Friday.May.16.2008

A Better Look at Goku and Bulma in 'Dragon Ball'

By Arya Ponto

Here's a better (and colored) look at the Justin Chatwin Son Goku picture that we posted before. It even includes a photo of Emmy Rossum as Bulma. This is from a feature on Japanese mag Weekly Young Jump. Thanks to DBtheMovie blog for the scan.

If you notice, the Goku and Bulma pics seem to come from one larger image. Could that be the poster? 

Read more about: Movies, Dragon Ball, Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum

Friday.May.16.2008

Charlie Kaufman and Jon Brion Reunite for 'Synecdoche, New York'

By Arya Ponto

Jon Brion is once again scoring a Charlie Kaufman movie. Perhaps impressed with his work on Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which Kaufman wrote), Kaufman has recruited Brion to score his directorial debut Synecdoche, New York.

The info came from the official press kit from the Cannes film festival, where Brion is listed for the music credit. 

Synecdoche, New York certainly looks to have the same dream feel of Eternal Sunshine. In the film, Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays a theater director who builds a replica of New York City in a giant warehouse for his ambitious play.

Read more about: Movies, Music, Jon Brion, Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York, Cannes Film Festival

Thursday.May.15.2008

'The Dark Knight' Coaster is Now Open!

By Arya Ponto

It's May 15th. Do you know what that means? Six Flags Great Adventure has opened up the Dark Knight roller coaster ride. So go and ride it already and get terrorized by the Joker as you scream through this indoor coaster.

Check out the highlight video below.

Video

The one in Chicago opens on the 21st.

Read more about: Movies, Six Flags, The Dark Knight, Batman

Thursday.May.15.2008

Posters and Info for 'Tokyo!' Anthology

By Arya Ponto

When I posted the Cannes festival line-up, I briefly mentioned that the film that intrigue me the most is the anthology pic Tokyo!, featuring directors Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon-ho each directing a movie set in Tokyo.

This movie is jumping even higher on my must-see list after seeing these images released on the movie's official site. Accompanying the synopsis for each film is a postcard image for the short that, for all intents and purposes, we'll call the teaser posters:

Three short films compose the movie. Each segment is freely inspired by Tokyo and shot in the heart of the city. Tokyo! is a symphony interpreted in three dissonant parts, reflecting the image of the metropolis.

Interior Design by Michel Gondry: the surreal fable of a young couple who moves to Tokyo in search of a future. While the boy's ambition is clear - be a movie maker- the girl drifts gradually apart. Both of them will be drowned in the immensity until the girl, feeling alone, discovers something strange.

Merde by Leos Carax: a mysterious man spreads confusion on the streets of Tokyo through a succession of irrational and provocative acts. "The Creature of the Sewers" as the media have dubbed him, arouse passion or repulsion. He will be captured, judged and then…

Shaking Tokyo by Bong Joon-Ho: He is a hikikomori - like many others in Japan, he has withdrawn from all contact with the outside world .When the pizza delivery girl faints during an earthquake, the unthinkable happens - the man falls in love. Will he take the unimaginable step : leaving the dead security of his apartment for the streets of Tokyo? 

Check out stills from the film here. 

The official site also has the trailer as an intro, but skip that and watch these two really cool short teasers instead.

Read more about: Movies, Poster, Trailer, Tokyo!, Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, Bong Joon-ho, Interior Design, Merde, Shaking Tokyo

Thursday.May.15.2008

David Lynch Teams with Jorodowsky and Herzog? Mind Blown, Again

By Arya Ponto

More jaw-dropping collaboration news coming from Cannes, as reported by THR: David Lynch has aligned himself with two indie projects too juicy not to gobble up. And Marilyn Manson is involved!

Project #1 is My Son, My Son—a low budget horror/drama based on the true story of a San Diego man who acts out a Sophocles play in his head and proceeds to kill his own mother with a sword. I'm guessing the play is one of the Oedipus Cycle.

The low-budget feature will flash back and forth from the murder scene to the disturbed man's story. A guerrilla-style digital video shoot on Coronado Island is tentatively set for March.

Herzog co-wrote the film with his longtime assistant director Herbert Golder and looks to direct. This will be his next film after that Bad Lieutenant remake. Lynch is executive producing.

