The Veronica Mars movie has a new behind the scenes featurette today! Filled with lots of new footage, but the interviews are mostly a defense of the decision to bring back Piz, the most useless and hated character in Veronica Mars history (fans know what I'm talking about), as Veronica's boyfriend. I don't know what that's about- frankly, it seems like a move to purposely anger the fans for some reason (seriously, they've been together for 10 years???). Anyway, here's a look:
Movie of the Day: "Poltergeist" (1982)
"They're here."
With Halloween just 4 days away we're going to do one last Movie of the Day series this week leading up to it. And the theme this time is "ghosts." Another favorite category of horror movies, and there's been plenty of great ones, including this, which might be my favorite. Ostensibly directed by Tobe Hooper, but Steven Spielberg's fingerprints are all over this movie, from the screenplay to the direction and the way certain shots are set up- in fact, in many circles it's been widely assumed for years that he did in fact direct the movie himself (I'm convinced he did most of it). The story of a suburban family whose house is built on a cemetery and their little girl Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) who gets sucked into the walls and stuck between two worlds, still has the power to scare but occasionally make you laugh and as always with Spielberg, leave you moved with the power of a mother's love for her child. The effects may be dated now (though state of the art at the time), but the movie's timeless. Check it out.
Original Trailer from 1982:
POSTER: "Muppets Most Wanted"
Poster for the new Muppets movie! Coming out next March:
REVIEW: "Mama" (2013) Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Dir. Andres Muschietti
Mama is, for the most part, a nifty little ghost story that's at times unpredictable and happily, not your average horror flick that's totally dependent on false scares and stops. There are some of those in here, yes, but there's also an emotional undercurrent that's genuinely affecting, until the disappointing and bombastic ending practically ruins it.
It starts out as a unique and chilling mystery, with two little girls whose father (Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who later plays his own twin brother) kills their mother and crashes their car in the woods, hiding them out in a cabin and intending to kill them too until a mysterious entity stops him. Five years later, the girls are found, still young (8 and 5) and nearly feral, having been raised in the wilderness by an invisible being only they can see. Now they're brought back to civilization and taken in by their uncle and his girlfriend Annabel, played by Jessica Chastain, a tattooed and somewhat Goth rocker who doesn't like or want kids in the first place. Of course, their friend "Mama" comes with them, and the spookiness continues in the girls' new domestic setting.
There are further plot complications, as a court appointed psychologist tries to drag the truth out of the older girl, Victoria, but what works best in the movie is Chastain and her evolving relationship with the girls and eventual rivalry with Mama over guardianship of them. Annabel at first comes across as abrupt and nearly mean to these poor kids, but Chastain is such a good actress that she conveys Annabel's changing emotions so clearly and gradually that we believe it as we see it happen, and we start to root for the logical ending, which is for Annabel to save the kids from Mama's firm, ghostly grip on them.
Unfortunately, despite a few good scares and some effective creeping atmosphere as Annabel tries to figure out what's haunting them, the movie gets way too caught up in the plot, which becomes unnecessarily complicated and starts to lose its way with certain characters like Uncle Luke (Coster-Waldau). He serves a very real purpose in setting up the story, as the brother who wants his nieces, but after a while it becomes obvious there's no more role for him to play, and so the movie simply gets rid of him by putting him in a coma for what should have been the remainder of the film. When Coster-Waldau returns to the story the character is now completely out of place and is part of the overstuffed climax that takes things to a dark and unsatisfying turn that leaves you highly disappointed and almost angry at what passes for the finale.
Despite the last 15 minutes however, I did like most of the film and the story itself kept me interested, entertained and contained enough good scares to recommend itself to horror fans (Mama herself looks extremely creepy and is a very well designed CG creation). But, man, that ending. Sometimes knowing how to finish a film and take it to its logical conclusion is all you need to do, and trying to add unnecessary last minute twists to avoid cliches is going a bit too far when you've done more than enough already in that department. I suppose I sound a bit like I'm saying give the people what they want, but in this case, yes, that would have been wise.
* *
FINAL TRAILER: "Catching Fire"
This last trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire aired during the World Series tonight. The movie's coming out Nov 22nd.
BOX OFFICE 10/25-10/27: 'Jackass' Topples 'Gravity'
Johnny Knoxville ends Gravity's three week reign as Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa scored $32 million to land the No. 1 spot atop the box office this weekend. The movie didn't beat the opening of the last Jackass movie (which was helped by 3D), but did top the two before it, despite just an ok "B" Cinemascore. It will probably top out with $75 million or so, which isn't bad for a franchise whose films cost just $15 million to produce.
