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Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – Sept. 17, 2009

Niall Browne — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:21:09 +0000

This week:

Lionsgate goes in for the Knockout; Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes and Damon Wayans Jr are The Other Guys; Michael Sheen talks Tron and Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts and Amy Madigan find out What’s Wrong With Virginia.

1. When Steven Soderbergh’s Brad Pitt starring Moneyball fell apart earlier this year it left a hole in the director’s schedule.

The Oscar winning director obviously likes to keep busy so he signed on to helm the female spy thriller Knockout.

The independent production didn’t have a distributor attached, but now Lionsgate have picked up the film.

Knockout, which will star martial artist Gina Carano in her acting debut, starts shooting in Januray.

Soderbergh’s next release is the Matt Damon starrer The Informant` which opens this weekend.

Source: Variety

2. Michael Keaton, Damon Wayans Jr and Eva Mendes have signed on to Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg’s The Other GuysThe B Team (formally ).

While it’s good to see Keaton working, it’s a shame that he’s not top-billing his own films.

On the other hand, it’s just good to SEE Mendes!

The Other Guys opens on August 6, 2010 .

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

3. The ever-busy Michael Sheen has given some details about his upcoming role in Tron Legacy.

While it was believed that the British actor would be playing the villain in the film (see post header), Sheen has indicated that he won’t be twirling an evil mustache in the Jeff Bridges-starring sequel.

Sheen said:

“That was amazing, because there’s a lot of green screen in that. But my stuff was mainly in this amazing set that they built because I’m a nightclub host, so they built the nightclub and there were hundreds of extras and it was one of those great scenes where there’s just loads going on.”

Now it could be a villain role…but then again, maybe not.

Like much of the film I’m guessing that it is going to be kept secret until the Tron Legacy is released.

Source: Geek Tyrant

4. Ed Harris, Emma Roberts and Amy Madigan have signed on to Dustin Lance Black’s What’s Wrong With Virginia.

The trio join the cast that also stars Jennifer Connelly as the titular Virginia.

Harris replaces Liam Neeson in the independent drama.

The plot follows “a sheriff whose state senate bid is jeopardized when his daughter begins to date the son of a psychologically disturbed woman with whom the sheriff has engaged in a two-decade affair.”

Source: Variety

That’s it for now. See you at the movies.

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TIFF 2009 Two Days In: What’s Good & Bad So Far

John Foote — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:19:04 +0000

Coming up to the third day of the film festival and thus far I have seen The Informant!, which I liked very much despite some problems with decision making by the director, Broken Embraces, which features just a stunning performance from the astonishing Penelope Cruz, Antichrist, a repellant yet unforgettable film, Hugh Hefner, a superb documentary that should earn an Oscar nomination, Bright Star, a disappointing film from Jane Campion, Jennifer’s Body, a rather average horror film from the pen of Juno (2007) writer Diablo Cody and the superb Up in the Air, from the great Jason Reitman.

Matt Damon and George Clooney are both so good, so strong in their respective films that choosing one over the other for the Oscar seems impossible, but if I had a vote it would go to Clooney for his stunning work as a man who thinks he is living a life he loves, but discovers he is hiding from life and needs to find himself. His greatest fear when he goes searching for his soul, is that it may not be there anymore. Clooney has never been better and hey, he’s been terrific before. Up in the Air is the best work of his career and firmly establishes Jason Reitman as one of the top directors working in cinema. The man is brilliant. The film is not as jarring as Juno (2007), the language not the same, but the characters every bit as real, just as deeply portrayed by the actors. What a gift Reitman has with his actors.

Penelope Cruz was once an actress I loathed. Her work in Blow (2001) was shrill and hysterical (not in a good way) and she was merely grotesque in Vanilla Sky (2001), yet in Volver (2006) she grew as an artist before my eyes, forcing me to concede the woman is gifted. She did it again in Vicky Christina Barcelona, winning an Oscar for her work, and again in Elegy (2008), an under appreciated little film with Ben Kinglsey and Dennis Hopper doing fine work opposite Cruz. She comes through again in Broken Embraces, the latest from Aldomovar, in which she portrays a schemer from a director’s past, once again working her dark magic on both he and the audience.

