WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS FULL OF SPOILERS!
Do you ever wonder what the MOVEMENT crew does in our offices all day? We e-mail each other our scathing or rapturous opinions and debate about the latest and greatest dorkiest things. So to solidify our righteous place in the hall of greekdom I decided to publish, with his permission, the e-mail back and forth between MOVEMENT senior staff writer Craig Harvey and my self, publisher Max Michaels about the new STAR TREK film.
CRAIG: "The really sad thing was I wanted soooo much to like this film. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The script was WEAK. I am really tired of time travel in movies. It messes up the continuity with stuff like this. The villain was LAME. Ok, here I am some guy named Nero with tribal tattoo's and an eerie starship that looks like something out of Babylon 5 (the Shadows) and when he came through the BH and did battle with the Kelvin, apparently had to wait 20 years for Spock to come through due to some strange relativistic time effect. So what did they do for 20 years ?!? Play chess and get to know each other better? You can't tell me that no one else tried looking for this immense giant ship lurking around the galaxy, unless they went into hibernation or some crap. I mean the Kelvin reported it and nobody came and looked for it? There was also some really dumb science fiction like Spock creates a black hole that pulls Nero's ship and his through into the past... Hello! Black holes destroy things. (See what it did to Vulcan) How would they survive it? Because at the end of the film, Nero's ship gets destroyed being pulled in. WTF? Dumb. If it had been a wormhole that would have been more logical. Also, if the Enterprise couldn't escape the black hole's gravity at the end, then exploding the warp core would have done nothing either, the energy released would have been sucked into the black hole with the Enterprise in tow. Oh, and transporting someone across light-years of space into a Star Ship at warp speed?? Come on. That pushes even my sense of disbelief. However, I did like Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Those characters were really dead on. The effects were great. Some of the back story was very cool."
MAX: "The plot def leaves a lot to be desired. A LOT ... ok .... it leaves everything to be desired ... like a another plot all together. Its really nothing new for STAR TREK. It reminded me of NEMESIS and FIRST CONTACT combined. Really predictable and typical for the franchise. But the characters were SO well done. Simon Pegg stole the show as Scotty. And Bones was the best! Spocks back history ... that was the real point of the movie and I think JJ did a great job where it most need to be done. And compared side by side to every Star Trek before, its the best of the bunch behind WRATH."
CRAIG: "Yes, Bones was definitely great. However, stuff like dropping Kirk off on an ice planet, where Spock just happens to be marooned and Scotty just happens to be there on a starbase. Give me a break! Yes, I know they needed Kirk running from the giant CGI monsters and be saved by future Spock, which is really dumb as the likelihood of him being there was a gazillion to one, but young Spock would have confined Kirk to the brig, not dropped out of warp and eject him off the ship in an escape pod. I did like the first half of the film, but the second really was disappointing. I wish they had tried to re-create the old look of the Enterprise (the bridge looked like the inside of an Apple store, all white, bright and shiny. Ugh!) and just done a classic film with the new actors and a better story."
MAX: "OK, more likely Scotty would have been on that planet then Spock, but since there is time travel involved, perhaps future Spock knew the planet that Kirk would have fallen on because his past self had already done it ... and .... yeah ... um ... of course its totally preposterous! Everything about STAR TREK is impossible or improbable, but its still damn cool. Ever since Flash Gordon rocketed through space, propelled by what appears to be a 4th of July Sparkler, space adventures have depended on us to suspend our cynicism and get lost in the enjoyment of a band of dashing heroes, cool space battles, and sexy aliens. I need to go to the movies sometimes just for the mindless escape and with this film I think we can agree it delivers just that."
And Craig gets the last word...
CRAIG: "True, the Scotty thing is very logical. But, Spock couldn't have known, because it never really happened in the original timeline. By going back, things changed. I hate time travel crap. Just give me a good hard sci-fi film, with ships, battles, a good plot and cool characters then it would have been great. Time travel screws everything up. Star Trek originally came up with plausible and theoretical science ideas that have inspired real scientists to work on the idea of future possibilities. Ie: Warp Drive, etc.... But now some idiot throws out stupid ideas cause they sound neat. They even had Nasa advisors on planetary science and imagery, but they missed all this other stuff??? Oh, and that ship Spock came in sounded and looked like something out of the latest Star Wars trilogy. Like some sort of flying bug. WTF? So yes, I know this is science fiction (but it's not Star Wars where anything goes) and most people will overlook these issues for a fun, escapist ride but I expected more from JJ Abrams."
STAR TREK in Theaters May 8th 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
DISNEY JOINS FORCES WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
TO PLANT 2.7 MILLION TREES IN CONJUNCTION
WITH FIRST WEEK TICKET SALES FOR
DISNEYNATURE’S DEBUT FEATURE, “EARTH”
Burbank, Calif. – April 29, 2009 -- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has arranged with The Nature Conservancy to plant 2.7 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered rainforests, it was announced by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. In keeping with the Disneynature EARTH’s themes of protecting the planet and its wildlife, Walt Disney Studios volunteered to plant a tree in honor of every moviegoer who saw the film during its first week of release. The motion picture grossed an impressive $16.1 million at the box office during week one and broke an opening day record as well as an opening weekend record for a nature documentary. The film also garnered the highest praise from critics and moviegoers alike.
