After years of a seemingly perfect relationship, Li Xiang (Eddie Peng) proposes to the woman he loves but his girlfriend Qiao Qiao (Bai Bai-he) decides it’s time to breakup in order to allow the two to pursue their own dreams separately (she’ll be a famous designer and he a famous chef).  The couple signs a contract stating that in five years, if both are still single they will go ahead and marry each other.

Fast forward five years and Qiao Qiao, excited to visit Li Xiang after seeing how his life has progressed and eager to marry him, receives a phone call from him inviting her to his wedding.  Upon hearing this news, Qiao Qiao makes a dash for Beijing in an attempt to win Li Xiang back and find a way to cancel the upcoming marriage.

As this reunion in the making continues, Qiao Qiao eventually receives some troubling news that’ll test the commitment and dedication of Qiao Qiao and Li Xiang’s possible love for her.

I sat down to watch A Wedding Invitation having not read the synopsis and expected your standard rom-com, I didn’t expect any surprises, just your typical laughs, the leads bickering and an ending that you could see coming from a mile away.  Instead what I got was rather different, it was a film that didn’t follow your typical romantic trajectory and in fact has a solid twist about three quarters of the way through to keep you on your toes.

When Qiao Qiao returns to Beijing to meet up with Li Xing, everything about their past relationship seems to be a distant memory with Li Xing treating her as a well liked old friend, providing the necessary hospitality but also being frank and a bit of a dick.  He invites her out to come wedding dress shopping with him and his fiancé, he brings her over to his parents with his fiancé and prepares a few delicious meals for her since she is a very picky eater and is basically a stubborn food snob and overall super critic.  Seriously, why would any ex invite their ex or go with their ex to look at wedding dresses, that’s just cruel and unjust.

As he makes it clear that he is not interested in her and is now only focused on the wedding, his wife-to-be and competing in the finals of the King Cuisine Asian Challenge where he could become the chef of a restaurant with three Michelin stars, Qiao Qiao sets out to break all the rules, lie to everyone and do everything possible to win him over.  Her desperation is rather pathetic and her life would have been so much easier if she was honest and upfront.

Once all of the fun happens and the twist is revealed, the movie takes a super dramatic turn shortly after, going into a depressive and emotional mode that’ll bring you way down, the tone doing a complete 180 that you just don’t’ expect.  This turn is hinted a few times throughout the movie but it’s almost impossible to figure it out and that’s what I really enjoyed most about the movie and going in blind. Director Oh manages to make this instant transition pretty smooth and found away to balance it with the rest of the film and end the picture on an uplifting note.

Overall, A Wedding Invitation wasn’t what I was expecting and that’s a good thing.  Even though it is labeled as a romantic comedy it’s more of a light hearted romantic film that takes a heavy step into the dramatic category towards the end.  There wasn’t exactly much to laugh at but the film will have you smirking at the characters’ actions and whining dialogue as you wonder where the film is headed.  If you’re looking for a romantic Asian film that doesn’t follow your standard romantic trajectory then I suggest you give this easy to watch movie a shot.

Rating: An easy, briskly moving romantic comedy that doesn’t follow the cookie cutter formula you expect it to (6/10)

The post Movie Review: ‘A Wedding Invitation’ Isn’t a Cookie Cutter Rom-Com appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

Reese Witherspoon

The film takes places in Los Angeles in the 1970s, and follows “drug-fueled detective Larry ‘Doc’ Sportello [who] investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend.” The lead detective will be played by Witherspoon’s Walk The Line co-star Joaquin Phoenix. Witherspoon is slated to take on the role of Shasta Fay Hepworth, the missing former flame. Back in January, it was rumored that Charlize Theron was attached to this role, but is currently filming the Western comedy A Million Ways To Die In The West with Seth MacFarlane.

Also cast in Inherent Vice is another Witherspoon reunion with her How Do You Know romantic interest Owen Wilson (The Internship), as well as Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro (Paradise Lost), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), funnyman Martin Short (Frankenweenie), and Kevin J. O’Connor (TV’s The Mob Doctor).

Hollywood heavyweight Sean Penn is also rumored to be circling a part in the movie, which already has an impressive supportive cast. He is suspected to play the role loan shark Adrian Prussia, according to Indie Wire.

