In this chapter I look at a remake of a British crime caper classic, a flashy big-budget detective noir about the L.A. mob in the 40's, an acclaimed doco about Israeli intelligence, a more grounded "G.I. Joe" sequel, a coming of age tale set against the Cuban Missile Crisis, a film with Charlie Sheen basically playing himself, a dramedy with a slightly more serious Kristen Wiig, and the fifth film in the "Die Hard" series.
Gambit
Opens: 2013
Cast: Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Tom Courtenay, Stanley Tucci
Director: Michael Hoffman
Analysis: A remake of the classic 1966 crime caper film with Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine, this new version comes from the pen of the Coen Brothers. Opting not to direct, several helmers were attached in recent years until "The Last Station," "Soapdish," and "Promised Land" director Michael Hoffman was locked down and shooting took place in 2011.
The original starred Caine as a cat burglar who uses the help of a Hong Kong showgirl (MacLaine) to steal a priceless antique from the world's richest man (Herbert Lom), and everything that can go wrong does. This new take replaces them with Firth as a British art curator and Diaz as a Texas rodeo queen who team to sell off a fake Monet painting to England's richest man (Alan Rickman).
Producer Mike Lobell has been trying to get the film made for over a decade. The Coens' script was long considered one of the great unproduced scripts circling Hollywood since it was first penned back in 2003. On the flip side, their last attempt to adapt a classic British caper film was "The Ladykillers" which is often considered the worst film the duo has ever made.
Will this be a repeat? Opening in the UK last month, the film got slammed by critics for having no actual laughs, despite the often puerile jokes. Recurring comments include the leads having no chemistry, half-hearted performances all around, and frequent failed attempts to play out very dated broad farce and screwball comedy to no effect. Already at 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, this looks to be dead on arrival.
Gangster Squad
Opens: January 11th 2013
Cast: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Analysis: An impressively cast ensemble true story crime drama, Fleischer's film follows a secret "off the record" police task force in the 1940s and 50s as they try to keep the east coast mob from moving into Los Angeles. In particular, high-profile gangster Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen (Penn) who was a member of the so-called "Jewish Mafia."
Joining the actor names mentioned above in supporting roles are the likes of Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Pena, Robert Patrick, Anthony Mackie and Troy Garity. Former L.A. cop and novelist Will Beall penned the script which "Zombieland" helmer Fleischer directs. Fleischer says he aims to make an iconic gangster movie that uses the L.A. setting as a key element of the action.
Considering Fleischer's career has been made on mostly action comedies, many were wondering how he would go handling both dramatic and period elements. The first trailers came out and the surprise was mostly about the glossy sheen on display - it's a stylised and flashy piece which plays up the period elements and look - think a more glamorous and less complicated "L.A. Confidential." Fleischer admitted they took some liberties with the true story aspect which is ultimately about the Penn/Brolin face-off for the future of Los Angeles.
Things changed in July though in the wake of the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. The key set piece of the movie involved mob goons shooting submachine guns at moviegoers through the screen of Grauman's Chinese Theater. The scene was featured prominently in the trailer, a trailer that was quickly yanked from release. The sequence is crucial to the story though, which caused the studio to call in everyone for a week of reshoots which shifted the setting of the gunfight to L.A.'s Chinatown district.
This pushed the film back from its original early Fall bow to a January release date. Costing a fairly high $75 million, the studio now faces another problem in the form of a media re-examining the influence of violent movies in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre. As the first major movie release of the year, this has become an unexpected gamble for the studio. A carefully considered campaign has to be in place as things move forward, and hopefully the film itself will be strong enough that people will consider it on its own merit.
The Gatekeepers
Opens: February 1st 2013
Cast: Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter, Yuval Diskin, Carmi Gillon, Yaakov Peri
Director: Dror Moreh
Analysis: Dror Moreh's acclaimed documentary explores Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service - the domestic counterpart to its more well-known external intelligence branch the Mossad. Inspired by Errol Morris’s Oscar-winning documentary "The Fog of War," which extensively interviewed famed U.S. Defense secretary Robert McNamara, Moreh decided to try something similar and even more ambitious. His goal was to get at least several of the former heads of Shin Bet to appear on camera and discuss their work.
