I have been looking forward to the trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s version of The Great Gatsby since the day it was announced that he would direct and Leonardo DiCaprio would star as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s America Between the Wars anti-hero, Jay Gatsby. Now that it’s here, I’m not quite sure what to think. I’m going to have to watch it a few times before I fall in love. I expected to love it right away, but it didn’t grab me. (Part of it stems from Luhrmann’s propensity to use modern music. The song under the trailer isn’t bad, but I wanted hot jazz.) Just like with the trailer for Gangster Squad, I think my expectations were too high and too assuming, I guess is the right word. I should not have assumed a straight-ahead retelling or something quietly charming and pretty like the Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version of 1974. I should, rather, have expected something a bit bolder in the vein of Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (the director’s first pairing with star DiCaprio) or even Moulin Rouge, rather than Australia. The dramatics as well as the sexual tension are obviously heightened here and Luhrmann’s certainly got a handle on the look of the period. His wife, Catherine Martin, has designed a hell of an ode to the “roaring twenties” with her gorgeous sets and costumes. I definitely want to see more, in fact as I write this, and I watch the trailer again, the more I like it.
It’s got a cast that won’t be denied. DiCaprio as Gatsby is about as good as one is likely to get. (Me thinks my crush has been rekindled already.) Carey Mulligan’s Daisy I’m still unsure about, but I can well imagineTobey Maguire as thoughtful, perceptive Nick Carraway (DiCaprio’s r/l best pal) with his veneer of honesty. I can only compare Joel Edgerton’s Tom Buchanan to Bruce Dern in my head and Edgerton has it all over him. He can convey quiet menace with a raised eyebrow instead of barely controlled batshit crazy (which is what I always got from Dern.) We didn’t really get a good look at Isla Fisher’s Myrtle Wilson or Jason Clarke as her husband, but there’s plenty of time before Christmas for that. I think this trailer has probably done its job in that it will get all those who see it and are interested in either the subject or a Baz Luhrmann film, talking. I’d see it for the cast and the costumes no matter what. I’m not sold on the 3D idea. I can well imagine it will serve to enhance the already spectacular visuals, but at what cost to the narrative? I think 3D cost Martin Scorsese an Oscar. We’ll see.
As of right now, Warner Brothers still has The Great Gatsby opening on Christmas Day (in the US, Boxing Day in the UK), head to head with Tarantino’s Django Unchained, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I’m still betting one of them moves. WB is playing chicken with Harvey Weinstein. I know who my money’s on.
We also have some new images from the film below. Enjoy!
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Several weeks ago we had your first on-set look at Christoph Waltz in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, followed closely by the first poster. At that point we had some info, but not a lot in terms of the actual plot.
First, we have two official stills to share from the film. One giving us our first look at Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie and the other featuring both Christoph Waltz as King Schultz and a first look at Jamie Foxx as Django.
Add to that, what many were calling an ‘official’ plot synopsis came online last week, but I was waiting for confirmation. According to The Weinstein Company, we have it and this is the really truly official plotline for the film (turns out what we had wasn’t too far off):
Set in the South two years before the Civil War, Django Unchained stars Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles, dead or alive.
Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.
Django and Schultz’s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of Candyland, an infamous plantation where slaves are groomed by trainer Ace Woody (Kurt Russell) to battle each other for sport. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie’s trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival…
Written and directed by Academy Award-winner Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained is produced by Stacey Sher, Pilar Savone and Reginald Hudlin. The executive producers are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, Shannon McIntosh, and James Skotchdopole.Django Unchained will be released in the U.S. on December 25, 2012, and in the UK on the 19th January.
Going against my own policy, I’m betting Harvey already has at least two of his horses lined up for the Awards Season race with Django Unchained and Lawless.
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HBO’s Boardwalk Empire doesn’t return for its third season until September but they’ve already dropped another fantastic little teaser on us. (Meanwhile, series creator Terence Winter has adapted Jordan Belfort’s The Wolf of Wall Street for series exec. producer Martin Scorsese. The film will reteam Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio.)
What I’m about to tell you may be a bit “spoiler-y” if you haven’t yet seen the end of season 2:
When last we saw Enoch “Knucky” Thompson, he had driven out to meet his fellow land buyers to celebrate their new fortune, while Margaret (Kelly Macdonald), without Nucky's knowledge, had donated the land to the Catholic Church. Nucky, of course, will do whatever he has to in order to get that land back. Margaret is finally refusing to just let things happen to her. I think this bodes ill for their relationship and their marriage, what d’you think? We’ll find out in September.
