Tuesday, December 9, 2008

TWILIGHT: THE PUPPET SAGA


Man do I love puppets. And I love puppets even more when they're used to parody something. In this case, TWILIGHT. Not only is the romance in this short film done more skillfully and more believably, but I'd even say that the special effects contend with those of the feature film. You decide.
In other news, Catherine Hardwicke was removed as director of the TWILIGHT franchise which I see as a great move in a better series of films. I still admire her for her status in filmmaking today but I absolutely do not believe she is right for this series. Her direction in this film was awful if I might say.

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Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thoughts on Criminality and Morality in Film; WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU and DUPLICITY trailers

Though most of us still appreciate a good ol' crime drama in the vein of GOODFELLAS or CASINO or any number or Scorsese films, I've been finding it harder and harder to appreciate this genre of film. It's not the writing (though at times is lyrical) and it's not the direction (at times visually ornate), it's my reaction to the world that the characters inhabit. Though, I still can admire the chops that go into making a PARANOID PARK, the writing of a BLOW or BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, or even the brutal explorations of a NO COUNTRY, I'm no longer inspired by the criminals that some films glorify. Like the boy looking up to Outlaw Jesse James.
Now, there's a difference between inspiration and impression. A keen mind is a keen mind but all knowledge is not necessarily good knowledge. Criminals or those who take part in criminal activity are still human beings, but we all make decisions and the justification that, some don't know any better, is no longer justification enough. We live in the 21st century. Education starts from when one reads the tube of toothpaste in the morning to when one shops for khakis and to when they drive home from work listening to the news flash in between songs on the radio. Criminals themselves are to blame for predicaments they find themselves in and are responsible for any and all consequences.
Having just finished the final episode of THE SHIELD, the word consequence doesn't seem to carry the weight it once did. The protagonist (or antagonist, depending on how you view him) Vic Mackey, is not only one of the sharpest minds on the police force, he's also one of the dirtiest. I find myself rooting for the clever thug all the while hoping he gets the justice that's coming to him. I love it when Ocean and crew get away with the loot in the end but their suavity doesn't negate that fact they're cons and criminals. It may seem like I'm taking the fun out of the film but look at the situation on a universal level. What are the reasons so many youngsters think they have what it takes to be a criminal; the reason they turn to criminality? Right, there's too many.
I'm almost banging on a muted drum here but think about the role criminality and the morality of it in films you see in the future and even ones you may revisit from years past.
Now comes the trailer for Brian Goodman's WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU. I'm not making any negative comments towards the film but consider the film taking what we've discussed above. The story is fairly authentic as it is based on events and the life of the writer/director.


We all know Tony Gilroy right? He's only written some of the best screenplays in the last decade including THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE and the BOURNE films and as of 2007, directed one of the best movies of the year, MICHAEL CLAYTON. His new film is in fact, yep you guessed it, a con film. DUPLICITY, starring the Clive "The Driver" Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson. It does look mighty fun though, doesn't it?

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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Trailer for ADORATION


I hadn't heard about this film until about three weeks ago. It played earlier this year at Cannes and received a skittles bag of mixed reviews. Adam and Matty spoke about the film, last week I believe, on their podcast Filmspotting and both had fairly positive feelings about the film. Directed and written by Atom Egoyan, who also brought us THE SWEET HEREAFTER and WHERE THE TRUTH LIES to name a couple. Anyhoo, I'm interested, to say the least. Although this film doesn't open until early 2009, we're reaching the end of the year, "Oscar season" films, and I'd group this with those, not so much a contender with films like MILK and BENJAMIN BUTTON, but more "in the vein of."

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Friday, November 21, 2008

Trailer Ketchup/Catsup/Catch-up

Oh so many trailers. How many trailers, you ask? Enough to feed all of New Mexico with. I'll start quickly with one that comes from writer director Greg Mottola. You might not have seen his first film THE DAYTRIPPERS but you mostly did see his other, SUPERBAD. His new film, ADVENTURELAND, stars indie star Jesse Eisenberg and of TWILIGHT infamy, Kristen Stewart who seems to actually give a damn unlike in her performance in TWILIGHT. I still can't get over the disappointment! Anyhoo, ADVENTURELAND looks really darn sweet and looks to have the samn sentiment that gave JUNO heart. Look for ADVENTURELAND March 27th of 2009.


Next up, the one, the only, the chosen one, Potter, Harry. The latest international trailer was released a week or so ago and it's...exciting alright. Since we were swindled into watching TWILIGHT this month instead of HARRY POTTER as originally planned, we now get to wait all the way until July 17th. Yay.



Darren Aronofsky should already be etched into our film lexicon and THE WRESTLER should only force us etch it deeper. Aronofsky reminds me of those early auteurs much like our current generation's Shyamalan or Wes Anderson. But Aronofsky falls into a different category altogether, not auteur but not journeyman either. If you didn't see the jump from PI to REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, then surely you could see the jump from REQUIEM to THE FOUNTAIN. Did you see THE FOUNTAIN? Why haven't you seen THE FOUNTAIN yet? And now, we have THE WRESTLER. Micky Rourke plays wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson whose days headlining during the 80's have now turned into short stints in small gyms and community centers. After a serious heart attack Randy is forced to retire and finds his already hollowed life now further in disarray. Never one to keep relationships for long, Randy must fill the gaps in his life whichever way he can befriending a stripper (Marisa Tomei) and re-connecting with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Woods). Since its premiere early this year at festivals, this film has been getting all sorts of praise. December 19th.



