This Korean horror/thriller/comedy amalgam was surrounded by a lot of hype when it was first previewed overseas. Premiere magazine even dubbed it as "the coolest monster movie since Aliens." I'm no expert in monster flicks, but those are pretty big claws to fill...so naturally I had to watch it.
The basic rundown of the plot is that some idiot American coroner ordered his lackey to pour hundreds of bottles of cyanide down the drain into a river, thus mutating one of its inhabitants into a huge hydra/tadpole beast that swallows people, hoards them in a sewer like a squirrel and then picks at them later. Said beast kidnaps a girl, then her father, grandfather, uncle, and aunt work ridiculously (and maybe even unbelievably) hard to get her back despite a myriad of obstacles. They try to escape quarantine SWAT, who have to contain the creature's virus, and track the beast through the city.
The point of the film is not to reveal the imposed evolution of the creature, but of the father, Gang-du (Kang-ho Song of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). He's introduced as a lazy lay-about who sleeps when he should be working. Even though he is quite the doting father--perking up the moment his daughter, Hyun-seo, comes home from school--he's irresponsible--giving her beer--and immature. His siblings--a professional archer and an alcoholic college graduate--and even Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) see him as a failure and an embarrassment. His father seems to be the only one who cuts him any slack, blaming himself and his past irresponsibility for Gang-du's behavior. His last and most devastating failure is when he grabs the wrong girl's hand and Hyun-seo is kidnapped. From that point on Gang-du makes every effort to be a better father. However, you start to sense that he's always been this protective and devoted. It's as though once life was given to the creature, something had awoken in him.
The suspense was amped by the frequent off-camera action. Many heart-skipping moments were due to the random instances where the creature would attack oblivious bystanders. The creature itself was acrobatic and very well-designed. I wouldn't say the film was as good as Aliens, but I understand the comparison. Both had unsuspecting heroines. This 15 year old girl was met with the task of essentially saving herself and a little boy who was also kidnapped. Even though she hoped her father would rescue her, his lack of discipline had molded her into an independent and courageous girl. Her lips may have trembled and her eyes may have gaped in trepidation, but she was fearless and determined to the very end. Never before have I seen a film with so many heroes--of ordinary and non-super power origin--deserving equal praise.
It ends in a flurry of self-sacrifice, family bonding, and seriously bad ass girl power. Although some who may have grown attached to the main characters weren't too keen on certain uncontrollable deaths, loss was necessary for the complete evolution of Gangu-du--and even his siblings. His brother goes from a drunk, unemployed waste of space with a degree to a strategic, relentless activist-in-the-making. His sister, who balked at her last competition, unable to fire an arrow under pressure, finds her inner Athena at the most crucial moment. And in the last scene, Gang-du is no longer coiffed with a juvenile, blond, disheveled hairstyle; he's no longer afraid to defend himself; and he no longer sleeps on the job...whether it's as a snack vendor or as a father.
Two words. Spider pig. The Simpsons did pretty damn good in their opening weekend. Who knew pig poop could get people to fork over $72 mil and the #1 spot. Romantic comedy No Reservations came in at #5 with $11 mil. Not so good for Catherine Zeta Jones' comeback. It got low grades all around from most critics. And the fact that the last film she completed, Death Defying Acts with Guy Pearce, hasn't even been given a release date doesn't bode well for her film future. But at least she didn't get skewered at the box office like amateur director Chris Siverston and writer Jeff Hammon for their poorly received attempt at a thriller, I know who killed me. It did make the top 10, coming in at #9 with $3.5 mil, but critics were more likely to touch Homer's toxic pig poop than spend five seconds entertaining the idea that Lindsay Lohan still had a future in this business. It's funny though. I just rewatched Parent Trap, where Lohan plays both twins, so I'm pretty sure she could pull off the dual personality role that this film demanded.
