August 18, 2000

Hey all, pay attention, it's not everyday that an actual film director asks us for feedback on his next project. But here is a quickie interview with writer/director of THE TEMPLAR, Adam Schaub, asking people for some feedback on his next project. Check out the trailer of the film here (17.2MB) and:

Read his interview and check out the official site
and his email address here
 

August 18, 2000

Not exactly sure who decided on this, but actor Robin Williams has apparently signed on to Steven Spielberg's A.I. project as the narrator of the film (the movie was originally being developed by director Stanley Kubrick before his death). Moriarty over at AICN said that the choice seems to make sense given that Kubrick always used to refer to his film as a "fairy tale" or his PINOCCHIO.
 

August 18, 2000

Okay, so he won't be directing the movies, but director Tim Burton has done an homage TV commercial for Timex watches featuring a very MATRIX look and feel, along with some real funky music and some awesome kung fu moves from the MATRIX-looking cast. You can thank our ever-faithful spy "Bear aka lours" for this scoop!

Check out Tim Burton's MATRIX "Timex" commercial here
 

August 18, 2000

If you really like the movie and want more information from director Tarsem, check out the interview that Suni from Corona was able to conduct with the man here

Yahoo Movies! is also running a live chat with THE CELL star Vincent D'Onofrio today at 5pm ET. Anyone could join and ask him questions, just click here
 

August 18, 2000

Dimension Films has officially announced a sequel to their most successful film ever, SCARY MOVIE, to begin production this coming fall, with the original team of Keenan Ivory Wayans and brothers Shawn and Marlon back for more apparent hilarity. Look for SCARY MOVIE II and a big-screen release in late May 2001.
 

August 18, 2000

Simpsons creator Matt Groening has apparently finally confirmed that there will indeed be a SIMPSONS movie sometime in the future. "It's a little daunting coming up with a half-hour TV episode, let along a full-length feature," he said. "No deals have been struck, but we will do one."
 

August 18, 2000

If you're like me and you loved AMERICAN PSYCHO from earlier this year, check out what our man "Bear aka lours" has to say about the DVD version of this film:

"First of all, there will be two different versions of the film rated and unrated and here is what the DVD will apparently include: interview with actor Christian Bale, trailers, actors and crew bios
"making of" featurette, anamorphic widescreen and multiple audio (English and French)."
 

August 18, 2000

Robert DeNiro has chosen his next project (he is currently shooting THE SCORE with Edward Norton and Marlon Brandon in Montreal) called CITY BY THE SEA, a thriller to be helmed by director Michael Caton-Jones. The movie is based on a true story centering the son of an executed death-row inmate who becomes a detective only to have his own son become a murderer.
 

August 18, 2000

Director F. Gary Gray is apparently just wrapping up his final negotiations to direct the action feature DIABLO, which is being developed as a starring vehicle for actor Vin Diesel (PITCH BLACK and BOILER ROOM). The film is about a mysterious figure known as Diablo who emerges to head a drug cartel after the previous leader is imprisoned. The story centers on a U.S. Customs agent who collaborates with a jailed cartel boss to identify and punish Diablo.
 

August 17, 2000

The X-Men movie will be out on video and DVD on November 21st, according to sources at FOX. The video will immediately be priced for sell through, which means approximately $15 suggested retail price. The DVD will cost around $25.No extra details were available for the DVD release but the least that we could expect are the various theatrical trailers, hopefully some of the behind-the-scenes goofs which Bryan Singer featured at the San Diego Comic Con, and the wide screen version of the film.
 

August 17, 2000

According to our source "Bear aka lours", Jean Reno's next picture which is tentatively slated to hit France on September 25th, is called LES RIVIERES POURPRES, which translated to English means THE PURPLE RIVERS. It's a surrealistic thriller helmed by popular French director Matthieu Kassovitz (LA HAINE aka HATE), co-starring Vincent Cassel (MESSENGER, ELIZABETH).

Based on a famous novel of the same name, the film is a bit like SEVEN, only it's not just about a serial killer but it's also got a satanic paranormal thing going on as well. It features two investigators trying to solve a strange mass murders case in which every victim is found tortured, naked and in a fetal position. If you want to see a teaser trailer of this movie: CLICK HERE
 

August 17, 2000

The basic plotline of the directorial debut of Rob Zombie's horror flick entitled HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES seems to follow a crew of 20-something travelers who decide to stop off at a museum of sorts, which actually turns out to be a mad man's personal shrine to homicidal maniacs. The kids quickly get sucked into the "dementia of Momma, Baby, and a family of freaks that make Leatherface and kin look downright suburban." Rob also noted that he apparently "always wanted to make movies. Music was sort of an accident. A happy accident."

August 17, 2000

Actor Morgan Freeman is in final negotiations to co-star opposite sexy actress Ashley Judd once more in a film entitled HIGH CRIMES, a thriller to begin filming this fall and directed by Carl Franklin. The two played up against one another in KISS THE GIRLS, while this movie presents Judd as a Harvard Law School professor forced to defend her husband in military court after the Army declares him a deserter and charges him with participating in a mass killing in El Salvador. She enlists the help of an ex-judge advocate attorney -- the role Freeman is negotiating for. 

August 17, 2000

Ex-soccer player and present Hollywood tough guy Vinnie Jones will reportedly star in yet another Guy Ritchie film (after LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH), but this one will feature him starring in the biopic of former bare knuckle boxer & London villain Lenny McLean, who died of cancer recently after publishing his autobiography and also making his own acting debut in Ritchie’s LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS.
  

August 16, 2000

"Bear aka lours" was lucky enough to catch a test screening of director Joel Schumacher's next film entitled TIGERLAND about a month ago and below, he shares some of his thoughts on the film.

NEGATIVE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

PLOT:
A group of recruits go through Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana's infamous Tigerland, last stop before Vietnam for tens of thousands of young men in 1971 (according to the IMDb)

CRITIQUE:
About 1 month ago, I went to see a test screening of a film called TIGERLAND, a war film, done in a independent way, with a low budget, directed by Joel Schumacher. The first thing that I noticed about this film was that it was very different from what Joel usually does (Note: that does not mean that the film was good!). Also, none of the actors were famous. The only one that I recognized was an actor called Gonzales Gonzales (he played in 187 with Samuel L. Jackson, Fortress with Christopher Lambert, The Bad Pack, etc...) and another one who played in Higher Learning (can’t remember his name). The two lead actors are unknown but the surprising thing about them is that they're actually pretty good. The film had some funny moments and the intro is a Full Metal Jacket wannabe, which I hated! There's even a scene in a shower where some guy goes nuts and tries to kill himself (once again just like in Full Metal Jacket-- Vincent D’onofrio, only in Tigerland he doesn’t do it, and the scene is less intense). Half of the movie is worth seeing, very interesting leads, etc.. but the second half is just awfully dull and stupid (it would take too long to explain here) and the ending is absolutely horrible!!

More info on the film could be found at Upcomingmovies.com
 

August 16, 2000

All the cool dudes over at IGN Filmforce confirmed David Fincher's next film to be THE PANIC ROOM today. The film is scripted by David Koepp (STIR OF ECHOES) and currently has Nicole Kidman attached to star, with Dwight Yoakum and Forest Whitaker negotiating to co-star. There is also word that the lead singer of the band Tool, Maynard James Keenan, has been cast as well.

The film tells the story of a mother (Kidman) and her 9-year-old daughter trapped by thieves in a "panic room" – a hiding place that's like a combination bomb shelter / vault – in their posh New York City brownstone. The thieves consist of Burnham (Yoakum), the cool-headed leader of the trio; Junior (Keenan?), whose recently deceased and very rich grandfather used to own the townhouse; and Raoul (Whitaker), a bus driver from Flatbush with a penchant for gambling, who is brought in as muscle for the job.

Read THE PANIC ROOM SCRIPT REVIEW from the ever-faithful "Stax" here
  

August 16, 2000

Sour grapes might apply in this case, but actor Wesley Snipes let his feelings all hang out on last night's Access Hollywood TV interview. "There's only one Shaft, Richard Roundtree...", said Snipes, "if you're gonna do a remake, there's only one person today that can do that remake...Snipes, period!" And with giant ego unchecked, he went on to say, "I never said that I was disappointed {about not getting the lead role} because I turned the movie down. I was offered the film, and the script was terrible...horrible! And it was an insult, not only to the African-American culture, but it was an insult to the icon of what Shaft is. And they didn't care, so I said 'Fine, find somebody else!"

About his replacement, Snipes said "I mean Sam is my man, we even talked about it, Sam knows, I ain't dissing him. I'm dissing the people who made the movie." Talks about a SHAFT sequel are already under way. <Note: These are direct quotes from Snipes himself, but the context of the answers is questionable. Some of these "gossipy" type shows have their own way of editing things in order for them to appear the way they want>
  

August 16, 2000

One of my recent favorite actors William Fichtner has just joined Christian Bale, Emily Watson and Taye Diggs in the futuristic film LIBRIUM, to be directed by Kurt Wimmer (SPHERE) starting this fall.

The film takes place in an undetermined future where nearly everyone is sedated with the drug librium, virtually nullifying their emotions. Bale plays John Preston, one of the "Grammaton Clerics," a group of Jedi Knight-like fighters that make sure everyone is on librium. Jurgen is the leader of a group of "sense offenders" – people who don't take their librium – and aiming to take down the government. Release date: 2001.
  

August 16, 2000

O' BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?: Drama//Musical starring George Clooney
DANCER IN THE DARK: Drama starring Bjork and Stellan Skarsgard
  

August 16, 2000

Actor Jerry O'Connell is currently in negotiations to receive a 7-figure salary (his highest ever), to star in Castle Rock's action comedy DOWN AND UNDER, for COYOTE UGLY direct David McNally and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in February. The film is about two childhood friends -- a highly regarded New York hairstylist (O'Connell) and a would-be musician -- who get caught up with the mob. They are forced to deliver $100,000 to Australia, but things go haywire when the money is lost to a wild kangaroo that then becomes their target.

Scott Rosenberg and Steve Bing apparently wrote the original script, with the most recent draft being worked over by comedy writing duo Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandell.
 

August 16, 2000

Another 70s TV show is being aired out into a full-length feature, a youth-themed action flick no less. This one is called SWAT. The film was originally conceived to star Ahnuld himself a few years back, but has since been sitting around, waiting. Columbia Pictures now wants to pump $40 million into the picture and hire a bunch of young, affordable actors to create a high-octane action drama.

The original series centered around a team of highly trained and heavily armed police officers who's purpose it was to make coordinated assaults on armed and dangerous criminals in sensitive situations and defensible locations. The studio has hired first-time director Zack Snyder for the gig, with Oliver Stone serving as producer. Snyder has previously directed stars like Robert DeNiro and Harrison Ford in European TV commercials.
  

August 15, 2000

Despite being a married man, Brad Pitt doesn't seem to want to slow down his movie-making pace. He stars in Guy Ritchie's upcoming fall flick SNATCH, is finishing up THE MEXICAN with Julia Roberts, will star in OCEAN'S ELEVEN opposite a bevy of other movie stars soon thereafter, and has now signed on the dotted line for the Coen brother film TO THE WHITE SEA.

SEA tells the story of a tail gunner during World War II who, after the bombing of Tokyo, finds himself stranded in Japan. He is forced to embark on an epic journey through Asia in order to find a way home.
  

August 15, 2000

According to screenwriter David Goyer, speaking to EON Magazine, Kris Kristofferson will return for the sequel to the original BLADE flick starring Wesley Snipes, despite being killed off in part one. "I won’t say how”, said Goyer "but it makes sense. Fans won’t be disappointed". The plot of the second film will see Snipes' character forced into an allegiance with the vampires in order to fight an even greater menace. There are even plans on the table to create a third film after this one. This film is slated to begin shooting in February 2001, with a possible late 2001 or early 2002 US release date.
  

August 15, 2000

Wim Wender's film THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL, based on a story by U2 frontman Bono, has finally been picked up for American distribution by Lion's Gate Films who plans to release the film in February 2001. The movie stars Milla Jovovich and Jeremy Davies, as well as super-star Mel Gibson in a smaller role. JoBlo has already seen this movie and didn't care much for it.

JoBlo's MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL review
  

August 15, 2000

Michael Jackson will finally get his shot at playing famous horror writer Edgar Allan Poe in a film entitled THE NIGHTMARES OF EDGAR ALLAN POE. After the release of his new album in January, Jackson will apparently devote all of his time to the project. The producer claims that "by the time he's done preparing for this, the audience isn't even going to know it's him, with the major makeup."
  

August 14, 2000

An upcoming movie called SIMONE will star actor Al Pacino up against a computer-generated female protagonist. Producer Andrew Niccol (the man who wrote THE TRUMAN SHOW and GATTACA) made his decision after failing to find a sufficient lead through the typical young, up-and-coming actresses audition route. Sources say that Niccol was so impressed with the computer-generated effects in Sony's FINAL FANTASY movie, that he decided to incorporate the same device in his own film, slated to begin shooting next month.

Pacino will play a Hollywood film producer in the film, and the "CGI actress" will play a young woman who becomes a movie star overnight and the changes that affect her life.
 

August 14, 2000

Garth at Dark Horizons was the first to spot these new pics from the highly-anticipated fall release of The Grinch starring Jim Carrey. Click on the pics below to see bigger versions of the pictures.

Variety is also reporting that Universal and Imagine Films are now looking into turning another Dr. Seuss classic, The Cat in the Hat, into a live-action feature starring Tim Allen.
  

August 14, 2000

One of the hipper actors of our day, Vin Diesel, is apparently rumored to star opposite none other than Sylvester Stallone in a film called X VS THE SEVER. The story is about an older government agent, to be played by Stallone, being pursued by a bounty hunter, played by Vin. The project was originally slated for Jet Li and Wesley Snipes.
   

August 14, 2000

Director Sam Raimi wants William H. Macy to play the character of J. Jonah Jameson in the upcoming Spidey movie. According to Corona, the only stumbling block at this point is that William is scheduled to star in JURASSIC PARK 3 around the same time. Other rumored casting choices include Bob Hoskins as Dr. Octopus and Brian Dennehy as uncle Ben. Sam's brother Ted Raimi is also onboard as the "one-armed scientist", a character who might be Dr. Curt Connors, a man who goes on to become The Lizard.
   

August 14, 2000

POLTERGEIST 4 and HALLOWEEN 8 are apparently both in the works, according to a source at Dark Horizons and the Popcorn websites respectively. The word on the POLTERGEIST follow-up is that it's set to start mid-2001 and "will find a new family in peril from malevolent spirits." The family apparently returns to a newly rebuilt Cuesta Verde where a new child will possess telekinetic abilities. For the HALLOWEEN sequel, word is that Jamie Lee Curtis is currently in talks to make a cameo appearance and that they are aiming for a October 31, 2001 release date.
  

August 14, 2000

New Line Cinema has picked up the domestic distribution rights of producer Joel Silver's $36 Million movie starring Jeremy Irons, Thora Birch, Marlon Wayans and plans to release it by the end of the year. The film is based on the popular role-playing game and tells the story of an evil wizard who attempts to dethrone a young, new empress because of her belief in equal rights between commoners and aristocrats.
  

August 14, 2000

LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE: Drama starring Matt Damon and Will Smith
STEAL THIS MOVIE!: Drama starring Vincent D'Onofrio and Janeane Garofalo
THE TEMPLAR: Horror starring various
GIRLFIGHT: Drama starring various
THE OPPORTUNISTS: Drama starring Christopher Walken
CRIME & PUNISHMENT: Drama starring Ellen Barkin
BROKEN HEARTS CLUB: Comedy starring various
  

August 14, 2000

Actress/singer Madonna gave birth to her second child over the weekend, this time a boy, who she named Rocco, with English director Guy Ritchie. Rocco joins sister Lourdes who was fathered by Madonna's personal trainer.
  

August 14, 2000

1. Hollow Man                $    13.1 Million/ $ 50.4 Million
2. Space Cowboys         $    13.1 Million/ $ 39.1 Million
3. Autumn in New York   $    11.5 Million/  New
4. The Replacements      $    11.1 Million/  New
5. The Klumps               $    10.3 Million/ $  94.1 Million