Film
The Hair of Dorian Gray / 18.08.09
So, there’s a new film adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray due out later this year (although naturally, such a title is far too long for movie audiences to handle, so it’s simply called Dorian Gray). It stars Ben Barnes, of Prince Caspian fame - not necessarily a bad bit of casting, as he is something of a pretty boy, although I’d argue he’s perhaps five or six years too old (still, given that Anthony Andrews circa 1982 no longer exists, it’s arguable that casting the perfect Dorian is pretty much impossible). Sadly, it’s fallen prey to something that almost every film version of the character has stumbled on so far - in that yet again, Dorian has been given dark hair.
Best. Fan trailer. Ever. / 25.05.09
Er, yeah. Can we please have this movie right now please?
Carousel / 22.04.09
Fuck me.
Watchmen vs. WALL-E / 23.03.09
Oh, lovely.
Starts off feeling kind of obvious, but as it goes on there are some absolutely brilliant footage choices...
Tonight we present a new miracle of electricity... / 26.02.09
Beautiful...
...and yet undeniably creepy.
Get Real / 05.02.09
It’s 1998. My childhood friend is visiting me at Manchester, where I’m studying. We’re at the cinema near Manchester Victoria station, trying to decide what to watch. We like the look of some film called ‘Get Real’. As the film progresses, we become dimly aware that we recognise most of the locations used, and, to our surprise, realise it’s being filmed in Basingstoke, where we both grew up. We enjoy the film, but are mainly amused by the location. According to the BFI, we’d just watched ‘a defining moment in British gay cinema’, and they’re showing it on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of February. I’d recommend giving it a try, if only for the fact that you don’t get many films set in middling Hampshire towns, and that it’s actually pretty good.
The Damned United / 27.01.09
Frost/Nixon? Pah. Everyone knows that this is the Michael Sheen-starring biopic to get excited about.
While the trailer makes it look a bit too much like a feelgood cutesy British sports film, anyone familiar with Clough's life will know that the story of his time at Leeds (intercut with his time at Derby) is anything but. And if it's anywhere near close to the level of David Peace's magnificent novel, then it's clearly going to be the best football film ever made. Although, of course, by "best", I mean "only decent".
And that's without saying anything about Sheen's accent, which looks quite frankly spot on. Can't wait.
Scott Pilgrim and the Rest of the Cast / 20.01.09
We already had Scott (Michael Cera) and Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and rumours of Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, but Scott Pilgrim author Bryan Lee O’Malley has now confirmed on his LiveJournal that the bulk of the main cast for Edgar Wright’s adaptation is in place (or, rather, has been in place for a while, but can now be officially announced).
Watchmen To Be Watched After All / 16.01.09
Time to breathe a sigh (of either relief or disappointment, depending on what you thought of the last trailer), as it’s being reported that Warners and Fox have settled the rights dispute that had been hanging over the planned March release of Zack Snyder’s Watchmen movie.
Of course, this was always going to happen. Fox were never going to try and stop the film being released - it simply wasn’t in their interests to do that rather than simply sit back and hoover up a healthy chunk of the grosses of an already-finished and highly-anticipated movie. The worst that might have happened would have been a delay to the release - but it would appear that things have been settled quickly enough to prevent even that.
Now, the question of whether the movie’s going to be any good or not - that’s another matter…
New Follow That Bird DVD / 14.12.08
The Muppet Newsflash is reporting a new edition of the excellent Follow That Bird, a delightful film starring all of the Sesame Street characters who aren’t Elmo.
Don’t be turned off immediately, expecting it to be simple for-kids fare; Follow That Bird is as much fun as any of the classic Muppet films, and the 25th anniversary will be a great time to watch it again. Not much word on the extras, but it’s got a behind-the-scenes featurette, so that’s a start. Would it be too much to ask for a puppeteer commentary or an interview with Carroll Spinney?
Also, the new cover sucks. The old one was much better. And that’s not opinion…that is fact.
"Filmed in anamorphic duovision!" / 22.11.08
I knew nothing about the filmmakers or the cast, but in two short minutes this NSFW trailer catapulted Black Dynamite high up on my anticipation list:
http://www.blackdynamite.com/trailer
Seriously, Quentin, Robert – this is how you do grindhouse. “Shh! You’re gonna wake up the rest of the bitches…”
Arrested Development Hell / 13.11.08
Jeffrey Tambor confirms that the Arrested Development film is getting the go-ahead. Check check it.
