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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Can fantasy epics survive the Credit Crunch?
By Guy Adams,Independent
December 28,2008
America's half-empty shopping malls aren't the only place where big business is sucking its teeth and proclaiming "everything must go". The worsening credit crunch is also threatening the future of some of Hollywood's best-known film franchises.
Disney took advantage of the seasonal news lull last week to quietly slip out news that it has decided to withdraw from producing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the next in the Chronicles of Narnia series of films based on the children's books by C S Lewis.
Blaming "budgetary considerations" for its decision, the studio said it would not renew an option to co-finance the $200m (£137m) movie because the worsening economic climate has forced it to become more selective about the number of films it produces.
It was the second major fantasy franchise to be unceremoniously cancelled in recent months. Earlier this year, Warner Bros decided not to make a follow-up to The Golden Compass, the first instalment of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. At the time, the studio suggested that the decision to abandon the sequel, The Subtle Knife, had been made because the original had upset Christian groups.
Can fantasy epics survive the Credit Crunch? Read more!
The Spirit Review
Let's clear something from the start:this is not a second Sin City (or 300).Despite the similar visual style,it's not,because the source material is different,Frank Miller is the only director and because it's not as good as Sin City.I did not expect a second Sin City.What i expected was (at least) a decent movie.The Spirit was not one.
Frank Miller tries to combine a serious tone (in some scenes) with over-the-top humour (in other scenes).Either he was confused or he knew what he was doing,he fails in what he tries to do.At some scenes (most of the scenes with Samuel Jackson) the movie is close to becoming ridiculous.The direction and some of the perfomances don't help either.Samuel Jackson (although he seems to enjoy his role) and Scarlett Johansson (who is one of my favorite actresses,but..),clearly participated for an easy paycheck.I can't say how faithful to the source material The Spirit is,but the first reactions on that subject are probably negative.
However,the movie has some nice sequences,(at times) a nice visual style.But this is not enough.Evidently,Frank Miller can't direct a movie by himself (Sin City was co-directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez).
The Spirit is a wasted opportunity,a movie with potential,which was wasted.It could be better,but..
A disappointment...
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Top 5 New Year's Eve movies
By Doug Krentzlin,examiner.com
5. "End of Days"
This is the fifth of five recommendations of films involving New Year's Eve (to be presented in chronological order).
“End of Days” (1999) offers moviegoers the ultimate showdown: The Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. the Devil a.k.a Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Beelzebub and the Prince of Darkness, played here by Gabriel Byrne who joined the distinguished company of others who have played the role including Walter Huston, Laird Cregar, Claude Rains, Ray Walston, Burgess Meredith, Gary Oldman and, my personal favorite, Peter Cook in “Bedazzled.”
Interestingly, the climax of “End of Days” takes place on the exact same New Year’s Eve that my previous selection ("Strange Days") does, 1999 (only in New York, instead of Los Angeles). The plot has a young woman named Christine York (Robin Tunney) being stalked by Satan and his cult of followers to be his chosen bride. (It seems that if they mate between 11 p.m. and midnight on Dec. 31, the world will end.) Standing between His Satanic Majesty and his “bride” is Arnold as ex-cop turned private security guard Jericho Cane.
Directed by Peter Hyams with his usual visual style, “End of Days” has a fairly unexpected surprise ending. And of course, typical with Schwarzenegger, there is lots of self-depreciating humor. Best of all is the scene where he takes various stale leftovers, puts them in a blender, purees them and, right before he drinks the mess, says: “They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
Top 5 New Year's Eve movies Read more!
5 Worst New Year's Eve Movies
By Frank Meyer,G4Tv
December 28,2004
There’s something about a movie plot involving New Year’s Eve that guarantees its crappiness. Yes, it seems any time a film is centered around the changing of the year, it blows. Even the great Charlie Brown was nearly undone by a crappy New Year’s Eve TV movie. But he survived. And so did Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Janeane Garofalo, and countless other actors that accidentally stumbled into one of these quagmires.
But all is not lost… at least not for many of us. For those of us who don’t have a raging party to attend and subsequently barf at, there’s nothing better to do on a New Year’s Eve than curl up in front of the tube with a B-movie and ring in the New Year all nice and cozy-like. And what better subject for your trashy movie watching pleasure than New Year’s Eve, baby! Am I right? Maybe? Maybe not. Anyways, here’s some craptacular New Year’s Eve flicks for your viewing pleasure. Rock on…
New Year's Evil (1981)
A punk rock DJ is broadcasting a TV special to ring in the new year and starts getting harassed by a creepy caller who promises to murder someone every time the four time zones ring in the new year, culminating in her death. As the bodies begin to mount, the DJ decides she must fight back in this low-budget horror flick. Despite the terrific poster, the movie is a little underwhelming. But fans of the genre know that there’s nothing quite like the badness of an early ‘80s horror movie. I’d recommend it if you want some cheese with your champagne.