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Here’s a brand new first poster for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained! I’ve been hanging on to an international version of this poster for a couple of days waiting for confirmation that it’s the real deal and according to The Weinstein Company, it is. (No one doubts Harvey) and just to drive home the point they've released a domestic version.
Tarantino has declared his love of so called 'spaghetti westerns' many times in the past and how they have influenced his own style of filmmaking (if you’ve seen The Good, The Bad and the Ugly etc, it’s apparent, especially in films like Kill Bill Volume 2 and Inglourious Basterds). He’s said that Django Unchained is a blatant homage to those films, as well as to modern westerns, be they of the Spaghetti variety or the Jim Brown/Raquel Welch 100 Rifles-variety.
It makes sense that the first poster would recall the minimalist/Saul Bass/60s-70s posters from that era.
Django Unchained centers on Jamie Foxx’s Django, an ex-slave liberated by a German dentist/bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) who is then taught the business by his mentor. Meanwhile it is Django’s quest to find his wife. To do so he must “get past the villainous ranch owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who runs 'Candyland', a despicable club and plantation in Mississippi where female slaves are exploited as sex objects and males are pitted against each other in “mandingo”-style death matches. Candie is a slave’s worst nightmare, so naturally that is where Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) is being kept and abused.
The phenomenal cast includes Foxx, DiCaprio, Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson,Washington, Walton Goggins, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony LaPaglia, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kurt Russell, James Russo, M.C. Gainey, RZA, Tom Wopat, Gerald McRainey, Lewis Smith and Don Johnson as wealthy plantation owner Spencer “Big Daddy” Bennett. (I had such a crush on Johnson in the 80’s!) The film is already being talked about in the hushed tones of awards-potential awe and it’s not even completed yet. Sorry, but, especially after this year, I’m not hoping on any bandwagons too early.
The film will open in the US on Christmas Day (opposite Playing the Field with Gerard Butler- just as an FYI) and on the 26th in the UK which, of course, puts it in prime awards-contention territory. Oh and DiCaprio has another high profile film also set for release that same day, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Somehow I think either Django or Gatsby will end up moving. (It will be a game of studio chicken I suspect.) You can find updates and more info at the film's official Facebook page as well.
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It was a month ago that we gave you your first peek at the setting for Quentin Tarantino’s latest, Django Unchained. At that point all we could show you was a few glimpses of some dusty western streets (the same streets used in HBO’s Deadwood as a matter of fact). Today we have your first look at Christoph Waltz as Dr. King Schultz.
This is to be film-buff Tarantino’s homage to modern westerns, be they of the Spaghetti variety or the Jim Brown/Raquel Welch 100 Rifles-variety. It centers on Jamie Foxx’s Django, an ex-slave liberated by a German dentist/bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) who is then taught the business by his mentor. Meanwhile it is Django’s quest to find his wife. To do so he must “get past the villainous ranch owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who runs 'Candyland', a despicable club and plantation in Mississippi where female slaves are exploited as sex objects and males are pitted against each other in “mandingo”-style death matches. Candie is a slave’s worst nightmare, so naturally that is where Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) is being kept and abused.
The phenomenal cast of Django Unchained includes Foxx, DiCaprio, Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson,Washington, Walton Goggins, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony LaPaglia, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kurt Russell, James Russo, M.C. Gainey, RZA, Tom Wopat, Gerald McRainey, Lewis Smith and Don Johnson as wealthy plantation owner Spencer “Big Daddy” Bennett. (I had such a crush on Johnson in the 80’s!) The film is already being talked about in the hushed tones of awards-potential awe and it’s not even completed yet. Sorry, but, especially after this year, I’m not hoping on any bandwagons too early.
The film will open in the US on Christmas Day (opposite Playing the Field with Gerard Butler- just as an FYI) and on the 26th in the UK which, of course, puts it in prime awards-contention territory. Oh and DiCaprio has another high profile film also set for release that same day, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Somehow I think one of these will end up moving. (It will be a game of studio chicken I suspect.)
Check out the pics. There are a couple of Tarantino at work and Samuel L. Jackson arriving on set.
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This week has really got something for everyone! J. Edgar, director Clint Eastwood’s biopic of the longtime head of the FBI, Tower Heist with Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller, much talked about indie Martha Marcy May Marlene and my person pick of the week, London Boulevard.
