Monday, November 16, 2015

11-16-15 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...


(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)


        It’s ironic that Memento, a movie about a man whose retrograde amnesia has him continually making the same mistakes over and over again, is getting a remake, but that is exactly what is happening. The 2000 film that launched Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar, The Dark Knight Trilogy) onto the world cinematic stage will be redone under producers Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi of AMBI Pictures, which recently acquired the 400-title Exclusive Media Group library, which also included Cruel Intentions, Donnie Darko, The Mexican, Rush and Sliding Doors. “Memento is a masterpiece that leaves audiences guessing not just throughout the film, but long after as well, which is a testament to its daring approach,” Bacardi stated. “We intend to stay true to Christopher Nolan’s vision and deliver a memorable movie that is every bit as edgy, iconic and award-worthy as the original. It’s a big responsibility to deliver something that lives up to the mastery of the original, but we are extremely excited and motivated to bring this puzzle back to life and back into the minds of moviegoers.” “’Memento’ has been consistently ranked as one of the best films of its decade,” Iervolino added. “People who’ve seen ‘Memento’ 10 times still feel they need to see it one more time. This is a quality we feel really supports and justifies a remake. The bar is set high thanks to the brilliance or Christopher Nolan, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. Our acquisition of the EMG library reinforced our commitment to build a strong global studio with a strong pipeline of commercial films that can play to a worldwide audience. Bringing a new ‘Memento’ to audiences is an initial example of how we intend to execute this strategy.” Written and directed by Nolan from a short story by his brother/frequent collaborator Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar), Memento followed an amnesiac named Leonard (Guy Pierce) who uses clues he has tattooed onto his body in order to seek out the man who killed his wife. Due to his mental condition, he has to frequently put the pieces of his memory back together from these fragments. Co-starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano, the film was lauded for its nonlinear narrative structure and motifs of memory, perception, grief, and self-deception. The $9 million dollar film grossed an impressive $40 million worldwide and was nominated for Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay Oscars, ultimately paving the way for Nolan’s runaway success in Hollywood and cementing Pierce as a formidable screen presence. This will not be the first Memento remake, as not one but two Indian-language re-dos were produced in 2005 and 2008, both under the title Ghajini.

        If you really want to stay true to the original, then don't remake it. Look I'm all for remakes simply because they might be older movies or that a lot of people haven't seen the original. Honestly how many of you have seen Memento? This is one remake I am not for simply because the original is so perfect and unique that a remake will only tarnish the original. I'm surprised Christopher Nolan doesn't have a say in the matter since it is his film and if he does have a say then he needs to step in and stop this before it happens. 



        This weekend, director Ridley Scott gave the upcoming Prometheus sequel a brand-new title when he referred to it as Alien: Covenant, a slight change from the previous title of Alien: Paradise Lost. Now 20th Century Fox has confirmed the film will be subtitled “Covenant” and that it will be released in theaters on October 6, 2017, a date it shares with Warner Bros.’ The Jungle Book: Origins. In addition, the synopsis for the film has been released and reads as follows: Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created in Alien with Alien: Covenant, the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with PROMETHEUS — and connects directly to Scott’s 1979 seminal work of science fiction. Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. Production on Alien: Covenant is set to begin in February of 2016 in Australia, with Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender set to reprise their roles of scientist Elizabeth Shaw and the android David. Given the film’s synopsis, it remains to be seen how Rapace’s Shaw will factor into the film. Jack Paglen (Transcendence) and Michael Green (Green Lantern) are providing the screenplay.

        I'm really glad to hear this news. As you know, yesterday I was skeptical to this happening, but now that the news is confirmed and a release date has been given, the anticipation can start building. I like a lot of others didn't love Prometheus, but I thought it was a decent film. The one thing made everyone mad was the fact Ridley Scott said it wasn't an Alien film when in fact it's a very early prequel and now the sequel is titled Alien: Covenant he can't deny it. This is an interesting release date because that weekend will be monstrous between this and Jungle Book: Origins and I'm really looking forward to that. I have a feeling one of these two will move and it will most likely be The Jungle Book: Origins since the film has been in production for awhile now. I'm excited to see the new Alien film and I hope it brings the franchise back to what it used to be. 



        Though Grant Gustin is saving the world every week on The CW as Barry Allen, Warner Bros. Pictures has a different version of the character set to take over the big screen with We Need to Talk About Kevin star Ezra Miller as the Scarlet Speedster. Speaking with EW, Miller opened up about playing the character and what he hopes he’ll be able to do with it as an actor. “Well, [first] it’s going to be a movie, I’d like for it to be an exploration of a human being, a multi-dimensional human being, to speak…Wow, I just made such a pun, without meaning to….I’d like the character to have many dimensions. But really, I’d like him to have the usual dimensions we know and love, and then some extra ones that are part of the amazing consideration of this superhero. I hope to realize him as a person, and I think what’s most exciting for me in superhero mythologies is when we feel the humanity of someone who is heroic — or the heroism of someone who is a flawed, deeply human person.” The planned film version of The Flash is set to debut in theaters March 23, 2018 and will be written and directed by Seth Grahame-Smith. Miller will make his debut as the character in 2017’s Justice League: Part One where he will join Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. Though unconfirmed, it’s possible Miller could cameo in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice beforehand.

        I really love these comments. I like how Miller is describing this version of Barry Allen which is different than the one Grant Gustin portrays on the awesome tv show which everyone should check out. It's always great to get different takes on characters because it gets boring when you see the same character type over and over again. Now I know some people were mad and some still are mad that Ezra Miller is going to be Barry Allen when we already have one running around (no pun intended) on tv, but I just have to say that the the movie and tv universes are separate and there is nothing anyone can do about it. 



        It was recently confirmed that Straight Outta Compton helmer F. Gary Gray will direct the eighth Fast & Furious movie and that it would be the start of a new trilogy of films. Now, Variety is reporting that those films may not be the only things that fans of the franchise have to look forward to, as Universal Pictures and Vin Diesel are also working on Fast & Furious spinoffs and prequels. “We’ve written out story lines for various characters,” said Diesel. “We’ve been playing with it for a long time. It’s a very rich property and we’re committed to treating it with a lot of class.” The trade says Diesel did not say which characters would get their own film, but Dwayne Johnson has hinted in the past he’d like to see his character, Luke Hobbs, featured in solo adventures. Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley confirmed that talks were taking place. “We’re certainly in conversations about how we can expand the franchise now. It’s an ensemble cast and there’s room to bring characters in and out.” As far as the direct sequels,Variety goes on to say that those films “will be different in tone from the adventures that preceded them.” “We have a director who is going to bring the darkness out and bring out the character,” said Diesel about Gray. “You can’t keep having every movie have bigger and bigger stunts forever and ever and ever,” said Jeff Shell, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. “Eventually you have to really focus on the story. We’ll still have big stunts but bringing in this amazing storyteller is going to be great.” We could, eventually, see more than another three films, however. “Vin has a vision in his mind for three more, so let’s get three more done and then see where we are from there,” added Shell. “Everything has an end, so I don’t think our expectation is we’re going to have a hundred of them…To me ‘Fast and Furious’ has become no different than a beloved series that comes on every year. ” Furious 7 earned an impressive $1.514 billion at the worldwide box office earlier this year.

        I don't know how to feel about this news. Look a lot of you know I'm a huge fan of The Fast & Furious franchise and the last film is easily the best film of the franchise and it did huge numbers at the box office, but I don't think spin-offs are the right moves to make. There are lot of interesting characters in the universe, but none of them scream out spin-off. This is a franchise that has done a great job of building the core universe and I think spin-off films will just hurt the franchise in the long run. 



        Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino marks his first-ever feature collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios for next spring’s big-screen adventure Zootopia. Featuring an 80-piece orchestra and conductor Tim Simonec, Giacchino’s score is being recorded this week. “In a world as vast as Zootopia, we needed someone who could deliver a score that can feel exotic and powerful, but also provide that same emotional intimacy,” said director Byron Howard. “We tell stories with images, Michael tells stories with music. ‘Zootopia’ is a massive film with deep emotional themes running throughout the story, and Michael was the perfect choice to bring the music of this extraordinary animal world to life.” Added director Rich Moore, “Zootopia is a thriving metropolis inhabited by animals from around globe, and Michael’s music has captured a wonderful international spirit that marries perfectly with the visuals. I’m very excited for audiences to experience this incredible new world we’ve created together.” According to the composer, the score is very diverse instrumentally. “There are flavors of world music sprinkled in everywhere. But at its core, the score always follows the emotional story of Hopps and Nick.” Giacchino’s credits feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out, The Incredibles and Ratatouille, as well as Jurassic World, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. His score for Disney•Pixar’s 2009 feature Up earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two GRAMMY Awards.

        “The process of working with Michael is unique in that it doesn’t feel like a process,” said Moore. “It feels more like visiting with a childhood friend. We started by talking about the film—the themes, the tone, the characters, the emotional moments. We talked about what inspired us, and our hopes for the movie. And from those conversations, Michael began building the score. When we listened to his work together, an amazing thing happened. Michael somehow took those conversations and turned them into music. It’s creative collaboration, pure and simple.” Said Giacchino, “We’ve had a lot of fun working together and the directors have been wonderfully supportive of me throughout the entire process, giving me an incredible amount of freedom to really explore the tone and emotional side of the story. “I am really proud to be a part of this film,” continued Giacchino. “It’s one of those films with a huge heart and wonderfully realized characters set within a story that’s not only incredibly fun and entertaining but takes an honest look at our own world and the important issues we deal with living in such a diverse society. That’s what really attracted me to the film—the chance to write music that reflects these kind of challenges.” Added Howard, “Michael approaches composing from an intuitive, emotional place that’s so completely personal to him, but at the same time, his themes and musical storytelling are completely universal. You fall in love with the music the instant you hear it.” Zootopia opens March 4, 2016.

        I love this addition. Michael Giacchino is not the most known film composer, but every film score he has done has been nothing short of magic. He brought a new sound and feel to the Stra Trek franchise, the score for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was just absolutely amazing and he did a great job of taking over the reigns of the Jurassic Park theme for Jurassic World and I think this score is going to be the first of many between him and Disney. I say that because now that his friend JJ Abrams is heavily involved in Star Wars, I fully expect him to once again take over for John Williams on doing the score for the main Star Wars films as the spin-off anthology films will have different and multiple composers.  

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                        Jonah Sparks

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