As for the rest of the top 10: I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry came in at #2, not crumbling under the pressure of bad reviews, which means that Adam Sandler managed to keep his fan base despite the controversial topic, and Kevin James succeeded in further solidifying his place in comic history. Hairspray still stuck around in the top 5 at #4 after rave reviews. And the only blockbusters left in the top ten are Transformers and Live Free or Die Hard.
But this weekend they will have major competition, as will Double O Doh!, when Bourne Ultimatum hits theaters like a ton of bricks. People of the Will Ferrell and Steve Carrell fan persuasion will be revved up for Hot Rod. The ladies will be gushing over Becoming Jane, yet another Jane Austen biopic/adaptation, where Anne Hathaway will be trying to drum up some Oscar street cred. My Hispanic peoples and J.Lo-enthusiasts will be bailando to the rhythm of El Cantante. Those pain in the ass kids who talk way too damn loud on the train, who've had cell phones since the womb, and refuse to speak in complete sentences (IDK my BFF Jill) will be tuned into Bratz! Boys, kids, and old school cartoon fanatics will most likely be donning their capes for Underdog. And for all you indie lovers, Paul Rudd will be shaming you with the comedy The Ten...as in commandments.
Doh! It's finally here. All you die hard Simpsons fans are getting exactly what you've been waiting for. The plot apparently revolves around toxic pig poop. Oh yeah! They are digging deep within their funny bones to give you the biggest and best laughs you've ever gotten. It is literally fun for the whole family. Enjoy.
No Reservations
In this Raising Helen-type remake, Catherine Zeta Jones gets hit pretty hard when her sister dies and she has to take care of her niece. Being a top chef, she already has enough on her plate. The grief has gotten to her so much that her boss and the customers are starting to question her culinary expertise. It isn't until she meets a care free chef (Aaron Eckhart) that she learns how to lighten up and communicate with her depressed niece, who ironically refuses to eat. One could argue that there's no way Eckhart could ever score a babe like Jones and there won't be any chemistry,but Eckhart does have charisma so we'll see. Zoe Kravitz, the daughter of rock star Lenny, makes her film debut as Abigail Breslin's nanny.In playing Jones' niece, Breslin continues on her quest to be the next Dakota Fanning--without turning irrelevant--and plays the heartbroken orphan so well Angelina might try to adopt her.
I Know Who Killed Me
I'm pretty sure you've had enough of Lindsay Lohan for one lifetime. But if by some chance you are immune to her insane behavior, here's the plot: A college student, Aubrey, has a class assignment revolving around the abduction of a stripper right before she is abducted and tortured by a serial killer. When she escapes and wakes up in the hospital, she's convinced she's the stripper and that Aubrey is still in danger. It's twisted and it's a plot cooked up by a first time writer. But it just might be interesting enough to make people want to find out what the truth is. I know my interest is peeked.
I know this summer has been jam-packed with action movies, but I'm always up for more. So here are a few trailers for films that range from action thriller to political action drama.