Let’s start there, shall we? London Boulevard is a British gangster flick, the idea of which right off the bat we know is gonna make my socks roll up and down. It’s also the directorial debut of screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed) and based on a novel by one of my favorite writers, Ken Bruen. The best way to describe Bruen is to say he’s the Irish James Ellroy. (If that means nothing to you, chances are Bruen isn’t gonna be your cuppa anyway.) The tagline is “Not every criminal wants to be one.” To further illustrate the point, think of Al Pacino in Godfather III, “Every time I think I’m out…they pull me back in!”
The movie stars Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley and Anna Friel. While I was, at one time, skeptical about the fact that a couple of the characters had been combined and Knightley’s was much younger than she was in the book, I saw the thing and I liked it. A lot. The supporting cast includes (the always excellent) Ray Winstone, Ben Chaplin, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Graham, Jamie Campbell-Bower and David Thewlis (I still can’t believe he and Friel aren’t together anymore. I guess there won’t be any more collaborations either). The music is by Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzone (he even used “Clubfoot” for what else, a club scene and “Green Fairy” is used as sort of Keira Knightley’s Charlotte’s theme.)
Here’s a look at a behind-the-scenes featurette from the dvd extras (courtesy of MovieWeb), actually it’s the only extra:
J. Edgar was supposed to finally earn Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar. I’m pretty sure that’s why he made this movie. I have no idea what Clint Eastwood’s excuse is. A biopic, in my opinion, should shed some light on its subject, but there was so much of Hoover’s life that is unknowable to us now. Anyone who was there is gone and he left behind virtually nothing in terms of writings or papers that weren’t already a matter of public record. And it seems even that was subject to Hoover’s interpretation. DiCaprio does his best behind layers of prosthetic makeup and it is a valiant performance, but he’s been better. His Howard Hughs in The Aviator was a more gripping portrait of an infamous character and did actually illuminate the myth to a degree. (They both suffer from “It’s all Mommy’s fault” syndrome.) Armie Hammer was good enough as Clyde Tolson and there is a parade of well known actors impersonating well known figures from recent history.
It’s not a bad movie. There’s too much talent involved here for that to be entirely true. It’s worth a look on dvd or VOD…or you could wait for cable.
J. Edgar also stars Naomi Watts, Dame Judi Dench, Dermot Mulroney, Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Root and Josh Lucas. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo includes instant streaming of the film with UltraViolet Digital Copy
On the Blu-ray:
-Featurette: “J Edgar: The Most Powerful Man in the World”, about the man and the film behind the man.
On the DVD:
-Featurette: “J. Edgar- A Complicated Man”, more background of the controversial FBI director.
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a powerful psychological drama with star-making performance by Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the ubiquitous twins) as Martha, a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. When her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be pursuing her, the line between Martha’s reality and delusion begins to blur.
Martha Marcy May Marlene also stars Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott and Maria Dizzia. The dvd/blu-ray special features include “Mary Last Seen,” the chilling short film by writer/director Sean Durkin that started it all.
Last but not least is Tower Heist from beleaguered director Brett Ratner and starring Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller and a terrific ensemble cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Tea Leoni and Alan Alda.
Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) manages a super-high-tech high-rise in the middle of Manhattan, catering to every need of the tower's residents, including financier Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). When Shaw gets arrested by the FBI, Kovacs realizes that his staff's pensions, which he asked Shaw to invest, are lost, and when it looks like Shaw is going to get away with it, Kovacs pulls together a mismatched team (Broderick, Affleck, Peña, Sidibe, and Murphy) to steal the secret stash of cash that the FBI suspects Shaw must have. Tower Heist successfully tweaks all the character clichés just enough so that they are a smooth blend of the familiar and the unexpected. The plot zips along with purring efficiency, alternating predictable turns with surprising ones just enough to keep the pattern-seeking parts of the viewer's brain hooked. The cast–which also includes Téa Leoni as the lead FBI agent–charms without overdoing it. In essence, director Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand and the Rush Hour series) has honed all of his sloppier tendencies and crafted a skillful piece of mass entertainment. Afterward, the movie's plot holes and defiance of the laws of physics may irritate, but while it's unfolding, Tower Heist is a smooth ride.
This is also the film this week with the most special features. In fact, it’s loaded:
SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY™ FEATURES: PERFECT HI-DEF PICTURE, PERFECT HI-DEF SOUND
-Two Alternate Endings – not seen in theatres!
-Universal’s Second Screen An interactive viewing experience that lets you control, interact with and explore Tower Heist with your networked tablet or computer.
