Iron Man 2 Trailer

I’m excited, better actors, bigger effects, Tony Stark developing.  It’ll be some fun.

Predators

The next installment of the Predator franchise will arrive in 2010.  Just  revealed today – Laurence Fishburne has been casted and began work in Austin, Texas this week.  He joins Adrian Brody, Topher Grace and Danny Trejo.  The film is supposed to be a direct sequel to the first installment with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  It’s being produced by Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) and directed by Nimrod Antal (Armored).  Further plot details are unknown at this time but the events of Aliens vs. Predator are being ignored supposedly.

Films Over Break

I have not seen all the best movies out this year yet so I felt it would be pointless to compile the year’s top 10 list.  What’s on it so far:

1. Public Enemies

2. Taking of Pelham 123

3. Moon

The films I recommend to see over break

1. Up in the Air

2. Bad Lieutenant Port of Call New Orleans

3. Messengers

4. Brothers

5. The Hurt Locker

6. The Fantastic Mr. Fox

7. The Hangover

8. Collapse

Columbia Grad gets Film Deal

I’ve been watching Mike B. Chait films since I was in high school.  Chait went to Columbia College Chicago with my cousin – both were colleagues together.  The Hollywood Reporter said Chait’s production company, TMU Pictures, is moving forward with the action adventure film “War Birds.”  The premise is an Air Force veteran gets pulled from his pilot re-enactment gig into the underground world of aerial combat.

This sounds exactly like a Mike B. Chait movie and it’ll be filmed on the airfield near his Michigan home where his dad works as a pilot.  The story says he got Titanic cinematographer Russell Carpenter as a visual consultant.

I like watching Mike B. Chait movies, he’s developed as a filmmaker and continues to grow.  He’s a dedicated worker that doesn’t give up.  He needs to make Chicago Vice available.

War Birds Test Footage

A Mike B. Chait Masterpiece

The New Moon Pirate

This was certainly an odd twist of enforcement.  On November 28, a 22-year-old female video taped three minutes of “Twilight: New Moon.”  She was arrested, charged and spent two nights in jail.  After widespread outcry the felony charges were dropped by Cook County prosecutors on Dec. 12.  The film’s director Chris Weitz even publicly commented to drop the charges.

Samantha Tumpach was at Muvico, 9701 Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont IL, for her sister’s 29th birthday party.  She recorded some footage with her digital camera but was quickly apprehended by security personnel who contacted the Rosemont police.  “No more than four minutes total,” was recorded said Police spokesman Frank Siciliano.

The movie industry is sending a message to pirates.  However, this ridiculous enforcement can’t stop what’s coming.  The business is finally feeling what the music industry has since napster.  I’m not surprised by this kind of action in Rosemont, it’s just unfortunate because Muvico is the best theater in the midwest, my personal favorite.

Moon

Easily one of the best films of 2008 and arguably best Sam Rockwell performance.  Rockwell plays Sam Bell, the only mining astronaut on the moon.  He’s worked alone for three years, his only companion is the station’s computer voiced by Kevin Spacey.

The film is hard to explain without ruining the foreseeable angle, just watch the trailer instead.

The movie is Sam Rockwell acting.  He keeps it alive and moving for 97 minutes, alone, that’s really hard to do.  I’ve always been a huge fan and this film demonstrates why.  The movie is slow but it doesn’t tarnish the quality.  The Sci-Fi genre has been long undeserved.  It’s always been a well suited platform to express the contemporary social issues and societal conflicts. The movie hints at subject matter I think would make an absolutely great piece for a sequel, the continued journey of Sam Bell.

Smokin’ Aces 2

On January 19, 2010 the straight to DVD sequel will be available.  The movie is not a sequel but rather a paint by numbers edition.  The story concept, structure and components are identical but it has different gimmicks and bad actors.  I really enjoyed the first one, I thought it was top notch popcorn entertainment. I’m also a huge Carnahan fan, who only has a story credit.  His contributions are probably absent from the final cut.

The movie is directed by P.J. Pesce, everyone has to start somewhere.  The returning hitman is Lazlo Soot, the chameleon infiltrator played by Tommy Flanagan.  Action star Vinnie Jones is around and Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson.

Some people enjoyed the first one, others did not.  This one is guaranteed to be worse, the thought of a Smokin’ Aces franchise is funny.

Mammet’s Back

The Hollywood Reporter said David Mamet’s script, “Come Back to Sorrento,” is moving into production.  It’s based of the Dawn Powell novel set during the Great Depression.  The story involves a music teacher who arrives to work in a small town in Ohio.  A romance erupts with a housewife while a mysterious past comes to light.  Mamet is producing and his regulars William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon are in negotiations to star.  The film is slated for production in 2010.

It’s nice to see Mamet getting a dog bone.  He recently was in negotiations with Disney to direct his script, a remake of the Diary of Anne Frank, but it collapsed in September.  It had a contemporary setting with a Jewish girl going to Israel experiencing the harsh terrorist reality.  How this is a remake or why keep the name is beyond me, but Mamet is superb at delivering provocative notable pieces of work.  Supposedly Disney had cold feet, which I’m sure is spot on because it’s very risky material for the mouse house.  Why doesn’t the Weinstein Co. step in?

The Informers

West coast sex, drugs and narcissism in the 1980’s.  This is a familiar topic for Bret Easton Ellis, the screenwriter who adapted it from his 1995 book.  The film is rounded by a nice ensemble, a beautifully shot palette, with a boppn’ 80’s soundtrack.  Although its hard to connect to such promiscuous pigeons, the intertwining story lines fail to make a strong connection and rather than climax it plateaus.

Kid prodigy Brad Renfro delivers the best performance and it was his last due to a heroin overdose Jan.15, 2008, he was 25 years old.  Renfro plays Jack, an apartment doorman who’s an aspiring actor involved in kidnapping with Mickey Rourke’s twisted character.  Their sub plot is the oddest and fails to substantially connect with the rest, but it’s also very intriguing and well done.

The rest of the story lines: an adolescent realizing his hollow relationships, a broken marriage attempts at recovery, a rocker dad trying to connect with his teenage son on vacation, and a drugged out fading pop band.  Each has some interesting moments supplemented by solid performances but most fall flat or are unnecessary.  Jon Foster plays Graham Sloan, the closest incarnation of a stand up guy the west coast could produce.  Graham’s head isn’t floating in the sky, he feels for the people around him.  He’s suffering from a vixen’s siren and scared from his parents failed marriage due to his dad’s affair.  Jon Foster definitely stands out, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because his brother is the extremely talented Ben Foster.

The desolate subject matter does not hinder the enjoyability factor, it’s worth a view but the film does fade away.

A Near Decade of Posters

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

I was inspired to compile by Ebert’s list