Jane’s Favorite Movie Tunes, Vol. 8
August 31, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
Today’s installment of Jane’s Favorite Movie Tunes comes to us from Happy Feet, a foot-stompin’, tune-slingin’ penguin movie from Warner Bros. Pictures. Released in 2006, it stars Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and Brittany Murphy. Check out this teaser trailer, and see if it doesn’t make you smile. After the jump is Nicole Kidman’s “Somebody to Love”:
After the jump, Nicole Kidman singing “Somebody to Love”…
"W" Preview and Trailer
August 31, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
W. is headed to screens Oct. 17, 2008. It’s Oliver Stone’s story about George W. Bush, taking us through his life, struggles and triumphs, marriage to Laura, development of his faith, and the critical days leading up to his decision to invade Iraq.
What do you think about this? I just keep thinking how weird it would be to have a movie made about you. I’m sure Stone will give us his version of the events, and they’ll probably be really dramatic and possibly untrue. I’d like someone to make a movie about Oliver Stone sometime. Can you tell I’m not really an Oliver Stone fan?
W. stars Josh Brolin as George W. Bush, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, James Cromwell as George Herbert Walker Bush, Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, and Ioan Gruffud as Tony Blair.
More after the jump, including a trailer:
"The Incredible Hulk" on DVD Oct. 21, 2008
August 31, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
The Incredible Hulk was no Iron Man, in the world of summer blockbusters, but it was still a great movie with good special effects. Read my review here.
It’s coming to DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 21, 2008, and includes lots of cool bonus features.
The release will be available in three versions: a 3-disc Special Edition DVD available for a limited time only; a two-disc Blu-ray release, offered in collectible 3D packaging for a limited time only; and a single-disc DVD edition.
Both the Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray releases include over two hours of bonus extras, including an exclusive alternate opening and a digital copy of the film that’s iPod, PC or MAC compatible.
The two-disc Blu-ray set will also include all-new, interactive features including My Chat, an innovative application that allows viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film. That’s cool! For the geek-minded among us, that is. Not sure I’d get too excited about it.
More after the jump, including bonus details…
"Family Guy" Movie in the Works
August 31, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
It looks like an animated Family Guy movie is in the works. My 14-year-old son will be soooo happy.
In an interview with TV Week, creator Seth MacFarlane says, “We want to do it. And it is time. In the past six months we have seriously started talking about it. And my hope is that we will get it going within the next year.”
If they can find the time, that is. “Doing the show is a seven-day a week process, so I don’t know how we will squeeze in a movie,” says MacFarlane. “But we will figure it out. I have an idea about what it will be. It’s definitely something you wouldn’t be able to do on the show. That’s the only reason to do a movie.”
I haven’t watched much Family Guy — more into Futurama — but the show definitely has a huge following that would see the movie.
Any thoughts on this?
Notes from a Casting Director
August 31, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
I’m always intrigued by the filmmaking process, and love talking to people working behind the scenes. Backstage.com just published a great story about Avy Squad, a New York-based casting director who’s hired actors for The Sixth Sense, Garden State, Brokeback Mountain, and Capote.
Squad says there’s a fine line between persistence and obnoxiousness. “There are some actors that contact me on every project I begin. If I have a role for them, I will bring them in. And if I don’t, in all honesty, I’m not going to call. Because everybody feels that they’re right for the role.”
More after the jump…
"Terra" Review and Trailer
August 30, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
I saw Terra at the Traverse City Film Festival a few weeks ago. It’s a beautiful, animated tale about a race of peace-loving aliens on a distant planet. Humans were forced off the earth eons ago, and are now looking for a place to settle, as their life support system will soon expire on their space station. But the humans are much more aggressive in their struggle for survival, and their methods for overtaking the planet are war-based, which is all new to the gentle aliens.
Directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas, it features the voices of Evan Rachel Wood, Brian Cox, Luke Wilson, Amanda Peet, Justin Long, and Dennis Quaid. It’s a beautiful film in color, animation, characters and theme, with some thought-provoking questions about living together with other species. Note that it IS rated PG-13, though, because of the violence and intense themes. So it’s not for very small kids.
More after the jump, including a trailer…
Baz Luhrmann’s "Australia" Pushed Back
August 29, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
In yet more release date switcheroos — which seem to have been spurred by the move of Harry Potter to next summer — Fox has bumped back the release of its adventure flick Australia in the U.S., Canada and Australia by 12 days to Nov. 26.
Do the moves matter? Not really. Not to me, anyway. I’m disappointed that there will be no Harry Potter this year, but happy in that it’ll push the inevitable ending of the franchise to a later date.
Australia’s move to the day before Thanksgiving is just the latest in a series of distributor efforts to adjust to Warner Bros.’ decision to move Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from its holiday slot to July 17.
More after the jump…
Wall*E Heads to DVD / Blu-ray Nov. 18
August 29, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
Wall*E is headed to DVD and Blu-ray on Nov. 18, 2008. But, of course! Just in time for the Christmas rush. We love this movie around our house, so I’m excited to see what bonus features they’ll include. I’m hoping for a commentary by director Andrew Stanton.
The sweet, animated Disney/Pixar hit, written and directed by Stanton, will be available in both single-disc and triple-disc versions. The 3-disc version will include bonus features about the film’s robot heroes, Web vignettes, an interactive storybook, and a detailed documentary on Pixar.
The releases also include a digital copy of the film, playable on mobile devices. I’ve noticed that with more and more DVD releases lately. I’ll post more details as I hear them.
Image: Wall*E, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2008
John Lennon’s Story Headed to Theaters
August 29, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
The thing about biopics — especially if they profile interesting people like John Lennon — is that it’s something different in the movie arena. Even if the same person is profiled in several movies, they’re all bound to be a different take on their life.
That’s why I always appreciate seeing biopics in the works, because so many movies are just the same thing over and over.
Now the story of John Lennon is headed for the big screen with Nowhere Boy, directed by visual artist Sam Taylor-Wood. Interesting choice for a director.
More after the jump…
"Burn After Reading" Trailer
August 29, 2008 by Jane Boursaw
Burn After Reading is a dark spy-comedy from the Coen Brothers (woohoo - Joel and Ethan!). I can’t wait to see it, because I love their stuff. It follows an ousted CIA official (John Malkovich), whose memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two gym employees who intend to exploit it.
Directed and written by Ethan and Joel Coen, this movie is rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content, and violence. In theaters Sept. 12, 2008. And wow, what a cast! George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, and Tilda Swinton are on tap. Could it be another runaway hit a la Fargo, O Brother Where Are Thou, and all of their others?