What do you think of the casting combination? Are you looking forward to seeing Witherspoon and Phoenix paired up again on the big screen? Are you a fan of Anderson’s work?

The post Reese Witherspoon Joins Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Inherent Vice; ’ Sean Penn May Join as Well appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

My favorite time of the year is back and no I’m not talking about summer.  I’m talking about the return of the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) which is launching right after the conclusion of their Jackie Chan Experience!  The first batch of titles, which includes the closing night film, and visiting talent has been unveiled and, like always, it’s a group to get excited about.

This year’s film line-up includes the premiere of Jay Chou’s film The Rooftop, Sion Sono’s Bad Film, Takashi Miike’s Lessons to the Evil and the final film in Herman Yau’s Ip Man trilogy, Ip Man: the Final Fight.

The big highlight for me is that Andrew Lau will be in attendance, the man who co-directed Infernal Affairs, the movie The Departed is based off of.

Check out the full press release below which lists all of the announced titles thus far and what we can expect from NY’s best film festival.

New York, NY, May 24, 2013 – The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema in association with Japan Society has announced today that Jay Chou’s THE ROOFTOP has been selected as the Closing Night presentation of the 2013 New York Asian Film Festival. Also announced were 22 additional titles, including several notable premieres, highly anticipated titles and salutes to Hong Kong Cinema, Taiwan Pulp and the Well Go USA distribution company. The 12th edition of The New York Asian Film Festival will take place June 28 – July 15, with screenings at The Film Society of Lincoln Center (June 28 – July 11), Japan Society (July 11 – 14) and Asia Society (July 15).

Chou’s THE ROOFTOP will make its North American Premiere as the Closing Night selection for NYAFF. Shot on location in Taiwan, Beijing and Shanghai, Cho’s second film behind the camera, following SECRET (2007) is a romance combining elements of martial arts and special effects in a musical extravaganza. The film stars Chou with Eric Tsang, Wand Xueqi and Alan Ko in a story set in a fantasy world comprised of two distinctly contrasting communities and lifestyles. One group lives on rooftops, where they dance and sing, passing their days without a care in the world, while below them are the people living under the rooftops, who possess more money and power. Chou has described the film as the first in a new genre, “A musical action movie, (where) love is the main axis, combining fantasy, romance, dancing, action, special effects and many other elements, so that there will be romantic scenes and classical taste.” Chou also wrote ten songs for the film’s soundtrack.

Highlights include the North American premieres of Sion Sono’s and Tokyo GAGAGA’s long awaited sci-fi gang war epic, BAD FILM, Hideo Nakata’s chilling descent into a much darker family drama with THE COMPLEX, Nattawat Poonpiriya’s COUNTDOWN, about a deadly New Year’s Eve outing, Takashi Miike’s return to blood and guts with LESSON TO THE EVIL, and the latest entry in the popular Ip Man series, IP MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT, with director Herman Yau in attendance. Mika Ninagawa’s HELTER SKELTER, a horror film dealing with celebrities and plastic surgery, will make its New York debut, and Andrew Lau will be on hand to present the first two films from his YOUNG AND DANGEROUS series.

NYAFF has also announced three planned focuses for this year’s edition of the popular festival: Hong Kong Cinema Now & Beyond!; Taiwan Pulp! – Tales of Gangsters, Female Avengers and Ninjas!; and a spotlight on distributor Well Go USA.

HONG KONG CINEMA NOW & BEYOND! – in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY)

The standard-bearer for Hong Kong in New York City, and a longtime friend and supporter of the New York Asian Film Festival, HKETONY has helped make it possible for NYAFF to bring film legends and icons like Sammo Hung, Tsui Hark, Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan and many more to New York, year after year. Therefore, on the occasion of HKETONY’s 30th anniversary, the festival will present new and exciting Hong Kong produced titles including: THE BULLET VANISHES, COLD WAR, DRUG WAR, HARDCORE COMEDY, IP MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT, THE LAST TYCOON, and THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN

TAIWAN PULP! – TALES OF GANGSTERS, FEMALE AVENGERS, AND NINJAS!

Presented with the support of the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York, this special section takes as its focus Taiwan’s Black Movies – exploitation films that flooded the market from 1979 to 1983. Dealing with serious social issues for the first time, this geyser of 117 movies was notable for its sexual explicitness and extreme violence. Largely forgotten, only a relative handful of these movies survive. NYAFF will present a line-up including: CHALLENGE OF THE LADY NINJA, THE LADY AVENGER, A LIFE OF NINJA, NEVER TOO LATE TOO REPENT, WOMAN REVENGER and the documentary TAIWAN BLACK MOVIES.

