Back in January Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9, Elysium and the forthcoming Chappie posted online some intriguing fan/concept art for an as-yet-announced project related to the now floundering Alien franchise. The art featured some very intriguing illustrations of not only Sigourney Weaver as an almost fully evolved Ripley/xenomorph hybrid but also Michael Biehn as a battle scarred Corporal Hicks. At the time nobody knew what they were for:
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week: Chappie, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Unfinished Business.
Cult films are difficult to define, as they vary in scope, themes, genre and in just about every other way. Despite these ambiguities, it is demonstrable that the revered Roger Ebert once got the definition entirely wrong. Avatar just isn’t cool enough In his review of Avatar, Ebert described the film as an “event” that was “predestined to launch a cult.
Fifty Shades Of Grey, it’s not often that so few words can spark so great a societal reaction. And to be honest, it is because of this very reason that I went to watch this film. I didn’t read the books, I didn’t care to.
As a rule, I recommend any movie that Simon Pegg is in…except for Run, Fatboy, Run. That movie was abysmal, but this movie looks exceptional.
“Our life is frittered away by detail…simplify, simplify.” The average life of the white collar worker is, from sunrise to sunset, an endless escapade of chores, professional obligations, and miscellaneous daily tasks, from the big decisions we have to make (college, job, spouse, etc.
From ideation to financing, distribution to production, the movie industry is just that, an industry. Let’s take a peek behind the projectors and movie screens at all facets of the films, and the people behind them, that we love. Let’s check out the links for this week.
Before being sent to maximum security prison for fraud, James King seeks the help of Darnell Lewis to survive prison. Darnell, of course, is not a thug but desperate people are a great source of income. Through this training King learns sad dog, the art of being so pathetic that no one will violate you…
Awarding movies with titles like “Best Picture” is a bit of an overstatement when you consider what goes into making a movie. And when you look through the winners over the years it’s frequently a surprise when you see who won, and the films that got snubbed. For example, 1998 is the year when Steven Spielberg shocked us with his WWII movie Saving Private Ryan, and yet Shakespeare in Love walked away with the Oscar for Best Picture.
After watching Chinese movies for 20 plus years, I never expect a complete plot. It’s always more about some human truth, philosophical belief about the way the world works or an awesome visual spectacle. I’m leaning toward awesome spectacle in this instance.
It’s often stated that January and February are the two worst cinematic months of the year, as all of the major new releases are more often than not the terrible movies major studios have just “dumped” there. Yet it could easily be argued that the months leading up to the end of the year (“awards season” or “prestige season”, if you prefer to forget that Hollywood backslapping ceremonies exist) are equally bad. They do usually provide the year’s best movies, yet they also provide the kinds of movies that have been made cynically to get awards.
In their natural state, no animal should be caged. Their world is of freedom wherein they find their purpose in it. For example, sharks police the seas making sure the weak and feeble are eliminated from the food chain.
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week: Focus, The Lazarus Effect, Maps To The Stars, ’71, Everly and My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.
Into The Woods is a big screen adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical of the same name, adapted by the writer of the original musical book, James Lapine, and directed by Rob Marshall (of Chicago fame). The film boasts a number of successful actors in musical roles. When I first heard of the film, this was enough to pique my curiosity, but as the release date approached my enthusiasm for it lessened.
Ever wonder what would happen if Alice brought Wonderland to the real world? Instead of rabbits and mad hatters, though, Abduct gives you creepy shadows and aliens. Oh my!