Project #2 is King Shot, Alejandro Jorodowsky's Sin City-like metaphysical spaghetti gangster movie that was announced two years ago, starring Nick Nolte and Marilyn Manson. Manson isn't exactly a new name to Jorodowsky, having been previously cast in the (now defunct) El Topo sequel Abelcain (formerly known as The Sons of El Topo). In King Shot, Manson will play a prophet.

Lynch's production company is developing the film, and they've signed Asia Argento and Udo Kier to be in the film. That's one radical cast there, and with Jorodowsky helming, it's sure to be a really, really cool film. Its producer Eric Bassett has said that it's got enough sex and violence to warrant an NC-17. We believe it. Lynch again executive produces.

Cannes: where eccentric directors get together and awesome shit happens.

Read more about: Movies, Werner Herzog, David Lynch, Alejandro Jorodowsky, Marilyn Manson, Nick Nolte, Asia Argento, Udo Kier, My Son, My Son, King Shot, Cannes Film Festival

Thursday.May.15.2008

'The Strangers'—A 'Funny Games' Wannabe?

By Arya Ponto

When I first heard of the plot for The Strangers, my immediate thought was "this sounds kind of like Funny Games without the irony." Of course, it's not like "family terrorized by home invaders" is a new concept for a horror movie (I'm partial to Last House on the Left myself), but the fact that the sadistic bastards in The Strangers use the nonchalant reason "Because you're home" and seem to treat the break-in as a game can't help but spark memories of Funny Games.

Well, now it's starting to look like they're inviting comparisons with the release of the new poster, which is oddly reminiscent of the Naomi Watts Funny Games remake poster, don't you think?

As for the film itself, I'm curiously reserving judgment. The extended clips I saw at Comic Con last year looked major craptacular, but subsequent trailers and TV spots (as well as this super creepy poster) have somewhat lifted my interest. My problem with what I saw was how it came across as just another survival horror story with the same gritty look and the same frenetic tension.

Sorry, but horror used to be a genre with creativity and flair. Even the nastiest, most mean-spirited of the bunch (like the aforementioned Last House on the Left) retained some level of fun and theatrics. It's what separates horror films from snuff—the artistry of it, and the embrace of the fantastic and the macabre. It's why we horror buffs worship people like Carpenter and Argento and Miike. Now it's just a bunch of ugly-looking movies with hysterical women being sadistically and uncomfortably tortured in pseudo-realistic manner. I will never understand the idea of more "believable" murder being scarier. "This can happen to you!" Well, no shit. But if we're talking about the dangers of crazy assholes with murderous tendencies, the crime statistic on my local papers scares me more than some movie. Horror movies should scare because of certain imagery and film techniques you employ, not the threat of a plausible execution.

My hope is that The Strangers can redeem itself by serving up more of the creepy images teased in the spots.

Read more about: Movies, The Strangers, Funny Games, Poster

Thursday.May.15.2008

Joker Bust Much Better Than Action Figure

By Arya Ponto

Who wants to claw through a mob to get those Joker action figures when you can these wonderful busts instead?

Hot Toys Collectible Bust created these two busts of Christian Bale's Batman and Heath Ledger's Joker for The Dark Knight. These stand 9.5 inches tall and they will be released later this year.

Check out some pics and marvel at the level of detail on these things:

Read more about: Movies, Product, Joker, The Dark Knight, Batman

Thursday.May.15.2008

Where Do You Go From 'There Will Be Blood'? NOT 'Metal Gear Solid'

By Arya Ponto

UPDATE: Collider contacted producer Mike De Luca, who says that PTA doing MGS is “completely false and ridiculous.” De Luca was a producer on Boogie Nights and a friend of PTA's, so I guess he would know (aside from being the one producing the movie).

Original Article:

Right now, how many gamers are having their head blown over the following supposition:

Paul Thomas Anderson directing a Metal Gear Solid movie.

This supposition might come true, provided that Konami's Aki Saito didn't have his directors confused. Kotaku reports from a Metal Gear Solid 4 junket, where Brian Ashcraft spoke to Saito. Saito is handling the film negotiations, and says that "Paul Thomas Anderson is interested." Could he possibly mean Paul W.S. Anderson, the video game rapist? Apparently Saito specifically said Paul Thomas Anderson, but it's still possible that he confused the two Andersons. It's not hard to imagine that Paul W.S. Anderson would be really interested in molesting making Metal Gear Solid. In fact, I'm willing to bet that this is a misunderstanding, but hey, stranger pairings have happened.

