Author: Travis Keune

Hopeless film enthusiast; reborn comic book geek; artist; collector; cookie connoisseur; curious to no end

Review: THE LOSERS

A group of highly trained CIA special ops go into a jungle mission that seems too easy and find that the mission isn’t what they expected. Double-crossed, the team sets out on a mission of their own to exact revenge on the man responsible for ruining their lives. The story of THE LOSERS is nothing terribly original, but it’s the over-the-top outrageous nature of the film’s action and intrigue as well as the performances that separate this movie from it’s many genre counterparts.

Directed by Sylvain White (STOMP THE YARD) and co-written by Peter Berg (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) and James Vanderbilt (ZODIAC), THE LOSERS is adapted from DC Vertigo’s graphic novel of the same name. The film flaunts a snarky sense of humor matched only by the ridiculousness of the action. THE LOSERS often feels like it’s poking fun at itself, rarely portraying any significant seriousness to the extreme level of danger at hand.

While the lack of seriousness may seem like a terrible detriment to the film, THE LOSERS is actually an extremely enjoyable popcorn flick. Tons of guns, explosions and hand-to-hand combat plaster the big screen, commanding the audience’s attention. Sylvain White combines this action with an energetic visual style and an equally energetic soundtrack, but it’s the cast that delivers the goods in this otherwise standard stock.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (WATCHMEN) plays Clay, operation control and team leader of The Losers. Clay’s team is comprised of four skilled specialists, including Roque the fighter (Idris Elba), Pooch the driver (Colombus Short), Cougar the sharpshooter (Oscar Jaenada) and Jensen the techie (Chris Evans). Together, they’re an unstoppable force, until they butt heads with the mysterious Max (Jason Patric).

All five of the actors that portray the losers give solid performances, working well together to create a fun and often slightly tense chemistry. Morgan has a certain on screen charisma that’s difficult to deny, which is why his character is the ladies’ man whose tendencies tend to land the team in trouble. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Chris Evans’s performance as Jensen is perhaps the second most enjoyable of the film, a wannabe ladies’ man who’s brains and smart mouth consistently results in him (figuratively) shooting himself in the foot.

Zoe Saldana (AVATAR, STAR TREK) is well on her way to proving she’s got real, lasting talent as an actress, once again delivering a solid performance with range, even in a film somewhat lacking these qualities on the whole. Saldana plays Aisha, a mysterious rogue agent of unknown origins that shows up to offer The Losers a job they can’t refuse.

The real gem of THE LOSERS turns out to be the bad guy, Max, played by Jason Patric (YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS). Max is a sort of hybrid concoction of several villainous cinematic clichés that have been gene-spliced together to create the ultimate in evil, immoral, crazy and cocky. Primarily apparent are the qualities of his ego and ambition, reminiscent of Lex Luthor, with the added flair criminal mastermind quirks, such as one gloved hand, nostalgic of Doctor No. Long story short, Patric will surprise audiences with his uncharacteristically off beat, comical and slightly insane portrayal of a criminal boss without limits.

THE LOSERS may not succeed at presenting an entirely original story, groundbreaking visual prowess or some deeper level of meaning or purpose, but what it does do is entertain an audience hoping for an action-packed, often humorous thrill ride, just for the fun of having a good time.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: BAD BATCH

Imagine if Ingmar Bergman had directed a stoner comedy written by Richard Linklater, a la SLACKER. Now, if you can wrap your head around that notion, you have an idea of what to expect from BAD BATCH. In all honesty, I’m not going to sit here and suggest this is a film on the same caliber as any of Bergman’s or Linklater’s films, but considering this is the debut feature film from writer/director/producer Abe Schwartz, made on what can best be described as a modestly micro-budget, BAD BATCH is actually an interesting film.

BAD BATCH is a story about three strangers who meet on Facebook and decide to get together to enjoy some pot brownies. The film begins with Hannah (played by actress and stand-up comedian Jessica Watkins) scoring some “Purple Erkle” marijuana from her dealer Isaac, played by Abe Schwartz, who also happens to be a young rabbi in training. Hannah returns home to make the pot brownies before Lavar (played by actor Lionel Sam) and Jenkins (played by actor J.R. Lemon) arrive to share in the chocolaty weed-consuming slacker three-way.

