Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/'Shakespeare in Love' Helmer Circles 'My Fair Lady'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/shakespeare-in-love-helmer-circles-my-fair-lady/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/shakespeare-in-love-helmer-circles-my-fair-lady/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/shakespeare-in-love-helmer-circles-my-fair-lady/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There is still no solid agreement for Keira Knightley to take on one Miss Eliza Doolittle, but it looks like the remake of My Fair Lady may finally have found a director. One who is not Joe Wright. Variety reports that the helmer behind The Debt -- John Madden -- is currently in talks to direct the film. Seeing that The Debt hasn't come out yet, let's be more clear: The director behind Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Proof, and Killshot is the guy circling this feature.

That should be pretty decent news for the film. While I can't say that his subsequent work has brought him the same acclaim, getting an Oscar nomination for Shakespeare proved that he's at his best when dealing with classic literary romance. And while I would've loved to see Baz Luhrmann take it on (he was previously linked to the shebang), I can't really argue with the directorial direction they're going ... although I would very much prefer a stab at the original Pygmalion. Alas, no music-free wordiness for me.

The plan is to retain the film's 1912 setting and score, shooting in a number of London locales. But the big question will be whether audiences will care. Can rain in Spain bring in box office numbers? And when will ANYONE officially sign on to this sucker? Stay tuned!

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]]>CinematicalJohn MaddenJohnMaddenMy Fair LadyMyFairLadyMonika BartyzelTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:50:00 ESTOld Doctor Who to Play John Lennonhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/old-doctor-who-to-play-john-lennon/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/old-doctor-who-to-play-john-lennon/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/old-doctor-who-to-play-john-lennon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It looks like The Beatles are going to get a good dose of Doctor Who in the coming year. Variety reports that in a rather nice twist, the man who kicked off the Who revitalization, Christopher Eccleston, is slated to star as John Lennon for an upcoming BBC Four biopic called Naked Lennon. The story will focus on the big turning point for Lennon between 1967 and 1971 -- the dissolution of the band, death of manager Brian Epstein, the end of his first marriage, and then, of course, the entry of Yoko Ono into his life.

Naoko Mori, who played Toshiko in Torchwood, will play Yoko Ono. (For Hackers buffs out there, she also played the Tokyo Hacker back in the 1995 movie.) Rounding out the cast is Rory Kinnear as Epstein, Claudie Blakley as Cynthia, and Andrew Scott as Paul McCartney.

Now this is a BBC movie, but considering the reach of Red Riding, I imagine this could stretch beyond the UK's TV screens. There's the fact that The Beatles have been seeing a lot of love in the CD and video game world, and Lennon usually doesn't get much cinematic love save retro pieces in a cameo capacity. The tide changed this year with Nowhere Boy -- so we'll have to wait and see. But what do you think about the casting? Can Naoko and Who pull off a convincing John and Yoko?

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]]>Andrew ScottAndrewScottChristopher EcclestonChristopherEcclestonCinematicalClaudie BlakleyClaudieBlakleyJohn LennonJohnLennonNaked LennonNakedLennonNaoko MoriNaokoMoriRory KinnearRoryKinnearMonika BartyzelMon, 30 Nov 2009 20:01:00 EST'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominationshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

There are a few good reasons to hate on the Satellite Awards. First of all, we really don't need any more end of the year movie and television honors. Second of all, the Satellites seem to be little more than a knock-off of the Golden Globes, which are already pretty unnecessary. Third, they happen way too early, missing out on seeing and thereby qualifying perhaps the biggest film of the year (Avatar).

But over the years I've come to appreciate the Satellites and their bestowing organization, the International Press Academy, for their constant surprises when it comes to nominating and awarding unlikely films and talent. Just look at some of last year's acting winners: Richard Jenkins; Rosemarie DeWitt; Ricky Gervais; Michael Shannon.

Now check out this year's nominees, which continue to prove that IPA voters like to go at least slightly against the grain. Okay, so there are a lot of predictable titles in the lot, including Up in the Air and Nine, which leads with 11 nominations. Yet there are some films I don't expect to be recognized by the Golden Globes, let alone the Oscars, such as The Maid and The Stoning of Soraya M., both of which feature in the Best Actress (Drama) category.