WELL GO USA SPOTLIGHT

Well respected within the industry and by connoisseurs of Asian movies, Well Go USA transformed itself from a video company specializing in exercise videos into, arguably, the finest distributor of Asian cinema in America. Titles from this Texas-based, family-owned company can be found throughout NYAFF (including the Closing Night selection THE ROOFTOP, DRUG WAR, IP MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT and THE LAST TYCOON. Additional titles from Well Go USA’s seemingly never-ending collection of great and entertaining films will include: CONFESSION OF MURDER and AN INACCURATE MEMOIR.

NYAFF is deeply grateful for the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York, the Korean Cultural Service New York and the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York, as well as the following sponsors: The Kitano Hotel, Digital Media Rights, YesAsia.com, the Anthology Film Archives, Manhattan Portage, Well Go USA, Epic Proportions, Film Business Asia.

Keep up with the latest festival news at: www.facebook.com/NYAFF, www.subwaycinema.com, twitter: @subwaycinema (#NYAFF13)

Tickets for the New York Asian Film Festival will go on sale to Film Society Members on Tuesday, June 4 and to the general public on Thursday, June 13. Single screening tickets are $13; $9 for students and seniors (62+); and $8 for Film Society members. A three-film package is $30; $24 for students and seniors (62+); and $21 for Film Society members. Discount prices apply with the purchase of tickets to three films or more.  Visit www.FilmLinc.com for complete film festival information.

Screenings will be held at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater (located at 165 West 65th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway) , Japan Society (333 East 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues), and Asia Society (725 Park Avenue, at 70th Street).

Film Descriptions of the initial selections for the 2013 NYAFF lineup

North American Premiere
BAD FILM (2012) 161min
Director: Sion Sono
Country: Japan
Director Sion Sono (SUICIDE CLUB, COLD FISH) shot this art-house film in 1995 over the course of a year and starring members of Tokyo GAGAGA, a performance and activist collective he formed. Shot in Hi-8 format, this massive underground science fiction film focuses on a gang war in Tokyo that erupts when a Chinese gang threatens to take over Koenji Station. Sono shot over 150 hours of footage, but the release was delayed for financial reasons. Now, almost 20 years later, this legendary production has been re-edited to create a stunning work of art.

Presented with Japan Cuts: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

THE BULLET VANISHES (2012) 108min
Director: Law Chi-leung
Countries: Hong Kong/China
This stylish, action-packed period thriller starring Hong Kong superstars Nick Tse and Lau Ching-wan pays homage to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as a 1930s-era detective duo investigate a series of strange murders in which “phantom bullets” seemingly vanish. The murders are committed in a bullet factory ruled by a vicious boss and henchman, who force a female worker suspected of stealing to play Russian roulette, with tragic results. Could the murders be the work of a vengeful ghost exacting revenge?

THE CHALLENGE OF THE LADY NINJA (1982) 91min
Director: Lee Tso-Nam
Country: Taiwan
This martial arts sexploitation film is about Lovely Lady Ninja Wong Siu Wai (Elsa Yeung) who has been training in Japan in the art of the ninjitsu. Able to fly, vanish in seconds, split into double-exposed duplicates, and create explosions of multicolored smoke, Siu-Wai dazzles her opponents by spinning out of her clothes and even fighting in her pink bikini. She returns to China due to the death of her father, and discovers that her fiancée Lee Tung (Chen Kuan-Tai) is to blame and has betrayed her. She gathers a gang of sexy female warriors, and puts them through some rigorous ninjitsu training before leading a rebellion against rock transvestite samurai warriors in miniskirts and go-go boots.

New York Premiere
COLD WAR (2012) 102min
Directors: Longman Leung, Sunny Luk
Country: Hong Kong
COLD WAR was a 2012 box office hit in Asia and swept the Hong Kong Film Awards winning “Best Film,” Best Director,” “Best Screenplay,” “Best Actor,” and “Best New Performer”. This cop thriller stars Aaron Kwok as a senior officer and Tony Leung Ka Fai as a deputy police commissioner whose rivalry leads to a struggle over the running an operation to rescue officers who have been taken hostage.

