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Saturn Awards for 'Iron Man,' 'Dark Knight,' Leonard Nimoy
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Awards, Fandom, Angelina Jolie
Some critics' groups rush to hand out awards weeks before the year of eligility is over. Other groups, like the Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy & Horror Films, prefer to take their time. The 35th annual Saturn Awards were presented last night in beautiful downtown Burbank, California, honoring the best in genre films for the 2008 calendar year. The top awards, as listed by FearNet, went to Iron Man (Science Fiction), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fantasy), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Horror), and The Dark Knight (Action / Adventure / Thriller).
The Academy also found room to honor Angelina Jolie as Best Actress for Changeling, which makes me wonder how that film could possibly qualify as a genre flick. Horror, perhaps? More major awards went to Robert Downey, Jr. as Best Actor and Jon Favreau as Best Director for Iron Man, Heath Ledger as Best Supporting Actor, and Tilda Swinton as Best Supporting Actress. Wall-E took home Best Animated Film and Let the Right One In was presented with the Best International Film award. And here are the awards that make the Saturns stand out for genre fans: Lance Henriksen received the Life Career Award, and Leonard Nimoy nabbed the Lifetime Achievement Award.
I was following the awards show via Twitter, and the most entertaining account was the one by loquaciousmuse; she made it sound like a blast. If you're out of state, $40 buys an Academy membership with award voting privileges. The least expensive in-state membership is $150, which also grants access to more than 100 special screenings.
Is Angelina Jolie Back for 'Wanted 2'?
Filed under: Action, Casting, Universal, RumorMonger, Angelina Jolie, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
You know, it's not that I think Angelina Jolie can't handle action, it's just that she's never really been given the chance to do it in a film that was...well, good. The bullet-bending comic book flick, Wanted is a perfect example. Granted, Jolie was livelier than I have seen her in a long time, but I still walked out of the theater wondering why she has never blossomed into the bad-a** heroine I desperately want her to be. Well, maybe she is going to get another chance, because Universal has been making ground with a Wanted sequel. So while most of us were pretty sure that we wouldn't be seeing Ms. Jolie again, Wanted's director Timur Bekmambetov seems to think otherwise. During an interview with the Russian news site, RIA Novosti, Bekmambetov told them that Wanted 2 will start prepping in July, and that Jolie would be returning for the sequel.Warning: Wanted spoilers ahead...
So think back to the half-baked mess that was Wanted, and you'll remember that Jolie's assassin commits 'suicide' -- on-screen, front and center. It was even rumored to be a condition of Jolie's participation in the film that she would die at the end (I guess to avoid committing to a sequel). But maybe Bekmambetov is engaging in some wishful thinking about Jolie's return, or he knows something we don't because he seemed positive that Jolie would be back. Last April, Evan Spiliotopoulos was hired to write the script, and it's a strange choice, but one thing is for sure, he is going to have to get awfully creative if they plan on bringing Jolie back from the great beyond.
After the jump; Who else could return for Wanted 2 and Jolie is still saving the world (without a gun) in her PSA for World Refugee Day...
Cannes in 60 Seconds: Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Filed under: Cannes, Festival Reports, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino
Nothing like a little war movie to bookend a day at the Cannes Film Festival. Lines began forming at the crack of dawn to see the first screening of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds this morning, and, still, many were shut out. (Erik Davis rounded up the first reactions from those who did manage to gain admittance.) Evening brought the glamour, as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie led a parade of celebrities down the fabled red carpet for the black-tie and gown gala presentation. As a cherry on top, Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell screened at midnight.
Films Sold. Amazingly -- or maybe not, when you consider all the free publicity it's already accrued -- Lars Von Trier's highly controversial and divisive Antichrist sold to IFC Films. The company says they will release the same version as the one screened in Cannes, according to indieWIRE. Specific release plans were not announced, but expect it this fall, in order to capitalize on the buzz. Also, I suggest a poster highlighting Willem Dafoe's previous, religiously-titled movie: "From The Last Temptation of Christ to ... Antichrist!"
Much less controversially, IFC also picked up Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, which the company describes as the director's "most accessible, crowd pleasing film." More details at indieWIRE.
Key Screenings. Competition: Alain Resnais' drama Wild Grass, starring Mathieu Amalric (the reviews so far, collected by David Hudson at IFC's The Daily, range from reserved to rave). Un Certain Regard: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's supernatural-tinged drama Nymph (Todd Brown at Twitch reviews), Luc Mullet's Land of Madness. Directors' Fortnight: Axelle Ropert's The Wolberg Family (a small town mayor's obsession with his family), Ho Tzu Nyen's Here (a middle-aged man deals with life as a patient in a medical institution).