Through its campaign to Plant a Billion Trees (www.plantabillion.org), The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s leading international conservation organizations and its local partners are working to reforest 2.5 million acres of land and re-connect more than 12 million acres in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered and ecologically significant rainforests. This restoration effort will allow hundreds of plants and animals to re-colonize their former habitats and will protect vital watersheds.
Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, “We’re proud to be working with The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s most effective conservation organizations, in planting trees in the endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Through the Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, we have an opportunity to honor those who supported ‘EARTH’ by making a tangible and lasting contribution to conserving globally-significant wildlife habitat. Our goal with Disneynature is to entertain and inform moviegoers about the wonders of our planet, and encourage them to learn more about what they can do to conserve nature.”
“Disney has created a spectacular portrait of our planet with Disneynature’s ‘EARTH’ and demonstrated their commitment to the planet by supporting our ambitious, large-scale reforestation effort to restore and preserve the magnificent Atlantic Forest,” said Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “We applaud Disney for their contribution to our effort to plant and restore one billion trees by 2015 in the Atlantic Forest, a global conservation priority area of rich biodiversity.”
Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs, The Walt Disney Company, added, “We are thrilled that through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund that we were able to expand a long relationship between Disney and The Nature Conservancy. The fund was established to support the study and protection of the world’s wildlife and ecosystems, and ‘EARTH’ presented the perfect opportunity to give back to our planet in this tremendous way.”
Where the Atlantic Forest survives, it presents some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. The region is home to more than 200 bird species and 60 percent of all Brazil’s endangered species. And, on fewer than two and a half acres, scientists have identified more than 450 tree species – more species than are found on the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. The forest also is important because it is the source of clean drinking water for 120 million people. Today, however, only 7 percent of the original Atlantic Forest remains in well-preserved but isolated fragments. The Nature Conservancy’s initiative in the Atlantic Forest contributes to the global effort by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to plant at least one billion trees worldwide each year, with a cumulative goal for 2009 of planting 7 billion trees worldwide.
Narrated by James Earl Jones, “EARTH” tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journeys across the planet we call home. “EARTH” combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet’s wildest and most elusive creatures. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the acclaimed creative team behind the Emmy Award®-winning “Planet Earth,” combine forces again to bring this epic adventure to the big screen.
About Disneynature
Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in over 60 years, was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share a wide variety of wildlife subjects and stories with theatrical audiences. Earth, the first film to premiere domestically under the new label on Earth Day 2009, garnered a record-breaking opening weekend for a nature documentary. Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife documentary filmmaking, producing 13 True-Life Adventure motion pictures between 1949 and 1960, winning 8 Academy Awards (R). For more information about Disneynature, go to: www.disney.com/nature
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy at: www.nature.org
WITH FIRST WEEK TICKET SALES FOR
DISNEYNATURE’S DEBUT FEATURE, “EARTH”
Burbank, Calif. – April 29, 2009 -- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has arranged with The Nature Conservancy to plant 2.7 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered rainforests, it was announced by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. In keeping with the Disneynature EARTH’s themes of protecting the planet and its wildlife, Walt Disney Studios volunteered to plant a tree in honor of every moviegoer who saw the film during its first week of release. The motion picture grossed an impressive $16.1 million at the box office during week one and broke an opening day record as well as an opening weekend record for a nature documentary. The film also garnered the highest praise from critics and moviegoers alike.
Through its campaign to Plant a Billion Trees (www.plantabillion.org), The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s leading international conservation organizations and its local partners are working to reforest 2.5 million acres of land and re-connect more than 12 million acres in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered and ecologically significant rainforests. This restoration effort will allow hundreds of plants and animals to re-colonize their former habitats and will protect vital watersheds.
Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, “We’re proud to be working with The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s most effective conservation organizations, in planting trees in the endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Through the Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, we have an opportunity to honor those who supported ‘EARTH’ by making a tangible and lasting contribution to conserving globally-significant wildlife habitat. Our goal with Disneynature is to entertain and inform moviegoers about the wonders of our planet, and encourage them to learn more about what they can do to conserve nature.”
“Disney has created a spectacular portrait of our planet with Disneynature’s ‘EARTH’ and demonstrated their commitment to the planet by supporting our ambitious, large-scale reforestation effort to restore and preserve the magnificent Atlantic Forest,” said Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “We applaud Disney for their contribution to our effort to plant and restore one billion trees by 2015 in the Atlantic Forest, a global conservation priority area of rich biodiversity.”
Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs, The Walt Disney Company, added, “We are thrilled that through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund that we were able to expand a long relationship between Disney and The Nature Conservancy. The fund was established to support the study and protection of the world’s wildlife and ecosystems, and ‘EARTH’ presented the perfect opportunity to give back to our planet in this tremendous way.”
Where the Atlantic Forest survives, it presents some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. The region is home to more than 200 bird species and 60 percent of all Brazil’s endangered species. And, on fewer than two and a half acres, scientists have identified more than 450 tree species – more species than are found on the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. The forest also is important because it is the source of clean drinking water for 120 million people. Today, however, only 7 percent of the original Atlantic Forest remains in well-preserved but isolated fragments. The Nature Conservancy’s initiative in the Atlantic Forest contributes to the global effort by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to plant at least one billion trees worldwide each year, with a cumulative goal for 2009 of planting 7 billion trees worldwide.