The surprise is that he was able to land six of them to participate, including Yuval Diskin who was in charge of the organisation at the time of the interview. Assembled in a loose chronological order, the film consists of seven segments which cover key events such as the agency's rise to prominence during the Six Day War, the "300 bus" incident, the assassinations of Yahya Ayyash and Yitzhak Rabin, and the peace process in the wake of the Oslo Accords and during the Second Intifada.
Issues of torture, collateral damage and the morality of targeted assassinations are also delved into, and result in some surprisingly personal confessions from these former giants of what remains a highly secretive organisation. It took three years to produce the final film which assembles interview footage, archival footage and CG animated recreations. The result drew unanimous raves from critics at the various film festivals it played at during the Fall. Sony Classics are now giving it a limited theatrical bow in early February.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Opens: March 29th 2013
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Stevenson
Director: Jon Chu
Analysis: Stephen Sommers' 2009 franchise launcher "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" was like much of the director's work - overstuffed with characters and ridiculous in the extreme. It was a CG-fuelled kiddie movie of cartoonish violence and sillier performances that bore very little relation to the actual G.I. Joe toy and cartoon franchise. Grossing $300 million worldwide on a costly budget of $175 million, Paramount's announcement of a sequel surprised many.
"Zombieland" scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick wrote the script, "Step Up" series director Jon Chu took over the helm, and the cast underwent a big shake-up with only five actors from the first film - Channing Tatum, Lee Byung-hun, Ray Park, Arnold Vosloo and Jonathan Pryce - reprising their roles here. Instead, both The Rock and Bruce Willis have been enlisted with the latter playing the original Joe himself - General Joe Colton.
What can be seen is something a bit more grounded in reality than the previous film - less about Saharan secret bases and super CG submersibles, and more about straightforward action. The plot is fairly routine - the G.I. Joes are framed as traitors and are all seemingly wiped out. The few that remain must stop Cobra from taking control of nuclear missiles and launching them at various cities. Even so, there's still a goofy appeal here with sequences such as ninjas sword fighting whilst hanging from ropes along the sides of a sheer cliff.
The film made major headlines back in May when, one month before its scheduled release, it was pushed back a whopping nine months. Officially the delay was to both add 3D and boost the international marketing campaign. Unofficially, word was that test screenings for the film did not go so well. Some extensive reshoots were done to work back in Channing Tatum's character who originally died quite early on in the film. Between the time of shooting and the time of release, Tatum's star had soared and he suddenly became a big asset.
It is expected he will now take on a more substantial role in the final product. With a budget hovering at around $185 million, this is a big gamble for Paramount. Ultimately though they did the right thing, giving the film necessary breathing room instead of letting it become a casualty at this year's overcrowded Summer box-office. How the final product will fare we'll have to wait and see, but for now I've considerably more anticipation for this sequel than I had for anything I saw in the lead up to the first film.
Girl Most Likely
Opens: July 19th 2013
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Annette Benning, Darren Criss, Matt Dillon, Natasha Lyonne
Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Analysis: Many of us suspected it would only be a matter of time before former SNL star Kristen Wiig broke out and made it big - in 2011 she did just that with the success of "Bridesmaids". Now she's been able to translate that success into making this passion project which she's been keen to do for some time. She's also managed to convince Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, who helmed HBO's "Cinema Verite," to come onboard and direct it.
Previously titled "Imogene," Wiig plays a modestly successful New York playwright who stages a fake suicide attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately this leads to her being put into the custody of her estranged and gambling-addicted mother (Benning) to try and shake some sense back into her. Thrown into the mix is her outright odd brother (Chris Fitzgerald), a hunky tenant (Darren Criss), and her mom’s new boyfriend who claims to be a CIA agent (Matt Dillon).
Reviews out of Toronto were mixed with a lot of praise for the performances, especially Wiig giving a low-key and subtle take, that overcome the deficiencies of Michelle Morgan's script. Described as sitcom-esque and contrived, with jokes revolving around the differences between New Jersey and New York residents, reactions varied considerably depending upon how the reviewers felt about the actors. All had issues with the story and dramatic turn of the third act, the degree to which they complained though varied considerably.
A Glimpse Inside The Mind of Charles Swan III
Opens: February 8th 2013
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Katheryn Winnick, Patricia Arquette
Director: Roman Coppola
Analysis: It's interesting how timing works out. Ten years ago Roman Coppola's debut film "CQ" opened to solid reviews and little box-office, meaning that it quietly disappeared. Now, back with his second feature, this one is guaranteed not to suffer the same unfair fate. Even with a high profile cast though, the sad fact is that attention is being paid due to its leading man - Charlie Sheen. Not only does this mark his first major onscreen role since leaving "Two and a Half Men" and the subsequent tabloid meltdown, the story seems to mirror aspects of his life.
In 'Swan,' Sheen plays a successful 1970s graphic designer who is irresistible to women. He soon slinks into a spiral of self-doubt and depression after being dumped, and must turn his life around. If it works, this could put Sheen firmly back on the comeback trail. While some frown upon his ego and personality, the man still has a major fan base which will likely come out in force for this. Add in a raft of impressive cameos, even some of the Sheen-haters might take a look as well.
Screened at the Rome Film Festival, reviews were actually pretty good, with plenty of praise for the period recreation and the film's production values. The full on fantasy scenes, infantile and sexualised dreams that the character becomes a part of to escape his despair, sound like fun. Script issues however, namely the lack of both a solid story and the title character's development, were cited as the film's major drawbacks.
Gods Behaving Badly
Opens: 2013
Cast: Christopher Walken, Alicia Silverstone, Oliver Platt, Sharon Stone, Edie Falco
Director: Marc Turtletaub
Analysis: "Percy Jackson: A Romantic Comedy"? Sounds like it with this film adaptation of Marie Phillips' comedic novel which sets up the premise that the Greek Gods are alive, dysfunctional and living in a brownstone in modern London (which will be changed to New York City for this film). It's there that a young couple (Silverstone and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) encounter them and soon their budding relationship, and the world as we know it, threatens to crumble.
The book scored a lot of praise for its comedy - the gods portrayed as seedy, down on their luck has-beens. An impressive cast are set to play the Olympian pantheon including Christopher Walken (Zeus), John Turturro (Hades), Sharon Stone (Aphrodite), Oliver Platt (Apollo), Edie Falco (Artemis), Phylicia Rashad (Demeter), Nelsan Ellis (Dionysus), Gideon Glick (Eros), Henry Zebrowski (Hermes) and Rosie Perez (Persephone).
As a premise it's quite promising, and actually would be better suited for a sitcom rather than a one-off film. The question now is if debut director Marc Turtletaub has the chops to keep the edge and humor or if it will be toned down in order to appeal to more regular rom-com fans. Whatever the case, the film has seen some delays as it was shot in Summer 2011, and then underwent reshoots a few months ago. Independently funded, it's only expected to get a limited release sometime early in 2013.
A Good Day to Die Hard
Opens: February 14th 2013
Cast: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Cole Hauser, Sebastian Koch, Amaury Nolasco
Director: John Moore
Analysis: After twelve years of dormancy, 2007's "Live Free or Die Hard" revived the franchise. The lack of director John McTiernan, lack of Bruce Willis' hair, the toning down of the violence to PG-13 levels, and some CG assisted athleticism gave the film a different feel to those that had come before. Still, the critics liked it, and the worldwide box-office was solid with a $383.5 million haul. Good enough that Fox soon began work on a fifth entry in the series.
With the fourth film introducing us to a now adult Lucy McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), it seemed logical that the fifth one would incorporate John's son Jack as a young adult. At the same time, there was talk that the action would be set outside the United States for the first time, allowing the fish-out-of-water comedy of seeing John McClane living up to the stereotype of the worst kind of tourist - loud, bombastic, arrogant and ignorant of the culture around him.
Lo and behold, the speculation was right with the plot revealed to involve John McClane heading to Moscow to find his wayward son. Turns out Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist by a Russian crime boss. Young Aussie actor Jai Courtney, seen in small roles in Starz' "Spartacus: Blood & Sand" and more recently "Jack Reacher," beat out more well-known names to play the younger McClane.
He's a solid choice, with more concern likely to be focused on the film's writer Skip Woods ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "Swordfish") and director John Moore ("Max Payne," "Behind Enemy Lines"). While judgement is still out on the quality, the first trailers certainly impressed with the scale. From scenes of massive destruction including multiple car bomb explosions, to a helicopter gun ship soaring over a cityscape - it all looks quite flash.
Though there's an over reliance on CG, there's also a welcome return of the irreverence of the series that was sorely missed in the last film. In fact, the shot of a villain (Cole Hauser) using a carrot like an orchestra conductor's wand has become something of an internet sensation - go figure. Is this the end? Willis said he'd be open to do a sixth film, but that would be the final outing of John McClane. In the meantime, let's hope 'Good Day' proves as much fun as the other odd-numbered entries in this series.
ALSO OPENING:
Get a Job
"Rodger Dodger" and "P.S." director Dylan Kidd has roped in an impressive cast for this comedy about a recent college graduate, his friends, and their attempts to secure employment in Los Angeles. This seems them having to lower their expectations about life as they enter the real world during a recession. Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranston, Alison Brie, John Cho, Miles Teller, Marcia Gay Harden, John C. McGinley, Nicholas Braun, Jorge Garcia, Brandon T. Jackson and Bruce Davison all star in the film which wrapped a few months ago. No word on a release as yet, but a festival premiere mid-year sounds the likeliest possibility.
Getaway
No, not a remake of the Steve McQueen classic. Rather, this is a fairly ordinary looking thriller from director Courtney Solomon ("An American Haunting," "Captivity") in which Ethan Hawke plays a burned out race car driver whose wife is kidnapped. His only hope to save her is to follow the orders of the mysterious voice (Jon Voight) who is watching his movements through cameras mounted on the car he's driving. His only ally is a young hacker (Selena Gomez). Warners is essentially dumping the film in theatres at the end of August, and so far there's been nothing shown from it that could generate any real interest.
Ginger and Rosa
"Orlando" director Sally Potter returns to helm this 1960s coming-of-age tale which opened in the UK this past October and hits internationally early in 2013. American Elle Fanning and Australian Alice Englert star as young British teenagers who grow up fast as the Cuban Missile Crisis looms in the background. Things take a morally tricky turn when the underage Rosa falls for Ginger’s writer dad (Alessandro Nivola). An impressive supporting cast play mentor or parental figures here including Annette Bening, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall and Oliver Platt. Decent, but restrained reviews in the British press praised the two girls. They were more mixed on some of the adults, and many mentioned problems of pacing, self-consciousness and indulgence on Potter's part.
Girls Against Boys
A brutal indie revenge movie in which naïve college student Shae (Danielle Panabaker), preyed on by a number of men, teams up with her bartender co-worker Lu (Nicole LaLiberte) to get revenge. Their graphic murder spree doesn't just include their attackers, but soon any man unlucky enough to cross their path. When Lu’s truly sadistic side starts to emerge, Shae finds herself struggling to survive. Michael Stahl-David ("Cloverfield") is one of the victims in the film which became something of a SXSW favorite back in March for its more psychological character-driven approach than other films of this type. Anchor Bay picked up the film, which is getting a limited bow on February 1st.
Volume 0-9: 2 Guns, 21 and Over, 33 dias, 42, 47 Ronin, 300: Rise of An Empire, 7500