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! (1985)
Oh Charlie Brown, your tales of childhood angst were among the best ever… until the mid-‘80s. At some point, Charles Schultz’s classic characters started getting voiced by annoying adults, the scripts lost their dark undertones, and the vibe began to get more schticky-icky, and less classy-wassy. By the time this one rolled around, Charlie was faced with mounting problems like whether to go to lesbian friend Peppermint Patty's New Year's Eve party or read War and Peace. Yes, I’m serious. THAT is the actual plot. Race For Your Life Charlie Brown may have been the series’ last great stand.
Strange Days (1995)
Set in the year 1999 during the last days of that lame old millennium, ex-cop-turned-memory-disc-salesman Ralph Fiennes receives a disc which contains the memories of a murderer killing a prostitute. Lenny investigates and is pulled deeper and deeper in a swirling vortex of blackmail, murder and rape. Will he survive and solve the case? Could Angela Bassett look hotter, yet be more annoying in this film? Will Juliette Lewis and Tom Sizemore ever play anything other than a quirky bimbo and shifty opportunist? All these questions are answered in this fun, dopey joyride.
Four Rooms (1995)
How can four hip directors -- Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriquez, Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell -- make such a hilariously bad film? Well, start by casting Madonna as a topless witch. Then make it a collection of short films. And lastly, confine each of them to a room in a hotel. And wah-la, you get Four Rooms, eight breasts, two screaming kids, two fine comic turns from Antonio Banderas and Tim Roth, and one grandiose flop. But it’s worth watching.
200 Cigarettes (1999)
Set in 1981 in New York's Lower East Village during one very loooong New Year's Eve night out, a bunch of post-slacker hipsters head out seeking a good time and end up learning a thing or two about life. Sound like an after-school special? Well, it plays like one too. And is there a less appealing cast of characters than Paul Rudd, Courtney Love, Ben Affleck, Cassey Affleck, Jay Mohr, Kate Hudson, Janeane Garofalo, Martha Plimpton, Gaby Hoffmann, and Christina Ricci? However, Dave Chappelle has a recurring cameo as a disco cab driver, and that alone makes this worth watching. Reality Bites with slightly more bite yet, ironically, less reality.
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Darren Aronofsky's Plans for 'Noah' and 'The Fountain' Redo
By Elisabeth Rappe,Cinematical
The Fountain Redo
It's becoming clear that Darren Aronofsky is still haunted by the failure of The Fountain -- and I don't mean that as negatively as it might sound. He has a right to be bothered by it. It was a struggle to make, and a deeply personal story that was given rather shoddy treatment all around.
So it's not surprising that he wants to return to it -- but what is surprising is that he told MTV that his goal isn't an ultimate director's cut, but something akin to a remake. "It wouldn't be a 'director's cut' - more like an alternate story told with the addition of unused footage from the first go-round. This would be a complicated project on a couple of levels, though, and it's at least a few years away."
That has to be the most intriguing tease ever. Some of the missing scenes could be found in the graphic novel -- in its afterword, Aronofsky described rewriting the script to be the lean indie film we saw onscreen, which always implied that he had never shot the "extras" that were in the book. There's nothing that changes the story drastically -- the book was esentially the same, except for an extended sequence in Spain that explored the love affair between the Queen and Tomas, the political problems it was causing her, and the hold the Inqusition had on the country. It's a beautiful, incredibly romantic chapter of the book.
At First Showing, Aronofsky clarified (kind of) his idea of redoing The Fountain, saying that it wasn't a recut but something like a redux: "It's something more for fans. I worked on the film for 6 years and it went through a lot of versions. And there was one version that was much closer to one of the scripts that we had. And we kind of chose between which way we would go with it and they both are kind of interesting. So I was always curious for myself to see what that alternative version would be. And we cut it actually recently, it's done ... It's very similar but it's looking at a few things in a few different ways and answers a few questions for people and raises some new questions in other ways." The director hopes that popular demand will convince Warner Bros to let him properly make and release it.
Noah's Ark
Darren Aronofsky's Noah movie is on every sensible film fan's wish list, and it seems to inch a little closer to reality every day. In September, he revealed that he had finished the script -- and now comes news as to what he's doing with it. Aronofsky told Ropes of Silicon that he's currently in the process of turning it into a graphic novel. Considering the one he did for The Fountain, we'll be in for a very special read.
But fear not, film fans, he's still planning to put it on the big screen: "Eventually we'll set it up, but we're just figuring it out. It's a very difficult film to get made and we're slowly working on it to get it put together." And how's this for a tease? "There is an actor attached, but I'm not going to say who, but he's a big movie star."
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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Fox will fight for 'Watchmen' delay UPDATED
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By Boris Kit,Hollywood Reporter
December 29,2008
Warner Bros.' message to Fox regarding "Watchmen" copyright infringement can be summed up this way: Bring it on.