When did the transition from terrible actress to world class happen? Was she always this good and simply not being given the roles, or is it that she is more comfortable with certain directors? Whatever it is, seeing a Cruz film no longer worries me, instead it is reason for celebration. She is a wonder.
Poor Jane Campion. How does one follow The Piano (1993)? Not with The Portrait of a Lady (1996) that much was clear. But Bright Star? Sorry, but no. Despite a flamboyant, and often very good performance from the lovely Abbie Cornish, there is little in the film to admire. Based on a true story, the love affair between the poet Keats and his neighbor, Fanny, the film strives to be something it is not, and ends up being nothing more than a disappointment. Sad because Campion is the real deal.

Today is a busy one…more later.

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Toronto International Film Festival Coverage

John Foote — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:29:58 +0000

Screen Rant would like to welcome guest reporter John H. Foote, who is covering the 34th Toronto International Film Festival for us. We have his first report for you today, with more sure to come. Check out first word on some of the Fall/Winter’s biggest films:

I would be a fool if I did not at least mention I had seen Antichrist here at the 34th Toronto International Film Festival, and though beautifully shot, the film is among the most repellent works I have ever seen. That said, I have been unable to think about much else since seeing it. ‘Nuff said.

Up in the Air might be the best film of the year, a superbly acted, directed and written film that brings out the very best in George Clooney, who stars as Ryan, a man traveling America firing company employees when their own bosses lack the courage to do so. Beyond the social and economic relevance of the film, the picture is a love story about a man trying to find something about himself to love, and being terrified he can’t.

Ryan has set up a life for himself where he is constantly on the road, never home, lives out of a suitcase and has mastered the art of fast check-ins at airports and hotels, all the while edging closer to his goal of ten million frequent-flyer miles. When he meets a young lady and they become close, the last thing he is looking for is a relationship, but as he falls for her, he discovers the last thing she wants is a relationship.

Clooney has never been better than he is here as Ryan, and he may win an Academy Award for this riveting performance that is tinged with sadness. This is a man we might know, this man might be some us, and we understand what a sad existence he really inhabits. Vera Farmiga is outstanding as the women he falls for, and in a stunning supporting performance, Anne Kendrick shines as the junior executive who comes up with an idea to fire people online, thereby killing the need for travel, which is, of course, Ryan’s worst nightmare. The road trip they take changes both of their lives.

Jason Reitman is a very smart director; he knows exactly what to get out of his actors and precisely what story to tell. Coming at a time when so many people are losing their jobs, he has made a film that is sensitive to those who are out of work, but sassy enough to poke a bit of fun at the reality of being fired and how we react. As the film says, being fired is a new beginning. Yet Reitman’s greatest move is that he shows the pain of being fired, which we often view as a failure, and the terror of being alone, which is our greatest failure.

Matt Damon will also likely be an Oscar-nominee for his superb performance in The Informant! portraying a high-powered executive who blows the whistle on his company, all the while believing he will be forgiven for the pain he has caused and rewarded with the job of CEO. Of course once the FBI begins to explore the case, they see that he is not exactly the most honest informant. In fact he is an embezzler who lies so often he he has likely forgotten how to tell the truth.

It is a brilliant piece of acting from Damon, energetic and downright buoyant, but there is always something dark happening around his eyes, something that does not quite ring true. Steven Soderbergh has long been one of the best directors in movies, winning an Oscar for Best Director for Traffic (2000) and a nomination that same year for Erin Brockovich (2000). Here he seems almost stumped about what kind of film he is making – Is it a comedy? A satire? A black comedy? A drama? The music by Marvin Hamlisch certainly suggests that the film is a comedy, but the situations are far too dramatic from time to time to be entirely comedic. Thankfully, Damon hits all the right notes and saves the film with his brilliant performance.

That’s it for now from the Toronto International Film Festival. Check back for more later.