Narrated by James Earl Jones, “EARTH” tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journeys across the planet we call home. “EARTH” combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet’s wildest and most elusive creatures. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the acclaimed creative team behind the Emmy Award®-winning “Planet Earth,” combine forces again to bring this epic adventure to the big screen.
About Disneynature
Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in over 60 years, was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share a wide variety of wildlife subjects and stories with theatrical audiences. Earth, the first film to premiere domestically under the new label on Earth Day 2009, garnered a record-breaking opening weekend for a nature documentary. Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife documentary filmmaking, producing 13 True-Life Adventure motion pictures between 1949 and 1960, winning 8 Academy Awards (R). For more information about Disneynature, go to: www.disney.com/nature
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy at: www.nature.org
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Rob Zombie's H2 trailer!
H2 trailer has premiered exclusively on Yahoo! Movies.
Yahoo! Movies - http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810061258/video/13140292
Yahoo! Movies - http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810061258/video/13140292
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Watchmen
Directed by Zack Snyder
Screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse
Review by Dave Conkey
The graphic novel they said could never be properly adapted for film has finally made its way to the big screen. After years in limbo, bouncing back and forth between different writers and directors, including Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 12 Monkeys, Brothers Grimm) and Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain), the Watchmen finally landed in the lap of everyone's favorite fanboy adaptation movie maker, Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300.)
Where other creative teams endeavored to tweak and adjust and overhaul the story of a paranoid, dystopian 1985 America -- where Nixon is in his fifth term, dealing with a Cold War on the brink of nuclear eruption, and superheroes, or Masks, as they tend to call themselves, are outlawed -- to fit today's sensibilities and try to make it feel more relevant, Snyder looked at the job as a tribute. This is where Watchmen reaches its greatest heights, which I assure you are quite spectacularly high, and its biggest snares, which are wicked violent bear traps you wish you had noticed instead of stumbling into while marveling over the scene that came five seconds before it.
The same can be said of Snyder's overall directing style and David Hayter and Alex Tse's screenplay. The action is Snyder right out of 300, whose beautiful slow-mo fight scenes can feel strangely out of place and even in a little stuffy in the gritty New York City a fair chunk of Watchmen takes place in. Don't get me wrong, some of the scenes are positively exhilarating, leaving you begging for more, more, more! And then you actually get it and it just falls flat, picking up again two scenes later with another piece of fantastic violence or some beautifully detailed set piece that feels like it was torn straight from one of Dave Gibbon's panels. The screenplay comes off pretty much the same way, with most of the best bits pulled verbatim from Alan Moore's pages, as well as some of the most awkward. (Rorschach's journal, anyone?)
As far as the actual characters go, if you don't actually know anything about them or their stories going in, you may have something of a hard time growing to care. And it's not as if they didn't have enough time to let the viewer develop a rapport with the characters, they just didn't really take the time to, in the majority. Dr. Manhattan's (Billy Crudup) origin story/time-trip is one of the most appealing, beautiful, and well-written sequences in the entire film, while at the other end of the spectrum, the Comedian's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) menagerie of back-story flashbacks bogged down the first hour of the film without really making you care that much about him. One of the strongest performances comes in the form of Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), but we still never really get any feel for where he came from, leaving the uninitiated to assume he was just an uneducated kid who grew up to brutalize baddies in a funny mask, which, ironically, he's not even wearing for his best sequence. Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) and Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson) take up a ton of screen time, but the viewer never really learns enough about them to be truly invested in their outcomes. Although you can't help but to root for the slightly dumpy Night Owl when it looks like something may happen between him and the Silk Spectre. And Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) almost feels like he was in there as an afterthought, barely contributing anything to the movie, while being one of the most important figures in the overall story.
The story itself, with its uneven pacing and shuffled time frames which don't translate as well as one would hope from page to screen, sometimes comes across as convoluted and bloated. The time is never really taken to explore what was originally a deep, twisted, well-orchestrated journey into paranoid madness, ends up feeling a little like an excuse for unknown superheroes to run around and get into some wonderfully violent, sometimes baffling shenanigans. Which is not to say it is this wholly impenetrable mess or anything like that. By the end of the movie, you mostly get what it was all about and how everything linked together and why this and that mattered, it was just a long and winding road that could have spent a little more time at some points, and less at others.
Overall, Watchmen was an imperfect undertaking, maybe biting off more than it could realistically chew, but immensely enjoyable. It needed to be made and could have been much, much worse, and probably wouldn't have been nearly as good if someone else handled it. Could anyone have done it better than Zack Snyder? Maybe Zack Snyder in ten years with a little more experience under his belt, but no one else comes to mind. I think it would have benefited from being a well funded 4 - 6 hour miniseries on HBO. Outside of that, I don't think it could have been done much better, considering how unwieldy a beast the original graphic epic was.
Watchmen fanatics, go see it, just expect to be irritated at points and completely thrilled by others. If you've never read Watchmen before, take a friend who has or do yourself a favor and go pick up the graphic novel, devour it in an evening and go see the movie the next day.