Continue reading 'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominations

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]]>international press academyInternationalPressAcademyninesatellite awardsSatelliteAwardsthe maidthe stoning of soraya m.TheMaidTheStoningOfSorayaM.up in the airUpInTheAirChristopher CampbellMon, 30 Nov 2009 17:15:00 ESTNew to Me: Purple Rain and Stunt Rockhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/29/new-to-me-purple-rain-and-stunt-rock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/29/new-to-me-purple-rain-and-stunt-rock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/29/new-to-me-purple-rain-and-stunt-rock/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



As the perpetual young'en on the staff, it only seems fitting that I start chronicling my encounters with whatever classic or otherwise noteworthy titles that I'm just now dusting off and catching up with. For the first in this series, I find myself tackling a double feature of '70s/'80s rock kitsch - Stunt Rock and Purple Rain.

Continue reading New to Me: Purple Rain and Stunt Rock

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]]>brian trenchard-smithBrianTrenchard-smithgrant pageGrantPagemorris dayMorrisDaynew to meNewToMeprincepurple rainPurpleRainstunt rockStuntRockWilliam GossSun, 29 Nov 2009 21:03:00 ESTScenes (Songs) We Love: Ain't Nobody From 'Breakin'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/27/scenes-songs-we-love-aint-nobody-from-breakin/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/27/scenes-songs-we-love-aint-nobody-from-breakin/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/27/scenes-songs-we-love-aint-nobody-from-breakin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



My love of dance movies, especially crappy dance movies, could probably all be traced back to Breakin'. In 1984 I wasn't exactly the hippest girl on the block (after all it isn't easy to be hip when you're nine years old), but when my dad took me to see Breakin' I thought this was the beginning of a long and industrious career as a B-girl. So, as you can probably guess, it didn't quite work out that way, but thanks to Breakin' I still listen to Rufus' Ain't Nobody featuring R&B legend Chaka Khan (which first appeared on Rufus' album Stompin' at The Savoy) .

Breakin' was directed by Joel Silberg and centered on the dancing duo of Turbo (Michael Chambers) and Ozone (Adolfo Quinones), who team up with Kelly, a pampered jazz dancer (played by Lucinda Dickey) in a battle with a rival dance crew by the name of Electro Rock -- and if you remember your 80s movies then you know that most disputes can be solved with a dance off. Rufus' #1 R&B hit accompanied the all-important musical montage where we see white-bread Kelly learning to pop and lock...badly.

Breakin' wasn't the first break dancing movie to come along, and if I had to choose, Beat Street would go down as my personal favorite. But, for better or for worse, Breakin' is still one of the best remembered movies of that brief fad of b-boys on the big screen, and it may not be a great movie -- as a matter of fact it's kind of a terrible movie, but this is definitely a great song.

After the jump: Kelly gets down and some cross promotion with Turbo and Ozone...

Continue reading Scenes (Songs) We Love: Ain't Nobody From 'Breakin'

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]]>80sbreak dancingBreakDancingBreakinChaka KhanChakaKhanmusicScenes We LoveScenesWeLoveSongs we loveSongsWeLovevideoJessica BarnesFri, 27 Nov 2009 15:15:00 ESTGabe Sunday's John Lennon 'Yellow Submarine' Audition Tapehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/24/gabe-sundays-john-lennon-yellow-submarine-audition-tape/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/24/gabe-sundays-john-lennon-yellow-submarine-audition-tape/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/24/gabe-sundays-john-lennon-yellow-submarine-audition-tape/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



In the past couple days some news reports have surfaced that would make it seem as if Robert Zemeckis has begun the casting process for his Yellow Submarine remake, which is apparently going under the name of The Fab Four Project or The Untitled Fab Four Project for reasons we do not know (perhaps to either mask the real production or perhaps they've decided to go in a different direction and are between titles). Jim Hill noted that they're holding open auditions at a Beatles convention in Stamford, Connecticut this weekend, and The Sun already claims actor Stephen Graham has landed the part of Ringo in the mo-capped feature (though I'd take that piece of news with a huge grain of salt).