In a defiant statement issued Monday, Warners said it was prepared to go to trial or to appeal last week's ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess, who stated that the studio had infringed on Fox's copyright in making the adaptation of the Alan Moore superhero graphic novel.
"We respectfully but vigorously disagree with the court's ruling and are exploring all of our appellate options," the studio said. "We continue to believe that Fox's claims have no merit and that we will ultimately prevail, whether at trial or in the Court of Appeals."
Fox, meanwhile, is looking for an injunction against the March 6, 2009, release of the movie.
"Watchmen," directed by Zack Snyder ("300"), is one of Warners' tentpoles for next year, with a budget well north of the $120 million. While it is considered a seminal piece of literature with an appeal beyond the geek community, Warners has been carefully implementing a publicity campaign to generate word-of-mouth and awareness of the movie.
Both sides met Monday morning at the Los Angeles federal court, where Feess said he stands by the Christmas Eve ruling and also said he plans to hold a trial Jan. 20 to decide remaining issues such as damages, how far Fox's rights extend, and if to actually block the release of the movie.
Monday's events seem to be a speed bump to a costly settlement, with the hardline postures likely a strategic move for both sides more than anything else. Fox, which finally snapped a long boxoffice losing streak with "Marley & Me," gains most with a settlement, not a blocked release; the studio is already taking a beating in the geek blogosphere for messing with a fan-favorite property. Warners, meanwhile, could be on the hook for millions for developing and then filming a movie in which the film's producer, Larry Gordon, didn't pay Fox turnaround fees after allegedly reacquiring rights to the property.
"We are gratified by the recognition of our rights in the Judge's order, which speaks for itself," Fox said in a statement.
December 31 Update:Warner Bros. is of no mind to settle its dispute with 20th Century Fox over the Watchmen movie as a federal judge had suggested. In a statement, Warner's said: "We continue to believe that Fox's claims have no merit and that we will ultimately prevail, whether at trial or in the Court of Appeals. We have no plans to move the release date of the film." IMDB
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Christopher McQuarrie,Tom Cruise re-team
By Michael Fleming,Variety The scribe is now working on three post-"Valkyrie" projects designed as potential star vehicles for the actor. New Regency has set McQuarrie and Mason Alley to write "Flying Tigers," based on the volunteer fighter squadron formed to help the Chinese fight the Japanese before the U.S. entered World War II. Cruise isn't formally attached. The "Top Gun" star has long wanted to return to the skies, and several years ago was attached to "The Few," a Paramount project about the first American pilots to battle Germans in WWII, with director Michael Mann and scribe John Logan. McQuarrie also is writing and producing with Guillermo del Toro the previously announced United Artists project "The Champions," penning the script with an eye toward hammering it into a Cruise vehicle. The British TV series transfer concerns a team of government agents rescued from a plane crash in the Himalayas by an advanced civilization and given superhuman abilities. MGM brass has long felt that the project was UA's strongest chance for a big-ticket franchise vehicle that could star UA co-owner Cruise. But the Cruise-McQuarrie collaboration with the most urgency is Spyglass espionage drama "The Tourist." McQuarrie is rewriting for Cruise to star with Charlize Theron in the Bharat Nalluri-directed remake of the 2005 French thriller "Anthony Zimmer." Julian Fellowes originally scripted the redo.
December 18,2008
"Valkyrie" co-writer and producer Christopher McQuarrie is fast becoming a go-to guy for Tom Cruise.
U.S Box Office December 26-28
| # | Title | Dec 26 - 28 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | Marley & Me | $ 36,357,586 | 3,480 | 1 | $ 10,448 | $ 50,738,566 | |||
| 2 | Bedtime Stories | 27,450,296 | 3,681 | 1 | 7,457 | 38,029,113 | |||
| 3 | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | 26,853,816 | 2,988 | 1 | 8,987 | 38,725,647 | |||
| 4 | Valkyrie | 21,027,007 | 2,711 | 1 | 7,756 | 29,520,979 | |||
| 5 | Yes Man | 16,657,046 | -8.8 | 3,434 | 2 | 4,851 | 49,798,560 | ||
| 6 | Seven Pounds | 13,203,236 | -11.1 | 2,758 | 2 | 4,787 | 38,762,647 | ||
| 7 | The Tale of Despereaux | 8,932,625 | -11.6 | 3,107 | 2 | 2,875 | 27,448,085 | ||
| 8 | The Day the Earth Stood Still | 7,697,799 | -22.2 | 2,402 | 3 | 3,205 | 63,480,184 | ||
| 9 | The Spirit | 6,463,278 | 2,509 | 1 | 2,576 | 10,305,501 | |||
| 10 | Doubt | 5,339,742 | 684.2 | 1,267 | 3 | 4,214 | 8,484,863 |
Source:Box Office Guru Read more!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Star Wars Holiday Special
An advertisement for the special that appeared in TV Guide. From Starwarsholidayspecial.com.