One of the first things you realize watching BAD BATCH is that its not your typical Kevin Smith, laugh-out-loud style of crude, rip-roaring comedy, filled with trash talk and foul language. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Schwartz’s film is much more of a dry, dark comedy — and just as much a drama and psychological thriller that centers around the effects of having a really bad trip — than it is a comedic telling of the experience, but humor does play its role. I would even venture to say BAD BATCH deserves a second viewing, simply on the hunch that there’s more subtle humor than is consciously apparent in the initial viewing. There are moments in the dialogue when the humor is rapidly delivered with sharp exchange and Schwartz doesn’t dwell on the moment, almost in an effort to catch the viewer off guard. There are also numerous sight gags that linger within his frames, such as a box of whole-wheat matzah sitting in the dash of the rear window of Isaac’s car.

A key stylistic element in BAD BATCH is the use of narrative voice overs, depicting the characters’ thoughts, both before and during their highs, which increase exponentially over time and eventually reach a def con level that can only be described as… Oh shit, I am thoroughly f*cked up! I don’t want to spoil anything in the film, so I’ll just tell you that these pot brownies do not produce the intended high sought after by these three college students. This use of voice-overs to take the viewer inside the characters’ heads can be a bit tricky to get used to at first, but once the trend is developed and their purpose is fully grasped, it becomes an integral part of how Schwartz tells his story.

Innocent fun becomes wandering philosophy becomes uninhibited regrets becomes paranoia in this journey through the minds of three youthful users of recreational drugs, riding the mellow bus to the very end. Schwartz approaches BAD BATCH in a similarly mellow fashion, shot in black and white, utilizing mostly static yet intricately composed shots to match the relatively quiet and often motionless characters, dominated by the voices in their heads. The music however, plays a significant mood-setting role in BAD BATCH. The original score by Dan Lopez as well as hip-hop beats from M.E.R.L. and songs by Wyatt Keusch from the album object-relations create a mellow, modern and trip-inducing audio atmosphere.

While BAD BATCH may look something like Kevin Smith’s CLERKS at first, it is quick to show its a much different breed of contemporary counter-culture filmmaking. Combining the realism of cinéma vérité with an ultra-aware sense of camera placement and shot structure to convey visual story, BAD BATCH is an engaging dramatic story with wink-nudge humor and a solid first feature outing from Abe Schwartz.

Check out potbrownies.net for more information about BAD BATCH and learn how you can download and own a copy of the movie beginning April 20, 2010.

Review: VINCERE

Pardon my French (or, shall I say Italian) but, history has produced some truly monstrous assholes. One of these terrible men of history, among many from the first half of the 20th century, is Benito Mussolini. VINCERE is the story of how inhuman the man known as Il Duce truly was, measuring Mussolini’s value as a human being on the world stage by how he treated his own family.

Written and directed by Marco Bellocchio, director of the controversial and sexually-charged 1986 film DEVIL IN THE FLESH, he brings Mussolini’s darkest colors to light in this part operatic, part dramatic biographical film, focusing on the torment subjected upon his wife and son in an attempt to hide that part of his personal life from the spotlights of his rising power in the political arena.

VINCERE –which means, “WIN” in Italian– begins with Benito Mussolini as a younger man, played by Filippo Timi, announcing his presence and displaying his powerful public persona. He stands before a crowded room of religiously devoted Italians of stature and with a pocket watch in hand, proclaims he will challenge God. This challenge is a rhetorical experiment in his proving God does not exist.

One thing inhabits Mussolini’s mind… the never-ending pursuit of power and greatness, by whatever means and cost necessary. As the story goes, Mussolini not only was the president who ruled fascist Italy with an iron fist, controlling the people through fear, but was also a bigamist. Having developed a relationship with Ida Dalser, played by Giovanna Mezzogiorno, the two became married and had a son, after Ida sold all her worldly belongings to support Mussolini in realizing his revolutionary ideals.

As it turns out, Ida was not Mussolini’s first wife and when the trumpets of impending political greatness began to sound, Mussolini abandoned Ida and their son, leaving them to fend for themselves.  Favoring his first wife in the eyes of his public, Mussolini spared no expense in silencing Ida, discrediting and libeling her, without getting his own hands dirty.

