Cinematical Videos

Se7en... I'll never forget the first time I watched it, nestled with friends into the old seats at Gettysburg's Majestic Theater, all of us enamored, shocked, chilled, and buzzed on the thrill of the film IMDb ranks as #27 out of the Top 250 Films. It's one of those movies that elicits glazed eyes of fandom at its mention. But could the magic be brought to life again? The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog reports that Se7en alums David Fincher, Andrew Kevin Walker, and Michael De Luca are re-teaming to make a new adaptation of Max Ehrlich's The Reincarnation of Peter Proud for Columbia Pictures. Fincher is, of course, attached to direct, and Walker will pen the script. (The book was originally adapted by Ehrlich himself for the film back in 1975.) The story focuses on a college prof who becomes plagued by recurring dreams and nightmares that he realizes are memories of a past life. With the help of his girlfriend, he tries to find the source of the visions and "discovers a woman and her grown-up daughter who are keys to his past life." The original story got in some hot water for a subplot rife with incest, but methinks that will be diluted or deleted this time around as everything gets updated. With all of this in place, the only blocks left are the cast. It might seem like an easy pick, but I'd love to see Kevin Kline bite into this. Yes, he's the go-to guy for college professors, but he's also severely talented and severely under-utilized. A role like this could rip him out of the crap. But if the choice was yours, who would you like to see crack the past? Or are you just recoiling at word of another remake?Filed under: Thrillers, Deals, Scripts Permalink | Email this | Comments

Actors might make a lot of money, but at least they work for it with long hours on set, paparazzi insanity, exhausting PR tours, and the pressures of handling the same questions over and over and over again with grace and charm. But even more impressive is when they can be graceful in the face of utter ignorance or idiocy. We've watched John Cusack get interviewed by a clueless film student, and now (after the jump of course) you can see Ian McKellen handle the women from The View. Ah, there's nothing like having your television interview start out with an inflammatory rant about swine flu and socialized medicine. It's not a surprise really -- the once-sweet Survivor star Elisabeth Hasselbeck has made a career out throwing wild rants into unusual places on the show. But, sadly, that's only the start of the nonsense that McKellen handles with dashing grace. Whoopi Goldberg can't keep her actors straight, and Sherry Shepherd pulls off one of those classic moments where a clueless interviewer reads crap off the cards without knowing what the hell she's talking about. Yet, in the face of all that, McKellen is pure charm. I always find that impressive. Sure, he's an actor and makes his living making fiction convincing, but to be ready with that clever retort, graciously correct someone who should know better, and take it all in stride ... I wouldn't say this about most of Hollywood, but I think we can all learn a little from that small part of the biz.Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Home EntertainmentContinue reading Ian McKellen Suffers 'The View' Stupidity with Grace and Wit Permalink | Email this | Comments

I hope you don't hate vampires, because they don't seem to be going anywhere. Now Amy Heckerling, the woman behind Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless, is getting in on the bloodsucking. According to Screen Daily, Parlay Films has grabbed the international rights to an upcoming romantic comedy called Vamps, that Heckerling will write and direct. "The film will be a modern-day tale of two young female vampires living the good life in New York until love enters the picture and each has to make a choice that will jeopardize their immortality." Krysten Ritter will star as one of the lead vamps, and they're still searching for the other bloodsucker. This marks a big jump from the actress, who has moved from bubbly side gigs on shows like Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars to some cinematic supporting roles, a lead gig in the web series Woke Up Dead, and now her first starring film job. Perhaps I'm being overly hopeful, but it's time for Heckerling to bring us her next comedy classic, and I'm hoping this is it. There was a 13-year span between Ridgemont and Clueless, and it's been 14 years since Cher found love with Josh, so could this be the next Heckerling extravaganza we won't want to heckle? Or, just another project in an oversaturated market?Filed under: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Deals, Scripts Permalink | Email this | Comments