Now, let's journey back to before the Starfleet Enterprise, before Captain Kirk, to when officers of the Enterprise were just lowly control bridge ornaments, well not really. STAR TREK. May 8, 2009.


And lastly tonight, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The new film by Sam Mendes starring DiCaprio and Winslet tells the story of youth, love, and adulthood with all its bells and whiplashes. A beautiful trailer for a surely beautiful film, and not in the pretentious way. A Christmas film indeed. December 26th.

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TWILIGHT; Quick thoughts

Oh goodness, I'm not sure where to start with where this film went wrong. Actually, I do...the beginning. Automatically, horrible casting for whoever played Phil because he couldn't even say his one line right, "Alright, everyone in the car, we're getting late." With production values that contend with Discovery Channel dramatizations and a cast that collectively botches every line of the film thanks to directing that seems to be given by a student filmmaker. I refuse to believe that this is the same Catherine Hardwicke who also directed THIRTEEN and LORDS OF DOGTOWN. And give me four weeks and I will churn out a better spec script for TWILIGHT, NEW MOON, ECLIPSE and BREAKING DAWN than screenwriter Rosenberg who I wouldn't have trusted with this material anyway seeing as she's only written one other film, and to its defense I have yet to see it, but that's STEP UP. Being a fan of the books, I have no love for this film which doesn't know it's undistinguished tone from it's shotty editing. And seriously, Kristen Stewart, Rob Pattinson, are you kidding me guys? That's the best performance both you leads could conjure up?...Seriosuly?! I could've gotten better performances out of Helen Keller and Ice Cube. I think the best part of the film was Anna Kendrick who plays Jessica in a supporting role. She was previously also in ROCKET SCIENCE in which she's supposedly great in as well, but apparently I'm not the only who sees promise in her because Jason Reitman (JUNO, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING) just cast her in his new film UP IN THE AIR as of twelve hours ago. C'mon Hollywood, I've got the eyes, ears, and mind of a producer, fly me out there.
As excited as I was to be there with some friends at the midnight showing, I felt embarrassed for us upon leaving the theater though we were still surrounded by pubescent emo girls and sexually frustrated housewives who proudly would choose this poor romance over some incredible ones such as PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, BEFORE SUNRISE/SUNSET, or even ATONEMENT. Honestly, I'm just really upset that I waited a year through casting, shooting and post-production for a straight-to-VHS I would have most likely tossed aside at a movie rental store in 1994.
NEW MOON will start up production in a few months and I have some advice for Summit Entertainment. First off and most importantly, hire Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith to write the screenplay. They're other films include 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, LEGALLY BLONDE, and THE HOUSE BUNNY. They have rom-com background which might actually be refreshing though they'll have to tone it down some. Another writer pairing that would work is Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais who have previously written FLUSHED AWAY, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and THE BANK JOB. I'm talking about bringing on some actually weight to this film which Summit seems to have completely neglected with TWILIGHT. Second, I'm sorry Catherine Hardwicke, I still will watch whatever you do next but you're out for the second film. Enter David Slade of HARD CANDY and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT fame. It has little to do with the fact he directed a vampire film and more to do with the style. NEW MOON introduces several new elements of action. I'm not going to watch huskies battle it out on camera with a stuntman running around as a vampire. I want CGI heavy werewolves and I want to see some actual production value, not whatever it was that we got in this film. Slade definitely works well with lighting and colors and can tell a story without having the camera linger much longer than it needs to. Obviously we can't change up the cast but it's acceptable because we're actually going to have them rehearse and act this time which means fixing Robert's facial expressions and getting Kristen a speech therapist. I don't want to rush production especially when we'll need two to three months of solid post-production but we could have it out by Christmas 2009 but with AVATAR releasing then we'd be better off looking for a February/March 2010 release.

Sincerely,
Disappointed

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Friday, November 14, 2008

New WATCHMEN trailer and quick thoughts on QUANTUM OF SOLACE


Woah, where did I go? Work, school, the movies, yeah I've been around. Um...~right?
Well, I just got back from QUANTUM OF SOLACE and my thoughts are all kinds of positive. Forster has a completely different style than Campbell and from his CASINO ROYALE. Honestly, and I said this during the film, "Wow, this film just doesn't let up." Just when the narrative slows and we begin to recover from the last amazing set piece, we're thrown, just as well as Bond, into another head-on collision, so to speak. There's very little time to actually catch your breathe.
Reflecting back upon it now, I'm realizing just how different from ROYALE this film actually is. Near completely. CASINO ROYALE had us following Bond up close and intimately and we felt the relationship develop in front of us between himself and Vesper. We saw the storm wreak havoc at the end of that film upon James and how he immediately dismissed his emotions. Here, we see a drive. We see the aftermath left by that storm and we absorb its shock waves. Bond dives fingers first into a sugar bowl of the unknown and together we journey through the reality of deception and untruths.
I'm looking forward to watching the film again very soon because they really do pack quite a quantity into this film, too much even. Whereas ROYALE took us back to who Bond really was, it managed to keep it all very contained. QUANTUM is an air horn to ROYALE's French, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It almost feels like this film goes back previous Bond films with its excessive Michael Bay-esque explosions and boat/plane/car chases but Forster manages to somehow ground them much like ROYALE and, I hate to use this comparison but, the Bourne films. Like I said, I'm ready to go watch the film again and I'm definitely already looking forward to the 3-disc special edition Blu-Ray because I'm going to want to see how the hell they shot some of the incredible sets and you're going to want to, as well.