Rush Hour 3
Of all the sequels this summer, this is probably the one people were barely looking forward to and have already forgotten is on the way. But, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker do make a good team and you're guaranteed at least great action sequences from Jackie. Not to mention, up and coming action stars are known for appearing in Rush Hour films: Ken Leung (X-Men 3), Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and now Devon Aoki (Sin City). By the trailer, I can tell there are going to be a lot of references to the first film. ("You go this way, and I'll go that way.") But surely there will be more catch phrases to add to our pop culture repertoire by the end of the summer, especially since it takes place in Paris, which is a breeding ground for racist jokes. Release Date: Aug. 10th
War
There hasn't been that much press about this film, except for maybe the posters all over the city. However, any movie where British action star Jason Statham battles with any other martial arts expert is bound to at least be full of moments that'll have your eyes popping. His opponent for this film is Jet Li. It's funny, because from the trailer it seems like Li doesn't even get lines. But who's really going for the dialogue. Statham plays an FBI suit who's avenging his partner's murder, and Li plays the ass he's going to kick. I don't know if it's going to be very believable if he beats Li though. Even at the end of The One--which they starred in together--Li's character was just sent to a hell dimension instead of executed. Aside from all the testosterone, Nadine Velasquez ("My Name is Earl") makes her big screen debut and Devon Aoki (Sin City) mooches off of her Japanese heritage to woop some ass. This is, however, the director Philip G. Atwell's first feature film (not to mention the writers' as well). So if Velasquez and Atwell impress the critics they might have budding futures to look forward to. Release Date: August 24th
3:10 to Yuma
I'm not really a western kind of girl, but it's Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, who's on a combeback mission after his continuous flops (Master and Commander, Cinderella Man, and A Good Year). That just screams intrigue. In this tale, Crowe plays the leader of a gang of outlaws who rob and kill people. Bale plays a volunteer who helps the law bring him to a train station at Yuma, where he'll be taken to his execution. Despite the fact that Crowe's crew is doing everything in its power to kill all the officers and get their leader back, Bale ends up being the only one brave enough to keep going. Ben Foster (X-Men 3) plays Crowe's ruthless right hand man who'll burn men alive just to get him back. If you've seen Hostage, you know he's really good at being bad. Logan Lerman (The Number 23) plays Bale's son who stupidly follows his father on this journey and sees the good in Crowe. Something tells me he'll have to choose between saving his father and saving the outlaw. It stands to make a few bucks. Release Date: Sept. 7th
Eastern Promises
I literally tremble at the sight of a pissed off Viggo Mortensen (History of Violence). Watching him in his spot-on Russian accent reminds me that it's been a long time since I've seen someone portray a European in a cryptic light convincingly. Even the bad guy in Casino Royale was barely frightful. So, he crushed Bond's balls. Big deal. Mortensen manages to make your skin crawl with just one creepy look. Oh right...the plot. Mortensen plays the extremely violent muscle for a London crime family who's trying to cover up the death of a pregnant girl, and Naomi Watts plays a meddling midwife who is devoted to translating the girl's diary so she can find someone to take care of the baby. Unfortunately, the diary has a lot more than family names in it, and Vincent Cassel (Ocean's Twelve) and Armin Mueller-Stahl (The X-Files) plan on making sure no one every reads it. Cue the ominous music. Release date: September 14th
Hitman
After his critically acclaimed HBO series "Deadwood" was canceled, Timothy Olyphant stacked up a butt load of films to star in. He's done the romantic drama Catch and Release and the action film Live Free or Die Hard, and now he's playing Agent 47 in this thriller that may be mistaken for the comic by the same name but has no relation. The film follows a gun-for-hire who works for "The Agency." Throughout the film he has to dodge Interpol and the Russian military. Dougray Scott ("Desperate Housewives") and Robert Knepper ("Prison Break") are also in it. Expect a lot of strutting, shooting, and car chasing. Release Date: Oct. 12th
Gone Baby Gone
Ben Affleck hasn't exactly hit pay dirt since his Gigli flop with ex-fiance Jennifer Lopez, but he did get a lot of respect for his performance in Hollywoodland. So maybe the critics won't completely torch his directorial debut and second dip into the writer's field. Placing his little bro, Casey, in the leading man spot, he tells the story of two Boston cops and a street wise insider searching for a missing girl. It's an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel by the same name. I think the most interesting part of this formulaic kidnap-tragedy scenario is that two detectives (Ed Harris and Robert Wahlberg) are searching for her using the law and Casey is using the streets--which I think would be more effective. There's also an underlying conspiracy in the police bureau, which could add to the suspense. Morgan Freeman plays the voice of reason unsurprisingly. Meanwhile, Michelle Monaghan is Casey's supportive girlfriend (??). This would be her first notable drama. Both she and the Afflecks are going to have to step it up and take this genre into unchartered territory if they want to graduate from the B to the A list. Release Date: Oct. 19