Despicable Me Second trailer for this 3D animated comedy, and this time it's focusing on arch villain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) trying to break into the headquarters of a rival bad guy. This looks like fun and the bit with the shark had me howling. Check it out on July 9. Sherlock Holmes A second trailer for the new Holmes fllck with Robert Downey Jr. in the title role aided by Jude Law as Watson. Pretty sure this will have awesome written all over it. Plan a trip to Baker Street for Christmas day. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time There's some serious spectacle at work here. Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this adaptation of a video game I've never played, but I'm pretty sure that's not necessary. It seems tailor-made to be a summer blockbuster, which is good because it comes out on May 28. Best Worst Movie Speaking as someone who has watched and enjoyed some truly awful films in his time, this one really speaks to me. This documentary examines the phenomenon/train wreck that is Troll 2, a 1990 horror flick whose badness has become legendary. No release date yet and I suspect this will be hard to find in theaters. How to Train Your Dragon In this new animated comedy from Dreamworks, a viking teenager is trying to learn the ways of his people including hunting and killing those pesky dragons that are plaguing them. He soon learns, though, that everything his people know about dragons is wrong and sets out on his own path. Training begins on March 26. New this week on AOL Moviefone: Splinterheads - A young slacker falls in love with a beautiful carnival worker. Invictus - Morgan Freeman stars as South African President Nelson Mandela who urges the captain of the national rugby team to strive for the World Cup for the sake of unifying their nation in the days following apartheid. Eichmann - Historical drama based on the confession of Adolf Eichmann. Mammoth - An intricately woven family drama starring Michelle Williams and Gael Garc a Bernal as a married couple whose lives begin to spin out of control. Shake Hands With the Devil - Based on true events surrounding a 1994 U.N. peacekeeping mission to Rwanda that failed to prevent the slaughter of 800,000 Rwandans. Avatar - Second trailer for James Cameron's epic 3D science fiction extravaganza. Did You Hear About the Morgans - A couple on the verge of divorce can't escape each other after they witness a murder and must enter the witness relocation program. Filed under: Animation, Documentary, Horror, Trailer Trash, Games and Game Movies, Trailers and Clips Permalink | Email this | Comments

One day, a man named Morace Park is surfing around eBay, looking for antiques, when he's intrigued by an item listed as an "old film." Housed in a funky antique tin, the man bids and wins it for the super-reasonable price of 3.20. He buys and sells antiques, so when the package arrives, it sits around for a bit. When he finally gets around to opening it, he unfurls some of the film to see what it is. The title reads: Charlie Chaplin in Zepped. Yes, folks, as a story in the Guardian attests, this is a forgotten film that there's no record of. Almost seven minutes long, the short "is a mixture of footage of Chaplin and exuberant animation that reminded Park of Monty Python sequences." Park's neighbor John Dyer says: "It starts with live shots of Chaplin. It then turns into a dreamscape. We see a Zeppelin bombing attack. And then we see Chaplin taking the mickey out of the Zeppelin, at the time a powerful instrument of terror." They deduce that the film is a propaganda piece from the first World War. Park and Dyer have traveled to Los Angeles to learn more about the short, with filmmaker Hammad Khan recording their journey for a documentary. One has got to assume that whoever sold it never bothered to open the film and see what this "old film" was. Just goes to show you -- old cinematic junk on eBay can lead to stunning discoveries, and never be so lazy as to not see what a film is before selling it.Filed under: Classics, Fandom, Newsstand Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ashley Greene's cinematic path hasn't been gradual. It all started with a couple one-ep stints on a few shows, a gig on a quickly vaporized show called Desire, time as a McDonald's customer in King of California, an uncredited moment on Shark, and playing Kim #4 in Otis. Then everything changed. She put on the superstylish clothes, added a pixie hop to her step, and starting divining the future on the Twilight series. Now she's got a handful of movies under her belt, and is circling her next starring gig. Risky Biz Blog reports that Greene is looking into the ghostly side of supernatural life. The actress is in talks to star in The Apparition, Dark Castle's latest supernatural horror that will, most likely, wrench her out of sparkles and overprotective families. Written and to be directed by Todd Lincoln, the story focuses on a couple in college who are haunted by a "supernatural presence" they let out during a college experiment. Supposedly, this is inspired by true events. Methinks true events in the same world where Blair Witch flies free, unless it isn't incantations that unleashes ghosts, but rather beakers of creepy substances. Or, they mean college experiment as in guy and girl make a witchy circle on their dorm floor and start doing spells all willy nilly. Whatever the case, the film hits production in February of next year.Filed under: Horror, Casting, Scripts Permalink | Email this | Comments

