The offbeat, swirly, Gothic-lite, snow-filled reign of Tim Burton will never let up. According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, Universal’s Illumination Entertainment has snagged the rights to Charles Addams’ original The Addams Family cartoons with an eye to letting Burton direct a stop-motion feature out of them. Why yes, the term “3D” is also being tossed around. Yay.

I love The Addams Family. I was unhealthy obsessed with the Barry Sonnenfeld film as a pre-teen, and I used to hang out at the bookstore reading the original cartoon collections. It was the closest I got to becoming a Goth.  While I’ve enjoyed a lot of Burton films over the years, I’m not sure I want to see the Addams sent through The Burton Factory, and made out to be a family with a penchant for swirls and black and white stripes.

DHD notes that Burton will ignore the previous films and television show, and return straight to the source.  Apparently, he’s quite drawn to the sharp wit of the original comics. And they are funny. Much funnier than Burton’s Addams imitation, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy which is just kind of gross and painful to read.

Continue Reading →

I imagine most writers dream of being the star of their novel or screenplay — unless the lead is  some kind of unrepentant serial killer, and even then I suspect it’s still a sleazy kind of catharsis. But unless your name is Jason Segel, your dreams of headlining the poster and getting the girl will never be fulfilled.

But don’t be too bitter. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Segel didn’t nab that sexy of a lead.  He’ll be starring in the untitled Muppet movie he penned for Disney, so the only girls he might get will be made of felt. Not much is known about the film, which will be directed by James Bobin, except that it centers on a man (Segel) who seeks to reunite the Muppets so that they can save their studio.

We can laugh that he penned himself into the leading role, but he does love the Muppets,  so it’s only natural.   I know I dreamed of being of in a Muppet movie. In my heart of hearts, I probably still do.

Then again, he did write and star in Forgetting Sarah Marshall too. Look what that got him.  A posh Hawaiian shoot. Beautiful actresses.  Cool costars. Fame. Fortune. A Muppet movie.  He’s going to have an enviable habit of this, isn’t he?

Oh well.   Again, let’s not begrudge him.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to finish that script about a entertainment reporter who has to choose between  Hugh Jackman, Gerard Butler, and Viggo Mortensen before nabbing the female lead in a remake of The Outlaw Josey Wales ….

When I went to bed last night, lulled by the barrage of television spots for The Bounty Hunter, I had only one thought — the world needs more romantic comedies! I mean, we only have one coming out this weekend! And then we have to wait an entire week for The Last Song! You’re killing me Hollywood.

Thankfully, Ivan Reitman senses the need, and is coming to the rescue.  According to Variety, Reitman will be helming an untitled romantic comedy for Paramount. He’s lured Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher to star, and it already has a release date of January 7, 2011.

Penned by Elizabeth Meriwether, the script has the working title of Friends With Benefits. (If IMDB is to be believed, it had an even raunchier working title that rhymes with Muckmuddies.  I can’t imagine why they had to change that.) The story is being kept secret, but it revolves around how much easier it is to fall into a sexual relationship over something with emotional bonds.

In other words, friends with benefits. Reitman feels this is untapped territory when it comes to the genre of cute people in love.  “It’s an issue ripe for discussion.”

January 7, 2011. The day when Portman, Kutcher, and Reitman became pioneers in the field of cinematic romance. Mark your calenders. History will be made.

I’m still anxiously awaiting the day I get to see Kick-Ass, and be as cool as our SXSW team that caught its Austin premiere. (Be sure to check out Shannon Hood’s review.)   But at least I could content myself with Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie which the gang at Titan Books was kind enough to let me review.

Anyone who viewed the trailer knows that Kick-Ass is going to be a unique movie. One look at Chloe Moretz’s Hit Girl can tell you that much. But I hadn’t realized just how unusual its page-to-screen transition was. Millar was still in the process of sketching the book out when he approached Matthew Vaughn (licking his wounds after leaving Thor) about directing.

The movie took shape as the comic did, with Millar running back and forth between the production offices and his own keyboard, incorporating ideas from Vaughn and screenwriter Jane Goldman as he went. Characters who were meant to be minor players such as Red Mist took on a life of their own after they were cast, and ended up becoming major players in Kick-Ass’ story arc. If there’s a sequel to Kick-Ass, it may be entirely due to Christopher Mintz-Plasse single-handedly rewriting his character.

Continue Reading →

Let me be gushingly frank.  If you are anywhere other than the SyFy Channel on Wednesday nights, you’re missing one of the coolest shows on television: Destination Truth.

Oh, I know what you’re thinking. SyFy Channel! Sure, they have Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who, but it’s really just the land of classic films such as Wyvern and Manticore and the unconfirmed Sharktopus.  It’s the channel of camp, even if you are tempted by Ghost Hunters’ Halloween special.

Or maybe you’re secretly indulging in Ghost Hunters all the time.  I know I am.  It’s my one reality show pleasure.

At least it was. But I became so intrigued by Josh Gates’ enthusiastic SyFy spots that I gave in and watched Destination Truth.   Forget Ghost Hunters. This is now my reality show addiction.

The concept is silly:  Gates and his team go looking for monsters.  It’s cryptozoology at it’s silliest as he and his team race around dangerous locations looking for evidence of yetis, giant serpents, giant squid, and werewolves. They break it up with forays into the paranormal, and do a bit of ghost hunting or sail around the Bermuda Triangle.

Continue Reading →

By now, you’ve read a dozen articles proclaiming the past year or so to be the Age of the Vampires. You have probably complained loudly about how many darn vampire movies and television shows there are. I know I have.