Wookiees and Bea Arthur? Luke Skywalker and Harvey Korman? Singing and dancing and storm troopers? If George Lucas had his way, no one would remember, but yes, Virginia, there was a Star Wars Holiday Special.
by Frank DiGiacomo,December 22, 2008
In the summer of 1978, Bruce Vilanch had a bad feeling about the Star Wars television special he’d been hired to write. A veteran of the comedy wars who has since written material for 16 Oscar telecasts and starred as the extra-large Edna Turnblad in the Broadway musical adaptation of John Waters’s Hairspray, Vilanch had just finished working on Bette Midler’s 1977 TV special, Ol’ Red Hair Is Back, for producers Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion when they threw him what sounded like a plum assignment: a spot on the writing team that would help George Lucas adapt more of the Star Wars saga for television.
A year had passed since the theatrical release of Lucas’s gee-whiz space epic, and in that time Star Wars had become the highest-grossing movie in history as well as a cultural phenomenon with its very own lexicon and mythology. With a sequel still two years away from theaters, Lucas had been sold on the idea that a Star Wars holiday television special—to be broadcast on CBS the weekend before Thanksgiving, when Nielsen audiences were plentiful—would sustain interest in the franchise, move more toys off the shelves, and maybe even pick up some new fans who hadn’t seen the movie.
Vanity Fair-The Star Wars Holiday Special
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Disney Dumps Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Feeling the economic squeeze, Disney announced Tuesday that it will not exercise its option to co-produce and co-finance The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with Walden Media. The film was reportedly already in preproduction with a May 2010 release planned. The previous two Narnia film were costly to produce, each of them budgeted at around $200 million. But while the first film, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, took in $745 million worldwide, the second film, Prince Caspian, earned just $419 million. Walden said that it would seek another production partner. (IMDB) Read more!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Top 10 Best Christmas Movies
A strange tale of Jack Skellington (a.k.a. the Pumpkin King) as he tries to bring his own brand of Christmas to the world with the help of the ghoulies of Halloweentown. Nothing spells Christmas like seeing a “coffin sleigh” pulled through the sky by skeletal reindeer and a ghost dog with a glowing nose! Will Ferrell is Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole sent off to search for his birth father. It’s great fun to witness his awkwardness and enthusiasm as he discovers what it is to be human, in of all places — New York City. Definitely one of Mr. Ferrell’s better comedic performances (Ron Burgundy and Chazz Reinhold being the others.) The definitive adaptation of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Ebenezer Scrooge, meets three ghosts — Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future — and, well you know the story. Ever wanted to take the place of Santa Claus? Neither did Tim Allen, but that’s what happens when he activates a little known clause in the Santa mythos (kill old Saint Nick, take his place.) An endearing comedy that’s great for the whole family. What better way to rob a department store than to dress up as Santa. That’s Billy Bob Thornton’s plan, complete with boozing it up, cursing like Bob Saget, and beating up little kids. Did I mention the backdoor sex in the crapper? It may not sound like it, but there is a goodwill message hidden somewhere within. An animated feature that dives into the meaning of Christmas. If you can get past the bizarre facial expressions everyone in the film has (growing pains of the motion capture animation), you’re sure to feel good after viewing. Afterwards, let me know if you can hear the bell ring — I did for a day or two… The Griswolds return to make a disaster of the holiday, as only they can. If you need a laugh, look no further — you’ll get your fill and then some watching this good-intentioned family ruin everything they come in contact with. Watch for Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), he’s a scene stealer. Leave it to America to put Kris Kringle on trial for claiming to be the real Santa Claus — even 50 years ago corporate snobs were sucking the life out of Christmas. But it wouldn’t be a holiday powerhouse if the nonbelievers weren’t shown the wrongs of their ways and led to believe. You’ll be led to believe again too. Little Ralphie wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun from Santa and lets everyone in his world know it. Director Bob Clark and screenwriter Jean Shepherd capture everything there is about Christmas from a kids point of view; no wonder it is the most televised movie during the week of Christmas (unsubstantiated claim), as young and old alike can relate. The timeless Christmas classic. James Stewart is a man contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve when he sees his world falling apart. His guardian angel pops down from the heavens to stop him and to show him how life would be like for those he loves had he never existed. It memorably drives home the point that as long as you have family, friends and good health there’s a damn good chance everything is going to be a-okay. And even though we tend to overlook it, this holds true even to this day. Honorable Mention(s): Babes in Toyland.
thecriticalcritics.com,December 6,2008
With the holidays upon us, I felt it was my duty to bring some Christmas spirit to all. Below is a list of my favorite movies that embody what this time of year is all about — fun, family and friends.
