Movies like Dream House are simply amazing in the worst ways possible. With the slew of films that go into development to never see the green light, how does a script like this slip through rounds and rounds of coverage and scrutiny? Then, how does an irrational story like this attract such top-notch talent like Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz? Worst of all, who thought it’d be worth it to release Dream House in theaters rather than just attempt to tuck it away on a DVD shelf? Someone delivered the dismal word to Showbiz411 back in July and apparently their source was correct, “The movie is unrelease-able.”
Will Atenton (Craig) opts to leave his big city job behind to head out to a quaint suburban neighborhood with his loving wife, Libby (Weisz), and two daughters, Trish and Dee Dee (Taylor and Claire Geare). They shack up in what’s seemingly a dream house, but soon discover their humble abode has a dark past. Five years ago, Peter Ward brutally murdered his wife and children in this very home.
When news of their home’s dismal reputation spooks Libby and the girls, Will takes it upon himself to investigate. A group of teenagers hiding out in their basement recalling the legend of Peter Ward are one thing, but when Will suspects a mysterious visitor is actually Ward, he’s got no choice but to dig even deeper and, in the process, Will winds up discovering quite a bit about himself, too.
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Well paced movies aren’t necessarily swift, but if the storytelling approach is more on the calculated and wallowing side, there better be a strong payoff. While writer-director Jeff Nichols presents Take Shelter as a piece that’ll rock a powerful crescendo, what we get is one that feels rather one-note most of the way through until it spikes just before the end. Nichols makes an honorable attempt at wrapping the piece up in a fulfilling and stirring way, but the jagged build doesn’t make it nearly as satisfying as it could be.
When word of this “cancer comedy” hit, the hot question was, “Can cancer be funny?” Not only is the answer to that a solid yes, but director Jonathan Levine and writer Will Reiser make a dismal subject humorous in the most honorable way possible. You may look and sound ridiculous when 50/50 makes you laugh and cry at the same time, but the embarrassment is well worth it.
We’ve got a little bit of everything this week – action, comedy, romance and so much more. But, with October on the horizon, it’s the horror material that’s inherently appropriate. The team behind the Paranormal Activity 3 campaign is really ramping things up, letting loose three new clips and a brand new trailer. While the clips themselves aren’t particularly special, the way in which they hit the web is quite fun. Shock Till You Drop, Dread Centra land Bloody Disgusting not only received VHS tapes, but VHS players to play them with. An innovative and appropriate way to get the material out to the public, and, thanks to technology, likely quite cheap, too! As for the trailer, I’m sensing this might be a case of showing too much before the release, but at least it shows that there’s really more for this franchise to explore.
In an industry with a tendency to use, reuse and then reuse yet again, a film that defies typical tactics is particularly exciting. In the case of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, we don’t just get a piece that attempts to purport something new; we get something that takes a common horror movie element, pumps it full of absurdity, blood and even some heart, shakes it up and then hands over the result – a charming spoof that’s a blast to watch.
Based on Transformers: Dark of the Moon’s performance, there’s clearly a nice chunk of moviegoers who are okay with feature films that are visual spectacles and nothing more. However, not only isn’t Bunraku a Michael Bay blockbuster, but it’s highly stylized, instantly narrowing its target audience. Then again, by focusing on the fans of artistic hand-to-hand combat, Bunraku is poised to head right into more open arms. But, for the rest of us, while the visuals may be like nothing we’ve ever seen and downright incredible, it’s just not enough to make Bunraku a fulfilling watch.
As someone with an appreciation for a more literal approach to storytelling, taking to Lars von Trier’s style of work has never been easy. However, with Melancholia, von Trier finds an absolutely impeccable middle ground, providing the audience with a uniquely sensible tale, but not holding back when dousing the piece with his authorial expressivity, giving us something that’s tremendously stirring.
Thanks to a great deal of unusual and somewhat off-putting hype, it’s nearly impossible to go into Red State without any preconceptions. There’s no denying Kevin Smith made some questionable decisions during Red State’s road to the public, but, in the end, how can you judge him when he managed to deliver? On a B-movie level at least.
It’s pretty obvious that the sports genre has a tendency to revel in formulaic inspirational storytelling. But, when you’ve got a true story with a happy ending, isn’t that effect almost inherent? According to Moneyball, no. Is that a good thing? It depends what you’re looking for.
Let’s get the shoddy material out of the way first. Immortals better do away with that droning voiceover before the film’s release on 11-11-11 or it’ll scare away folks looking to avoid a history lesson. We don’t need anymore broad overviews like the one presented in this new TV spot. Give us a peek inside Theseus’ head! Footloose is having some trouble, too, delivering another clip suggesting the film will rock some wicked dance routines, but fall completely flat in the drama department.