It also looks like Zemeckis is considering a wide range of folks for the role of John Lennon, including one of our favorite up-and-coming actors, Gabe Sunday. I first saw Sunday in the buzzed-about indie flick My Suicide and instantly knew he was heading in the right direction. The guy isn't just another wannabee actor -- he's a true artist and collaborator who likes to be involved in the entire filmmaking process. Not only is he working on a narrative film about the great Daniel Johnston, but he apparently threw together a John Lennon audition tape for Zemeckis that's pretty spot-on in terms of becoming the young, experimental Lennon who pals around with buddies and enjoys impromptu jam sessions. No doubt Sunday's usual cronies are behind the look and feel of this audition tape since it squarely belongs in their wheelhouse, and I hate to say it but I'd rather see more of this than whatever colorful mo-capped version Zemeckis has planned.

Either way I truly hope he gives Sunday a shot. The guy is ready to explode onto the scene; he just needs more opportunities to do just that. Watch the video after the jump. Good luck Gabe!

Continue reading Gabe Sunday's John Lennon 'Yellow Submarine' Audition Tape

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]]>gabe sundayGabeSundaygabriel sundayGabrielSundaymy suicideMySuiciderobert zemeckisRobertZemeckisuntitled fab four projectUntitledFabFourProjectyellow submarineYellowSubmarineErik DavisTue, 24 Nov 2009 10:32:00 ESTExclusive 'Nine' Poster Premiere!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-nine-poster-premiere/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-nine-poster-premiere/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-nine-poster-premiere/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Cinematical has just received this sexy new poster for the upcoming movie-musical Nine, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), and starring ... well, who isn't starring in this film? We've got the sensational, bound-to-be-nominated-for-Best-Actor-again Daniel Day-Lewis, followed by a plethora of gorgeous female co-stars like Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren.

Based on the popular Broadway show, Nine follows a famous film director named Guido Contini (Day-Lewis) who's struggling to juggle all of the different dysfunctional personal and professional relationships in his life. You'd be hard-pressed to find an Oscar-related list that doesn't already include Nine as a shoe-in for multiple nominations, including Best Picture. Early reviews are already touting it as a must-see, and I can kinda see why -- this poster alone gives us at least five reasons right off the bat.

Nine is set to roll out into theaters in limited release on December 18th and nationwide on December 25th. Click on the image below to view the full poster, then head after the jump to watch the film's trailers.

Gallery: 'Nine' Movie Poster

Continue reading Exclusive 'Nine' Poster Premiere!

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]]>daniel day-lewisDanielDay-lewisfeaturedjudi denchJudiDenchkate hudsonKateHudsonnicole kidmanNicoleKidmanninenine movie posterNineMoviePosterpenelope cruzPenelopeCruzrob marshallRobMarshallsophia lorenSophiaLorenErik DavisMon, 23 Nov 2009 15:02:00 ESTExclusive: Title Track for 'The Road' Soundtrackhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-title-track-for-the-road-soundtrack/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-title-track-for-the-road-soundtrack/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/23/exclusive-title-track-for-the-road-soundtrack/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Cinematical has just received the following title track for Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' original and haunting film score for The Road. It's simple and chilling -- just as any accompaniment to a post-apocalyptic world should be -- full of violin and piano tunes, some wind instruments and sound loops. The soundtrack is being released digitally today over at Amazon, with further digital retailers tomorrow and a CD release to follow on January 12, 2010.

We first alerted you to the score back in March, and then to the duo's Soundtrack Collection in September. As you might have gathered, some of us are big Cave & Ellis fans. And rightly so. They provided an award-winning score for John Hillcoat's earlier feature The Proposition (which Cave also wrote), and also scored The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. And of course, that's besides their work in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, which has memorable cinematic ties to Wings of Desire (before Ellis teamed up with Cave).

Too often these days it's easy to get pulled out of movies due to overly imposing and grandoise film scores desperately trying to yank at emotions, rather than just lightly coaxing the right feel for a particular scene, and Cave and Ellis definitely know how to let simplicity reign. Check out the clip and track list after the jump and grab it over here at Amazon.

Continue reading Exclusive: Title Track for 'The Road' Soundtrack

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]]>Cinematicalfeaturedfilm scoresFilmScoresNick CaveNickCaveThe RoadThe Road: Original Film ScoreTheRoadTheRoad:OriginalFilmScoreWarren EllisWarrenEllisMonika BartyzelMon, 23 Nov 2009 12:02:00 ESTSerious Scores: 'Aguirre: The Wrath of God'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/serious-scores-aguirre-the-wrath-of-god/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/serious-scores-aguirre-the-wrath-of-god/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/20/serious-scores-aguirre-the-wrath-of-god/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're doing something crazy, and launching another little series here on Cinematical: Serious Scores. You're a smart bunch, so I imagine you've already figured out that the goal isn't to highlight our favorite bank heists, but to praise the creme de la creme of cinema's soundtracks. Hopefully, you'll find something new for your iPod, rediscover a lost favorite, or appreciate a piece along with us.