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Friday, October 31, 2008

Review: CHANGELING

For those of you that don't know, I also write film reviews for a street team here in Tampa for the Tribune and I wanted to just paste my quick thoughts on the film from which can be found in the print version of the Tribune as well as online here at The Tampa Tribune Reel People page.

What I liked: No, Eastwood hasn’t lost it yet like many thought he would after the successes of MYSTIC RIVER, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. But in keeping, he has returned and brought us one of the best films of the year. Although Eastwood may not seem to shine techniaclly, it is really the subtleties that make CHANGELING what it is.
And of course we are not forgetting the leading lady, A. Jolie, who many tend to forget is an actress first, and then a celebrity. If A MIGHTY HEART didn’t assure you that she’s worthy of the screen, then this definitely will. I have not seen Jolie as emotionally invested in a character as she is as Christine Collins here. There are some great supporting performances by Jeffrey Donovan as Police Capt. Jones in charge of the investigation as well as another remarkable performance by Amy Ryan whose breakthrough role in GONE BABY GONE last year impressed us all.

What I disliked: Honestly, CHANGELING is brilliantly smooth around the edges and whereas the 140 minute run-time may seem like too much, Eastwood leaves us with little time for detachment.

Would I recommend it?: The Oscar Race is well underway and I’ll be surprised if Jolie doesn’t receive a nomination. Eastwood weaves this non-fictional tale through several genres, least of all drama and suspense, but above all else, horror. Parts of this horrifyingly true tale can be some what compared to aspects of ZODIAC, SNOW ANGELS, GONE BABY GONE and even LA CONFIDENTIAL. CHANGELING is not only a great film but a truly extraordinary story of determination and hope. Get out and watch, now.

Score: 9 out of 10
- Nizar Babul


So...yeah, I did really enjoy the film. Really, the near two and a half hours don't hit you as hard as you think they would. Although the story does breakaway from Jolie's character Christine Collins for a while sometimes, Eastwood doesn't at all lose us and that is many times very easy to do when attempting to cover several different events.

Here in CHANGELING, we have the good, the bad, and the killers. Essentially, the tale leaves for very few characters with any grey to show and as calm as Eastwood is in letting the camera and editing nudge us in any which direction, the dialouge certainly beats us with it. Most characters stay constant throughout and give little thought to the opposing mentality.

I do have to point out that there are several great performances including Jolie's. Amy Ryan has a brief stint as a prostitute locked up in a psychopathic ward. And the most disturbing performance goes to Jason Butler Harner. Managing to extract grief and rage towards him, his performance alone brings this film to one hell of an finale.

I'd say, head out this weekend and check it out. Make it a double-feature with ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO. And then prepare for the next two months of spectacular films including November 14th's QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Thanks.

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Sunday, October 26, 2008

International trailer for HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE; start lubing up your wands and broomsticks


Man, oh, man...they definitely shouldn't have shown us the international trailer so soon because now I am kind of pissed that it's not coming out in a month, where as I didn't really care before. Well, you saw it, what do you think? The trailer was most likely cut a couple of months back when it was still supposed to come out in November (so don't get your hopes up, we still have another eight or nine months to go). Still, November is to be the primer for the month of December. I just saw CASINO ROYALE again the other night for the sixth or seventh time and it was still just as great as ever. I thought this was a post about HARRY POTTER? QUANTUM OF SOLACE opens wide November 14th.

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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Trailer for UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS



Official Plot Synopsis (courtesy of /Film): The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

WATCHMEN updates: Big, Blue, and All-powerful

WATCHMEN is really picking up although not much has been made public after Comic Con and the recent Warner Bros./FOX legal debacle. But alas, WB has been conducting fairly clandestine screenings on random and the first inklings of spoilers are hitting the web. But! And this a very interestingly used 'But,' they are saying that Zack Snyder might've shot a whole alternate ending that is being shown at these screenings to test whether or not it works. The word is apparently...well, some think it's good, and some hate it. I won't spoil it for anyone that hasn't read the novel, though I very much advise that you do, but the ending in the screenings are updated to correlate with current world issues.
Well, along with these screenings, WB has released a new teaser poster this week (shown above) shortly after the the Scream Awards on SPIKE TV premiered some new footage which is available below also, which is very, very cool. Until next time, enjoy.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Alright, alright, here's the new trailer for TRANSPORTER 3

I swear I wouldn't get swindled into a third TRANSPORTER film if it ever came to fruition thanks wholly to the cartoony disaster that was the second film. But alas, they have swindled Nizar, swindled him good. Yes, the trailer looks "fun" and "exciting" and "intense" and "like a kick in the testicles" and all those other bullshit words they'd use to get you into the sticky theater seat, and I like it. Even with a plot that can just as well be crafted into another CRANK film, you can count me in, but I swear that if the train that they're fighting on rides off of a bridge and they continue to fight like gravity doesn't exist like in the second film, I'm fucking leaving the theater, all up in arms. TRANSPORTER 3 comes out November 26th. Enjoy.

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Second DEFIANCE trailer, Ed Zwick's latest film might actually be present come the Oscars

Zwick hooked me with the first trailer a little under a year ago and this one's that much better. The film's been getting pushed back but I think it will fit in well amongst VALKYRIE and FROST/NIXON. So, after you watch Daniel Craig kick all kinds of ass as Bond, you can see him a month later kicking even more ass of the Nazi kind. The film also stars personal favorites of mine, Leiv Schreiber and Jamie Bell. Check out the latest trailer below. Enjoy.

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Thursday, October 9, 2008

New trailer for our (beloved?) TWILIGHT; might not be as great as a live-action GARGOYLES film, but it'll do

We here at GREEN HOUSE FILM REVIEWS have been promoting the TWILIGHT film since it was announced a year ago and that sultry release date is almost upon us, November 21st. One week after QUANTUM OF SOLACE blows our face off, TWILIGHT will come and tenderly nuzzle the bridge of its nose against our chin and nonchalantly stick its teeth into our neck/wallet. Tonight, we bring you the latest and perhaps last trailer for TWILIGHT before it hits theaters and collectively rips the panties off of young (and presumably of legal age) females nationwide (myself included?). Well, since it was just released online, the quality is pretty bad, but tolerable. I'd say this is the best trailer so far, giving us scenes we actually want to see instead of a mess of ones that make the film feel made-for-TV. Enjoy.

gargoyle

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Trailer for THE UNBORN; amazingly enough, it's not a remake

David Goyer, a name closely associated with BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT. Goyer has also directed such smash hits like THE INVISIBLE most recently and BLADE: TRINITY before that. So, when I read a while back that he was spearheading a new horror/mystery, I was excited but then immediately grounded also reading that neither Jonathan nor Christopher Nolan had anything to do with this film, and in their stead, Michael Bay. Don't worry, I'm not here to grind Mr. Bay, no, I've moved on to Mr. Ratner. But now, the trailer is out and it does look, while still generic (even the title. Seriously, what was wrong with just UNBORN?), creepily intense. I'm sure it'll be successful at the box office and I have been looking forward to the next mediocre American horror film (no one tops the Asians). Enjoy below the trailer for THE UNBORN.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

NAILING YOUR WIFE

I was one of the sparse few who did enjoy SLITHER because it was good enough to integrate the comedy into the action unlike standard parodies (see: EPIC MOVIE, DATE MOVIE, SUPERHERO MOVIE, and all those other MOVIES).
Anyhoo, the director James Gunn is creating a series of internet porn shorts. Now, before you stop reading and immediately play the video (unless you've already stopped reading and have already played the video), there's a twist. His series will be called PG PORN and won't have any sex. Instead, we'll get to focus on what we actually watch porn for, the horrible acting and the laughable effort the actors put into their horrible acting. So, we start off the PG PORN series with a bang with its first short, NAILING YOUR WIFE. Enjoy.


Nailing Your Wife

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Monday, October 6, 2008

THE OFFICE; original Japanese version


Thank you NBC (and FOX), we the people have been waiting a long time for a Hulu.

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Friday, October 3, 2008

THE UNINVITED trailer; crusty milk=sour, black milk=symbiote

Way way back, earlier this year, I spoke of some official casting choices for the part of Bella in the TWILIGHT film. One of the names that I did consider better suited for the part over Kristen Stewart was Emily Browning usually identified from the LEMONY SNICKET film. I also mentioned she was working on a film, THE UNINVITED, which is a remake of the Korean horror film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS. In my opinion, this film looks pretty bad. I strongly advise all of you watch the original because though the film is slightly cliched, the Asian horror take on certain stories really make it was it is. Anyhoo, the trailer for THE UNINVITED is finally out after just, so, long, and it's now waiting for you to view below. Any thought?

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Thursday, October 2, 2008

False Exclusivity: First five minutes of BLINDNESS

Well, the film's been through a few different cuts but after this past Sundance, word at Telluride and TIFF was that the final cut indeed does work the best and that...is great to hear. I have definitely been looking forward to BLINDNESS as you might recall from earlier this year I spoke of my anticipation for both THE HAPPENING and BLINDNESS. Remember? Remember that?!


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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Trailer Expo: THE SPIRIT and W and JUST BURIED and SPLINTER

I wasn't too taken with the first teaser that Frank Miller released for THE SPIRIT nor with the first trailer. True, a lot of it feels like a story from the Sin City pages but Will Eisner had a very different thing going in his head than Miller when he wrote this. This trailer blew me, away, and though it didn't get me the same giddy the QUANTUM OF SOLACE trailer did, any giddy is good giddy.


So, knowing Oliver Stone, for some reason I still thought that Bush biopic was going to be despite all else, mostly dramatic. But this new trailer really makes it clear, right? I wasn't anticipating this film as much as I was several other Fall biggies but it's now making a bigger blip on my mental map. October 17th is when you can catch it at your local filmoplex.