North American Premiere
THE COMPLEX (2013) 106min
Director: Hideo Nakata
Country: Japan
Director Hideo Nakata (who basically kicked off J-horror with THE RING) breathes new life into the genre with what starts out as a bright and cheerful family drama before soon putrifying into something much softer, wetter, and darker. Starring Japanese megastar Atsuko Maeda (lead singer of the enormously popular group, AKB48) as a shy high-schooler who moves into a haunted housing complex with her family and slowly becomes tormented by apparitions and visions of her own tragic past.

North American Premiere
CONFESSION OF MURDER (2012) 119min
Director: Jeong Byeong-Gil
Country: Korea
From the director of the hit NYAFF documentary ACTION BOYS (about the tough lives of stuntmen in the Korean film biz), comes this thriller filled with adrenalizing set pieces in the vein of THE CHASER. A punch-drunk cop has to figure out the truth when a media-ready stud comes forward with a book claiming he murdered 10 women years ago. The catch? He can’t be prosecuted because the statute of limitations has expired.

North American Premiere
COUNTDOWN (2012) 91min
Director: Nattawat Poonpiriya
Country: Thailand
An acclaimed Thai horror movie about three Thai hipsters in New York City who make a big mistake when they call an evil American drug dealer named Jesus to provide their needs for a New Year’s Eve party. Along with the drugs, Jesus supplies a psychological game involving violence and torture as the clock counts down to the New Year.

New York Premiere
DRUG WAR (2013) 105min
Director: Johnnie To
Countries: China/Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s master filmmaker Johnnie To has navigated the perilous waters of Chinese film censorship to deliver his first Mainland Chinese crime film. After drug cartel head Ming (Louis Koo) is arrested during a raid, he’s persuaded to take part in an undercover operation to take down his own gang in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. Setting up business meetings with his fellow bosses in order to intercept major drug and money transactions and arrest those involved, the crime lord sets about betraying his former accomplices one by one.

World Premiere
HARDCORE COMEDY (2013) 92min
Directors: Henri Wong, Chong Siu Wing, Alan Lo
Country: Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s local comedic tradition continues in this quirky post-VULGARIA three-part omnibus.

Dada Chan will attend the screening.

New York Premiere
HELTER SKELTER (2012) 127min
Director: Mika Ninagawa
Country: Japan
One of Japan’s most popular photographers, Mika Ninagawa, and its most controversial young star, Erika Sawajiri, team up to deliver a plastic surgery horror movie that’ll make your skin crawl. Lilico (Erika Sawajiri) is a monstrous Lady Gaga-esque singer and actress obsessed with her own young body, eating up employees, and existing on a diet of flashbulbs. Constructed almost entirely of plastic surgery, she requires occasional “top ups” but they’re not working anymore and her face and body are slowly turning as black and rotten as bruised fruit.

Presented with Japan Cuts: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

North American Premiere
AN INACCURATE MEMOIR (2012) 105min
Director: Leon Yang
Country: China
One part Chinese Western, one part black comedy, and one part war movie, AN INACCURATE MEMOIR is about an anti-Japanese resistance fighter who infiltrates a gang of bandits to enlist their help in assassinating a Japanese prince due in town at any minute. But though the bandits, a mix of horny men and greedy women, may be crack fighters, they’d rather go whoring and stuff themselves with lavish meals than liberate China.

North American Premiere
IP MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT (2013) 102MIN
Director: Herman Yau
Country: Hong Kong
Director Herman Yau teams up with his favorite actor, Anthony Wong (UNTOLD STORY, EBOLA SYNDROME), to deliver a slyly subversive send-up of the current craze for Ip Man movies. Packed with some of Hong Kong’s best stars of the 80’s and 90’s including Eric Tsang, Ken Lo (DRUNKEN MASTER), and Xiong Xin-xin (THE BLADE, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 3), this Ip Man movie is not just an action flick but a love letter to Hong Kong’s volatile history of political protest.

Director Herman Yau will attend the screening.

THE LADY AVENGER (1981) 91min
Director: Yang Chia-yun
Country: Taiwan
Yang Chia-yun is one of the only female directors of Taiwan’s notorious Black Movies, and so it makes sense that her best film is this intense rape-revenge shocker. When a reporter is gang-raped she decides her only option is an eye for an eye and so, one by one, she kills her rapists by bear trap, by knife, by blowtorch, and by meat hook.

