Studios Respond to New Zealand Hobbit Boycott

Posted by Rodneyon 28. 09. 2010in News Chat

The New Zealand performers’ guilds recently staged a very vocal and pointed threat at Peter Jackson and producers of The Hobbit, suggesting that its membership boycott The Hobbit threatening yet another delay in the film.

Peter Jackson responded to the statement yesterday, and now we get wind that New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM are collectively against this movement too.

TheOneRing.net quotes the statement:

New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures are concerned by the recent allegations of unfair treatment of actors in New Zealand and instructions from the performers’ guilds to their membership to withhold services from the producers of “The Hobbit” in New Zealand. We are proud to have good relations with all of those performers’ guilds and value their contribution to the motion pictures produced in their respective jurisdictions throughout the world. But we believe that in this case the allegations are baseless and unfair to Peter Jackson and his team in Wellington who have been tireless supporters of the New Zealand motion picture community.

To classify the production as “non-union” is inaccurate. The cast and crew are being engaged under collective bargaining agreements where applicable and we are mindful of the rights of those individuals pursuant to those agreements. And while we have previously worked with MEAA, an Australian union now seeking to represent actors in New Zealand, the fact remains that there cannot be any collective bargaining with MEAA on this New Zealand production, for to do so would expose the production to liability and sanctions under New Zealand law. This legal prohibition has been explained to MEAA. We are disappointed that MEAA has nonetheless continued to pursue this course of action.

Motion picture production requires the certainty that a production can reasonably proceed without disruption and it is our general policy to avoid filming in locations where there is potential for work force uncertainty or other forms of instability. As such, we are exploring all alternative options in order to protect our business interests.

It seems this posturing was a power play and was just outpowered.

If they were discarding PJ’s well stated rebuttal, it will be hard for them to deny these other studios backing him up on this.

It was nothing but an effort to bleed more money from an industry already more than happy to populate their shores. They had more to lose than gain, so it was risky. Hopefully this will put an end to it.

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Gore Verbinski may Direct The Lone Ranger

Posted by Rodneyon 28. 09. 2010in News Chat

Looks like Jerry Bruckheimer’s Lone Ranger, set to star Johnny Depp as that mysterious masked man still hasn’t got a director, but now it seems like the Pirates Trio might reuinite again as Gore Verbinski is rumoured to be in talks for the comfy director’s chair.

ScreenJunkies shares:

The director has teamed with Johnny Depp on three Pirates Of The Caribbean films as well as the animated Rango. Now, there are rumors that they’ll work together again with Verbinski helming Depp’s upcoming The Lone Ranger.

Now nothing is official, but Depp has a habit of working with people he likes, and Bruckheimer produced the Pirates films with Verbinski on point. These guys know and trust each other.

I am of mixed feelings with this, and I hope that if this does come together that we get more of a Pirates 1 and less of Pirates 2&3 feel.

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Review: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Posted by Rodneyon 27. 09. 2010in Headlines, News Chat, Reviews

Thanks for checking out our Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Review

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Staring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon
Released: Sept 24, 2010

THE GENERAL IDEA

THE GOOD

Seeing Michael Douglas naturally aging into the man that would be Gekko 23 years later was a treat. Douglas fits the role like an old shoe and all the memories that go with it. He is just as charming and seductive as he was in the original. He is still Gekko, but thankfully he is also Gekko-after-prison and actually evolves with the story instead of just showing up as if the first movie didn’t conclude.

And Shia LaBoeuf? I had hopes for him as an actor and I was not disappointed. While he seems to be attached to projects that earn him some mockery by association, Shia has stepped up his game and he deserves to be in this film. He earned it.

Brolin plays Bretton James, and he is a true product of the corruption and heartless business that the financial world has become. He is the reason for that corruption and very much the “enemy” giving a face to the issues this film addresses. Brolin plays the heartless banker so well he makes Gekko look far less intimidating.

Charlie Sheen makes a cameo appearance as Bud Fox, explaining where he has been for the last 23 years too, and it works well.

THE BAD

Carey Mulligan is wasted in this movie. It seems her only purpose here is to direct hate at Gekko and cry a lot to remind us he is evil. Honestly, if they didn’t have a love interest for Shia LaBoef, I don’t know that it would have mattered at all. She was just another part of his life that gets affected by his situation. He would be just as torn up if a baseball card left by his father was at risk. At least then they wouldn’t have spent all that time trying to convince me to care about his relationship.

There is some pacing issues and there are parts of the film that drag on. That and the forced “purpose” of the film. They couldn’t just make it about Gekko getting out of prison and finding a new way to impact the game he craves? No, they have to throw in some weepy romance, a father daughter redemption story. They could have done this without the obvious “this is why we are doing this” story.

OVERALL

This film will forever be measured against the original, and while Gekko was great to see again, he serves the same purpose in this film as he does in the original. Everyone remembers Wall Street as that Michael Douglas film where he plays Gordon Gekko. But in reality Gekko was a secondary character and the cause of the rise and justification of Bud Fox, and in this film – while its great to see him in his hardass Gekko form – Douglas is secondary.

It really doesn’t stack up to the original as far as impact, but is still a good film on its own, especially with the backdrop of the financial crisis.

