celluloidnotes

Bit by bit we’re learning more and more about Jim Jarmusch’s forthcoming new feature The Limits of Control. You can see the new poster, which was just unveiled, above. Has a nice retro vibe, right? (Anyone else see the Sunn O))) in there?)

The film is the story of a hitman, who adheres to a strict code of conduct, as he wanders across Spain searching for someone or something (nothing released really makes that clear). The brief and elusive synopsis makes it seem more like a Jarmusch film than that first sentence might lead you to believe. “His journey, paradoxically both intently focused and dreamlike, takes him not only across Spain but also through his own consciousness.”

The film features Issach De Bankole as the loner, with support from John Hurt, Gael Garcia Bernal, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and many other great and unknown stars of international and American cinema. It was shot by Wong Kar-Wai stand-by Christopher Doyle (which basically ensures that it’s going to be a sweeping beautiful film). And it is being scored by a handful of post-rock-minimalist ensembles including Boris (who seems to be at the helm), Sunn O))), and Earth.

The trailer for The Limits of Control is definitely nothing more than a teaser, but it definitely piques our interest. The film is going to be released on May 22. Looking forward to it.

Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is currently one of the most talked about films online, and with the barrage of actual marketing that’s about to take place don’t expect that to stop until the film actually hits theaters on August 21st.

ET recently ran a small preview of the film and the trailer is going to be hitting theaters on Friday in front of the new reimagining of Friday the 13th. Which, as over blown as the hype may be already, this may be the best reason for anyone to possibly buy a ticket to Friday the 13th.

Expect the trailer for Inglourious Basterds to be online sometime this weekend or early next week, and then the Tarantino-ites will take over the movie blogosphere. Be wary.

The footage is a little grainy, but this about all you’re going to get until the trailer comes out.

The Razzies, that prestigious award that honors the year’s worst at the cinema, have announced this years nominees. It’s safe to suspect that these are the only awards these films will receive nominations for.

There are a few surprises in here. Ben Kingsley get a nom for his role in The Wackness is surprising. Many have been surprised by Indiana Jones getting a nomination, but I’m going to have go ahead and support that one. Anyhow, I’ll try not to bash films, as this award will do that for me. Leading the pack were a host of nominations for The Happening, The Hottie & The Nottie, The Love Guru, and Uwe Boll in general (who will receive the lifetime disaster award).

The nominations:

Worst Picture Nominations:
Disaster Movie & Meet the Spartans (double nominee from the same writer-directors)
The Happening
The Hottie & The Nottie
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
The Love Guru

Worst Actor Nominations:
Larry the Cable Guy, Witless Protection
Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave
Mike Myers, The Love Guru
Al Pacino, 88 Minutes & Righteous Kill
Mark Wahlberg, The Happening & Max Payne

Worst Actress Nominations:
Jessica Alba, The Eye & The Love Guru
The cast of The Women (Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Meg Ryan)
Cameron Diaz, What Happens in Vegas
Paris Hilton, The Hottie & The Nottie
Kate Hudson, Fool’s Gold & My Best Friend’s Girl

Worst Supporting Actor Nominations:
Uwe Boll (as himself), Uwe Boll’s Postal
Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia!
Ben Kingsley, The Love Guru & War, Inc. & The Wackness
Burt Reynolds, Deal & In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Verne Troyer, The Love Guru & Uwe Boll’s Postal

Worst Supporting Actress Nominations:
Carmen Electra, Disaster Movie & Meet the Spartans
Paris Hilton, Repo! The Genetic Opera
Kim Kardashian, Disaster Movie
Jenny McCarthy, Witless Protection
Leelee Sobieski, 88 Minutes & In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale

Worst Screen Couple Nominations:
Uwe Boll and any Actor, Camera, or Screenplay
Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, What Happens in Vegas
Paris Hilton and either Christine Lakin or Joel David Moore, The Hottie and the Nottie
Larry the Cable Guy and Jenny McCarthy, Witless Protection
Eddie Murphy and Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel Nominations:
The Day the Earth Blowed Up Real Good
Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Speed Racer
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Worst Director Nominations:
Uwe Boll, 1968: Tunnel Rats, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale and Uwe Boll’s Postal
Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans
Tom Putnam, The Hottie & the Nottie
Marco Schnabel, The Love Guru
M. Night Shyamalan, The Happening

Worst Screenplay Nominations:
Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans
The Happening
The Hottie and the Nottie
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
The Love Guru

Worst Career Achievement:
Uwe Boll

There is oddly only one film getting a release this week. So, I guess it would have to be my pick of the week. …

Defiance (12/31 - limited)
dir. Edward Zwick
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell

What was at one time considered a serious Oscar contender seems to have been largely forgotten at this point. The cost-cutting Paramount has pushed this back quite aways, it’s getting a limited release, and they have pretty much completely cut promotion funding. The film is even being released on a notoriously bad week for films (thus only one picture is being release). Currently clocking 33% on the tomatometer, the films seems somewhat doomed. But the solid cast is said to have put in some noteworthy performances and certainly isn’t out of the running for awards season. There may still be hope for Defiance.

Last Week’s Top 10:
(this will be adjusted on Monday to reflect the current week - just thought I’d throw this in since I missed last week)
1. Yes Man
2. Seven Pounds
3. The Tale of Despereaux
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still
5. Four Christmases
6. Twilight
7. Bolt
8. Slumdog Millionaire
9. Australia
10. Quantum of Solace

PICK OF THE WEEK

Milk
dir. Gus Van Sant
Starring: Sean Penn

It’s about time a film was made that focused on the legend of Harvey Milk (there is a great documentary on the subject already though), the man who, in 1977, became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in America. His legacy and assassination are the focus of this film, which is getting raves everywhere.

Australia
dir. Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman

General Rule: Baz Luhrmann = beautiful cinematography + weak, melodramatic plots. Australia likely will be no exception to the rule.

Four Christmases
dir. Seth Gordon
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon

Christ, the bad Christmas movies have already begun. Though, surprisingly, this one doesn’t star either Matthew Broderick or Tim Allen. I have at least one thing to be thankful for on Thursday, second being that we don’t live in a dictatorship and that I will not have to watch this.

Transporter 3
dir. Oliver Megaton
Starring: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper

I feel as though the director, Oliver Megaton, is really a name that Bart Simpson used while calling Moe one night. He was born to direct a high octane thriller. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that there is any life left in this series. But maybe I’m wrong, some people seem to still be in love with this, I’m a bad judge, it doesn’t do much for me.

Familiar Strangers
dir. Zackary Adler
Starring: Shawn Hatosy, DJ Qualls

Quirky indie-family drama, sounds pretty familiar. But this is a film that I recommend you give a chance. There is much more than meets the eye, and they have done a great job of casting this one. Almost as highly recommended as Milk.

Fix
dir. Tao Ruspoli
Starring: Shawn Andrews, Olivia Wilde, Tao Ruspoli

This sounds interesting. The film is shot in the first person by the actors in the film. It gained some notoriety on the festival circuit and is getting a limited release this week.

Last Week’s Top 10:
1. Twilight
2. Quantum of Solace
3. Bolt
4. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
5. Role Models
6. Changeling
7. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
8. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
9. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
10. The Secret Life of Bees

Pick of the Week:
Special
Dir. Hal Haberman Jeremy Passmore
Starring: Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport plays a young man who has an adverse reaction to the anti-depressants he has been prescribed and starts to believe that he is a superhero. But no one is really sure what is going on. This looks to be a funny, engaging film that is more interested in character study and what superhero mythology says about society. I’m taking this as the pick of the week. Interesting script.

Bolt
Dir. Byron Howard Chris Williams
Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman

Another kids movie that looks like it is sure to bore everyone over the age of 5.

Twilight
Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke

Based on the best-selling novel, this is a film that attempts to turn the vampire narrative on it’s side. A loner falls for a mysterious young man who turns out to be a vampire, and he tries to not bite her while everyone else is trying to and then zzzzz….

Last Week’s Top 10:
1. Quantum of Solace
2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
3. Role Models
4. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
5. The Changeling
6. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
7. Soul Men
8. The Secret Life of Bees
9. Sax V
10. The Haunting of Molly Hartley

Darren Lynn Bousman, a pivotal director for Twisted Pictures and the early propagation of the Saw series, has helmed another, somewhat, innovative blood bath for Twisted and Lions Gate. Repo! The Genetic Opera is film that twists genres like a strand of DNA, melding horror, with a family drama, with a tragedy, with a rock opera, with…well I won’t insult your intelligence. But this film might.

Many people are going to love this, and it’s sure to become a midnight movie staple, but it is also a rather confused film that will have a tough time engaging most of it’s audience. Anyone who is familiar with, and seeks out, films by Bousman, will certainly be entertained, and might even enjoy themselves. But I’m not recommending this to anyone else.

Read a full review of Repo! The Genetic Opera here

PICK OF THE WEEK:
Quantum of Solace
dir. Marc Forster
Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric

So, this generally isn’t my thing, but how can argue with the first bond in this new series? It was intelligent, reinventing the Bond tradition, reinventing the genre, reinventing Bond himself with a brilliant casting move. This is easily the pick of the week and will easily be the number one film of the week next time round.

Slumdog Millionaire
dir. Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan
Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto

An young Indian man becomes a contestant on India’s version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire? in Danny Boyle’s newest endeavor. The young man from the slums of India is about to have the biggest day of his life. The reports coming back from the London Film Fest were all positive on this one, and it’s been a little while since Danny Boyle really disappointed me.

Christmas Tale
dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Mathieu Amalric

And the Christmas films begin. Word is that this is going to be a hit, but it’s hard to take any Christmas film serious at the beginning of November, or at all for that matter.

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
2. Role Models
3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
4. Changeling
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
6. Soul Men
7. Saw V
8. The Haunting of Molly Hartley
9. The Secret Life of Bees
10. Eagle Eye

PICK OF THE WEEK:
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
dir. Mark Herman
Stars: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend

If you need any cue to let you know that Oscar season films are upon us this is it. The early buzz on this film seems pretty positive, sure to be a tear jerker. But then again almost all WWII films are both Oscar contenders and tear jerkers. Hopefully this will be a film that can rival Roman Polanski’s brilliant The Pianist because WWII films are often a little formulaic so that they can be: a. Oscar contenders b. tear jerkers.

Soul Men
dir. Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Issac Hayes

Two legends of soul music, who have not spoken in twenty years decide to reunite after the passing of their former band leader. With a plot like this and both Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes passing away shortly after shooting wrapped the pressure is on both MGM and Dimension to get this film seen without appearing as though the studios are marketing this in bad taste. The verdict is still out on this.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
dir. Eric Darnell Tom McGrath
Stars: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, etc. etc.

This will certainly bring in tops at the box office this week. The highly anticipated, and highly publicized sequel to one of the biggest kids films in years is going to be a smash. If it will actually be any good remains to be seen. It’s a ridiculous question, but since we’re at the front end of Oscar season at the theaters, does this have any chance against WALL-E? Probably not.

Repo! The Genetic Opera
dir. Darren Lynn Bousman
Stars: Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Sarah Brightman, Paris Hilton

This horror rock opera from Saw director Bousman is going to get split reactions across the board. Some are going to hail this as the new cult classic horror film that Rocky Horror fans have been waiting for, while others are going to find that this is a big snooze fest worthy of Alien vs. Predator stature.

Role Models
dir. David Wain
Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks

Judd Apatow staples take on a film worthy of their talents. A couple of energy drink salesman take on a big brother program and learn to love their new kids (and, surely, zaniness ensures). The buzz on this film is not nearly as positive as you would expect (if you expected anything at all)…and then again Paul Rudd is pretty much great in everything he is in.

House
dir. Robby Henson
Stars: Reynaldo Rosales, Heidi Dippold, Michael Madsen

And the late fall slew of crappy horror films continues. Maybe we’re wrong over here, correct that, hopefully we’re wrong, I, personally, would love a great horror film to come out, but this doesn’t sound like it will be the one.

Last Week’s Top Ten:
1. High School Musical 3
2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
3. Saw V
4. Changeling
5. The Haunting of Mary Hartley
6. Beverly Hills Chihuahua
7. The Secret Life of Bees
8. Max Payne
9. Eagle Eye
10. Pride & Glory

PICK OF THE WEEK
Synecdoche, New York
dir. Charlie Kaufman
Starring: Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Samantha Moore, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Jennifer Jason Leigh

The highly anticipated directorial debut from Charlie Kaufman finally hits theaters after a string of delays and a tough time finding a buyer for distribution on the festival circuit. You can only anticipate that it’s going to be fantastic. Maybe not, but my money is on an interesting film.

Fear(s) of the Dark (10/22)
dir. Blutch , Charles Burns, Marie Caillou, Pierre di Sciullo, Lorenzo Mattotti, Richard McGuire

An odd sounding “horror”ish film from a variety of visual artists, that could garner some cult attention and looks very interesting.

Stranded: I Have Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains (10/22)
dir. Gonzalo Arijon

If the title doesn’t get caught in your mouth and you decide to hit up this film you likely won’t be disappointed. It’s an often told tale of survival and it is being documented in a documentary for the first, being told by the people who survived the crash.

Passengers
Directed by: Rodrigo Garcia
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson

Two plane crash movies this weekend? Ok. This one looks like it might not be quite as good as the other. Looks like some sort of hodge podge of Pet Cemetery, Final Destination, Red Eye, The X-Files and slew of other crappy action films.

Saw V
Directed by: David Hackl
Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor

If the relentless placements for this film on websites everywhere, and on every broadcast of a Tampa Bay Lightning game haven’t turned you off yet this might be an alright film. The series that brought gore-porn into the mainstream is back for another gruesome installment of Jigsaw tricks. Really, horror series tend to drag on a bit, but as far as lengthy horror series go, this one has kept me entertained.

Let The Right One In
Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson

Ah, yes the week before Halloween, the yearly slew of bad horror films begins…or maybe it will be ok, who am I to judge? But I am, and I don’t expect much…

Pride & Glory
Dir. Gavin O’Connor
Starring: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voigt

The director of Miracle tries to bring something a little bit more serious to the screen in this film about two cop brothers who try to solve a series of cop slayings in New York. Could it be one of them? Oh man, sounds like some Shymalan style twists coming up to me.

We’re going to go ahead and skip talking about High School Musical 3 and go straight to last week’s Top 10:

1. Max Payne
2. Beverly Hills Chihuahua
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. W.
5. Eagle Eye
6. Body of Lies
7. Quarantine
8. Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist
9. Sex Drive
10. Nights in Rodanthe