Angelina Jolie Will Wield Kay Scarpetta's Scalpel
Filed under: Action, Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Deals, Mystery & Suspense, Sony, Scripts, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Angelina Jolie
It's a strange thing to live in a world where Dan Brown became a franchise before Patricia Cornwell. The rights to the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series have been languishing at Columbia (the very home of Robert Langdon) since 1992, but now the series has been dusted off, sold to Fox 2000, and assigned to Angelina Jolie.According to Variety, Fox has won rights to all 16 of the Scarpetta books, and is eying it as a potential franchise along the lines of the Jason Bourne films. They're developing the first thriller now, which won't be tied to any one book, but will probably cherry-pick out of all Scarpetta's gruesome cases. The plan has met with approval from Cornwell, who discussed the idea personally with Jolie and her manager, Geyer Kosinski before handing over the rights.
I'm not an avid reader of Cornwell's books, but Jolie seems like a good fit for the sophisticated Scarpetta. While the coloring's different, Scarpetta's a workaholic who dresses well, drives a Mercedes, attracts handsome guys, and handmakes Italian food. She's kind of perfect, just like Jolie. But hardcore fans (and I know they're out there) may have other ideas.
Regardless of what you might think of the casting, I think it's pretty cool that we may get a female-led franchise, and one based around the cool, rational science of forensic pathology. It's the closest thing to a Bones movie that I'll ever get, so I'm all for it.
Cinematical Seven: Our Favorite Hot Rod Girls
Filed under: Action, Drama, Fandom, Angelina Jolie, Quentin Tarantino, Cinematical Seven, Lists
Growing up in Los Angeles as an admittedly shallow, callow youth in the 70s, I always wanted a stylish hot rod so I could attract the girls who liked guys in fast cars. Alas, I had to be content with puttering around in very practical, somewhat beat-up used cars (1964 Chevy Corvair, graduating to a 1965 Ford Falcon), but dreams die hard. Even though I'm still driving a very practical, somewhat beat-up used car, I still yearn for a sizzling hot motor vehicle and an attractive lady passenger urging me to go faster, faster.
These thoughts are prompted by the imminent release of the hot rod-loving Fast & Furious, due in theaters tomorrow, which features the return of the gorgeous Jordana Brewster and the equally lovely Michelle Rodriguez, two talented ladies who have a definite need for speed. (Oh, yeah, Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are back, too, and so is director Justin Lin.) In their honor, we present our seven favorite, fabulous hot rod girls.
Tracie Thoms packs an unbeatable combination of brains, beauty, and bravado as Kim, a stunt woman in Quentin Tarantino's twisted ode to 70s car chase movies and 80s slasher flicks. Kim is rowdy and rambunctious with her girlfriends, but her hot rod heart starts beating fast when she revs up the engine of a borrowed 1970 Dodge Challenger, with Zoe Bell precariously perched on the hood. Smashing!
Discuss: When Do You Recast a Character?
Filed under: Casting, RumorMonger, Angelina Jolie, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
But what is the time frame on recasting? From the general hysteria that surrounded the Angelina Jolie-less Tomb Raider reboot, I'd say the general public feels like the actor or actress in question ought to be dead and buried. (I'm not talking about the Cinematical readers, who handled it in an objective manner. I'm thinking of regular news outlets who breathlessly announced "Jolie booted from Tomb Raider?!" As if she was weeping copiously over losing her twin semi-automatics, and not racking up Changeling nominations.)
Yet only a mild disappointment has followed rumors that Edward Norton might be replaced as The Incredible Hulk -- though we were all pretty shocked that they were remaking/recasting the character so soon after Eric Bana went green. Maybe a general numbness has set in when it comes to Bruce Banner, though, because fandom seems to simmer with a threat of violence should Christopher Nolan recast the Joker.
What would the reaction be if they recast Wolverine? Tony Stark? Would it be safe to recast the Fantastic Four?
It's a question worth putting out there. Which characters (and it doesn't have to be comic book related -- any franchise will do for the discussion. Throw in Axel Foley or Jack Sparrow if you want.) can safely be recast? Is there a time limit? Does it depend purely on the performance? Is any character truly untouchable?
400 Screens, 400 Blows - "Best" Actresses
Filed under: Angelina Jolie, Columns, 400 Screens, 400 Blows
400 Screens, 400 Blows is a weekly column that takes an in-depth look at the films playing below the radar, beneath the top ten, and on 400 screens or less.
The "Best Actress" Oscar category is usually pretty dull, for two reasons. The main reason is that movies are often generated with men in mind, but the other reason is that, when women actually do get great roles, they're usually too challenging or obscure for Academy voters to bother with. Voters prefer to stick with the usual, heavily dramatic, preferably suffering women characters. And this year is no different. Thus Angelina Jolie gets nominated for losing a child, rather than Michelle Williams for losing a dog. It doesn't matter that almost anyone you ask probably likes Wendy & Lucy (13 screens) better than Changeling; it's the degree of suffering we're talking about here. (Not to mention that Jolie's performance is based on a true story -- actual, real-life suffering -- while Williams' is not.)