Apparently creator Mitch Hurwitz contacted him and told him to get ready. No definite dates or anything yet, but Jeffrey says “when the writer/director calls you it’s a pretty good sign.”
I was a bit late to the party on this Arrested Development thing, but from the moment I actually sat down to watch it I realized that its cancellation was a serious crime against television. I’m not entirely certain what I’d expect from a big-screen version, but I’ll be looking forward to it all the same. Also, how old is Maeby now?
And don't even mention Hellboy, Peru / 10.11.08
So, erm, a city in Turkey called Batman is taking legal action against Christopher Nolan for his use of the comic character’s name:
http://io9.com/5079815/batman-sues-christopher-nol…
The populations of Ironman, Sweden and Xmen in the Czech Republic could not be reached for comment. The rights to Hulk, meanwhile, have already gone to the similarly-named town in India, with Marvel reasoning that they couldn’t possibly do any worse with the licence than has already been done.
Batman 3 or not Batman 3? / 29.10.08
The movie-going public has already assumed a third Christopher Nolan Batman film to be inevitable. But Christopher Nolan himself isn’t nearly so sure.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/1…
What’s the story? Is there a story that’s going to keep me emotionally invested for the couple of years that it will take to make another one? That’s the overriding question. On a more superficial level, I have to ask the question: How many good third movies in a franchise can people name?
Rudy Ray Moore, RIP / 22.10.08
Isaac Hayes and Rudy Ray Moore? This is a sad year for blaxploitation.
Levi Stubbs 1936 - 2008 / 17.10.08
Paul Newman, RIP / 27.09.08
Paul Newman has passed away at the age of 83. Few actors have managed so star in as many great movies in their lifetimes. Details on the death still to come, but today we lose a cinematic icon. Go rent Cool Hand Luke tonight if you haven’t seen it. Or especially if you have.
BFI ScreenOnline; Derek Jacobi on the GPO Film Unit / 16.09.08
My god, the BFI are fantastic. This interactive presentation, starring the excellent Derek Jacobi, explains the development of the GPO Film Unit. The GPO (General Post Office) regulated the early development of the communications industry in Britain, with BT (British Telecommunications), and the Royal Mail being the direct descendants. The most famous example of the GPO Film Unit’s work is Night Mail (1936), which presents the complex distribution of mail by train, and features a poem by WH Auden, the opening lines of which (“This is the Night Mail crossing the border / Bringing the cheque and the postal order”) was used in a 1980’s British Rail advert.
Bill Clinton on film / 11.09.08
Remember when America had a president that wasn’t a total and uncultured idiot? (In two months it might happen again…)
Roger Ebert has posted this to his website: a transcript of a conversation he had with sitting president Bill Clinton in 1999. Ebert can sometimes come off as a bit full of himself (as he does even in this discussion) but Clinton’s end of the conversation is wonderful and reveals an artistically in-tune side of him I never knew about.
Say what you will about his taste in women…you can’t fault him on his taste in cinema.
In a world where Don LaFontaine is no longer with us... / 02.09.08
Irreplacable. Seriously.
The man narrated over 5,000 trailers in 33 years. He earned…and deserved…his place in cinema history. What’s with all the early death lately?
Frost/Nixon. Warning: May Contain Brilliance / 21.08.08
It’s leaked out like…oh, just make up your own tasteless metaphor. The Frost/Nixon trailer has popped up on Cinema Blend and, frankly, it’s far more exciting than it has any right to be.
Sure, it may have its original Broadway cast of Frank Langella and Michael Sheen. Sure, it has a screenplay by original playwright Peter Morgan. But, come on, it’s directed by Ron “Da Vinci Code” Howard, a hit and miss talent who already turned facts inside out to nab an Oscar for A Beautiful Mind. We had no good reason to assume anything but a mangled mess.
But…blimey that’s a good trailer, despite the overused music choices. You get a real flavour of the tone, the era, and the present-day echoes. “I’m saying that when the President does it, that means it’s not illegal.” Wicked.
UPDATE: Bah, it’s been taken down. Try here instead.
UPDATE UPDATE: Now in proper quality and without subtitles in that there foreign! Right here.
"The Dark Knight Returns" poster / 15.08.08
I wouldn’t normally post fanart, but this is completely excellent. Very in keeping with TDK’s marketing campaign (although you’d expect something completely different next time out, naturally), and absolutely beautifully put together - I can’t tell which bits are photographed and which are simply photoshopped.