North American Premiere
THE LAST TYCOON (2012) 119min
Director: Wong Jing
Countries: Hong Kong/China
THE LAST TYCOON stars Chow Yun-fat as real-life criminal Du Yuesheng (whose history has been officially banned as a source of study by the Chinese government), a criminal godfather who shot like a meteor through Shanghai’s underworld, and was a major financial backer of the Kuomintang in their fight against Mao and his Communist rebels.

Producer and cinematographer Andrew Lau will attend the screening.

THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN (2010) 100min
Director: Herman Yau
Country: Hong Kong
Wilson Yip’s Ip Man movies starring Donnie Yen were such big hits that Herman Yau decided it was time to make one of his own, and to do so he enlisted some of Hong Kong’s greatest martial artists. With action choreography by the mighty Bruce Leung (GALLANTS) and starring Sammo Hung, his opera-school brother Yuen Biao, the first Ip Man movie’s Fan Siu-wong, and Ip Man’s actual son, Ip Chun, this movie will leave you bruised, battered, and begging for more. Herman Yau will attend the screening.

North American Premiere
LESSON OF THE EVIL (2012) 129min
Director: Takashi Miike
Country: Japan
After making films like samurai epics 13 ASSASSINS and HARA KIRI and the children’s film NINJA KIDS!, Takashi Miike returns to familiar horror territory with LESSON OF THE EVIL, based on a best-selling horror novel. Clean-cut pop star Hideaki Ito plays Mr. Hasumi, a young, popular, good-looking teacher at an elite high school. While he’s beloved by his students and popular with pretty much everyone, Mr. Hasumi has a dark secret past and homicidal urges that can’t be contained.

A LIFE OF NINJA (1983) 88min
Director: Lee Tso-nam
Country: Taiwan
Someone is using ninjas in an attempt to kill miserly and womanizing businessman Chan Ming Fu, and there is no shortage of people with a motive. His wife and sister-in-law both detest him, for starters. The police recruit Kendo teacher and former ninja Chow to protect Chan, but easier said than done.

NEVER TOO LATE TO REPENT (1979) 96min
Director: Tsai Yang-Ming
Country: Taiwan
When Tsai Yang-ming released this crime thriller in 1979 it became a surprise hit at the Taiwanese box office, which was at the time dominated by period martial arts flicks and sentimental romances. It launched Taiwan’s Black Movies trend, which saw 117 hard-hitting exploitation movies hit screens between 1979 and 1983, and this stark, true crime film is the proud parent to them all.

Director Tsai Yang-ming will attend the screening.

North American Premiere
THE ROOFTOP (2013)
Director: Jay Chou
Country: Taiwan
Jay Chou (INITIAL D, Michel Gondry’s GREEN HORNET) is one of the most famous pop stars in Asia. THE ROOFTOP, marking Cho’s second film behind the camera, following SECRET (2007), is a romance combining elements of martial arts and special effects in a musical extravaganza. It stars Chou alongside Eric Tsang, Wand Xueqi and Alan Ko in a story set in a fantasy world comprised of two distinctly contrasting communities and lifestyles. One group lives on rooftops, where they dance and sing every day, passing their days without a care in the world, while below them are the people living under the rooftops, who possess more money and power.

TAIWAN BLACK MOVIES (2005) 60min
Director: Hou Chi-Jan
Country: Taiwan
A long lost era of filmmaking was preserved and rediscovered by this documentary, the result of a longtime labor of love that began when the director found a stack of discarded VHS tapes in the Taiwan Film Archive.

Director Hou Chi-jan will attend the screening

WOMAN REVENGER (1981) 80min
Director: Tsai Yang-Ming
Country: Taiwan
Another of Taiwan’s mondo revenge movies from the early 80’s, this brutal exploitation shocker features a gentle woman who turns into a bloodthirsty killer, bent on revenge against those who wronged her. A forgotten grindhouse classic, this dirty, pulpy brawler will have you ready to clean off the grime by the time the credits roll.

Director Tsai Yang-ming will attend the screening.

