick apart, this weeks victim is Match Point. What has Woody Allen done to piss off Mr. Kennedy this time? Read this weeks Contradicting Popular Opinion and find out.
Reviews
Michaelangelo went to the local cineplex to check out the new Keifer Sutherland/Michael Douglas film The Sentinel. He seems to be the only guy to head out this week as there are no other theatrical reviews to pimp. But rest assured loyal IP readers, the summer blockbuster season is almost upon us and when it comes we’ll be ready and waiting to tackle it head on. So stay tuned to the movie section for all the coverage you’ll ever need.
Correction, Scott has a review for the film Akeelah & The Bee that is getting many mixed reviews. Many are praising the movie for its performances but that seems to all the good press the film is getting. Be sure to click the link to find out what Scott had to say.
DVD Reviews
McCullar went on a DVD reviewing spree this week where he covers no less than four recent releases, included in those are Ring Around the Rosie, An Unfinished Life, Æon Flux: Special Collector’s Edition and Ice Age: Super-Cool Edition. I’d comment on them but I haven’t seen a single one of these with the exception of Ice Age.
New guy Mike has one up this week for the Anastasia “Family Fun Edition” DVD which for the longest time I thought was a Disney picture, yet now I know it’s a Fox release. Be sure to read Mike’s review to find out about the new disc.
Rob has a review for the Steve Martin film Shopgirl, this is still one on my “2005 catch-up” list but how did Rob take to the film? Well you’ll have to click the link and read his review in order to find out naturally, unless of coarse you can read minds, in that case you already know.
I wrote up a review for the King Kong: 2-Disc Special Edition, and I’m really surprised how different the experience is from a theater one and a home viewing. While the movie is a bit mixed in retrospect the DVD is PACKED with interesting things for you to watch so even if the film itself had little appeal to you the special features are a must for any bonus material junkie.
Travis has three up this week, the first is Crash: Director’s Cut Edition, I reviewed the theatrical cut DVD and gave the film a 9.5, he gave the director’s cut a 10, so 9.5 + 10 = go see this movie now if you’ve somehow managed to miss one of 2005’s best films (and the winner of the 2005 Best Picture Oscar). He also reviewed Mrs. Henderson Presents which earned Dame Judi Dench a Best Actress award nomination, does the film offer anything other than her performance? read the review and find out. And he also has a review for Duane Hopwood.
Scott checked out the new DVD for Tristan & Isolde… man Isolde would be cruel name to give a child in this day and age, lets hope no teenage girls fall in love with this movie in hope to save future generations from such names.
News
Iron Man
Marvel is once again trying to bring superhero Iron Man to the big screen, the project has been talked about for the past few years going so far as to almost signing Leonardo DiCaprio for the lead but the project always seems to faulter. Jon Favreau is now set to direct the film and develop the script with the writing team of Arthur Marcum and Matt Holloway. I’m not sure about this Faverau hiring, I mean he’s a great writer a good actor but still an untested director. Then again they said very similar things about the guy who directed Apt Pupil who went on the direct X-Men 1&2 then the same unknowingness popped up for the guy who made the Evil Dead trilogy when he signed up to make some Spider-Man movies, not to metion the guy who directed Flatliners who later took over for Tim Burton on the Batman franchise. Well, two out of three isn’t bad.
Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels is set to star in the film Mama’s Boy which will co-star Jon Heder and Diane Keaton. Heder plays a slacker who must re-evaluate his life after his mom, with whom he lives, gets a new boyfriend, a self-help guru. Daniels will play the suitor, who begins to edge the youth out of the house, prompting a mano-a-mano confrontation. What’s the deal with Jeff Daniels? I mean the guy goes under the radar for the longest time and comes back to star in some of the best films in recent memory about dysfunctional families and then he goes and makes films like RV and this one.
All the Kings Men
Sony Pictures has finally announced a release date for their film All the King’s Men which is based on Robert Penn Warren’s 1946 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film will now be released on September 22nd 2006. I’m so glad to finally hear news on this one, as it’s becoming one of my most looked forward to films of the year. With a cast that features the likes of Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson and Anthony Hopkins I can only wish for September to get here faster.
Shazam!
Peter Segal has come aboard to direct Shazam! an adaptation of a DC Comics’ comic book series featuring Captain Marvel for New Line Cinema. Having never actually read a Shazam comic book and only knowing the bare minimum of to the characters back story, I look forward with what they plan to do with this.
Grind House
Project Terror Robert Rodriguez’s zombie-themed 75-minute film for the upcoming “Grind House” project was officially shut down for good recently with no new start date in sight. Many are reporting that it will begin again after Quentin Tarantino wraps shooting his half of the film titled Death Proof later this year. The double feature was expected to hit theaters some time in December but will now likely not be released until the first quarter of 2007. The reason for the sudden shut down is still not known, some speculate that it was due to him going over budget which doesn’t sound like Rodriguez at all, while others are saying with his recent divorce the pressure of making a film at the same time that battle goes on was too hectic.
24… er 120… I mean 24
The film version of the hit show 24 will no longer be a “real time” two hour story instead it will now be a full day of events condensed in to two hours. The people behind the film have said they do not see any problem with this concept as they like the idea of not being restricted with time. Umm, aren’t these the same people that said the “real time” factor is what people tune in to see in the first place? And that they could replace the entire cast and it would all still work like nothing happened. I guess they don’t feel the same way with a film version. Strange.
INXS Gets Some Depp
Johnny Depp is reportedly getting ready to play INXS frontman Michael Hutchence in a new biopic of the late rock star. The film, entitled Slide Away will be directed by the Hutchence’s brother Rhett, and be filmed in Australia with the cooperation of the Hutchence estate. Also atatched to the project are Rachel Griffiths, Eric Bana, Sienna Miller and Naomi Watts. Not being an avid INXS fan I can only guess that this is going in to production after the surprise hit reality program the band had last year reinvigorated the fan base. Still when you have Johnny Depp to star in your project you get film fans to take notice, so look for more on this as it becomes available over the coming months.
Atlas Shrugged
After years of delays, Lionsgate has picked up the worldwide distribution rights for the film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s epic novel Atlas Shrugged. The story revolves around the economic collapse of the U.S. sometime in the future and espouses her individualistic philosophy of objectivism. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are rumored to be circling the leading roles of Dagny Taggart and John Galt as both have expressed their love of the source material. However this isn’t the first time there was talks of turning the book in to a movie so for all we know this will just be another dropped project.
Top 10 at the Box Office
1. Silent Hill Review Here
2. Scary Movie 4 Review Here
3. The Sentinel Review Here
4. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown Review Here
5. The Wild Review Here
6. The Benchwarmers Review Here
7. Take the Lead Review Here
8. Inside Man Review Here
9. American Dreamz
10. Friends With Money
New Releases in Theaters
– United 93
– Stick It
– RV
– Akeelah and the Bee
– Lady Vengeance (NY)
– Water (limited)
On Store Shelves This Week
– Aeon Flux: Special Collector’s Edition
– Casanova
– Casualties of War (Extended Cut)
– Crumb (Special Edition)
– Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
– Guys and Dolls (Deluxe Edition)
– Match Point
– The Patriot (Extended Cut)
– The Replacement Killers
– Robert Altman Collection
– Shopgirl
– Tristan & Isolde
– The Wedding Singer: Totally Awesome Edition
– Windtalkers (Director’s Cut)
And that’s a wrap, see you guys next time.
