The Flickcast

Why Is Bryan Singer Directing a ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Movie?

Posted on August 14, 2009

This is not breaking news exactly, and had been rumored for some time, but I just can’t let it go without comment. For me, the revelation and subsequent confirmation that Bryan Singer, director of such films as X-Men, The Usual Suspects and Superman Returns, is now attached to direct a Battlestar Galactica movie for Universal comes directly from the ‘WTF?’ department.

Just in case you don’t know what’s happening, yesterday, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Singer signed on the line that is dotted and will direct and produce a “re-imagining” of the classic series created by Glen Larson. I’m just curious what makes him think the best use of his time is to direct a completely new Battlestar Galactica movie?

Before I go on, let me just say that I was a fan of Glen Larson and Universal’s answer to Star Wars when it first hit the air. Heck, I even gave them another chance after the first BSG series was canceled and watched Galactica 1980. That’s how far I go back. Sure, the shows were cheesy and campy, but as a kid I didn’t really care. But now, they seem extremely dated and lightweight — especially when compared to the updated SyFy series.

I’m also a fan of Singer and many of his films — The Usual Suspects and X2 in particular. His work shows a great deal of maturity and polish and he usually knows how to tell a story — especially one that’s written by the very talented Christopher McQuarrie. However, I was also looking far more forward to Singer taking on an updated version of Logan’s Run or even getting back in the chair for another go at X-Men or a Wolverine sequel than to him doing a BSG movie.

‘Legion’ Gets A Red Band Trailer

Posted on August 14, 2009

Most people that go to see District 9 this weekend will get to see Legion’s far less violent green band trailer. But recently released online was the far more interesting “Red Band” preview of the post-apocalyptic action-thriller — courtesy of the folks at Trailer Addict.

The film’s premise, which is quite interesting, goes something like this: “When God loses faith in Mankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity’s only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner and the Archangel Michael (played by Paul Bettany).

The film looks to be something like Constantine meets Demon Knight, which is a pretty cool idea. Legion hits theaters on January 22, 2010.

Check out the probably NSFW trailer after the jump.

Review: ‘District 9’

Posted on August 14, 2009

district-9-1

There are a few types of Summer blockbusters out there these days. Of course, you’ll have the big “tent pole” films that cost $200 million and make triple that. You’ll also get the ones that cost a fortune and fizzle out fairly quickly. But every once in a while you’ll also get a film that comes virtually out of nowhere and leaves your mouth agape. District 9 is that film.

District 9 takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa, where aliens landed nearly 30 years ago. Since then, they have been subjected to living in slums while their defunct mothership hovers above the city. On the macro level, the world is split between people who wish to embrace the differences of the aliens and people who discriminate against them and wish to kill them. On a micro level, an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA, making him neither human nor alien.

At it’s core, this film is many things. It’s not just a sci-fi action film. It has some serious undertones from oppression and bigotry to the evil things that man is capable of. It is many things, but if one were to stand out, it would be “smart.” From the first moments of the film where a collection of news and documentary footage helps introduce us to this world where aliens are real and have been inhabiting the planet for some time all the way to the conclusion, this film delivers.

Fan Film Friday: The Ballad of G.I. Joe

Posted on August 14, 2009

Though we try to keep things fresh here at the site, especially with our features like Fan Film Friday, sometimes it’s hard to skip over things that are quite well done, even when they aren’t really topical anymore. Though G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is already week-old news, we felt that this week’s fan film needed to be a little musical number from our friends at Funny or Die called The Ballad of G.I. Joe.

Continuing the trend of filling their skits with a who’s who of Hollywood, the Ballad includes names that will pretty much blow your socks off. Names like Alexis Bledel as Lady Jaye, Billy Crudup as Zartan, Zach Galifiankais as Snow Job, Tony Hale as Dr. Mindbender, Vinnie Jones as Destro, Chuck Liddell as Gung Ho, Julianne Moore as Scarlett, Henry Rollins as Duke, Alan Tudyk as Shipwreck, Olivia Wilde as The Baroness, and even a little Sgt. Slaughter thrown in as well.

There are a few other names thrown in, so be sure to keep an eye out. Check out the Ballad of G.I. Joe after the jump.

The Pull List Comic Reviews: ‘The Marvels Project’, ‘Blackest Night: Batman’ & ‘Escape from Wonderland’

Posted on August 14, 2009

For yesterday’s The Pull List, go here.