I make a few exceptions (you’ll pry my True Blood DVDs out of my cold, undead fingers) but for the most part, I could let most of the movies and television shows pass on by.  But we’re all going to have to make another exception for Sigourney Weaver.

According to THR’s Heat Vision, Weaver has joined the cast of Amy Heckerling’s vampire horror comedy Vamps.   The film centers on two young vampires played by Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter who find their permanent youth, sexiness, and penchant for darkness a boon in the New York club scene.   But when they find true love, they face a difficult choice that threatens their immortality.

Weaver will play Ciccerus, a vicious vampire who turned both girls into bloodsuckers.   She’s also a queen vampire. Move over Evan Rachel Wood!  Weaver will have the power of Zuul at her back. Frankly, that’s why I’m excited to see her embrace her (campy) dark side. No one can play vicious like Weaver, and few have her dry comedic chops.

Even if the idea of a vampire romantic comedy immediately makes your fangs pop out, you have to admit this addition makes Vamps a lot more appealing.

Vamps is eying an April start.   Let’s hope all the blood isn’t drained of the trend before we get to see a goddess like Weaver have some fun with it.

The Train Robbers has been sitting in my Netflix queue for ages, hoping every Tuesday night that I’ll finally pick it for a Western Wednesday.  It may have stayed there forever had not Justin Gray suggested it.  Gray, as you should know by now, is coauthor of the DC series Jonah Hex. If he says “You should watch The Train Robbers!”, you call up the Netflix queue, and then you apologize to John Wayne that you required someone to intercede on his behalf.

However about halfway through, I began wondering if I had picked the right movie.  Nothing was happening. The villains were a dustcloud shrouded bunch who just thundered around,  Ann-Margaret was getting on my nerves,  the sidekicks were blurring together, and Wayne was just being Wayne.  I checked the clock and was relieved to see there was only about 15 minutes left.

And in that 15 minutes, The Train Robbers becomes an epic, edge-of-your-seat Western that just beg the question “Why the heck did they save up all the good stuff until now?” There’s explosions, a dynamite-loaded mule, guns, a creepy town,  a train used as an entire weapon, and a big twist.  It’s really one of the best action pieces I’ve seen in a Wayne Western.

Continue Reading →

Now that the trailer has hit for the third Twilight installment, Eclipse, Summit has begun the hunt for the lucky soul to sit in the director’s chair for the final dose of Twilight: Breaking Dawn. According to Entertainment Weekly, they’re aiming high and want no less than someone with an Oscar nomination or two under their belt.

Summit has reportedly approached Sofia Coppola, Gus Van Sant, and Bill Condon with offers.   It’s still very hush hush, however, as only Van Sant’s representatives would confirm first contact. Summit declined to comment.   Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg’s script outline is due next week, so it’s unlikely any serious offers can be made until  everyone knows how the iffy bits are going to be handled.

Stephanie Meyer will also have to weigh in, as she has approval over every hire Summit makes.  Any Twilighters know whether she prefers Marie Antoinette to Dreamgirls? What does she think of Good Will Hunting?

Of course, it may end up being none of these fine people. When Chris Weitz dropped out of the series after helming New Moon, the list of possible Eclipse directors was long and interesting:  Drew Barrymore, Juan Antonio Bayona, Paul Weitz, and James Mangold were all name dropped before David Slade climbed on board.

With that in mind, do you think we can convince David Cronenberg consider the gig?  If so, Breaking Dawn would officially be the first Twilight film I’d be camped out to see.

When you say the word “history” out loud, it’s usually met with a chorus of groans. “I hated history in school! All those dates and crap! So boring.” It’s depressing.

History, if taught right, is a story.  (That’s why it has “story” embedded into it. No joke.) It’s not names, dates, and places. It’s blood and sex, with a dash of art and higher aspirations. It’s the stuff you pay to watch in theaters or on HBO but with the kicker that it actually happened.

I couldn’t be happier that television has decided to take that idea and run crazy with it. The new trend on cable is taking finding some notorious era of history, populated with sex and swearing, and spin a few seasons out of it. HBO kicked off the trend with Rome and Deadwood (and promptly broke our hearts in the process), and now Showtime and Starz have taken up the gauntlet.

Showtime has been happily running around Renaissance England with The Tudors, which is about to wrap up in its fourth season now that Henry VIII is coming to the end of his wives. While it’s played a little fast and loose with history, it’s been a sumptuous watch, and fans won’t have to look far for a replacement.

Continue Reading →

It may not have taken home a lot of Oscar gold, but many might argue that the jangly coins in Avatar’s pocket might mean a lot more to Fox and James Cameron.  But despite the massive success they’ve enjoyed in theaters, Cameron and Fox want a little more of your hard earned cash.

They noticed that the demand in digital 3D immediately went up when the IMAX run was up. They’re concerned that giving up their screens to Alice in Wonderland may have cost them, in Cameron’s words,  “a couple hundred million dollars.” They know people will eat up more Avatar. So they’re planning a summer re-release.

According to The Hollywood Reporter,  discussions are underway to bring the film back this summer with additional footage. Cameron feels that he was forced to rush the film into theaters to make its December 18 date, and had to leave too many scenes on the cutting room floor.

There’s actually some debate as to how much extra footage there is — Cameron claims there’s about 10 to 12 minutes of scenes that he could toss right back into the film, whereas IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond claims there’s 40 extra minutes. However, an IMAX analog theater can’t handle a film over 170 minutes, so even if Cameron has 40 minutes of unused footage, he can only add 10 or 12 to come in under the IMAX limitations.

Continue Reading →