Gravity earned $20.3 million to land in the second slot, which is another great hold and it crosses the $200 million total to become George Clooney's highest grossing movie (Ocean's Eleven made $184 million back in 2001). If I had to guess I'd say it ends up around $275 total, but you never know with the Oscar nominations coming up, which always guarantees higher box office than usual for a movie. I wouldn't be surprised if WB re-released it around that time in January to capitalize on the hype.
The Tom Hanks drama Captain Phillips also had another good hold, pulling in $11.8 million and crossing $70 million, which guarantees it at least $100 million in the end. The movie is clearly playing well with adult audiences due to word of mouth, unlike The Counselor, which got a dismal "D" Cinemascore from audiences along with bad reviews, and bombed with just $8 million despite its all star cast. And Carrie fell 63% in its second week to finish outside the top five, giving Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs a chance to regain some ground with $6 million for the weekend and a total of over $100 million.
Top 5
- Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa- $32 million
- Gravity- $20.3 million
- Captain Phillips- $11.8 million
- The Counselor- $8 million
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2- $6.1 million
In limited release, 12 Years a Slave expanded to 123 theaters and pulled in $2.2 million, which is a very good expansion (it also got an "A" Cinemascore) as next week it goes wide. But also in wide release next weekend it's Ender's Game and Last Vegas while Dallas Buyers Club, the AIDS drama with Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner comes out in limited.
Movie of the Day: "Sweeney Todd" (2007)
Tim Burton week concludes with one of my favorite films of 2007, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This was a dark, violent musical adaptation of the stage play, but gloriously entertaining in all its bloody excess. The sets and costumes were superb as always (it even won the Oscar for art direction), and Johnny Depp was nominated for Best Actor for his performance here. Of course, the singing is not what it was on stage, but the music is still terrific in spite of that. I don't understand why it's not even considered thinkable anymore to have your voice dubbed if you can't sing- Helena Bonham Carter was good in the movie, but she really can't sing, so why isn't that a possibility? Aside from that though, this was a fantastically fun movie that pays tribute to a lot of silent horror movie classics with Burton's unique visual style. One of his best.
Trailer:
POSTER: "Anchorman 2"
Just days after the new trailer, we now have a new poster. The sequel to Anchorman is coming out Dec 20th.
Oscar Update: In Theaters This Weekend
Oscar season's kicking into high gear, as a number of contenders are making their way into limited release and expanding further, while Gravity and Captain Phillips continue to do well and have received excellent reviews, solidifying their top positions so far. Here's what's out there, if you're looking for something to see this weekend:
First up, there's 12 Years a Slave, which is doing well in limited release, but expands further this weekend, and is set to go wider next weekend. Right now, this movie is still the frontrunner for every major award, and just started receiving recognition with the Gotham awards yesterday, as they were the first to bestow nominations. It's gotten the best reviews of the year (along with Gravity) and being deemed the Schindler's List of slavery movies is not something to take lightly. The only question mark is how this film will do with the public, because many are wondering whether it's too violent for audiences to handle. That didn't turn out to be a problem for Schindler's List, obviously, but I suppose the issue of slavery comes with a deep-rooted American sensitivity that may put people off the brutal subject matter. Many reviews have stated there's never been such an uncompromising, unflinching look at the subject on film before, which has made some wary of seeing it (which is really unfair, as the quality of the film isn't in question here, and it's not as if violent films haven't won or gotten attention before, but that's the way it goes, I guess).
Next, Ridley Scott's The Counselor comes out this weekend, and this has gotten a pretty dismal critical reception (36% on Rotten Tomatoes), and will likely do nothing at the box office to be deemed a failure almost immediately. With such a big name cast and the first screenplay from No Country For Old Men author Cormac McCarthy, it was expected to do much better, but most critics savaged it as a slow, mystifying, confusing thriller that doesn't know what it wants to be. So, clearly it's a non-starter as far as Oscars are concerned.
Then there's All is Lost, Robert Redford's one man show- a struggle for survival out in the ocean. This film from director J.C. Chandor received stellar reviews (100% fresh with Top Critics) and the legendary Robert Redford is guaranteed a Best Actor nomination, perhaps even a win (his only other acting nomination was for The Sting back in 1973, where he lost to Jack Lemmon). He's the only person in the movie, has practically no dialogue, and yet the film's terrific reception also gives it an outside chance at a Best Picture nomination, since there's usually 9 nominees now. Definitely look for this one, which is in limited release across the country.