Criteria: Theatrical release; have something to do with Christmas.10
Movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas [1993] 9
Movie: Elf [2003] 8
Movie: Scrooge [1951] 7
Movie: The Santa Clause [1994] 6
Movie: Bad Santa [2003] 5
Movie: The Polar Express [2004] 4
Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [1989] 3
Movie: Miracle on 34th Street [1947] 2
Movie: A Christmas Story [1983] 1
Movie: It’s A Wonderful Life [1946]
Read more!
The Ten Worst Christmas Movies of All-Time
With a title like this, it’s almost too easy. And while you most likely have seen this one during the good old Mystery-Science Theater 3000 days, you can still catch it on video and even aired by one of the Turner networks in December. It features a wino Santa and Martians so crappy they put Plan 9 from Outer Space to shame. Oh, and it’s got Pia Zadora in it, too! We can just imagine the pitch meeting in Hollywood. Some lunkhead producer yelled, “The Passion of the Christ made more than $300 million! What else can we mine from the Bible?” So they cast the 15-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes, who got herself pregnant for the film’s release (which really pissed off the Pope). Here’s a hint… she wasn’t carrying the baby Jesus. Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti were cobbled by the family-oriented bent of this film. It just goes to prove that Vince Vaughn just ain’t funny if you don’t let him swear (or if he is wearing a dress and killing people). Who the hell had the brilliant idea of remaking this indelible classic… again? The cast was lame, and the climactic courtroom scene was ruined with an unnecessary rewrite. In the 60th anniversary DVD of the original, Maureen O’Hara giggles at the fact that every remake of this film has bombed. You go, Mo! Yeah, we know this is a cash cow for Disney, but that doesn’t make it any good. The first film was okay, but this one was lame. Even worse, the moronic director did the entire DVD commentary as if he got permission to shoot in the North Pole with the real Santa and his elves. I guess he didn’t realize that second graders don’t listen to DVD commentaries. Hey look! Another Tim Allen movie has made the list! Written by legal novelist John Grisham, this awkward holiday comedy showed that even a bestselling author can inspire crap. Why does Matthew Broderick keep getting cast in movies? He hasn’t done a live-action film worth a bucket of snot since Election. And how could Danny DeVito sign on for this stinker? He must have needed rent money. A war of holiday lights turns into wacky family comedy… so much so, you’ll want to throw up. After the Weinstein Company’s dismal release of Wolf Creek on Christmas Day 2005, they tried to repeat their mistake with a horror movie remake in 2006… and they were successful in failing. Maybe they should have had some of the young hotties in the cast (e.g., Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert or Michelle Trachtenberg) do a gratuitous nude scene. It’s Tim Allen again, dishing out more holiday pain. But this time, he’s joined by the show-tune loving Martin Short as Jack Frost. Arguably a better premise than #2, the movie melts down in the end with the cheesiest ending since V: The Final Battle. Nothing says Christmas in October like James Gandolfini in a Santa hat. ‘Nuff said. Jingle All the Way (1996) – We thought this would be a shoe-in, considering what a joke people remember it to be. But watch it with your kids, and you might agree it doesn’t even belong on this list. The Preacher’s Wife (1996) – Okay, we admit it… neither Fat Guy actually has seen this film. We just figured that since it had Whitney Houston in it, it must suck ass.
filmschoolrejects.com,December 2007
Just as Hollywood launched us into the summer movie season with Spider-Man 3 in early May, they’ve jumped the gun on the Christmas season with Fred Claus. However, this wasn’t as heartwarming as the umpteen radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, ‘cause Fred Claus really sucked ass.
So that got us thinking… What other Christmas movies suck ass? For every It’s a Wonderful Life, there’s gotta be a crapstorm of a film to balance it out. So we looked at the holiday movies over the years, and we came up with our list. To make the list, the film had to either be about Christmas (or Santa Claus) or have Christmas an integral part of the plot. (It can’t be like Gremlins, which did suck ass, but really was just set during Christmastime rather than being about the holiday.)
Flame on!
>10. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
9. The Nativity Story (2006)
8. Fred Claus (2007)
7. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
6. The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
5. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
4. Deck the Halls (2006)
3. Black Christmas (2006)
2. The Santa Clause 3 (2006)
1. Surviving Christmas (2004)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
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Best Christmas Episodes
By V.Miller,associatedcontent.com
December 17,2008
Who doesn't like to spread a little pop-culturey Christmas cheer? Any TV series worth its salt churns out at least one Christmas episode during its run. Here are my top 10 favorite Christmas episodes of all time. Many of these episodes can be viewed online, on websites such as hulu.com, fancast.com or youtube.com
The Top 10 Best Christmas Television Episodes of All Time
Check also:The Twelve Episodes of Christmas Television Gave To Us
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Judge Says Fox Owns Rights to Watchmen
By Michael Cieply,nytimes.com
December 24,2008
LOS ANGELES — In a surprise ruling, a federal judge in Los Angeles said he intended to grant 20th Century Fox’s claim that it owns a copyright interest in the “Watchmen,” a movie shot by Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures and set for release in March.
