Thursday, December 30, 2010

A ballet-psycho-thriller. A one eyed US Marshal. Hammer time in Asgard. More swashbuckling action with Captain Jack. 007 and Indie vs Aliens and the return of Mr Chow. Ladies and Gentlemen … Welcome to 2011!

The year 2011 is nearly upon us and after certain failures towards the end of 2010 there is much anticipation for an immediate revival. The big freeze has made a big impact on the box office in the last remaining month of 2010. According to the tracking agency, Hollywood.com cinema attendance is down 5.66 percent from last year. That’s the biggest percentage drop year over year since 2005. It will come to some relief however that with an immediate impact, 2011 is expected to flourish with some highly anticipated films heading our way. Below are just a select few of what is to come throughout 2011.

1.      Awards Bait

Like any beginning of a new year there is a likelihood of an outbreak of films with the Oscar buzz tag attached to it and that is no change this year. Lest we forget other important ceremonies such as the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and BAFTA’s. Leading the pack is Darren Aronofsky’s much talked about thriller set in the world of ballet Black Swan ( 21st January). Natalie Portman gives a career defining performance as the star of the Swan Lake ballet production headed by artistic director Vincent Cassel. She gradually begins to lose her mind as she is drawn into the dark side of the production, the evil Black Swan.



Up next is 127 Hours (7th January). Danny Boyle’s follow-up to the rags-to-riches Slumdog Millionaire that struck gold in the 2009 Oscar ceremony. James Franco plays the lone adventurer Aron Ralston who forces to make difficult decisions when he is stranded in the Utah desert under a monster of a boulder. Expect to see the versatile director as well as Franco himself not just hosting the ceremony at the Kodak Theatre.

Award ceremonies aren’t without an historical biopic making an entry. Colin Firth is hotly tipped for his second nomination in as many years (following his nod for A Single Man) with his portrayal as King George VI in The King’s Speech (7th January). He teams up with Aussie actor Geoffrey Rush who is no stranger to the big awards who helps to cure his stammer and revive his reign. Could this be the year for Firth?

Awards have always been kind to the likes of Rocky, Raging Bull and Cinderella Man. This certainly bodes well for David O. Russell’s, The Fighter out on 4th February. This is the story of “Irish” Mickey Ward, a junior welterweight boxer played by Mark Wahlberg with a gaunt looking Christian Bale as his half-brother and coach. This could be the knockout blow for Wahlberg and co that The Wrestler failed to do a few years back.

2.      Comic Book Movies

First out of the blocks is The Green Hornet on 14th January from director Michel Gondry. Funny man Seth Rogan is in the title role as the lazy, party animal out to avenge the death of his father. With an interesting supporting cast including Cameron Diaz as the love interest, Jay Chou as crime fighting partner Kato and Inglourious Basterd Christoph Waltz as the villain.

It’s hammer time with one of the other members of the Avengers squad, Thor taking centre stage. Chris Hemsworth will be wielding his gigantic hammer on 29th April saving the world from his evil brother and father (Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins) who banished him from the realm of Asgard. With the footage at Comic-Con in the summer and trailers appearing online, this looks already in the bag for a summer success.



Continuing with the Marvel trend released on 2nd June is X-Men: First Class. Directed by Matthew Vaughn and script by Jane Goldman (re-teaming after the success of Kick Ass) this looks back at the origins of the X-Men focusing on the working relationship between Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr and what went horribly wrong. With a cast to die for including Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor X, this will hopefully revive the franchise after the disappointing last two instalments, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

It’s back to Marvel once more where the comic book adaptation just keep on coming, this time around with the arrival of Captain America: The First Avenger starring Chris Evans. In the lead role as Steve Rogers, Evans plays a military officer who undergoes a top research project that turns him into a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. By the looks of the on-set photos with Evans looking buff and in World War II mode this is ticking all the boxes. Oh and not to mention Hugo “Agent Smith” handling the villain duties as Red Skull. Released 29th July.

3.      Summer Smash Hits

There wouldn’t be a summer without it’s batch of loud, fierce and spectacular action movies (I guess that includes Michael Bay in the mix). First up is the master of destruction himself Michael Bay in his third instalment of the Transformers franchise entitled Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon. Expect similar goings on with the war between Autobots and the Decepticons with Shia LaBeouf reprising his role as Sam and newcomer Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely stepping into the shoes of Megan Fox as the love interest. Adding the touch of 3D IMAX effect, expect total … Bayhem come 1st July.

Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford teaming up in Jon Favreau’s (Iron Man) mouth watering Cowboys & Aliens, sold. With it’s solid cast and crew on board and footage being unveiled in this year’s Comic Con event in San Diego this is being hotly tipped for summer success. With the story focusing on an alien invasion set within the timeframe of Native Americans, gunslingers and saloons, there is a strong chance this won’t lead to any kind of tumbleweed result. Jump on board for the release on 12th August.



J.J Abrams has a skill for keeping things on lockdown on his movie set, just take Cloverfield for example, everyone was keeping their lips sealed and upon release all hell broke loose with some spectacular carnage exploding on to our screens on the streets of New York. He is back with a similar looking feature, Super 8. With a teeny tiny teaser trailer involving a giant locomotive crash sequence and something going bang, Bang, BANG with the end leaving a film reel malfunctioning. That alone is wetting people’s appetites. Even with a lack of storyline, you just have to look at Abrams track record and you’re immediately on board. Released 19th August.

4.      The Gang Are Back. . .

Reunions are always a pleasant time. A time to catch up with old friends, share stories over a few drinks. However this isn’t the case with the fourth instalment in the classic Scream series, headed by the master of the horror genre himself Wes Craven. Ghostface is back in Woodsboro out to slice and dice Sidney Prescott and friends. Even after ten years there is still a grudge for this group. Craven is freshening things up with newcomers Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, Adam Brody and Kristen Bell to name a few who are along for the ride. Expect the same old stuff with added gore and new rules to boot. Released 15th April.

Captain Jack is back with a swashbuckling back in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides set for release on 18th May. This time around he doesn’t have Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom for company. In his return Jack Sparrow (Jonny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on an adventure to find the elusive fountain of youth. Little do they know Ian McShane’s evil Blackbeard is on the same course. They also welcome on ship Penélope Cruz as a mysterious woman who has a past history with Sparrow himself. Be ready to set sail on 18th May for it’s release.

Cast your minds back to the Summer of 2009. A little know low budget comedy starring a list of rather unknown actors that went on to make one of the most successful comedies in years. The Hangover went on to win big bucks and rave reviews with it’s hilarious plot, characters including Mike Tyson himself and a fat, bearded man that is now the go-to guy for gross out comedy. Yes the gang are back for The Hangover Part II with Todd Philips in the director’s chair once again. This time the guys are bound for Bangkok (insert crude joke here) for more mayhem and cameo’s including Bill Clinton and Liam Neeson (sorry Mel Gibson, you weren’t wanted).


 
Above is just a sample of what could well be a very successful 2011 for the film industry. Keep your eyes peeled for constant coverage throughout the coming year of the latest and upcoming feature films.

Written by Michael Cunneen







Monday, December 27, 2010

2010: The year that Leonardo DiCaprio was King of the world


In the past a large portion of child actors go through a one hit wonder spell and then they succumb to alcohol, drugs or whatever they can get their hands on. It happened to Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone) when he was found in possession of Marijuana and large quantities of other controlled substances. Edward Furlong, the child star of Terminator 2: Judgement Day had longstanding battles with alcohol and drugs that led to countless interrogations with the law. So it’s quite a rare sight to see someone like Leonardo DiCaprio come up the ranks from child TV star to Oscar nominated leading man.

It was 1991 when Leo made his on-screen debut in low budget horror Critters 3. In a career so far spanning just under twenty years, he has had collaborations with such movie giants as James Cameron (Titanic), Steven Spielberg (Catch Me If You Can), Danny Boyle (The Beach) and of course Martin Scorsese of which they worked together on four pictures (so far!). Not to mention three Academy award nominations how could the 36-year-old follow up with what has been an incredibly successful career thus far…

March saw the release of Martin Scorsese’s noir thriller Shutter Island. Based on Dennis Lehane’s novel, DiCaprio once more took the lead as US Marshall Teddy Daniels on the hunt for a missing patient who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. The leading man gave an emotional and thought provoking performance as the troubled US Marshall who must overcome personal demons to find the murderess. Shutter Island went on to win rave reviews and brought in $295 worldwide at the box office. DiCaprio was quoted as saying it was his most challenging role to date - referring to the physical and emotional approaches that was required to make the role believable.


To follow up such a stellar performance in Shutter Island required something special even for Leonardo DiCaprio to achieve. In July audiences were introduced to Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to The Dark Knight with what can only be described as a unique film experience. The ingredients including a multi-layered plot, dazzling visual effects, intense action sequences and an international ensemble cast headed by Mr DiCaprio, Inception was to be the most successful movies of 2010. Continuing the trend of mentally troubled characters, Leo stars as Cobb a skilled thief specialising in stealing secrets from people’s subconscious. But then he’s hired to do the impossible - “Inception” - to plant an idea into someone’s mind. If he succeeds, he can be reunited with his estranged children, if not he will be lost forever. He effortlessly anchors the film with raw emotion and showcased his action abilities to give a stunning performance.