B-
Screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse
Review by Dave Conkey
The graphic novel they said could never be properly adapted for film has finally made its way to the big screen. After years in limbo, bouncing back and forth between different writers and directors, including Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 12 Monkeys, Brothers Grimm) and Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain), the Watchmen finally landed in the lap of everyone's favorite fanboy adaptation movie maker, Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300.)
Where other creative teams endeavored to tweak and adjust and overhaul the story of a paranoid, dystopian 1985 America -- where Nixon is in his fifth term, dealing with a Cold War on the brink of nuclear eruption, and superheroes, or Masks, as they tend to call themselves, are outlawed -- to fit today's sensibilities and try to make it feel more relevant, Snyder looked at the job as a tribute. This is where Watchmen reaches its greatest heights, which I assure you are quite spectacularly high, and its biggest snares, which are wicked violent bear traps you wish you had noticed instead of stumbling into while marveling over the scene that came five seconds before it.
The same can be said of Snyder's overall directing style and David Hayter and Alex Tse's screenplay. The action is Snyder right out of 300, whose beautiful slow-mo fight scenes can feel strangely out of place and even in a little stuffy in the gritty New York City a fair chunk of Watchmen takes place in. Don't get me wrong, some of the scenes are positively exhilarating, leaving you begging for more, more, more! And then you actually get it and it just falls flat, picking up again two scenes later with another piece of fantastic violence or some beautifully detailed set piece that feels like it was torn straight from one of Dave Gibbon's panels. The screenplay comes off pretty much the same way, with most of the best bits pulled verbatim from Alan Moore's pages, as well as some of the most awkward. (Rorschach's journal, anyone?)
As far as the actual characters go, if you don't actually know anything about them or their stories going in, you may have something of a hard time growing to care. And it's not as if they didn't have enough time to let the viewer develop a rapport with the characters, they just didn't really take the time to, in the majority. Dr. Manhattan's (Billy Crudup) origin story/time-trip is one of the most appealing, beautiful, and well-written sequences in the entire film, while at the other end of the spectrum, the Comedian's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) menagerie of back-story flashbacks bogged down the first hour of the film without really making you care that much about him. One of the strongest performances comes in the form of Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), but we still never really get any feel for where he came from, leaving the uninitiated to assume he was just an uneducated kid who grew up to brutalize baddies in a funny mask, which, ironically, he's not even wearing for his best sequence. Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) and Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson) take up a ton of screen time, but the viewer never really learns enough about them to be truly invested in their outcomes. Although you can't help but to root for the slightly dumpy Night Owl when it looks like something may happen between him and the Silk Spectre. And Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) almost feels like he was in there as an afterthought, barely contributing anything to the movie, while being one of the most important figures in the overall story.
The story itself, with its uneven pacing and shuffled time frames which don't translate as well as one would hope from page to screen, sometimes comes across as convoluted and bloated. The time is never really taken to explore what was originally a deep, twisted, well-orchestrated journey into paranoid madness, ends up feeling a little like an excuse for unknown superheroes to run around and get into some wonderfully violent, sometimes baffling shenanigans. Which is not to say it is this wholly impenetrable mess or anything like that. By the end of the movie, you mostly get what it was all about and how everything linked together and why this and that mattered, it was just a long and winding road that could have spent a little more time at some points, and less at others.
Overall, Watchmen was an imperfect undertaking, maybe biting off more than it could realistically chew, but immensely enjoyable. It needed to be made and could have been much, much worse, and probably wouldn't have been nearly as good if someone else handled it. Could anyone have done it better than Zack Snyder? Maybe Zack Snyder in ten years with a little more experience under his belt, but no one else comes to mind. I think it would have benefited from being a well funded 4 - 6 hour miniseries on HBO. Outside of that, I don't think it could have been done much better, considering how unwieldy a beast the original graphic epic was.
Watchmen fanatics, go see it, just expect to be irritated at points and completely thrilled by others. If you've never read Watchmen before, take a friend who has or do yourself a favor and go pick up the graphic novel, devour it in an evening and go see the movie the next day.
B-
Thursday, February 19, 2009
HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU
By Mia Carlin
“He’s Just Not That Into You” is the romantic-comedy film adaptation of the same titled self-help book by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo; contributing writers of the HBO hit series, “Sex in the City”. The story chronicles the romantic/dating mishaps of nine individuals in the midst & prime of their off kilter relationships.
In all honesty, the humoristic wit of this movie was better displayed in the movie trailer itself rather than the actual film – however, with that being said, I still think it’s a picture worth the $8 student discount.
The characters in this movie were really just a product of type casting:
First we have the trailer teaser of Drew Barrymore which was really more of an outbreak character in the movie rather than one of the main ones (compare it to her over-exposed media in the “Scream” movie circa 1996).
Then we have Jennifer Anniston – poor girl, hasn’t she had enough exposure in the tabloids of being pegged as a victim of circumstance, do we have to rub it in her face with yet another character similar to real life events?
Following that, Ben Affleck plays a man who sustains relationships but can’t quite commit – go figure….
