Week of « Prev | Next »
1-20 of 30 articles « Prev | Next »
Two Clips From Chandni Chowk To China
7 January 2009 7:14 PM, PST
Why, yes, it was just this morning that I posted a new music video from upcoming Bollywood kung fu comedy Chandni Chowk To China, but what can I say? With the theatrical release rolling out worldwide next week the promo materials are coming out fast and furious and a pair of extended clips from the film have just arrived. Both feature the title character in an airport - presumably on his way to China - and dealing with an attractive but devious woman. Clip one? Mostly dialogue, but it does showcase the look and pacing of the film. Clip two? Aforementioned devious woman in full on kung fu action. And looking rather good doing it.
The first-ever Bollywood kung fu comedy, “Chandni Chowk to China” follows one man’s passage from simple cook to kung fu fighter, on a thrilling, madcap journey from the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi,
(more)
Todd Brown
Japanese Trailer For Snyder’s Watchmen Features Loads Of New Footage!
7 January 2009 7:05 PM, PST
With word coming down that Fox and Warner Brothers have jointly agreed to forgo a full trial over Fox’s request for an injunction to delay the release of the film and abide by the sole ruling of the judge presiding over the matter - and before you start crying about how evil Fox are being bear in mind that it was Warner Brothers who made a film that they did not actually hold full legal right to and that court documents show Fox notified them about the rights issue long before things came to this point - many fans are, no doubt, working themselves into a frenzy of worry and despair leading in to the January 20th ruling date. And if you want a little something more to make you feel horrible about what you may have to wait a whole lot longer for, how about this: The new Japanese trailer for the picture,
(more)
Todd Brown
Swedish Cinema—Arn: The Knight Templar as Small Country Blockbuster
7 January 2009 5:55 PM, PST
The cover article of the November 2008 issue of Film International (Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 60-67)—“The Arn Franchise: Launching a Small Country Blockbuster”—authored by the issue’s guest editor Erik Hedling argues that “with the advent of Arn, Sweden has obtained its first fully fledged Hollywood-style film franchise in the manner of Lord of the Rings, complete with bestselling books, thus far a highly successful historical epic, and an aspiring tourist industry, drawing heavily on the books and films.” Acknowledging that the film has set a new standard, Hedling proposes: “In Arn, a particularly powerful historical fetish—the very foundation of Sweden as a country—can be discerned lurking behind the whole project.”
As reported at Wikipedia: “Arn–The Knight Templar (original title in Swedish: Arn–Tempel Riddaren) is a 2007 epic film based on Jan Guillou‘s trilogy about the fictional Swedish Knight Templar Arn Magnusson. The film was released in December 2007 and the sequel,
(more)
Michael Guillen
Extras! Extras! Read All About It!
7 January 2009 5:31 PM, PST
In the immortal words of Female Trouble‘s Dawn Davenport: “Who wants to die for the sake of art?” Peaches Christ wants to know! “Why?” you might wonder. Because All About Evil, the feature film debut of writer/director Joshua Grannell (aka “Peaches Christ”) begins shooting in San Francisco this March, 2009, and Peaches needs a few extras to kill off, don’tcha know? In a heady mix of cult icons and up-and-comers, All About Evil will star Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Noah Segan (Deadgirl, Brick), Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Mink Stole, Mary Woronov, Candice Accola, Peaches Christ, Martiny, Timmy Spence, Jen Taher, and more. Maybe even you!!
In All About Evil, a mousy librarian, who has inherited her father’s beloved old movie house, discovers her inner serial killer—and a legion of rabid gore fans—when she starts turning out a series of grisly shorts. What her fans don’t realize (yet!
(more)
Michael Guillen
Global Film Initiative and Virgin America Release Global Lens World Cinema Series on Red™
7 January 2009 5:09 PM, PST
The Global Film Initiative and Virgin America, the California-based airline, are partnering to release the Initiative’s critically acclaimed traveling film series—Global Lens—on Virgin America’s interactive, in-flight entertainment system, Red™. Films from the series are now available on demand on all Virgin America flights.
“Global Lens is a one-of-a-kind film series. Virgin America is a one-of-a-kind airline. Put the two together and you have an in-flight experience that has no comparison,” says Santhosh Daniel, Director of Programs at the Global Film Initiative. The Global Lens series is a collection of dynamic feature-length film from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East that can be seen in more than 35 cities across the United States and in Canada. On Virgin America, the Global Film Initiative brings this diverse and pioneering collection to new audiences via Red™—Virgin America’s touch-screen personal in-flight entertainment system. “Virgin America is committed
(more)
Michael Guillen
Canadian Arctic Thriller: The Thaw Trailer
7 January 2009 9:07 AM, PST
From the Vancouver production house that brought the very funny and gorgeously produced period-zom-com Fido comes this more straight-up horror/thriller. The Thaw follows the initial discovery of a woolly mammoth up in the arctic (uncovered by the effects of climate change—hmmm, see also Larry Fessenden‘s fabulous The Last Winter) but (the trailer suggests) quickly turns into a riff on Alien or The Thing (I am willing to bet that director Mark Lewis is a big John Carpenter fan) as body hopping parasites begin to infect those investigating the discovery. You will find the first trailer after the jump. While it does not impress to the degree of Fido (or even Slither), looky here: Val Kilmer is in it in a supporting role. The world needs more Kilmer. Seriously.
Canadian genre films ahoy! 2009 appears to be shaping up to be a banner year with Pontypool, Splice, The Thaw,
(more)
Kurt Halfyard
Toronto Film Critics Name Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg The Best Canadian Feature Of 2008!
7 January 2009 9:04 AM, PST
Well, well, it seems we’re not the only ones who are rather fond of Guy Maddin in general and his surreal documentary My Winnipeg in particular. The Toronto Film Critic’s Association have just named Maddin’s latest as the Best Canadian Feature of 2008 and given him a big bag of money - well, prize sponsor Rogers gave him the money, it’s a more moderate amount and most likely did not actually come in a bag - to say “Well done!”.
Have you ever wanted to relive your childhood and do things differently? Guy Maddin (The Saddest Music In The World) casts B-movie icon Ann Savage as his domineering mother in attempt to answer that question in My Winnpeg, a hilariously wacky and profoundly touching goodbye letter to his childhood hometown. The film is a documentary (or “docu-fantasia” as Maddin proclaims) that blends local and personal history with
(more)
Todd Brown
Red Cliff 2 Review
7 January 2009 9:00 AM, PST
[Our thanks go out to regular reader James Marsh - last seen in these parts with his review of Ong Bak 2 - for this review of John Woo’s Red Cliff 2 - the conclusion of Woo’s massive military spectacle.]
After a rather helpful and stylishly executed recap of the events of part one, we are thrown immediately back into the thick of the action, or rather, into the middle of a game of football. Cao Cao’s troops are killing time with a little competitive Cuju as they wait for the real battle of Red Cliff to kick off. While Sun Quan (Chang Chen) and his coalition forces formulate their plan of action across the bay, his sister, the plucky Shang Xiang (Zhao Wei) is seen masquerading as an enemy soldier, intermittently sending updates to Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) via carrier pigeon of the state of the enemy’s superior forces. And the news is encouraging. A typhoid epidemic is sweeping through the camp yielding heavy casualties. While some of the allied generals see this as an opportune moment to strike, noble Zhou Yu (Tony Leung) sees this as a dishonourable tactic.
(more)
Todd Brown
Another Fresh Music Promo For Bollywood Kung Fu Comedy Chandni Chowk To China
7 January 2009 8:55 AM, PST
With Bollywood kung fu comedy Chandni Chowk To China releasing globally next week we’ve got one more music promo to share. This includes a decent amount of fresh footage - largely martial arts training - that shows off the quality of the film’s camera work as well as the surprisingly decent kung fu skills of its star.
The first-ever Bollywood kung fu comedy, “Chandni Chowk to China” follows one man’s passage from simple cook to kung fu fighter, on a thrilling, madcap journey from the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi, India, to the grandeur of the Great Wall of China and beyond. Akshay Kumar stars as Sidhu, a simple cook from Chandni Chowk who longs to escape his dreary existence. He sees his chance when two strangers from China claim him to be the reincarnation of a war hero from the past and entreat him to
(more)
Todd Brown
Fatih Akin Reunites With Head On’s Birol Ünel For Soul Kitchen
7 January 2009 8:34 AM, PST
That Turko-German director Fatih Akin’s next fiction film - he’s also working on a doc - is a comedy is less surprising than it may appear to those who only know the man’s work through the absolutely searing Head On. Akin cut his teeth with comedy and has been involved in comedy projects as a producer throughout his more serious phase so it’s really no great surprise that he’s returning to his old stomping ground. What is a suprise is that Akin has begun photography on any film featuring his lead actor from Head On - Birol Ünel - and that nobody much seems to have noticed.
The film is Soul Kitchen, a comedy that also stars Moritz Bleibtreu and returns to Akin’s favorite themes of culture and gender clash. Nobody mines this territory better than Akin these days and this is very much a film to watch.
(more)
Todd Brown
Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Clause. Chris Morris’ Terrorism Comedy Moving Ahead!
7 January 2009 8:24 AM, PST
It’s taken years to get off the ground, has undergone a name change - it is now known as Four Lions - and been largely abandoned as dead by all but its creators but brilliant and brutal British satirist Chris Morris (Brass Eye, Nathan Barley) has done what seemed impossible: he’s got funding for his terrorism comedy and plans to begin shooting this summer.
To put it bluntly, get ready for public protest over this one because Morris pulls no punches whatsoever and given what territory he was willing to step in to with Brass Eye - the pedophilia episode of his mock news show is still notorious - I shudder (in a good way) to think what he’ll attempt given the looser restrictions of feature film. Says Morris, “Most of us would dearly love to laugh in the face of our worst fears. Why aren’t we laughing at terrorists?
(more)
Todd Brown
The Visitor arrives on UK DVD
7 January 2009 3:37 AM, PST
Tom McCarthy’s second feature, The Visitor, gets a Region 2 DVD release in the UK on 9th February and is well worth seeking out. It’s a gently comic and ultimately moving tale of a lonely college professor’s relationship with a young immigrant couple in New York, which deftly touches on (an unsatisfactory) Us immigration policy along the way. Walter (Richard Jenkins) is a widower of 5 years, bored with his job and simply going through the motions of a middle-aged academic. On returning to New York after an extended absence, Walter finds Syrian musician, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman), and his Senegalese girlfriend, Zainab (Dania Gurira) enjoying a peaceful life in his flat. Having fallen victim to a rental scam, the young couple politely leave. Realising they have nowhere else to go, the benevolent professor invites them back to stay with him whilst they sort themselves out. At once Walter is
(more)
James Dennis
Twitch Video Player Top Ten!
6 January 2009 5:13 PM, PST
It’s been a while since we were able to run a Twitch Video Player Top Ten, what with the switch from our old video service to the current provider. But while we’re still waiting to roll out a few new features on the new system over the coming months we are running enough to get a good batch of stats back and stats mean a Top Ten! And here it is: the Twitch Video Player Top Ten for the past week!
1. Dead Snow Clip Two (6953)
2. Dead Snow Clip One (6869)
3. Hajirai Machine Girl Trailer (5470)
4. High Kick Girl Teaser (1945)
5. Ip Man Trailer Two (1647)
6. Coweb Trailer (1214)
7. Tokyo Gore Police Promo (979)
8. Ong Bak 2 Promo (939)
9. Mutants Teaser (900)
10. Nefes Trailer Three (900)
Todd Brown
Steven Seagal Joins The Russian Mob! And Then Quits! And Then Kills Them All!
6 January 2009 3:26 PM, PST
Yes, kids, it’s a trailer for another new Steven Seagal film. What can I say? I’ve got a weakness for the portly akido master.
The film is Ruslan, in which Seagal plays a former Russian mobster turned crime novelist on a mission of revenge against his former comrades and competitors. Here’s the synopsis:
Ruslan is a successful crime writer – his fiction a tribute to a past left behind. When he returns to his old neighborhood to attend his daughter’s wedding, his dangerous past emerges. His estranged daughter Lanie is marrying the son of Rusland’s age-old nemesis, Mikhail Arban. Since their old days together, Arban has risen from the ranks to become the leader of the brutal East Coast Russian Mafia.
When his family becomes involved, Ruslan’s worst fears are realized. On the wedding day both Deborah and Lanie are gunned down at their home,
(more)
Todd Brown
First Trailer For Pater Sparrow’s Adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s 1
6 January 2009 3:21 PM, PST
We first wrote about Hungarian director Pater Sparrow’s upcoming adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s 1 back in October, rather enthused about the fact that we’d finally be seeing Lem - a legitimate science fiction icon - on the big screen once again. It’s become a bit of a Lem party since then, with a number of adaptations now in the works - the highest profile coming from Waltz With Bashir director Ari Folman - but today we’re back to where we started with the arrival of the first trailer of Sparrow’s film.
A bookshop renowned for its rare works is mysteriously and completely filled with copies of a book entitled 1, which doesn’t appear to have a publisher or author. The strange almanac describes what happens to the whole of humanity in the space of a minute. A police investigation begins and the bookshop staff are
(more)
Todd Brown
Dead Snow’s Nazi Snow Zombies Bring The Gore!
6 January 2009 11:40 AM, PST
As we’ve been covering Tommy Wirkola’s upcoming Nazi zombie comedy Dead Snow - soon to premiere at Sundance 2009 - in these pages, every post has had one phrase in common: “They’re holding back the money shots.”
Well, they’re not holding back any more. Twitch has just been given a first look at a brand new clip - English subtitled, even - in which we get the gore. And it is absolutely fantastic. The balance of tension and comedy is perfectly spot on, with both elements having me howl out loud, and the effects are pleasingly squishy. Oh, yes please. Here’s the Sundance synopsis:
For eight medical students, Easter vacation begins innocently enough. They pack their cars full of ski equipment and enough beer to fuel their escape from everyday life to the snowy, isolated hills outside of Øksfjord, Norway. Once there, they receive a late-night visit from a shady hiker,
(more)
Todd Brown
Malefique’s Eric Valette Is Back On Form. The Trailer For Hybrid Arrives.
6 January 2009 11:06 AM, PST
Oh, this does my heart good.
Several years back now French director Eric Valette made his feature film debut with Malefique, a film which I adore and believe wholeheartedly is one of the most confident and assured debut films I have ever come across. It was a tight, confined space horror film; one that showed Valette was a master at manipulating location and character to maximum affect and showed he had far more concern for the classics of the genre - Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone in this case - than for any current trends. It’s a truly great film, and one that is horribly underseen.
And so I winced when Valette was announced as the director of the Hollywood remake of One Missed Call, the second rate J-horror film whose original came while the movement was already in its death throes. It came as no surprised when
(more)
Todd Brown
First Trailer For Russell Mulcahey’s Give ‘Em Hell Malone
6 January 2009 10:42 AM, PST
This one’s for regular Twitch-lad Rhythm-x who, in the comments section for yesterday’s post about Highlander director Russell Mulcahey’s upcoming action flick Courier with Adrien Brody, asked why we hadn’t yet said anything about Mulcahey’s current project - the currently in post action-noir Give ‘Em Hell Malone. The answer, of course, is because we are dumb. And so here it is.
The cult Aussie director steps firmly into noir territory with this one, casting Thomas Jane as a rugged private eye hired to retrieve a mysterious gangster. Big bad mob man - Ving Rhames - is going to get in the way of course, and the obligatory femme fatale - played by Chris (sister of Donnie) Yen - will surely complicate matters. And many, many asses will be kicked.
Critics have always slammed Mulcahey for shooting his films like music videos - the exact reason
(more)
Todd Brown
Apparently Today Is My Bloody Valentine 3D Day
6 January 2009 10:33 AM, PST
Well, now, this is a handy bit of timing. For my regular Webstalker column over at the AMC Blogs this week I wrote a piece about the surprising amount of hype around Lionsgate’s upcoming My Bloody Valentine 3D and the revival of 3D tech in horror film. Seriously, people are buzzed about this and after running a piece last week roasting Lionsgate and Joe Drake for their slash and burn approach to handling everything the studio greenlit before Drake came aboard - the failures of Midnight Meat Train and Repo were very deliberate - it seemed only right to give credit where it’s due. So there you go, Drake, a tip of the hat for doing one right.
The piece went live this morning, pretty much right at the same time that a new clip from the film became available online. I take this as a sign that cannot be ignored,
(more)
Todd Brown
The Jackson-Spielberg Tintin Just Got A Whole Lot More Interesting.
6 January 2009 9:46 AM, PST
Feeling lackluster about the upcoming Steven Spielberg-Peter Jackson live action version of Tintin? Well, you’re not the only one. Despite the high profile talent behind the camera nobody seems to be paying much attention to this one so far. Heck, nobody even particularly noticed when Tintin himself - actor Thomas Sangster - dropped out of the film. But things just got a whole lot more interesting with a pair of casting announements.
It already seemed pretty much inevitable that Jackson regular Andy Serkis would have a place in the film and his part as Captain Haddock fits like a glove. But we already knew about that one. The new news? Shaun of the Dead and Spaced alumni Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as bowler-hatted detectives Thomson and Thompson. Whee! Keep casting like this and suddenly people are going to notice.
Todd Brown
1-20 of 30 articles « Prev | Next »