Technically, Werner Herzog's Aguirre: The Wrath of God doesn't have an official soundtrack. The entire score was recorded by the German progressive band Popol Vuh (the first of many collaborations they did with Herzog), and was released as an album in 1975, with a 2004 re-release. Only two tracks were actually used in the film: Aguirre I and Aguirre II. If you disdain the rest of their Krautrock, the magic of iTunes and Amazon allows you to buy them individually. Now you can put them on a playlist, set them to repeat, and go as mad as Aguirre himself.

Hints of madness aside, Aguirre I and II are pretty incredible pieces of music and were raved about in the 1970s. I think the music is just as powerful today, even if Moog synthesizers seem to have fallen out of favor. It's hypnotic and eerie, and so very evocative of that torpid jungle journey. Never have native panpipes sounded as frantic and terrified. I've embedded Aguirre I below the jump, but I highly recommend spending the $0.99 so you can download it to something hand-held and listen to it in the dark.

Continue reading Serious Scores: 'Aguirre: The Wrath of God'

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]]>AguirreAguirre: The Wrath of GodAguirre:TheWrathOfGodAguirreWrathOfGodpopol vuhPopolVuhSerious ScoresSeriousScoresWerner HerzogWernerHerzogElisabeth RappeFri, 20 Nov 2009 20:15:00 ESTEverything You Ever Wanted to Know About Horror Musicalshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/the-wild-world-of-horror-musicals/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/the-wild-world-of-horror-musicals/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/18/the-wild-world-of-horror-musicals/#commentsFiled under: ,

By Alison Nastasi

With the announcement of Carrie making a return to the Broadway circuit after a short-lived disastrous first go-round, I'm left holding my head and wondering, "Why?" Horror musicals are like your socially awkward cousin. You know, the one who talks too much and quite possibly bears an uncanny resemblance to Franklin from Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Is it fair to hold the horror musical to the same standards as the dastardly horror film remakes that seem to be happening in droves? I don't think I can help it. Few horror musicals have been born from an original idea which leaves me with the same funny feeling. I'm well aware that remakes have been happening since the dawn of time but this kind of remake is worse. When you add the word 'musical' to anything it evokes a horrible visceral reaction within many people. Adding it to the word horror just seems like a bastardized and shrieking kind of wrong.

Isn't the comical genius of Young Frankenstein and Evil Dead perfect as is? Young Frankenstein was a parody. So, is a mugging Dr. Frankenstein belting out a song called Transylvania Mania anything other than pointless and silly? The film Cannibal! The Musical, another intentional parody by beloved low-budget Troma Entertainment, has more class by comparison. Even Cronenberg's The Fly has been made into an opera, but they don't have me fooled. Adding the smooth vowel-ridden word to the title doesn't soften the blow. In fact, it's almost more cruel. However, Repo! The Genetic Opera would probably disagree with me.

Read the rest at Horror Squad!

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]]>Buffy Musical Big Screen ExtravaganzaBuffy the Vampire SlayerBuffyMusicalBigScreenExtravaganzaBuffyTheVampireSlayerCannibal The MusicalCannibalTheMusicalCarrieDarren Lynn BousmanDarrenLynnBousmanEvil DeadEvilDeadhorror musicalhorror musicalsHorrorMusicalHorrorMusicalslittle shop of horrorsLittleShopOfHorrorsmusical theatermusicalsMusicalTheaterNew York TimesNewYorkTimesOnce More with FeelingOnceMoreWithFeelingphantom of the operaPhantomOfTheOperaRepo The Genetic OperaRepoTheGeneticOperarocky horrorrocky horror picture showRockyHorrorRockyHorrorPictureShowTexas Chain Saw MassacreTexasChainSawMassacreTroma EntertainmentTromaEntertainmentYoung FrankensteinYoungFrankensteinCinematical staffWed, 18 Nov 2009 18:03:00 EST'Nine' Buzz: Kate Hudson Music Video, Early Reviewhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/nine-review-kate-hudson-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/nine-review-kate-hudson-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/nine-review-kate-hudson-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



I may not be the biggest devotee of movie musicals, but I've been keeping an eye on Rob Marshall's adaptation of Nine (the Tony Award-winning musical) since the production was first announced back in 2007. The thought of some of the coolest chicks in Hollywood with Daniel Day Lewis in a musical about 8 1/2? Well, count me in. Despite early casting changes and rumblings about Lewis' singing abilities, I've held out hope for the flick, and now that the film's Christmas release date is a little over a month away the early reviews are trickling in. First up is AICN who scored an early review from a source going by the name of Tobby (You can read the entire review over there, but be warned, it's a little spoilery)

So let's start with the good news: according to this review, the film is pretty darn good. The reviewer had nothing but praise for Marion Cotillard as Lewis' wife, and even Fergie gets some love as the prostitute, Saraghina. As for Lewis in the role of the troubled director Guido Contini, it turns out those rumors of his lack of singing ability were just rumors, and he makes out pretty good in the review for the limited singing he does in the film (two songs) -- and I think we all knew his acting was never going to be the problem.

Of course, the film is far from perfect and there are some rough patches according to this reviewier. Most of the scorn was directed towards Nicole Kidman's performance as Contini's muse, and unfortunately one of the other problems with the film is Kate Hudson (who plays an American Vogue reporter) in what was described as a throwaway role. Bad timing, perhaps, now that Hudson's musical number, Cinema Italiano, is the bulk of the latest trailer for the film.

After the jump: Hudson's Go-Go debut and a musical layman's review of Cinema Italiano...

Continue reading 'Nine' Buzz: Kate Hudson Music Video, Early Review

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]]>8 12812Daniel Day-LewisDanielDay-lewisKate HudsonKateHudsonmarion cotillardMarionCotillardNicole KidmanNicoleKidmannineRob MarshallRobMarshallJessica BarnesTue, 17 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST'Young@Heart' Sings Its Way to Narrative Filmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/young-heart-sings-its-way-to-narrative-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/young-heart-sings-its-way-to-narrative-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/young-heart-sings-its-way-to-narrative-film/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Remember that super-cute and super-rocking senior documentary Young@Heart, which hit screens last year? It's becoming a feature film, and The Hollywood Reporter posts that Working Title has found a new scribe in Will Reiser (I'm With Cancer). The rights had originally been bought back in 2007, and writer Bob Nelson had written a draft, but now, much like their senior subjects, the project is getting a new jolt of life.

As I hope you know by now, the film follows a chorus of senior citizens (average age of 80) who came together and toured -- not singing "old folks" songs for retirement homes, but all-out mainstream concerts featuring modern hits and classics from the likes of The Clash, Coldplay, and James Brown. The documentary dipped into their performances and their lives (some passed away during production).

Can you think of any movie that could be more fun on the big screen? Think about the senior-aged talent and Hollywood, and then imagine them rocking out. It would make that scene in The Wedding Singer look like nothin'. Betty White. Cloris Leachman (and New York, I Love You co-star Eli Wallach). Andy Griffith. Adam West. Anne Meara. The list goes on and on. This could be epic, and of course, I'm probably getting my hopes up way too high, but just think of the possibilities. What older stars would you like to see on the big screen, belting out rock tunes? Rock out to this clip and weigh in below.

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]]>CinematicalWill REiserWillReiserYoung at HeartYoungAtHeartMonika BartyzelMon, 16 Nov 2009 10:32:00 ESTRejoice! 'Stomp the Yard 2' is Shooting Right Now!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/15/rejoice-stomp-the-yard-2-is-shooting-right-now/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/15/rejoice-stomp-the-yard-2-is-shooting-right-now/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/15/rejoice-stomp-the-yard-2-is-shooting-right-now/#commentsFiled under: ,

This is what we call a slow news day. Even for a Sunday. But then a casual glance through The Hollywood Reporter yielded some huge sequel news! The sequel to Stomp the Yard has begun shooting in Atlanta! Since I don't think I've ever seen the first Stomp the Yard, I'm going to assume it's the tragic story of an ill-fated cement technician who is killed while paving a new schoolyard, thereby prompting the local dance team to "stomp" that beloved yard and win the fancy cheerleading trophy.

And get a load of these funky names! "Collins Pennie ... Pooch Hall, Terrence J, Lil Duval, Tika Sumpter, Kiely Alexis Williams, Keith David, rapper David Banner and music artist Teyena Taylor join "So You Think You Can Dance" runner-up Stephen "tWitch" Boss in the cast." (I love that the rapper has the plainest moniker.) Rob Hardy will direct (he probably is at this very moment, actually) from a script by the guy who penned Feel the Noise. Hey, writing feature-length rock videos is a specific skill.

The title for the upcoming sequel is (spoiler alert) Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming. And yes, I think they're shooting for a theatrical release on this one. For more on what's sure to be the biggest sequel since Return of the King, stomp your mouse right here.

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]]>stomp the yard 2StompTheYard2Scott WeinbergSun, 15 Nov 2009 14:03:00 ESTReview: Pirate Radiohttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/pirate-radio-review/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/pirate-radio-review/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/pirate-radio-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

'Pirate Radio' (Focus Features)

Tethered to reality by only a slender thread, Pirate Radio quickly cuts loose and floats off into its own imaginary layer of the Earth's atmosphere, where only good-hearted, pleasant-thinking, die-hard romantics can survive. Welcome home, Richard Curtis, where have you been?

Writer/director Curtis rose to fame on the basis of his screenplay for Four Weddings and a Funeral, featuring an ensemble of quirky yet appealing men and women chasing love and happiness, followed, notably, by his script for Notting Hill, but he's been writing off-kilter comedy sketches and episodic television for many years. Pirate Radio proves that his gift for writing witty one-liners and creating funny situations remains intact. His skills as a film director and shaper of material are a little more fuzzy and undefined, however.

As with Love, Actually, his previous directorial effort, Pirate Radio (AKA The Boat That Rocked) is filled with episodes that feel randomly assembled, knit together by proximity and happenstance more than narrative necessity. For all the laughter and positive feelings that Pirate Radio generates, it's a lightweight treatment of a potentially heavyweight subject.

Continue reading Review: Pirate Radio

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]]>bill nighyBillNighykenneth branaghKennethBranaghphilip seymour hoffmanPhilipSeymourHoffmanpirate radioPirateRadiorhys ifansRhysIfansrichard curtisRichardCurtistom sturridgeTomSturridgePeter MartinFri, 13 Nov 2009 13:33:00 ESTFive Radio Flicks That Rocked the Big Screenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I've always been drawn to radio on the big screen. It seems antithetical -- a sound format being so perfect for a medium full of sound and imagery. Video killed the radio star ... right? Nevertheless, radio leads to wonderfully aural expression that gives film that extra little something, whether that be the perfectly pitched voice of a radio DJ delighting in word play or the perfectly placed song that evokes any number of emotions. Word play and great music -- they've always been my weakness.

Therefore, naturally, I'm all sorts of excited for this week's cinematic slate, which not only includes disasters, tough women, and fantastic foxes, but also a little flick called Pirate Radio. This ensemble comedy has been a long time coming. In fact, it's been almost a year since we first got to see a trailer for the film that not only features a cast including Nick Frost and Bill Nighy, but also marks the return of Philip Seymour Hoffman to the retro radio seat. Oh yes, Lester Bangs is back, only this time he calls himself The Count.

To get you in the mood for true pirate radio living on a tried and true ship, check out five great on-screen radio moments after the jump. (Warning: Some are NSFW.)

Continue reading Five Radio Flicks That Rocked the Big Screen

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]]>Almost FamousAlmostFamousCinematicalfeaturedGood MorningGoodMorningPirate RadioPirateRadioPump Up the VolumePumpUpTheVolumeradio filmsRadioFilmsTalk RadioTalk to MeTalkRadioTalkToMeVietnamMonika BartyzelThu, 12 Nov 2009 17:15:00 ESTDave Matthews, Gogol Bordello Are Larger Than Life in 3D HDhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gogol BordelloAEG and Action 3D are betting on music lovers that will want to catch their favorite performers in a movie theater -- on the screen, that is. According to Variety, the two companies have already been getting footage from different festivals for their limited-run, 3D-only concert movies, which will be offered in a similar manner as U2 3D. The first series of movies will be footage of concerts from Dave Matthews (yay?), Relentless7, Ben Harper, and Gogol Bordello. The only group that sounds like it would wow music fans in 3D is Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band known for their outrageous live shows and songs like "Start Wearing Purple."