YOUNG & DANGEROUS 1 (1996) & 2 (1997) 90min each
Director: Andrew Lau
Country: Hong Kong
YOUNG AND DANGEROUS isn’t a movie, it’s way of life. A series of 15 films (six movies, four prequels, three spin-offs, and two all-female versions, as well as a parody movie and a reboot) covering the life and times of the Hung Hing criminal triad and the bevy of studly young things who make up its members. The whole thing is the brainchild of Andrew Lau and Wong Jing and the first two movies are the kind of shot-on-the-run flicks that captured lightning in a bottle and became cultural sensations. When the first movie hit it big, director Lau wrote, shot, and released the second in just eight weeks.

Director Andrew Lau will attend the screening.

The post The 2013 NYAFF Has Annoucned its First Slate of Titles and the Closing Night Film appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

In the final installment of this raunchy and crazy trilogy, the Wolfpack embark on a trip to bring Alan (Zach Galifianakis) to a clinic to help him get better as a human being.  On the way to Arizona they get kidnapped by Marshall (John Goodman), a man who is hunting down Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) because he stole millions of dollars in gold bars from him.  Marshall gives the guys an option, either Doug (Justin Bartha-who once again has practically no role in the film) dies or they bring Mr. Chow to him.  As you can imagine, what follows is a crazy adventure as Alan, Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) do everything they can to track down and capture the wanted fugitive known as Chow.

The Hangover Part III was Todd Phillips way of trying to wrap up the adventures of the Wolfpack while at the same time giving the audience an opportunity to see what kind of shenanigans the gang might get themselves into when there is actually no hangover, no party and no wedding. It’s a shame none of what he set out to achieve really worked.  Instead of belly inducing laughter that may put you on the brink of passing out, this final film is more of a giggle fest.  Throughout the full 100 minute duration you will sit there chuckling on a constant basis, which isn’t bad, but this movie, in comparison to its predecessors, is so tame that it feels absolutely nothing like a Hangover film and more like an easy cash grab for all of its participants.

What makes a Hangover film a Hangover film is that it’s raunchy, outrageous and full of uncomfortable moments that’ll have you howling.  I know most people weren’t a fan of the second film because it was exactly like the first in story but it did have some extremely funny moments.  However, this film has none of those until the final scene which lies in the credits (so be sure to stay).  The credit scene is the funniest part of the movie and it’s a shame that I had to waste 100 min. of my time just to laugh that hard.

Like all of you, I was expecting The Hangover Part III to make up for the unoriginality of the second film but it manages to be the worst of the trilogy (though based on the end credit scene I’d rather go with the original storyline and watch what could happen in a fourth film).  This is a film that will easily pocket everyone’s money because we all love watching and listening to Alan but, more importantly, because we expected Todd Phillips to deliver another raunchy, gut busting comedy that would make us cry instead of the easy cash grab everyone went for.  If I were you, I’d wait until this comes out on home video and spend your money this weekend on Fast and the Furious 6 or save it and spend it on the comedies coming out in June like The Heat and This is the End since those actually made me truly laugh out loud.

Rating: A giggle fest that doesn’t even compare to the second film let alone the first so go in with low expectations to save yourself (4/10)

The post Movie Review: ‘The Hangover Part III’ is the First Disappointment of the Summer appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

According to Deadline, the actress has been working hand-in-hand with the Capote Estate and screenwriter Tristine Skylar, who is also rumored to be attached to a production of Sylvia Plath’s The Belljar.

Capote’s manuscript had originally been trashed, but was later found and published in 2004 with a blessing from Capote’s former editor. The story hits a lot of romantic period notes, familiar to a Keira Knightley drama, but is sure to draw a lot of young talent. It’s about “a 17-year-old debutant [who] opts out of her parents’ Parisian travels to foster a romance with a Jewish valet parking attendant in the middle of a 1945 summer NYC heat wave.”

The four-time Golden Globe nominee shared that Capote’s novel is “an inspired early work of Truman’s which has long captured my heart… Being able to bring this story to the screen as my full-length directorial debut is a life dream and deep privilege.”

Shooting is set to begin next year, possibly before Johansson returns to shoot The Avengers 2. Producers for Summer Crossing include Oleg Boyko (Sin City: A Dame To Kill For), Sergei Bespalov (Father of Invention), Barry Spikings (The Deer Hunter) as well as executive producer Peter D. Graves (Terminator: Savlation).

What do you think of Johansson’s plan to direct movies? Are you familiar with Capote’s Summer Crossing? Which young stars can you see starring in the lead roles?

The post Scarlett Johansson Makes Directorial Debut With Tuman Capote Adaptation, Summer Crossing appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

Hands up, how many of you knew there was an original Gone In 60 Seconds? Anyone? Me either, that was until I received the Gone In 60 Seconds (1974) Blu-Ray disc, and I’m glad I did.

Spectacularly it was Written, Produced, Directed by H.B ‘Toby’ Halicki, who was also the films leading star, Gone In 60 Seconds main focus was the car chase, one that eclipses most car chases in modern cinema. But it’s not even the car chase, which is one of the longest in cinema history – coming in around the 40 minute mark – which makes the film so impressive, it’s knowing it’s history, and how the film was produced, which really gives it the edge.

Halicki was a true car enthusiast, so much so he decided to make his very own film in an attempt to create the greatest car chase cinema had ever seen – and around that time, he did. He wasn’t a film maker, and that is evident through the beginning of Gone In 60 Seconds, the script is all a bit thin and just feels like it was created on the spot (some of it actually was!). Halicki wasn’t even a stunt man, but he did his own driving, and when you see some of the car accidents in the film keep in mind, they’re real, they weren’t planned, there wasn’t a stunt man driving. Everything that happened in the film, happened for real, including the destruction of 90 cars at a dealership – all of which Halicki had to buy from the owner of the car lot, a close friend of his who allowed him to use it for the film. Halicki also used real members of the public to star in the film, his own friends to star in the film and the Police and Firefighters you see, they’re real as well. Halicki was working on a shoestring budget, and the term Indie Film making may never be more appropriate when applied to Gone In 60 Seconds. I wish I’d known about the films history before watching it, because it gives a greater appreciation for what was done.

For a film of its age, you can see that transferr to Blu-Ray was a great choice, giving it new life. The story really does lack enjoyment however, and it’s easy to see why it was remade. We jump straight in to meet Chase (Halicki), an insurance investigator who leads a double-life as a professional car thief, along with his team, who are some of the best around. They’re hired to steal 48 cars in only a matter of days. It all sounds good, but it’s very rushed and there’s no real meaning and the majority of the film is just seeing how the team steal cars (very quickly) with no cool plans, no car chases and only 1 or 2 close shaves. The remake took the strong foundations and ran further with it. In the original, ’Eleanor’ is just a car that keeps giving them trouble rather than having a significant meaning to Chase. While props have to be given to the length of the car chase, it can also be criticized. It can get pretty ridiculous and comical at times, such as everyone driving past a stray car in the middle of a road and then for no reason the last police car hitting it! (even though it would have a clear view of everyone avoiding it in the first place). Ever wondered why car chases aren’t longer in films? Because if they’re not done right, they get very boring. Once again you see here that Halicki isn’t a film maker, but instead a fan. With this said there are some pretty jaw-dropping moments, such as Chase driving full speed down a Highway, getting hit by another car and slamming into a lamp post at what must be 100mph+. How did they do that without CGI? Well, they weren’t meant to, and Halicki was knocked unconscious because of it, his first words once he regained consciousness, “did we get the shot?”. To me, this sums up H.B Halicki, he was willing to put himself on the line to capture a genuinely cool moment in car chase cinema history, a mentality that sadly cost him his life filming Gone In 60 Seconds 2, a few years later.

Blu-Ray Extras – The Car Crash King Featurette allows us to see Halicki in some of his other features doing what he did best, car chases. He was dubbed the Car Crash King and this allows fans of Gone In 60 Seconds to see clips of his other work. The Blu-Ray also provides an introduction by Denice Halicki which is very interesting and shares some of the history of the making of Gone In 60 Seconds. Interviews with other cast members, and a 45 minute feature on H.B Halicki himself.

While the original lacks a real story compared to the remake, it’s well worth a watch to see this chase scene in all of its Blu-Ray glory as well as the special features it has on offer.

Rating: Well worth a purchase even if the ending is a bit too convenient, slick but convenient. (6/10).

Gone In 60 Seconds (1974) is available to buy on Blu-Ray now from British distributor Kaleidoscope Entertainment.

The post Blu-Ray Review: Gone In 60 Seconds (1974) appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

Basically there is a roadies who was sent out to pick something up for Metallica while they are playing an epic live show.  While out and about he gets into an accident where there is a potential riot about to unfold.  One man in the crowd set his eyes on the roadie to kill him and so it’s up to the roadie to find a way to make it back to the concert alive with Metallica’s cargo.

I’m personally not a fan on seeing concerts in theaters (I haven’t done that yet), but the thought of having a Metallica concert as a backdrop to a narrative about a young adult fleeing a murderer just seems like the perfect match up.  I can’t wait to see what the full trailer has in store for us but in the meantime take a look at the below and, if you like heavy rock, keep this one on your radar for this fall.

Dane DeHaan (The Place Beyond the Pines, Kill Your Darlings, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) portrays Trip, a young roadie sent on an urgent mission during Metallica’s roaring live set in front of a sold-out arena.

As the band performs its most iconic songs for thousands of their fans in a never-before-seen performance created exclusively for the film, Trip is dispatched outside the arena to meet a disabled delivery truck and recover a mysterious item being transported to the show. But the seemingly simple assignment turns into a surreal adventure when his car is hit by an out-of-control driver. Trip, dazed and bruised, climbs out of his van only to find himself pitched in the middle of a tense standoff between angry protesters and charging riot police. In the ensuing mayhem, a vicious masked horseman sets his murderous eye on Trip while delivering indiscriminate deathblows to rioters and cops alike. Fleeing through the desolate, post-apocalyptic urban streetscape, Trip has only his wits to protect him as he attempts to deliver the band’s precious cargo and avoid becoming the horseman’s next victim.

The post First Teaser Trailer and Poster for ‘Metallica Through the Never’ – Heavy Riffs to Come appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

However, while Malick is known for his abstractly epic takes on storytelling, we can at least get a sneak peek at the pair in this newly released image from the film, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.

The film also totes an all-star cast which includes Cate Blanchett (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies), Antonio Banderas (Machete Kills), Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike), Wes Bentley (Lovelace), Isabel Lucas (Red Dawn), Freida Pinto (Immortals), Imogen Poots (The Look Of Love), and Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation).

What’s also interesting about this cast is that Portman, Bale, and Blanchett all appear in another untitled Malick project with intersecting love triangles, which also includes Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, and Michael Fassbender, among others.

The film is currently in post-production and is set for a release sometime this year. Are you following Malick’s secretly-guarded film projects? What do you think about Portman and Bale as an on-screen pair?

The post First Look At Natalie Portman and Christian Bale in Terrence Malick’s ‘Knight of Cups’ appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

Drew Goddard

“Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my life, and it’s turned into a nightmare. I don’t even know who’ll read this. I guess someone will find it eventually. Maybe 100 years from now. For the record… I didn’t die on Sol 6. Certainly the rest of the crew thought I did, and I can’t blame them. Maybe there’ll be a day of national mourning for me, and my Wikipedia page will say “Mark Watney is the only human being to have died on Mars.” And it’ll be right, probably. Cause I’ll surely die here. Just not on Sol 6 when everyone thinks I did. Let’s see…where do I begin?”

What is most interesting about the excerpt is that the book (and by extension the film) seems to have more of a survivalist mindset than a horror one. Goddard looks to be going to into very new territory for his sophomore directorial effort, and I am curious how much of a resemblance it will have to his previous works.

The post From Horror to Sci-Fi: Drew Goddard to Write and Direct “The Martian” appeared first on Movie Buzzers.

The movie follows Beldel and Ronan as the respective titular assassins who are assigned a job, but meet an unexpected twist in their target, played by James Gandolfini (The Sopranos). Also in the film are Danny Trejo (Machete), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Won’t Back Down), and John Ventimiglia (The Sopranos).

Check out the trailer for the Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious) written and directed project, which hit the web this month. It looks to be contending as a 21^st century Thelma & Louise with a little extra heart found in its imaginary and whimsical graphic elements.

The movie was featured as an entry to the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, and will certainly give a mainstream lift to the film’s leads Ronan, who is currently in production with Ryan Gosling for his directorial debut How To Catch A Monster, and Bledel, a name that keeps circling around the film adaptation of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey.

Are you looking forward to seeing the young actresses play assassins on screen? Have you been waiting for the film to hit theaters?

The post Trailer: ‘Violet & Daisy’ Starring Saoirse Ronan & Alexis Bledel appeared first on Movie Buzzers.