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Anvil! The Story of Anvil Among Academy Award Documentary Snubs

Sean — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:12:11 +0000

Although documentaries have gained a fair bit of mainstream acceptance over the past decade, the average moviegoer is still highly unlikely to know or care about most of the films that are being released in the realm of non-fiction. And considering the kinds of docs typically recognized by the Academy Awards, it's easy to see why people might be turned off from the genre. Year after year, they seem to place higher value on "important" subjects, rather than deft storytelling and artistic merit. Once again this year, the short list of movies nominated for Best Documentary Feature seem to be lacking in not only imagination but also accessibility. Which is not to say that there aren't some great movies on this list, but to be honest, I've only seen 1 out of the 15 titles -- and that's coming from someone who actually cares about docs. So it's only natural for people to point out all kinds of glaring omissions from the movies that actually got any sort of theatrical release this year... some deserving, and others not so much. Anvil: The Story of Anvil is one of the major flicks missing here, and although I can't say I ever expected to see it get nominated, let's not forget, we're not even talking nominations here... this is just the short list! On the other hand, Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story is one of his weakest films to date, and its omission is totally fine by me. Still, there are all kinds of other critically acclaimed films that were shunned including: We Live in Public, The September Issue, Tyson, Good Hair, Not Quite Hollywood, Crude, and No Impact Man. What do you think, did any of these movies get robbed? Check out the 15 potential finalists for Best Documentary Feature after the jump.

The Beaches of Agnes (Dir. Agnès Varda)
Burma VJ (Dir. Anders Østergaard)
The Cove (Dir. Louie Psihoyos)
Every Little Step (Dir. James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo)
Facing Ali (Dir. Pete McCormack)
Food, Inc. (Dir. Robert Kenner)
Garbage Dreams (Dir. Mai Iskander)
Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders (Dir. Mark N. Hopkins)
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (Dir. Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith)
Mugabe and the White African (Dir. Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey)
Sergio (Dir. Greg Barker)
Soundtrack for a Revolution (Dir. Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman)
Under Our Skin (Dir. Andy Abrahams Wilson)
Valentino The Last Emperor (Dir. Matt Tyrnauer)
Which Way Home (Dir. Rebecca Cammisa)

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Michael Jackson’s Captain EO Returning to Disneyland

Sean — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:51:52 +0000

Francis Ford Coppola's 3-D extravaganza stages a comeback.

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John Lennon Biopic Nowhere Boy Trailer

Sean — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:16:16 +0000

A fresh wave of Beatlemania swept across the world last month with the release of Beatles Rock Band and the newly remastered Beatles catalogue, and the timing seems to have worked out quite nicely for Sam Taylor Wood's upcoming John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy. Although you might expect a Lennon biopic to be a massive Hollywood blockbuster with big name stars, this is a smaller British affair, using mostly unknown actors and (I believe) none of the Beatles' music. Because of this stripped down approach, and the fact that it focuses mainly on Lennon's childhood, Nowhere Boy seems like it has a good shot at avoiding many of the painful cliches of musical biopics. The trailer for Nowhere Boy claims to feature an "untold story", but it is based on a book by Lennon's half-sister, Julia Baird. The screenplay was written by Matt Greenhalgh, who also penned Anton Corbijn's Ian Curtis biopic Control, and it does have a bit of a similar feel. Star Aaron Johnson also has a role in the upcoming Kick-Ass comic book adaptation, and if this film is a success, I can only assume we'll be hearing a lot more from him. What do you think, will this be worth checking out? Nowhere Boy hits theatres in the U.K. on Christmas Day; check out the trailer embedded below.

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Chuck Klosterman’s Fargo Rock City Getting Adapted for the Big Screen… By The Singer of The Hold Steady?

Sean — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:38:07 +0000

Well this is a pretty weird story. It appears that another one of Chuck Klosterman's books is headed to the big screen, and the people behind it are none other than Tom Ruprecht, a writer for The Late Show with David Letterman, and Craig Finn, frontman for popular indie rock band The Hold Steady. Huh? The duo have optioned the rights to Fargo Rock City, Klosterman's first book, a semi-autobiographical memoir of growing up in the midwest throughout the '80s as a fan of heavy metal. It will join Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story, the other Klosterman book that is currently in development as a feature film. Fargo Rock City actually seems a fair bit more suitable for a film adaptation, and according to Risky Business, Ruprecht and Finn will be focusing more on the idea of a group of nerdy high school seniors in search of themselves, with heavy metal serving as the common bond between them. Finn had this to say:

"Seventeen or eighteen is the perfect age for characters in a movie like this, because it’s at that age that you have drivers licenses and a certain amount of independence, but you’re still young enough that you can totally make terrible decisions... And you’re still young enough that you can have a two-hour argument over whether Motley Crue would beat Guns ‘N Roses in a fight."