The decision was disclosed in a five-page written order issued on Wednesday. Gary A. Feess, a judge in the United States District Court for Central California, said he would provide a more detailed order soon.
Fox has been seeking to prevent Warner from releasing the film. The superhero adventure, based on the “Watchmen” graphic novel, is being directed by Zack Snyder (who also directed “300”) and has shaped up as one of most eagerly anticipated releases for next year.
A Warner spokesman, Scott Rowe, declined to comment on the ruling and the studio’s plans.
At an earlier hearing, the judge said he believed that issues in the case could be settled only at a trial, which was scheduled for late January. On Wednesday, however, Judge Feess said he had reconsidered and concluded that Fox should prevail on crucial issues.
“Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the ‘Watchmen’ motion picture,” the ruling said.
Fox acquired rights to the “Watchmen” graphic novel in the late 1980s for the producer Lawrence Gordon, but eventually dropped its own plan to make a movie from its story, about the underside of life for superbeings.
Mr. Gordon later pursued the project with Universal Pictures, and then with Paramount Pictures, before shooting it with Warner and Legendary under an arrangement that allows Paramount to distribute the film abroad.
In ruling on Wednesday, Judge Feess advised both Fox and Warner to look toward a settlement or an appeal.
“The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review,” he said. Read more!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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Bryan Singer on Superman:Man of Steel
By Jordan Hoffman,movieblog.ugo.com
December 4,2008
I just got off the phone with big shot Hollywood filmmaker Bryan Singer who’s newest film Valkyrie is coming out on December 25th. We spoke at length about the film, about Tom Cruise, about why people lose their minds with gossip about Tom Cruise and what it is like working with a man who can’t sneeze without being on the front page of the New York Post. (See pic above for Singer on the set working with said man.) We’ll have a full transcript of the conversation soon, but I wanted to get something to you as quickly as possible: Bryan Singer on Superman: Man of Steel:
Jordan Hoffman: Bryan, I have to ask you…..The Man of Steel! Superman!
Bryan Singer: I couldn’t – I wish I had an answer.
JH: I’m strapping you to a lie detector right now.
BS: (laughs) Yeah?
JH: You feel that on your arm?
BS: Yeah, yeah.
JH: That’s me strapping a lie detector to you.
BS: Okay.
JH: Tell me something about Superman and you and your relationship together.
BS: I love Superman and I can not tell you anything else. I, uh……
JH: Would you like to tell me something else? But you simply can’t?
BS: I can’t, I….no-no I wish I could! Yeah! I wish I could, but there’s nothing I have to tell. I’ve got a world tour (laughs) press tour on Valkyrie, a premiere in New York, uh –
JH: But there is talk of a new film, though. Are you officially involved in this talk of the new film?
BS: I am not officially involved in the talk, no.
JH: But when talk happens they’ll call you.
BS: Well it’s, you know, I have relationships with Warner Brothers and with the character and, and, and, and it’s just the way things work out.
JH: But you are not divorced from Superman at this point.
BS: No.
JH: All right. Read more!
Top 10 Christmas Horror Movies
listverse.com December 17,2007
Sure, we all know Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, and, to some extent, gift giving and Santa Claus, but, what you didn’t know is that Christmas is also about fine cinematic horror choices. Horror on Christmas? Absolutely. Some of the genre’s finest films take place on this - our most beloved of holidays. And, this is the List Universe after all - we love to horrify, frighten, revolt, and shock you! Here are ten of the best choices for your very SCARY Christmas!
Top 10 Christmas Horror Movies
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Nielsen Overnight Tv Ratings December 22,2008
Monday 22/12
-Prison Break:4.986 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.9 rating/ 5 share
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Source:TvByTheNumbers Read more!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
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6 Movies for People Who Hate Christmas
By Jeff Otto,reelzchannel.com
For most, Christmas is a happy time rife with warm family memories, selfless gift giving, gentle snowfalls, and the sharing of the season's goodwill tidings. For others, it is the worst example of American consumerism, as exemplified most glaringly by the recent Black Friday mishaps at Wal-Mart and Toys"R"Us.
For the latter group, Christmas is a time when broken families are forced to mend fences for a single day of forced holiday bliss. A time when you can't step into an elevator without being subject to the Muzak version of "O Holy Night." When going to your local pharmacy means being guilted into giving up your spare change by a guy with a bell who looks like he just got released from prison.
The following recommendations are for those with a more cynical perspective of the season. These movies offer the chance to enjoy some seasonal cinematic joys with more edge and less good cheer. From German terrorists to singing skeletons, little green monsters to an alcoholic St. Nick, we've got all the bases covered.