To give two such performances in a career is impressive, but to do it in a year is just showing off. Yet he is not the type of person to show off a flashy motor or his lavish homes in LA and New York. He is very much a conservative player in Hollywood who likes to keep his cards close to his chest, which is a rare sight these days. Outside of the film world he is a committed environmentalist who partakes in numerous activist events. He has reported as driving a hybrid car and having solar panels installed in his home. In previous interviews he has singled out that Global Warming is the number one environmental challenge facing the world today.


In November 2010, DiCaprio donated $1,000,000 to WCS at Russia's tiger summit. DiCaprio arrived late after two near-miss air flights, causing the Russian Prime minister, Vladimir Putin, to describe him as a "muzhik" or "real man".

Later on in December 2010 he was announced as the highest grossing actor of this year with Shutter Island and Inception collectively earning around $1.1bn worldwide. Next for Leo is the starring role in Clint Eastwood’s biopic of J. Edgar which focuses on the founding figure of the F.B.I. J. Edgar Hoover. If he was to think of himself other than the world’s leading man at the minute he must be dreaming.

Written By Michael Cunneen

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Was 2010 A Good Year For Movies?

It’s that time of year when the film industry takes a few moments to give its verdict on the year’s best movies. In years gone by, magazines, newspapers and countless websites publish their yearly reviews with filmmakers, critics and audiences alike voicing their opinions on their favourites movies of the past year.

The beginning of 2010 was promising and saw the big Oscar hopefuls being introduced to multiplexes: Crazy Heart, A Single Man and Precious all warming up nicely for the big event at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker surprised everyone and overpowered ex-husband James Cameron and his sci-fi blockbuster Avatar in the major categories.


March saw the start of what was to be a standout year for Leonardo DiCaprio with the release of his fourth collaboration with Martin Scorsese, the psychological thriller Shutter Island. Audiences were also introduced to another face of 2010, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace who became The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo based on the Millenium Trilogy of books that later spawned two sequels. An American remake is currently shooting at the helm of David Fincher for a 2011 release.
The Summer period flooded cinemagoers with the usual flurry of popcorn blockbusters (Iron Man 2, Salt, The A-Team, The Expendables), but failed to really make a convincing impression which led to a slight downfall. Unquestionably however, it was two films that stood out from all the rest. Christopher Nolan shook, twisted and exploded our minds with the most talked about film of the year, Inception. DiCaprio proved once more why he’s one of the most powerful actors working today and the most profitable. He has recently been recognized as the highest grossing actor of 2010 with Shutter Island and Inception earning $1.1 billion worldwide.

It was the final chapter of Woody, Buzz, and Co In Toy Story 3 that wrapped up the trilogy to perfection and left kids and adults weeping into their popcorn buckets. Grossing over $400milion worldwide this has raised the bar for animation.



2010 saw new talent making their mark on the big screen. Chris Morris (Four Lions), Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) all proving successful with the critics. A few of the old timers could still show how it’s done including Werner Herzog (Bad Lieutenant) and Tony Scott (Unstoppable).
The box office witnessed three movies to pass the $1billion point with Avatar (a 2009 release but reaching $1billion in 2010), Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story 3 all achieving that illusive ten-figure mark. All of which were released in the 3-D format - what is this trying to say … 3-D is the future perhaps?

Later on in the year it was The Social Network that stood out like a shining beacon. Depicting the rise and fall of anti-hero Mark Zuckerberg, David Fincher delivered an astounding piece of filmmaking focusing on the creation of Facebook and the countless legal battles that Zuckerberg had to come face-to-face with. A sharp script from Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and Fincher’s direction, this was the first major film to create Oscar buzz.



There were some inevitable downfalls in 2010. The Last Airbender, The Back-Up Plan and The Bounty Hunter were just a taster of some of the turkeys of the past year. When will the likes of M Night Shyamalan, J-Lo and Jennifer Aniston learn their lesson.
With two Summer films being a huge success worldwide, it wasn’t such a bad year in movies. Although they could have tried harder and turned mediocre films into bigger earners (Knight and Day and The Other Guys). However that could all be put to bed with what looks like a fantastic start to 2011 in prospect (127 Hours, Black Swan and True Grit all featuring in the early months).

My Top 10 Movies of 2010:
  1. Inception
  2. The Social Network
  3. Shutter Island
  4. The Town
  5. Toy Story 3
  6. Up In The Air
  7. Kick-Ass
  8. The Disappearance of Alice Creed
  9. Let Me In
  10. Machete
Written by Michael Cunneen