I finally saw it. And what can I say? I thought it was awesome. I loved the graphic novel and I, like everyone else who read it, was very sceptical if ZACK SNYDER was the right man for the job. Can he do it? 300 was a nice flick, but it wasn't the most demanding piece of fiction to say the least. WATCHMEN on the other hand is a very complex graphic novel, with an almost insane amount of details and subplots and... well crazy shit going on. Can he do it? YES HE CAN!
WATCHMEN is one hell of a flick. SYNDER manages to stay true to the novel and still delivers a very entertaining blockbuster. Of course some things are missing, but it didn't harm the story at all.
As we could expect, the movie is visually stunning. And it's so violent and explicit, I still can't believe the amount of gore I've witnessed. But it's not like a BRUCKHEIMER-esque adaptation of good material, it's deep, it takes its time to tell the story and describe the characters (with the exception of Veidts character, which in my opinion should have gotten more attention) and embraces them properly. This movie is almost on par with THE DARK KNIGHT and I love how dark, explicit and badass Hollywood can be, if you let the right people do their job.
However, I can understand, that this movie isn't suited for everyone. It is not your average superhero flick. It's confusing at times (especially if you have not read the graphic novel), it's complex and it mixes sort of reality with very strange fiction and it calls on your imagination. You definitely have to let yourself go on this one.
When something as big as WATCHMEN gets adapted for the big screen, you alyways have those hardcore fans, that bitch about every little piece, that's missing from the original or they moan about changes, with no regard of how those changes work or fit for the movie. They bitch about LORD OF THE RINGS, they bitch about HARRY POTTER and of course they will bitch about WATCHMEN. Don't you believe em. This is a movie. It is not the graphic novel, it's an adaptation. And a great one, I might add. This movie comes as close to the original, as I can imagine a movie could get. If you read the graphic novel and expect that exact same feeling that you had when you first read it from the movie, than you're an idiot. Is it impossible to like or even worship a great novel like LOTR or WATCHMEN and STILL like the adaptations? No it's not, if it's done as good as this. All you hardcore geeks, should get your thumbs outta your ass and enjoy this motion picture version of one of the best graphic novels of all times. Let me tell you this: I even like the ending of the movie better than the version of the graphic novel! Yeah, I said it! I can imagine how ALAN MOORE sits at home thinking "damn, why didn't I come up with that twist?".
I tip my hat to all those involved in the making of this flick.
Can't wait to see the directos cut!
Check this out: KEVIN SMITH will direct a movie, which he didn't wrote! Isn't that incredible? Chances are he might not bomb at the Box Office for once in his career. The cast sounds promising so far - BRUCE WILLIS and TRACY MORGAN (you know him as the crazy black dude in NBCs hit sitcom 30 ROCK, and of course WHO DAT NINJA...).
The movie is penned by MARK and ROBB CULLEN and comes by the name of A COUPLE OF COPS.
IMDB describes the plot outline as follows:
A comedy about two cops whose adventures include locating a stolen baseball card, rescuing a woman, and dealing with gangsters and their laundered money.
Yeah, I know... the headline is kinda exaggerated but it's true. WATCHMEN scored the best opening for an R-rated movie EVER. Although it even scored the best opening for the year so far, it still came in lower than expected with "only" $56 million. Check it out:
source: variety
ZACK SNYDER topped the BOX OFFICE two years ago with 300. It took the first place with $70.9 million over the course of its first weekend. What's so interesting about those figures is, that 300 scored $2.5 million after the friday midnight screenings before the weekend and what's even more interesting is, that WATCHMEN grossed $4.6 million after the same time counting the early showings. So it's pretty save to say, that WATCHMEN will kick some serious box office ass this weekend! Yay!
source: EW
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM is one of my favourite shows of all times. In case you have lived under a huge rock -or in Europe, where this awesome show never got recognized- and you don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. Get a clue. CURB is created from and about LARRY DAVID, who is one of the creators of the most successfull sitcom on Earth called SEINFELD. It's about LDs life after he became uber rich with SEINFELD and basically has nothing to do, but living his life in Hollywood and pissing off everybody around him. Sounds great, right? Anyways, the show is heading for it's seventh season this Fall (yes, you've been missing out a great show for over six years now) and EW has exklusive news on the new season. Check it out:
"The Seinfeld cast is making another must-see appearance. EW has learned exclusively that the four stars of NBC's long-running comedy -- Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards -- will be featured in a multiple-episode story arc on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm this fall. The cameos will mark the first time that all four actors have appeared together in a scripted TV show since Seinfeld went off the air nearly 11 years ago. [...]"
