I have a confession to make -- a dirty little secret, if you will: I like Michael Bay movies. Notice I did not say “films” ... I said movies. Don't get me wrong, I love me some films of the art house variety, too, but I (unlike other stuffy critics) know when to leave my brain at the door, release my inner adolescent and enjoy a cinematic thrill ride. And Bay has been honing his thrill ride formula for a good little while now. Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon (love that one), Pearl...
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I wrote earlier about a young Canadian filmmaker, Matthieu Ratthe, and his demo trailer of The Talisman -- the 1984 Stephen King and Peter Straub collaboration. (Some huge sites, like USAToday.com and AintItCoolNews, took note of this blog and also wrote up about it.) Film rights were purchased by Steven Spielberg around the time of publication, but so far, every attempt at bringing this to the screen (big or small) has failed. Ratthe's video was an attempt to get Spielberg and Co's attention...
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The Los Angeles Times spoke with Harrison Ford this week and the actor opened up about the status of another Indy sequel. "It's crazy, but great," the 66-year-old Ford said. "George [Lucas] is in think-mode right now. ... We did well with the last one and with that having been a positive experience, it's not surprising that some people want to do it again."Regarding worry that his too-long-gone archeologist would not fit in the new millennium, Ford said:"It was never a lead-pipe cinch. It was...
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WORDLSINGER'S NOTE: Here's another example of categories being limiting. Should this documentary be filed under Pop Culture, DVD reviews, Steven Spielberg? I think, given the visionary über-directors involved, I will put it under The Auteurs.Critic and film historian Richard Schickel's documentary, Watch The Skies! Science-Fiction, The 1950s and Us is a fascinating look at Hollywood sci-fi films, post-World War II. Produced in 2005 by TCM, the hour-long doc features George Lucas, Steven...
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In 1984, two of America's most popular authors, Stephen King and Peter Straub, collaborated on what was anticipated to be "the greatest horror novel of all time": The Talisman. Critical reception was mixed, due in no small part to the fact the book - despite the reputations of its creators - was not a horror story. It was, in fact, a coming of age fantasy involving a young boy on a grand quest.From the FlapJack Sawyer, twelve years old, is about to begin a most fantastic journey - an exalting, ...
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Despite the risk of over-saturating this site with posts about Steven Spielberg, I recently found a 2005 interview with the director conducted by British film historian, Mark Kermode. Covering the years 1969 (Night Gallery pilot) to 2006 (post Munich), this fascinating conversation is almost as good as Richard Schickel's, TCM produced, Spielberg on Spielberg from 2007 (as soon as that is available for internet embedding, I will put it up). Also covered is the rumored legend of how a teenaged S...
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You already know of my passion for the works of Steven Spielberg -- my Jonesing for Indy posts, and review of Indy 4 have made this obvious. I've also posted documentaries, interviews, and other essays. But I recently came across three gems on the web that I knew I needed to share here.Even before he announced his presence with authority with 1971's TV movie Duel (also posted in its entirety on this site, you can watch it by clicking here), little Stevie Spielberg was honing the craft which wo...
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WORDSLINGER'S NOTE: This is a two-part review. Part 1 is my thoughts after my initial screening of the movie. Part 2 is after my second viewing. What a difference a day makes.PART ONE - 5/22/08Well, after months of writing about the new Indiana Jones movie, I have finally seen the film and am posting my review. Truth told ... I'm still processing it. It's been 19 years since 1989's last installment, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Given nearly two decades of anticipation, expectations a...
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The new theatrical trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has been released online and to theaters. Bon appétit.If you prefer glorious QuickTime high def, click one of the following:high definition trailer - mediumhigh definition trailer - largeINDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL(new theatrical trailer) Here is a bonus video for you ... just because I care.INDY 4 LOOKS BACK AT THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY - part 1 of 2(cool new documentary) ...