1250034830_cvr The Marvels Project #1 – Marvel – $3.99

Score: 7.5

Retroactively changing continuity, or “retconning”, can be a tricky feat. And trying to recon an entire universe’s continuity from the start can be an even bigger feat. This is what the focus of The Marvels Project is. Going all the way back to the very first days of the Marvel Universe to the creation of the first Human Torch, this story looks to bring readers an insight in to the relationships that helped forge the current Marvel world. The issue begins with Dr. Halloway, the man destined to become The Angel (though it isn’t mentioned yet in this series) working with a dementia patient known as Matt Hawk back in 1938.

Hawk tells Halloween about the heroes, villains, gods and monsters that will soon rise and how it all begins in New York City. Coming in one morning, Halloway finds out that Hawk died in his sleep but before he passed on, he had left something for the doctor. Upon opening it, Halloway sees a gun and a note that reads, “From One Hero to Another-” only to realize that Matt Hawk was the Two-Gun Kid, a masked western hero that the doctor had read about for years.

He wonders if the future that Matt told him about could be real. From there, the story examines the origins of Namor’s appearance to surface dwellers as Nazis begin to drop depth charges to acquire Atlantean “samples” and FDR’s involvement in the funding of the first Human Torch. When the Torch is first revealed to the public, there is a huge backlash of man made monsters on American soil. Knowing that the American government will need all the support they can garner with the upcoming hostilities with Germany, the President orders the Human Torch disposed of.

First Trailer for ‘Gentleman Broncos’

Posted on August 14, 2009

Jared Hess is a name that doesn’t normally ring a lot of bells with people over 30, but is certainly known by the younger film goers for writing and directing a movie called Napoleon Dynamite back in 2004. Since then, Hess has had only one other film under his writer/director belt: 2006’s Nacho Libre starring Jack Black. The film was welcomed with mixed responses from both the audience and the studio.

Three years later, Hess is now coming back out of the woodwork with his third film, Gentlemen Broncos. The film stars Forbidden Kingdom’s Michael Angarano as Benjamin, a loveable loner who has a passion for writing. Benjamin joins a writer’s camp, lead by Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement. Things take an interesting turn when Clement’s Chevalier steals Benjamin’s book and bastardizes the premise for a film.

The film utilizes the same off-beat aesthetic as the Hess’ previous two films, along with the punchy dialogue and fantastic plot devices. Also starring Jennifer Coolidge, Sam Rockwell, Halley Feiffer, and Michael White, Gentlemen Broncos hits theaters on October 30.

Click through to check out the new trailer.

Game Review: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled’

Posted on August 14, 2009

When originally announced, this title had a lot of buzz behind it. After the massive success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles re-released on the Xbox Live Arcade as a $5.00 download, everyone began asking when Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time would come out.

Hoping it would get the same treatment as the original players were rewarded when they found out it would be getting a “Re-Shelled” treatment with new 3D graphics. But then came the bad news. The game was going to be priced at $15.00.

Immediately, this lead to a massive outcry from fans who did not want to pay $10.00 more than they did for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just because it was getting updated graphics. Before the game was released, the price was lowered to the more reasonable 800 Microsoft Points ($10.00) price tag. Part of the love for retro games is keeping the original graphics as games like Gauntlet, Robotron and Smash TV have shown.

Christopher McQuarrie to Write ‘Wolverine’ Sequel

Posted on August 13, 2009

x-men-origins-wolverine With X-Men Origins: Wolverine opening as one of the biggest box office films of the Summer, it was completely inevitable that a sequel was on the way. We are now getting word that Christopher McQuarrie, writer of films such as The Usual Suspects and The Way of the Gun is now taking on the writing duties for that sequel.

McQuarrie has worked in tandem with Bryan Singer, who directed the first two X-Men films. Singer and McQuarrie both worked on Valkyrie and The Usual Suspects, and the Oscar winning writer even did an uncredited rewrite on the first X-Men script. When it comes to the story, The Hollywood Reporter says that fans should remember the source material:

Hugh Jackman is set to return as the Marvel Comics character, a mutant with healing powers and a skeleton laced with the indestructible metal known as adamantium. Jackman is also producing via his Fox-based Seed shingle along with Lauren Shuler Donner.

The movie’s story line will take its cue from the early 1980s Chris Claremont/Frank Miller miniseries, which is set in Japan and features Wolverine dealing with ninjas as he struggles whether to follow his animal killer instincts or the life under a samurai’s code of honor and respect.

X-Men Origins reportedly brought in $180 million in the domestic box office, and $363 worldwide. With a predecessor like that, there is no doubt a sequel will do well, especially if word of a Deadpool spinoff is still happening.

Older Posts

Newer Posts