Posted on June 12, 2009 by Darren
We’re still months away from a release date for Avatar – though there are rumours of a trailer coming soon in front of Transformers 2 (the most interesting talk I’ve heard about that particular film) – but things are still very quiet. All we know about the plot is that it is a Pocahontas-style narrative, with one of a bunch of exploitive explorers “going native”. We know that t will be in 3D – apparently mindblowing 3D. We know that one of the reasons that the movie has waited 14 years to get made it because Cameron was waiting for the technology to do it justice. And we know that – according to early word of mouth from insiders – he has succeeded. I have to say, I am quite eagerly anticipating this film. However, I find Hollywood’s new-found love of innovations within major blockbusters fascinating, given the traditional cautious conservatism of the studios.
Wow, Cameron really has a thing for giant walking hulks of metal, doesn't he?
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 3d, avatar, blockbusters, box office, Christopher Nolan, hollywood, imax, james cameron, star trek, The Dark Knight | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 11, 2009 by Darren
As 3D enters its second golden age (yes, I’m using a little hyperbole, but let’s run with it), it’s generating a lot of discussion. Just how gimmicky is it? Is doomed to forever by a “nine day fad”, as blithely summed up by Alfred Hitchcock himself? Worse, does 3D fade colours and detract from the actual viewing experience, as Roger Ebert protests? I figured I’d give my two cents on the third dimension.
Retro chic
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 3d, 3d films, alfred hitchcock, avatar, cinemas, coraline, gimmicks, james cameron, Movies, pixar, up | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 10, 2009 by Darren
The Academy rarely gets it right when it comes to the Best Picture Oscar (Gladiator… Shakespeare in Love?), but this is one of the exceptions. Sam Mendes’ first major motion picture and arguably his best, American Beauty is a movie where all the elements seem to come together perfectly.
A bed of roses indeed...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: academy awards, american beauty, annette bening, dead again, kevin spacey, Movies, non-review review, Oscars, review, sam mendes, thomas newman | 3 Comments »
Posted on June 10, 2009 by Darren
Wow, things are really heating up, remake-wise. In the past week we’ve had confirmation that Robert Rodriguez will be doing The Jetsons and that Liam Neeson will be Hannibal in the A-Team remake. Couple that with the upcoming remake of V that will soon be hitting our screens (giving Elizabeth Mitchell a welcome home after the Lost finale), and it got us thinking: are there any television shows that actually warrant a remake?
I hate it when the neighbours come looking for sugar...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: a-team, elizabeth mitchell, land of the lost, liam neeson, miami vice, Movies, reboot, remake, starsky and hutch, television shows, the jetsons, the wire, v | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 9, 2009 by Darren
Last week we caught The Prestige on Network 2. It’s a breath-taking movie that tends to get lost among 2006’s other magic-themed outings (Scoop and The Illusionist). A well-crafted magical treat, I think that the film might be Nolan’s most well-crafted to date. And – a little to my surprise, I must admit – my girlfriend enjoyed it as well.
"Are you watching closely?"
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: christian bale, Christopher Nolan, film, hugh jackman, magic, Michael Caine, Movies, non-review review, review, scarlett johansson, The Dark Knight, the prestige | 8 Comments »
Posted on June 9, 2009 by Darren
Caught the finale of Ashes to Ashes on the Beeb last night. It was actually quite good, all told – though it did end on the twist that I had predicted erroneously that Life on Mars would end on. Still, though the second series was a vast improvement over the first, I couldn’t help but think that Ashes to Ashes remained in the shadow of Life on Mars throughout its run. It was solidly entertaining television and one of a handful of shows I’d watch week-in and week-out, but it wasn’t really spectacular. And it had so much potential…
Here come the fashion police...
Update: Apparently Ashes to Ashes is to have a three-season run, confirmed by Philip Glenister on BBC Breakfast yesterday, so this article is rather premature. I’m not sure if this changes how I feel about that brilliant final scene, but I’ll be tuning in…
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: alex drake, ashes to ashes, bbc, beeb, david bowie, finale, gene hunt, keeley hawes, life on mars | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 8, 2009 by Darren
I was at home over the weekend and I had the grave misfortune to witness what passes for children’s entertainment these days as my little sister forced us to endure the Disney channel. What we got were a series of ridiculously condescending ‘comedies’ revolving around spoilt tweenagers who can’t act. These were followed by reality “so-you-think-you-can-sing” family gameshows themed around Miley bloody Cyrus. And my sister seemed to love it. Maybe I’m just getting old, but when did children’s entertainment become so brain dead?
Who can see this ending badly?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: animaniacs, batman: the animated series, childrens television, dcau, freakazoid, hannah montana, kids television, looney tunes, miley cyrus, Television | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 7, 2009 by Darren
I’m not a comic book fan, I must admit. I own a few Absolute editions (
Watchmen,
Sandman,
The Long Halloween) and a rare few prestige format books (
The Green Lantern Archives and
The Killing Joke), and I’m planning on bulk-buying Grant Morrison’s run on Batman in those nice hardcover editions to tide me over on my holiday this summer. So, what I’m about to say must be tempered with that little caveat. I’ve read relatively little of Batman lore, save what my parents would pick me up from the grocery store in Ghana when I was small (and – to further outline the differences between myself and your comics fan – I remember them merely for what they contained rather than by issue and series number; I fondly recall
“the one where Swamp Thing meets Killer Croc” or
“the retelling of The Riddler’s origin”). Still, on reading the coverage and preparing to jump headfirst into Grant Morrison’s magnum opus, one thought is running through my head:
If they are threatening to end Bruce Wayne’s run as Batman, they should do it.
Na na na na na na, Batman!
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Filed under: Opinion | Tagged: batman, batman begins, batman rip, bruce wayne, Comics, dick grayson, final crisis, grant morrison, robin, The Dark Knight, the death and return of superman | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 7, 2009 by Darren
I’m back…
Science-fiction film Moon, starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey is opening in the States next week. It actually looks quite good – with reviews seemingly spanning the divide from “it’s solidly entertaining with a great performance” to “it’s classic science-fiction”. It looks likely to be one of those films I will really try to get to see over the Summer (when it eventually opens here in Ireland), and the trailer is well worth a look. Still, this got me thinking about how the fictional fascination with life on other worlds has been embraced by the genre, and whether that has really changed in recent years.
Sam Rockwell's many jobs on the lunar station include changing lightbulbs when needs be...
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: aliens, avatar, doctor who, forbidden planet, independenc day, james cameron, mars, moon, Movies, outland, plan 9 from outerspace, planets, red planet, roswell, sam rockwell, saturn, science fiction, star trek, the day the earth stood still, total recall | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 1, 2009 by Darren
I’m off on holidays for the next few days, so you won’t hear from me until next weekend. I just thought I’d have a very quick look at how the “now arriving a month early” summer box office season is going so far. Back at the start of the month I predicted a massive summer, even by Hollywood’s standards. Would I care to revise my estimates, one month in?
Keep on Trekkin'
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: angels & demons, blockbusters, box office, fast & furious, managing expectations, may, Movies, Night at the Museum 2, star trek, terminator: salvation, terminator:salvation, The Dark Knight, up, watchmen, wolverine | Leave a comment »
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