U.S Box Office December 19-21
| # | Title | Dec 19 - 21 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | Yes Man | $ 18,262,471 | 3,434 | 1 | $ 5,318 | $ 18,262,471 | |||
| 2 | Seven Pounds | 14,851,136 | 2,758 | 1 | 5,385 | 14,851,136 | |||
| 3 | The Tale of Despereaux | 10,103,675 | 3,104 | 1 | 3,255 | 10,103,675 | |||
| 4 | The Day the Earth Stood Still | 9,890,105 | -67.6 | 3,560 | 2 | 2,778 | 48,366,989 | ||
| 5 | Four Christmases | 7,701,375 | -41.1 | 3,515 | 4 | 2,191 | 100,110,827 | ||
| 6 | Twilight | 5,189,319 | -34.7 | 2,991 | 5 | 1,735 | 158,423,218 | ||
| 7 | Bolt | 4,146,856 | -44.4 | 2,968 | 5 | 1,397 | 94,900,059 | ||
| 8 | Slumdog Millionaire | 3,053,760 | 40.4 | 589 | 6 | 5,185 | 12,037,510 | ||
| 9 | Australia | 2,174,188 | -47.9 | 2,212 | 4 | 983 | 41,796,525 | ||
| 10 | Quantum of Solace | 2,051,882 | -44.8 | 1,874 | 6 | 1,095 | 161,200,412 |
Source:Box Office Guru Read more!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Blu-Ray sales flourishing in Europe
Sales of Blu-ray Disc movies and players are surging all across Europe despite the gloomy economic conditions and forecast per a press release issued this weekend.British Blu-ray player owners bought approximately 462,500 titles in November, a 165% increase over the previous month. The Dark Knight is leading a December charge with 21% of all Dark Knight discs sold being Blu-ray.
Blu-ray hardware sales in Europe, which include Playstation 3 consoles, have outsold DVD hardware sales, including Playstation 2 consoles, by five times during a similar time span. Sales are forecast to triple by the end of 2009. Aggressive growth numbers are expected to be released for the United States as the year comes to a close. The real test for Blu-ray in 2009 is whether it can eat into DVDs dominant home video market share with blockbuster and catalog titles alike.
Source:HD Room
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Agent Denies Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott Rift
A Hollywood agent representing both actor Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott has denied the pair has fallen out over their new movie Nottingham.
The duo has teamed up for the upcoming film, the story of mythical English outlaw Robin Hood, which is their fourth movie project together.
The picture, which will begin filming in the U.K. in March, has been hit by rumours of an ongoing feud between Crowe and Scott, with some internet gossips suggesting the actor is angling to get the filmmaker replaced.
But a spokesperson for George Freeman, of Hollywood talent agency William Morris, who represents both stars, is adamant that the rumours are not true, insisting the pair attended a pre-production meeting last week (beg15Dec08) and everything went smoothly.
The rep tells New York Post gossip column PageSix, "There is absolutely no truth to this (rumour)."IMDB
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Sunday, December 21, 2008
The first post:My Blueberry Nights Review
Reprinted from December 21,2007.
Synopsis:"A beautiful young woman on the treacherous road to love."
"My Blueberry Nights" is the new film from one of the world's most
sought-after directors, Wong Kar Wai. It's a magnificent love story
starring multi-Grammy award winner Norah Jones in her movie debut
along with a "A-list" cast of Academy Award winners and nominees
including Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman.
Norah Jones plays a sensual, alluring young woman who sets out on an
unforgettable journey of discovery in pursuit of true love. In
heartbreakingly beautiful locations and classic Route 66 atmospheric
diners, Wong Kar Wai's captivating heroine encounters a series of
enigmatic characters that help her on her quest.
Set against New York's magical cityscape and the stunning vistas of
America's legendary Route 66, the celebrated director's first English
language picture embraces his signature elegance and originality that
made "Happy Together," "In the Mood for Love" and "2046" must-see
movies all around the world.
Wong Kar Wai's unique talent and dreamy romantic themes, combined with
mythical Americans locations and an awesomely gifted and stylish cast,
guarantee that "My Blueberry Nights" will delight and enchant
moviegoers everywhere."
(http://www.ropeofsi licon.com/ movie/my_ blueberry_ nights)
To be honest,i have not seen any of the previous movies of Wong Kar
Wai.I have heard positive comments about In the mood for
love,2046,especiall y about the music,among other things,but i have not
seen any of these movies.Anyway, when i first read about MBN it
provoked my interest.When i saw the trailer the expectation was even
greater.I finally saw MBN last weekend.
The journey of Elizabeth (Norah Jones) is an existential journey
across America,a journey of redemption.An effort to distance herself
from the sad reality in NY,an effort of thinking things over.She
encounters people who have their own problems.The element that these
stories have in common is:when you have something or it is available
for you to have it,you may ignore it or take it for granted.When you
lose it,you appreciate it,you realize what it meant for you.These
encounters are an important part of the movie,of Elizabeth's
journey.Important is also the relationship between Elizabeth and
Jeremy (Jude Law),the restaurant owner back in NY,with whom she stays
in touch through letters that she sends.Wong Kar Wai describes MBN as
"a story of a woman who takes the long route instead of the short one
to meet up with the man she loves."
Norah Jones in her first role is very good and the rest of the cast
also delivers exceptional perfomances. The music is just stunning (Cat
Power's "the Greatest" is a superb song). The visual perspective of
the movie is also stunning.
My Blueberry Nights is a movie that delivers meaning for the
characters,that delivers meaning for the audience.Definetely worth
watching.
My Blueberry Nights was the opening film for the 2007 Cannes Film
Festival on May 16, 2007.
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Leon and his Demons:1 year anniversary
On December 21st last year I embarked on what would turn out to be an exciting journey.
1 year has passed since the start of this effort.1 year with new developments in politics,in the state of the economy,in the entertaiment industry.As time passed,the blog changed.From a blog with few reviews and features,it became a blog with daily updates,news,reviews,features about movies and television.
Maintaining the blog requires a lot of work and at times,it's difficult to keep up with all the developments in the entertaiment industry.It's a challenge.However,the positive feedback from the visitors is the best compensation for all this work.
As i mentioned earlier,the blog changed,the blog evolved.My aim was to combine original material with select articles from other sources,along with trailers and other videos.More changes will come and i'll try to write more often.I have a lot of plans,lot of features that i'm working on and certainly lot of surprises.It's going to be an exciting second year.
Be sure to check Leon and his Demons for daily updates.
Thank you for visiting.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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Saturday, December 20, 2008
The End of Primetime?How Jay Leno could change the face of television
By Christopher Goodwin,thefirstpost.co.uk
American television is about to undergo its biggest shake-up in decades – involving the potential loss of thousands of Hollywood jobs, and the end of prime-time drama as we know it - all because one man, Jay Leno, king of the late-night chat shows, had to be found a new job.
The dilemma of what to do about Leno when his contract expires in May has been dogging the NBC network for years. The 58-year-old comedian known for his heavy jaw, thick gray hair and relentless work ethic, has hosted The Tonight Show, a mix of comedy routines and light-hearted interviews, for 16 years since taking over from Johnny Carson.
In May, under a long-standing arrangement, he hands over the reins of the show, which broadcasts at 11.35 on weeknights, to fellow comedian Conan O'Brien, who currently hosts Late Night with Conan O'Brien, which starts when The Tonight Show finishes, at 12.30 at night.
But Leno is America's late-night ratings leader, consistently beating his arch-rival on CBS, David Letterman, and earning NBC more than $50m a year in profits.
Terminator Salvation Update.Terminator 5 in the Works?
Halcyon Co. toppers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek are developing a fifth instalment of the man-vs.-machine franchise. Helmer McG, who directed the upcoming fourth pic, "Terminator Salvation," is working with the Halcyon duo on the latest project. Announcement was among the news that came out of the Dubai Intl. Film Festival, which bowed Dec. 11 and runs through Thursday. No decision has been made as to where to film the next "Terminator," although the Middle East was mentioned as a locale. When Anderson and Kubicek acquired the rights the lucrative "Terminator" franchise last year from previous owners C2, the former ad exec and banker envisaged the re-booted series as a trilogy. Christian Bale has signed on in the role of John Connor for all three roles. Newest pic is tentatively skedded for a 2011 release. The duo had originally planned to wait until the release of "Terminator Salvation" next summer before deciding on whether to proceed with the next chapter, but the positive studio, fan and media reaction to footage from the current pic has encouraged them to move forward ahead of schedule. "We feel the time is now to start shaping the next part of this," Kubicek said. Warner Bros. is handling the domestic release of "Terminator Salvation" with Sony handling the majority of the rest of the world, with the exception of the Middle East where the film is being handled by Dubai-based Gulf Film. No decision has been made yet on whether the fifth "Terminator" will be once again split by Warner Bros. and Sony. (By Ali Jaafar,Variety).jpg)
-John Connor walking through a Terminator factory
Excerpts from two Terminator Salvation previews.
"Peeking at the post-apocalyptic world of 2018, we saw a giant old-school Terminator in action, some sleek futuristic T600 models, major explosions, Skynet's headquarters, a ruined Los Angeles, concentration camp-style transports for captured members of the resistance and much, much more." Moviefone
"[McG] brought us into his streamline trailer and showed us an 8-minute sizzle reel of the film. People haven't seen anything yet. And for those who believe this film will definitely be PG-13, think again. We saw a piece of footage that showed Moon Bloodgood topless in the rain, which certainly gave me the impression that the rating has yet to be decided." Slashfilm
After the jump,Terminator 5 news.
The Terminator will be back.
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