Yeah yeah, we all thought R.Downey Jr. was great in TROPIC THUNDER but the best part of the film wasn't retard jokes nor the blowjob proposals, it was Jay Baruchel. He played it pitch perfect and was the only real part of the film. Now, here comes a film with Jay that is not really a big studio film and yet I would pay just the same to watch it as THE SPIRIT. JUST BURIED stars Baruchel as a young man who inherits a funeral home in a small town and must think fast to keep the business running or it will be shut down due to little need for a funeral home in the town. Enter the beautiful Rose Byrne, the town's mortician, who with a strange opportunity comes to light.

And finally, a horror film, yay. I was ready to shut it off after 20 seconds but I'm glad I didn't because it offers something a tad bit different than most other horror films that start the same way, creatures. I really don't want to say much else because it could just as well suck gorilla testicles but the trailer does look interesting. In theaters October 31st. Enjoy.

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2nd and perhaps final trailer for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON


Strange buzz has been revolving around this film ever since it premiered earlier this year at festivals and it's stuck with it while making rounds at other festivals. The main problem Paramount has with Fincher's final cut is that, like ZODIAC, it's just too long. Find me someone who cares and I'll find you someone who doesn't love to hate Daniel Plainview. Warner Bros. has a similar problem with Zack Snyder's WATCHMEN with its final running time being about four hours. Just suck it up people. I for one am waiting for the day our general attention spans increase and we have films that are four and five hours. Art is art and no muzzle will fit, should fit. BUTTON is still on course for December the 25th.

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Friday, September 26, 2008

New VALKYRIE trailer and poster beg the question: Do you really need more motivation to go see this film? The answer should be, no


With the Fall season closing in on us and the Oscar contenders lining up for a thorough physical, VALKYRIE is here today to make sure it also gets its testicles groped. Singer released a trailer almost nine months ago and then released the final trailer about two months back. But now we have the final final trailer and it's meant to be even more griping that the last. It's good but it really doesn't work for me, though I didn't really need much more to get me in the theater. Enjoy.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I guess I'm the only one not drinking the Megan Fox kool-aid

Sorry Ms. Fox, but until you prove that you can actually act and not just look smokin' hot, I'm just going to think of you as the Hollywood movie star you set out to be. How about this, I'll just think of you as exactly the way you are in this clip from Simon Pegg's new film, HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE, alright?

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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Trailer Expo: REVOLUTIONARY ROAD and SYNEDOCHE NEW YORK and GOOD DICK and EQUATION OF LOVE AND DEATH

Yes, I really enjoyed TITANIC and praise James Cameron for making such an incredible film and for casting two youngsters that would soon become huge movie stars. Well, though they are both huge movie stars, the two couldn't be making films that have been more opposite from each other's. Winslet has done films like LITTLE CHILDREN, ETERNAL SUNSHINE, FINDING NEVERLAND and QUILLS. Then we have DiCaprio who has done THE AVIATOR, THE DEPARTED, THE BEACH, GANGS OF NEW YORK, BLOOD DIAMOND and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. But now, after over a decade, both actors are starring together again in a film that might have Oscar nomination written all throughout it. I do think it does look great though and I'll be sure to catch it alongside FROST/NIXON and DOUBT this December.


Released earlier this week was the trailer for Charlie "Screenwriter Extraordinaire" Kaufman's directorial debut film, SYNEDOCHE NEW YORK. Much like his other films, ADAPTATION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, this film seems right on par with being completely out there. What can we expect from this one when we finally see it? We can expect to expect to watch it a second time, I'm sure.

Seriously, don't let the trailer turn you away, this looks great. GOOD DICK stars the writer/director Marianna Palka and tells of a strange romance between a porn-addicted young woman and a clerk at the film rental shop she frequents. Not only does this push the envelop, it looks witty and smart at the same time and you can begin to feel the psychological angle of the film towards the end of the film. Looks really interesting and fun and hit select theaters October 10th.

This year, a lot of great foreign films played at the Toronto International Film Festival and among them was a Chinese film, EQUATION OF LOVE AND DEATH. Mostly anticipating this one because it looks like a coaster ride we seem to only get from neo-noirs and certain crime dramas which this film just so happens to be, the latter I mean. Sorry to our non-Chinese speakers out there but tell me just from the trailer that this doesn't look like a thrill ride, and a dramatic one at that?

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Tina Fey: next in line if Sarah Silverman is still unavailable


Politics, we don't get into it much here on GREEN HOUSE FILM REVIEWS, but this video is probably the closest we're going to get. I have plenty of my own views to un-sponge but this just isn't the place for that; Starbucks is. Enjoy.

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Saturday, September 20, 2008

Does Will Ferrell blow boat people? The answer below

See more Will Ferrell videos at Funny or Die
Come on, I've always liked Will Ferrell and his comedy, it's just that I want him to have some color on his little pallet. No, I don't mean he needs to do a comedy about Native Americans, I would just like to see him do more subtle comedy like STRANGER THAN FICTION and WINTER PASSING or even some straight forward dramas. But the above video is a good one, is it not? Here's hoping he does a cop drama soon with John Tuturro, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Alice Eve, Francis McDormand and Rebecca Hall.

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

7 minutes of: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008)


Well, whatdyathink? I'm a big fan of the original and believe Robert Wise to be one of the greatest American directors. And now, I am just as much looking forward to this "re-invention.". What better time to remake DAY THE EARTH than now? Many of those original concepts of paranoia and conspiracy I believe will transfer well for audiences to grasp. December 12th is THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, along with TWILIGHT.