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A second TV teaser for Indy 4 just appeared online. New to this spot are dialogue from Cate Blanchett as Irina Spalko, a pitch perfect Indy retort, a motorcycle escape with Indy and Mutt, and brief snippets of bigger, badder set pieces. No word when we'll be getting the real theatrical trailer (gotta be soon, Memorial Day is around the corner), but until then ... here you go. ...
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New photos, new interview, the countdown to Memorial Day continues. We should also be only days away from a new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer and a HARD marketing push. Makes me feel like a kid again. (Thanks to Empire Magazine for the pics.)KAREN ALLEN AS MARION RAVENWOOD - AGELESSHARRISON FORD AS INDIANA JONES - NOT SO AGELESSSHIA LeBEOUF AS MUTT WILLIAMS? INDY AND MARION'S SON?GEORGE LUCAS AND STEVEN SPIELBERG“George, are you really sure Shia will look c...
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Thirty days.Thirty days away from the worldwide release of Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I've said all I can say about this in previous posts, and while I've found some verrrrrrrrrry interesting spoilers on the web, some of them were just a little too spoilery - better for us all to be surprised.However, I do have some new photos to whet your appetite.Sing it with me ... Bum ba duh dummmmm, bum ba dummmmm!...
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Not very much to report here ... save for the fact that a new TV spot for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull premiered this morning. It's really only a shorter version of the teaser released on Valentine's Day, with the exception of a few seconds of new Indy and Mutt banter at the very beginning. Not really newsworthy, I know, but ...What is kinda cool is the Indy Widget that Paramount and LucasFilm Marketing e-mailed me. It's got all kinds of bells and whistles on it, includi...
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Elsewhere on this site, I have devoted many words to my admiration and respect for Steven Spielberg and Richard Matheson. I have also noted that the first television movie Spielberg directed was a brilliant adaptation of Matheson's short story, DUEL.The story doesn't get any more complicated than this: mysterious truck terrorizes man driving across desert. Dennis Weaver stars as David Mann, and does a remarkable job of emoting panic and paranoia with a taut-but-threadbare script (also by Mathes...
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Those who own any of the DVD releases of Steven Spielberg's Jaws, have undoubtedly seen the documentary about the making of the film, directed by Laurent Bouzereau. I could write an entire post about Bouzereau -- and I just might -- hands down the best cinema documentarian around. His Making of Jaws was produced in 1995 for a laser disc release, but was so thorough in its coverage of interviews with all the principals (save for Robert Shaw, who died in 1978), it remains a remarkable testament ...
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The Incredibles -- not only one of the best damn animated movies ever made, I'd dare say it's one of the most well-crafted, energetic, fun and funny movies of any genre, period. One that gets even better with repeat viewings. Writer/director Brad Bird was invited into the Pixar fold by his old CalArts buddy (and Pixar CEO), John Lasseter. He would go on, of course, to make the equally good Ratatouille.Prior to joining Pixar, Brad Bird wrote and directed The Iron Giant for Warner Bros. While ...
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Looks like we've got a pretty cool Valentine's present from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. The first teaser trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was posted online today, and ... man, if my appetite wasn't whetted before, now I'm really drooling.STEVEN SPIELBERG AND CAST ~ INDY 4As rumored, the Ark of the Covenant from Raiders will play a part in this film - we don't see the Ark in the clip, just Indy swinging by his whip through that infamous warehouse (previously ...
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In 1999, after seeing M. Night Shyamalan's landmark, The Sixth Sense, the first words I spoke as credits rolled, were, “Instant classic.” The low budget thriller went on to be (at the time) the 10th highest grossing film ever. “A Little Movie That Could” if there ever was one.A month after its release, another spooky little film came out entitled, Stir of Echoes. Given the fact its story was quite similar to The Sixth Sense -- a little boy who sees dead people -- the mo...
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It only took 19 years, but Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is finally in the can. After countless scripts came and went (by such respected scribes as M. Night Shyamalan and Frank Darabont), George Lucas finally found a winner with David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds). With Spielberg at the helm, and Harrison Ford once again donning his famous fedora, the new Indy will hit screens on Memorial Day 2008. Also starring are Cate Blanchett (rumored to be the ...
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