Pop Culture Buzz

This “reality film”/documentary was a huge hit at the Sundance festival this past winter. I am skeptical that a reality film genre will do well in the age of huge special effects extravaganzas. This trailer has peaked my curiosity and it may well be a great rental on Netflix. Does anyone else find it odd that a movie titled “American Teen” doesn’t showcase a single minority? Read the film synopsis below:

AMERICAN TEEN is the touching and hilarious Sundance hit that follows the lives of four teenagers - a jock, the popular girl, the artsy girl and the geek — in one small town in Indiana through their senior year of high school. We see the insecurities, the cliques, the jealousies, the first loves and heartbreaks, and the struggle to make profound decisions about the future.

Filming daily for ten months, filmmaker Nanette Burstein (ON THE ROPES, THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE) developed a deep understanding of her subjects. The result is a film that goes beyond the enduring stereotypes of high school to render complex young people trying to find their way into adulthood.

WATCH THE “AMERICAN TEEN” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

The poster for “American Teen” may look familiar to some 80’s teen movie fans…it is an obvious homage to the seminal 80’s teen movie “The Breakfast Club” written and directed by John Hughes (see the picture below).

(STORY FROM VARIETY MAGAZINE ONLINE)

Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Brunoâ€? is ready for summer heat. Universal will release the film on May 15, 2009. So far, there are no other R-rated comedies near that date. Like “Borat”, the title character of the 2006 box office hit, Bruno is one of a trio of characters created and played by Cohen in TV skein “Da Ali G Show.â€?

As Bruno, Cohen pretends be a flamboyant fashion and celebrity journalist from Austria who interviews unwitting members of the public who believe Bruno is a real person. Twentieth Century Fox’s “Borat� was a box office hit, grossing $128.5 million domestically in an early November release. The film also garnered Cohen a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a comedy.

Already set to open on May 15 is Sony’s “The Da Vinci Code� sequel “Angels & Demons�; a week later, on May 22, Warner Bros. opens “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins,� while Fox unspools family comedy “Night at the Museum II: Escape From the Smithsonian.�

The first “Night at the Museum,â€? released over Christmas in 2006, grossed $250.9 million domestically and $323.2 million overseas. “Bruno” may just get the targeted R rated comedy audience with not another comedy in sight for weeks. But don’t expect it to be anywhere as huge as Ben Stiller’s “Night at the Museum II”.

WATCH A CLIP OF “BRUNO” ON “DA ALI G SHOW” BELOW:

WATCH A CLIP OF “BRUNO” ON “DA ALI G SHOW” BELOW:

(STROY FROM IESB.NET)

In a time when Hollywood appears to be creatively bankrupt, it was just a matter of time before studios started looking back at the 60’s and 70’s for other properties to exploit. Producers Sid and Marty Krofft recently revealed that a few of their classic kid’s television shows will next be seen in your local theater.

Put this news in your pipe and smoke it!!

FROM COMINGSOON.NET

Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation have obtained the motion picture rights to “The Smurfs”. The parties will develop a dynamic, live action/animated major motion picture based on the iconic and lovable sky blue colored classic characters.

David Stem and David Weiss are in negotiations to be brought on board to write the screenplay. Stem and Weiss are the award-winning screenwriters behind “Shrek” 2 and 3, and other notable animated projects including “The Rugrats Movie”, and “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius”

Commenting on the announcement Belgrad said, “The Smurfs are one of the best-known franchises and among the most beloved collection of characters in the world. These classic characters have entertained millions of people and several generations all over the world for more than half a century. We’re very excited to introduce a new generation to Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the other Smurfs in all of their ‘three apple tall’ glory.”

“Through Animation and Imageworks, our visual effects and character animation studio, we have an extraordinary capability to mix animation and live action having created a number of fully-realized CG characters in live action films from ‘Stuart Little’ to ‘Spider-Man 3,’” said Osher. “We couldn’t be more delighted or excited about working together on The Smurfs motion picture.”

“The entire team at Sony Pictures Animation is tremendously excited to team with our colleagues at Columbia Pictures and Kerner Entertainment in bringing the Smurfs to the big screen. This is our first hybrid film and we’re excited to expand our creative initiatives in this direction” said Minghella, president of production for Sony Pictures Animation.

Best known in the U.S. for the long-running Hanna-Barbera cartoon, the Smurfs were created in 1958 by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, known throughout the world as Peyo. The Smurfs — originally called Les Schtroumpfs in French — were created for a Belgian series of comic books, first as minor characters, but soon taking on a life of their own.

The peaceful little characters were featured in a best selling line of statuettes (selling over 300 million worldwide), models, games, toys, theme parks, and, of course, the immensely popular television series.

Running as part of NBC’s Saturday-morning lineup from 1981-1990, the cartoon was a huge critical and commercial success, twice winning Daytime Emmy Awards(r) for Best Children’s Entertainment Program, running for 256 episodes, and inspiring seven specials.

The Hollywood Reporter says that counterculture icon Emily the Strange is on the road to the big screen, with Dark Horse Entertainment president Mike Richardson coming on board to produce a feature film that would tell the origin of the gothic figure and her four mysterious cats. Skateboarder Rob Reger created the character in the early 1990s.

“Emily’s” connection with Richardson comes from the comic book line Dark Horse publishes. The company began publishing the title in 2005, with “Emily the Strange #1: Chairman of the Bored,” which was followed by several other popular miniseries.

“Emily herself is very appealing little girl, there’s an edge to her,” Richardson said. “There is something very alluring to her image; people see it and respond to it immediately.”

Richardson, who’s been a producer on such films as “Hellboy” and its upcoming sequel as well as “30 Days of Night”, said he and Reger will be looking for a filmmaker who “gets the character.”

The project has not yet set-up at a studio, though Universal is a contender as Dark Horse has a first-look deal there. It has not been determined whether the movie will be live-action, animation, or a combination of the two.

In addition to the backstory and her cats, the movie will also have 13 new characters with names like Earwig, Umlaut, McFreeley and Officer Summers. The story forms the basis of an “Emily” young adult novel, which will be published next year by HarperCollins.

DIRECTOR JOHN WATERS

STORY FROM THE HOLLYWOODREPORTER.COM

Johnny Knoxville and Parker Posey are attached to star in John Waters’ Christmas children’s film “Fruitcake.”

This Is That Prods. and Killer Films are producing “Fruitcake,” which once was set up at New Line. ThinkFilm is said to be in talks to come aboard.

John Waters is my favorite director and if anyone can pull off a warm hearted and quirky family film, he can. After all, his major hit “Hairspray” is ratd PG and it is a true family classic with all of Waters signature gross out moments and campy style to boot! I cannot wait to see “Fruitcake” in theaters this holiday season!

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE

PARKER POSEY

Sir Ian McKellen is to return to the Shire after accepting the role of Gandalf in the next instalment of JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth fantasy. The 68-year-old star played the part in the hugely successful Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Peter Jackson and yesterday told Empire magazine that he would return as the all-powerful wizard in a two-film adaptation due to be filmed in New Zealand. “Yes, it’s true,” said McKellen. “Obviously, it’s not a part that you turn down; I loved playing Gandalf.”

Movie geeks, film fans and fantasy freaks are rejoicing across the world as we speak!

“The X-Files: I Want to Believe” is the second movie based on the the popular cult TV series, after the original 1998 film hit adaptation, “The X-Files: Fight the Future”.

The sequel is being directed by the television show’s creator Chris Carter and is also written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz. “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” is due to be released July 25th, 2008.

The movie will not deal with aliens or the intricate mythology about interaction between humans and extraterrestrials that the show built up over the years, creator Carter said to CNN. Instead, it casts Mulder and Scully into a stand-alone, earth-bound story aimed at both serious “X-Files” fans and newcomers.

A BIT OF TRIVIA:

The title is a familiar phrase for fans of the series that starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI agents chasing after aliens and supernatural happenings. “I Want to Believe” was the slogan on a poster Duchovny’s UFO-obsessed agent Fox Mulder had hanging in the cluttered basement office where he and Anderson’s Dana Scully worked.

Variety is reporting that Dimension Films, the Weinstein Co.’s genre division led by brother Bob, has commissioned the original screenwriters of 1986’s cheesy yet cute “Short Circuit” to work on a remake project about the loveable military robot who gets turned into a peace-lover after getting hit by lightning.

I was a kid when this film came out so I actually have a soft spot in my heart for the main character Johnny #5, Alley Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg. I will even admit to seeing the awful sequel, cleverly titled “Short Circuit 2″, in the theater.

If Pixar’s “Wall-E” is as big of a hit as I think it will be this summer then a robot craze is sure to follow. With the huge flux of remakes being made in Hollywood a “Batteries Not Included” re-do must be right around the corner.

JOHNNY #5 IS ALIVE!

DIRECTOR OLIVER STONE

It was announced today that Elizabeth Banks is in final negotiations to portray Laura Bush in “W,” Oliver Stone’s biopic on the life and presidency of George W. Bush. Josh Brolin already is on board to play Bush in the biopic, which begins shooting in late April in Shreveport, La.

Stone wrote the screenplay for “W” with his “Wall Street” co-writer Stanley Weiser. Moritz Borman, who worked with Stone on “World Trade Center” and “Alexander” is producing the movie with Stone. I loathed “Trade Center” and the ugly train wreck “Alexander”. But I love “JFK” and I kind of liked “Natural Born Killers”.

GEORGE W. BUSH

In January, Oliver Stone spoke about the project to Daily Variety:

“It’s a behind-the-scenes approach, similar to ‘Nixon,’ to give a sense of what it’s like to be in his skin,” he told the trade publication. “But if ‘Nixon’ was a symphony, this is more like a chamber piece and not as dark in tone.”

This film could be a mess or a scathing portrait of the worst President in this nation’s history. One can only imagine how Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld will be portrayed. I guess we’ll have to wait and see, no release date has been announced for “W” yet.

JOSH BROLIN WILL PLAY GEORGE W. BUSH

ELIZABETH BANKS WILL PLAY LAURA BUSH

*** STARS

As a child “Horton Hears A Who” was my favorite Dr. Seuss book. Up until now though I have despised both of the big screen adaptations of his other works like “The Grinch” and “The Cat In The Hat” (starring Jim Carrey and Mike Meyers respectively). I was beyond delighted when I was finished watching this brilliant, loyal adaptation of Seuss’ beloved story of an elephant and a “speck”. This movie has all the magic and warmth that the other Seuss movies lacked in abundance.

The animation in “Horton” was done by the same creative folks who gave us the “Ice Age” films. The fresh and true to heart adapted screenplay doesn’t dumb down the fun stuff for adults due to it’s “G” rating and it also doesn’t go for the obvious site gag or fart joke to make the kids laugh. There is a harmonious blend of action, laughs and tender moments in this film to entertain every member of the family.

I also loved the new details added in the story like Mayor Who’s goth son who wears only grey and black fur and doesn’t speak. His addition to the story is an inspired update to a classic tale. Jim Carrey doesn’t go too over the top with his vocal work as Horto. You can tell he has restrained his “Ace Ventura” type adlibs to make Horton more gentle. Steve Carrell also does a sweet and hilarious job as The Mayor of Who-ville without indulging in wacky vocal theatrics too much either. Kudos also have to be given to Carol Burnett as the mean “Kangaroo.”

I was very impressed by the faithful adaptation and the bright cheerful look of this film as well as the positive lesson. The underlined message of tolerance booms across loud and clear and is a great lesson for kids to learn. The action and humor in this cartoon made the time in the theater go by and left me longer for a bit more. As a cartoon lover I am very glad that someone got Dr. Seuss right and that they made it such an honest and sincere film for every one of all ages to enjoy.

WATCH THE “HORTON HEARS A WHO” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY TAKEN FROM ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

DreamWorks is busy working on building a buzz for its next animated offering, “Monsters vs. Aliens.” The studio unveiled a still from the 3-D feature animated feature at this year’s SXSW Festival and announced the names of the stars lending their voices to its characters in a press release earlier this week. The “monstrously talented lineup” behind the Rob Letterman-directed feature, debuting March 27, 2009, includes:

Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Rendition) as Susan Murphy, a.k.a. Ginormica; Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie (TV’s “House,” Stuart Little) as Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; Will Arnett (TV’s “Arrested Development,” Blades of Glory) as The Missing Link; Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Superbad) as B.O.B.; Rainn Wilson (Juno, TV’s “The Office”) as Gallaxhar; Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (TV’s “The Colbert Report,” Bewitched) as The President of the United States; Golden Globe winner Kiefer Sutherland (TV’s “24,” Phone Booth) as General W.R. Monger; and Paul Rudd (Knocked Up, Night at the Museum) as Susan’s boyfriend, Derek.

I am already in love with the premise of this cartoon based on the vocal talent above and the animated still from the movie below. I am a huge cartoon fan and I love the Renaissance of animation coming from computer animation studios run by Fox, Disney and Paramount. Looks like we will have to wait a little while for a trailer! I hope this little morsel peaks your curiosity like it did mine.

The studio’s announcement heralds the arrival of Ultimate 3-D, DreamWorks’ “proprietary production process of authoring its animated films in 3-D from start to finish.” All this technical wizardry will be employed in service of the following plot:

When California girl Susan Murphy is unexpectedly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall and is instantly labeled a “monster” named Ginormica. The military jumps into action, and she is captured and held in a secret government compound.

As a last resort, under the guidance of General W.R. Monger (on a desperate order from The President), the motley crew of Monsters is called into action to combat the aliens and save the world from imminent destruction.

“The Happening” is a paranoid thriller written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan about a family on the run from a natural crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel as an estranged couple as well as John Leguizamo in a supporting role. “The Happening” will be released on Friday June 13th, 2008 as requested by Shyamalan himself.

“The Happening” will mark Shyamalan’s first R-rated effort on the big screen. With a perfect cast and a bit more artistic freedom with an R-rating this film could end up being really spooky and suspenseful. There has been no word on whether or not this movie will have Shyamalan’s trademark “twist ending.”

DIRECTOR M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN

Shyamalan hasn’t had a solid hit since 2002’s “Signs”. 2004’s “The Village” was given a beating by critics and movie fans but was considered a mild box office success and “Lady in the Water” tanked on opening weekend. I personally loved the adult fairy tale “Lady in the Water” and felt it didn’t deserve the bad reviews it received.

I have deep appreciation for the production values and unique feel that only M. Night can bring to his films. I think “The Happening” will be a strong return for Shyamalan, even with an R-rating. Screw all of you Shyamalan haters out there, his movies are fantastic! It’s all about the discovery of the twists, and I know there’s going to be something huge in this.

WATCH “THE HAPPENING” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

PAUL GREENGRASS & MATT DAMON

News came out this week that Universal recently got Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass to agree to return for a fourth “Bourne” movie. With the “Bourne” movies proving to be huge hits, and their popularity only increasing with each new release, it only makes sense to make another film.

Even though the films were made to be a trilogy it turns out that the “Bourne” series did indeed continue in novel form after Ludlum’s 3 original books (the new “Bourne” books are written by Eric van Lustbader, not Ludlum, who died in 2001), starting in 2004, which coincidentally was the year “Supremacy” was such a hit. So, I guess, they can base the 4th and 5th movies on van Lustbader’s books.

However they spin it, this is good news for fans of the “Bourne” franchise. All three of the “Bourne” movies have been critically acclaimed and huge box office successes. If Greengrass is able to keep the series cohesive and true to the character then we will be treated to another thrilling and smart adult action film with brains, thank god!

Toy Story 3 is a computer-animated 3-D film being produced by Pixar Animation Studios, slated for release on June 18, 2010. It is a sequel to the hugely successful Pixar films “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” If this film is as inventive and huge as the first two “Toy Story” films then we can expect another marketing bonanza!

Lee Unkrich, who edited the previous films, and co-directed the second, took over from the original director, John Lasseter. However, Lasseter remains as producer. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen and a majority of the original character voices have been confirmed to return to the cast.

The “Toy Story 3″ plot (leaked by The Wall Street Journal) centers on Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends who are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college. I think this brilliant storyline is ripe with all kinds of Woody and Buzz antics. This movie has been in development hell for over 10 years. Thank god Disney and Pixar kissed and made up!