If you're like me and love movies but don't relish the thought of going out to the theater all that much, then you most likely have some sort of home theater setup. And if you're also like me, you probably have a High Def TV so you can maximize your viewing experience by watching as many of your favorite movies and TV programs in High Def as possible.
At the moment, as you probably already know, there are two competing types of High Def DVDs -- HD-DVD and Blu-ray. For me, HD-DVD is the way to go so far because every Blu-ray to HD-DVD comparison I've seen has shown me HD-DVD is, in many ways, superior. So, I use HD-DVD at home in my personal home theater setup. If you don't have some sort of HD-DVD or Blu-ray player, you can also download content from sources such as Microsoft's XBox Live Service. But how can you maximize the High Def viewing experience and make sure you're getting the best possible picture quality?
Well, an article over at Jake Ludington's site is a great place to start. In the article, the author enlists expert advice from video professionals and compares HD-DVD programming downloaded from the XBox Live service to HD-DVDs rented from places like Netflix. The article goes into great depth and the conclusions are well thought-out and very interesting -- especially if you're considering the purchase of an XBox 360 with attached HD-DVD player or other HD-DVD purchases this holiday season. So, check it out -- you might learn something ...
I think my Cinematical colleague Mark Beall is spot-on when he writes that the first Resident Evil movie was pretty ok. Even if its not perfect (or even really good) in the world of video game-to-movie adaptations, it still ranks pretty high up on the list. Much higher than, say, Doom. Man, what happened there? Plus, Resident Evil has one very important thing going for it -- the exquisite Milla Jovovich.
So, imagine my happiness knowing a third movie, cleverly titled Resident Evil: Extinction, is being made and will not only feature Jovovich, but also the equally hot Ali Larter as well. At the moment, we don't have many visuals that give a clue to the look of the film -- but one or two pics have surfaced. And now, there's a third one for your enjoyment -- all collected by the folks at IGN.
The first two feature Jovovich striking some provocative and deadly poses as if to say "mess with me and die." The third features the lovely Larter decked out as a kick-ass soldier striding purposefully toward camera. Of course, its almost impossible to judge a movie simply from a few pictures. However, I like the look of the costumes, weapons and the rest of what I can see. Plus, Jovovich and Larter look great so that gives me hope. Even if the movie does suck, at least we'll have something nice to look at for ninety minutes.
Resident Evil: Extinction is due to hit theaters in September of 2007.
Wow, its getting sorta ugly over at Rotten Tomatoes these days -- at least when people are talking about the upcoming fantasy film Eragon. Some of the comments are, shall we say, less than kind about the new film. And a few are downright nasty. Personally, I'm not that impressed with what I've seen of the film so far -- any comparisons and proclamations that it's this years The Lord of the Rings notwithstanding.
Still, I really hope it turns out to be good because as a fan of the genre, we need all the good fantasy and sci-fi movies we can get. If they're good and successful, people will want to make more of them -- and that to me is a good thing. Unfortunately, for every Lord of the Rings, we get a lot more films that just aren't very good. And to my dismay, judging from the quotes at Rotten Tomatoes, it doesn't look like Eragon is going to be the one movie to rule them all this year.
There are so many choice quotes at the site its hard to pick one or two that really nails the consensus about the film. But let's try anyway, shall we? "For those who love the fantasy genre known as sword and sorcery -- and I count myself in their number -- sitting through the movie version of Eragon will suck the will to live right out of you," says Chauncey Mabe of the South Florida Sentinal. Nice. Or, my personal favorite from Arthur Salm of the San Diego Union Tribune: "Been to that galaxy, done that ring." Hmm, that doesn't sound too promising, does it? Well, there's always The Hobbit -- that is, if it ever actually happens.
Sometimes the work of film directors just amazes me. Classic films like Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfatheror Steven Spielberg's Shindler's Listserve to remind us just how well films can be made and yes, that "magic" can happen -- at least once in awhile. Another such director is Michel Gondry. His films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the upcoming Be Kind Rewind and a fantastic array of music videos and commercials superbly demonstrate his immense talent and show what the "art" in filmmaking is all about. In short, I think he's pretty much a genius.
Apparently, Gondry's genius stretches into other areas besides directing -- like geometry and contortion -- because if you watch this video you'll see the amazing Gondry solving a Rubik's Cube with his feet! Yes, I said his feet. Most people have enough trouble solving the damn things using their hands and this guy uses his feet. Impressive. I don't know about you but watching this sorta makes me feel like less of a man somehow. I really need to do something to feel better about myself. Where's Pauly Shore so I can punch him?
Topher Grace has come a long way since playing Eric Forman -- the skinny dork on That 70's Show. Really, I never believed the super-cute Donna (played by Laura Prepon) would have ever given him the time of day -- let alone date him or sleep with him. It's just the magic of television I guess. Even dorks get the girl. Fortunately, Grace has been able to leave Forman behind and transition into much different and more adult roles -- and he's managed to do a very good job of it too.
From his first feature film role in Steven Soderberg'sTrafficto playing Spidey-nemesis Eddie Brock in Spider-Man 3, Grace has steadily added to his resume and put together an impressive body of work in a relatively short amount of time. And now, according to Production Weekly, the actor has been set to star in Michael Dowse'sKids in America -- which, at first glance, might seem like a step back towards Forman territory.
The film, written by Dowse and That 70s Show vets Jackie and Jeff Filgo, centers around recent college grad Matt Franklin (Grace) obsessed with the dream girl that got away. But a wild Labor Day party gives him one last chance to get the girl and, along with his twin sister and their best friend, learn a little something while struggling with the future and their impeding adulthood.
Even though the plot of the film sounds a little like That 70s Show: The Later Years, I don't think it will really end up that way once it finished. Plus, Grace has really matured a an actor and I think he's smart enough to pick good roles for himself and improve even more. So, despite the films' description, I'm going to give it, and Grace, the benefit of the doubt. So far, he hasn't let me down and I don't think he will here either. Production on Kids in America is expected to start in February in Phoenix.
I know, I know, I feel your pain, believe me. I can hardly handle waiting the long days until the latest cinematic incarnation of that friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is released to a clamoring world, either. Unfortunately, those are the breaks and we just have to be patient and wait until Spider-Man 3 comes to theaters this summer.
Until then, we've at least had a few glimpses into what the new film would be like. Some pics. A trailer and some video. And now, something that's a little late for Halloween but still, just as exciting -- a video featuring head specialty costumer for Spider-Man 3Shownee Smith (not to be confused with Saw actress Shawnee Smith). In the video, courtesy of our friends at Comics2Film, Mr. Smith and his pals demonstrate the inner workings and the delicate procedure that goes into making the very cool Spidey suit.
One thing friends, if you do try this at home, please do so responsibly. Nobody needs to get hurt making a costume. If you're worried about the consequences or feel you might get injured, do yourself a favor -- just go buy a Spider-Man costume at Wal-Mart like the rest of the kids and leave the latex molding to the pros. Although, I am tempted to try this -- especially if Vivian Chow will come over and sew it for me. She's kinda cute. Enjoy the video.
It's somewhat official (Catch the partial disclaimer there? Good. ...) but according to a recent IGN article, the next James Bond cinematic spectacle, cleverly titled Bond 22, will apparently be based (loosely or otherwise) on a short story by Bond creator Ian Fleming called Risico. For the Bond history challenged among you (don't be sad, I had to look it up too) the story first appeared in Fleming's book For Your Eyes Only in 1960 -- which was already the basis for the movie of the same name featuring Roger Moore as Bond.
It's hard to imagine screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade will choose to tell that exact story of For Your Eyes Only again. Been there, done that, saw the movie. More likely, they will use the basic elements of the story -- Bond goes to Italy to investigate a crime ring and blows some stuff up, beds some women and generally takes matters into his own hands for Queen and Country -- you know, all the basic Bond goodness. Plus, the next film will surely further develop Daniel Craig's Bond and perhaps begin to show his transformation into the polished, suave and sophisticated 007 we all know. And I'm sure, as mentioned in the article, the next film will continue to focus more on character development and story rather than on gadgets and will be cherry-picking the best part of the Fleming story to help accomplish this.
Screenwriter Wade let as much slip to the BBC recently: "In the next film the emphasis has to be on the unfinished emotional business at the end of Casino Royale. It has to be dealt with in such a way that his character continues to have an arc. ... It can't just be he's tough and he's tempered steel and totally impervious. There are things he still has to resolve. So that's the legacy of Casino Royale and it's important to have it so the actor has something to play." Cast members, especially Eva Green, have also dropped some big hints about the next film as well (as our own Erik Davis previouslyreported). To be honest, I don't really want to know all the details so I wouldn't mind if Green would just keep it zipped. I like to be a little surprised when I go to the theater. Help add to the fun -- at least for me. But if Casino Royale is any indication, I think we're in good hands for the next film no matter what the source material or how many details leak out. For me, Bond 22 can't come fast enough.
Here at Cinematical we don't condone violence -- unless, of course, it's of the cinematic (aka fake) kind where computer generated cars explode or armies of supernatural creatures battle it out for world domination. Unfortunately, in the real world, people are often angry and/or stupid and do things to each other they shouldn't. Such is the case with comedian/actor Pauly Shore this week. What happened?
Well, according to a video going around the net, Shore was working in a club in Odessa, Texas and was trying to make it through his act. A few seconds into the video, some cowboy in a giant hat comes onstage, words are exchanged and the cowboy punches Shore, knocking him to the floor. Then, security grabs the cowboy and takes him off-stage. Little late there guys, don't you think? If the video can be believed, this is a very unfortunate incident. Of course, there's always the possibility it was staged to get publicity and enhance Shore's somewhat sagging career.
It's not impossible to believe Shore would fake something like this -- especially given what happened with Michael Richards recently. The timing is almost too perfect for it to be a random thing. However, if the video is real, this just isn't right. Nobody deserves this -- even Shore. People should be able to do their jobs without fear of violence. I know there are dangerous jobs -- bomb disposal, fisherman, roofer, timber cutter -- Forbes Magazine even has a list of the ten most dangerous ones. Strange, I don't see stand-up comedian on the list. Fake or real, tragedy or hoax -- given the nature of the internet, I'm sure we'll find out the truth any minute now.
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this trend. To what particular trend am I referring you may wonder? Is it rappers-turned actors? Or perhaps re-imaginings of classic films for modern day audiences? Or, maybe its remakes of Asian horror films for the American market? Nope. I'm pretty sure I don't like those things -- with exceptions, of course. I like Will Smith, Peter Jackson's King Kongwas ok even if it was too long and The Grudge was pretty scary. No, what's got me confused today is my feelings about the current crop of films being helmed by visual effects artists instead of directors with any sort of actual directing experience.
According to a recent article in Variety, the hands-on experience that effects supervisors have gotten while working on big films with major directors has helped them move from, as Variety puts it, "behind the computer screen right into the director's chair." Don't get me wrong, I realize supervising visual effects means you're managing a large team of people towards a single vision. And yes, that's a part of directing. But really, one of the most important things about directing is being able to tell a story and work with actors. I don't know about you, but most of the visual effects people I know have a pretty hard time talking about anything that doesn't happen on Battlestar Galactica or South Park so I fear their communication skills may be lacking in some areas.
Hit-or-miss director Jamie Blanks, mostly known for the somewhat entertaining Urban Legendand the somewhat bad Valentine, has landed a deal with Dimension Films for his latest project -- the horror/thriller Storm Warning. According to an article over at CHUD, the Weinstein-owned Dimension has taken North American, Australian and New Zealand rights to the pic with an eye to a Summer 2007 release.
Storm Warning, written by Everett De Roche and featuring a cast of lesser-knowns including the very cute Nadia Feres, Robert Taylor and Matthew Wilkinson -- who also appears in the upcoming Ghost Rider, centers on a young wealthy couple who seek refuge in an isolated farmhouse during a storm. Once there, they soon realize they're not in the house of their own free will but in reality, have been captured by a group of deranged killers. Man, won't people ever learn -- you never go into an isolated farmhouse during a storm especially with all the deranged killers lurking around.
Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure I've seen this movie before once or twice -- or, at the very least, something pretty darn similar. Its not exactly what we in the trade would call "original." Still, Blanks has shown his directing chops before with Urban Legend and I don't really blame him all that much for Valentine -- it wasn't horrible, just not very good. It's also pretty easy to overlook a film's flaws when you're distracted by the beauty of Denise Richards, Marley Shelton and my future wife Katherine Heigl. So, let's just chalk that one up to the well-known "sophomore slump." Besides, everyone makes mistakes and deserves a second (or third) chance, right? How else can one explain Mark Steven Johnson's career? Sorry, was that cynical? I can never tell anymore.
Ah, Lionsgate. Thank you for keeping the horror film torch burning by bringing us films like the Saw franchise, Hostel, The Descent and so many more to come (as our own Scott reported recently). In the world of modestly budgeted splatter-fests you guys pretty much rule. And now, according to Variety, you've picked up yet another potential winner from your old friends at Filmax -- the horror/thriller The Backwoods, starring Gary Oldman.
When we wrote about this film wayyy last year, it was just a mention regarding the casting of Oldman in the film. And now, over a year later, the film is in the can, getting picked up by a major horror-friendly distributor and is slated for a U.S. release next year. Not bad. Although, it's not that unusual for Lionsgate to acquire product from Filmax considering the long-standing relationship between the two companies. Since 2000, the distributor has picked up quite a few films from the Spanish producer -- including Arachnid, Dagon, Faust and one of my faves -- Beyond Re-Animator.
The Backwoods, directed by first-time feature helmer Koldo Serra, is an English-language thriller set in Basque Country in 1978 which tells the story of a couple on vacation who stumble upon a deformed and seemingly helpless girl trapped in a cabin. Of course, the couple tries to help her and ends up fighting for their lives against the local villagers who have imprisoned the girl. The film co-stars Paddy Considine (who was so good in Jim Sheridan's In America), Aitana Sanchez-Gijon and the super-hot Virginie Ledoyen. Plus, as Gary Oldman happens to be in it and I'm a huge fan of his, I plan on catching this film when it's released. Lionsgate, keep up the good work. For more on The Backwoods, check out its official site.
Video game publisher Sega recently closed a deal with 20th Century Fox for a series of games based on the super-popular Alien franchise. According to an article in The Hollywood Reporter, the video game company, best known for its Sonic the Hedgehog games, is going to begin developing next-gen and PC video games set in the Alien universe -- including a first-person shooter and a multi-player role-playing game.
The games, the first of which is expected to ship in 2008, are not going to be a re-make of any of the Alien films or strictly follow any of the storylines already developed. Instead, according to Mike Gallo, senior producer for the franchise at Sega, the games will provide new stories and experiences derived from the franchise history and mythology. "We'll go out of our way to tie the games into the films in unique ways," he said. "We're also looking at all 'Alien' source material for inspiration, in addition to the films. We may incorporate some characters that fans know and love, and we may let gamers find answers to questions that were left unanswered in the movies."
Also, Sega is currently in talks with franchise stars, including Sigourney Weaver and Lance Henricksen, who will hopefully reprise their respective roles from the films in the video games. Which, of course, would be pretty darn cool and add that all-important authenticity that makes these kinds of games work better. As a fan of the movies and having played some of the games -- especially Alien vs. Predator 2 -- I, for one, can't wait to see what comes out of this deal. Hopefully we'll see a kick-ass high-def Alien game for the XBox 360 in the near future. Now that would be cool. I'm also more than happy to be a beta tester -- so Sega, if you're listening, how about a hook-up?
Man, it must be terrible to be a 12-year-old child superstar and realize you can't rest on your laurels, but instead, must think about the future when your looks start to go and you just aren't the cutest thing around anymore. What's a pre-teen actor to do when this kind of problem inevitably arises? Thus is the current issue apparently confronting the precocious Dakota Fanning who was asked, according to a recent AP story, what she might want to do when she grows up. Her answer? Are you sitting down? Good. She wants to direct.
According to the article, Fanning was asked about her future career plans during an interview for Time Magazine promoting her upcoming filmsCharlotte's Weband the indie-drama Hound Dog. "I would love to direct someday," Fanning told the magazine. "I've learned a lot from watching directors I've worked with, like Steven Spielberg and Gary Winick, whom I worked with on Charlotte's Web. I would love to have that relationship with another actor." Well, I guess if you've spent that much time with talented directors like those, something is bound to rub off, right? What a great way to learn.
Besides, there are many directors working today who started out as actors -- the most successful probably being Ron Howard. But there's also, of course, Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Danny De Vito and one of my personal heroes Orson Welles. I'm sure I missed a bunch more. To be honest, Dakota Fanning is one of the few child actors who doesn't bug me when I watch her films -- I especially liked her in Man on Fire. Maybe its her or more the directors or actors she works with. Whatever the reason, if I had to bet on someone making a successful transition from actor to director I would have to bet on her. Plus, she's just so darn cute -- and that never hurts either.
With the holidays fast approaching, your thoughts have surely turned to gifts -- whether for that special someone or for yourself. Hey, why not? You've been good this year, right? And, as you happen to be reading this at a site whose focus is movies, it stands to reason you may want to watch a few of them once in awhile. I'm sure many of you remember the good old days when you went to a theater to watch a movie in all of its wide-screen, THX enhanced splendor. These days, with ticket prices, parking, waiting in line and those jerks on cell phones, actually going to the theater is something people do less and less.
Instead, people are staying home, curling up on the couch and watching their favorite movie on DVD in the comfort of their homes. I have to admit that its getting harder and harder for me to go to the theater too. Even though I can go to screenings and all that, its still, in many cases, much more of an ordeal than it needs to be -- or that it seems to be worth. Consequently, I spend more and more time watching movies at home. And that, friends, is why we're here today.
If you watch movies at home and want to maximize the "cinematic experience" of those movies, following are some essential tools that will help you get there. As its not possible for me to have owned every different kind of equipment out there, this list will focus primarily on the items that make up my personal home theater setup -- which was put together over the last few months after exhaustive research. Plus, these items make great gifts too. So, on with the show!
No matter what your opinion on the now ubiquitous trailer mash-up, some can actually be pretty funny. My first experience was not that long ago with the mash-up of The Shining featuring Jack Nicholson doing his best troubled romantic-comedy guy routine -- instead of the raving psycho he really is in the actual movie. Although, that wasn't the first one ever made. According to Wikipedia, that honor actually goes to former NYU students Ben Campbell, Sal Perez, Jack Picone and Spencer Somers and their mash-up of Kill Bill and The Passion of the Christ called Kill Christ. So, if you don't like mash-ups you can blame them.
Plus, there's the one with A Christmas Storyre-imagined as a horror film. That's pretty funny. I also like the X-Men: Last Stand / Office Space one as well. It's interesting how some of the shots can be so dramatic when taken out of context. I may never look at Office Space the same way again. Well, I probably will. And, of course, the mash-up got even more popular thanks in large part to those two gay cowboys in Brokeback Mountain (as our own Martha rightly pointed out before). So you had a string of Brokeback mash-ups which now run into the dozens over at YouTube. Search, you'll fine 'em. My favorite -- Brokeback to the Future. Now that's what a mash-up is supposed to be.
There's even a website (probably more than one) devoted completely to mash-ups that you can check out if you feel strongly about your love for these things and just want more, more, more of them. Which brings us to one of the latest ones -- a mash-up of Apocalypto and The Last KisscalledZach Brafs' Apocolypto. Not as funny as Brokeback to the Future but I give them an "A" for effort. Enjoy.
If you're like me and love movies but don't relish the thought of going out to the theater all that much, then you most likely have some sort of home theater setup. And if you're also like me, you probably have a High Def TV so you can maximize your viewing experience by watching as many of your favorite movies and TV programs in High Def as possible. 
I think my Cinematical colleague Mark Beall is spot-on when 
Wow, its getting sorta ugly over at 
Topher Grace
It's somewhat official (Catch the partial disclaimer there? Good. ...) but according to a recent 
Here at Cinematical we don't condone violence -- unless, of course, it's of the cinematic (aka fake) kind where computer generated cars explode or armies of supernatural creatures battle it out for world domination. Unfortunately, in the real world, people are often angry and/or stupid and do things to each other they shouldn't. Such is the case with comedian/actor 
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this trend. To what particular trend am I referring you may wonder? Is it rappers-turned actors? Or perhaps re-imaginings of classic films for modern day audiences? Or, maybe its remakes of Asian horror films for the American market? Nope. I'm pretty sure I don't like those things -- with exceptions, of course. I like 
Hit-or-miss director 
Ah, Lionsgate. Thank you for keeping the horror film torch burning by bringing us films like the 
Video game publisher 
Man, it must be terrible to be a 12-year-old child superstar and realize you can't rest on your laurels, but instead, must think about the future when your looks start to go and you just aren't the cutest thing around anymore. What's a pre-teen actor to do when this kind of problem inevitably arises? Thus is the current issue apparently confronting the precocious 
No matter what your opinion on the now ubiquitous trailer mash-up, some can actually be pretty funny. My first experience was not that long ago with the 
