I like the look of this. The Bank Job, with Jason Statham and the beautiful Saffron Burrows. It's apparently based on a real-life heist by a bunch of amateurs, who get more than they bargained for when they find themselves in possession of some rather dubious photographs and find a gangster, the police and most frighteningly of all, the British Establishment, probably the most ruthless firm on the planet, all chasing after them.
I like the look of this. The Bank Job, with Jason Statham and the beautiful Saffron Burrows
My brother had a couple of scenes with the lovely Ms. Burrows during his recent guest shot on Boston Legal...not romantic scenes, sadly---it was more of a deposition/negotiation session---but I asked him if she was as hot in person as she appears on the screen, and he said: "Yeah...and she's tall..."
) :x
The Bank Job looks great...this is going to be an amazing year at the cinema B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
My brother had a couple of scenes with the lovely Ms. Burrows during his recent guest shot on Boston Legal...not romantic scenes, sadly. . .
Not to be a gossip monger, but doesn't Saffron Burrows, um, play for the other team?
Apparently she has been known to mix and match. Though at the moment I think she is playing for team Sapphic.
And going back to Loeff's quote about her height, I saw a clip from The Bank Job, in which she and he co-star Jason Statham were walking along the street and she looked much taller than him. He's about 5'11-ish, so she must be at least 6 feet, but she was wearing heels as well, so there was a significant difference. Fair play to Statham for not being bothered. Some male actors would have been insisted on medium close-ups, or wearing 6-inch lifts on their shoes. )
And going back to Loeff's quote about her height, I saw a clip from The Bank Job, in which she and he co-star Jason Statham were walking along the street and she looked much taller than him. He's about 5'11-ish, so she must be at least 6 feet, but she was wearing heels as well, so there was a significant difference. Fair play to Statham for not being bothered. Some male actors would have been insisted on medium close-ups, or wearing 6-inch lifts on their shoes. )
Noting wrong with that.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
James Ellroy has co-scripted this cop drama, Street Kings, starring Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, and the notoriously hard-boiled British actor, erm, Hugh Laurie.
James Ellroy has co-scripted this cop drama, Street Kings, starring Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, and the notoriously hard-boiled British actor, erm, Hugh Laurie.
Looks OK. A bit too much like Training Day, but anything Ellroy has a hand in I'm interested in.
There are already posters up for this here in Melbourne. I'm not a massive Ellroy fan (that could be because his personality annoys me to no end ), however I loved LA Confidential and the cast for this film really intrigues me.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Now this looks like being special. Brad Pitt and David Fincher team up again for an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
I never got the appeal of these movies either; but regardless, according to IMDB, the director is one Olivier Metagon (sounds like a Bond villain to me). Here's the IMDB page on the film:
There's a new 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth that's coming out in a few weeks that I'm somewhat curious about, if only for the 3D effects. It stars Brendan Fraser and appears to be a "family friendly" movie. I saw a trailer to it in front of Beowulf last year and the 3D effects looked good. It's most likely fluffy, lightweight eye candy, but there isn't anything wrong with that every once in a while.
There's a new 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth that's coming out in a few weeks that I'm somewhat curious about, if only for the 3D effects. It stars Brendan Fraser and appears to be a "family friendly" movie. I saw a trailer to it in front of Beowulf last year and the 3D effects looked good. It's most likely fluffy, lightweight eye candy, but there isn't anything wrong with that every once in a while.
As someone who was a big fan of the James Mason original who read a lot of Jules Verne as a kid, I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Should be fun.
There's a new 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth that's coming out in a few weeks that I'm somewhat curious about, if only for the 3D effects. It stars Brendan Fraser and appears to be a "family friendly" movie. I saw a trailer to it in front of Beowulf last year and the 3D effects looked good. It's most likely fluffy, lightweight eye candy, but there isn't anything wrong with that every once in a while.
As someone who was a big fan of the James Mason original who read a lot of Jules Verne as a kid, I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Should be fun.
I'm a fan of the James Mason version as well, although the lizards with the glued on fins really date the movie.
As to the new version, I hope you're not expecting a faithful adaptation of the novel. I'm pretty sure the film is set in modern times and one of the scenes in the trailer had our heroes being chased by a T-Rex. It's been ages since I read it, but I don't recall anything remotely like that in the novel. As I said before, as a 3D event it should be fun to watch but as a literary adaptation I don't think it will be winning any awards.
