Today's News: some catching up required

It's been a busy week what with Sinterklaas and the news surrounding the Jurassic World trailer (and that other trailer too, which I won't mention here since it's been picked apart frame by frame everywhere else already), so here's a belated crop of this week's news from my hand:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158131/nieuwe_trailer_the_interview

The more I see of this movie, the more I want to see it in theaters. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up since it's by all accounts a rather generic raunchy Hollywood comedy starring all the usual suspects, but still it has piqued my interest. It probably has something to do with my fascination - coupled with a healthy dose of abjection - for dystopian societies, even though this one is sadly all too real. Everything we hear about North-Korea, and not everything being as trustworthy as it is considering the various ideologies at work, makes it sound a very incredulous yet all too actual place. I would never want to live there, but it's so shady and abhorrent there's this vast web of projected fantasies and horror stories surrounding it that remains intriguing. Of course this movie doesn't pretend to tell the truth about the nation, nor does the country ever tell the truth about itself. But it's so inherently 'other' that it's hard to deny its fascination. Even when that's exploited for stereotypical Hollywood jokes. This trailer made me snicker on more than one occasion. Some of the jokes might very well hold an uncomfortable and alarming truth though. But then, so did The Great Dictator in its days, even though the truth in hindsight was far more sinister than the fiction and in many ways, painfully unfunny. It's unlikely The Interview will ever be considered as great a classic as that film, but it's definitely in the same league, though obviously more contemporary.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158102/waltz_als_blofeld_in_bond_24

Why the heck not? As Skyfall showed, the rebooting has already progressed quite far in the 007 franchise, now that old characters appear in new guises (M, Q, Ms. Moneypenny). Much as keeps happening to the protagonist himself in fact, and that has worked out pretty well so far. Why would the same principle not apply to Bond's primary nemesis Blofeld? There's no reason it shouldn't. Of course, the studio has its mind firmly set on a powerful actor who can elegantly balance the precarious line between too realistic and too campy, which is the route the franchise currently seems to be taking, as Skyfall indicated (strong drama and character conflict, but also an outrageous villain and a pit full of Komodo Dragons). Christoph Waltz perfectly fits the bill. It's not the first time he plays an evil character who feels both all too frighteningly actual and totally over the top (e.g. Inglourious Basterds), so he knows the drill. It'll be delightful to see what the new look of the character will be. I doubt the bald head and the facial scar will be as overtly present as on previous incarnations. Probably a toned down version of that. And will the cat stay? If not, it'll definitely be referenced. It should.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158148/nieuwe_trailer_dreamworks_home

For some reason, this just can't excite me. I can't quite put my finger on it, since it has some things going for it that I like, including a full scale alien invasion. Maybe it just looks too generic, maybe the jokes and the bleeding heart message are too bland. Maybe I'm kinda done with Jim Parsons playing a social outcast, even though this is not our society for a change. It could be the trailer just gives away too much of the plot for me to care about the final product. Perhaps the aliens look too much like cuddly toys aimed for selling to kids. I shouldn't judge ahead so strongly, I know, but on all accounts I'm guilty as charged. Wouldn't be the first trailer for which I did so this week, though that other trailer got it worse. Probably because it gave away so little of the plot by comparison.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158149/nieuwe_posters_kingsman_the_secret_service

This movie, too, doesn't excite me that much, but in this case I know where the fault lies. It feels repetitive. It's from the same comic book writer as Wanted, and it has a lot of striking similarities with that title. Both feature secret organisations fighting to keep the world in balance. Both recruit an unlikely regular guy as their new agent and pin a lot of hopes on him because he looks so ordinary  but he's oh so special. Both star some grand actors to suck us into the world of the piece. Both feature all kinds of outrageous gun fights and assorted action scenes. The only thing Kingsman apparently doesn't have that Wanted did, is a strong female character - 'twas Angelina Jolie in Wanted's case - learning the upstart the tricks of the trade and giving us a good butt shot in the process. This time we have to make do with the very British Colin Firth to introduce both the young protagonist and us, the audience, into this crazy world. These posters indicate there's still room for some neat female butt though. No firing curved bullets this time, but there's room for other far-out stuff like a hit woman with robotic legs. And what's with the pug? Truth be told, I didn't care much for Wanted, so this movie will be hard pressed to do better.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158164/vervolg_independence_day_definitief_aangekondigd

Don't. Just don't. Please. This movie featured a solid plot that didn't seem to leave much room for more, unless it's more of the exact same. And I don't need a plot regurgitated for me to appear in a new guise for a younger generation. The only way this could be a sequel is if it featured recurring characters, and so far the old cast doesn't seem eager to jump on the same bandwagon again to sing the exact same tune. Even the studio itself seems a little hesitant on this one. First, the production was rescheduled to a full year later. Second, the number of sequels has been lowered from two to just the one. What does that tell you? It just seems nobody's heart is in this. The original 1996 movie really does suffice. If the studio truly does feel like making more dough on this title, just re-release it for its 20th anniversary (preferably not in 3D, but that's not a likely scenario these days). That's really all the celebration we need, for it's still a great thrill ride of a blockbuster flick.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/158174/nieuwe_trailer_shaun_the_sheep