Mezzogiorno is astounding in her role as Ida, the woman who loved Mussolini with all her heart and mind, but was locked up in a madhouse and called a liar and a deranged lunatic for her wild claims of being Mussolini’s wife and mother of his first-born son, Benito Albino Mussolini. Her mental anguish, emotional torment and unrelenting determination to uphold the truth no matter the cost is heartbreaking and  empowering at the same time.

Filippo Timi has duel roles in VINCERE, playing the father Benito Mussolini as well as the grown son Benito Albino Mussolini, abandoned by his father. Timi’s performance is riveting, powerfully articulate and breaths fire from the mouth of Mussolini, with an edge of the menacing man that lies beneath which emerges primarily through Timi’s dark and brooding eyes.

While the cinematography from Daniele Cipri in splendid, it is rare that the score dominates a film so brilliantly. VINCERE is a clear example of such an illuminating imbalance. Carlo Crivelli’s original score is simply marvelous. His powerfully jarring orchestral pieces are perfectly placed throughout VINCERE, accompanied by softer and darker pieces where appropriate. The film is rarely without the allure of Crivelli’s stringed sirens, pulling the audience fully into each and every moment of the film.

Particularly perfect are the moments throughout the film when VINCERE slips into full operatic mode. This handful of scenes are anything but overdone and add energy to the story, however, the pacing and length of the film as a whole can make VINCERE feel a bit choppy, even stretched slightly. This minor flaw is forgivable and has only minimal bearing on the movie as a whole.

VINCERE is a quality film that delivers two magnificent performances and one stellar score that is worth experiencing on its own as a work of art in and of itself. If nothing else, VINCERE will surely convince audiences of the selfish evil that Mussolini embodied, both in his public and private life.

Review: TERRIBLY HAPPY

Audiences should find themselves terribly satisfied with TERRIBLY HAPPY, co-written and directed by Danish filmmaker Henrik Ruben Genz. This is a dark and moody drama that often feels more like a thriller. The movie could be described as being a little bit BLUE VELVET and a lot BLOOD SIMPLE, but that wouldn’t do justice to the film having it’s own character, despite its influences.

Robert (Jakob Cedergren) is a cop from Copenhagen with a secret, which has landed him in a small rural town in Denmark. Robert is the town’s new Marshall. At first he finds himself an outsider, having difficulty fitting in and learning the ways of the locals, surrounded by bogs and mushy soggy ground everywhere he steps. It doesn’t take long before he meets Ingerlise (Lene Maria Christensen) who is married to the town bully Jorgen (Kim Bodnia). Ingerlise confides in Robert that her husband beats her repeatedly and, while Robert is tempted to intervene, he withholds judgment in an effort to better understand the situation.

This situation, as Robert quickly comes to understand, is a tricky and potentially dangerous one that involved the entire town. This is a town where the locals prefer to take care of things themselves, choosing not to involve outsiders. As Robert begins to slowly piece together the dark truth of how this town functions, he is also slowly drawn into the complicated mind of Ingerlise, who may not be playing with a full deck of cards. A deadly triangle of cat and mouse is sparked involving Robert, Jorgen and the town leadership after an accidental death occurs and Robert finds himself in a pickle that will forever change his life.

Right from the first frame of TERRIBLY HAPPY, I found that this was going to be an enjoyable film. Regarding my earlier comparison to BLOOD SIMPLE, this film has shown so much influence from the Coen Brothers’ body of work that I find it difficult to believe the influence isn’t real. This is not a bad thing, in fact, Genz has brilliantly tapped into the relatively unique styling of the Coen Brothers and made it his own.

TERRIBLY HAPPY is, in many ways, structurally and visually similar to BLOOD SIMPLE. This is a film noir story, set outside of a major city, that primarily involves two men and a woman in a dangerous love triangle. The cinematography sets a dark and moody atmosphere and the visual storytelling is illustrative of a filmmaker who udnerstand the power of a carefully selected shot or framing to further enhance what is happening on screen without pulling the audience out of the story.

While far less of an influence, David Lynch’s BLUE VELVET comes clearly to mind, especially as Robert begins to understand there’s just something not right about Ingerlise. Much in the same way Isabella Rossellini seduced Kyle MacLachlan into her web, only to find that he’s pout his own life in danger from the psychotic Dennis Hopper, Ingerlise has drawn Robert far enough into her web that he may never escape the spider’s den. However, in this the case the spider isn’t Jorgen, it’s the town itself.