Back in March, it was reported that producer Michael De Luca (21) and Columbia Pictures are making the movie, and was in talks with Equillibrium director Kurt Wimmer for him to write the screenplay. Saito, however, mentioned that Konami wants MGS creator Hideo Kojima to be a hands-on producer on the film, and that they're still picking the right Hollywood studio that will give include them in the process as such. So is the deal with Columbia fell apart? Is Kurt Wimmer not writing it? It sounds more likely that if PTA is directing, he'll be writing as well.

Most importantly, if this ends up being the real deal... Daniel Day-Lewis as Solid Snake?

Read more about: Movies, Games, Metal Gear Solid 4, Metal Gear Solid, Paul Thomas Anderson, Paul W.S. Anderson

Thursday.May.15.2008

Ask Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro Your 'Hobbit' Questions

By Arya Ponto

Can't wait for The Hobbit? Have some burning questions you're curious about? Want to know more about the production first hand? Feeling a little Tolkien in your loins? Peter Jackson is inviting fans to come chat with him and The Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro for one hour in a live web cast.

Click the image to register.

Read more about: Movies, The Hobbit, Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson

Thursday.May.15.2008

VIDEO: Actual Wall-E Animatronic Robot

By Arya Ponto

I just about died of glee watching the following vid. Disney/Pixar has created this life-size animatronic Wall•E to roam the streets of LA in promotion of the movie. You can also spot them at Disneyland, I'm told.

It moves exactly like how we've seen Wall•E move in the movie. It probably doesn't work as a trash compactor, though. How cool would that be? Just have a robot sort my garbage out and turn them into manageable cubes. Oh, dreams.

They need to make this retail.

Read more about: Movies, Pixar, Wall-E

Thursday.May.15.2008

Four Seasons Hotel Helps Men Fight 'Sex and the City'

By Arya Ponto

Attention all testicularly-equipped persons: are you dreading May 30, 2008? That's the weekend Sex and the City comes out, and we at JPP sympathize with the guys who are afraid of feeling left out at home when their wives and girlfriends go out with their all-girl posse to see the movie.

Don't worry, because Four Seasons New York also sympathize with your plight and have created an Anti-Sex and the City hotel package for the guys. It's available from May 30th through August 31st, priced at $2,000 an evening. The package includes:

• One round of "anything but Cosmos" in The Bar
• Steak Dinner in 57 Restaurant*
• Complimentary DVD library featuring Rambo, Die Hard and Full Metal Jacket
• "Clog Your Arteries" breakfast the following morning in the guestroom or one of the hotel's dining outlets
• Double-bedded accommodations

That DVD library cracks me up. "Ughhh, arr, girlfriend watch Sarah Jessica Parker face. Me am watch Rambo blow stuff up good. RAHHH, STEAK!"

If you have two grand to spare, there's your boys night out plan for you. 

Read more about: Movies, Sex and the City: The Movie

Thursday.May.15.2008

Jonah Hill's '21 Jump Street' Movie

By Arya Ponto

I have fond memories of watching a Johnny Depp I didn't know on 21 Jump Street as a young'in. I loved it. It had a catchy theme song. But the prospect of turning it into a movie never occurred to me because, well, it was a pretty dumb idea.

The original late 80s series revolved around a group of undercover cops who look young enough to pass as high school kids, so they're stationed in a high school to catch troubled youths. It's an unlikely premise for a series, given how undercover operations work. For a comedy movie, though, it has tons of potential for humor. Maybe that's why Sony has tapped Jonah Hill to write and executive produce the movie, though it's not clear if Jonah is aiming for a comedy (Hey, Seth Rogen is writing a superhero action movie).

It's also not known if Jonah wil star or if he's strictly writing. If you ask me, it's sort of a given that he stars, considering his boyish looks. Remember how Seth Rogen was supposed to star in Superbad, but he looks too old for the role so it's given to Hill? Jonah's only a year younger than Rogen. They could show him shaving his beard and suddenly transforming into a kid.