And as it happens, I’m with those who think the Riddler is really the only viable existing villain left that can (a) convincingly carry an entire movie, and (b) fit convincingly into the world that the Nolans have created, so if a third film does ever come our way, I’d say he’s a decent bet for villain duties. But I’d strongly doubt that any future Bat-flick would be called The Dark Knight Returns unless it was a direct adaptation of Miller’s book. The Dark Knight Strikes Back or Again might work, though (the latter, of course, is also a Miller book - but a rather less celebrated and, hence, not as “untouchable”).
Picture after the jump, anyway.
Joker concepts / 09.08.08
Cor! Those samples are certainly very different to what we ended up with (and the top two are also far more horrific) but then I reckon we got something MUCH better than this in the finished product. I can’t say I can totally blame the model, who is clearly and hilariously NOT The Joker, because the hair and suit shown in those pictures just don’t look right at all, either, despite being quite faithful to the comic look. Anyway, that aside, I am TOTALLY getting this book.
Quantum Of So(ng)lace / 31.07.08
Quantum Of Solace, the forthcoming 22nd entry in the James Bond series, thus far best known for its shit title, may have one of the better theme tunes of recent years - Variety magazine has revealed that “Another Way To Die” by the intriguing pairing of Jack White and Alicia Keys will accompany the opening credits and usual animated silhouettes of naked birds pole-dancing around the barrels of guns. The track is also produced by Jack White.
Oh good, it's a Watchmen game / 25.07.08
This is probably the most unsurprising news that has ever surprised me, but it seems next March’s Watchmen film is going to come with its own computer game.
Stop talking about American things...and let's watch the greatest film ever made. / 16.11.07
Alan Partridge on the big screen? Well, rumors have been flying around for a long time, so it's not exactly fresh news...except for the fact that it now seems to be actually happening.
SIMON PEGG IS PLAYING SCOTTY IN THE NEW STAR TREK FILM / 12.10.07
No further comment needed, surely?
Get rid of Hurd! Thanks! / 09.10.07
http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/10/09/5879/armando_goes_to_war
This is utterly, pant wettingly exciting news as anyone who's watched The Thick of It will attest.
That's all I have to say about that right now.
What A Life! / 08.10.07
In preparation for the much bigger article I'm going to write about British Public Information Films soon (honest), here's a fabulous example of the genre from the National Archives site, dated 1947. Titled "What A Life!", it stars Richard Massingham, who was to appear in many PIFs, but this is unusual in showing a weary attitude to post-war life, and has such black humour that it was complained about in Parliament!
This film don't infringe on anyone's copyright / 28.09.07
Martin Scorcese is going to direct a film about George Harrison.
Martin Scorcese is going to direct a film about George Harrison.
MARTIN SCORCESE. GEORGE HARRISON.
I'd say it again, but...well...you get the point.
Exciting pre-production artwork from Jaco Van Dormael's "Mr. Nobody" / 13.08.07
The first article I wrote for NTS, if I remember correctly, consisted of gushing praise for the 1991 Belgian film "Toto Le Heros", which was the directing debut of one Jaco Van Dormael. His follow-up was "L'Huitieme Jour", a well intentioned but bloated and patronising mess which nonetheless was a critical success, largely thanks to the stunning performance of it's downs syndrome suffering lead actor Pascal Duquenne, and the emotional honesty hiding behind the predictable plot shenanigans. It's not an entirely bad film, it's just a seriously disjointed film with some insufferable moments.
The Dark Knight teaser trailer / 29.07.07
This is going to kick considerable amounts of arse. The Dark Knight, a superbly-cast Iron Man and Indiana Jones IV out in the same year. 2008, will you just hurry up and get here, please?
Trailer for The Darjeeling Limited / 26.07.07
First tipped off to the film's existence by Michael Lacey and then informed about the trailer by Austin Ross, I demand all the credit for linking to it.
Trailer for Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited (Click if you've ever wondered what Max Fischer would look like with a mustache.)
Futurama teaser poster surfaces / 22.07.07
Has anyone seen this before? I came across it linked to from a message board, stashed away in somebody's Photobucket account...which means I wasn't actually able to trace its origin. But it certainly looks official to me..."read more" to see it.
The Man With The Hat Is Back... / 12.07.07
After getting the internet all in a tizz with a single photograph of Harrison Ford lounging around in his Indiana Jones costume, Steven Spielberg has released a short video from the set of his forthcoming sequel, for which a title has yet to be revealed. Click here to see a short, but rather exciting clip from the set.
'Somos Las Bolas' on sale...Finally / 17.05.07
Reviewed earlier this year by the lovely NTSer Tanya Jones, "Somos Las Bolas" is the first short film by me, Andrew Edmark.