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Terry Gilliam's DR. PARNASSUS already look stunning, and they're no where near completion


It's said that when you walk into a Terry Gilliam film, you know what to expect. Well, I expected greatness when I watched THE BROTHERS GRIMM, and what I got was...
But then you have to remind yourself that this is Terry "TIME BANDITS" Gilliam and he's been working on a little flick since last year titled THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS. Starring the late Heath Ledger, whose role is then continued by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. This film seems epic, much like how many Gilliam's usually seem in concept. Just by my impressions of the artwork and previsualizations, it feels like METROPOLIS or CALIGARI. Still a year until its release. I'll keep you posted, as always.

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Sunday, September 14, 2008

LIFELESS: When zombies attack...during prime-time


With the success shows like LOST, I'm surprised networks haven't picked up shows like LIFELESS already. You saw the trailer above, basically the show is based around the survival of a group of people who have lived through some sort of plague, infection, who knows, that has turned much of the city (state? country? world?) into zombies. I think a show like this has definite potential and I'd like to see it on Sci-Fi if not FOX or ABC. What do you guys think? Zombie TV show?

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Friday, September 12, 2008

The Tale of Two Trailers: DOUBT and CHANGELING

Here again, both of these trailers have very little in common other than both will be present as Oscar nominees, I'm sure. The first stars the still beautiful Meryl Streep as the head of a christian school. Amy Adams, who I swear could have been alive and made a hell of a career back in the 50's as well, also stars as a young sister at the school who is caught in some accusatory blame game between Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman over an alleged molestation of a young black boy. The trailer is strange in that whoever edited it did a poor job and although they include the plot, maybe a little less yelling and a little more mystery would have been better.


The second is CHANGELING by the one and only Clint Eastwood. No it isn't a remake of the awesome 1980's George C. Scott film though I almost wish it was. CHANGELING tells the story of a mother (Angelina Jolie) who's son goes missing. But when local authorities find and return the missing child to the mother, she is convinced that the child is obviously not hers. I'm always glad to see Angie taking these roles to remind to the world that yes, she does also act remember, not just look smokin' hot. Both films open right around Christmas before year's end.

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Thursday, September 11, 2008

THE SOLOIST trailer kills the ache and creates a new one


A couple of years back we had Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler play an unlikely duo in a film I enjoyed called REIGN OVER ME. Although it didn't have the duo dynamic going for it, PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS had a good heart to it. And this year, I believe FLASH OF GENIUS will also be of the same nature but this has something going for it that not even Greg Kinnear's charm can champion: Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. Screw the Year of the Rat, we are all witness to this being the Year of the RBJ. I think that if someone was to tell Robert 10 years ago while he was on ALLY MCBEAL, that in a decade his career would take a 52 week steroid boost during which he would play a flying-suit wearing superhero and a black man back to back, I think he would've just hit the heroin harder. But look at the man now. To tell you the truth, the first big movie I ever saw him in was U.S. MARSHALS in which he play a corrupt FBI agent. After that, I would always see him as that limey fed. But then it wasn't until 2003 that I started seeing him in films that I actually liked him in. I went back and saw CHAPLIN in which he plays, you guessed it, Charlie Chaplin. Great film. Then afterward, NATURAL BORN KILLERS. It wasn't until 2005 and 2006 that I started seeing him in some memorable films. KISS KISS BANG BANG, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS, A SCANNER DARKLY. Then, the underrated masterpiece that is ZODIAC really got me pumped to see what he would tackle next. Sure enough, 2008 rolled around and he was the talk of the town. This year has seen some great performances already but it's only September and we know that the Oscar attractions don't start making it to the theaters until October or so.
You saw the trailer above and yes, it does look to be gunning for Best Male Lead and Supporting Performance of the year. Still, there are several greats coming out before the year's end and the competition will be rigid. There's Oliver Stone's W, Clint Eastwood's CHANGELING, Baz Luhrman's AUSTRALIA, Van Sant's MILK, David Fincher's CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, Bryan Singer's VALKYRIE, and Ron Howard's FROST/NIXON. Oof, this is definitely going to make for a great year-end after all. THE SOLOIST opens wide November 21st.
BTW, I just had to post this video of Darth Vader below. Just had to.

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

New QUANTUM OF SOLACE trailer is almost as cool as racecar beds were, and that's pretty darn cool


Damn, I saw it, and it blew my knickers off. Remember the new photos from last week, well those weren't even butter on the 10-stack of pancakes that is this new trailer for QUANTUM OF SOLACE. As much as a love CASINO ROYALE and the grittiness of it, I just hope they don't try to push that envelope too far. What do you think?