The show was famous for having PSAs at the end of each episode and tackling "problematic" teen issues. Somehow I doubt that Jonah Hill would do the same, unless he's going to make a complete mockery out of this practice. The movie--if it was aiming for a comedic tone--could feature Jonah Hill preaching abstinence to the school's female populace. Or something.

One thing I insist they keep in the theatrical version, of course, is this masterpiece of a tune:

Read more about: Movies, TV, 21 Jump Street, Jonah Hill

Wednesday.May.14.2008

Best Godzilla Scene NOT from a Godzilla Movie

By Arya Ponto

As fans of the G-Man knows, Toho has put Godzilla in temporary hiatus since Ryuhei Kitamura's delicious Godzilla: Final Wars, but apparently they can't seem to put the monster to rest.

In 2005, Toho released a heartwarming family period drama called Always: Sunset on Third Street by Takashi Yamazaki, who up until then was known as an Action/Sci-Fi guy with films like Juvenile and The Returner. The critically-acclaimed Always went on to become a mega-hit at the Japanese box office and won many awards, including the Japanese Academy Awards' Best Film. Last year, the sequel was released in Japan and it looks like Yamazaki couldn't stray too far from his roots. The film opens with a dream sequence showing Godzilla destroying Tokyo (and the family's auto-repair shop).

I know people have sentimental attachment towards the rubber suits (Lord knows I do) and the idea of a CGI Godzilla was forever ruined by the bitter lathered fist of Roland Emmerich. If they do go CG, though, this is the way to do it. Maybe Toho allowed this as a practice for Godzilla's inevitable return?

Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 comes out on Region 2 DVD next week. This one has English subtitles. [via Twitch]

Read more about: Movies, Always: Sunset on Third Street 2, Godzilla, Takashi Yamazaki

Wednesday.May.14.2008

Piranhas in 3-D

By Lex Walker

The Weinsteins just can't seem to figure out which ideas are worth tackling. Now they've sunk their teeth into the cult classic Piranha. Do you remember Piranha? It was a satirical response to the much lauded Jaws and featured a pack of piranhas unleashed at a summer resort. The original was so ridiculous and over the top that it was a laugh riot.

Now, the Weinsteins seem to think that they can tamper with the cult classics. While not on the same cult status level of Princess Bride or Rocky Horror Picture Show, Piranha has an established place in the hearts of mock-horror fans - and bastardizing it with CGI 3-D fish will not swim well. Not well indeed. Okay, Beowulf was cool in 3-D. Even if you didn't like the movie, the 3-D was pure awesomeness.

But Piranha is beloved for the nature of the film and of course the ridiculous creature effects. Little rubber piranhas flying through the air just can' be replaced by goddamned CG. I'm sorry, it can't. Camp beats CGI...every time.

Read more about: Piranha, Movies

Wednesday.May.14.2008

'24' Creator's First Movie is a Romantic Comedy

By Arya Ponto

When one thinks of Joel Surnow, one thinks of macho no-nonsense TV. Before creating the action-packed 24, Surnow worked on hard-hitting shows like La Femme Nikita, Miami Vice, The Commish and The Equalizer.

So naturally, when it comes to his first feature film, he wrote a romantic comedy.

Surnow's screenplay is called That Face, says The Hollywood Reporter, about "a small-town guy who lands a mailroom job at a New York cosmetics firm, only to be fired on his first day after telling the owners his honest opinion about their spokesmodel. His chance at redemption comes after snapping a camera phone shot of a beautiful girl on the subway and offering her as a replacement, but the foul-mouthed outer-borough beauty needs a lot more than makeup to become a palatable new face for the company."

Sounds palatable enough to work, but maybe what would really make it romantic is if the small town guy tortures people to install the girl as the new face. Perhaps with a wet towel. 

Read more about: Movies, TV, Joel Surnow, That Face

Wednesday.May.14.2008

'Bad Lieutenant' Remake Boggles the Mind

By Arya Ponto

Talk about your curveball. A remake of Abel Ferrara's classic violence sonata Bad Lieutenant starring Nicolas Cage sounds worrisome, as it contains plenty of opportunities for Cage to ham it up. But throw in Werner Herzog in the mix and it becomes a lot more interesting.

News from Cannes is that Billy Finkelstein (NYPD Blue, Law & Order) is writing the new script, which is produced by Avi Lerner. Herzog directs Cage  Lerner promises that the remake will have as much filth as the notorious NC-17 original. Anyone else find that suspect? Not just the idea of an unmarketable Nic Cage movie, but also that Herzog would make the film as it was.

In the original, Keitel showcases an amazing performance as an unnamed "bad lieutenant" who spends much of the film being a drug and sex addicted cop, perpetrating immoral and misogynistic acts, including demanding sexual favors from underage girls.

The remake goes into production this July. 

Read more about: Movies, Bad Lieutenant, Werner Herzog, Nicolas Cage

Monday.May.12.2008

Custom 'Friday the 13th' and 'Ghost Rider' Nike Sneakers

By Arya Ponto

Those are some killer kicks.

I'm sorry I had to say that. What you're looking at here is a Jason Voorhees inspired pair of Nike sneakers.

Last year, Nike announced that they were going to release a "horror pack" in November consisting of four sneakers inspired by Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist and Dawn of the Dead.

The Freddy one was really cool and was well-received upon announcement (and if you look at Digg, this year-old sneaker is just getting attention again), but the Friday and Dawn of the Dead sneakers were so unremarkable compared to the Freddy one (okay, that's being kind... the Dawn one was rather fugly). Nike ended up scrapping the project altogether and the sneakers never went on sale... though you can find the odd pair or two on eBay once in a while.

Here's where the cool one comes in. Mizzee Customs modified the bland Friday sneaker, adding in a Jason artwork and some blood spatter. A big improvement, don't you think? See more pics from different angles here.

And as a bonus, I also found these pics of a custom Ghost Rider sneaker. Now that's hot.

Read more about: Movies, Product, Dawn of the Dead, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Ghost Rider

Monday.May.12.2008

First 'Dark Knight' TV Spot

By Arya Ponto

The first TV spot for The Dark Knight aired tonight during Survivor: Micronesia. It features quite a bit of new footage.

While we wait for the official version, here's one someone recorded off their TV:

Read more about: Movies, TV, Trailer, Batman, The Dark Knight

Sunday.May.11.2008

Harold & Kumar Giveaway Winners!

By Lex Walker

Read more about: Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Movies, Contest

Sunday.May.11.2008

First Look at Captain America's Super-Soldier Serum

By Arya Ponto

With most of the Marvel superhero movies, they're adapting elements from the more streamlined and modern Ultimate universe rather than the regular universe. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury was an indication of this (and even Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark in that movie was closer to the Ultimate version). In the upcoming The Incredible Hulk, they're borrowing the origin of the Ultimate Hulk.

One of the efforts to make the Ultimate universe more streamlined was the way they linked other heroes' origin to Captain America. Hulk was a result of Bruce Banner trying to recreate the long-lost Super-Soldier serum that made Steve Rogers Captain America. Norman Osborn also tried to recreate the serum, ending up with one that turns him into the Green Goblin, which is also the same serum that was injected into the spider that bit Peter Parker.

The new batch of Marvel's independently financed movies will see an attempt by them to closely connect all their movies, leading up to the Avengers movie in 2011. They're already planting seeds to lead up to the Captain America movie in both The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. In Iron Man, Captain America's shield can be seen in Tony Stark's garage.

In one of the new Hulk photos from the movie posted by HoyCinema, the one attached here is apparently of Tim Blake Nelson holding the Captain America serum. Nelson, by the way, is playing Samuel Sterns in his still human form. In the comics, Gamma radiation turns Sterns into the Hulk villain The Leader. Sequel set up? You bet.

Another thing--If you remember from the first Spider-Man movie, though they never explicitly stated that he was trying to make a new Captain America, Norman Osborn was also developing his formula for the military. So this really gives Marvel the opportunity to create a cohesive universe, even with past films.

Be prepared for Marvel doing more stuff like this. I don't think anything'll show up in Punisher: War Zone since even the comics it was based on tried to separate the character as far away from the the rest of the universe as possible (Punisher's better as a crime story than a superhero story), but you never know. They're already thinking of the possibility of having Thor show up in Iron Man 2.

Pretty soon, we'll have Wolverine showing up in Spider-Man 6, or something. Count on it.

Read more about: Movies, Comic Book, Marvel, Captain America, The Avengers, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man