Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gif Cinematical http://www.cinematical.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Discuss: Villains You Want to See in 'Spidey' 4 & 5http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/discuss-villains-you-want-to-see-in-spidey-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/discuss-villains-you-want-to-see-in-spidey-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/discuss-villains-you-want-to-see-in-spidey-4-and-5/#commentsFrankly I'm a little bit confused as to why Sam Raimi never allowed Dylan Baker to become The Lizard. The guy had three full movies in which to utilize the character, but then again -- I suppose "The Lizard" isn't nearly as high-profile (or as nifty) as Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, The Sandman, or Venom. But they let a one-armed Dylan Baker hang around for this long, so why not give the actor his shot at villainy already?

Having ranted that, I now turn my attentions towards some of the other (as yet unused) Spider-Man villains -- and this superhero has lots of 'em. (I'm fully convinced that Spidey's "rogue gallery" is one of the biggest reasons for the book's ongoing popularity.) I realize that some of these guys might work better on the page than on the big screen, but hey, you can't make two more Spidey sequels without two or three (or four) new villains. So even though the screenplays are probably already finished, I figure this is a fun topic to toss around...

Jason Statham as The Vulture -- I vaguely remember this green, winged character being a bit older than Mr. Statham, but Vulty was also bald and a real nasty character, so I'd still go with Statham.

Bill Paxton as Mysterio -- Dunno why I picked Paxton. Probably because he's one of my favorite actors, and I'd love to see him play a big-budget villain. Plus he wears a big fish-bowl on his head, so any good actor with a strong voice could pull this off.

Gerard Butler as Kraven the Hunter -- Like this guy couldn't play a homicidal game hunter. Plus he kinda looks like Kraven.

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]]>carnagechameleonelectrogibbongrizzlyhammerheadhydro-manjackalkangarookraven the hunterKravenTheHunterman-wolfmorbiusmysteriorhinosam raimiSamRaimiscorpionshockerspider-man 4spider-man 5Spider-man4Spider-man5tombstonevillainsvultureScott WeinbergSat, 06 Sep 2008 21:33:00 ESTPics: On the Red Carpet in Torontohttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/pics-on-the-red-carpet-in-toronto/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/pics-on-the-red-carpet-in-toronto/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/pics-on-the-red-carpet-in-toronto/#comments

Can you guess which father of six is signing autographs for a slew of ladies above? (Photo via Getty Images)

Though we're only a couple days into this year's Toronto International Film Festival, a few of the more high profile films have already screened ... and we have the photos to prove it. In the gallery below, feel free to peruse through images from the red carpet for films like RocknRolla (Gerard Butler, ladies?), Appaloosa, Me & Orson Welles and Burn After Reading. When you're done, head on over to our official TIFF '08 Hub for reviews on films like Rachel Getting Married, Burn After Reading, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and more. Which film lit up Toronto at midnight ... and which veteran action star is poised for a major comeback? Check it out ...

Gallery: TIFF '08 Red Carpet

Viggo MortensenEd HarrisBrad PittBrad Pitt

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]]>appaloosaburn after readingBurnAfterReadingcinematicalfeaturedme orson wellesMeOrsonWellesnick and norahs infinite playlistNickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylistrachel getting marriedRachelGettingMarriedtiff2008Erik DavisSat, 06 Sep 2008 20:02:00 ESTLive From Toronto: Watching the Cannes Holdovershttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-watching-the-cannes-holdovers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-watching-the-cannes-holdovers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-watching-the-cannes-holdovers/#comments

Cinematical goes to Cannes, so when it comes time for the fall festivals, we mostly ignore the movies we've already covered there. But since I didn't go to Cannes, the many holdovers from that festival are new to me, and a big part of the fun. (Less fun: complaining about being conflicted out of a movie only to be met with "oh, I saw that at Cannes." Thanks, jackass.)

One such holdover is the Dardenne brothers' very good Lorna's Silence, an(other) study of guilt and self-deception. The Dardennes' approach can be charitably termed "narrative economy," or less charitably "a pathological refusal to let important events happen on screen." For that reason, Lorna's Silence plays like a mystery, except that the mystery is what the hell is going on, with the filmmakers dropping tidbits of information at their leisure. It's an unusual way of generating suspense - a bit tyrannical, but also a recognition that real life generally does not contain expository dialogue. Though the film contains plenty of conventional what-happens-next suspense as well, its nature makes virtually any plot description a spoiler. If you like the Dardennes, or are just interested in the current art film vanguard, don't read much about Lorna's Silence but just go see it. Sony Pictures Classics will release it in North America.

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]]>cannes2008il divoIlDivojean-pierre dardenneJean-pierreDardennelornas silenceLornasSilenceluc dardenneLucDardennetiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalEugene NovikovSat, 06 Sep 2008 19:20:00 ESTReview: The Poolhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/review-the-pool/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/review-the-pool/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/review-the-pool/#comments

Outwardly confident yet quietly insecure, 18-year-old Venkatesh Chavan climbs into a tree and stares at a pristine pool. He's a domestic worker at a nearby hotel in the Indian coastal city of Panjim, Goa, and he's ambitious enough to know that he wants something more, even if he doesn't know what, exactly. He performs his duties, meets his considerably younger friend Jhangir Badshah to sell plastic bags to earn extra money, studies the untouched pool and the surrounding, uninhabitated house and garden grounds, and retires for the night.

Boiled down to its essence, The Pool, which opened in New York earlier this week and will expand across the country in the coming weeks, is an apparently obvious tale that unexpectedly yet inexorably immerses the viewer in the lives of four characters that, like the pool itself, are deeper than they appear from the surface.

Venkatesh, for example, gives the appearance of an industrious young man, though he's constantly late for work and is bored by his daily routine. Opportunity comes knocking when a young woman (Ayesha Mohan) and her father (Nana Patekar) show up at the pool. The girl is insolent and rebellious, the man is gruff and stern. She reads intently, he tends impassively to the garden. After a period of observation from his perch in a tree, Venkatesh follows the man and quietly makes his presence known as the man shops for garden supplies at a nursery. Soon enough, the man, who is never named in the film, hires Venkatesh to help him in the garden, where he is introduced to daughter Ayesha.

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]]>ayesha mohanAyeshaMohanchris smithChrisSmithjhangir badshahJhangirBadshahnana patekarNanaPatekarthe poolThePoolvenkatesh chavanVenkateshChavanPeter MartinSat, 06 Sep 2008 18:32:00 ESTTIFF Interview: Ed Harris, Director and Star of 'Appaloosa'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-interview-ed-harris-director-and-star-of-appaloosa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-interview-ed-harris-director-and-star-of-appaloosa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-interview-ed-harris-director-and-star-of-appaloosa/#comments

As the director, co-screenwriter and star of Appaloosa, Ed Harris follows up his Oscar-nominated work as an actor-director in 2000's Pollock with an adaptation of Robert B. Parker's novel, revolving around two old friends and partners (Harris and Viggo Mortensen) in 1882 New Mexico trying to enforce the rule of law in a town threatened by a corrupt power-broker (Jeremy Irons). Harris spoke with Cinematical in Toronto about working on Appaloosa, adapting Parker's novel, co-starring opposite Mortensen and how hard it was to find financing for a traditional Western like Appaloosa: "Pretty hard. I mean, it was very interesting; people really responded to the script, and if the budget for it had been half of what it was, we probably could have got it made pretty easily. ... But we needed the budget to serve the production values; it called for that. I didn't want to make a little intimate art-house film. I wanted to make something that respected the space that it took place in ... it deserves it; it calls for it; so, it was pretty tough; it was a real battle."

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]]>AppaloosaEd HarrisEdHarrisJeremy IronsJeremyIronslance henriksenLanceHenriksenParkerrenee zellwegerReneeZellwegerRobert BRobertBTIFF2008Viggo MortensenViggoMortensenJames RocchiSat, 06 Sep 2008 16:42:00 ESTTIFF Interview: Ed Harris, Director and Star of 'Appaloosa'James Rocchi17:35TIFF Review: Paris 36http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-review-paris-36/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-review-paris-36/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/tiff-review-paris-36/#comments

Paris 36 tries to do a dozen different things, and does none of them well. But even that description may not be harsh enough, because it makes the film sound ambitious. It's not. Director Christophe Barratier, whose The Chorus was a quality rendition of an age-old formula, doesn't even pretend to give much thought to any of the disparate elements he assembles here. This is one of those middlebrow period-piece comedies that mistakes frenzy for energy and spotless soundstage gloss for visual style. It may play well with certain audiences for whom "arthouse" is synonymous with "no explosions," but there's really nothing to see here.

Well, in theory there's a lot to see, including but not limited to the following: a would-be portrait of the French Popular Front in the 1930's; the story of a bunch of unemployed workers banding together to put on a show and save a historic theater; the tragedy of an old workhorse (Gérard Jugnot) who loses custody of his accordion prodigy son to his cheating wife when the theater first closes down; a romance between a communist rabblerouser (and stagehand, and actor!) and a singing ingénue (Nora Arnezeder) taken under the wing of a fascist loan shark (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu); the spiritual rebirth of an old orchestra conductor who has spent the last 20 years alone with his radio; a no-talent comic (Kad Merad) who sinks to performing for the Nazis after being booed off stage by everyone else, though he is of course much too lovable to actually be an anti-Semite.

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]]>christophe barratierChristopheBarratierfaubourg 36Faubourg36paris 36Paris36the chorusTheChorustiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalEugene NovikovSat, 06 Sep 2008 15:32:00 ESTBrad Dourif to Provide the Voice for Chucky ... Againhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/brad-dourif-to-provide-the-voice-for-chucky-again/#commentsIt would be nice if Brad Dourif's legacy could be his Oscar-nominated performance as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but it's far more likely that people will most remember him as the voice of Chucky, the killer doll from the Child's Play movies. So far, Dourif has lent his voice to the doll in five installments, and he's heading for a sixth. According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, who got it straight from the mouth of Child's Play creator Don Mancini, the remake/reboot of the 1988 original (which Scott first told us about a year ago) will feature a slightly redesigned Chucky, but the character will still have the voice of Dourif. The actor will also return in person to re-play serial killer Charles Lee Ray (aka "the Lake Shore Strangler"), who transfers his soul into the plastic body of a "Good Guys" doll.

Mancini also confessed again to Bloody-Disgusting that his reason to restart the franchise is to make Child's Play scary again; he claims the fans pretty much asked for this after seeing the series go too far in absurdly camp directions with the last installment, Seed of Chucky. Well, they didn't necessarily ask for a remake, but Mancini claims the only way to scare the fans again is to begin anew. Or, he could have asked us to forget the horror-comedy sequels and simply title it Child's Play 4. But anyway. The new film will be written and directed by Mancini, who singularly wrote all five of the previous Chucky movies and made his directorial debut with Seed.

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]]>brad dourifBradDourifbride of chuckyBrideOfChuckychilds playchilds play remakeChildsPlayChildsPlayRemakechuckydon manciniDonMancinione flew over the cuckoos nestOneFlewOverTheCuckoosNestseed of chuckySeedOfChuckyChristopher CampbellSat, 06 Sep 2008 14:02:00 ESTSpike Lee Moves Forward on 'Inside Man 2'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/#comments

Funny, too, because my friends and I were just discussing Inside Man last night. My good pal has a thing for when Denzel yells, "This ain't no robbery!" -- and for some odd reason, he's always saying it (in Denzel's voice). Everyone has THAT quote-crazy friend, ya know? But anyway, The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Spike Lee is moving forward with a sequel to Inside Man over at Universal -- a project that's been in the works for awhile now, but took a backseat when Lee decided to make Miracle at St. Anna. The director would return to the film in the same role, with Terry George (Hotel Rwanda, Reservation Road) currently in negotiations to write the screenplay.

Universal and Lee made a killing on the first Inside Man, which, in my opinion, was one of the more enjoyable heist flicks of the past few years, and so it's no surprise they're looking to dive in for more. Though they're not signed on yet, both Denzel Washington and Clive Owen are interested in reprising their roles -- and THR says the sequel will "continue the relationship between the two man characters but in a new high-tension situation." Not a big fan of the "it made $175 million so we have to do the sequel" thought process, but if there's a duo I'd like to see reunited on screen, it would be Clive and Denzel. Both were excellent in the first film.

What do you think? Down for more Inside Man? And where could you see them taking these characters?

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]]>cinematicalclive owenCliveOwendenzel washingtonDenzelWashingtoninside maninside man 2InsideManInsideMan2spike leeSpikeLeeErik DavisSat, 06 Sep 2008 12:32:00 ESTIs Iconic Poster Artist Drew Struzan Retiring?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/is-iconic-poster-artist-drew-struzan-retiring/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/is-iconic-poster-artist-drew-struzan-retiring/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/is-iconic-poster-artist-drew-struzan-retiring/#commentsIn a world where Don LaFontaine will no longer lend his voice to any trailers, and where floating heads and Photoshop skills are what passes for the 'art' in 'poster art', the prospect of Drew Struzan's retirement is almost too much to bear. The guys over at Ain't It Cool News got the initial news from TheRaider.net, and they get the fact that this makes the sun shine just that much less in this industry of ours.

In a message posted there, Struzan said: "Having been working at not working has produced a guy who could never return to illustration again. It took a lot to attempt the idea of retiring from my 40 years of effort and sacrifice but now that I have, I am delighting in life as never before. I had forgotten how to rest, to smell the proverbial roses and to see the future as opportunity. I am grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to do all the work I did. I am well pleased to have been able to give a gift of beauty and peace through my artwork to so many throughout the world. Now I have laid down the burden and have peace and happiness as the reward for my day's labor."

AICN aptly directs readers to Struzan's official site, and even if they hadn't, I'd advise the same course of action in an attempt to appreciate what iconic images he crafted a career out of.

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]]>drew struzanDrewStruzanharry potterHarryPotterpans labyrinthPansLabyrinthstar warsStarWarsthe mistthe thingTheMistTheThingWilliam GossSat, 06 Sep 2008 11:02:00 ESTLive from Toronto: Detroit Metal City Rocks Midnight Madnesshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-detroit-metal-city-rocks-midnight-madness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-detroit-metal-city-rocks-midnight-madness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/live-from-toronto-detroit-metal-city-rocks-midnight-madness/#commentsLong day tonight on about three hours sleep, but somehow James and I managed to push through to make it to both the party for Richard Linklater's film Me and Orson Welles and the Midnight Madness screening of Detroit Metal City.

The Orson Welles party was great by my personal film fest standards, which include preferring not to be crushed in a crowd of starlet wannabes tottering in high heels. There was a decent-sized, but not overwhelming crowd; appropriate, but not overly loud music; and tasty, but not overly messy snacks being circulated on trays. The film's star, Zac Efron, was on hand, as was Linklater. Geoffrey Rush was also there circulating around.

We had to ditch the party a bit early to allow time to grab a bite of dinner, then headed over to the Ryerson; when Detroit Metal City director Toshio Lee and the film's star, popular Japanese actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama, showed up, a pack of Japanese girls and women who'd been allowed to gather to get an up close view went absolutely wild, screaming so loudly that a guy passing by in front of the red carpet wondered aloud, "Who is it? Brad Pitt?"

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]]>detroit metal cityDetroitMetalCitytiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivaltoshio leeToshioLeeKim VoynarSat, 06 Sep 2008 10:32:00 ESTSamuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac Team Up in 'Soul Men' Trailerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/samuel-l-jackson-and-bernie-mac-team-up-in-soul-men-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/samuel-l-jackson-and-bernie-mac-team-up-in-soul-men-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/samuel-l-jackson-and-bernie-mac-team-up-in-soul-men-trailer/#commentsWhat a pity it is that we lost both comedian Bernie Mac and musician Isaac Hayes in such short order, and what a stroke of good fortune that they both happened to have completed their roles in the upcoming comedy, Soul Men, in which Mac's character tries to get Samuel L. Jackson to join him for a televised reunion concert.

Yahoo! Movies has released the trailer for the film, and it reflects both the best tendencies of director Malcolm D. Lee and his worst as a writer (though he isn't credited as one here). There's the good-natured nostalgia of something like 2005's Roll Bounce, balanced out with the mean-spirited and utterly un-hilarious antics of this year's Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (I'm sure that if there could've been room for Jennifer Coolidge in that gem, she would've removed her dentures for fellatio there instead).

In all fairness, the writing duo that is credited were last responsible for Man of the House, so maybe we shouldn't be so surprised. I'd like to think that Mac and Jackson could make the most of the material regardless, but we can't say for sure until November 7, when Soul Men tentatively opens opposite Role Models and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa -- for which Mac lent his voice.

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]]>bernie macBernieMacisaac hayesIsaacHayesmadagascar escape 2 africaMadagascarEscape2Africamalcolm d. leeMalcolmD.Leeroll bounceRollBouncesamuel l. jacksonSamuelL.Jacksonsoul menSoulMenwelcome home roscoe jenkinsWelcomeHomeRoscoeJenkinsWilliam GossSat, 06 Sep 2008 09:32:00 ESTMark Cuban Picking Up 'Che'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/#commentsThe New York Post ran a little piece yesterday about hearing a rumor that Mark Cuban's Magnolia pictures has signed to distribute Steven Soderbergh's Che, which James and I saw at Cannes and very much enjoyed. I emailed Cuban earlier to ask whether the rumor is true, and got back from him "working on it," which to me sounds very promising. Cuban's a smart guy and he's not afraid to take risks; now he'll just have to figure out how to package and market the damn thing.

Many of us who loved the film at Cannes pondered over drinks after that screeing who would be brave enough to pick it up for distribution, and whether if it did get picked up it would show in one part in its entirety with an intermission, as we saw it at there, or two separate films, or perhaps one greatly edited shorter film. I'm glad to hear that someone's going to pick it up, and I'm curious now to see which way Cuban will play the release of the film. Any thoughts from those who've seen it as to which you'd prefer?

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]]>chemark cubanMarkCubansteven soderbergKim VoynarSat, 06 Sep 2008 08:02:00 ESTTIFF Review: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlisthttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist/#comments

Starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is a light, slight, fleet-footed teen comedy of romance and indie rock; there are logic holes in it, and lulls, and moments that seem devoid of sense, to be sure, but there are also moments in where Cera or Dennings will smile and your momentary doubts and disagreements are washed away and your head is filled with a sense of gladness, not despair, that you're watching our young, happy hipster heroes on screen. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist combines the shaggy-dog sprawl of an early John Hughes film with the blunt talk and softly-rounded feelings of the Apatow comedies, and if it did not have leads as charismatic and tonally correct as Cera and Dennings, it would be very close to dead in the water; however, since it does, it isn't.

Taking place in some movie version of Manhattan where parking is always immediately available and everyone over 25 has, apparently, been executed Logan's Run-style, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist begins as Nick (Cera) is trying, and failing, to get over his breakup with the tedious-yet-tempting, hot-yet-hateful Tris (Alexis Dzienia), leaving lengthy messages on her phone and exquisitely sequenced mix discs at her door. Tris laughingly discards Nick's most recent effort into the trash at school; sarcastic-but-sweet Norah (Kat Dennings) retrieves it, as she's done for several of Nick's discarded offerings: "He makes the best mixes ever." The fact that Nick's latest effort is labeled "The Road to Closure, Vol. 12" tells you that Nick has strong feelings, and, in this case, weak vocabulary skills.

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]]>Kat DenningsKatDenningsMichael CeraMichaelCeraNick and Norahs Infinite PlaylistNickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylistpeter sollettPeterSollettTIFF2008James RocchiFri, 05 Sep 2008 21:02:00 ESTRobert DeNiro Drops 'Edge of Darkness'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/robert-deniro-drops-edge-of-darkness/#commentsThe water surrounding Edge of Darkness was already rather tepid -- I'm going by the comments here on Cinematical, and the dutiful, but unenthusiastic reporting it's attracted. Were it 1996, and Mel Gibson was still everyone's favorite action star, the buzz would be something else.

But now, the rumors might really start flying. Variety reports that Robert DeNiro has abruptly left the production, which has been shooting since August 18th, though this was his first week on set. The only word came from his spokesperson, and it was good and curt. "Sometimes things don't work out; it's called creative differences." The Boston Herald has a little gossipy tidbit about DeNiro shooting a golf scene, which hardly seems big enough to have led to such unworkable tension. Was it the delay caused by excavating the sand pit? (I'm being sarcastic, of course, because I hate not knowing the truth behind a dry label like "creative differences.") We can speculate all day as to why -- is it actually worse than Analyze That, or what?

Shooting will continue, obviously filming around scenes of DeNiro's character as they run around recasting. Frankly, this could work out for the best -- many last minute casting changes do. But this film hardly needs the hint of scandal, not when the beleaguered Gibson is involved.

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]]>Edge of DarknessEdgeOfDarknessMartin CampbellMartinCampbellMel GibsonMelGibsonRobert DeNiroRobertDenirowilliam monahanWilliamMonahanElisabeth RappeFri, 05 Sep 2008 20:32:00 ESTReview: Everybody Wants to Be Italianhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/review-everybody-wants-to-be-italian/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/review-everybody-wants-to-be-italian/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/review-everybody-wants-to-be-italian/#comments

The modern romantic comedy has long treated novelty like a venereal disease, fleeing any thought of invention as it foists the same tired, rigid formula on viewers content to consume familiar pap dressed up in slightly different duds. Still, if the average studio rom-com offers little of worth aside from the occasional endearing performance (and no, I don't mean you, Ms. Bullock), there's something even more noxious about the strain of ethnic-indie romances pioneered by 2002's smash hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which charmed audiences by taking recognizable conventions and spicing them up with broad, brash stereotypes. It's this subgenre to which Everybody Wants to Be Italian belongs, since Jason Todd Ipson's film is a lovey-dovey fantasy in which every character is an Italian cliché save for the two protagonists, who both pretend to have descendants in the Old Country because they think the other does. This posing-as-an-Italian conceit is fluffy silliness, and barely mined for humor or drama, as the writer/director instead introduces this central plot point and then immediately relegates it to the far background of his unoriginal tale of two unlikely people discovering that they're, in fact, soul mates.

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]]>cinematicaleverybody wants to be italianEverybodyWantsToBeItalianNick SchagerFri, 05 Sep 2008 20:02:00 ESTTIFF Review: Burn After Readinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-burn-after-reading/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-burn-after-reading/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tiff-review-burn-after-reading/#comments

When the worlds of Washington, DC political intrigue, infidelity, fitness centers and internet dating intersect and collide in a darkly hilarious fashion, you must be watching a film by the Coen brothers. Burn After Reading, Joel and Ethan Coen's follow-up to last year's critically lauded award winner, No Country for Old Men, was actually written by the duo as they were adapting No Country, but the two films couldn't be more different.

The colliding worlds in Burn After Reading involve a CIA analyst named Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich), who's summoned to a top-secret meeting only to find out that the secret is he's being demoted due to his drinking problem. Cox blows a gasket and quits rather than taking the demotion, planning to spend his new-found spare time working on his memoirs and refining his drinking. Cox is married to Katie (Tilda Swinton), a icy pediatrician with the worst bedside manner imaginable, and she's less than sympathetic to her husband's life crisis.

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]]>brad pittburn after readingBurnAfterReadingcoen brothersCoenBrothersfeaturedfrances mcdormandgeorge clooneyGeorgeClooneyjoel and ethan coenjohn malcovichrichard jenkinstifftiff2008tilda swintonTildaSwintontoronto international film festivalKim VoynarFri, 05 Sep 2008 19:02:00 ESTWatch This: R-Rated 'Sex Drive' Cliphttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/watch-this-r-rated-sex-drive-clip/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/watch-this-r-rated-sex-drive-clip/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/watch-this-r-rated-sex-drive-clip/#comments

It's Friday, and what a better way to usher in the weekend than to watch a couple of boys talk about not having sex. Moviefone has just unveiled a pretty funny clip from the upcoming teen comedy Sex Drive, featuring a whole bunch of folks like James Marsden, Seth Green and .... finally ... Clark Duke, who makes his big feature debut after starring opposite Michael Cera in those hilarious Clark and Michael web videos. The film, which I've actually heard quite a number of good things about, follows a high school senior who drives across country with his pals in an attempt to meet a girl he met online. The clip (which you can check out over here) is R-rated, which means you will need to fill out one of those age verification forms. Also, check out a bunch of brand new images from the flick below.

Sex Drive hits theaters on October 17.

Gallery: Sex Drive

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]]>cinematicalclark dukeClarkDukejames marsdenJamesMarsdenmichael ceraMichaelCeraseth greenSethGreensex driveSexDriveErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 18:45:00 ESTCinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: That Lovely City Called Torontohttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-that-lovely-city-call/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-that-lovely-city-call/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-that-lovely-city-call/#comments

When you live in downtown Toronto, you quickly become accustomed to the people calendar -- when the streets will be silent, and when they'll be buzzing. It starts when school lets out -- young kids hit the playgrounds while the college kids head home and free up the late-night sidewalks. Every third person is now a tourist, stopping every few feet for pictures or to look at a map. On the weekends, the city often becomes a ghost town, as hordes head up north to cottages. But then it's back to school, often marked by the eager new engineers running around the city painted purple.

And just a few days later, they're joined by slick stars and a million press badges as the Toronto International Film Festival gears up. The stars are out, as are the press, the movie lovers, and the eager onlookers. Teeny boppers buzz like packs of bees around the Four Seasons and other Yorkville haunts for a peek at someone famous. It's movies and fans everywhere.

But reviews don't give you a taste of the city, nor do quick glimpses in films like Chicago and Urban Legend. You can see it retro-style with SCTV, but that city is in the past. The best way to get a taste of Toronto without being here is through Canadian filmmaker Don McKellar. Between the films he's directed and those he's acted in, you can get many tastes of this town, from exotic women to last nights on Earth. In honor of the fest, and of the wonderful T-Dot, I offer you: Childstar and Monkey Warfare.

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]]>ChildstarCinematicalDon McKellarDonMckellardouble featureDoubleFeatureMonkey WarfareMonkeyWarfareToronto filmsTorontoFilmsMonika BartyzelFri, 05 Sep 2008 18:15:00 ESTMaguire and Raimi Back for Spider-Man 4 and 5!?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/maguire-and-raimi-back-for-spider-man-4-and-5/#comments

Though nothing has been made official yet, Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood says the deal is done to bring both Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi back for Spider-Man 4 and 5. Not only that, but Finke also claims the exclusive on a story we broke right here at Cinematical months ago (thanks for the credit Nikki) -- that Sony plans to shoot both films back to back, not just because it's cheaper, but also because we were informed that James Vanderbilt's (Zodiac) script included a story arc that encompassed two films, not one.

As far as Kirsten Dunst goes, she currently does not have a deal, but Finke claims her character will return and Sony is not interested in recasting her. Villains? While there's been no announcement yet, a source claims that "once you find out who the villain is, you'll know who's playing him." Naturally, that leads everyone to believe that Dylan Baker will reprise his role and ultimately become The Lizard. Should they continue along the same path Spider-Man 3 went down, one imagines another villain (or two) will show up, perhaps as a way to tease us into the fifth film. I'm sure more will arrive online soon, so until then ... are you happy about Maguire and Raimi returning to the franchise?

Spider-Man 4 is currently scheduled to arrive in May, 2011.

UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter confirms the Spidey story today.

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedkirsten dunstKirstenDunstsam raimiSamRaimispider-man 4spider-man 5Spider-man4Spider-man5tobey maguireTobeyMaguireErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 17:40:00 ESTFriday Five: Ways to Make a Cool 'Ghostbusters' Sequelhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/friday-five-ways-to-make-a-cool-ghostbusters-sequel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/friday-five-ways-to-make-a-cool-ghostbusters-sequel/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/friday-five-ways-to-make-a-cool-ghostbusters-sequel/#comments

Look, I'm thinking the same thing you are: Here comes Hollywood to screw up another one of our beloved franchises by re-imagining it for this new, hip generation. Whenever they try to mess with nostalgia, it always comes back to bite them in the ass -- but could things be different with a franchise like Ghostbusters, which gave us two films ... and, let's admit it, only one real classic? Here are five ways to make a cool Ghostbusters sequel ...

1. Get the Apatow crew involved

When you look back at the original Ghostbusters, you see names like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Ivan Reitman. Back in 1984, these were the folks who made us really laugh. These were the young-ish voices of the time; the guys you wanted to pay money to see because you knew they'd be worth it. Today, the same can be said for guys like Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Steve Carell, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Craig Robinson. At least a few of those names should show up in the sequel in order for it to have a really good shot of succeeding with fans.

2. Get a director who understands the franchise (ie: Harold Ramis or Ivan Reitman)

While there's a very good chance we'll end up seeing Judd Apatow's name tossed around as producer (no way he's directing this), the best way to hold on to what we love about Ghostbusters is to bring on a man who was there for the first two and knows what, exactly, makes this franchise work. Ramis has been working with the Apatow clan a lot lately (directing Year One, appeared in both Knocked Up and Walk Hard), and is perfectly capable of directing and acting in a film (Hello Egon cameo!). He'd by my choice for this, and, I'm sure, will also lend his voice to the script.

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]]>bill murrayBillMurraycinematicaldan aykroydDanAykroydghostbusters 3Ghostbusters3harold ramisHaroldRamisjason segalJasonSegaljudd apatowJuddApatowpaul ruddPaulRuddseth rogenSethRogensteve carellSteveCarellErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 17:02:00 EST