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Van Sant's MILK gets a trailer and Sean Penn announces FAST TIMES 2, nah, not really, but the former's true

I had never even heard of Harvey Milk before I read that Gus Van Sant's next feature (after PARANOID PARK) would be MILK. When the news was first released, this flyer was posted alongside and the it was announced that Sean Penn would be portraying Milk in the film. Automatically, you can see the resemblance, so high five to the casting director, or Van Sant himself, or Penn; whoever first attached Penn to the project originally.
Harvey Milk was a well known gay rights activist and soon after became City Supervisor for San Fransisco making him the first openly gay elected official in America since President Millard Fillmore. Wait, I am getting word that that isn't entirely true, at all. Aside from conflicts and confrontations regarding his views and stance, Milk was the target of threats and attacks. Harvey Milk was killed one year after he took his official public position along with the city's mayor George Moscone by another city supervisor who had multiple issues with Milk, Dan White played by the re-invented Josh Brolin. All-American boy wonder Emile Hirsch also stars as Cleve Jones who became close friends with Milk and later went on to become a heavy AIDS Awareness activist. Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, CRIMINAL, and most recently MISTER LONELY's Diego Luna also appears in the film as does James Franco.
Van Sant's past few films have been very technical and almost an exploration of style though I believe he definitely establishes it fully in PARANOID PARK. I'm currently unseen on the trailer that was just released earlier today through Apple Trailers but don't you worry, I do this for your betterment. Fancy yourself the gander below at the trailer for Gus Van Sant's MILK starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, and James Franco.

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Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Red band trailer for ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO; if there was ever a film more deserved of a red band trailer

So here we have it, an obligatory red band trailer for Kevin Smith's new cinematic venture with Seth Rogen and Liz Banks. Apparently, the film is getting a lot of rave and why shouldn't it? It opened at the Toronto International Film Festival, stars two funny schmoes in a funny situation directed by one of the funniest men in the film world. Yes, a bold statement I know, but I didn't didn't get the name, Nizar "The Bone Crusher" by feather dusting furniture in a maid's outfit. Check out the red band trailer below, or FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

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Monday, September 1, 2008

Acess Hollywood get a First Look at TWILIGHT

Here it is. Again, I won't be watching any of the videos I post this month because of Ramadan, but take pleasure in being able to. Let me know what you think in the comments. That's it for now. Tata...

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More QUANTUM OF screenshots

Earlier today, IESB received a nice little package of screenshots from Sony for the Bond 22, QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Sony took advantage of the release slot left vacant from HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE being pushed well into next summer by pushing QUANTUM back one week from November 7th to the 14th. No biggie, though, I can't say the same for the WATCHMEN situation going on right now. Word is that with litigation court dates in April, WATCHMEN just may being delayed to the summer where it may get competition it hadn't planned for in March. Well, hopefully, the suit between FOX and WARNER BROS. is settled outside of court earlier than April but FOX is really trying their hardest not to let WATCHMEN even see the light of day. In a way, both companies are at fault. Enough of that though, take a look at the SOLACE going on below. The screen captures don't pump me up anymore than I already am, but I don't mind seeing photos of Gemma Arterton wrapped in bedsheets. I've posted only a few shots, visit IESB for the rest. Enjoy.







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Become the cultrured thinker you've only pretended to be

Today is an important day for Muslims around the world for it marked the first day in the month of Ramadan. The month is famous for the Prophet Muhammad receiving the revelation of the Quran. So,as part of the month's traditions, we are obligated to fast. For some, we not only fast from food during the day, but we fast from many other entertaining activities for the month's entirety. For me, this includes, watching films, television, playing videogames and a few others that done for entertainment. Being the cinephile that I am, it is of course a difficult task but it's not supposed to be easy.
So for this month, I will still be bringing you film news, updates, and screenshots, but I will not be viewing any of the trailers that I post on the site and therefore will not really have any input. Don't your worry, we'll manage.
Stay tuned and enjoy the month of awesome films like BURN AFTER READING, GHOST TOWN, TAKEN, BLINDNESS, BATTLE IN SEATTLE, APPALOOSA, EAGLE EYE, MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA, and CHOKE. Also, enjoy the month of excellent television premieres like THE SHIELD, SONS OF ANARCHY, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, FRINGE, TRUE BLOOD, ENTOURAGE, and THE SARAH CONNER CHRONICLES. Whoa, that's a lot of good stuff. I hope my DVR doesn't run out of space...

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

The tale of two trailers: FROST/NIXON and THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

Yes, a tale. How exactly are Nixon's resignation and Auschwitz related? Well, they're not, which is exactly why they're a perfect pair for today's segment of A Tale of Two Trailers! Yes, the first stars the underrated Frank Langella as Tricky Dicky himself during and after Nixon's resignation and the heated on-screen happenings with reporter David Frost on British television. Directed by some guy who narrated some pathetic excuse for a television show, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT,(I'm kidding, just take the opposite meaning of everything I just said) Ron Howard really seems to be cranking up the controversy the first time in a long time. Look for FROST/NIXON to hit theaters just in time for Oscar considerations December 5th.But seriously, I have a deep appreciation for both Ron Howard and the genius that is ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.


This second little gem caught me by surprise, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS. Here, first watch the trailer and then let me babble.


Does that not make you want to donate to some fund or adopt a road or something? Yep, believe it or not, the author of the book on which this is based wanted to originally write this as a children's book...
And now for something completely different. I doubt you've been wondering why there haven't been that many updates but just in case you have, I do have an excuse. I'm busy. I'm reading stuff online everyday that I want to blog about but there just aren't enough numbers on the clock; believe me, I am trying. And with the semester starting up again in a couple of days, the updates might be just as spread out, but fear not, I will try...harder. Just keep visiting the site as usual and the site meter will hopefully encourage and motivate me further. Well, it has been your pleasure once again and until next time, brush regularly and stay out of trouble.