Klosterman will also produce the movie, which doesn't yet have financial backing. Ruprecht has also previously written for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and McSweeney's, while Finn doesn't have any published works, but many of his songs are parables about the foolishness of adolescence. It seems like they might make for a good team. What do you think, does this have the makings of a new Dazed and Confused, or will it simply pander to the hipster crowd? Klosterman's latest book Eating the Dinosaur just hit stores last week.

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Until The Light Takes Us Trailer: A Documentary about Norwegian Black Metal

Sean — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:47:47 +0000

With the recent success of such docs as Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, Heavy Metal in Baghdad and Anvil! The Story of Anvil, it seems that heavy metal is a pretty popular topic in the world of non-fiction right now. In Sam Dunn’s Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, one of the most fascinating (and creepy) segments was the stuff involving the Norwegian Black Metal bands, who were also featured in a short doc that was included on the DVD release of the film. Well, if you wanted to know more about this disturbing and violent subculture of musicians who supposedly burn churches and commit murder in the name of their music, you probably should check out Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell’s feature-length film Until The Light Takes Us. The filmmakers supposedly moved to Norway and lived with the various band members for several years in order to gain their trust and try to make sense of it all. Although I’m not very familiar with most of these names, key interview subjects include Gylve Fenris Nagell of Darkthrone and convicted murderer Varg Vikernes of Mayhem. Regardless of whether you're a fan of the music (which I’m not), this looks looks like some pretty compelling and scary stuff indeed. Until The Light Takes Us hits select theatres on Nov. 20th. For an updated list of theatres and screenings, stay tuned to the official website. A new trailer for the film just recently debuted on Apple; I've also embedded it after the jump. Originally posted on The Documentary Blog.

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Fox Searchlight Developing a Ramones Biopic

Sean — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:21:25 +0000

It's been 8 years now since Joey Ramone passed away, and 5 years since Johnny Ramone died, so I suppose it's about time someone got around to making a Ramones biopic... right? Well according to the Risky Biz Blog, Fox Searchlight is doing exactly that. The indie imprint is currently in negotiations with producer Rory Rosegarten, who owns the big screen rights to the upcoming book I Slept with Joey Ramone, written by Joey's brother Mickey Leigh. Rosegarten also managed to get the rights to use the music of The Ramones, which is pretty key. Fox Searchlight sounds like an ideal place for a project like this to develop as they have always been willing to take chances and have a great way of understanding and marketing to subcultures. However, I'm not so sure about this Rory Rosegarten fellow; he was an executive producer on Everybody Loves Raymond. At any rate, The Ramones have a great rags-to-riches story, and they certainly changed music in a lot of ways, but there's potential here for the movie to have a sense of humour as well. With the right people involved, I think a Ramones biopic could be awesome. What do you think? Who would you like to see star in this (other than Vinnie Chase)?

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Michael Jackson’s This Is It Trailer

Sean — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:11:33 +0000

It's been about two and a half months now since Michael Jackson passed away due to a cardiac arrest, and it seems like the media overload is just barely starting to fade. As most people know, when Jackson died, he was just three weeks away from launching his new concert series in London, England, and now Columbia Pictures is trying to salvage rehearsal footage from this concert and bring it to theatres with the help of director Kenny Ortega (High School Musical). Will this be seen as a moving tribute that can help bring fans some form of closure, or will it be seen as a tasteless cash grab? A trailer for the movie has premiered over on MySpace, and while it may be trying just a little too hard to sell it ("The Event of a Lifetime"?) it does show that there will be some touching behind the scenes footage and interviews mixed with the performance itself. It still remains to be seen whether or not they will incorporate the 3-D footage that was supposedly shot for "Thriller", but it looks like the making of that segment will at least be touched upon. This Is It hits theatres on October 28th for a limited two week engagement. Are you planning on checking it out? Do you think it will do well? Check out the trailer after the jump.

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Boogie Town Trailer: Sci-Fi Dance Battles from the Director of You Got Served

Sean — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:43:04 +0000

Finally, a dance movie for fans of Underworld and Equilibrium! Chris Stokes, director of You Got Served, is back with one of the most amazing and absolutely ludicrous concepts I've heard in a long time. The year is 2015, and in New York City the police chief has outlawed battle dancing after the tragic death of his son. Two rival dance crews (The Trojans and The Warriors) organize an underground place where they can continue their battles, but they are constantly being hunted by the Boogie Police. Little do they know, a secret government agency wants to capture the leaders of the two crews to use their blood to create super soldiers for World War III! Boogie Town is loosely based on West Side Story, and if this trailer is any indication, it's going to be very... blue. Apparently this trailer has been floating around the web for a few months now, but this is the first I've heard of it. I'm kind of surprised... as stupid as it sounds, it seems destined to be a cult classic. The movie is being produced by Vivendi Entertainment and was supposed to be released this summer, but now appears to be behind schedule. Let's hope it gets completed soon... I need to know how this epic story ends! For more info visit the official website; witness the trailer after the jump. (Thanks to David C. for the heads up!)

