Bella Swan is still very much in love with vampire, Edward Cullen. The rest of the vampire coven who call themselves the Cullens, especially Alice, decide to throw Bella a private party for her eighteenth birthday. Things go wrong when Bella slices her finger and thirst overcomes the vampires. As a result of the danger Bella was put through, the Cullen family decide to leave Forks, Washington. At first Bella exempts herself from all social activities, until she realizes she can coexist with childhood friend, Jacob Black. As usual for Bella, things aren't what they seem. Something is happening to Jacob that he can't explain to Bella, and their friendship starts to deteriorate. But when someone from Bella's past comes back to haunt her, everything will change again.
Finally a trailer for Solomon Kane! Written by Robert E Howard the creator of a huge host of characters including; Conan, Red Sonja, and Kull the Conqueror. Solomon Kane was a puritan that wondered the face of the Earth with no destination and a zero tolerance for evil. Think a middle ages Clint Eastwood that encounters supernatural beings. Apparently this is the first in a trilogy and if the trailer is anything to go by it looks kick ass. Hopefully it won't be another big budget fantasy film that disappoints in the same way Van Helsing and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen does.
At one point Christoper Lambert (Highlander) was going to be Solomon Kane, which would have been interesting. However after watching "The Philanthropist" (first couple of episodes are mediocre, but Purefoy shines) I was keen to see James Purefoy as the stoic Solomon Kane. Looking at the trailer it seems the film is an adaptation of " The Castle of The Devil" and "The Sword of Solomon Kane". Both of which were released in comic format recently.
Jason Flemyng one of the stars of Solomon Kane recently hosted a Q&A for Kick Ass. I was kicking myself afterwards as I did not know he was in Kane. A missed opportunity to gain some insight into the treasure chest of Solomon Kane.
Paul Berrow Producer of Solomon Kane can be found on Twitter here @paulberrow
Expected release date: France 18 May 2009 (Cannes Film Market) Canada 16 September 2009 (Toronto Film Festival) Russia 31 December 2009 Netherlands 14 January 2010
Preview of Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee and Q&A with Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine and Mark Herbert.
Rock roadie, Le Donk, has lived, loved and learned. Along the way, he's lost a classy girlfriend but gained a sidekick, Scorz-Ayz-Ee. He sets out to make Scorz a star with a little help from the Artic Monkeys.
A freewheeling, no-budget experiment by one of the UK’s most prominent and successful producer/director teams, LE DONK was born out of Shane Meadows’ and Mark Herbert’s frustration at the sheer expense of time and money required to get a new project off the ground. Why not just get together an enthusiastic team (including the actor often cited as the De Niro to Meadows’ “Scorsese of the Midlands”, Paddy Considine), cobble together a skeleton script, and simply play for a few days? So, Considine broke out an earlier comic creation of his, an endearing/repellent rock’n’roll roadie known as Donk; an Arctic Monkeys gig provided the backdrop; and Meadows played himself, as a documentary-maker seeking to capture the secrets of a life lived just beyond the reach of the bright lights. Irrepressible fun.
Seems that Everyman super Hero are the flavour of the year. A comedy centered around three characters: an everyday guy who comes to believe he's a superhero, his psychiatrist, and the teenager he befriends.
Master Korean Film Maker Chan-wook Park (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, etc.) has made another horror film of sorts. In it Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. The blood he receives is infected, so Sang-hyun lives but now exists as a vampire. Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for blood, Sang-hyuns faith is further strained when a childhood friends wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her life. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is an upcoming sequel to the 1999 cult film The Boondock Saints. The director of the original film, Troy Duffy, returned to film the sequel, which sees the return of Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus as American brothers who act as vigilantes.
Apparently Maverick Film Troy Duffy has been keeping a video production diary over here!
Despite leaving nothing to the imagination the Wolfman trailer is compelling and let's us know that that Joe Johnston's The Wolfman is a quality production with top notch acting.
In my previous round up of Movie Con 2 Day 1 I omitted to mention that Christopher Smith (Severance, Creep) gave us a taste of his new film Triangle. If the tension of Creep is maintained with the added dimension of Smith's intention to take you somwhere new, works out. Be prepared to have your mind thrown, dropped and kicked. Triangle will premiere as the opening film for the Film4 FrightFest on Thursday August 27, 2009. More info here!
Today the much anticipated Movie Con 2 kicked off. I'm still reeling from the mind blowing Film goodness of day 1.
The BFI & Empire Magazine have pulled off another collaborative coup for film lovers. The second Movie Convention is heading to all time greatness.
Movie Con is a annual collaborative effort between the BFI & Empire Magazine. It takes place just after after Comic Con (San Diego) at the BFI on the Southbank in London. This means that the organisers can cherry pick the best of Comic Con as well add some good stuff. It's held for film fans and the core content covers forth coming features in the Super Hero, Horror, Fantasy, Sci Fi, blood and Cult genres.
Empire have a much better run down of today's schedule over here. But today's events have roused me from my Blog laziness of late and mention must be made of some of the key events:
Trailers & footage from Astroboy. Over the last 18 months I have been hearing the buzz about the animated Astroboy feature but had no real interest in this remake of a 60s Japanese TV show. After today's clips I'll be seeing this gem. It will enthrall kids & older kids alike. It had the audience oohing, aahing & laughing in all the right places.
Harry Brown Presentation. Harry Brown is a new film from British filmmaker Daniel Barber and stars Sir Michael Caine. The film is about an elderly veteran that due to circumstances decides to do something about his neighbourhood that has been over run by young yobs.
Coming across as a modern day version of Michael Winner's Death Wish with big boots, genuinely threatening yobs, knuckledusters and big guns. The clip we saw made it clear this was a quality production with outstanding performances Sir Michael and the blinding Sean Harris as a very, very scary low life (think Drexel nastier brother, the love child of Travis Bickle & Myra Hindley on crack). I recently saw Tonto Woman the brilliant short that Daniel Barber adapted from an Elmore Leonard story. He received an Oscar nomination for it. I'm looking forward to seeing Harry Brown in full as well as anything else Daniel Barber serves up. Think Peckinpah with a social conscience.
Next up the indomitable genius "Still not a Sir" Terry Gilliam showed us some mind melting clips from The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus. Seems to be a true return to form for Mr Gilliam whose tribulations of getting his film made rival anything you have seen on screen. Doctor Parnassus recaptures the magic of Time Bandits and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen with a dash of sensibility from The Fisher King. * When re-watching the classic Spies Like Us keep an eye out for Terry Gilliam as Dr. Imhaus.
Kick Ass Presentation. Put together by the Stardust team & Brad Pitt, independently financed, directed by Matthew Vaughn, written by Jane Goldman (Mrs Johnathan Ross but a super talent in her own right) & Mark Millar. Kick Ass promises to turn the Super Hero genre upside down. Referencing the both comic & film super heroes, eastern sensibilities and the slacker/Clerks space. The Kick Ass clips shown deliver in the holy Triumvirate of modern super hero genre: high action, humour & blood stakes.
I was surprised thaty neither Jane Goldman or Matthew Vaughn did not pitch up but enjoyed Editor Jon Harris' presentation and chat with Christopher Mintz-Plasse (yes that's right McLovin) and Jason Flemyng. I'm slightly annoyed I didn't get a chance to quiz Flemyng about Clash of the Titans & Solomon Kane both of which I am eagerly waiting for.
The super secret screening I guessed that this year's secret screening was going to be District 9 - D9. I have been curious about D9 for awhile Weta and Peter Jackson's name should have made this a dead cert but South African films tend to do emotional small films well and haven't really shone in the high action or sci fi genre as yet. D9 changes that - whilst being true to it's African setting it shines at being a high adventure sci fi romp that has it's roots firmly planted in complex social issues. Google "District 6" & "Africa xenophobia" for sight of the bigger picture.
Originally Jackson and Director Neil Blomkamp were to make HALO: Combat Evolved when that fell through they decided to remake an earlier Blomkamp short film "Alive in Joburg".
< * Sharlto Copley whio plays D9 lead Wikus Van De Merwe is not a trained actor and was a producer on Alive in Joburg.
Next up was Warner Bros screening of the Jonah Hex trailer. I've been waiting for this film for about 20 years.
Jonah Hex is a scarred Mad Max by way of Dirty Harry in the West that was on the wrong side during the Civil war. This makes fior an intresting character seeking redemption.
The trailer looked good but it could still go either way the newly added occult plot devices are a bit of a concern. I'm holding off on judgment for now.
Finally and "saving best for last" Robert Downey Junior & Guy Ritchie made an appearance to introduce an extended trailer for Sherlock Holmes. They were in good spirits and played off each other like a comedic duo rather than Star and Director. And well they should be in high spirits the Sherlock Holmes footage was everything it needed to be. My only query would be that it seemed fairly light and didn't really show any darkness that usually haunts Victorian era pea soap London. Possibly emulating the very successful Iron Man's formula? I'm holding thumbs.
The 15-minute Avatar Day screenings, presented in 3D at “select cinemas and Imax theaters,” will provide regular moviegoers their first glimpse of Cameron’s highly anticipated sci-fi epic outside of footage screened last month at Comic-Con International in San Diego and Movie Con 2 at the BFI London hosted by Empire Magazine last weekend.
The big-budget sci-fi movie, conceived by Cameron 14 years ago and filmed in stereoscopic 3-D using cameras developed by the director, takes place on Pandorum, a strange and beautiful planet replete with bizarre creatures and plant life. Sam Worthington plays a paraplegic who is linked through a medical process to an “avatar,” a 10-foot-tall, blue-skinned creature that looks like Pandorum’s native Na’vi
Also rolling out on Friday’s Avatar Day:
- The official Avatar trailer, which will be shown in theaters and online. The worldwide trailer launch will be presented in all formats, including Imax 3-D, Imax 2-D, digital 3-D, digital 2-D and 35-mm 2-D, the studio said. - 3D/lenticular one-sheet posters for the film. - The trailer for Ubisoft’s videogame James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game. - First look at Mattel action figures for the film’s avatar and alien Na’vi characters.
The showings will be limited to two on the 21st, except for the BFI Southbank, which is holding four.
Among the participating cinemas:
Cineworld Aberdeen Cineworld Birmingham, Broad Street Cineworld Brighton Cineworld Cardiff Cineworld Edinburgh Cineworld Glasgow, Renfrew Street Cineworld Sheffield Odeon London IMAX Greenwich Odeon London IMAX Wimbledon Odeon Manchester Printworks Odeon Southampton Vue Bristol Cribbs Vue London West End BFI Southbank IMAX
Avatar hits theaters Dec. 18. Friday August 21, 2009 at 1:30pm BFI London IMAX 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk London, England SE1 8XR
Now that the initial hype is passed I watched the trailer for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes again. I must say it's even better after a second viewing. Hope the film lives up to the promise of the trailer.
By way of Filmstalker from RuTube through Teaser-Trailer - the first teaser for The Game. Trailer looks spot on to what the buzz has been saying. A contender (Gerard Butler) in a virtual game gains consciousness and all hell breaks loose. Made by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor the writer/Director team behind Crank. This looks like it is going to rock. Expected release date is still September 04, 2009.
Based on the acclaimed play by CP Taylor, Good stars Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises) in an extraordinary change-of-pace role as John Halder; a decent individual with family problems. A German literature professor in the 1930s, Halder explores his personal circumstances by writing a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political figures in support of government propaganda, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity. Yet with Halder’s change in fortune, his seemingly inconsequential decisions potentially jeopardize the people in his life with devastating effects.
Director Tom Hooper will be at The Phoenix for the opening night of the film on Friday 3 April for a Q&A following the 6.30 screening.
Adapted for the screen by Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, Frost/Nixon) from best-selling and critically acclaimed novel by David Peace, the film tells the story of Brian Clough’s doomed 44 day tenure as manager of the reigning champions of English football, Leeds United. But aside from being a legendary sports story, the film is grounded by the story of intense friendship between Clough and his right hand man, Peter Taylor – a friendship that is tested by Clough’s compulsive rivalry with former Leeds manager Don Revie.
Tom grew up in East Finchley and has directed some of the best work on television in recent years including HBO’s John Adams, which won a record 13 Emmy’s, the BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning Longford, and Elizabeth I with Helen Mirren for which he won an Emmy for Best Director. This is his much-anticipated feature film debut.
Ticket sales from this event will benefit the Centenary Restoration Project. More information about the project is available here. Tickets are £10 / £8 concessions.