Lions for Lambs Tom Cruise begins his campaign to finally get that whole winning an Oscar thing out of the way. In this drama, he plays a congressman who has to deal with the after effects of two army rangers suffering injuries behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. Meryl Streep plays the journalist who "made his career" and is challenging his positions on the war. Robert Redford plays a professor who uses the two rangers, his former students, to convince one (Andrew Garfield) to not throw away a good education. Garfield must be a pretty impressive actor if Redford chose him to act alongside him in one-on-one scenes. Michael Pena (Crash) and Derek Luke (Catch a Fire), who are guaranteed to deliver amazing performances, are also in the film, which should add to their already impressive resumes. Redford is directing for the first time in 7 years since The Legend of Bagger Vance, which bombed at the box office and was trashed by the critics. Matthew Michael Carnahan, a new writer hopeful who's also done Kingdom (Jennifer Garner, Jamie Foxx) and has two other films in the works, might help him out this time around. I'm interested in hearing the poetry behind the title. But will audiences rush the theaters and brush Cruise's celebrity status aside for two hours of gripping political debate? I guess that all depends on what publicity stunt he pulls the week before it opens. Release date: Nov. 9th
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
Nicolas Cage recoops from his box office flops Ghost Rider and Next to return to more familiar territory with the sequel to this 2004 hit. This time the political conspiracy surrounds the assassination of Abe Lincoln. The original cast returns along with the addition of Helen Mirren, who I believe plays his mother. It's the perfect way to spend the holiday season and celebrate the birth of Jesus...or you know entertain yourself while you're on that blessed two week vacay. Release Date: Dec. 21st
Vantage Point
I saw this trailer a couple of weeks ago and at first it reminded me of Mark Wahlberg's Shooter. The president makes a public speech--in this case in Salamanca, Spain--and gets shot down by a sniper, people are scattering, etcetera etcetera. The twist on this political action film is that it has that Babel/Crash effect of viewing the attempted assassination from different point of views and perspectives. Matthew Fox used up his "Lost"-hiatus very wisely, playing a secret service agent. Also adding cred to this thinking man's action thriller are Forest Whitaker, who plays a tourist who caught it on tape,Sigourney Weaver, who plays a TV producer watching from the control room, Dennis Quaid, who plays Fox's partner, William Hurt (Mr. Brooks), who plays the leader in the investigation, Zoe Saldana (Guess Who), who is a reporter on the scene, and Edgar Ramirez (Domino). I'm most interested in seeing French and Moroccan actor Said Taghmaoui (Three Kings), who predictably plays a suspected terrorist, get more face time since he's been in the business for 13 years and has barely gotten any critical acclaim. Although this is the director, Pete Travis', first feature film it looks like it might be a gripping tale. Release date: February 15, 2008 (happy valentine's??)
"Whatever you like" Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls' lead singer) feat. T.I.
Nicole is doing a Fergie--producing a solo album with every intention of returning to the band/group that gave them their big break. Although Beyonce and Justin Timberlake both made this claim--ultimately ditching Destiny's Child and N'Sync--some artists, like Gwen Stefani--who is presently recording with No Doubt--really do keep their promises.
For Nicole's first solo single, she plays it safe making it a club track and keeping company with rapper T.I. After listening to it, I realized the only part that kept me interested was the beat, which is perfect for a night of carb-burning clubbing. But, she has to remember why girls like the Pussycat Dolls so much. They are the Las Vegas showgirls version of the Spice Girls. There has to be girl power, male ego-crushing, self-loving lyrics. It can't all be: "Me hot girl. Watch me gyrate." If you want to sell albums, you cater to women. If you want to sell magazines, you'll cater to men.
"The Way I Are" by Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. & Sebastian
Timbaland's 3rd single off his sophomore album, Shock Value, has that Euro-techno/hip hop beat-infused feel that Justin Timberlake presented on his last album. It's a nice club song to sway to and sing along with. But its real appeal are the other acts featured on it: 25-year-old Keri Hilson sings on the chorus. Even though she kind of sounds like she has a Brit/Euro-Kylie Minogue accent in it, she's actually an Atlanta native with a background in singing, song writing (for 7 years), and producing with a team known as The Clutch. She's written for: Britney Spears, Fat Joe, Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Ciara, the Pussycat Dolls, Diddy, Chingy, Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls), Lloyd Banks, and even Timbaland himself. He's signed her to his record label and they're working on her debut album. Even when he's working on his own career, Timba's still pimping other artists. He's already hooked Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and of course Justin to collaborate with her on a few singles. To catch more sneak peaks of her sound, listen to two other tracks on Timba's album: "Miscommunication" and "Scream" (which also features Nicole Scherzinger).
One of the rappers on the track, Sebastian, is actually Timba's younger brother. He's rapped on tracks for Bubba Sparx and Magoo. No word on whether he'll be making his debut any time soon or if he's content in riding his big brother's coat tails.
Apparently seeing John Travolta in drag is a lot more off-putting than possibly seeing Kevin James (King of Queens) and Adam Sandler lock lips more than once. OR maybe Jessica Biel has more of a perverted fan base than we give her credit for. I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry made enough jokes to get to the number one spot with $35 mil. Meanwhile, Hairspray came in at #3 with $28 mil. Most of that was probably forked over by Zac Efron admirers.
As for the indies: Released in only 1o theaters in the U.S., Sunshine made an exceptional $235,000 and was even more profitable with $27 mil overseas. Although many critics belittled its formulaic and utterly predictable scifi plot, others applauded how well it managed to uphold the genre. Goya's Ghost--technically not an indie since it was released in more than 40 theaters--did not fair as well. It only produced $127,000 in the U.S. and around $6 mil abroad. It was probably due to poor advertising. The higher-ups on the critics ladder respect its endeavors and plot points, but overall the movie bombed in almost everyone's eyes.
Harry Potter may have only endured a slight slump because all of its fans were busy reading the 7th and final book. It did however get its hooks into the #2 spot and reach $207 mil. Transformers and Ratatouille are also sticking around in the top 5. Next week, I'm almost certain the list will be shaken around a bit. Once the buzz about Chuck and Larry and Hairspray settle, their second week should determine the public's opinion. And surely, the release of The Simpsons Movie will hurtle Ratatouille out of the top 5. But for your culinary thirst, brandishing a different kind of love story, Catherine Zeta Jones makes her belated return to the big screen after two years with Aaron Eckhart and Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin in No Reservations. But if you're looking for a little more thrill and A LOT more drama, then you'll probably throw a couple bucks towards Lindsay Lohan when her indie mystery I Know Who Killed Me hits theaters. Or maybe not.
Barnes & Nobles has a countdown clock on their website for the very moment when the book will go on sale.
So, to hold you over until then watch a 10-minute AOL clip where Danielle Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint interview each other. Radcliffe is his usual awkward self, Watson utters some surprising slang for a Brit, and Grint spends about a whole minute on the verge of tears as he reveals his deepest darkest fear.
Here are a couple more interviews on their publicity tour: Emma on David Letterman Emma on Regis and Kelly Daniel on Regis and Kelly Daniel with Chuck the Movie Guy Rupert in an on set interview Rupert on CW11 Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) in an on set interview Also check out the new looks of the supporting cast in this Sky News interview, where Bonnie Wright (Ginny) looks much more mature with razored bangs and hoop earrings to play Harry's love interest in the next film, Matthew Lewis (Neville) is sporting a goatee and an understated overbite, and Katie Leung (Cho) nervously answers the question about kissing Harry Potter.
Then, check out the trailer below for an indie that Radcliffe did earlier this year where he plays yet another orphan. This time, however, he's got some company. A nun decides to send all the boys whose birthday is in December on a little trip. Secretly hoping the boys will be adopted, the church sends them to stay with a couple. In this coming of age story, Radcliffe's character explores the opposite sex and learns that even though he doesn't have parents, he still has a family.