Aside from the absolutely stellar and particularly creepy performances of the entire cast, it’s the atmosphere created within this film that resonates in collaboration with a solid story. TERRIBLY HAPPY is a suspenseful mystery, emphatically made more exciting by it’s score from Kaare Bjerk¸, a body of music that also rings of an influence from the Coen Brothers’ films, who often employed the very talented Carter Burwell.

There is so much tactile depth to TERRIBLY HAPPY that I wanted to dive back in after completing the film. As I watched the film, I felt uneasy whenever Robert uncovered something or fell deeper into the town rabbit hole. I felt his anxiety about his past and the fear the hid just beneath the surface, generated by his complete disorientation regarding his own future. Jorgen became a character with virtually no emotion of his own, making him all the more frightening. Ingerlise is an enigmatic and bi-polar puzzle that Robert desperately wants to solve, but will he do so before it’s too late?

TERRIBLY HAPPY is a tightly-knit film, full-bodied and rich with character development and quality writing. If there’s nothing else I can say to describe how well this film works, I’ll simply say that I am now eager to view some of Genz’s previous work, although this may possibly be easier said than done. Fans of movies that offer mystery and suspense should not go hesitantly into this film. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoyed films such as RED ROCK WEST, BLOOD SIMPLE or BLUE VELVET.

Originally published Review during SLIFF 2009.

Review: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is not your mother’s formulaic mystery novel of the month, nor is it an old school Sherlock Holmes mystery of a bygone era. This is a mystery with so much more. More mystery, more depth and intrigue, just more in general, but its all there for a reason and its there to enhance the viewer’s overall cinematic experience.

The films was directed by Niels Arden Oplev and based upon the best-selling novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. Michael Nyqvist plays a middle-aged, high-profile journalist named Mikael Blomkvist. The film opens on his being convicted of libelous reporting on a high-powered corporate businessman, accusing him of using his businesses as a cover for illegal cartel endeavors and arms smuggling. Thus begins one layer of this multi-layered mystery.

Parallel to this story is the introduction of the wild child Lisbeth Salander, played by Noomi Rapace, a 24-year old woman with an alternative flair. Her rebellious attitude, numerously pierced face and massive dragon tattoo on her back may stereotype her as a typical punk, but Lisbeth is anything but typical. She works unofficially as a professional hacker for a large security company, putting her skills to use to make a living for herself.

These two characters’ stories, like apples and oranges, merge into one as Lisbeth becomes curious about suspicions Mikael was setup. Meanwhile, a wealthy 82-year old businessman named Henrik (Sven Bertl-Taube) hires Mikael to make one last attempt at solving a 40-year cold case. Henrik is obsessed with the disappearance of his 16-year old niece Harriet. Mikael’s and Lisbeth’s paths cross and they begin combining their efforts.

This may sound like a lot to give away, but in all honesty… I’ve only barely scratched the surface of what is to be uncovered in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. The story contains not one, not two, but three simultaneous mysteries wrapped up into a single film. While the mystery of Harriet’s disappearance is the focal point of the film, Lisbeth’s story is an equally engaging mystery itself and Mikael’s story contains a light side of conspiracy as well.

Blomkvist portrays Mikael as a man with a moral conscience, driven by his profession and the power it has for revealing the truth about bad people. Despite his commitment and his good nature, he’s a weak man, powerless without his words. Mikael is more a man of thought and reason, whereas Lisbeth is a woman of action and spontaneity. Noomi Rapace’s portrayal of Lisbeth is brooding and enigmatic, brimming with an angry vengeance withheld just beneath her skin, waiting for something to trigger her rage to boil over.

As a few of the characters in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO come to learn, her petite figure misleads the true nature of her slightly disturbed mind and violence she is capable of committing. Lisbeth’s story is one of actions derived from a troubled past. These two characters compliment each other, both professionally and personally, as they develop an unlikely and unconventional relationship through the course of the film.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a Swedish thriller that benefits greatly as a sum of its many accomplished parts. The adapted screenplay, co-written by Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg, relishes in the obvious strengths of the best-selling novel, creating depth and texture in the characters and their interactions. The character back-stories unfold with a marvelous simplicity, revealing just enough information to create an outline that the audience is allowed to color in on their own.

Jacob Groth provides an original score that is energetic and thrilling, effectively conveying a sense of mystery and heightened sensory emotions in all the right places. The score combines the tried and true staples of cinematic thrillers with a subtly contemporary electronic influence, in a sense melding the personalities of Mikael and Lisbeth into a metaphor of music and mood. Perhaps the most remarkable of technical embellishments in the film are the combination of cinematography (Jens Fischer and Eric Kress) and editing (Anne Østerud). The movie is filled with captivating angles and camera movement, compositions of suggestion and it’s all done without drawing excessive attention to itself.

Overall, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a mystery fan’s must-see, a movie with so much substance and enjoyment it fills the 152-minute running time with exacting ease. Rarely is a movie made with such an elaborate story that is relatively so easy to follow without being predictable. The movie is worth every bit of the ticket price and more.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Review: RED RIDING (Trilogy) 1974, 1980, 1983

The RED RIDING Trilogy, a gritty British crime drama in three parts, comes to us from across the Atlantic courtesy of Tony Grisoni (TIDELAND, FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS). Grisoni adapted the movies from the similarly titled novels written by David Peace.

Reviews of the first two installments were written by Adam, with additional commentary by Travis. This trilogy will play in its entirety in Saint Louis beginning Friday, April 9 through April 15. Showtimes and ticket info can be found at Landmark Cinema.

RED RIDING 1974

Directed by Julian Jarrold (KINKY BOOTS), the first installment is set in 1974 –as the title suggests– and plays like a 70’s era noir piece.  The story centers on young and reckless investigative reporter named Eddie Dunford, played by Andrew Garfield (THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS). Eddie is ambitious and a bit naive, following the story of three brutally murdered young girls and the possibility of a single serial killer responsible. In his search for a scoop, he crosses paths with corrupt cops on the take, a shady real estate mogul, and a femme fatale in the character of Paula, young widow and mother of one of the murdered children.

To be blunt, it’s not terribly difficult to finger the culprit before the movie is even halfway over. While the story may not be groundbreaking, however, the mood and style of the film are wonderfully grimy, reflecting the sleaziness of the world Eddie sees. The color schemes are all yellows and browns, as Eddie explores the dirty coal-mining villages and Gypsy camps of West Yorkshire, England in economic hard times. Shot in gritty 16mm, this film even looks like it came straight out of the 1970’s.

Great performances are given by the whole cast, especially from Rebecca Hall (THE PRESTIGE, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA) as Paula Garland. The true success of the film, however, is exposition: Eddie’s trip down the rabbit hole of corruption, greed, and malice in West Yorkshire prepares the viewer for the violent finale, as well as the next two installments, spanning over ten years covered in the trilogy.

Originally published Review by Adam during the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival


RED RIDING 1980

The second film, RED RIDING 1980, is directed by James Marsh (MAN ON WIRE). Here we meet Peter Hunter, a “squeaky clean” police inspector brought into West Yorkshire to oversee the apparently mishandled search for a serial killer and to root out possible police ineptitude and corruption. Hunter’s own dirty secrets are slowly revealed throughout the film, as well as his history with the West Yorkshire department, where he was brought in six years earlier to solve the mystery of a robbery and shooting rampage at a local high-class club.

While the first installment in the RED RIDING trilogy feels noir-ish, this second installment plays more like a murder mystery. The suspense is more palpable, the suspects more plentiful, and the body count higher. Paddy Considine (IN AMERICA, HOT FUZZ) gives an outstanding portrayal of Peter Hunter as a cop coming undone, combining the Inspector’s passion for justice with the guilt he feels over his personal and professional shortcomings. In contrast to the dirty working world seen in RED RIDING 1974, this film focuses on the sterile whites of the police department and the corruption lying beneath its neutral facade.

As of press time, I was unable to screen the final movie in the trilogy, RED RIDING 1983, so I leave this review –appropriately– as a cliffhanger. I have no doubt that the third film will be just as engrossing as the first two, though. All questions will certainly be answered, but will we be satisfied with the final state of affairs? Stay tuned…

Originally published Review by Adam during the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival


RED RIDING 1983

The third and final installment, RED RIDING 1983, is directed by Anand Tucker (HILARY AND JACKIE, SHOPGIRL). This time around, the story focuses on policeman Maurice Jobson, played by David Morrissey (THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL). Maurice is remorseful of his past actions and involvement within the West Yorkshire corruption that has run rampant for more than a decade. With a scape goat locked away as the Yorkshire Ripper, Maurice and a small-time lawyer stand alone against West Yorkshire’s corrupt powers that be while the real Yorkshire Killer has yet again added to his brutally depraved list of murders.

RED RIDING 1983 maintains the same tone of mystery as RED RIDING 1980, but brings the story full circle, revealing the true killer. The film dwells on Maurice as he wages an internal battle with his own conscience, visibly crumbling under the pressure of what he’s done and become. As he watches the West Yorkshire corruption continue around him, his regret begins to manifest as an urge to make things right. Mark Addy (THE FULL MONTY) plays the lawyer attempting to appeal the conviction of a mentally-handicapped man framed as the killer. His performance presents the character as an everyman of little stature who makes the difficult decision to fight the wrongs he sees so clearly occurring.

While the trilogy really is best viewed as such, RED RIDING 1983 is perhaps the best of the three, but all three installment are equally great. Also worth noting is Sean Bean (LORD OF THE RINGS, TROY) who delivers a great performance as the overly confident and dangerous businessman John Dawson, a recurring role throughout the trilogy.

Overall Thoughts:

Each film stands on its own, however when combined, the trilogy holds a certain epic quality that resonates throughout THE GODFATHER films, just not on the same level of awesome. One of the fascinating accomplishments of this trilogy is the way it maintains a consistent audio/visual feel throughout, despite using different directors, cinematographers and composers for each installment. Each film has its own unique touch, especially RED RIDING 1980, but all three carry a similar musical tone and the visual style holds the three films together, especially RED RIDING 1974 and 1983.

The story conveys a worst-case scenario, where the darker underbelly of the human mind and our greedy desire for money and power takes unfathomable control. What’s most disturbing about this three-part journey into how black a man’s heart can become, is that the Yorkshire Ripper, a killer who murders young girls and leaves their bodies to be found with actual swan wings sewn to their backs… the utter repulsion of this character is overshadowed by the unbelievable cruelty and lack of any sense of justice or moral responsibility displayed by the West Yorkshire authorities, driven by their lust for “doing whatever they want.”

Overall Combined Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sylvain White Interested in ROBOTECH Adaptation

I faintly recall first hearing Tobey Maguire’s name attached to the project as a producer. Bringing the popular ROBOTECH universe to the big screen as a live-action adaptation is a bold endeavor, but it seems like its been eons since then. Fear not, fans of the franchise, because the project apparently survives.

The big news currently, dug up by IESB while at WonderCon, is that Sylvain White is interested in directing the film. Best known for directing STOMP THE YARD, Sylvain White is fast becoming a renewed and hot commodity. His next film due out in theaters is THE LOSERS, a film based upon a DC graphic novel that looks, well… totally bad-ass! White is also apparently being rumored as a possible director for Frank Miller’s RONIN.

But I digress… ROBOTECH (the movie) will apparently be based upon the first generation of the Macross Saga. Sylvain White is a fan who grew up watching the series as a boy in France. According to IESB, White seems excited to be considered for the project, having received a draft of the script, but admits nothing is official and the film itself is not yet greenlit.

Source: IESB.net

Megan Fox Offered Role of RED SONJA

OK, ready… Go! Fast as you can, list your top choices for actresses who should play the redheaded heroin in RED SONJA. Now, off the top of your head… who made your list? Was Megan Fox on there anywhere? No? Apparently, you weren’t thinking of the right players.

Megan Fox, star of TRANSFORMERS and JENNIFER’S BODY, has allegedly been offered the role by Nu Image/Millenium Films. With both Rose McGowan and director Douglas Aarniokoski now off the project, and a new writer being pursued to tweak David N. White’s script, it seems RED SONJA is back to square one… again.

Source: ComingSoon.net

Trailer for SOLITARY MAN – Michael Douglas’ Other Movie

With all the hype and anticipation surrounding Michael Douglas’ return as Gordon Gecko in Oliver Stone’s WALL STREET sequel, MONEY NEVER SLEEPS, Douglas’ other movie, SOLITARY MAN, has sort of fallen under it’s shadow. Written and co-directed by Brian Koppelman (with David Levien) the movie sounds familiar, at first glance. Douglas plays Ban, a former car dealership owner whose bad decisions as a businessman and a ladies’ man has destroyed his life and marriage.

Brian Koppelman’s only previously directed film was KNOCKAROUND GUYS (2001) but as a writer he’s been better received with films like ROUNDERS, OCEAN’S THIRTEEN and THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE. In SOLITARY MAN, Douglas is joined by Susan Sarandon as his ex-wife, with a supporting cast that includes Danny Devito, Jesse Eisenberg (ZOMBIELAND), Jenna Fischer (SLITHER) and Mary-Louise Parker, who appeared in the infamously long-titled but excellent THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD.

SOLITARY MAN seems to be one part anti-romantic comedy, one part dysfunctional family dramedy and one part potentially enjoyable. From the trailer, the cast seems to gel well, with a story that’s interesting enough to create curiosity about how Ben’s life turns out in the end. The trailer succeeds both at being funny and dramatically genuine enough to please audiences. SOLITARY MAN played three film festivals during late 2009 and has a current IMDB rating of 8/10 with 71 votes. That’s not too shabby! Check out the trailer below… SOLITARY MAN is set to hit theaters on May 7, 2010.

Review: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA

How much trust do we put in our elected officials? How far-reaching, how blatant are the lies that the government tells us, reaching all the way up the ladder to the big man in the oval office? Daniel Ellsberg discovered the answers to these questions first hand during his time working with the Rand Corporation in collaboration with Robert McNamara and the U.S. government during the Vietnam War. This was a devastating revelation that ultimately shifted his views and his life, resulting in a shift in the interpretation of the First Amendment in relation to the publication of classified documents in the media.

Is this all a bit much to take in? Well, THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS is the kind of documentary that can present enough information to make your head spin, or to inform and awaken audiences to the underbelly of American history. Its a film that delves into the darker, unspoken areas that we never read about in school textbooks. Directors Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith have put together a fine piece of filmmaking, detailing a side of the Vietnam War that is still unfolding in the public view.

Not since Errol Morris’ THE FOG OF WAR have I seen a documentary so engaging and enlightening as to the truth in action of those in power, truth in the intentions kept behind closed doors and under lock and key. Through archival footage, interviews both present and historical, the filmmakers recount the controversial decision of Daniel Ellsberg to leak the 47 volumes, 7000 pages of top secret Pentagon documents to not one, but ultimately 17 major newspaper outlets as well as key members of Congress who held opposing objections to the Vietnam War and how it was handled, strategically and ethically.

Other films have been tremendously effective and moving in detailing and conveying the effects of the Vietnam War, both during and after, such as HEARTS AND MINDS, but few of these films have laid enough attention on the masterminds of the war that ultimately killed 58,000 American soldiers and over 2 million Vietnamese. Personally, I support the soldiers who fight for their country with honor, separate from the war itself, whichever war it may be. As we’ve come to realize most recently, not all wars are right and just in their purpose and methods. What this film does with great respect to all parties involved is to expose those responsible and their actions, which resulted in a cascading ripple effect, dominoes that continued to fall from the force of their predecessors, beginning with JFK through the Lyndon Johnson years and ending with Richard Nixon.

Daniel Ellsberg narrates the film himself, giving a sense of sincerity to the narration, a sense of real human emotion that would be difficult to convey using anyone other than the man who experienced the very accounts he is unveiling, Through the course of the film, Ellsburg wanders eloquently from nostalgia to sickening realization, fondness of a time when he truly felt he was doing good in supporting a cause for democratic security in Vietnam to his later years when all those feelings of righteousness were shattered. The sadness, the regret and the horror in his voice are as apparent as the certainty that his renewed efforts against war have fully become embedded in his life.

The film doesn’t bore the audience by going into great detail regarding the contents of the many documents, instead focusing on the many different people involved in the story, their reactions and recollections and the process and outcomes of the legal and moral choices made by Ellsberg and others. This is an example of a film that gives just enough information to be informative, inspiring those with interest of conscience to research further on their own without overwhelming the average audience and bogging itself down with statistics, facts and bias rants about how one side is more or less right or wrong than the other. THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN is a film about one man’s personal story of David defeating Goliath, enveloped in all the social, political and legal entanglements that come along for the ride, but the film never loses focus of it’s primary objective… doing what’s “right” in the face of adversity.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars