Tell me if this makes sense to you. On March 8, 2013 Disney will release Sam Raimi‘s Oz: The Great and Powerful, which is a prequel to the classic The Wizard of Oz. What better way to drive sales of the DVD release of the original film, right?
But Warner Bros. is playing its own game. The studio is making early plans for the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, which is in 2014. Part of that plan is putting home video releases of the film on moratorium starting on May 1 this year. So when Oz: The Great and Powerful arrives, there will be no The Wizard of Oz discs on shelves for people to buy. Read More »
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If you walked out of The Muppets feeling like you were on top of the world, Bret McKenzie was a big reason. The actor/singer/songwriter, best known for his HBO series Flight of the Conchords, was hired by director James Bobin to write many of the brand new songs for characters like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and others to sing in the Muppets triumphant return to the screen. And to that aim, McKenzie was a success. He was rewarded for his work with an Oscar-nomination for Best Original Song for “Man or Muppet,” which features Jason Segel’s character Gary and his brother, Walter the Muppet, signing about their true identities. It’s funny, clever, catchy and has a 50/50 shot at gold since only two songs are nominated.
We sat down to talk to McKenzie about the honor, his process integrating songs in the film, the song not being performed at the Oscars, as well as his upcoming role in a tiny film called The Hobbit and more. Watch the video interview after the jump. Read More »
Posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 by Angie Han
Of the nine movies currently up for Best Picture, Martin Scorsese‘s Hugo is my personal favorite. There’s so much I love about the film, from its eye-popping visuals and impeccable use of 3D to its inspiring tale and lovable performances. I’m not the only one that feels that way, of course — Hugo‘s been a popular pick on many critics’ lists and awards ballots. And now, as Academy voters mull over their final decisions, Paramount is eager to remind everyone of Hugo‘s many wonderful qualities.
The studio has released a six-minute featurette titled “The Magic of Hugo,” which goes behind the scenes to look at the hows and whys of making the picture. Scorsese, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, production designer Dante Ferretti, producer Graham King, visual effects supervisor Robert Legato, composer Howard Shore, and stars Ben Kingsley and Sacha Baron Cohen all appear to discuss their work on the project, and to talk about what made the film so special. Watch it after the jump.
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Posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 by Angie Han
Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs contains so many crazy, fantastical elements that I never figured the story could’ve worked as anything but an animated film. I mean, c’mon. Live-action hobbits or dragons or space battles are one thing, but live-action hamburger storms would just be ridiculous, right?
But perhaps that’s just my own lack of imagination talking, because appropriately named YouTube user Megasteakman has reimagined the foodie tale as a 60-second live-action short, and the results are actually quite charming. Watch the video after the jump.
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Posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 by Angie Han
I haven’t been quiet about my ambivalence toward John Carter, Andrew Stanton‘s live-action directing debut, but I think I’ve finally figured out what my problem with the film is: the dialogue. Or at least, that’s what I’ve come to suspect after watching this new 60-second TV spot. The new video downplays the talking bits and highlights the action, and perhaps as a result, it may be my favorite teaser / trailer / commercial for John Carter yet. Watch it after the jump.
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Posted on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 by Angie Han
If and how exactly Kanye West will be involved in Warner Bros.’ The Jetsons movie remains unclear, but the project has just picked up some fresh talent on the screenwriting side. Van Robichaux and Evan Susser, who landed on the 2011 Black List for their Star Wars-inspired satire Chewie, have been tapped to do a rewrite on the film. The last draft of the script was penned by Fanboys scribe Adam F. Goldberg, but it sounds like Robichaux and Susser will be starting fresh; earlier reports had the studio seeking a writer to go back to square one. More details after the jump.
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As a huge fan of the original Karate Kid, I die a little bit inside anytime I see the three words “The Karate Kid” on my TV guide only to find it’s the 2010 remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Apparently, though, I’m in the minority. The film was an absolute smash hit for Sony, grossing $176 million domestic and about $182 internationally. Of course, a sequel was immediately set into motion with screenwriters Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reif hired to craft a story. That was about a year and a half ago.
Zak Penn, the writer of X-Men: The Last Stand and The Incredible Hulk, has now been tapped to do a rewrite on The Karate Kid 2. Read more after the jump. Read More »
While one could argue that Al Pacino‘s acting has gotten overly animated in the last few years, he’s never actually been animated. Until now. The Oscar-winning actor just signed to voice his first animated character: the villain in Despicable Me 2, which is scheduled for release on July 3, 2013. It’s the role Javier Bardem was originally rumored for — a rumor which was later found to be untrue. Read more after the jump. Read More »