Click image below to view full poster Cinematical has just received this exclusive new poster for The Wolfman, due in theaters February 12, 2010. As you can tell from above, this latest bit of marketing for the Joe Johnston directed resurrection of Universal's classic shows off the gentler side of the moon-fearing creature feature. It's a simple image of Emily Blunt, who plays Benicio del Toro's romantic interest in the film, hiding with baited breath behind a tree in the mist-filled forest from del Toro's titular man cursed with an ancient affliction. What works so great about the poster, other than the fact that Emily Blunt is always easy on the eyes (and even easier on the eyes when in a corset), is how it denies us a glimpse of the actual lycanthrope at the center of the movie. I find it a testament to how fantastic the character of the wolfman is that no amount of beauty is going to distract us from wanting to catch a look at the doomed soul who loses control of himself whenever the moon is full. In addition to this poster, Ain't It Cool News has debuted a second Wolfman poster a little later on today, so make sure to hop on over there to catch another insight into the mystical, Victorian world brought to life by the likes of Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, and Anthony Hopkins. After that, you may return to staring at the wonderful Emily Blunt, longing for February 12th to somehow get here sooner. Check out the latest Wolfman trailer after the jump, and view the full poster by clicking the image below. Gallery: 'The Wolfman' Poster Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Universal, Fandom, PostersContinue reading Exclusive: 'The Wolfman' Poster Premiere! Permalink | Email this | Comments

Having dipped into the seductive waters of sexy courtesans, Stephen Frears is now looking towards the future, and the future's got lots of gambling. The trades are reporting that Frears is set to direct Lay the Favorite, a dramedy that will rejoin him with High Fidelity scribe D.V. De Vincentis. The project stems from an upcoming memoir by Beth Raymer called Lay the Favorite, Take the Dog, which will be published this Spring. Now, why did I say trades and not pick one? That's because it's time to play Pick the Plot. In one corner, we've got The Hollywood Reporter, who says that this is a world of "geeky gamblers" who "figure out how to work the sportsbook system in Las Vegas for their own profit. It centers on a woman in her early thirties who has made a series of bad choices but achieves a redemption of sorts when she meets and then becomes involved with the gamblers." De Vincentis says: "This is the version of 50-year-old math geeks from Queens in basketball shorts who have pet guinea pigs." In the other corner, we've got Variety describing the story as a "young woman's journey into the world of sports gambling. She starts out as a cocktail waitress but gets caught up in gambling until falling in love," calling it a cross between High Fidelity and The Grifters. So, geek fest with gambling and a little romance thrown in for good measure, or a romantic world where a cocktail waitress can gamble her way to money ... and love. Which do you choose?Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Sports, Deals, Scripts Permalink | Email this | Comments

After heaps of buzz and praise, and our own Eric Snider saying: "it's compelling and artistic, punctuated with warm humor and masterful performances, and ultimately triumphant and hopeful," Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire is finally hitting theaters today. It's a harrowing look at one girl's traumatic young life of being pregnant with her second baby (by her father), abused by her mother, and struggling with illiteracy and obesity. In other words, a movie that demands you to think and feel -- to be touched beyond the 110 minute span of the film. Naturally, that made me think about movies that haunt us. It can be for any number of reasons -- because of a film's thought-provoking power, how it's filmed and presented, the way it latches on to pain in our own experience, unsettles our own belief systems, angers us, or challenges us. Whether it ends sadly, or with hope. Whatever the reason, certain films seep into us and refuse to leave, whether it be for a few fleeting post-credits moments, or a week, month, year, or lifetime. Upon leaving Requiem for a Dream the first time, my friend and I couldn't get the music out of our heads. We couldn't stop repeating the same thoughts as our brains tried to process them. Even if I don't see the film before my eyes, the music brings back every feeling, every moment of tenseness. As the credits started moving in Dogville, I couldn't shake the last powerful moments out of my head. It took a while to shake the gooseflesh from my arms, and every time I let my mind slip back, there's a brief jolt of shocked memory.Filed under: FandomContinue reading Discuss: The Movies That Haunt You Permalink | Email this | Comments