I bet you've heard a lot about this musical, except maybe the plot--no, it's not about hairspray. The title is a reference to what allows lead Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) to have the confidence to go after the hottest guy in school, Link Larkin (Zac Efron)--even though she isn't "perfect" like Amber Von Tussell (Brittany Snow)--and to stand up against discrimination on a local TV dance show, The Corny Collins Show, which is like the Pleasantville version of Soul Train. It's a pretty strong subject for a happy-go-lucky musical, but I've seen the play and they know how to even it out so it isn't just an after school special for racists. Most people will forgo reading the plot and just rush the theaters to see High School Musical mogul Efron, John Travolta in drag, Queen Latifah stretching those Chicago-vet vocals, and Michelle Pfeiffer making her official comeback after four years and redeeming herself in the eyes of the musical Gods after her Grease 2 debacle. I, personally, just want to see if Hollywood has struck up a new trend: Hiring amateur actors, like Jennifer Hudson, to lead a movie and discovering that they're better than the professionals. If so, Blonsky just might have a charmed future.
I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry
Like I said earlier this week, this is going to be a hard sell to a majority of moviegoers. On the one hand you have the guys who worship Adam Sandler for all of his misogynist shenanigans and on that same sticky hand you have the guys who have swimsuit-wearing Jessica Biel wallpapered onto their bathrooms. Meanwhile, on the other hand, you have guys who won't even endure the mere mention of homosexuality or gay marriage just to see the sexiest woman alive and laugh at a legend in the making. And coupled with its difficult appeal, there's the fact that I've seen the trailer at least 10 times in theaters and it wasn't even funny the first time. They say they've screened the film for gay organizations and that the gays weren't offended, but I think beating the same joke over and over again--act girly, snap your fingers, swivel your neck, and roll your eyes--is exploiting too many stereotypes for me. Big Daddy was way more of a genuine, unique take on a tired topic. Hopefully, the work of screenwriter Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (Sideways and About Schmidt) will liven it up and hit the right dramatic notes.
Sunshine
This is a scifi thriller about a group of astronauts who are given the mission to reignite the sun. Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins), Michelle Yeoh (Memoirs of a Geisha), and Chris Evans (Fantastic Four) are the most notable cast members. Two up and comers in the film are Rose Byrne (28 Weeks Later), who will appear on a miniseries soon called "Damages" with Glenn Close, and Hiroyuki Sanada, who will be in Rush Hour 3 and Speed Racer. The director, Danny Boyle, has a pretty good record after his work on Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. However, the writer, Alex Garland, has a very short resume and his first credit is Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach, which I, and several other critics, absolutely hated! But then he redeemed himself two years later with 28 Days Later and has been recently tapped to write for video-game-turned-action movie Halo. So if you want a possibly good action indie, skip the musical and Brokeback comedy, and check out this geek thriller.
Goya's Ghosts
In this indie drama, Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman play crucial parts in the story of the painter Francis Goya. Portman plays Goya's muse during the Spanish Inquisition. She's arrested by the church and Bardem is her only salvation. It looks better than most period pieces that have been released of late. But if you're not all that interested in art, the Inquisition, or Padme sans the buns, then maybe you might want to see Bardem in action. He's been getting a lot of attention lately for his Oscar-worthy performance in No Country for Old Men. They're even considering him for the lead in the Pablo Escobar biopic that "Entourage" is fueling with their Medellin trailers.
I've always respected Eve for her ability to cross over genres and mediums and still deliver. This Latino-laced beat matched with a sultry hook from the Reggae rapper Sean Paul is a late summer single entry that'll be on replay on my iPod and hopefully the clubs when I hit Miami early August. Can't wait for the album, Here I Am, to drop onto iTunes for maximum downloading. Word is that it's been pushed to be released on Sept. 11th (an odd and ill-advised choice). But, unlike Britney's several delays, I feel like Eve is only postponing because artists are becoming more interested in collaborating with her after hearing her new stuff. Rumors state that Shakira, Adam Levine, and Gwen Stefani, her punk pop favorite, are already signed on to lay down vocals. She's working with producers like Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, The Neptunes, and Scott Storch. It'll be quite the comeback.
Check out her collabo with Maroon 5 during their live performance at MTV:
