Films In 2007/2008

Pop corn? Coke? Treats? Ready!

Film announcements are not a satisfactory topic because there is no room for all the titles and the “best” ones perhaps will not be so good once they are in the dark of the cinemas. Still, singled out films are surely most exposed ones, if not the very top of the end of 2007/start of 2008 season. Enjoy!

2007

1. American Gangster

Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington. Russell Crowe.

“American Gangster” was based on a true story, Crow plays a police officer, Richie Roberts, who was on the trail of the most infamous (and ironically almost unknown to the broader public) criminal Frank Lucas (Washington) in the beginning of the 80`s. For a short period, Lucas was the boss of Harlem`s drug underground, allowing opium to be imported from Vietnam (in suitcases of killed veterans!). Of course, all of this was performed with the help bent army representatives. At the pinnacle of his drug campaign, Lucas owned about 350 million dollars and he managed to reduce his 30-year prison sentence to 9 years because he agreed to give away the names of corrupt officers who basically saturated the pores of authorities at the time.

As far as the film-making process goes, it can be said that Scott`s vision is “third time`s the charm” because a few years ago, the director was supposed to be Terry George, with Don Cheadle as Lucas and Joaquin Phoenix as Roberts. Later on, Antoine Furqua with Washington and Benicio Del Toro as Roberts… Still, famous producer Brian Grazer remained in the project`s core, who remained on the same post nine years after he first read the script, agreeing to out the film together when Crowe and the British director called him. At the moment, the budget is estimated at 100 million dollars and Ridley Scott is exceptionally proud with the fact this is absolutely an old school film, without any CGI intervention, a pure dialogue-acting treat.

Unfortunately, reviews were not too favourable, but why don`t we see for ourselves?

-> INTERSECTING FACT: This will not be the final co-operation of Australian Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott after “Gladiator” and “A Good Year” (flopped at the box office). They will meet again for an interesting film called “Nottingham”, which will give an entirely different image of the classic Robin Hood tale, with the sheriff of Nottingham (Crowe) as the leading role. Producer Grazer describes the film as “Sherwood Gladiator”. Shooting will begin next year!

DROOL FACTOR: 81 PERCENT

2. The Golden Compass

“The Golden Compass” was based on a favourite “children`s” trilogy – right after HP, right. “Children`s” because Phillip Phullman was surely not guided by child-like instincts when he decided to include the Magisterium (meaning: Church at its greatest “middle age lock `n` load mode), Him (in a “weakened old man in a shell” depiction), Adam and Eve (hm… too revealing for those who have not read the books yet) in the literary masterpiece like “His Dark Materials”.

For start, this is an absolute recommendation for everyone who is willing to put aside a few hours a day to read one of the best literary experiences. At first glance, story about a girl called Lyra Belacqui who lives in an alternative world between the industrial revolution at the beginning of the 20^th century and magic like we`ve seen in Narnia (I won`t say the Lord) can sound childish, but believe me – it is not. Finally, the entire story is divided into all three books:

1. Northern Lights (also known as The Golden Compass)
2. The Subtle Knife
3. The Amber Spyglass

As the introduction of every book claims, in the first part the plot takes place in a world much like ours, but which is also quite different. In the second party, the plot takes place in our world and in the third one, characters travel through both worlds.

If you add armoured bears that fight for power over north, a compass that answers much more complex questions than “Where is north?”, scientists who are trying to discover the Universe`s secret through “the almighty Dust from the hands of the Creator”, Angels like you never imagined when you listened to children`s fairy tales… In the long run, “His Dark Materials” trilogy is one big questioning of human consciousness in the everlasting search for answers; all of this is told through an interesting and thrilling journey of a girl, growing up and learning about the cruel forces that rule the worlds, mostly in the faces of us, common men.

You`ll understand me, I hope, if I say that, unlike dreadful Narnia (the film, not the book and excellent BBC series), my heart will literally ache if they ruin this film.

Hope?

Nicole Kidman as the “main baddie” Marisa Coulter. You don`t know if you love her or hate her, but you know you like her in a dirty way.

Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel. Just read the name and you`ll get the picture – The Man.

Doubt?

Chris Weitz, the director. He previously did “American Pie”. Hm, hm… Although, the man says he made efforts to catch up to the new technologies on set… Everything for the story, let`s hope because – the Story is truly a great one.

Also, reviews were not that hot for Weitz, just like the box office results (80 – 90 million dollars in the USA).
Read the first book, it will overcome you, without a doubt. Keep counting on the film if they approve a controversial sequel (DVD market).

DROOL FACTOR: 88 PERCENT

3. I Am Legend

A pumped up remake of Charlton Heston`s “Omega Man”, about a “man who fought everyone else”, infested with a mean vampire virus. This time, “The Man” is Will Smith, a mega star because all of his films were hits really at the box office (not including the “Wild Wild West). Lately, he proved himself to be a good character actor (“Ali”, “The Pursuit of Happiness”), but if you saw “I, Robot”, you know that Willie is an excellent character without a 3-day beard and home budget issues.

In “I, Legend”, Smith is a virologist (how appropriate!) Robert Neville who could be the last surviving man in the USA, even on planet Earth. Both is in question because Robert has no information about the rest of the world because he is trapped in his New York apartment, but one thing`s for sure: Times Square is empty and this is not nothing. An unknown virus has infected human 28 days later and Neville`s worries at first are mostly chasing two deers in the city streets and escaping from two lions from the ZOO. Somewhat later, apart from the unavoidable identity crisis and isolation, first signs of a terrible infection surface. “In the dark, they are coming…”.

On paper, this seems like a definite bulls eye, but it can equally turn out to be a parade of effects like “Constantine”. This is not a long shot because the film`s director shot the just mentioned film with Keanu Reeves, but the key moments will, let`s hope, be the ones with Will against himself.

“Dog is man`s best friend” – German shepherd Sam – included.

DROOL FACTOR: 82 PERCENT

4. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

It will sound predictable if I say that a combination of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Alan Rickman cannot fail, but it will also be unnecessarily stated truth: “Sweeney Todd” brings us back to the well-known, twisted world of most famous oddball director ever since “Edward who had scissors in stead of hands” and “A bride who was actually a zombie”. The first trailer (I nope not the only one)showed not much has changed in Tim`s world. A dark world is so obviously separated from the glittery, colourful one, in the time when Benjamin Barka (Depp) lived happily with his wife and child. As it usually happens on film, they are taken away from him, with everything nice contributing to his  family life gone. Driven by revenge and hatred, Barka comes out of prison (he was innocent) as a new man, anger-motivated butcher Sweeney Todd, a barber you don`t want to cut your beard off, unless you`d like him to cut your head off.

Yes, did I mention there`s a lot of singing in the film, in this full-blooded Restricted product?

It is enough to see a small part of Johnny singing in the trailer to think: “I`ll watch this”.

DROOL FACTOR: 89 PERCENT

5. Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem

“Alien Vs. Predator” was a great film disappointment.

Times change, trailers come, people fall for it…

I honestly hope we`re all not gonna fall for it again. I say again because this is the second series sequel, even though it has nothing to do with the ultimate insults for all 2004 Alien and Predator fans when Paul W.S. Anderson, a man with an unusual number of initials and unusually many average films (“Event Horizon”, “Resident Evil”), decided to make the “ultimate monster vs. monster” fight against two favourite Fox creatures. The film was PG—13 trash with a total lack of the human element. Also, the only thing left to do was cry after the days of Ridley Scott, James Cameron and John McTiernan, i.e. the original films.

This time, the directors are much more inclined towards the fans: the Strause brothers, two people with endless experience in film effects and let`s hope their first good film-making experience.

There is hope, as always. Trailers for part 2 have that recognisable atmosphere of hopelessness from the first “Aliens”, completed with pumped up chamber music and great effects of our time. The human side seems solid, dominated by a female figure that is reminiscent of the best days of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).

I must not forget the pre-alien, a vicious hybrid of two monsters that might be the first original thing after the Alien Queen.

The wait is almost over, I have a good feeling, which is sometimes the most important thing to convince yourselves you are not “just another loser to step on a land-mine”.

DROOL FACTOR: 85 PERCENT

2008 – the beginning

6. National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

The first part was a nice surprise, at least for me. One of those films I waited to see on DVD, so I refused to see it at all. I look at the cover, I see Cage in an “Indy wannabee” pose, but it is actually a solid 2-hour entertainment when you don`t know what to do with yourself. A little bit of Jerry`s philosophy (Bruckheimer, the producer), a little bit of humour (Cage`s sidekick, at whom I laughed), a little bit of eye-pleasing “Helen of Troy”, a little bit of nicely sarcastic Voight and you get a typical “easy to love” film.

Part two is done on a greater level, like part 2`s usually are.

Old Abe Lincoln, Paris, London, USA, “who-knows-where”… Masons, Area 51, Top secret files, you name it!

All of this is found by a known name: Benjamin Gates (meaning CAGE with a Tom Hanks in Da Vinci code hair style).

Newcomer to the film, and welcome, Oscar winner Helen Mirren works in the White House as the heroe`s mother. It seems the mission, in no way, covered up and introduced in the first sentence of the trailer, will be: to abduct the president pf America. Over exaggerated? If you saw the first part, then you know all of this is a part of an ordinary, easy, but entertaining – film story.

It`s not like I`m shaking, but: “We`ll see it… Perhaps before the DVD comes out”.

I will not say for you, but the fact the film is in this humble review, speaks the effect part one has had on the broader cinema audience.

DROOL FACTOR: 67 PERCENT

7. John Rambo

Sly id not kidding. He recently came back from somewhere near Myanmar and is ready to get the fourth, meanest Rambo sequel to the big screen, this PTSP Vietnam veteran, with a Green Berets degree. This time, a vicious dictator army is in question, and is keeping several “good American Christians” captive. Aged John must liberate them. HE will realise that life in Myanmar villages is quite different from heaven.

Actually, judging by many images and the latest title – John is ready to step into a real Hell on Earth.

Without being pathetic, I have to admit that always buffed up Sly is phenomenal in “Rambo mode”, and the scene in which he takes a man with a bow from 50 metres is reminiscent of the good, old action “part two” (James Cameron wrote the script). True, we will not hide his age, so Rambo is presented as a man who has not been used to action and violence for a long time: but things will soon change… Better for us, worse for the sadistic sons of bi****s who rule mined Myanmar jungles.

'I AM THE LAW!!!!' Ooops, wrong film ;)

Its start will be explosive, gory and we can point out now already – a comeback.

Hello to film screen veterans!

DROOL FACTOR: 83 PERCENT

To be continued…