However, AEG is also behind the recent release of Michael Jackson's film This is It, along with Sony, which has made $186 million worldwide so far. While concert movies with built-in audiences like the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds have been similarly successful, I'm not convinced that semi-random concert series will really put bottoms in seats. And for all you Phishheads, AEG has apparently already "filmed several 3D live sets of Phish from Festival 8 in Indio, Calif., in late October. According to [John Rubey, president of Network Live, a division of AEG Live], the company plans to roll out 'best of' edition from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits as followups to the Matthews feature in 2010." So get your Birks and tie-dye ready to jam out, man!

I think it's a cool idea to offer people the chance to see their favorite bands up close and personal if they can't see them live, but there isn't anything to rival the actual live experience. Granted, you're not usually that close to the stage and some jerk just spilled beer on your shoes and someone else is singing along to every song and/or shouting "WOO!" in your ear, but that's all part of the concert experience, right?

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]]>3DAEGBen HarperBenHarperDave MatthewsDaveMatthewsGogol BordelloGogolBordelloHDMichael JacksonMichaelJacksonMiley CyrusMileyCyrusPhishRelentless 7Relentless7This Is ItThisIsItU2Jenni MillerThu, 12 Nov 2009 13:32:00 ESTBox Office: 2012 Pirates on a Dead Man's Chesthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/box-office-2012-pirates-on-a-dead-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/box-office-2012-pirates-on-a-dead-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/box-office-2012-pirates-on-a-dead-mans-chest/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Christmas came a little early allowing the animated 3D film A Christmas Carol to lead the box office, but not by as large a margin as many had expected. The Box was the only one of last week's wide releases to miss the top five, landing in sixth place. Here's the top five:

1. A Christmas Carol: $30 million
2. Michael Jackson's This Is It: $13 million
3. The Men Who Stare at Goats: $12.67 million
4. The Fourth Kind: $12.2 million
5. Paranormal Activity: $8.2 million

We've got two new flicks fighting for your dollars this week:

2012
What's It All About: They say the world will end with not a bang but a whimper, but director Roland Emmerich seems pretty sure it will happen with several kabooms and a motherload of digital effects. John Cusack stars as a man determined to keep his family alive during a global cataclysm predicted by the Mayan calendar.
Why It Might Do Well: Emmerich has already destroyed the world in Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, so he must be getting pretty good at it by now.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Maybe Emmerich has played his apocalypse card once too often.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $54 million

Pirate Radio
What's It All About: In the 1960s eight DJ's set up shop on a ship off the coast of England and broadcast rock and roll to the masses, much to the chagrin of the British government.
Why It Might Do Well: Phillip Seymour Hoffman is joined by Nick Frost and Bill Nighy, and the classic rock soundtrack sounds amazing.
Why It Might Not Do Well: It's a smaller release, so it won't be breaking the bank.
Number of Theaters: 900
Prediction: $6 million

Here's how I think next weekend will go:
1. 2012
2. A Christmas Carol
3. Michael Jackson's This Is It
4. The Men Who Stare at Goats
5. The Fourth Kind

Continue reading Box Office: 2012 Pirates on a Dead Man's Chest

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]]>2012CinemaCinematicalMoviesPirate RadioPirateRadioMatt BradshawWed, 11 Nov 2009 20:15:00 ESTScenes (Songs) We Love: Anything, Anything 'Nightmare on Elm St. 4'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



I have to tell you that this installment of Scenes We Love was a close one, because the more I searched for the scene in question from A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master, the more I realized that it was a pretty terrible movie. The fourth installment of the horror franchise saw Freddy looking for some fresh meat after he had worked his way through the original "Elm Street brats". But like I said, this is about the song as well as the movie, so Dream Master (despite it's failings) lived to earn its very own Songs We Love thanks to "Anything, Anything", by Dramarama.