Well, that just looks adorable! Not that I expected otherwise from Aardman, but am I glad their style remains consistent. From the looks of it, it's not the fairly basic plot that counts here, it's the fun to be had out of it, coupled with the wonderful style of animation Aardman always delivers. I do have this unshakeable feeling it looks aimed a little too much at a younger audience, which may mean there won't be a subtitled version in Dutch theaters, only a dubbed one. That would be a damn shame, so I hope it proves untrue. I for one am definitely up for more delightful British humour, preferably in their own language. Then again, language? The trailer doesn't offer any actual lines of dialogue. Nor does IMDb have a cast list available, as if there's no voice acting present. If that's the case, I need not worry about shitty dubbing at all, and everybody is happy. Excellent solution to save on dubbing and subtitling costs, Aardman!

Today's Double News: scorched by interview

Only two bits of news? Slow start of the week apparently.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157292/nieuwe_trailer_the_interview

So North-Korea is pissed off... at this? Only goes to show rude humour isn't that country's forte. You gotta put things into a relative perspective. Nobody is meant to take this seriously as anti-North Korean propaganda, it's too overtly rude and silly for that. It's not like the protagonists are the token Western good guys (far from it!), nor is the CIA portrayed in the most flattering light. Of course, the question is whether a similar approach taken to a movie about North Koreans plotting an assassination on President Obama would be equally funny (that is, if you think this trailer actually provides some successful jokes, which is all a matter of taste). How many North Korean movies make their way to the rest of the world for that matter? I wouldn't be surprised if there's plenty a movie with a similar theme in circulation in that part of the world already, we just don't hear anything about it. And I bet humour isn't their prime ingredient. Totalitarian states are by their very nature not particularly amusing. It would suit North Korea's own interests to stop making a fuss about this film, which only boosts attendance worldwide since everybody now wants to see for themselves what is ticking off Kim Jong-un so badly. I don't recall the Blessed Leader being so angry about another recent American movie which involves North Korea, the notable Red Dawn. In that much more seriously toned film, the American homeland is invaded in force by the stalinist state, which leaves a couple of heroic rebels (teenagers, for the most part, too) to wage guerilla war against the evil aggressor. Now that's what I call propaganda, but few people are even talking about that movie and most that do condemn it for its questionable political motives. The Interview, however, is just rude comedy. Of course, that doesn't mean 'anything goes' in the genre, but it does imply the audience should not take anything seriously, humourless dystopian agents with their own shady agenda included.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157313/vervolg_maze_runner_aangekondigd

Speaking of dystopias, those are always a blast in the pictures. The Maze Runner has shown not to be an exception in that regard, as it's doing quite well at the (North-American) boxoffice (it has yet to be released in most "foreign" territories). So the inevitable Hollywood conclusion is a sequel is warranted. And the word is we'll be getting one. Only one? Yes. Unlike with most contemporary sequel strategies, Fox is taking a somewhat more cautious approach to things by taking things one step at a time. I can only call that responsible planning. These days, studios tend to plan ahead several sequels and spino-offs over a decade before their predecessor has even properly hit theaters yet, and in many cases, that backfires on them financially (John Carter), or on us as an audience creatively (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Still, studios don't seem to dare risk losing their momentum and so they inform audiences of their commitment to the franchise they hope to build by revealing too early what's in store. Same thing is currently happening with the suspiciously similarly themed Divergent, which already has three more movies lined up since it did well enough at the boxoffice (though certainly not as stellar as the superior equally suspiciously similarly themed The Hunger Games). Not so on The Maze Runner, which also has two books left to adapt, but there is as yet no word on filming the third (which I reckon their soon will be). So for now, only one sequel in progress. Release date: in less that a year's time. That soon?! Uh-oh, they better start running! Yes, that was a pun and a predictable one, but so is the fact movies dealing with teenagers stuck in a nasty dystopian future continue to sit well with their target audience of young adults. But that audience is growing up fast. Mark my words: that third movie will soon be up for an adaptation too, and it's undoubtedly split into two parts. Like I said, there is an momentum to consider and it may expire. And what's more, there's the potential of lots of money.