A new trailer for the new HARRY POTTER flick is out. I couldn't care less, since I despise the whole Potter-Universe, but I respect the fact, that it has A LOT of fans around the world, who go nuts when this little headgeek swings his magic wand (which -actually- he rarley does...hm).
So here it is:
Despite the disappointing ratings (the show just hit an all-time low with "only" 7 million people watching. That's 2 million people less than last year), despite the rumors that the show is getting axed and despite the fact, that the show has gone downhill quality-wise and basically sucks donkey balls now (and I LOVED the first season!), HEROES will survive for another season reports THR.
NBC ordered another 18-20 episodes confirmes ANGELA BROMSTAD, entertainment president of NBC.
Another point in “Heroes” favor is the show performs well internationally. Bromstad said she experienced the drama's global popularity first-hand in her previous NBC post, heading the network’s international efforts based in London.
"Every single place you go has heard about 'Heroes' -- whether you’re in China or Japan or Russia," she said. "And to me, that is global content."
Boy oh boy, PUBLIC ENEMIES and WATCHMEN are two of my most anticipated movies for 2009. So I'm glad to announce that the official trailer for MICHAEL MANNS (COLLATERAL, MIAMI VICE, HEAT) crime thriller has just been released. The flick features an uber cast: JOHNNY DEPP as legendary bank robber John Dillinger, CHRISTIAN BALE as FBI agent Melvin Purvis and MARION COTILLARD (won the Oscar 2008 for best female lead in LA VIE EN ROSE) as Dillingers girlfriend Billie Frechette.
PE will hit the big screen in July in the U.S. and August in Europe!
Click here to watch the trailer.
If you happen to be a machine, than get ready to get you ass handed by John Connor! The new TERMINATOR SALVATION trailer kicks some serious butt and I am now officially hyped!
Ch-ch-check-it-out:
SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT has acquired THE B-TEAM a ADAM MCKAY-directed action comedy that will team WILL FERRELL and MARK WAHLBERG as cops.
MCKAY and FERRELL who brought us the nothing but awesome ANCHORMAN, the decent STEP BROTHERS and the not-so-great TALLADEGA NIGHTS will also produce the flick. It's still uncertain, if the flick will be released as B-TEAM due to possible legal/name issues with 20th CENTURY FOX that is mobilizing a movie based on TV series THE A-TEAM.
I keep you posted on this one.
One of the greatest Stand-Up comediens of all-times RICHARD PRYOR will get a full feature biopic. Writer/director BILL CONDON (DREAMGIRLS) is likely to sell his script RICHARD PRYOR: IS IT SOMETHING I SAID? to FOX SEARCHLIGHT (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE).
EDDIE MURPHY is attached to the project to play the late RICHARD PRYOR who died in December 2005 due to a heart attack.
He was 65 years old.
source: EW
Another remake no one needs but who's counting, right?
TOTAL RECALL is coming back to the big screen. NEAL H. MORITZ, Hollywood producer and owner of a company called ORIGINAL FILMS who brought us movies like THE FAST & THE FURIOUS, S.W.A.T. or xXx (which sadly ain't porn but "triple x") is in final negotiations with COLUMBIA to direct and produce a new version of SCHWARZENEGGERS big hit TOTAL RECALL (1990).
No word on who's starring or what the script will be like...
HARRY POTTER has a date. Well not an actual date but a release date for THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 AND 2.
DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 1:
November 19th, 2010
DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2:
July 15th, 2011
And for those who are confused about the HALF-BLOOD PRINCE:
HALF-BLOOD PRINCE:
July 17th, 2009
So the 81st Annual Acadamy Awards are over. I have to admit, I was kinda sceptical beforehand and couldn't really get on the OSCAR-Hype-Train. There was just nothing that promised a spectacular or at least an interesting show. The nominated movies were quite unspectacular, boring or just wrong. With some exceptions of course. I loved FROST/NIXON, though I don't think this well crafted and well acted piece of work deserved a statue that says "this is one of the most important movies ever made". I was however disappointed, that THE DARK KNIGHT did not get a nomination for Best Picture. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fanboy and I'm not basing my opinion on Box Office sales, BUT I doubt a Blockbuster can get any better than this. If you hand out 11 statues to TITANIC and don't even "nominate" TDK for Best Picture, you should not wonder why people lose interest in the Acadamy Awards. If the OSCARS aren't believable and credibile, than what's the point? That being said, of course I watched the whole show and... I enjoyed it.
First of all, I thought HUGH JACKMAN did a terrific job. I was really really sceptical if he could pull this thing. I was like "Wolverine? Really?", but credit where credit is due, I have to cut the man some slack. He was very likeable and the good thing was he didn't force himself to the audience. He sang, he danced, he shook some hands and hosted very smoothly. I have to admit though, that I still prefer a comedian like Jon Stewart, Steve Martin or Chris Rock. JACKMANN was good, but he was too clean for my taste. And what's with all the singing and dancing and "Musicals are alive" shit? Come on...
However I LOVED the idea of presenting the awards for best Actor/Actress by former winners. It was beautiful to see so many great actors together on one stage talking directly and in front of the nominated actors/actresses.
Another thing that was very nicely done was the way how they announced the categories and explained and showed what it meant. Like when they talked about Best Screenplay, they showed actual excerpts of that particular script and the scene as it was in the finished movie. Great!
What else...loved the JAMES FRANCO , SETH ROGEN and JANUSZ KAMINSKI(!) skit (Rogen takes one of Kaminskis two Oscars and wonders "can you make a pipe out of this?"), loved BEN STILLER not wanting to be the funny guy anymore (very funny), loved BEYONCÉ...
Let's talk HEATH LEDGER. Is it just me, or was the Oscar for HEATH kinda boring... or unspectacular. I don't say it had to be particulary "special" in any kind of way, but it felt kinda cold from my perspective. The mother and sister of HEATH seemed to really enjoy the Oscars and judging from the hair of LEDGERs sister and the dress of his mom, they put quite some time and effort to look nice on stage, whereas their speech was pretty dull. I expected more emotions and feelings. Not "faked feelings" mind you. Don't get me wrong. No one has to burst out in tears, if they don't feel like it, but I thought he wasn't praised and honored enough. But maybe that's just me...
As for the winners, there was not really a big upset or surprise. I'm glad that BUTTON didn't get away with too many OSCARS, because it just didn't deserve them. The only thing that was, well at least a littlebit surprising, was SEAN PENNs OSCAR for best ACTOR. I haven't seen MILK yet, but I can imagine that it was an Oscar-worthy perfomance by PENN. I mean it's SEAN PENN ffs... BUT I would loved to see the award go to MICKEY ROURKE. I love that guy, loved the movie and I'm not sure if he will ever get a shot for an Oscar again. Well I guess I have to watch his kickass acceptance speech of the SPIRIT AWARD over and over again and imagine how it would have been, if had won an Oscar:
BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire"
(Fox Searchlight) A Celador Films Production; Christian Colson, Producer
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner: Sean Penn in "Milk" (Focus Features)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner: Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Winner: Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner: Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (The Weinstein Company)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner: Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.)
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: "Milk" (Focus Features); Written by Dustin Lance Black
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
Winner: "WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Andrew Stanton
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Winner: "La Maison en Petits Cubes" A Robot Communications Production; Kunio Kato
ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
Winner: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Art
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: "The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathe; and BBC Films) Michael O'Connor
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Winner:"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Paramount and Warner Bros.) Greg Cannom
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Anthony Dod Mantle
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Winner: "Spielzeugland (Toyland)"A Mephisto Film Production; Jochen Alexander Freydank
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Winner: "Man on Wire" (Magnolia Pictures) A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Winner: "Smile Pinki" A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Eric
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
Winner: "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Richard King
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Chris Dickens
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Winner: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) A.R. Rahman
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
Winner: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Gulzar
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Winner: "Departures" (Regent Releasing) A Departures Film Partners Production; Japan