Archive for September, 2006

First look at “Live Free or Die Hard”

lfdh1.jpgThe first images from the set of Live Free or Die Hard have turned up online. The movie is the fourth in the Die Hard franchise and again stars Bruce Willis as John McClane, who this time has to take down an Internet based terroist organization. 

Well although the pics don’t really show much, they hardly get you exicted about seeing the flick. And man does Bruce Willis look a bit out of shape for this role or what? It’s mainly in the face though, and what’s with that jacket?

Does anyone have hope for this movie with it’s hoaky plot, rubbish title and Len Wiseman directing?

Click here to see a couple more set pics

source – aintitcoolnews

“Here, there be Dragons” sounds awesome

heretherebedragons.jpgWith all of the excitement over the Iron Man casting yesterday, this story somehow slipped through my fingers. The upcoming children’s novel Here, there be Dragons has been picked up by Warner Brothers.

The book follows three young strangers in London during the First World War who stumble across a mythical atlas. They decide to travel to Archipelago of Dreams where they must fight off various creatures and dark forces which threaten both worlds.

What’s interesting is that the three young strangers are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams who enjoyed a competitve relationship when they met at Oxford and of course went on to write such works as Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.

This sounds like it could be extremely fun, and it is fascinating that Tolkien and Lewis were good friends during their lives and wrote such works of masterpiece that are still loved by millions of people today.

The book written by James A. Owen is released next week, with six more planned to come out every October in the coming years. I might have to try and pick this one up.

source – the hollywood reporter, dark horizons

Keira Knightley to have “The Best Time”

Knightley_-_Johansson_-_Vanity_Fair.jpgAs a red blooded male I find it’s my duty to report on every movie project starring not only Scarlett Johansson but Keira Knightley as well.

It’s been announced that Knightley’s next movie after Pirates of the Caribbean 3 will be The Best Time of Our Lives, written by her screenplay writing mother Sharman Macdonald.

Plot info from Coming Soon..

“Best Time of Our Lives is based on the true story of the complex relationship
between Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, his wife, Caitlin, his childhood friend Vera Phillips (Knightley) and her eventual husband, William Killick”.

The movie will start shooting in April next year with The Jacket director John Maybury set to helm. I hated The Jacket with a vengeance, I was bored, confused and extremely irritated by the amount of flashing images that kept popping up on screen presumably to stop the audience from falling asleep.

But i guess you did get to see Kiera with out her top on again, so the £5 was worth it in the end. (Oh and yes that cover from Vanity Fair is relevant to the post, well kind of anyway).

source – production weekly, coming soon

93. The Iron Giant (1999) – Brad Bird

93. The Iron Giant (1999) - Brad Bird

A boy makes friends with an innocent alien giant robot that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.

The Iron Giant is the much forgotten about classic that is a fine example of how to tell a story using animation. The movie which is set in 1957, tells the fascinating story of a boy who try’s to keep a big giant robot who has crashed landed to Earth secret from the federal government at a time when paranoia was sweeping the nation. (Cold War, etc).

The movie even has time to reference all of the great science fiction movies and literature that came out around the time the movie was set, everything from The Day the Earth Stood Still to Superman comics can be found in this movie.

The characters and storytelling in Brad Bird’s film are as compelling as the characters in Toy Story, along with the heavily influenced Japenese style of animation which comes together to make one unique film.

And there’s a moment near the end of the movie where the moral message becomes obvious, “You can be whoever you want to be” and what The Iron Giant decides he wants to be gives you a chill down your spine. You can’t help but be moved by this film.

Iron Man is……………. Robert Downey Jr!!

robert_downey_jr_kiss_kiss_bang_bang_2005_interview_top1.jpgUPDATED:

It’s now been confirmed by director Jon Favreau on his myspace blog that Robert Downey Jr. is indeed Iron Man. He had this to say….

“It is true. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark. I am about as excited as I can be. I saw what he can do and he is extremely enthusiastic about playing Stark. I can say with absolute certainty that there is no better choice. The humor and emotional dimension he brings truly raises the bar on this project. Get ready”.

So the speculation is over. Aintitcoolnews are reporting the exclusive scoop that Robert Downey Jr. has been cast as the Marvel superhero Iron Man. A trade break is expected later today to confirm this.

I think this is genius casting. With all the problems he has had in his life, it should be easy for him to portray the demons that plague billionaire Tony Stark. And he’s a great actor too, you have to admire the way he has come back after his career seemed over only a couple of years ago.

What do you think of the casting guys? I’m suprised they went for Downey Jr. as he is somebody I never thought of but once I heard it was him… it just seemed to fit perfectly.

Anyone exicted for the latest Marvel hero to be brought to the screen? Hopefully it will be more like Spider-Man than Fantastic Four.

source – aintitcoolnews

Peter Fonda joins 3.10 to Yuma

peter_fonda.jpgThe awesome Peter Fonda has joined the ever growing cast of James Mangold’s western remake 3.10 to Yuma. Peter, the son of frequent western actor Henry Fonda will star alongside the already announced Christian Bale and Russell Crowe.

Ben Foster who had a short (and let’s face it pointless) stint as Angel in X-Men 3 also joins the cast along with Gretchen Mol, Dallas Roberts and Vinessa Shaw.

There isn’t many movies I’m anticipating more than this one. And PETER FONDA, who plays such a great villain (can’t wait to see him in Ghost Rider) just gets my exictment level up a few notches.

Filming is set to begin in three weeks on a big budget of $50 million.

source – variety, coming soon

David Strathairn in Bourne Identity 3

845_a_normal.jpgOscar nominated Good Night and Good Luck star David Strathairn has been cast in the thrid installment of the Bourne Identity franchise titled The Bourne Ultimatum. He will play the leader of a secret operation who’s mission is to hunt down Jason Bourne, again to be played by Matt Damon.

Never seen the fascination with this franchise but I have only seen the first movie. I found it extremly predictable and was not half as clever a movie as it made itself out to be.

The Bourne Ultimatium is set to be released in August of 2007 with Paul Greengrass again on board to direct.

source – variety, coming soon

94. A Very Long Engagement (2004) – Jean-Pierre Jeunet

A Very Long Engagement (2004) – Jean-Pierre Jeunet

“A Very Long Engagement” tells the story of a a young woman, Mathilde’s relentless search for her fiancée, who has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during World War One.

Following on from his masterpiece Amelie, Jeunet’s next movie A Very Long Engagment once again saw him use the lovable Audrey Tautou in a film that is one of the most visually stunning that I’ve ever seen.

And the story holds up to. We are with Audrey Tautou at every point as she delves deeper and deeper into the mystery of what happened to her fianacee. We hope for a happy ending, which when it finally comes whether it’s a happy one or not is simply perfect.

The subplots along the way are intriguing to. A prostitue who brings gruesome revenge on the men responsible for her lover’s death and a superb turn from Jodie Foster add extra weight and drama to what could have otherwise been a drawn out affair.

Wes Craven to write and direct new horror movie!

13365.jpgWes Craven has signed a deal with Rogue Pictures to write and direct a new horror movie, the first time he was done both duties on a project since Freddy’s New Nightmare over a decade ago.

Craven spoke on the new project with Variety

“It is rooted in the supernatural with a 16-year old central character, but it’s more ‘Sixth Sense’ than a slasher film,” Craven said about his new film. “It’s appalling to me that you have to go back to 1994 to find an original that I wrote and directed, so this is very important to me.”

This is great news, I’ve haven’t been all that impressed with his last two outings (Red Eye, Cursed) but neither of those he wrote. I’m still hoping that someday in the future we see a last Freddy movie with Craven helming, but i’m not complaining as new material from him is something we haven’t seen in a long time.

source – variety, coming soon

Scarlett Johansson to play Mary Queen of Scots

xin_30090319085850139833.jpgI can’t help but post every single story that I find about Scarlett Johansson! It seems that she has signed on to play Mary Queen of Scots in a movie that will examine the heated relationship she had with Queen Elizabeth I.

The movie is expected to start filiming during the summer of next year, with no director or any other cast members announced as of yet.

Johansson sure seems to be a work a holic. She had no less than three movies released this year and according to IMDB will have five released in 2007. I’m not complaining though.

source - the hollywood reporter