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Archives for April 2009

McMafia to be given the Working Title Treatment

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McMafiaThe film rights to Mischa Glenny’s McMafia have now been picked up by Working Title Films. McMafia is a non-fiction book which looks at the world of international organised crime, and could well convert incredibly well to film.

As yet there are no names attached to the film, and no writer/director has yet been chosen. A production date is yet to be set, and McMafia is presently in its very early stages.

Working Title has produced some absolutely fantastic films throughout the years, and McMafia has the potential to be one of the very best yet. It’ll be interesting to see how this one develops, and hopefully it won’t be long before we’re hearing more about McMafia.

Maggie Gyllenhaal to Appear in Nanny McPhee 2

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Nanny McPhee PosterProduction Weekly tweeted on Friday to announce that Maggie Gyllenhaal is to star in the Nanny McPhee sequel. Emma Thompson will once more appear, and Maggie Gyllenhaal is to be her co-star.

Filming begins next month at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, and although no word has yet been announced about what the film will actually be about; I’m sure that it’s only a matter of time before information is provided as to the direction that the second film will take.

The original Nanny McPhee was released in 2005 with a budget of roughly $34 million, and the second film is planned for release at some point in 2010.

Kyle Gallner to Appear in Samuel Bayer’s A Nightmare On Elm Street Re-Imagining

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Freddy KruegerKyle Gallner (The Haunting in Connecticut) is to appear in Samuel Bayer’s A Nightmare On Elm Street re-imagining. He’ll play the part of Quentin, one of the film’s key protagonists. Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) is to be the new Freddy Krueger, and the other parts are yet to be announced; there are certainly some pleasing choices so far though, and it’ll be interesting to see how the film plays out when it’s finally released in 2010.

There no telling yet just how many minutes Gallner will appear for in the film; no matter how long he lasts though, I’m sure he’ll play the part well, and I’m very excited to see what Samuel Bayer can do with A Nightmare On Elm Street. The film has the potential to be hugely successful, there’s always the possibility that it could be a massive failure though, so at this stage I’m just hoping that Bayer will be able to pull it off, and not disappoint us as has been the case with some horror remakes/re-imagining’s in the past.

Are you pleased with the choice to cast Kyle Gallner as the main male teen? Do you think that a better Freddy could have been chosen than Jackie Earle Haley? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Public Enemies Trailer

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Public Enemies PosterA second trailer for Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale has now been released. The first trailer alone had me excited enough to see the film, but the second has now confirmed to me that I will definitely be seeing Public Enemies when it’s released here in the UK on July 3rd.

Directed by Michael Mann (Collateral, Manhunter), Public Enemies is set in the 1930s, and takes a look at the notorious gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd as the Feds attempt to take them down.

Public Enemies will no doubt be one of the most watched films this July, and with its incredibly impressive cast and supremely talented director; Public Enemies is a film that will no doubt impress the masses.

Here is the second Public Enemies trailer:

Cherrybomb Trailer

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Cherrybomb PosterStarring Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame; Cherrybomb is a new British drama film set in Belfast, directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn.

Malachy (Grint) and Luke (Robert Sheehan) are best friends, and having finished their exams are now gearing up for an exciting summer ahead. They’re young and carefree, but when Michelle (Kimberley Nixon) shows up they begin to fight for her affection as they get involved in a world which involves sex, drugs, and crime.

Filming began in July 2008, and although the film is yet to receive an official release date; it will hit the cinemas at some stage in 2009.

Cherrybomb looks very promising, and for those that like their teen drama films then I’m sure that it will not be one to disappoint.

Here is the official Cherrybomb Trailer:

Another New X-Men Origins Wolverine Poster

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine is due for release on May 1st, and another new poster for the film starring Hugh Jackman has now been released. The first three films in the X-Men series have all been excellent, and this new prequel is likely to be incredibly impressive also. Hugh Jackman is a truly brilliant actor, and having done a magnificent job of playing mutant Wolverine in the other films, I’m sure that he’ll continue to shine as he stars in this one.

Hugh Jackman is one of the film’s four producers, and X-men Origins: Wolverine has actually been directed by Gavin Hood for distribution through 20th Century Fox.

Here is the new poster for X-Men Origins: Wolverine:

xmen_origins_wolverine_poster

Bug (2006) Review

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Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist), ‘Bug’ is a psychological thriller which builds suspense strongly throughout, with Friedkin always displaying his fine talent as a director here. ‘Bug’ builds and builds, becoming darker, and increasingly more disturbing as the film progresses.

Agnes (Ashley Judd) is a lonely waitress that lives in a motel in Oklahoma. Her friend from work R.C. one night introduces her to a man named Peter (Michael Shannon), a troubled soul who used to be in the army. He spends the night sleeping on her sofa, and as time progresses these two trouble souls develop a rather interesting friendship. They have sex with each other once; it’s not a romantic relationship that they share though, but instead a rather bizarre connection on a pretty disturbing level. They both become convinced that there’s a bug infestation in the hotel room, and as time progresses they become more and more convinced of the existence of the bugs, and increasingly more paranoid about what it is that the bugs are doing in the motel room.

Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon gel well with one another here, and their supreme quality of acting really does stand out strongly. We spend much of the film with these two actors, and their success as actors here is therefore crucial to the overall outcome of the film. The way they speak to each other is certainly not conventional; the only conversation they share tends to be on the subject of bugs, they’re drawn to one another though, and the way they interact together is not just disturbing, but also incredibly interesting to watch and observe.

‘Bug’ is an odd film which focuses in on two seriously disturbed people; their increasingly fragile state of mind is brilliant to watch played out on screen, and never for a second is the film in the least bit boring. Friedkin directs the film beautifully here, and the intense nature of the film really does come across incredibly well.

Right from the word go there’s an inevitability here that the film is going to become incredibly dark, and this is something that makes the film or the more compelling. The film is forever building, and as it all progresses; Friedkin’s fine thriller certainly doesn’t disappoint.

‘Bug’ really draws you in, and the quality of acting is at all times absolutely sensational. It’s the acting that really stands out, and although the script and quality of directing is excellent here also; it’s really the connection between Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon that makes the film feel so real.

‘Bug’ is an incredibly high quality thriller, and a film that I’d most definitely recommend watching.

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The Boat That Rocked: Out Today

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The Boat That Rocked PosterThe Boat That Rocked is out today in the UK, and if you’re a fan of good British comedy then this is most definitely one to watch. It stars such names as Chris O’Dowd (The IT Crowd, FM), Nick Frost (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), and Rhys Ifans, and even features the popular Shakespeare actor Kenneth Branagh.

The film has been written and directed by Richard Curtis, and is set in 1966 about an illegal radio station in the North Sea (the film is loosely based on Radio Caroline).

Radio Caroline is certainly a very interesting subject for Richard Curtis to have chosen to focus on, and if you love your music and can’t get enough of your comedy then it’s unlikely that you’ll find a better British comedy than The Boat That Rocked in 2009. Curtis’s previous films may not float your boat, but The Boat That Rocked is surely a film that begs to be seen, and I can see a lot of people flocking to watch this one over the coming days and weeks, even if it’s just to bathe in the nostalgia of the 60s brilliance of Radio Caroline.

The Boat That Rocked has been made by Working Title Films, the company behind many of the  past romantic comedies that Richard Curtis has written such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill, and Love Actually.