Walking around today I walk past a T.V and see that Christian Bale is going to star in the new Terminator film. "Not a great idea" I say to myself. I mean the dead house that is the franchise should really stopped being flogged so its hooves can be used for glue.
I walk on and I forget about it. "Not enough info for a blog entry" I say to myself and think no more of it.
I get home. I am run down and completly knackered but I have more than enough energy to warm up my casserole and check the net for any interesting film. I do find some news..... however interesting is not the word I could use.
I read in a mixture of amazement, shock and disgust as I read that the Terminator movie is being made by McG!! All the energy drains from my body and all the colour drains from my face.
Mc fucking G!?
So who was drunk at the wheel when they decided this?
Oh it gets better......
The two writers also wrote that classic hit........CATWOMAN!
How bad can this movie be?
I'm guessing this may depend on how much you like Terminator 1 & 2 to T3:Rise of the machines (the writers wrote that also) and Charlies Angels 2: Full Throttle. (I'm guessing not too much)
Somewhere James Cameron is crying underwater.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Wandering in Cloverfield
If you haven't seen this site or seen either of these trailers I will wonder where you've been in the last view months (if your a film wanker like myself that is). Yes it finally has a name and we finally get a full trailer...and yet like another J.J Abrams project Lost, the more we see the more questions have to ask.
What about the monster?
Who are these non-stars?
Why don't we know more etc.
Well I don't know about you but I love how this project is being handled. It's nice to see a film being pushed with an air of mystery about it. The net news is few and far between and even the most sneaky of scoopers are finding trouble trying to get information.
I say good. I'm sick of trailers (especially trailers of the recent spate of remakes) that try and condense the whole films story into 3 minutes. I hate the fact that by the time you get to the cinema, you know whats going down with the film because your waiting for that money shot that hasn't happened just yet.
The less I know the more I'm interested. You want to know the story when you see the actual film not during the preview of another film.
The films wish to hide it's secrets are a blessing and a curse. The Blair Witch Project is one of the biggest independent films to date in in terms of money however the amount of people truly FUCKED OFF with the film is understandable (I love it).
Also releasing the film in January is either genius (release a good money spinner in a dumping ground for shite? mega bucks) or stupidly (release a naff product to shift it quickly and bring on the summer.)
But who cares right now? The outlook for me looks more positive than negative. I like the films modern, intense feel towards the monster movie. It makes an interesting comparison to Peter Jackson's more classic feel to his monster epic King Kong.
I have a lot of high hopes for this flick and hope it will do ok critically and financially.
NOTE: Those into a good little monster movie should do well to seek out the Korean ditty The Host. It's an interesting take on the sub genre.
What about the monster?
Who are these non-stars?
Why don't we know more etc.
Well I don't know about you but I love how this project is being handled. It's nice to see a film being pushed with an air of mystery about it. The net news is few and far between and even the most sneaky of scoopers are finding trouble trying to get information.
I say good. I'm sick of trailers (especially trailers of the recent spate of remakes) that try and condense the whole films story into 3 minutes. I hate the fact that by the time you get to the cinema, you know whats going down with the film because your waiting for that money shot that hasn't happened just yet.
The less I know the more I'm interested. You want to know the story when you see the actual film not during the preview of another film.
The films wish to hide it's secrets are a blessing and a curse. The Blair Witch Project is one of the biggest independent films to date in in terms of money however the amount of people truly FUCKED OFF with the film is understandable (I love it).
Also releasing the film in January is either genius (release a good money spinner in a dumping ground for shite? mega bucks) or stupidly (release a naff product to shift it quickly and bring on the summer.)
But who cares right now? The outlook for me looks more positive than negative. I like the films modern, intense feel towards the monster movie. It makes an interesting comparison to Peter Jackson's more classic feel to his monster epic King Kong.
I have a lot of high hopes for this flick and hope it will do ok critically and financially.
NOTE: Those into a good little monster movie should do well to seek out the Korean ditty The Host. It's an interesting take on the sub genre.
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Dark Knight
It's old news and every Bat fan has probably visited that site by now. However if you haven't you should really check out. http://www.whysoserious.com/
Not too much to it, got a new shot of the joker some werid clues and another website called rorys death kiss. The site allows fans to submit pictures of themseleves as the joker.
Some of the stuff out there is pretty cool. Fun times.
Not too much to it, got a new shot of the joker some werid clues and another website called rorys death kiss. The site allows fans to submit pictures of themseleves as the joker.
Some of the stuff out there is pretty cool. Fun times.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Woman in a lead role? You better Warner Brother
It's been two days after this article and blogs everywhere are rife with outrage. Much has been said about the article and here will be no exception.It's been two days since the first blogs reported this and it seems that now the WB is on damage control stating that its president did not say such terrible things. Lets be honest with ourselves right now. It may be a blogger taking a statement out of context or an oafish head of a studio (see smug picture) with a very shorted sighted and imbecilic viewpoint of why a few average looking movies didn't make the grade but I do believe something dumb must of been said.
We as bloggers write for many reasons but one of them is simply to get read and to get seen. Now in looking at the Deadline Hollywood Daily and it's blogger. I don't think Nikki Finke has to do to much to get read. She's not like stragglers like me who'd love to get just ten readers a day. So if she was to make something like this up Warner could take her to cleaners easily. But they haven't.
What will happen? A few statements stating that the comment weren't said will arrive this week. Warner Brothers will still release pictures with female leads for the time being and wait for the situation to blow over. And of course, like all big studios, they will be far too important to do anything to make them appear more caring to anyone offended.
But lets look two of the main supposed failures in question. The Brave One and The Invasion.
To be completely honest. After watching this trailer the film looks a lot like an retread of Micheal Winner's Death Wish. To add to this, the film also had to do battle with the eerily similar Death Sentence which came out two week earlier. The trailers do nothing to try and show any differences between the two films other than one has a woman in the lead and one has a man.
To add to this. Observing as many opinions as I could in the short amount of time before having to go to bed and then back to work. both critics and film goers didn't mind the film depending on where you go. If you go to the rotten tomatoes web page you get a middling average, while the imdb gives off a different picture. same with metacritc....actually hang on a minute....go back one. the imdb......yes NORMAL PEOPLE are enjoying the film....isn't that what a studio wants?
In fact the film reviewed better than Death Sentence but flopped....well after watching a revenge movie that didn't work, not everybody may want to see another in such a short space of time....even if they love Jodie Foster.
The FORTH remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. A film which went through a massive rewrite (The Wachowskis) and a new director (their mate James McTeigue) re-shooting much of the film. Now this reminds me of when a studio wanted to bring The Exorcist up to date after it's successful re-release in 1999. Remember? When they got a director (Paul Schrader) to make a prequel. Then they didn't think it was bloody enough for the backers and hired another director (Renny Harlin) to shoot the same film but "different".
Now look at who the producers hired first Paul Schrader the guy who made films like Blue Collar and wrote the seriously twisted Taxi Driver. For him to make a horror film it's going to be a more more grounded look at horror. No...no good fire him and get in the guy that lost a shit load of money with Cutthroat Island and bankrupted a production company....but that's another story.
Schraders film was limited release while Harlin's flick went widespread and only made it's money back with it's overseas box office.
Now who owns The Exorcist series....yes.....thats right FUCKING WARNER BROTHERS. The dudes that got a fuck load of money from The Exorcist...twice. A film that earned it's two main female stars Oscar nominations (not that awards are important two these people but the money sure is).
Back to the point. Original director: Oliver Hirschbiegel. Director of the Somber Downfall detailing the last hours of Hitler.
New Director: James McTeigue director of comic book adaptation V for Vendetta and assistant director For The matrix films.
Lets look at it like this. I want a picture of a domestic cat. I get someone who doesn't mind drawing cats but would rather draw dogs to draw it for me. He draws a cat which isn't to my liking. I get someone who likes cats but I want him to draw I tiger over the first cat....you get a mess. That's my overlong metaphor and I'm sticking to it.
Er....Byron...the point?
Point being (sorry) in looking at the high hopes of these movies on the back of a load of shoddy summer blockbusters, bad marketing, naff planning...your not going to get much. It doesn't help by placing solid actresses in bog standard films. Both Kidman and Foster have won Oscars, both like to diverse into projects that suit them and both aren't your usual Hollywood fodder.
If you want place Jodie Foster in a revenge movie. Don't place her right next to another revenge movie. Especially if that other revenge movie has a director that has come of the back of a very successful horror series. Death Sentence is directed by James Wan who is partly responsible for the Saw Series (forth one on its way). Death Sentence also has that fact plastered on it's advertising. Now no offence but not that many people in middle America are gonna watch the brave one because "the guy who did in the company of wolves did it" and hell...I own that movie.
Nicole Kidman is not really the woman that I'd pick for a film like The Invasion. But like fuck it's her fault that the film can't pick a writer, let alone a director.
No matter what, something was said and it has been broadcast. To be honest Warner Brothers will be fortunate enough not to lose half of their Harry Potter sales on a boycott. But hey, we still have to watch movies at the cinema in a regime in where if your actor whose name isn't Morgan Freeman, Will Smith or Denzel Washington your black ass ain't getting no leading role....unless you can rap.
Monday, 24 September 2007
Video Lame
With Halo in development hell and Resident Evil winging its way to the U.K. very soon (at number one in the U.S. as I write this) I think yet another Video game to film blog should be made.
Video games are evolving. Colleges are advertising degrees video games and computer science, gaming magazines are full of adverts of company's looking for designers and technology is evolving to an extremely immense state. The games are becoming more realistic in looks, the storylines are getting deeper and the argument on games as art has reached an advanced stage.
While many still consider them a menace, there is reason for that. This is because, of course games are becoming more involving. They are becoming more than 2D Sprites jumping on mushrooms and becoming worlds of their own. I remember how big Super Metroid was when I first played it...compared that to Mass Effect and you'll see how far the industry as grown.
So if this is the case. WHY CAN'T THEY GET VIDEO GAME MOVIES RIGHT!
1. They depart away from the actual material
There used to be a time when American children recognized Mario easier than Mickey Mouse (I'm guessing now it would be Master Chief). Mario was the real deal all over the world during the 80's and 90's. How many kids have those games imprinted in their head? Fuck you can now go on youtube and check out speedruns. People love Mario*, so why deviate from the original storyline? The film was shit. Real shit. It was like Bob Hoskins was in a terrible sequel to Brazil....but without the awesome visuals and ideas. The tone of the film was way out for it's target audience and everyone else was asking "what the fuck?"
The same goes for most of the VG adaptations. Double Dragon any one? Who hard is it to fuck up a game with such a straightforward story? Few things would need to be padded out but seriously, better films have been made with less of a description.
Doom? Event Horizon has a closer plot line to the original game than Doom does.
Final Fantasy? What the hell? And it was MADE BY THE COMPANY WHO MADE THE BLOODY GAME! Cold, clinical and light years away from what made the games interesting.
Stick to the material and all would be well....or maybe....
2. They stick TOO close to the material.
Silent Hill Film is very faithful to the games. From the plot to the visuals and characters. It's almost like your following a character in the game. Problem is it's like watching someone else play the game. Silent Hill is famed for it's puzzles as well as it's horror and the film shows far too much of Radha Mitchell wandering around searching for clues, not talking to anyone and shoddy explanation near the end of the film. The film itself is actually not bad but these small moments detach the viewer keeps them at a distance. We as fickle viewers/gamers want the film to engage us as well as be faithful. Bastards aren't we?
3 Uwe Boll.
With his unique way of funding and Ed Wood-esque zeal. Boll is on a mission to make as many video game adaptations as possible. However from what I've watched of his output, you see that Boll is trying to make game adaptations as badly as possible. Boll's films are cobbled together as quickly as possible and no quality checks seem to be made on the script or the rushes. From what I've seen, his films are bad, almost so bad they're good. Boll himself comes off as an arrogant twat. Beating up his detractors for publicity, throwing his toys out of the pram when criticised. The more I read about him the more he comes off like one of those asshole message boarders he hates.
I don't want to say too much about this guy. Watch the movies, see for yourself....and he's the guy making the most video game adaptations.
And yes even though there are flashes of the game throughout that shot, that's pretty much the only thing that links the film to the game (that and the name).
4. Lazy Casting
I must admit Jolie as Lara Croft makes sense but Tara Reid (Alone in the dark)? Clint Howard (House of the dead)? The Bunch of wannabe nobodies in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation? Maybe if they got the right people for the right parts then the films may fair better. But this could be because...
5. The filmmakers usually don't give a shit about the project.
Comic books had to die a cinematic death before people realised that if you give the material to writers and directors that are interested in bringing about the vision of the original material to life then good things can come of it. Spiderman, Batman Begins, Sin City, the writers and directors have a certain respect for the people they are making the film for. Superman returns didn't make the splash that people want but Bryan Singer still managed to give an interesting story about a hero who has lost is place in his own world (Singer loves that idea of finding identity). Paul W.S Anderson (not Magnolia) is hated by most video game fans. But at least he tries to give fans what they want. Mortal Kombat was very close to the game, and Resident Evil has it's bashers it is much closer to the games than people give it credit for. If you still don't believe me then fine but the final moments of the first film have more passion about the games than ALL of that Super Mario Bros film. Those fuckers didn't even get Yoshi right. Pricks. Anyway. Peter Jackson gets hold of the Halo project and seems to have a basic understanding of how Halo should be and what happens? Oh no....too expensive. The fact that people got hyped over THAT toy movie and went in droves to watch it tells me that Halo would do just fine about now.
6. Critics just don't understand.
Now I'm not a critic basher per say. In fact I enjoy reading reviews (most of the time). But many reviewers like Roger Ebert have clearly never played a recent game before and never will. In fact I could swear most serious reviewers hate video games in general. I feel many of the films never have a chance in the first place. The video game movie is at times reminiscent of the modern horror film. It has an uphill struggle before it even starts to run. Reviewers like to talk a good game (no bad pun intended) about bias but many of course their reviews tell a different story. Their talk of sensible plots and in depth characters can seem silly to true game fans who just want to see the right incarnation of the material.
7. Fans are fickle
Lets not beat around the bush guys. We are wankers when it comes to crap like this. Look at the list I've written. We want too much. The perfect video game for me would be flexible enough to give the story and characters room to breathe but still have enough time to kick loads of ass. The director and scriptwriter must be die hard fans of the material but understand that you can't just make it exactly like the game...etc. Well we want it perfect don't we. To be honest, I feel Paul W.S Anderson did well with the original Mortal Kombat and did ok with Resident Evil. I also Feel Christopher Gans produced an uneven but creepy looking Silent Hill (ash snow visuals + assorted FUCKED up creatures = awesome). Fact is many are looking for this fantastic adaptation of their favorite games which they spent hours completing when they could be playing them again.
So there we have it folks. The reasons why Video Games "aren't right" in my opinion. Despite my dislike for the shoddy treatment of Double Dragon, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros, Alone in the Dark, Doom, House of the dead, Resident Evil 2....etc. You know that I'll be like 700th in line for Gears of War or something and I'll still have something to bitch about. With this said, think about what I said before. The games are evolving. The stories are becoming more involved than their Hollywood counterparts. Halo's religious overtones, intense fire fights and epic scale, wipe the floor with such "great" ideas such as...fuck it do I have state some? Take your pick.
*Expect for my grinchy mate Richie. Who claims he likes games....but hates Nintendo
Video games are evolving. Colleges are advertising degrees video games and computer science, gaming magazines are full of adverts of company's looking for designers and technology is evolving to an extremely immense state. The games are becoming more realistic in looks, the storylines are getting deeper and the argument on games as art has reached an advanced stage.
While many still consider them a menace, there is reason for that. This is because, of course games are becoming more involving. They are becoming more than 2D Sprites jumping on mushrooms and becoming worlds of their own. I remember how big Super Metroid was when I first played it...compared that to Mass Effect and you'll see how far the industry as grown.
So if this is the case. WHY CAN'T THEY GET VIDEO GAME MOVIES RIGHT!
1. They depart away from the actual material
There used to be a time when American children recognized Mario easier than Mickey Mouse (I'm guessing now it would be Master Chief). Mario was the real deal all over the world during the 80's and 90's. How many kids have those games imprinted in their head? Fuck you can now go on youtube and check out speedruns. People love Mario*, so why deviate from the original storyline? The film was shit. Real shit. It was like Bob Hoskins was in a terrible sequel to Brazil....but without the awesome visuals and ideas. The tone of the film was way out for it's target audience and everyone else was asking "what the fuck?"
The same goes for most of the VG adaptations. Double Dragon any one? Who hard is it to fuck up a game with such a straightforward story? Few things would need to be padded out but seriously, better films have been made with less of a description.
Doom? Event Horizon has a closer plot line to the original game than Doom does.
Final Fantasy? What the hell? And it was MADE BY THE COMPANY WHO MADE THE BLOODY GAME! Cold, clinical and light years away from what made the games interesting.
Stick to the material and all would be well....or maybe....
2. They stick TOO close to the material.
Silent Hill Film is very faithful to the games. From the plot to the visuals and characters. It's almost like your following a character in the game. Problem is it's like watching someone else play the game. Silent Hill is famed for it's puzzles as well as it's horror and the film shows far too much of Radha Mitchell wandering around searching for clues, not talking to anyone and shoddy explanation near the end of the film. The film itself is actually not bad but these small moments detach the viewer keeps them at a distance. We as fickle viewers/gamers want the film to engage us as well as be faithful. Bastards aren't we?
3 Uwe Boll.
With his unique way of funding and Ed Wood-esque zeal. Boll is on a mission to make as many video game adaptations as possible. However from what I've watched of his output, you see that Boll is trying to make game adaptations as badly as possible. Boll's films are cobbled together as quickly as possible and no quality checks seem to be made on the script or the rushes. From what I've seen, his films are bad, almost so bad they're good. Boll himself comes off as an arrogant twat. Beating up his detractors for publicity, throwing his toys out of the pram when criticised. The more I read about him the more he comes off like one of those asshole message boarders he hates.
I don't want to say too much about this guy. Watch the movies, see for yourself....and he's the guy making the most video game adaptations.
And yes even though there are flashes of the game throughout that shot, that's pretty much the only thing that links the film to the game (that and the name).
4. Lazy Casting
I must admit Jolie as Lara Croft makes sense but Tara Reid (Alone in the dark)? Clint Howard (House of the dead)? The Bunch of wannabe nobodies in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation? Maybe if they got the right people for the right parts then the films may fair better. But this could be because...
5. The filmmakers usually don't give a shit about the project.
Comic books had to die a cinematic death before people realised that if you give the material to writers and directors that are interested in bringing about the vision of the original material to life then good things can come of it. Spiderman, Batman Begins, Sin City, the writers and directors have a certain respect for the people they are making the film for. Superman returns didn't make the splash that people want but Bryan Singer still managed to give an interesting story about a hero who has lost is place in his own world (Singer loves that idea of finding identity). Paul W.S Anderson (not Magnolia) is hated by most video game fans. But at least he tries to give fans what they want. Mortal Kombat was very close to the game, and Resident Evil has it's bashers it is much closer to the games than people give it credit for. If you still don't believe me then fine but the final moments of the first film have more passion about the games than ALL of that Super Mario Bros film. Those fuckers didn't even get Yoshi right. Pricks. Anyway. Peter Jackson gets hold of the Halo project and seems to have a basic understanding of how Halo should be and what happens? Oh no....too expensive. The fact that people got hyped over THAT toy movie and went in droves to watch it tells me that Halo would do just fine about now.
6. Critics just don't understand.
Now I'm not a critic basher per say. In fact I enjoy reading reviews (most of the time). But many reviewers like Roger Ebert have clearly never played a recent game before and never will. In fact I could swear most serious reviewers hate video games in general. I feel many of the films never have a chance in the first place. The video game movie is at times reminiscent of the modern horror film. It has an uphill struggle before it even starts to run. Reviewers like to talk a good game (no bad pun intended) about bias but many of course their reviews tell a different story. Their talk of sensible plots and in depth characters can seem silly to true game fans who just want to see the right incarnation of the material.
7. Fans are fickle
Lets not beat around the bush guys. We are wankers when it comes to crap like this. Look at the list I've written. We want too much. The perfect video game for me would be flexible enough to give the story and characters room to breathe but still have enough time to kick loads of ass. The director and scriptwriter must be die hard fans of the material but understand that you can't just make it exactly like the game...etc. Well we want it perfect don't we. To be honest, I feel Paul W.S Anderson did well with the original Mortal Kombat and did ok with Resident Evil. I also Feel Christopher Gans produced an uneven but creepy looking Silent Hill (ash snow visuals + assorted FUCKED up creatures = awesome). Fact is many are looking for this fantastic adaptation of their favorite games which they spent hours completing when they could be playing them again.
So there we have it folks. The reasons why Video Games "aren't right" in my opinion. Despite my dislike for the shoddy treatment of Double Dragon, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros, Alone in the Dark, Doom, House of the dead, Resident Evil 2....etc. You know that I'll be like 700th in line for Gears of War or something and I'll still have something to bitch about. With this said, think about what I said before. The games are evolving. The stories are becoming more involved than their Hollywood counterparts. Halo's religious overtones, intense fire fights and epic scale, wipe the floor with such "great" ideas such as...fuck it do I have state some? Take your pick.
*Expect for my grinchy mate Richie. Who claims he likes games....but hates Nintendo
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