That said, there's one thing the Academy likes better than suffering, and that's giving "make up" awards to actors, filmmakers and artists that they've overlooked, which explains why so many great talents have won for their worst work. (Prime example? Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman. I need say no more.) It's almost as if this year's Best Actress category has been specifically arranged, handicapped for the benefit of Kate Winslet, so that the six-time nominee can finally take home her first statue, for one of her least relevant films (though not her worst; that would be Iris). Not only is she in there for a Nazi/Holocaust movie -- a genre that she herself made fun of in an episode of "Extras" -- but the Academy made sure that her competition was so far behind her that there's practically no other choice.
Geek Daily: Teased by 'Wolverine,' Thor, 'Kick-Ass' Villains, and More
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, RumorMonger, Fandom, Scripts, Newsstand, Angelina Jolie, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
A handful of geek news bits are the perfect way to end the week. There's all kinds of intriguing little quotes scattered all over the Internet tonight, and I've compiled them all below to give your mouse finger and Google toolbar a rest. Enjoy!As always, the Old Canuckehead gets first grab -- X-MenFilms.Net was informed by Fox that the first X-Men Origins: Wolverine teaser is supposed to be attached to The Day the Earth Stood Still, which hits theaters on December 12th. Will we see the same footage that most of us glimpsed via YouTube bootleg from San Diego ComicCon? I bet we will!
Buried in that Ain't It Cool News scoop on J. Michael Stracynzki was the news that he had just finished his rewrite of Thor. I think the God of Thunder is moving faster than Captain America.
MTV's Splash Page caught up with Robert Downey Jr. and pressed him for word on the Terrance Howard/Don Cheadle swap. He stayed classy, of course: "I had nothing to do with that decision. I love Terrence very very much. That's all I'll say because I haven't talked to him yet ... I've always admired Don [Cheadle]. It's one of those situations where I still don't quite know what happened or why. Here's what happens too: things happen and you wind up commenting on them before you've actually talked to the people and it's in poor taste." He also stressed that the Iron Man franchise will be an "interactive" one, with he and Jon Favreau striving "to make sure we don't piss off the public that put us in the position we're in."
Continued after the jump.
Discuss: Too Attractive to Be Believable?
Filed under: Casting, Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Angelina Jolie
There is something rather odd in the way Hollywood values the external beauty of its players, while simultaneously decrying it for being shallow and unrealistic onscreen. Have you ever noticed that? This came to mind when I was reading Changeling press a few weeks ago -- you might have read Clint Eastwood's sincerely lovely quote regarding his leading lady, Angelina Jolie: "She is an actress hampered by her gorgeous face, I think the most beautiful face on the planet. People sometimes can't see past that, to her talent. She's on all these magazine covers so it's easy to overlook what an amazing actress is underneath." It's an interesting thought, and a valid point when it comes to Jolie's career -- her looks and personal life outstripped her Oscar win long ago, and her acting talent was called into question soon after meeting Brad Pitt.
However, I don't really want to debate Jolie's talent, but rather the idea that an actor or actress can be hampered by their looks. (And yes, we discussed a variation of this in regards to Keira Knightley a few weeks ago.) Remember when Spike Lee didn't want to cast Halle Berry in Jungle Fever because he thought she was "too pretty"? The same problem nearly prevented Joe Wright casting Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice -- he thought she was too attractive to play Elizabeth Bennet. Unfortunately, I can't think of any comparable stories regarding male actors, and Google is coming up woefully short. Paul Newman always struggled against it, though, but I don't know if he was ever hampered by it.
'Changeling' Poster: Exclusive First Look
Filed under: Drama, Universal, Angelina Jolie, Oscar Watch, Images
Click poster to enlarge
The last time Angelina Jolie received an Oscar nod was for playing a mental patient in 1999's Girl, Interrupted, for which she took home the statue for Best Supporting Actress. To give you an idea of how long ago that was, consider this: Winona Ryder -- and not Jolie -- was a box-office draw back then.
Now, after years of strong and sometimes overlooked performances (ahem, A Mighty Heart), Jolie is once again receiving battalions of Oscar buzz, this time for her role in Clint Eastwood's Changeling (get your exclusive first look at the poster above).
Based on real events that transpired in 1920s Los Angeles, Changeling is the tale of a mother (Jolie) whose abducted son is seemingly returned to her by the LAPD. Turns out the boy is not her flesh and blood, however -- or so she adamantly claims -- and thus Mama Jolie sets out to wring the truth from a corrupt police department unwilling to listen to her.
Changeling opens in limited release Oct. 24 and expands wide on Oct. 31.
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