I never got the appeal of these movies either; but regardless, according to IMDB, the director is one Olivier Metagon (sounds like a Bond villain to me). Here's the IMDB page on the film:
Metagon is a second-rate Luc Besson, although these days Luc Besson is a second-rate Luc Besson. He directed a movie called Red Siren, with two of my favourite actors, Jean Marc-Barr and Asia Argento. It was kind of fun, stealing from Besson's Nikita and Leon, but nowhere near as good. But I think he is capable of delivering the kind of action that fans of cheerfully moronic action films like me demand.
There's a new 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth that's coming out in a few weeks that I'm somewhat curious about, if only for the 3D effects. It stars Brendan Fraser and appears to be a "family friendly" movie. I saw a trailer to it in front of Beowulf last year and the 3D effects looked good. It's most likely fluffy, lightweight eye candy, but there isn't anything wrong with that every once in a while.
As someone who was a big fan of the James Mason original who read a lot of Jules Verne as a kid, I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Should be fun.
I'm a fan of the James Mason version as well, although the lizards with the glued on fins really date the movie.
As to the new version, I hope you're not expecting a faithful adaptation of the novel. I'm pretty sure the film is set in modern times and one of the scenes in the trailer had our heroes being chased by a T-Rex. It's been ages since I read it, but I don't recall anything remotely like that in the novel. As I said before, as a 3D event it should be fun to watch but as a literary adaptation I don't think it will be winning any awards.
I think there was a dinosaur or two in the novel, but I must have been 12 or 13 when I read it, so I may be confused. So long as they have the big mushrooms and all that other stuff, I'll be OK with it. I just hope they can explain how daylight gets in to the center of the Earth. I'm not sure that was ever explained anywhere.
Here's the trailer to the new DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. (which I will avoid) :v
I don't know why you would avoid it Alex. I loved the original film, and while I don't expect this film to be nearly as good (for one thing it won't be as ambigurous), I think it still looks pretty good. I like the cast, the environmental plot is unsurprising *but considering that it's a MacGuffin isn't all that significant, and while it is unlikely to challenge the original film for classic status, I think it look quite entertaining.
*Obviously this is debatable, however IMO the details of what Klaatu comes to warn us about is less important than the fact that he comes, so I regard the eminent threat in the original film to be a MacGuffin. Obviously, in this film, the threat may take on greater significance, but if it doesn't then I'm not concerned about what kind of threat it is.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
*Obviously this is debatable, however IMO the details of what Klaatu of what comes to warn us about is less important than the fact that he came, so I regard the eminent threat in the original film to be a MacGuffin. Obviously, in this film, the threat may take on greater significance, but if it doesn't then I'm not concerned about what kind of threat it is.
I'll debate that, as imho, the reasons behind Klaatu's visit are the cornerstone of the entire film.
It's not simply a good samaritan/neighborly concern for mother earth either, but the fact that we are delving into outer space and would soon pollute his people, and his planet.
That's what I see as the principal reason behind the visit. The subtle implications and intelligent writing propel it to the stratosphere.
Much like the THE TIME MACHINE and PLANET OF THE APES, these later efforts will simply fade into obscurity. Time is too short and precious for me to waste on them.
*Obviously this is debatable, however IMO the details of what Klaatu comes to warn us about is less important than the fact that he comes, so I regard the eminent threat in the original film to be a MacGuffin. Obviously, in this film, the threat may take on greater significance, but if it doesn't then I'm not concerned about what kind of threat it is.
I'll debate that, as imho, the reasons behind Klaatu's visit are the cornerstone of the entire film.
It's not simply a good samaritan/neighborly concern for mother earth either, but the fact that we are delving into outer space and would soon pollute his people, and his planet.
That's what I see as the principal reason behind the visit. The subtle implications and intelligent writing propel it to the stratosphere.
It's interesting as I too don't think that it was simply a 'good samaritan/neighborly concern for mother earth either' for I would question whether Klaatu really cares about Earth at all. One of the reasons why I loved the original film was the ambiguitiy surrounding Klaatu. He is, in many ways, presented as a Christ-like figure, yet he is also a sinister figure who uses force and threats to change Earth's behaviour.
The reason why I use the term MacGuffin is not because I don't care about the principal reason for Klaatu's visit. I do. However, the exact reasons for Earth's being in danger doesn't concern me so much as that someone from outer space has come to Earth to warn us, the way he has chosen to warn us, and, yes, the fact that our behaviour (regardless of what it might be) could very well lead to our destruction. I don't think it matters so much what the particular threat is, as long as there is one.
Anyway, I guess we can both agree that it was an absolutely magnificent film.
Much like the THE TIME MACHINE and PLANET OF THE APES, these later efforts will simply fade into obscurity. Time is too short and precious for me to waste on them.
I can understand it. I will pronably see this film, as it does appeal to me, but it will never be as good as the original film.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
"My body is here. . .my body feels pain. . ." Why am I reminded of that bit from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey? "I'm totally possessing my dad!" Ahhh, Michael Rennie, we hardly knew ye. . .
I believe I see Jennifer Connelly in the trailer, I believe I will see the film. :v
Why would any of us be surprised at this statement? )
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I would question whether Klaatu really cares about Earth at all.
Sorry Dan, I know you sometimes enjoy debating unconventional interpretations about these movies, but you missed it on this one. If Klaatu didn't care about Earth, he wouldn't have come to Earth at all; and once he'd been gunned down and resurrected he wouldn't have bothered to risk his safety to give us his message. He would not have befriended Bobby. He would not have walked among us to learn about us. He would not have befriended Helen. He would not have completed Dr. Barnhardt's equations. He would not have been adamant that his message was for ALL the people of the earth. And he would not have called off Gort's attacks after he'd been shot and again after he'd been killed (you'll remember he tells Helen that Gort has the power to singlehandedly destroy the Earth).
One of the reasons why I loved the original film was the ambiguitiy surrounding Klaatu. He is, in many ways, presented as a Christ-like figure, yet he is also a sinister figure who uses force and threats to change Earth's behaviour.
The Christ metaphor is not some subtle plot twist, it is the very core of the whole movie. Klaatu comes to Earth to bring a message of peace, is killed and returns to life; it is the Christ story, right down the the platonic relationship with Helen. Even his name - Carpenter - is a nod to Jesus' profession. It couldn't be more cut and dry.
There is nothing sinister about Klaatu. He never raises a hand in anger or violence. Gort only attacks the army after Klaatu has been shot, and the second Klaatu gathers his bearings he calls Gort off. And even when he causes the worldwide blackout, he makes certain that hospitals and other humanitarian institutions are not affected.
His warning to Earth is not a threat, it is a simple message that if we don't evolve into a peaceful culture we will become extinct; whether it's by external forces (to prevent our polluting other cultures) or internal ones (meaning we blow ourselves up) is really irrelevant - the bottom line either way is that WE will have been the cause of our own destruction.
I know you'll disagree with me but you really should see the movie again and check out some commentary on it.
As to this new version, I very much doubt I'll be seeing it. Like Alex says, these new-fangled remakes rarely have anything worthwhile to say and usually fade and are forgotten rather quickly.
I believe I see Jennifer Connelly in the trailer, I believe I will see the film. :v
By all means Barry, I really hope you enjoy it. Although when you are next browsing for a movie to watch you could do worse than check out the original to see why Alex, HB and I are somewhat traumitized by the notion of Keeanu as Klaatu.
I liked the trailer. I like Keanu and am more than willing to give him a chance, especially after A Scanner Darkly, one of my favourite films in recent years. However, I doubt it will even come close to the original.
If Klaatu didn't care about Earth, he wouldn't have come to Earth at all; and once he'd been gunned down and resurrected he wouldn't have bothered to risk his safety to give us his message. He would not have befriended Bobby. He would not have walked among us to learn about us. He would not have befriended Helen. He would not have completed Dr. Barnhardt's equations. He would not have been adamant that his message was for ALL the people of the earth. And he would not have called off Gort's attacks after he'd been shot and again after he'd been killed (you'll remember he tells Helen that Gort has the power to singlehandedly destroy the Earth).
{[] You're absolutely right. I had overlooked this. ;%
The Christ metaphor is not some subtle plot twist, it is the very core of the whole movie. Klaatu comes to Earth to bring a message of peace, is killed and returns to life; it is the Christ story, right down the the platonic relationship with Helen. Even his name - Carpenter - is a nod to Jesus' profession. It couldn't be more cut and dry.
There is nothing sinister about Klaatu. He never raises a hand in anger or violence. Gort only attacks the army after Klaatu has been shot, and the second Klaatu gathers his bearings he calls Gort off. And even when he causes the worldwide blackout, he makes certain that hospitals and other humanitarian institutions are not affected.
His warning to Earth is not a threat, it is a simple message that if we don't evolve into a peaceful culture we will become extinct; whether it's by external forces (to prevent our polluting other cultures) or internal ones (meaning we blow ourselves up) is really irrelevant - the bottom line either way is that WE will have been the cause of our own destruction.
I don't think that the Christ metaphor is some subtle plot twist, but I disagree with you that Klaatu isn't sinister. His entire message is built upon a threat (if you don't change, we will destroy you.) I find that to be aggressive, sinister and hyppocritical (since his people clearly own weapons that can destroy Earth.) One could relate it to current events, and IMO the hypocrisy and sinister and aggressive nature of such a threat would truly be spelt out.
There is no doubt that Klaatu is presented as a Christ-like figure; I have never questioned that, but that probably makes the film even more fascinating as this Christ-like figure is among the most ambigurous and interesting figures in the history of cinematic Sci-Fi. Tony, with all due respect, I think you're guilty of simplifying him. :v
By all means Barry, I really hope you enjoy it. Although when you are next browsing for a movie to watch you could do worse than check out the original to see why Alex, HB and I are somewhat traumitized by the notion of Keeanu as Klaatu.
I don't know why. ) Barry, ignore Tony. :v I like Keeanu alot and IMO he would make a superb Klaatu.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Comments
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bDyZB7Udga4&feature=related
Ellen Muth is lovely.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3CRhnghp7g
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/
Looks very promising; I enjoyed The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and I have a feeling this will be just as entertaining. Can't wait.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EKuUMY6URXQ
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ONMoVMMnR_U
The scene with the old woman on the plane was brilliant.
My brother had a couple of scenes with the lovely Ms. Burrows during his recent guest shot on Boston Legal...not romantic scenes, sadly---it was more of a deposition/negotiation session---but I asked him if she was as hot in person as she appears on the screen, and he said: "Yeah...and she's tall..."
The Bank Job looks great...this is going to be an amazing year at the cinema B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Not to be a gossip monger, but doesn't Saffron Burrows, um, play for the other team?
Apparently she has been known to mix and match. Though at the moment I think she is playing for team Sapphic.
And going back to Loeff's quote about her height, I saw a clip from The Bank Job, in which she and he co-star Jason Statham were walking along the street and she looked much taller than him. He's about 5'11-ish, so she must be at least 6 feet, but she was wearing heels as well, so there was a significant difference. Fair play to Statham for not being bothered. Some male actors would have been insisted on medium close-ups, or wearing 6-inch lifts on their shoes.
Noting wrong with that.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx7AJP-rWf8
Looks OK. A bit too much like Training Day, but anything Ellroy has a hand in I'm interested in.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0nGvae6Cih0&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mL3K_ITu7Qw
With all due respect John, no we don't.
But, enjoy it anyway.
Is Leterrier doing this one?
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I never got the appeal of these movies either; but regardless, according to IMDB, the director is one Olivier Metagon (sounds like a Bond villain to me). Here's the IMDB page on the film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129442/
There's a new 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth that's coming out in a few weeks that I'm somewhat curious about, if only for the 3D effects. It stars Brendan Fraser and appears to be a "family friendly" movie. I saw a trailer to it in front of Beowulf last year and the 3D effects looked good. It's most likely fluffy, lightweight eye candy, but there isn't anything wrong with that every once in a while.
As someone who was a big fan of the James Mason original who read a lot of Jules Verne as a kid, I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Should be fun.
I'm a fan of the James Mason version as well, although the lizards with the glued on fins really date the movie.
As to the new version, I hope you're not expecting a faithful adaptation of the novel. I'm pretty sure the film is set in modern times and one of the scenes in the trailer had our heroes being chased by a T-Rex. It's been ages since I read it, but I don't recall anything remotely like that in the novel. As I said before, as a 3D event it should be fun to watch but as a literary adaptation I don't think it will be winning any awards.
Metagon is a second-rate Luc Besson, although these days Luc Besson is a second-rate Luc Besson. He directed a movie called Red Siren, with two of my favourite actors, Jean Marc-Barr and Asia Argento. It was kind of fun, stealing from Besson's Nikita and Leon, but nowhere near as good. But I think he is capable of delivering the kind of action that fans of cheerfully moronic action films like me demand.
I think there was a dinosaur or two in the novel, but I must have been 12 or 13 when I read it, so I may be confused. So long as they have the big mushrooms and all that other stuff, I'll be OK with it. I just hope they can explain how daylight gets in to the center of the Earth. I'm not sure that was ever explained anywhere.
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/04/the-day-the-earth-stood-still-trailer-is-here/
The message? Protect the environment, (as Klaatu brings us tidings of global warming joy.
*Obviously this is debatable, however IMO the details of what Klaatu comes to warn us about is less important than the fact that he comes, so I regard the eminent threat in the original film to be a MacGuffin. Obviously, in this film, the threat may take on greater significance, but if it doesn't then I'm not concerned about what kind of threat it is.
It's not simply a good samaritan/neighborly concern for mother earth either, but the fact that we are delving into outer space and would soon pollute his people, and his planet.
That's what I see as the principal reason behind the visit. The subtle implications and intelligent writing propel it to the stratosphere.
Much like the THE TIME MACHINE and PLANET OF THE APES, these later efforts will simply fade into obscurity. Time is too short and precious for me to waste on them.
The reason why I use the term MacGuffin is not because I don't care about the principal reason for Klaatu's visit. I do. However, the exact reasons for Earth's being in danger doesn't concern me so much as that someone from outer space has come to Earth to warn us, the way he has chosen to warn us, and, yes, the fact that our behaviour (regardless of what it might be) could very well lead to our destruction. I don't think it matters so much what the particular threat is, as long as there is one.
Anyway, I guess we can both agree that it was an absolutely magnificent film.
I can understand it. I will pronably see this film, as it does appeal to me, but it will never be as good as the original film.
"Even in still frames, Keanu Reeves has a rigid, alien quality about his body language."
I think that can apply to every Keanu Reeves movie ever made.
Sorry Dan, I know you sometimes enjoy debating unconventional interpretations about these movies, but you missed it on this one. If Klaatu didn't care about Earth, he wouldn't have come to Earth at all; and once he'd been gunned down and resurrected he wouldn't have bothered to risk his safety to give us his message. He would not have befriended Bobby. He would not have walked among us to learn about us. He would not have befriended Helen. He would not have completed Dr. Barnhardt's equations. He would not have been adamant that his message was for ALL the people of the earth. And he would not have called off Gort's attacks after he'd been shot and again after he'd been killed (you'll remember he tells Helen that Gort has the power to singlehandedly destroy the Earth).
The Christ metaphor is not some subtle plot twist, it is the very core of the whole movie. Klaatu comes to Earth to bring a message of peace, is killed and returns to life; it is the Christ story, right down the the platonic relationship with Helen. Even his name - Carpenter - is a nod to Jesus' profession. It couldn't be more cut and dry.
There is nothing sinister about Klaatu. He never raises a hand in anger or violence. Gort only attacks the army after Klaatu has been shot, and the second Klaatu gathers his bearings he calls Gort off. And even when he causes the worldwide blackout, he makes certain that hospitals and other humanitarian institutions are not affected.
His warning to Earth is not a threat, it is a simple message that if we don't evolve into a peaceful culture we will become extinct; whether it's by external forces (to prevent our polluting other cultures) or internal ones (meaning we blow ourselves up) is really irrelevant - the bottom line either way is that WE will have been the cause of our own destruction.
I know you'll disagree with me but you really should see the movie again and check out some commentary on it.
As to this new version, I very much doubt I'll be seeing it. Like Alex says, these new-fangled remakes rarely have anything worthwhile to say and usually fade and are forgotten rather quickly.
By all means Barry, I really hope you enjoy it. Although when you are next browsing for a movie to watch you could do worse than check out the original to see why Alex, HB and I are somewhat traumitized by the notion of Keeanu as Klaatu.
Tony, you and I agree more than you know. It just so happens that one or the other of us really only post when we disagree.
Did I? :v
{[] You're absolutely right. I had overlooked this. ;%
I don't think that the Christ metaphor is some subtle plot twist, but I disagree with you that Klaatu isn't sinister. His entire message is built upon a threat (if you don't change, we will destroy you.) I find that to be aggressive, sinister and hyppocritical (since his people clearly own weapons that can destroy Earth.) One could relate it to current events, and IMO the hypocrisy and sinister and aggressive nature of such a threat would truly be spelt out.
There is no doubt that Klaatu is presented as a Christ-like figure; I have never questioned that, but that probably makes the film even more fascinating as this Christ-like figure is among the most ambigurous and interesting figures in the history of cinematic Sci-Fi. Tony, with all due respect, I think you're guilty of simplifying him. :v
I don't know why.