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Saturday, August 16, 2008

Twilighters, feel free to feel further excited, TWILIGHT release date moves ahead a month

What better way to return back to my site than with info on one of the year's biggest, to be most Oscar-worthy, most anticipated films, TWILIGHT? Yep, since HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE is being pushed back to 2009, the glorious Summit Entertainment has decided to bring up TWILIGHT to the now lonely November 21st release date which sees only the release of Disney's BOLT. Others have mentioned and I agree that this will only be better for TWILIGHT allowing the film to receive more public eye and profit. Its previous release date of December 12th also would see the release of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL which I believe would bring a good chunk of competition to TWILIGHT, but maybe not since there aren't 12 million fangirls (and boys, and moms, and boyfriends, and Nizar) waiting eagerly for DAY THE EARTH's release (I am anticipating it, actually). So, consider this a heads up and get to the theater a few weeks earlier. Again, TWILIGHT will hit theaters and a countless many teenage girls in the face with Robert Pattinson's good looks November 21st.

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Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Rudd and William Scott are ROLE MODELS, definitely better than having Megatron and DMX as role models

Support Your Comedians. I wear the patch on my shoulder, the sticker on my bumper, and the tattoo on left testicle (I did it as a joke...wasn't funny...wasn't). Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott play energy drink reps who get a community service sentence and must enroll in a mentor program, hilarity ensues. Great things to notice about this film: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, and Christopher Mintz Plasse who also played the infamous McLovin. Opening wide November 14th, SUPPORT YOUR COMEDIANS.

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WINGED CREATURES trailer, the feel-good movie of the year

There are two things I need every morning that guarantee I'll have a fine day. The first is a chilled glass of blood, preferably a pint. The second usually has to do with watching a movie that makes me feel lucky to be living, and that means watching K-PAX and HOME ALONE 2, back to back. But every now and then I can skip my double feature and watch a movie trailer that is just as good. WINGED CREATURES is that movie. Starring Kate Beckinsale, Guy Pearce, Forest Whitaker, Jackie Earle Haley and Dakota Fanning.
A simple story about a cafe shooting and the people involved, I very much like the trailer and will be awaiting its release next year. Check out the trailer below.

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

A Message From James Franco's Mother

Get the special message here first, well, after the 750 people already saw it at Funny or Die.

See more James Franco videos at Funny or Die

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NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST gets a trailer; In other news, Michael Cera just charmed your mother into bed

Michael Cera (Nick) of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and SUPERBAD fame stars with 40 YEAR-OLD VIRGIN and CHARLIE BARTLETT's Kat Dennings (Norah)in a teen comedy about love, music, and awkward situations.

The plot goes something like this:
So Norah's at this club where Nick's band is playing and because of a question asked by one of Norah's friend, Nora asks Nick to be her boyfriend for five minutes which eventually leads Nick to start thinking that the girlfriend that just broke up with him earlier might not be the only one for him which then takes both Nick and Norah around NYC to a number of clubs and bars to see bands play and their quasi-first date forces both of them to ponder whether this might hopefully become something wonderful or just fizzle into what is was in the first place, a sham.

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST opens wide October 3rd.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

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High-res WATCHMEN screenshots and EMPIRE cover

EMPIRE has released their upcoming issue's cover and screenshots from WATCHMEN. If the film is already getting so much press and promotion, I wonder how it's going to be come January and February. I mean, not even DARK KNIGHT had these exclusives eight months before its release. As much as I love WATCHMEN, I also very much understand they way Alan Moore feels about the whole film situation. I guess I'm glad millions more people will be brought into the world of WATCHMEN and can appreciate the novel but at the same time, I really beg all of those people to read the novel before watching the film. I'm sure this will only make you appreciate the film even more. But there are plenty of amazing novels that have been adapted and are being adapted to the screen with just as many fans that feel the same way before they watch the film version of their novels, right?




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Update: new high resolution WATCHMEN posters !!

The Con brought us some great things this year and some not so impressive things as well but of the former are these new character posters from WATCHMEN. They all look incredible and thanks to IGN and Omelete, we the public outside of Comic-Con can enjoy them and here they are in no particular order. Note the WATCHMEN art style that they are preserving from the novel, I'm liking that. Also, the quotes above are enveloping and especially important if you are not familiar with the novel. By the way, the pin-up at towards the end was released before the Con but I figure it's great enough to put up again now, wouldn't you agree?















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WHAT JUST HAPPENED? trailer

This is a fun one. Rob DeNiro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, written and directed by Art Linson and Barry Levinson. Unlike many critics and reviewers out there, I think the trailer actually does look funny and I do want to watch it. It was received poorly at Sundance and has been having trouble since but I have hope, kinda. Check out the trailer below.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Is it wrong for me to enjoy SEX DRIVE? Nope, because it's probably based on true events, and there's no bending the truth there


I remember Summit announcing this a while back, then releasing poster a little over a month ago, and now we finally have the trailer. I think it looks quite nice actually. Sure, many of these films are carbon copies of the previous one that most likely leads back to the oldies but goodies. Look for SEX DRIVE October 10th.

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TERMINATOR and TWILIGHT posters from Comic-Con

Maybe you're like me and like posters of shot up Terminators for TERMINATOR SALVATION, or maybe you're still like me and like posters of Bella and Edward for TWILIGHT. Either way, click on them to enlarge, then go print out 4-foot copies of them from Kinko's and plaster them around your room/dungeon/home base.











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