Today's News: a journey of crime bosses, authors and dictators

Always another bit of news:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/156891/eerste_trailer_laatste_seizoen_boardwalk_empire

I'm currently watching my merry way through the fourth season of this magnificent quality show, so I can't say too much on the story hints in this trailer for Season 5, other than to utter my surprise as to which characters still live and which don't. Of course I got myself spoilered to some extent in this context too, but that comes with the territory. Whatever has caused Boardwalk Empire's all too early demise, it's not the writing, the acting or the look. Most of those elements approach flawlessness in my opinion. Maybe it doesn't connect with regular viewers because their expectations on what basically constitutes a gangster show get in the way, as the series tries to avoid such roads most travelled. Some would say there's too much talk and emotion and too little action. Agreed, but it's only for the better, since the moments the shit does hit the fan the shock is felt all the harder. I have no reason to believe Season 5 will show any decline in the greatness of the show and I'm confident the series will go out with an appropriate bang. I am a little concerned about the applied time frame though. Seasons 1 through 4 all took place in a rough five year time span (1920-1924), but this final season jumps forward to 1931. It indicates the writers had a destination for the main characters they still intend to reach by speeding things up, forced by the impending end to the series. This kinda echoes what happened to another great historical show on HBO's resumé, Rome, where a similar process took place as the show was finalized quicker than anticipated. Though the gaps of time in that show also felt a little disconcerting narratively, it didn't hurt the quality of the show much. I hope the same can be said of Boardwalk Empire in hindsight, as the show deserves a proper send-off.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/156889/game_of_thrones_actrice_wordt_mary_shelley

Good for you, Sophie! About time the very capable younger actors of the Game of Thrones cast got some recognition resulting in other jobs. And this sounds like a very interesting job at that. The story of how Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus came to be is almost as legendary as the story the book tells itself. Writing such an iconic novel at such a young age was as much an accomplishment then as it is now, I reckon. A wonderful period drama can be construed around the tale of the Shelleys and their trip through Europe that inspired the influential Gothic horror novel, which itself has been adapted to the big screen so often (though never again as compelling as the 1931 Boris Karloff version was). Since Turner already has the necessary experience dressing in fancy period costumes and dealing with all kinds of messed up characters in the role she inhibits, the part sure seems right for her. Hopefully her portrayal as Mary Shelley will prove just as strong and watchable as her work as Lady Sansa.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/156911/schrijvers_the_conjuring_pennen_twee_journeys

Speaking of classic novels, at the moment I'm also working my way through Jules Verne's most celebrated works. What rollercoasters of adventure yarns they prove to be! There's a reason they have been turned into movies throughout the history of the cinema, starting in its earliest days (Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902), for example). Small wonder Hollywood continues to be interested in additional retellings. It worked well enough for them with Journeys 1 and 2 (Journey to the Center of the Earth and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, respectively). Though the first film didn't see as wide a release due to the relatively small number of movie theaters equipped with 3D technology, Journey 2 proved quite the boxoffice smash, possibly also because of the involvement of Dwayne Johnson (who replaced Brendan Fraser as the adult male lead). And so the studio is eager to see more Journeys and Johnson reprising his role. I gotta say, I'm not against more sequels based off the delightful works of Verne, as these movies in many ways incorporate the catchy adventurous spirit of his novels (though admittedly not their attempts at scientific uplifting). I just wish they weren't so kids oriented by making a teenager the protagonist (though letting two horror writers pen the script sure is a step in the right direction!). Then again, Josh Hutcherson is only playing a teenager, as he's currently 22 years of age. However, following his and Johnson's merry romps is still a far cry from experiencing the fascinating exploits of intrepid scientists, as is the case in the source material. Plus, two more sequels back to back feels a little excessive. Even if they do deal with From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon both, that two-book story can easily be condensed into one film, as the entire first novel deals with preparing to get the protagonists off-world. I bet Hutcherson and Johnson reach our beloved satellite a lot faster by comparison. Or maybe they won't go to the moon at all, but will end up stuck in a balloon for five weeks. Still plenty of Verne stories left after all.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/156900/rogen__francos_the_interview_digitaal_aangepast

If Sony didn't want to piss off North-Korea they shouldn't have made this movie in the first place. Seems a little late and a little pointless to make cuts now, as the damage is done. The premise alone guaranteed an angry response from everybody's favourite Stalinist nation. I can't imagine it never occurred to studio execs that the Great Leader and his minions might take offense by a film that deals with his assassination at American hands. It would of course have been great if the North-Korean response would have been as silly as the movie itself appears will be, by stating they would have preferred Kim being killed by Will Ferrell instead of Seth Rogen or something. However, I doubt humour is in the North-Korean dictionary, if indeed there are any other words in it than Kim (oh my, what an incorrigible Western white racist I am!). Anyway, Sony seeks to keep all mockery of the beloved dictator to an appropriate minimum. I doubt it will do them any good, but I hope two different cuts will be available so we can appreciate the differences. I'm pretty sure neither version will be allowed on the North-Korean market though.