Then there is Jennifer Connelly, who while I feel – along with Jennifer Anniston – is an extraordinary actress, yet always somehow gets typecast as the succumbed, self sacrificing uptight wife that eventually gets cheated on or taken advantage of
(References to “Little Children” and “A Beautiful Mind”)
Then there is …. Scarlett Johansson … again, in some deluded world, people still view her as the innocent Lolita type. Personally, I don’t buy it, however I will have to say that her body is rockin’ in this movie.
But the one thing the previews for this movie don’t want you to realize is that the main character in this film is really the up & coming actress Ginnifer Goodwin. Yes, she too is typecast. Playing the over enthusiastic, sweet stalker Gigi, (which bears a striking resemblance to her current role as the youthful & crazed third wife, Margene, in the new dramatic HBO series “Big Love” about fundamentalist Mormon’s in Utah) she really sheds a sadly dim light on what’s it’s truly like to have relationship anxiety.
Watching Gigi awkwardly fumble her way into one doomed date after another with the blind optimism of a fourteen year old, at first you want to slap this poor girl in the face and scream “Wake UP!!!!” But eventually, you see that this poor little sap is just spiraling out of control in hopes that her childhood/ teenage fantasies of true romance will eventually surface into reality. Don’t lie – we’ve all been there… at least most of us have.
Myself being a single gal in the dating circuit for 10+ years can embarrassingly identify with at least two of the characters in the film, no matter how exaggerated & exploited they may be.
Predominately a chick flick, there’s something for the fellas too, although I definitely do not recommend this to be a 1st date or even a 10th date movie. I think it’s safer to watch this film on DVD, cuddled in pajamas on a couch, when you are more established in a relationship rather than ruining your chances with a newfound “friend” in the theatres for the first time.
Save this movie date for your pals, as you don’t want your potential mate to get any funny ideas.
But ladies & gents - definitely take that relationship challenged friend of yours to see this for a refresher course in the subliminal obvious… just so he or she can get a clue.
Final Rating: B+
“He’s Just Not That Into You” is the romantic-comedy film adaptation of the same titled self-help book by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo; contributing writers of the HBO hit series, “Sex in the City”. The story chronicles the romantic/dating mishaps of nine individuals in the midst & prime of their off kilter relationships.
In all honesty, the humoristic wit of this movie was better displayed in the movie trailer itself rather than the actual film – however, with that being said, I still think it’s a picture worth the $8 student discount.
The characters in this movie were really just a product of type casting:
First we have the trailer teaser of Drew Barrymore which was really more of an outbreak character in the movie rather than one of the main ones (compare it to her over-exposed media in the “Scream” movie circa 1996).
Then we have Jennifer Anniston – poor girl, hasn’t she had enough exposure in the tabloids of being pegged as a victim of circumstance, do we have to rub it in her face with yet another character similar to real life events?
Following that, Ben Affleck plays a man who sustains relationships but can’t quite commit – go figure….
Then there is Jennifer Connelly, who while I feel – along with Jennifer Anniston – is an extraordinary actress, yet always somehow gets typecast as the succumbed, self sacrificing uptight wife that eventually gets cheated on or taken advantage of
(References to “Little Children” and “A Beautiful Mind”)
Then there is …. Scarlett Johansson … again, in some deluded world, people still view her as the innocent Lolita type. Personally, I don’t buy it, however I will have to say that her body is rockin’ in this movie.
But the one thing the previews for this movie don’t want you to realize is that the main character in this film is really the up & coming actress Ginnifer Goodwin. Yes, she too is typecast. Playing the over enthusiastic, sweet stalker Gigi, (which bears a striking resemblance to her current role as the youthful & crazed third wife, Margene, in the new dramatic HBO series “Big Love” about fundamentalist Mormon’s in Utah) she really sheds a sadly dim light on what’s it’s truly like to have relationship anxiety.
Watching Gigi awkwardly fumble her way into one doomed date after another with the blind optimism of a fourteen year old, at first you want to slap this poor girl in the face and scream “Wake UP!!!!” But eventually, you see that this poor little sap is just spiraling out of control in hopes that her childhood/ teenage fantasies of true romance will eventually surface into reality. Don’t lie – we’ve all been there… at least most of us have.
Myself being a single gal in the dating circuit for 10+ years can embarrassingly identify with at least two of the characters in the film, no matter how exaggerated & exploited they may be.
Predominately a chick flick, there’s something for the fellas too, although I definitely do not recommend this to be a 1st date or even a 10th date movie. I think it’s safer to watch this film on DVD, cuddled in pajamas on a couch, when you are more established in a relationship rather than ruining your chances with a newfound “friend” in the theatres for the first time.
Save this movie date for your pals, as you don’t want your potential mate to get any funny ideas.
But ladies & gents - definitely take that relationship challenged friend of yours to see this for a refresher course in the subliminal obvious… just so he or she can get a clue.
Final Rating: B+
Monday, February 16, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
UNIVERSAL PICTURES 2009
DUPLICITY
March 20, 2009
Oscar® winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen reunite for Duplicity, from writer/director Tony Gilroy (seven-time Oscar®-nominated Michael Clayton). In the film, they star as spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair. When they find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes espionage game, they discover the toughest part of the job is deciding how much to trust the one you love.
CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Roberts) and MI6 agent Ray Koval (Owen) have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first.
For their employers—industry titan Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti)— nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they can’t cheat their way out of: love.
