Tagged: film

MATT RAUB: The Last Mimzy

MATT RAUB: The Last Mimzy

  • News
  • March 23, 2007

Greetings, movie geeks! Last we spoke, you were all on the receiving end of my 300 bash, and after a handful of death threats from the “Frank Miller is God Fan Club,” I’ve digressed. We’re moving on this week to a flick that I can relate to, in Robert Shaye’s The Last Mimzy.

Now for those of you who aren’t in the know on this latest adolescent epic, the premise is that a brother and sister come across a mysterious box on the beach. It’s explained to us that the box is from the future and is filled with all kinds of equally mysterious sci-fi gadgets, or as the kids so affectionately called them “toys.” Once they start to play with these toys, both the boy and girl begin to gain special powers. Now fans of the USA show The 4400 may be saying “hey, this sounds a little familiar.” And I agree with you. The concept of the future sending technology back in time to save the human existence does sound a bit familiar, but this is done entirely through the perspective of the two kids.

By doing the entire film through the point of view of our two tiny heroes, this flick brought me back to what it was like to be a geeky kid with superpowers given to me from the future… or something. The perspective stayed so far on course that we (the audience) begin to hate the parents of the main characters when they become frightened and angry with these new found “toys” and what they are doing to their children. This can best be described by remembering the point of view from a little movie from the 80s called E.T. Much like that film, we all felt like we were keeping the secret from kids’ parents as much as they were, and that was exciting.

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Bouncing about

Bouncing about

  • News
  • March 22, 2007

The idea of sports comics has always appealed to me.  I wish we had more of them.  Okay, any of them.  Sports is such a great method of portraying action without having the characters fight each other (by only having them metaphorically fight).

But Japan, with its vast array of comics subject matter, has the flare to not only pull off a sports manga but make it innovative and cutting-edge.  And now that the live-action version of Ping Pong is coming out, many are doubtless eager to see how it lives up to the original.

Folks in New York, Chicago and Seattle will get that chance, as Viz Pictures will be screening the comedic sports film for limited runs in those cities over the next couple of months. In New York, you can catch it at the ImaginAsian starting on April 6; in Chicago it debuts at Facets Cinematheque on April 27; and in Seattle it’ll be at the Grand Illusion Cinema beginning May 25 (which is a bit far in the future so no info is available yet on their site).

600 bare thighs

600 bare thighs

  • News
  • March 9, 2007

Starting off, I want to issue a warning to the readers out there who aren’t fans of scantily clad, bronzed, chiseled goliaths who seem to have leapt from the pages of Men’s Fitness Magazine. If you aren’t, much like this reviewer, you may not enjoy the true essence of the two-hour epic which is 300.

600 bare thighs aside, I wasn’t a huge fan of Zack Snyder’s interpretation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel. I place most of the blame not on Snyder, but on Robert Rodriguez. Their promotion play was established by showing off the “graphic novel” style of filmmaking, which is essentially comparing the comic book pages to the frames of the film, fast-cut, music video-style editing, heavy rock soundtrack, and shooting the majority of the film in front of a green screen. Now I’d hope the majority of you realize at this point that the style I just read off was identical to the style that Robert Rodriguez practically invented for 2005’s Sin City.

Now in playing devil’s advocate, I could say that the reasoning behind the similar styles lies with the fact that they are both done in Miller’s vision, and his artistic didn’t change much between the two graphic novels, and you could be asking at that point “Why should the film style change between the two films?” I’ll tell you why, dear readers. If this film was done with Rodriguez behind the helm once again, or even with his “Troublemaker Studios” at hand (which is where the majority of the green-screen activity was shot) it would have been far more acceptable.

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Maggie Gyllenhaal playing Rachel Dawes in ‘The Dark Knight’

  • News
  • March 9, 2007

Cinematical wouldn’t lie to us, and they tell us that Variety says that Maggie Gyllenhaal is in final talks to play Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (which, of course, is the sequel to Batman Begins.) Gyllenhaal will replace Katie Holmes as the love interest of Christian Bale.

Me, I’m thrilled. I’ve loved her in everything I’ve seen her in, and I think that she’ll add an edge to the film that Holmes couldn’t. I’m looking forward to it.

Arkin to Get Smart with Carell

Arkin to Get Smart with Carell

  • News
  • March 1, 2007

Fresh from their oscar-nominated performances in Little Miss Sunshine last year, Steve Carell and Alan Arkin will be appearing together in the Warner Bros. film version of Get Smart as Maxwell Smart (Secret Agent 86, as if you’d forgotten) and the Chief, respectively. Also cast in the film is Anne Hathaway as Agent 99.

But now, the really tough question — do you even try to replace Bernie Kopell as Siegfried? And Patrick Warburton, of course, is the obvious choice for Hymie the Robot.

Marvel NYCC Exclusives — Spoilers!

Marvel NYCC Exclusives — Spoilers!

  • News
  • February 24, 2007

Do NOT read after the fold if you are trying to remain pure and virignal about what you see in Spider-Man 3. You’ve been warned.

This is the first time we’ve seen some of these items. Photos after the fold.

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Ronin next Miller movie adaptation?

  • News
  • February 13, 2007

IESB reports that Gianni Nunnari will produce and Sylvain White will direct the next big-screen adaptation of a Frank Miller comic, Ronin. Nunnari, who owns the movie rights to the work and has a first look deal with Warner Bros., revealed this news at the press day for 300.  (Via SuperHeroHype, Wilson Morales at blackfilm.com interviews White about his plans for the movie.)

This would seem to put pay to long-ago news of Darren Aronofsky co-writing and directing the film — except that, as Warren Ellis mentions, news that Nunnari would also be bringing Ellis’s and Chris Sprouse’s graphic novel Ocean to film is absolutely untrue. Says Ellis, "I imagine Mr. Nunnari was misheard, or misspoke and will correct himself shortly. No film company has ever attempted to purchase the media rights to Ocean, which are owned by Chris and myself."

Len Wein – Thumbs up on 300

300Len Wein went to a preview of the movie based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel 300, and has a very positive review of it up on his blog. "The story is one of history’s great tales of heroism and sacrifice and this film definitely does it justice… One word of caution, though: this film is as graphically violent as any I’ve seen."

Graphic violence, from a Frank Miller graphic novel? How unexpected!

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