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Screen Rant’s 2009 Fall Movie Preview

Mike Wilkerson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:01:23 +0000

As the days become shorter, and the nights become cooler, there is one thing on the horizon that all of us are quickly becoming aware of – the arrival of a slew of exciting 2009 Fall Movies. What’s always been great about this time of year is that it’s not just about “horror films” or movies that are made to touch the holiday hearts that burgeon each year as turkey, Santa and New Year’s Eve stretch into the new year and beyond.

The menu is varied, wide open and we hope – satisfying. While we couldn’t list them all, please join us as we quickly chronicle what lies ahead in Screen Rant’s 2009 Fall Movie Preview!

SEPTEMBER – 2009

Whiteout
September 11th, 2009
The Scoop: Pretty little starlet Kate Beckinsale takes on this graphic novel turned killer-thriller. Beckinsale plays a U.S. Marshall investigating Antarctica’s first homicide as the sun sets for six entire months. Will she find the killer in the cold dark before he finds her?

SR Says: The trailer paints this movie as more X-Files than detective story, which could confuse some on the premise. However, cold weather and hot Beckinsale = worth the ticket price?

See it? Maybe.

The Informant!
September 18, 2009
The Scoop: Director Steven Soderbergh helms an all-star cast providing you “a mix of A Beautiful Mind and The Insider.” Damon plays the exec of a agri-business giant who goes overboard working as a snitch for the Feds. It’s bi-polar, whistle-blowing storytelling at it’s best!

SR Says: It’s going to be amazing to see what this cast can pull off under Soderbergh’s direction with such an involved script.

See it? Yes.

Jennifer’s Body
September 18, 2009
The Scoop: Megan Fox plays a possessed cheerleader, with a fetish for feasting on boys (and girls). Hot sexy teens, girl on girl kissing/rubbing and more social satire from Juno writer Diablo Cody.

SR Says: Depends on how you feel about Megan Fox looking both sexy and grotesque in one film.

See it? If you like teen horror flicks, or are a devotee of Cody.

Pandorum
September 25, 2009
The Scoop: Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid star as two astronauts who wake up on an abandoned future spacecraft and have no idea what’s happened. As with all things in movies, time unveils the “truth” of what they face – a ship full of crazy space monsters.

SR Says: Dennis Quaid has had some woofers lately, but Ben Foster always offers something unique. MMA fans may recognize cast member Cung Le as the current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, which guarantees at least two raucous fights in this thriller.

See it? Yes.

Surrogates
September 25th, 2009
The Scoop: In a future where people live life through robotic surrogates, Bruce Willis plays a cop who must venture back into the real world to investigate a string of crimes involving people dying while connected to their Surrogates.

SR Says: Jonathan Mostow is an underrated director, and seeing Bruce “alive” again, with great f/x and a bit of gravitas sounds like a great combination.

See it? Absolutely.

(Continue to page 2 for October’s Movie Preview)

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New Posters: Surrogates, Pandorum, The Informant!

Ross Miller — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:37:33 +0000

Today we have a batch of new posters from three movies that are set to hit theaters before the end of the year. These include the new Bruce Willis action-sci-fi/thriller film Surrogates, the Dennis Quaid/Ben Foster sci-fi/horror-thriller, Pandorum, and the Matt Damon political comedy, The Informant!.

I’m looking forward to all three of these movies: Surrogates looks like a lot of fun, Pandorum looks creepy and atmospheric as hell and The Informant! looks hilarious. Check out the new posters for the three movies below:

For Surrogates, we have a bunch of new posters, all employing the same style of having the human bodies revealed as machines. They’re cool and all but don’t they remind you of something? They’re shockingly similar to the ones for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Take a look and see for yourself:

For the rest of the Surrogates posters you can head over to IGN.

Do you see the comparisons to The Sarah Connor Chronicles posters I was talking about? The text style, the blank background, the sleek-ness, the general human-machine idea – all strikingly similar. I do like the tagline for Surrogates, though. And I find it interesting that apart from his name, star Bruce Willis is nowhere to be seen.

Next up, we have the final one-sheet for Pandorum, starring Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster, courtesy of Bloody-Disgusting. I’ve been looking forward to this movie ever since I saw the first poster and trailer, and this latest (and final) one-sheet just ups my anticipation even more. Check it out:

What… the…

The final poster we have today is for the upcoming political comedy/thriller, The Informant!. It reunites Matt Damon with director Steven Soderbergh for the fifth time, and it looks bloody brilliant in my eyes. Damon looks to be playing one of his most diverse characters, at least as far as his appearance goes. The first poster for the film was unusual, cheerful and goofy, and the latest follows suit. Take a look:

The poster is very much in the style of the work of Saul Bass who’s best known for his title sequence and poster work with the late-great Alfred Hitchcock (Vertigo being one their most notable collaborations – check out the poster and legendary title sequence). The Informant! poster certainly stands out amongst a lot of others, and you might have to look close but I love the tagline: “Based on a tattle-tale.”

Clever.

What do you think of these latest movie posters? Which of the three movies are you looking forward to most?

Surrogates opens on September 25th; Pandorum opens on September 11th in the UK and on September 18th in the US; and The Informant! opens on October 3rd in the US and on November 20th in the UK, all in 2009.

Sources: IGN, Bloody-Digusting and Yahoo

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First Trailer Of Matt Damon As ‘The Informant!’

Ross Miller — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:25:35 +0000

The latest collaboration between Matt Damon and Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s trilogy) is the political comedy/thriller entitled The Informant!, that (according to the poster and the trailer) comes equipped with its very own exclamation point. Based on a true story, the plot is of a company vice president-turned informant, Mark Whitacre (Damon), who helps the FBI to take down the company he works for that’s being accused of pricing-fixing tactics.

Today Screen Rant has both the trailer and poster for The Informant! which should have Bourne fans squinting there eyes and asking, “Is that really Matt Damon under that moustache?”

If you count his role in the Ocean’s movies as separate, The Informant! will see Damon collaborating with Soderbergh for the fifth time (he had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him role in Che: Part Two). Damon is no stranger to diversity with his roles (let’s not forget, the same guy who was the globe-trotting, ass-kicking Jason Bourne was also the janitor/genius in Good Will Hunting), but this role as FBI informant, Mark Whitacre, may be the furthest he’s stretched from how he’s seen by most movie goers. Apparently, Damon gained 30 pounds for the role, and, as you can see, refused to shave his top lip for a while.

I think The Informant! trailer looks hilarious, and the poster is equally as effective. Check them both out below:

[Click to Enlarge]

And here is the first official trailer for the movie – Watch and enjoy:

Not only does Damon look much different than he usually does (at first glance you could almost mistake him as an actor who just kind of looks like Matt Damon), but from the trailer he acts a lot different, too. If his role here were to be compared to any of his previous ones, I would say it’s Linus Caldwell from the Ocean’s series which, coincidentally or not, was also a Damon/Soderbergh collaboration. Maybe Damon keeps Soderbergh’s number close-by for whenever he feels in a comedic, lighter acting mood.

Jason Bourne has let himself go a bit…

The exclamation point at the end of The Informant! just carries on that sort of comedic tone that’s apparent in the trailer. The name of the movie is being reported all over the place both with and without the exclamation point on the end, but since it’s in both the official poster and trailer, I’d say it’s meant to be in there. I personally really dig the use exclamation point that’s seldom used in movie titles – not only does it make a point (get it?) of the comedic tone, but also sets it apart from most other movies, including the similarly titled, exclamation point-less The Informant from 1997.

Although I’m not the biggest fan of Soderbergh as a director (he’s hit or miss with me), I tend to enjoy his lighter, more playful movies (I love all three of his Ocean’s films). And Damon pretty much always delivers the acting goods. I personally can’t wait for this one.

What do you make of the poster and trailer for The Informant!? What do you think about Damon’s different look?

The Informant! is slated for a release on October 9th in the US, and on November 6th in the UK, both in 2009.

Sources: TrailerAddict and Filmofilia

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