And finally, Blue is the Warmest Color, the French film that won the Palme D'Or in Cannes, is coming out this weekend. This love story between two young women has garnered amazing reviews as well, along with controversy and hype regarding its sex scenes, but because of those scenes, it was of course labeled with the NC-17 rating, which usually limits the amount of theaters that will play it. Still, it's out there now, and seems to be well worth seeking out (91% fresh), as it remains in contention for Best Actress (the 19-year-old lead, Adele Exarchopoulos, is said to have given one of the best performances of the year) and Best Screenplay. This won't be France's Oscar submission for Foreign Language Film though, since it debuted in France past the deadline for that. Which is unfortunate, because all year it seems to have been the only foreign film that was receiving any attention (I have no idea what the other contenders are in that category yet).
So, if you want to keep up with the Oscar race or are just looking for something good to see this weekend, seek out 12 Years a Slave, All is Lost, and Blue is Warmest Color, as all three will end up on top ten lists as some of the best films of 2013, and go ahead and skip The Counselor.
NEW PICS: "X-Men: Days of Future Past"
REVIEW: "Blackfish" (2013) Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Blackfish is a searing indictment of SeaWorld and all that it stands for, and if this film gets the publicity and promotion that it deserves, it could strike a severe blow to the corporation that treats whales in wholly unnatural and inhumane ways with nothing but the profit motive in mind. The exploitative practices of this industry are downright barbaric- aren't human beings supposed to have progressed from this? The fact that we direct this treatment toward mammals with no human rights does not lessen the impact of the victims' suffering, who are highly evolved and intelligent living creatures.
Gabriela Cowperthwaite displays a fierce passion and advocacy for the rights of orcas to live in their natural habitat, and takes the time to document the brain and the emotional part of it that these animals possess, comparing them to dolphins in their intelligence and nearly human like in emotional capacity. Orcas develop familial relationships with other orcas in the wild, and children do not ever leave their mother's side after they're born. The whalers and the employees at SeaWorld practice various techniques and methods of ruling over these creatures that are antithetical to their natural way of life, even separating calves from their mothers in painful segments that will break your heart as you see them wail for hours, looking for their lost child.
Cowperthwaite draws testimony from former SeaWorld employees and whalers who explain what they did and the effects it had on the whales they were purportedly taking care of. They also testify to the outright lies they were directed to tell the public, covering up nearly a hundred incidents of whale aggression towards trainers over the last 20-30 years, expose the carelessness of SeaWorld regarding its employees' safety, and the unnatural process of breeding the whales themselves for artificial insemination. The focus of the documentary is one particular whale named Tilikum, who was abused as a calf by his trainer and treated badly by older whales, a process which served to shape him into an aggressive adult male, who had already attacked and killed one woman before being transferred to SeaWorld, who wanted the 12,000 pound whale for breeding purposes. SeaWorld never made the employees aware of Tilikum's history and continued to let him participate in training and shows which culminated in the death of another trainer, Dawn Beachum, in a highly publicized incident from 2010.
There is ample evidence presented in the film to suggest Cowperthwaite's thesis, that captivity makes naturally friendly orcas into frustrated, aggressive animals who are dangerous to humans, is right on the money. SeaWorld refused to be part of the documentary, and denies the mistreatment of the animals, along with covering up the records of violent incidents over the years, but this film is a provocative and morally outrageous accusation that raises serious questions about the rights of these whales and the ethics of the entire existence of these parks. As someone who's never been to SeaWorld, but always wanted to go as a child, I can say right now that I'd rather burn my money than set foot in the place after watching this film. Sprinkled throughout are the familiar commercials and promotional videos of SeaWorld selling itself as a happy place for children and families, where imprisoned and mistreated whales perform for human entertainment. In 2013, these ads read as ghoulish and it's time for the barbaric and devastating practices of these parks to end for good.
* * *
Movie of the Day: "Edward Scissorhands" (1990)
One of my favorite Tim Burton movies, I still think this character is one of the sweetest, saddest and most memorable out of all of his films. Johnny Depp again stars (although this was their first collaboration) in the lead, as the boy with scissors for hands, created by an old inventor Vincent Price (in a neat cameo) who dies before he can give him real ones. So Edward remains a type of humanoid, and when he finally leaves the old mansion where he lives he must interact with the suburbanites with whom of course, he doesn't quite fit in. It's still one of Johnny Depp's best performances, and Winona Ryder is good too as the girl he falls in love with. Even now, Tim Burton cites this movie as his most personal one, and it has one of the all time best Danny Elfman scores, the kind where once you hear the music it will forever be associated with the movie in your mind.
Original Trailer from 1990:
