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PSIFF10: TO DIE LIKE A MAN Review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:30:42 -0500

"There are no secrets; only shame."--Tonia.

After competing in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, To Die Like A Man (Morrer como um homem, 2009) had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and is being featured in the World Cinema Now sidebar at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF).

SHERLOCK HOLMES review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:01:00 -0500

I confess that I was not looking forward to this new updating of Sherlock Holmes. Word was that Guy Ritchie and company had completely abandoned Holmes' trademark skills of deductive reasoning in favor of re-crafting him as a slugfest hero. In short, it sounded like this new version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective would be a violent, name-only glimmer of what has always made the character so great, so memorable. Happily, I can report that this is absolutely not the case. Director Guy Ritchie has managed to deliver a solid action-adventure spectacle that should please fans both new and very old. Granted, Basil Rathbone this is not (nary a horn pipe or tweed hat in sight), but the newly re-ignited Robert Downey Jr. makes an unforgettable mark in this most fun mainstream action flick of the season.

NINE review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:01:00 -0500

For what wants to be a simple, breezy musical, the act of even explaining the origins of "Nine" can be exhausting. But, I'll give it a shot... Based on Federico Fellini's autobiographical cinema classic "8 ½", "Nine" made its debut as a Broadway musical in 1982, and much acclaim followed. The film and the musical both center on the character of Guido, a celebrated Italian filmmaker who is contractually obligated to deliver what will be his ninth feature, and is creatively struggling to realize what it will be. This is the situation in which Fellini found himself in during the gestation of what would be his beguiling meta-masterpiece, "8 ½". If you're wondering how any of this lends itself to becoming a simple, breezy musical, take a bow.

Having recently re-watched "8 ½" as part of a self-imposed Fellini crash-course (which honestly just happens to coincide with the release of "Nine"), I can attest to its haunting mysteriousness and uncompromising male bravado. Fellini puts everything out there, warts and all, and never apologizes. It is one of the most personal jigsaw puzzle films ever made, and also one of the best films about the art of filmmaking. Whoever decided that this material would make a good splashy musical ought to have their head examined. Granted, I've never seen a live performance of "Nine", but I can safely say that the film version is not only one of the worst films of the year; it is one of the worst musicals ever made.

PSIFF10: HUACHO review

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:15:12 -0500

As reported earlier on The Evening Class, in 2007 the Global Film Initiative provided completion funding for Chilean director Alejandro Fernández Almendras' feature debut Huacho (Facebook page, in Spanish). In 2008 Almendras won the Sundance / NHK International Filmmaker Award. Huacho sceened in the Critics Week at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, had its North American premiere at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and is now seeing its US premiere at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF).

This Christmas Give The Gift Of Death!

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:09:27 -0500

Yes, it's that time of year and before we slip into into our holiday sugar haze, we leave you a little something under your tree. That is assuming that you can somehow put a tree under your tree. It's Jason's Eisener's Treevenge, making an encore appearance. Enjoy.

These Girls Kick Ass.

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:31:58 -0500

A couple weeks back I received an email from Screen International's Jason Gray as he was putting together a list of the most ass-kicking female heroes from the last decade of Japanese film. He was polling a group of us to get our input and the results are now available online for your perusal. And it's an interesting mix, if I do say so myself, a couple of the choices coming as very pleasant surprises. Check it out here.

Todd's Thoughts On SHERLOCK HOLMES

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:15:55 -0500

I'm a couple days behind our own James Marsh when it comes to reviewing Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes but my review has just gone live over at Showcase. I think James liked it a little better than I did but we definitely both agree that this is one of the better popcorn flicks in recent days.

Gong Li, Forest Whitaker And Ray Winstone Join Mickey Rourke In Walter Hill's ST VINCENT

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:02:35 -0500

Back in the day Walter Hill was one of the heaviest hitters in Hollywood. Starting as an AD on Bullitt and the original Thomas Crown Affair, Hill would go on to produce films like Alien, while writing and directing the likes of Streets of Fire, 48 Hours, Red Heat and The Warriors. A string of duds dropped Hill right out of the A-list, his most recent gig as writer or director coming with 2002's Undisputed, which he also produced.

In the middle of his A-list run, though, Hill directed a flop by the title of Johnny Handsome, a film headlined by Mickey Rourke which also feature Forest Whitaker in the cast. And with everything old in Hollywood becoming new again, the Hill / Rourke / Whitaker trio are getting back together and bringing a few interesting names with them.

That Rourke is set to headline Hill's upcoming St Vincent is not new, word of that began to circulate in early 2009. He'll be playing an aging hitman having a crisis of conscience after taking the confession of his intended target, a premise that is certainly an interesting one. Making it even more interesting are the recent cast additions of Forest Whitaker, Ray Winstone and Gong Li.

Hitman Vincent Novena (Mickey Rourke) goes deep undercover portraying a priest to get close enough to kill his gangland traitor target. He soon discovers that playing the part of a good man is more dangerous than being a mob killer ever was. No good deed goes unpunished. The more Vincent opens up, the more vulnerable he becomes ...

Solid Full Trailer For Taiwanese Youth-Gang Film MONGA

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:47:53 -0500

Well, well. Action films are not something that come out of Taiwan with any great regularity these days and so we've been greatly intrigued by upcoming youth-gang film Monga. The first teaser stuck close to a very typical gangster film formula, a move that made it appear, though very well shot, also a little bit generic - particularly for fans of youth films from Japan, where this particular motif has been played out rather a lot.

Well, a full trailer has just arrived, this one taking the time to let things play out in what I assume is the basic structure of the film itself, starting as a teen focused drama before things begin to turn dark and its young protagonists are drawn into darker and darker territory. And it looks very good while doing it. I'm more than intrigued now, I'm impressed.

Do you want your name in the credits of a film? Or two? Or three? Here's how...

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:33:30 -0500

The International Film Festival Rotterdam is known for trying to support both arthouse cinema and new talent. Heck, even their biggest prize (the Tiger Award) can only be won by first-time or second-time directors!

In that spirit, the festival also tries to be a fundraiser of sorts for new films, and as a novelty for this year the IFFR has set up a website which enables you to sponsor a movie of your choice. You do this by buying coins for 5 Euro each. Buying a coin makes you an official co-producer of the movie and allows you all sorts of behind-the-scenes information about your project-of-choice. The cool part is that if you buy 5 of those coins for a single movie your name will end up in that film's credits list.

So check out the website, and see if there is a project to your liking. There are three films to choose from.

Of course, if you REALLY want to fix your resumee you can sponsor all of them and state that you are currently co-producing three international films!

Jackie And Jaden's KARATE KID Trailer Is Out And ... Impressive?

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:35:59 -0500

Okay, there is absolutely no acceptable reason for this film to be called The Karate Kid when they are very clearly NOT USING KARATE and the sort of cultural insensitivity that says all Asian cultures and all martial arts are the same is more than a little bit maddening. This is true and must be acknowledged. But what also must be acknowledged is that the Jackie Chan / Jaden (son of Will) Smith starring Karate Kid remake has just dropped its first trailer and much crow must be eaten because this looks shockingly good. As in quite possibly the best English language performance of Chan's career good. As in star making for Smith good. As in significantly better than the original good. Yeah, it's just a trailer and may not represent the finished product but my skepticism just disappeared in a puff of smoke. Check it below.

Fantastic New Trailer For Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:25:08 -0500

Call it the anti-Avatar. Slick, intelligent science fiction that relies on concept rather than flash to engage the audience.

At an advance screening of Sherlock Holmes a couple nights ago I was treated to the new theatrical trailer for Christopher Nolan's Inception and came away much impressed. Yes, the voice over on this particular trailer is a bit over bearing but the imagery and concepts lurking all the talk are absolutely fantastic and - most impressive - was how much of this is being realized in-camera with CGI being used only when absolutely necessary. Such as when rolling up a city. It's a use of technology that stands in stark contrast to James Cameron's approach with Avatar. While Cameron created new technology to create artificial worlds, Nolan wen the opposite direction and used existing technology to shoot the real world in a way that made it appear foreign and disorienting. Granted, I've not seen Avatar yet but guess which approach has me more excited?

It's only available in French so far but the new trailer has now arrived online. Check the new Inception trailer below.

Phobia 2 Now out On DVD with English Subtitles!

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:11:19 -0500

Santa is bringing all us horror fans a Xmas treat this year, yes its a English Subtitled release of the rather excellent and heavly twitch featured Phobia sequel Phobia 2.

See the link below to Moviexclusive to purchase the DVD!

A collection of five horror stories, from the studio that made SHUTTER, DORM, BODY #19, ALONE, COMING SOON, 4BIA. By Thailands most talented horror film directors- Banjong Pisanthanakun (Shutter, Alone, 4BIA - In the Middle), Paween Purijitpanya (Body, 4BIA- Tit for Tat), Songyos Sugmakanan (Dorm, Hormones), Parkpoom Wongpoom (Shutter, Alone, 4BIA - Last Fright), and a new director Visute Poolvoralaks the man behind the success of Shutter, Alone, 4BIA, and Coming Soon.

Sultans of The South Mexican Heist Movie out on DVD

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:19:48 -0500

Sultanes De La Sur ( Sultans of the South ), is a Mexican Bank Heist film which came out in Mexico the backend of 2007. Now a North American release doesnt look to be on the horizon, but a recent Thai DVD release with English subtitles looks to be about the best we're likely to see for the forthcoming future

The film could be one to watch as writer and director's Alejandro Lozano and Tony Dalton were due to make their Hollywood debut with the film 'Live Bet' staring 50 cent, which the man fifty is helping to produce. This project looks to be canned now as no mention appears to be on imdb. The pair scored a huge hit in 2004 with the Crime Caper 'Matando Cabos' scoping MTV Mexico and Ariel Awards in their homeland,

A English Subtitled trailer can see be seen below

Trailer of Kandahar with translation

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:54:38 -0500

Trailer of upcoming Russian survival action Kandahar (Кандагар) brings action goodness, that wasn't shown at all in previous teaser. The movie stars Alexandr Baluev and Vladimir Mashkov and directed by Andrey Kavun (known for good survival action Piranha Hunt).

The movie is based on real story of seven Russian pilots (5 in the movie), whose airplane was hijacked by Taliban in afghani province Kandahar in 1995 and the crew was imprisoned for more than a year. They experienced tortures, starvation, constant attempts of conversion into islam, but all seven were able to neutralize their armed guards and to escape on airplane.

Filmmakers invited Vladimir Sharpatov, the captain of the crew, and used his diares and memories in the movie. Kandahar opens in Russian theaters on 4th February, 2010.

Translation of the trailer:

TV news presenter: Urgent news. Russian cargo aircraft was hijacked by terrorist group in Kandahar. The fate of the crew is not yet known.
Crewman (Mashkov): What is it? Is it a kind of prison?
Crewman: What are you doing?
Afghani guy: Teach my men to fly. How much time will it take?
Unknown: 3-4 months.
Crewman (Baluev): Nope.
Afghani guy: You will be marking with it.
Crewman (Baluev): What marking?
Afghani guy: Days.
Crewman (Baluev): Why are you staring at me?
Afghani guy: You should learn Quran.
Crewman (Baluev): Give me, where to read? Alla Allahu...
Crewman (Mashkov): I won't sleep here.
Crewman (Panin): They all are watching at you. They will be keeping us while they have some benefit from us.
Crewman: They can't forget about us. We are Russian pilots.
Crewman (Mashkov): I don't understand you, guys. You are gabbing about something all the time like women.
Crewman: Do you really think that they ever set us free?
Crewman: That's my wife.
Crewman (Baluev): No... No...
Crewman (Mashkov): Who did tell you that I won't be anymore...
Afghani guy: By shariah law you all will be killed.
Crewman (Baluev): The war.
Crewman (Panin): Two on the roof... They sleep...
Crewman (Mashkov): They don't go out...
Crewman (Mashkov): Come on!
Crewman (Baluev): Either we fly up or...
Kandahar. 04.02.2010.
Crewman (Mashkov): Is it all?