-Flick View: Interact with the movie; move content from the tablet to the TV screen; and compare storyboards, animatics and other executing content by “Flicking” them from on their tablet to their TV screen, simply by gesturing your fingers.
-Behind the Scenes w/Flick View: Get an all-access look at the making of the film featuring interviews with cast and crew.
-Storyboards w/Flick View: Take a closer look at the storyboards created for some of the amazing sequences in the film.
-The Music of Tower Heist: Songs from the Tower Heist soundtrack are highlighted with the option to add to a playlist and purchase. Hear a song you like? See information about the soundtrack, add songs to your playlist and even purchase them.
-Hilarious Deleted & Alternate Scenes
-Gag Reel
-Plotting Tower Heist — Director Brett Ratner, producer Brian Grazer and the entire cast bring this heist film to a whole new level. Learn how the project started, and meet the screenwriters and cast. This exclusive feature reveals the secrets of the set design, special effects and more, including what it took to create the iconic sequence involving Steve McQueen’s car!
-Feature Commentary with director Brett Ratner, editor Mark Helfrich and co-writers Ted Griffin & Jeff Nathanson
-Tower Heist Video Diary – Director Brett Ratner takes fans through the filmmaking process with these personal video production diaries from the set.
-Digital Copy of Tower Heist for a limited time only (download by 7/27/12)
-Includes UltraViolet (download/redeem by 7/27/2012). Download or stream instantly to tablets, smartphones, and computers.
pocketBLU™: Experience Blu-ray™ in an exciting new way with the pocket BLU™ app for iPad®, iPhone®, iPod® Touch, Android™, smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac®.
-Advanced Virtual Remote and Keyboard: Control Blu-ray™ features and communicate with ease.
-Video Timeline: Instantly access any point in the film.
-Mobile-To-Go: Transfer exclusive bonus features to your device to enjoy anytime, anywhere.
-Browse Titles: Access a library of available titles and previews.
-BD-Live™: Access bonus content, trailers and more through an internet-connected player.
-U-Control: Watch storyboard comparisons and more while the movie plays.
SPECIAL EDITION DVD BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
-Two Alternate Endings – not seen in theatres!
-Hilarious Deleted & Alternate Scenes
-Gag Reel
-Plotting Tower Heist — Following the structure of a classic caper movie in three acts, director Brett Ratner, producer Brian Grazer and the entire cast bring this heist film to a whole new level. -Learn how the project started, as well as meet the screenwriters and cast. This exclusive feature reveals the secrets of the set design, special effects and more, including what it took to create the iconic sequence involving Steve McQueen’s car!
-Feature Commentary with director Brett Ratner, editor Mark Helfrich and co-writers Ted Griffin & Jeff Nathanson
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As much as I’m loathe to put more money into James Cameron’s pockets (this movie has made nearly 2 BILLION not counting dvd), I know I must not be selfish. There is a generation out there eager to go to the theater to see Titanic 3D, even if I’m content to watch my special edition dvd. (I saw the thing five times in the theater, and I’d do it again, if it weren’t in 3D.)
Looking at these banners, the thing that strikes me the most is how baby-faced Leonardo DiCaprio was! He was twenty two and looked fifteen. He’s only just recently lost that little-boy look too. I’m sure there are a lot of us who will always see him like that. (And I will admit to a slightly cougar-like crush in those days. I won’t tell you how many times I saw The Man in the Iron Mask.)
I'll admit it’s fun to see the trailer in theaters again and I can even feel nostalgia when “My Heart Will Go On” swells beneath it, but since I didn’t see the movie for the ship and the big iceberg in the first place, I’ll leave the 3D to you young whippersnappers. Titanic 3D comes to theaters on April 4 in the US and 6th April in the UK.
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Warner Brothers has released the first two official images from Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, which continues to film in his native Australia, in 3D no less. I will definitely need to be convinced of the value of filming F. Scott Fitzgerald in 3D, but I digress.
These are the first official images, since we’ve been getting periodic reports and pics from the set for the past couple of months. The first one shows us Tobey Maguire as Nick Carroway, Cary Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jay Gatsby and Joel Edgerton’s Tom Buchanan in the background at what appears to be a New Year’s Even soiree. The second pic is a moment between the lovers Gatsby and Daisy. Of course we don’t know the context, but it looks tender.
The Great Gatsby, with an adaptation by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, who have collaborated previously on Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom, also stars Isla Fisher as Myrtle Wilson, Jason Clarke as George Wilson and Gemma Ward as Myrtle’s sister, Catherine. The film opens December 25, 2012 in the US.