I give Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps a 7 out of 10

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New Yogi Bear Trailer Online

New Yogi Bear Trailer Online - The Movie Blog HomeAboutContact FavoritesFeaturesHeadlinesNews ChatReviewsUncut PodcastYou Are Here : Home » » New Yogi Bear Trailer OnlineNew Yogi Bear Trailer Online
Posted by Rodneyon 28. 09. 2010in News Chat

A new Trailer is available for the Live Action Yogi Bear movie, and its looking a lot better (and less creepy) than the teasers and stills we have seen so far.

This does look a little better. There are some clever lines, and it looks like it has its own charm and a real feel of Garfield, which I didn’t hate, so the kids will be all over it.

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Blu Tuesday DVD and Bluray Release Report Sept 28, 2010

Posted by Rodneyon 28. 09. 2010in News Chat

This is a good week for movies, and a few goodies to bring home today.

Check out what hit retail shelves today:

Iron Man 2 – Check out our Review
The world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the armored super hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.

I didn’t like it as much as the first, but its a good addition. This will get bought.

Get Him to the Greek – Check out our Review
Aaron Greenberg (Hill) gets things done. The ambitious 23-year-old has exaggerated his way into a dream job just in time for a career-making assignment. His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to L.A.s Greek Theatre for the first-stop on a $100-million tour. His warning: Turn your back on him at your own peril. British rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) is both a brilliant musician and walking sex. Weary of yes men and piles of money, the former front man is searching for the meaning of life. But that doesnt mean he cant have a few orgies while he finds it.

I had more fun with this movie than I thought I would – considering Jonah Hill is in it. And I still will likely buy it, but maybe not today.

Frozen
A typical day on the slopes turns into a chilling nightmare for three snowboarders when they get stranded on the chairlift before their last run. As the ski patrol switches off the night lights, they realize with growing panic that they’ve been left behind dangling high off the ground with no way down.
With the resort closed until the following weekend and frostbite and hypothermia already setting in, the trio is forced to take desperate measures to escape off the mountain before they freeze to death. Once they make their move, they discover with horror that they have much more to fear than just the frigid cold. As they combat unexpected obstacles, they start to question if their will to survive is strong enough to over the worst ways to die?

Looked interesting and will probably get rented.

Legendary
Cal Chetley, a bright, undersized fifteen-year-old, is an outsider in the blue collar town of Sallisaw, Oklahoma known for its high school wrestling program. His older brother Mike, a one-time high school champion with whom Cal is estranged, left Cal and his mother Sharon behind years ago after the tragic car accident that killed their father. Sharon is grieving the loss of her husband while struggling with an estranged, older son and her bright, socially isolated younger one, the latter of whom is determined to put his family back together. With the encouragement of Harry “Red” Newman, a charming, albeit mysterious man who has a way of showing up in Cal’s life just when he needs him most, Cal joins the high school team hoping his brother will train him. What ensues is an emotional, uplifting journey about Cal’s drive to succeed and his unwavering pursuit to reunite his family.

I never thought I would say this, but I am curious about a John Cena film. This actually looks pretty good, and I will surely rent it.
Verdict

Batman/Superman: Apocalypse
Batman discovers a mysterious teen-aged girl with super-human powers and a connection to Superman. When the girl comes to the attention of Darkseid, the evil overlord of Apokolips, events take a decidedly dangerous turn.

Even with the whole “Superman punching fire” thing, this still looks great, and the DC Direct titles have been great so far. This will get bought on blind faith.

So what’s making your “must have” list this week?

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Movie Review: Despicable Me (2010)

After watching it, I believe that Despicable Me was created solely for that "Family Weekend" activity that kids and parents will love.

If you ask me, the film borrows a lot from the concept of Pixar's The Incredibles, but in this case, the film pokes fun at super-villainy. Depite the lack of originality, there are many things to like about the film: the 3D animation, the transformation of the villainous Gru (Steve Carell) into a paternal figure thanks to three adorable girls, the rivalry between Gru and the upstart Vector (Jason Segel), and the multitude of Gru's yellow minions.

One thing that annoyed me though was Gru's accent. It sounds like Russian and it sounded garbled to me in a lot of times. Another beef is the availability of the film exclusively on 3D, so that meant paying double to what I usually pay for in a movie. The only time the 3D format was given justice was during the end credits (be sure to stay after the movie has ended).

Despicable Me is fun movie that the family will love and enjoy. A definite must-see. :)

Rating: 4/5

Technorati: Despicable Me

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Movie Review: The American (2010)

The American is a subdued thriller about one not escaping his past.

George Clooney plays Jack and he is an American weapons expert in Europe. Plying his trade in secret, Jack goes to a small town of Castel del Monte in Italy to finish a complicated weapon. The isolation and loneliness get to Jack and he breaks protocol by getting involved with the locals-- first, befriending the town's priest and then falling for a local prostitute. But as Jack decides to escape his life of intrigue, his situation becomes even more dangerous.

Two things work for me in the film: First, is the beautifully shot locations in Italy. Castel del Monte's small town appeal is captured wonderfully by the film. Seriously, you can take screenshots of the film and print them as post cards. Second is George Clooney's restrained performance as Jack. He relies so much in his instincts that he grapples with them a lot. I feel comfortable labeling Jack as the "Anti-James Bond."

I left the theater affected and with good reason-- The American succeeds in setting up the mood and atmosphere.

Rating: 4/5

Technorati: The American

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