FAST AND FURIOUS
April 3, 2009
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed—Fast and Furious. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.
When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O’Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what’s possible behind the wheel.
STATE OF PLAY
April 17, 2009
Oscar® winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in an case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation’s most promising political and corporate figures in State of Play, from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland).
Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.
McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar® winner Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer’s identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is ever safe.
WILD CHILD
May 8,2009
Sixteen-year-old Poppy (Emma Roberts, Nancy Drew) is a self-obsessed, incorrigible brat who lives a pampered life in her L.A. world. Though she’s handed credit cards with unlimited balances and surrounded by countless hangers on, Poppy can’t escape the mounting frustration she feels with her family situation. And she makes sure that everyone knows it.
After an over-the-top prank pushes her father (Aidan Quinn) one step too far, Poppy is shipped off to an English boarding school. Finding herself in a foreign world of early curfews, stern matrons and mandatory lacrosse, the American princess has finally met her match: a school of British girls who won’t tolerate her spoiled ways.
Under the watchful eye of the school’s headmistress (Natasha Richardson) and surrounded by a new circle of friends, Poppy begrudgingly realizes her bad-girl behavior will only get her so far. But just because she must grow into a fine young lady doesn’t mean this Wild Child won’t be spending every waking hour shaking up a very proper system…
DRAG ME TO HELL
May 29, 2009
Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy, Evil Dead series) returns to the horror genre with Drag Me To Hell, an original tale of a young woman’s desperate quest to break an evil curse.
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks (David Paymer), and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home.
In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?
LAND OF THE LOST
June 5, 2009
Space-time vortexes suck.
Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world—a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.
Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally—a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone)—to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.
Based on the classic television series created by Sid & Marty Krofft, Land of the Lost is directed by Brad Silberling and produced by Jimmy Miller and Sid & Marty Krofft.
FUNNY PEOPLE
July 31, 2009
Over the past few years, writer/director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) has shown that nothing—not even losing your virginity or the miracle of childbirth—is sacred. About his third film behind the camera, he says, "I’m trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies. Wish me luck!" Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in Funny People, the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience.
Adam Sandler, Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, RZA and newcomer Aubrey Plaza join a cast that reunites Judd Apatow with Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill in their third comedy together.
THE WOLFMAN
November 6, 2009
Inspired by the classic Universal film that launched a legacy of horror, The Wolfman brings the myth of a cursed man back to its iconic origins. Oscar® winner Benicio Del Toro stars as Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father (Oscar® winner Anthony Hopkins), Talbot sets out to find his brother...and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself.
Lawrence Talbot’s childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother’s fiancée, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline (Hugo Weaving) has come to investigate.
As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Now, if he has any chance at ending the slaughter and protecting the woman he has grown to love, Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor. But as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself…one he never imagined existed.
CIRQUE DU FREAK
Cirque Du Freak tells the frightening tale of a boy who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.
14-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend, got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty.
Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe). As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. And while trying to survive, one boy will struggle to keep their brewing war from devouring what’s left of his humanity.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
REPO! ROAD TOUR 3 SET TO KICK OFF JANUARY 13
“I think that the REPO! Road Tour must be seen to be believed. REPO! has inspired a community, and that community shows up in force on the road tour to bond, sing, and show off their fan-made REPO! costumes and props. I imagine this is what being there on the ground floor of The Rocky Horror Picture Show experience 33 years ago must have been like.” Stated Terrance Zdunich Actor/Co Creator.
The third and FINAL leg of the REPO! Road Tour is primed and ready to kick off January 13, 2009. Director Darren Bousman and actor/writer Terrance Zdunich will be heading out across the country to promote their film, REPO! The Genetic Opera. In anticipation of the dual release of the extended Soundtrack and the DVD on January 20th, Bousman and Zdunich will be taking over independent theaters and screening the film for fans in-person. The REPO! Road Tour is for fans to come out and be a part of the event together. Each city has put its own spin on the event, from fans dressing up as characters to theater-wide sing-a-longs, and more!
With sellouts on the first two REPO! Road Tours, Bousman and Zdunich look to repeat their success. Tickets are $15 and are on-sale Monday, December 29, at www.reporoadtour.com. The event WILL sell-out, so make sure to buy yours early! Recently on REPO! Road Tour I and II, several cast members have joined the tour in select cities including Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega and Bill Moseley, as well as co-writer and band leader Darren Smith, so to all REPO! Fans; be prepared for special guests!
Bousman commented on the upcoming tour: “The REPO! Road Tour has become the single most important aspect of REPO. You haven't seen REPO until you have seen it with a packed house of dressed-up people singing with the movie. The Road Tour truly has turned into an event. It's like a concert. Every single show we have done thus far has been sold out. With lines wrapping around the block, the fan reaction is amazing.”
For the fans: REPO! Road Tour includes an introduction to the film by Bousman and Zdunich, a screening of REPO! The Genetic Opera, as well as a post-film Q&A session and autograph session with the filmmakers and Actors, and a chance to purchase exclusive REPO! Road Tour merchandise.