Know what this trio of names has in common -- Tom Waits, Crystal Gayle, and Francis Ford Coppola? They collaborated on the music for Coppola's 1982 film One from the Heart. Waits was the creative mind behind the film's music, he performed a number of duets with the country singer, and he also earned an Academy Award nomination for his efforts. However, that was about all the notoriety the film got. As Roger Ebert wrote in his review some 27 years ago: "This must be the first movie in history to arrive with more publicity about its production techniques than about its stars," describing the film as "a major disappointment." Heart focused on two people in love (Teri Garr and Frederic Forrest) who get swept away by the throes of passion with Raul Julia and Nastassja Kinski. But rather than simply tell the story, it was an art piece for Coppola, using creative filming techniques and a carefully plotted score that interacted with the characters. After the jump you can see a behind-the-scenes look at the music from the film, mainly focused on Waits, but also revealing footage from initial discussions about the project, and how the music came together. It might sound old-hat in a world where we are saturated by DVDs with special features, but I love seeing the old process -- minds coming together in the back yard for a "musical summit," how each piece of a film can be so carefully plotted, and the utter strangeness of seeing someone like Gayle collaborating with Waits.Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Romance, Trailers and Clips, Stars in RewindContinue reading Stars in Rewind: Tom Waits, Crystal Gayle, and Francis Ford Coppola Permalink | Email this | Comments

It's time to go back into the memory banks a little bit. Remember when Richard Kelly started Darko Entertainment back in September of 2007? The first movie slated to hit production was Dirty Girl, with this psychological thriller called The Box slated to be movie numero dos. Now we're about to see what Kelly has in store for us with his third film, and Dirty Girl vanished into the ether ... until now. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the movie is still in the works -- now in the hands Ideal Partners, Killer Films, and Paris Film -- and has got its cast: Juno Temple, Sally Hawkins, William H. Macy, and Lisa Kudrow. Marking Abe Sylvia's feature directorial debut, the film focuses on "a high school tramp who runs away with the school's gay, fat kid in his homophobic dad's stolen car." Got all that? Variety chose to lighten the impact a bit by describing it as a film revolving around "a high school tramp who pairs up with a shy and overweight gay teen. Together, they set off to find her real father in California." Temple is the lead as "dirty girl" Danielle, Hawkins is playing her "reformed slut" mother Sue-Ann, Macy is Sue-Ann's Mormon fiance, and Kudrow will play "Clarke's mousy repressed mother." Let's assume Clarke is the gay teen, and I'll go out on a limb and saying Jeremy Dozier is playing him. THR doesn't mention him at all, and Variety doesn't list his role, choosing to focus on the parental units. Keep reading -- this ain't all of it, folks.Filed under: Music & Musicals, CastingContinue reading 'Dirty Girl' Finds a New Company and a Colorful Cast Permalink | Email this | Comments

I think it's safe to tell you, without spoiling the movie, that The Men Who Stare at Goats includes a couple of scenes with Jeff Bridges and George Clooney dancing around. The scenes are amusing and a little strange -- why are soldiers dancing? But they did fit consistently with the film as a whole. However, I was reminded of moments in movies that aren't musicals, but suddenly shift to some crazy kind of dance or musical number. I love these moments, and in fact I wish the dance scenes in The Men Who Stare at Goats were a little less toned-down and a little more "WTF?" Okay, I'm kind of BS'ing you here. The Men Who Stare at Goats is a flimsy excuse. I really just wanted to write about surreal dance numbers in otherwise straightforward movies, because that can be so much fun. Last year's Adam Sandler vehicle Bedtime Stories was an annoying dud ... except for one glorious, shining moment where Guy Pearce launched into a song-and-dance number. Sometimes these dance moments are the best part of a movie, sometimes they spoil the mood and sometimes they're just one more weird aspect of an altogether bizarre film. Here are seven of my favorites.Filed under: Music & Musicals, Cinematical SevenContinue reading Cinematical Seven: "WTF?" Dance Scenes in Non-Musicals Permalink | Email this | Comments

While he's one of the main men of superstardom, George Clooney also keeps one foot firmly in the world of quirk and strangeness. He may be Mr. Ocean, but he's also the dude who was in Return of the Killer Tomatoes and The Men Who Stare at Goats. Clooney knows how to be ridiculous, and now he's jumping into a whole new world of quirk. Variety reports that the actor is in talks to star in the new Alexander Payne dramedy The Descendants. His first feature since Sideways, the film got cooking back in August and follows a rich landowner and father who decides to grab his two hard-to-handle daughters and search for his wife's lover in an attempt to keep his family together -- while she's in a coma after a catamaran accident. ...I still can't fathom the logic behind this one. This is definitely one of those it's about time! collaborations. Clooney has skirted around the world of Payne with the likes of David O. Russell and Grant Heslov, while Payne grabbed the likes of Matthew Broderick and Paul Giamatti. It's surprising that this didn't come sooner. While Payne's I want to be a little person story still sounds a touch more tantalizing, it's hard to resist the idea of George getting into the mind that brought us Election and Sideways. But the real magic will depend on who gets cast alongside him... Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Casting Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sorry, folks -- while it may have been a few months since we learned about that dreaded Marmaduke project, it hasn't gone anywhere. In fact, the sucker has found its lead voice. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Owen Wilson has agreed to voice the infamous Great Dane in the Fox adaptation. While the details weren't ironed out initially, the project is now set to be a live-action/CG mix "which has shades of Fox's surprise smash Marley & Me" -- focusing on the Winslow family as they movie from Kansas to Orange County with their slobbering dog. But no, it's not as simple as a travel/fish out of water story. The dog will "navigate a volatile Mutts vs. Pedigrees turf war, woo the purebred of his dreams, and overcome a fall from grace." And here I thought the simple idea of a Marmaduke feature film was vomit-inducing enough. And while I have no interest in the tear-jerking Marley story, I'm pretty sure it's not a CG flick with doggie turf wars that will undoubtedly be rife with ridiculous stereotypes. I wonder why Wilson would take this on, and possibly label himself as the dog guy, but it looks like he's not the only one drinking the spiked water. The humans will be played by Judy Greer, Lee Pace, and William H. Macy, while Marlon and Damon Wayons, Steve Coogan, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, George Lopez, Emma Stone, and Fergie voice the pups and other CG concoctions. Yeah, sure, actors sometimes need money and take on things for the paycheck, but this just takes it to a whole new level. And does Wilson need the cash? Between Marley and the Smithsonian, and some Fockers on the way, it's not like the dude is in a drought. Will any of you actually go see this?Filed under: Animation, Comedy, Casting, Family Films Permalink | Email this | Comments

When one thinks of great art, there's often the expectation of carefully prepared canvasses, lush materials, and skilled, complex detail. But it doesn't always take a horde of materials to make something impressive -- sometimes all it takes is a little plastic and some brown packing tape. CNN reports that Philly artist Mark Khaisman is taking these seemingly mundane materials and turning them into a series of scenes from Hitchcock films (The 39 Steps and Spellbound) plus a number of glimpses into Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street. The image above -- that's Spellbound. (The rest are housed in a gallery at CNN.) This is nothing more than clear plastic panels and brown, translucent tape. Looking at the shirt -- it's fathomable -- a series of strips that, when laid on top of each other, creates areas of light and shadow. But look at the faces, and most especially, the hair. This isn't just a stained glass-like mosaic -- the artist is a former stained glass designer -- there's tone and depth in each piece. Texture. Props and posters might be cool, but imagine walking into a home theater with a piece like this glowing on the wall. Forget movie ads. I'll take some packing tape art any day.Filed under: Fandom, Images Permalink | Email this | Comments

Not too long ago, Katie Holmes was the one getting ousted. After romancing Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, she was set aside so Maggie Gyllenhaal could whip up a much more spot-on Rachel Dawes. Now it's her time to take over a role. It might not be part of a well-established franchise, but Variety reports that Holmes will be replacing Liv Tyler in the romantic comedy The Romantics. As I wrote when Tyler signed on for the project, this film sees Galt Niederhoffer adapting and directing from her own novel, which focuses on a group of college friends who reunite after 6 years for a wedding. The event brings up a rivalry between the groom, the bride, and her maid of honor. Anna Paquin is playing the bride, Josh Duhamel is the groom, and Holmes is stepping in as maid of honor. (Other cast include Malin Akerman, Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, and Jeremy Strong.) Since its "thin stereotypes" seem to trump the Big Chill feel to the plot, this could very possibly mark another not-so-good turn for the actress. After her 3-year hiatus post-bats and Smoking, Holmes decided Mad Money was the way to go, and we all know that was a crappy choice. But she seems to really like this gig -- Holmes is not only co-starring, she's also executive producing (her first time). Yet, for someone trying to find her place in her adult career, I'm surprised she isn't finding more on the gritty or less mainstreamish end of the indie world. The comedies with recognizable names -- they never seem to do her well. But the drama and dramedy ... ice storms, nights with drug dealers, gifts, singing detectives, Thanksgiving dinners, and smoking are the times she's gotten a solid reception. Will this project get included on the above list? I'm not holding my breath.Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Casting Permalink | Email this | Comments

Was Julia Roberts pigeon-holed into a career she didn't want? Did motherhood and a break from Hollywood change her? Or, does she simply have a much different eye for projects to produce than projects to star in? Variety reports that Roberts' Red Om Films has grabbed the rights to a nonfiction book called In the Neighborhood. Written by Peter Lovenheim, the book focuses on his concern over the disappearance of community. When he realizes his suburban hometown is lacking it, he decides to get to know his neighbors better. But rather than simply befriending these people, he proposes sleepovers and boop fests. "His goal: to facilitate something more than the feeling of strangers living with strangers in modern suburbia." It will hit shelves this April. The sleepover party is the latest in a really diverse list of projects set up between Roberts' Om and Reliance Big. There's Jesus Henry Christ, where a petri dish boy follows Post-It notes hoping to find his biological father, My Mother the Cheerleader, about a 13-year-old girl whose mom is part of a group that harasses the first black student after court-ordered integration during the Civil Rights era, Mallory, a look into the life of English mountaineer George Mallory, and The Journey of the Destination: The Journals of Dan Eldon, the story of a young photographer who chronicled Somalia's famine until he was chased down and murdered by a Somali mob at the age of 22.Filed under: Comedy, DealsContinue reading Julia Roberts' Neighborhood Sleepover & New Production Life Permalink | Email this | Comments

This is a no-brainer, right? Everyone loves Hitchcock. But it was not always so. The great director, whose North by Northwest comes out on a new, 50th Anniversary DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, was once considered a populist panderer with little artistic value in his work. Even if you were a film critic, it was not the done thing to explore the mood and structure of a film. And even the rare critic that did that, such as Manny Farber or James Agee, tended not to go crazy over Hitchcock's work. (He was too popular and supposedly did not need defending.) At the time, it was more important in film to have a strong moral message, or to impress audiences with size and scale. Hitchcock worked in the lowest genres, telling stories about creeps and murderers and kidnappers, none of which had any benefit to society. Yes, Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director five times, so it's clear that other filmmakers at the very least acknowledged his skill, but he was mostly nominated for his biggest hits, like Rebecca, Spellbound, Rear Window and Psycho (just as George Lucas was nominated for Star Wars) and he never won.Continue reading Directors We Love: Alfred Hitchcock Permalink | Email this | Comments