Now, no one would blame you if the name isn't ringing a bell, but Dramarama was an LA-based power pop band that made some inroads to fame before fading into obscurity in the early 90's -- with the exception of an appearance on a VH1 reality show, which seems to be the fate of most 80's bands. The song was used during a scene in which one of our young victims is practicing a martial art that will be utterly useless against Freddie, but one look at Andras Jones as Rick Johnson and this 13-year-old was in love (although I chose to overlook the Karate Kid headband). So even though "Anything, Anything" never really became a huge hit for the band, according to legend it is still one of "the most requested songs in KROQ [LA Radio] history" -- which I guess means I'm not the only one with fond memories of this tune.

After the jump: Dramarama's contribution to the Canon of Freddie...

Continue reading Scenes (Songs) We Love: Anything, Anything 'Nightmare on Elm St. 4'

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]]>Andras JonesAndrasJonesdramaramanightmare on elm streetNightmareOnElmStreetScenes We LoveScenesWeLovesongsJessica BarnesWed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST'Nine' Gets a Huge Promo Pushhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/nine-gets-a-huge-promo-push/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/nine-gets-a-huge-promo-push/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/nine-gets-a-huge-promo-push/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We learned in October that Nine was getting pushed back to a Christmas premiere. Since The Road was already slated for release on the same date, it sounded like this was nothing more than a move to make the film's box office grab as smooth as possible. But maybe it was to plan the massive marketing push.

Variety reports that the Weinstein Company have partnered with Disney/ABC Unlimited to market the film. This "megapact" will mean that Nine-flavored content will get infused into "a wide variety of shows, including ABC's Dancing with the Stars." For the dance-centric show, there will be a themed dance number on November 17 with songs and outfits from the film. The push will also work its way into the soaps on ABC -- the big trio of All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. Then there will be a "road-block" style trailer on the 22nd, making it's way onto a bunch of channels, a microsite on ABC.com, and late-night integration.

Inclusion on dancing reality shows make sense, but the rest is a little ridiculous -- both for the potential for over-saturation and this idea of market-injected content. I bet they're just ruing the fact that series get written well in advance and that they couldn't get Nine-themed fare into the likes of Grey's, Cougar Town, Lost, etc. And here we used to make fun of obvious product placement. At this rate, I wonder if we can come to expect films to be advertised in each other, like Spider-Man trying to make it to Mary Jane's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premiere or somesuch.

Do you enjoy big marketing pushes, or does it all get real old real fast?

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]]>CinematicalNineWeinstein and DisneyWeinsteinAndDisneyMonika BartyzelWed, 11 Nov 2009 09:48:00 ESTLil' Wayne's 'The Carter' Doc Heads Straight to DVDhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/lil-waynes-the-carter-doc-heads-straight-to-dvd/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/lil-waynes-the-carter-doc-heads-straight-to-dvd/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/10/lil-waynes-the-carter-doc-heads-straight-to-dvd/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to catch a screening of Lil' Wayne's The Carter while attending the Sundance Film Festival, and going in I had no idea what to make of it. I wasn't all too aware of (nor did I really care for) Lil' Wayne or his music, and so I was somewhat surprised to find a really heady documentary about a man who on one hand was extremely passionate about his craft, but on the other was extremely addicted to all kinds of drugs. It was almost as if the drugs were fueling his music, so much so that you'd be hard pressed to find one scene in the film where Wayne isn't either smoking a joint or drinking his "syrup", which is some sort of codeine-based liquid that he needs to be drinking while performing in order to maintain a constant buzz.

Yes, I'll admit the film was rather fascinating on a variety of different levels, and I was somewhat disheartened to learn that Wayne was preventing the doc from being released because he wasn't happy with the outcome -- an epiphany he probably had during a rare three-minute sober period. However, a court has since denied Wayne's attempt to block the film's release, and now QD3 Entertainment will send The Carter straight to DVD on November 17th (you can pre-order your copy over here). Regardless of your musical tastes, The Carter is a very entertaining look inside the world of an iconic drug-addicted work-a-holic who lives and breathes a constant high, be it through drugs or his music.

Read a snippet from my review and watch the trailer after the jump.

Continue reading Lil' Wayne's 'The Carter' Doc Heads Straight to DVD

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]]>lik wayne the carterLikWayneTheCarterqd3 entertainmentQd3Entertainmentsundance film festivalSundanceFilmFestivalthe carterTheCarterErik DavisTue, 10 Nov 2009 13:32:00 EST