REPO ROAD TOUR dates:
1/13- / TUESDAY -SALT LAKE CITY UTAH -The Tower Theatre
1/14-/ WEDNESDAY- INDIANAPOLIS, IN -Indy Keystone
1/15- / THURSDAY- FOXBORO, MA -The Orpheum
1/16-/ FRIDAY - NJ - TBA
1/17-/ SATURDAY -GREENBELT, MD -The Greenbelt Theatre
1/18 -/ SUNDAY -CINCINNATI, OH -The Esquire Theatre
1/20-/ TUESDAY- ST.LOUIS, MO- The Landmark Tivoli
1/21- /WEDNESDAY- DENVER, CO- The Landmark Mayan
1/22-/ THURSDAY- JACKSON, MI- The Michigan Theatre
1/23-/ FRIDAY - MILWAUKEE, WI- The Oriental Theatre
1/24-/ SATURDAY - LOS ANGELES, CA- Theatre TBA
REPO! The Genetic Opera: In the no-so-distant future, a worldwide epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GENECO, a biotech company that offers organ transplants...for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by THE REPO MAN. By fusing ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BLADE RUNNER, this futuristic tale of horror modernizes the “rock opera” genre with original music and rich, dark production design. This rock opera boasts an entirely original soundtrack that blends equal parts goth and punk rock to form an eerie and powerful musical narrative and features vocal performances by an amazing cast; Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Stewart Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Ohgr and more. Instrumentals and score provided by an all-star lineup that features performances from Joan Jett( who cameos in the film), Richard Patrick (Filter), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Clown (Slipknot), Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone), Brian Young (David Lee Roth's band), Sonny Moore (From First to Last), Richard Fortus (Guns & Roses), David J (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Daniel Ash (Love & Rockets), Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne), Tommy Clefetus (Rob Zombie's band), Melora Creager (Rasputina). Also lending her voice to the soundtrack is the edgy pop star Poe.
For further info including a full list of confirmed dates and show times, visit www.reporoadtour.com
For behind the scenes footage and more visit the film’s main page www.repo-opera.com.
For the MOVEMENT report from the Orlando stop of the Road Tour click here:
http://www.movementmagazine.com/MovementGallery/repogallery/index.html
The third and FINAL leg of the REPO! Road Tour is primed and ready to kick off January 13, 2009. Director Darren Bousman and actor/writer Terrance Zdunich will be heading out across the country to promote their film, REPO! The Genetic Opera. In anticipation of the dual release of the extended Soundtrack and the DVD on January 20th, Bousman and Zdunich will be taking over independent theaters and screening the film for fans in-person. The REPO! Road Tour is for fans to come out and be a part of the event together. Each city has put its own spin on the event, from fans dressing up as characters to theater-wide sing-a-longs, and more!
With sellouts on the first two REPO! Road Tours, Bousman and Zdunich look to repeat their success. Tickets are $15 and are on-sale Monday, December 29, at www.reporoadtour.com. The event WILL sell-out, so make sure to buy yours early! Recently on REPO! Road Tour I and II, several cast members have joined the tour in select cities including Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega and Bill Moseley, as well as co-writer and band leader Darren Smith, so to all REPO! Fans; be prepared for special guests!
Bousman commented on the upcoming tour: “The REPO! Road Tour has become the single most important aspect of REPO. You haven't seen REPO until you have seen it with a packed house of dressed-up people singing with the movie. The Road Tour truly has turned into an event. It's like a concert. Every single show we have done thus far has been sold out. With lines wrapping around the block, the fan reaction is amazing.”
For the fans: REPO! Road Tour includes an introduction to the film by Bousman and Zdunich, a screening of REPO! The Genetic Opera, as well as a post-film Q&A session and autograph session with the filmmakers and Actors, and a chance to purchase exclusive REPO! Road Tour merchandise.
REPO ROAD TOUR dates:
1/13- / TUESDAY -SALT LAKE CITY UTAH -The Tower Theatre
1/14-/ WEDNESDAY- INDIANAPOLIS, IN -Indy Keystone
1/15- / THURSDAY- FOXBORO, MA -The Orpheum
1/16-/ FRIDAY - NJ - TBA
1/17-/ SATURDAY -GREENBELT, MD -The Greenbelt Theatre
1/18 -/ SUNDAY -CINCINNATI, OH -The Esquire Theatre
1/20-/ TUESDAY- ST.LOUIS, MO- The Landmark Tivoli
1/21- /WEDNESDAY- DENVER, CO- The Landmark Mayan
1/22-/ THURSDAY- JACKSON, MI- The Michigan Theatre
1/23-/ FRIDAY - MILWAUKEE, WI- The Oriental Theatre
1/24-/ SATURDAY - LOS ANGELES, CA- Theatre TBA
REPO! The Genetic Opera: In the no-so-distant future, a worldwide epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GENECO, a biotech company that offers organ transplants...for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by THE REPO MAN. By fusing ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BLADE RUNNER, this futuristic tale of horror modernizes the “rock opera” genre with original music and rich, dark production design. This rock opera boasts an entirely original soundtrack that blends equal parts goth and punk rock to form an eerie and powerful musical narrative and features vocal performances by an amazing cast; Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Stewart Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Ohgr and more. Instrumentals and score provided by an all-star lineup that features performances from Joan Jett( who cameos in the film), Richard Patrick (Filter), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Clown (Slipknot), Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone), Brian Young (David Lee Roth's band), Sonny Moore (From First to Last), Richard Fortus (Guns & Roses), David J (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Daniel Ash (Love & Rockets), Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne), Tommy Clefetus (Rob Zombie's band), Melora Creager (Rasputina). Also lending her voice to the soundtrack is the edgy pop star Poe.