Russian Cinema Makes Me Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside / 20.03.07
Straight out of Russia comes part two of the hit fantasy trilogy by Sergei Lukyanenko and directed by talented visionary Timur Bekmambetov, "Day Watch." If you didn't see "Night Watch" which was released early last year, I recommend you go out and rent it straight away. That is if you like fantasy epics set in modern day Moscow and involving vampire-like creatures that can morph, teleport, and do all sorts of cool tricks.
Fucking Americans (and any other people who butcher decent films) / 14.02.07
WHY!?"?!£?"!£?!"£?"!£?!"?"!$/.324.3/4.43534UJWREHFSUFHGWEIURGWEIFGSIEFP etc.
Sequel to "The Hills Have Eyes" May Not Suck / 10.02.07
Despite the fact that Aja isn't helming the production, I really think this one has some potential.
Check out the HD trailers here. Courtesy of Yahoo Movies.
April, come she will. / 28.01.07
April 3, Tom Goes to the Mayor seasons one and two, DVD release
April 6, Grindhouse theatrical release
April 13, Hot Fuzz theatrical release
April 17, The Venture Bros. season two, DVD release
April 24, Moral Orel season one, DVD release
April 27, Balls of Fury theatrical release
Looks like some month, to me. (All dates are US dates, natch.)
First Impressions of Hot Fuzz / 18.01.07
It sucks.
Kidding!
Is this the ear you can't hear on? / 26.12.06
It's a Wonderful Life is a great film that contributed more than a little to the "tradition" of holiday films to follow. Odd, then, the extremely bizarre (and never duplicated, I hope) decision made with my copy of the DVD.
Do read on.
I did a good job this year of not buying for myself while doing my xmas shopping, but at my local record store they happened to have a special: It's a Wonderful Life on DVD for $5 with any purchase. And I was purchasing something anyway, so I thought, what the hell.
Michael Bay's Tranformers / 21.12.06
The new teaser trailer for Michael Bay's next film, the long anticipated "Transformers" adaptation, has been put up on their site. Check it out over at http://www.transformersmovie.com/
Eddie Murphy Regains Dignity, Others Follow / 19.12.06
In complete contrast to the Grammy Awards, I believe the Golden Globes still (mostly) honor those that truly deserve to be honored. Take a look at some selected nominees that were announced a few days ago and see what I think about them.
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Commence Pants Wetting... / 08.12.06
...I know I had to change my pair.
Check out the latest and final trailer for Zack Snyder and Frank Miller's outing with the graphic novel "300." The film, with the same title, will be adapting the novel almost frame by frame, somewhat similar to the way Sin City was produced. But I must say, "300" makes Sin City look like A Merry Muppet Christmas.
Just watch this trailer to see the awesomeness that is "300."
Harry Potter Overload / 03.12.06
Well, if you're at all excited for the latest installment in the Harry Potter film franchise, then I have an early Christmas present for you. Listed below are thirteen short behind-the-scene clips encompassing almost every aspect of the new film. They're all a tad short, but they offer a lot of insight on almost every main character.
These are well worth watching.
Big Something / 03.12.06
From the team that brought you a link to the Hot Fuzz teaser trailers...
A link to the Full-Length Hot Fuzz Trailer!
Moving Right Along... / 02.12.06
Ohhhh yes. A rundown (with commentary) of The Muppet Movie's differences from early script to finished product.
Damn good read both for fans and for those interested in the way these things translate from script to screen.
Down and Out in the Movie Kingdom / 15.11.06
Cory Doctorow, that infamous SF author, blogging guru, and overall technology person, has written another article for Locus Online - called "The March of the Polygons: How High-Definition Is Bad News for SF Flicks." Instead of restating his points, I will merely point you to the article. So...here you go.
Venom! Venom! VENOM! / 08.11.06
I remember back when the costume for the original Spider-Man movie was unveiled. Amid the excitement at how freakin' awesome it looked, there was no small level of surprise that they'd managed to keep the thing so damned faithful to the comics, when many of us feared that we'd get some horrible, Hollywood-ised monstrosity (the fact that that came later, in the shape of the Green Goblin, was beside the point...).
First Look At 28 Weeks Later / 06.11.06
"This is a shit idea. You know why? Because it's really obviously a shit idea."
For Bison...it was Tuesday / 02.11.06
Everyone remembers Street Fighter: The Movie, right? It was a terrible film based on an excellent videogame, and it starred Raul Julia, Jean Claude Van Dam, and Kylie Minogue. I personally thought that the movie said pretty much everything that needed to be said about Street Fighter in a narrative sense, but apparently others don't feel the same.
Official Hot Fuzz Teasers / 16.10.06
You heard it right, folks. Edgar Wright's latest flick starring comedic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost has just put out a couple of teaser trailers. Catch them after the jump.
The Film of the Death of Doctor Island / 16.10.06
Yes, that's right. Someone has decided to make a movie of Gene Wolfe's outstanding Nebula Award-winning novella, "The Death of Doctor Island." I would highly recommend you read the novella itself (available here), as it's top-notch stuff.
I'll let them do the explaining:
More Zombies / 11.10.06
For those who were fascinated by 70/80's exploitation films, the good ones with explicit gore, gratuitous nudity, and the weirdest shit you've ever seen... Well, your prayers have been answered. Prepare for the ultimate trailer for the film "Grind House," a two-part feature directed by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. This trailer in particular is for Robert's half, which is titled "Zombie Planet."
Zombies on a Plane! / 06.10.06
No, really... That's not a joke.
May God have mercy on your soul.
I. WANT. THAT. POSTER. / 05.10.06
Didn't Like Star Wars? Re-Edit It Yourself! / 24.09.06
Just recently, through my weekly crawl of the internet underground, I happened upon FanEdited.com. If you're smart, you will gather from the title of the site that it is all about fan edits. On it you will find a list chock-full of films re-cut by fans to suit their own creative styles and tastes.
Double O FUCKING HELL WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! / 08.09.06
Finally, the full length Casino Royale trailer is here, and with it the first proper chance to get a good look at Daniel Craig's Bond.
Helvetica / 28.08.06
Robots in Disgust / 27.08.06
If you're of a certain age, you might remember a certain character named Megatron looking a lot like like this:
Ninja... no, Hero... no, Ninja... / 21.07.06
Looks like an interesting mix of the light-heartedness of the cartoon/Archie comics/movies, and the earnest, serious ninja-ness of the Mirage comics/recent TV series (and hopefully with no elements of The New Mutation whatsoever). Animation looks pretty decent, too.
Spider. Man. Three. Teaser. / 27.06.06
It's not in the best quality yet, because it's just a low-bitrate version taken from a video camera in-cinema recording, but if you want it a few hours before it goes up in Quicktime on the Apple site... here it is, and you'll need this to watch it.
Can't really find the words to say anything about it right now, though, except... fucking hell.
Clerks II Posters... / 09.06.06
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Rosario Dawson...
That's a little shameless, actually. I bet she doesn't dress like that in the film - I've seen her in promo pics and the trailers, and she's wearing the Mooby's outfit. Still, though - day-um.
The Myth of Superman / 02.06.06
Neil Gaiman and Adam Rogers wrote an article about Superman, which can be read here.
Cum Recap / 31.05.06
A bonus feature I feel should be on every pornographic DVD.
Oh yes oh yes oh yes / 18.05.06
This is ridiculous. I'm not a particularly big fan of Superman (in that I don't read the comics or own DVDs and suchlike), but I can't remembered the last time I looked forward a new film so much as Superman Returns.
I saw this for the first time today, and it literally gave me shivers down my spine. I blame that Seb Patrick.
Look, up in the sky... / 03.05.06
They had to do the "bird/plane" gag, didn't they?
Complete Amazem-ant / 28.04.06
Taken from Newsarama:
- Shaun of the Dead co-writer Edgar Wright is adapting Ant-Man. Wright will direct and co-write the film version with Joe Cornish.
Anything new from Edgar Wright is cool, but Joe Cornish too?! Never in a million years would I have expected to see that name next to an Ant-Man film.
Er, fuck / 15.10.05
That picture contains more potential for debate than it's possible to express. Only... shit. He really isn't just making the same film again, is he? This really could be something good.
(plus, if nothing else, it confirms that the film is actually happening; I will freely admit to wondering for some time if it was going to turn out to be some elaborate hoax)
Oh dear / 10.10.05
They Might Be Old, But They're Still Hot and Wet!
Fair play to them.
The Onion I'm about to peel / 29.09.05
Time Magazine has a web-exclusive interview with Master Gaiman and Joss Whedon. Go. Read.
I vos born in Dusseldorf, and that is why they call me Rolf / 27.09.05
If you're interested in a little bit of Springtime for Hitler, then the trailer for The Producers is now up here.
![Ignorance is bliss? [now with added footnote!]](../files/icons/ghibli.jpg){kind=icon}