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New Spinal Tap Short Film Debuts on iTunes

Sean — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:02:47 +0000

So now that the Blu-ray release of This is Spinal Tap is out, the band's "reunion album" Back from the Dead has hit stores, and their Unwigged & Unplugged tour has concluded, is there any other possible way for them cash in on the 25th Anniversary of the original movie? Of course there is! This week they've released a brand new short film on iTunes called Stonehenge: ‘Tis A Magic Place, which finds the band members embarking on a pilgrimage to the mystical monument that they "put on the map" with their song. At just 7 minutes in length, one might question whether it is truly worth the $1.99 price tag -- especially since it could have easily been included as an extra on the Blu-ray. With all the extra little short films and things they've done over the years, couldn't they have just put together a full-fledged sequel? Either way, I'm sure the hardcore fans will want to give it a look. Check out a short video of the band promoting the short film after the jump. (Thanks to Chian for the heads up!)

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Best Rumour Ever: Robin Williams to Play Britain’s Got Talent Star Susan Boyle?

Sean — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:28:48 +0000

Could it be... a Robin Williams movie I might actually be looking forward to? Okay, maybe that's not entirely fair since I've heard a lot of good things about World's Greatest Dad, but let's face it, the man hasn't had many particularly memorable performances over the past few years. The good news is, he's about to make a comeback! According to the ever reliable New York Post, it seems that Williams is being courted to play Susan Boyle in an upcoming movie about her life. Now that's brilliant casting! Boyle, for those who don't know, is the 48 year old Scottish spinster who became an overnight sensation after showing off her singing voice on Britain's Got Talent. The day after her final performance on the show (which earned record ratings), she checked into a psychiatric clinic in London. I have to admit, I haven't really followed the whole story and I'd be interested in seeing a movie about her. Of course, whether or not Robin Williams would actually do the role in drag a la Mrs. Doubtfire seems pretty preposterous, if not downright insulting. We all know they'll probably just get some gorgeous actress to play her and then "ugly her up" leading to an Oscar win for such a brave performance. Do you think there's any truth to this rumour? Would you watch a Susan Boyle biopic? Check out the video of her original TV appearance after the jump.

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Robert Zemeckis Tapped for 3-D Yellow Submarine Remake

Sean — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:33:41 +0000

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Robert Zemeckis really needs to give this motion capture stuff a rest. I have no problem with trying to push technology forward, and heck I even liked his take on Beowulf quite a bit, but now it's really starting to feel like he's putting the tech ahead of making decent and interesting movies. His upcoming version of A Christmas Carol looks impressive yes, but is it needed? No. Now this week comes news of another ill-advised Zemeckis remake: the Beatles 1968 animated classic Yellow Submarine. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zemeckis will direct the movie for Disney, who are planning it as a big digital 3-D release. They are currently negotiating the rights for the songs in the film, which will include the title track plus "Eleanor Rigby," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "With a Little Help From My Friends." It will be shot using his patented "performance capture" technology, although who will give the performances for John and George remains to be seen. To me, Yellow Submarine is the epitome of a movie that comes from a certain era and deserves to stay there. The original is a pretty trippy film and was groundbreaking in its own right. A remake makes no sense at all. I am guessing the idea for this sprung forth from the upcoming video game The Beatles: Rock Band, which attempts to bring The Beatles' music to a new audience. But who will this movie be for... kids or their parents? A quick look at the box office failure of Across The Universe, should give studio execs pause before greenlighting another Beatles-themed flick. What do you think, is a 3-D remake of Yellow Submarine a good idea? Is Robert Zemeckis wasting his time when he could be doing something more worthwhile with his career?

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500 Days of Summer Director in Talks for Indie Rock Jesus Christ Superstar Remake?

Sean — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:07:58 +0000

With the recent success of big screen musicals like Mamma Mia! and Disney's youth-oriented High School Musical series, it makes sense that Universal would be looking to assemble another musical that meets somewhere in the middle. And hey, if they can get all the religious groups on board at the same time, well then it doesn't get much better than that! Word on the street is that they are actively developing a remake of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar with producer Marc Platt (Wanted, Nine, Legally Blonde). They've now got a director in their sights as well: 500 Days of Summer director Marc Webb. According to The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Biz Blog, Webb is interested in the project, and based on his music video background the studio is hoping that he can produce "a modern, hipstery take" on the original. Ugh... the thought of that just does not appeal to me at all. I'm assuming that Webb has come under consideration specifically because of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's choreographed dance sequence in 500 Days of Summer (which is admittedly one of the highlights of the film), but this is already starting to sound a little too much like Moulin Rouge or Across The Universe for my taste. On the other hand, maybe they can take a cue from the stripped-down Once, which I thought was a refreshing and brilliant modern musical. I just think Jesus Christ Superstar should remain a bombastic rock opera, not a shy, awkward indie pop opera... don't you?

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