For further info including a full list of confirmed dates and show times, visit www.reporoadtour.com
For behind the scenes footage and more visit the film’s main page www.repo-opera.com.
For the MOVEMENT report from the Orlando stop of the Road Tour click here:
http://www.movementmagazine.com/MovementGallery/repogallery/index.html
Thursday, December 18, 2008
DIMENSION FILMS AND ROB ZOMBIE SCARE UP “H2,” SEQUEL TO 2007'S HIT FILM “HALLOWEEN”
Trancas International Films To Produce
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (December 16, 2008) -- Dimension Films - the successful genre and specialty arm of The Weinstein Company - is pleased to announce that the company will make “H2,” the sequel to Rob Zombie's 2007 reinvention of the horror classic “Halloween.” Once again, Rob Zombie has been tapped to write and direct. Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films, who also produced 2007's Halloween with Dimension, will produce the sequel, along with Andy Gould of Spectacle Entertainment Group, Zombie’s long time manager and producing partner. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company.
Dimension's “Halloween” scored the highest Labor Day weekend opening ever with a record-breaking $30.6 million in its first four days of release and went on to gross nearly $60 million at the domestic box office in 2007.
Zombie’s “H2” will pick up at the exact moment the first movie stopped and follow the aftermath of Michael Myers murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode.
“H2” will be Zombie’s fifth written and directed feature. Prior to the success of Halloween, Zombie released the critically-acclaimed film “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005), the follow-up to his cult classic “House of 1000 Corpses” (2004). Zombie just wrapped production on his animated feature film “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” due to be released in 2009. Zombie, also an accomplished recording artist, has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide, making him one of Geffen Records’ top selling and longest running artists.
Bob Weinstein stated: "Following the success of 2007’s ‘Halloween,’ we are thrilled to be back in business with Rob Zombie, bringing a sequel to theatres. The fans have made it clear – and we agree - that they feel the franchise is in great hands with Rob Zombie.”
Rob Zombie said, ”I am very excited to be working with Bob Weinstein again and returning to the world of ‘Halloween.’ The remake laid the groundwork, now it’s time to really take Michael Myers to the next level. I believe we’ve just barely scratched the surface of where we can take this series.“
John Carpenter's “Halloween” launched the Halloween franchise in 1978 and Moustapha Akkad, founder of Trancas International Films, executive produced the original classic. Akkad’s son Malek has continued with the franchise, producing “Halloween” (2007), “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” (1998) and now, “H2.”
“I am thrilled to be making ‘H2’ at Dimension, the home of the ‘Halloween’ franchise for the last 15 years,” commented Malek Akkad. “I look forward to working again with Bob Weinstein, as well as a filmmaker of Rob Zombie’s talent and stature.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (December 16, 2008) -- Dimension Films - the successful genre and specialty arm of The Weinstein Company - is pleased to announce that the company will make “H2,” the sequel to Rob Zombie's 2007 reinvention of the horror classic “Halloween.” Once again, Rob Zombie has been tapped to write and direct. Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films, who also produced 2007's Halloween with Dimension, will produce the sequel, along with Andy Gould of Spectacle Entertainment Group, Zombie’s long time manager and producing partner. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company.
Dimension's “Halloween” scored the highest Labor Day weekend opening ever with a record-breaking $30.6 million in its first four days of release and went on to gross nearly $60 million at the domestic box office in 2007.
Zombie’s “H2” will pick up at the exact moment the first movie stopped and follow the aftermath of Michael Myers murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode.
“H2” will be Zombie’s fifth written and directed feature. Prior to the success of Halloween, Zombie released the critically-acclaimed film “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005), the follow-up to his cult classic “House of 1000 Corpses” (2004). Zombie just wrapped production on his animated feature film “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” due to be released in 2009. Zombie, also an accomplished recording artist, has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide, making him one of Geffen Records’ top selling and longest running artists.
Bob Weinstein stated: "Following the success of 2007’s ‘Halloween,’ we are thrilled to be back in business with Rob Zombie, bringing a sequel to theatres. The fans have made it clear – and we agree - that they feel the franchise is in great hands with Rob Zombie.”
Rob Zombie said, ”I am very excited to be working with Bob Weinstein again and returning to the world of ‘Halloween.’ The remake laid the groundwork, now it’s time to really take Michael Myers to the next level. I believe we’ve just barely scratched the surface of where we can take this series.“
John Carpenter's “Halloween” launched the Halloween franchise in 1978 and Moustapha Akkad, founder of Trancas International Films, executive produced the original classic. Akkad’s son Malek has continued with the franchise, producing “Halloween” (2007), “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” (1998) and now, “H2.”
“I am thrilled to be making ‘H2’ at Dimension, the home of the ‘Halloween’ franchise for the last 15 years,” commented Malek Akkad. “I look forward to working again with Bob Weinstein, as well as a filmmaker of Rob Zombie’s talent and stature.”
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