Hollywood’s Highs And Lows

Titanic 2: This Time It’s Personal

 Also there are mermaid pirates. Take a look at the text of the joke posting below, and keep the hope alive that James Cameron will choose to make this sequel over a 3D remake.

“Megamonolith Pictures is holding an open casting call for TITANIC 2: MERMAID SAVIORS, more »

The Wolfman

“Even a man who is pure of heartand says his prayers by nightmay become a wolf when the wolfbane bloomsand the autumn moon is bright.”

I’m sorry about that but I’m pretty sure that any review of the new remake of The Wolfman is required by law to start off with that famous quote. Thankfully, this version of the story only speaks it in the opening, as opposed to the almost mantra status it achieves in the original. And yet, there’s no question that director Joe Johnston’s interpretation is more heavy handed. Or heavy pawed, as the case may be.

Benicio del Toro was cast in the role that Lon Chaney Jr became famous for in the original 1941 Universal classic, presumably because there’s a definite facial resemblance between the two. He plays Lawrence Talbot, a famed actor who is forced to abandon his theatrical tour in London when he hears of his brother’s disappearance. He returns home to his family estate as the prodigal son, and meets with his father, Sir John (a scenery chewing Anthony Hopkins). It is established to Lawrence that when he was a child, he was put in a mental institution after his mother committed suicide. Pay attention, this MacGuffin might come up again later. more »

Get Him To The Greek

Get Him to the Greek may not have that film’s occasionally serious emotional undertow, but pound for pound (which is not a fat joke aimed at Jonah Hill) it just might be the funniest summer film of 2010.

Frumpy music exec Aaron Green (Hill), under orders from his motor-mouthed boss, Sergio (Sean Combs), must get faded, drug-addled rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) from London to L.A. to play a comeback gig at the Greek Theatre. While this seems like a straightforward assignment, Aldous turns out to be quite a handful, and with Aaron nursing a broken heart after a big blow-up with his girlfriend (Elisabeth Moss), he is easily distracted by the easy sex and the powerful drugs that go hand in hand with his charge. more »

5 Directors Who Could Replace Del Toro for The Hobbit

Recently, I see an article on Hollywood. Here, I share with you.

After the phenomenal success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it was a cinch that the studio would want to bring The Hobbit to the big screen. What followed was a project plagued by as many problems as Middle Earth itself. Peter Jackson, titanic director of the three existing films, backed out in order to pursue other endeavors and Guillermo del Toro stepped in; much to the delight of fans everywhere given his beautiful, fantastical Pan’s Labyrinth and the balls out action romp Hellboy II. All seemed well in The Shire until just this week, when it was announced that del Toro has also abdicated the director’s chair. The geek world is emitting a deafening buzz right now over who should replace Guillermo. To wit, I humbly submit my top candidates for the job.

Darren Aronofsky

One of the things that made the Lord of the Rings trilogy so indelible was how well Peter Jackson was able to transport us visually to Middle Earth. The cinematography in those films was just as breathtaking as the full-scale battles or snarling beasts. If there is one director who has demonstrated a unique visual style and prowess of form, light, and color, it’s Darren Aronofsky. Not only that, but with The Fountain, Aronofsky was able to merge that visual adeptness with a fantasy motif so I don’t feel he would be completely overwhelmed by the material.

Danny Boyle

Is he the first name that pops up in the rumor mill regarding this project? Of course not! However, Danny Boyle is one of the most versatile directors working today. He has skipped merrily from genre to genre and delivered almost every single time. more »