SAW 3D images, trailer and teaser poster fail to revive faith in the franchise
Jul 28
It’s safe to assume Saw 3D (the 7th Saw film) is going to be mediocre, right? This franchise has a history of sometimes producing noteworthy trailers and other promotional material, getting fans (??) excited about possibly seeing a worthwhile addition to the saga and then letting them down. Hard.
Seems there’s a trickle of excitement following the new Saw 3D trailer and, yes, while it might seem exciting to endure Jigsaw’s gruesome death scenarios in ‘eye popping’ 3D, there’s no accounting for quality story and, you know, plot.
Speaking of plot, here’s the synopsis:
A deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gather to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.
For what it needs to be– torture porn for the Haolloween holiday– Saw delivers to its market and continues to profit. That’s why we have a seventh film in 3D to tolerate. I’m just understandably cautious about believing any of the hype.
Saw 3D opens in the States on 29 October 2010.
New COWBOYS AND ALIENS image features hats and gadgets
Jul 26
So apparently there’s some kind of convention going on over in America where a whole bunch of people get together and discuss slim shiny books that are packed with pictures but feature relatively few words. Descending from this mysterious medium like a semi-intelligent ape from muck is a movie whose title conveniently sums up its plot: Cowboys And Aliens.
Those clamoring for a look at Daniel Craig as one of the eponymous horse-riders can sit back, relax, and enjoy this image, fresh from Collider. While we’re on the topic, some footage from Cowboys And Aliens was screened at the aforementioned convention, which Slashfilm charitably describes as being like “like a dead serious western with Spielbergian flair.”
Director Jon Favreau revealed that he refused to shoot in 3D, because, it’s, like, a western, and westerns need to look filmy, you know? He also decided against 3D post-processing, claiming “That’s like shooting in black and white, and then colorizing.” Bravo!
Cowboys And Aliens is directed by Jon Favreau, starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Paul Dano, Sam Rockwell, and Olivia Wilde. It lands / makes contact / invades / insert alien pun of choice on 29 July 2011 Stateside. International release dates forthcoming.
How to sell a 3D space thriller called GRAVITY better: put Scarlett Johansson in it
Jul 24
One of the few names that will get me into a cinema no matter what is Alfonso Cuarón’s. The fact that his next picture is going to be set in one of my absolute favourite genre milieus — space — is even better. Gravity sounds like a potential classic of the genre, rivalling the likes of the recent Sunshine or Moon, and even the fact that it’s going to be in 3D can’t dampen my enthusiasm for it.
Neither, surprisingly, is the news that Scarlett Johansson will take the leading role, opposite Robert Downey, Jr. Johansson’s thespian abilities haven’t exactly been challenged of late, but in Cuarón’s capable hands, I’m sure she’s capable of doing great things.
Even better is the marketing aspect of the casting decision. Thousands of people who wouldn’t have taken a gamble on a sci-fi thriller might be swayed to drop some cash on the flick if it features the eyeball-friendly actress in 3D for the first time, and Cuarón deserves every penny of recognition he gets.
Gravity starts shooting later this year, with a a release date expected some time in 2012. Johansson will take the role previously set aside for Angelina Jolie, as a woman who tries to make her way back to Earth after her space station explodes (or something).
SUCKER PUNCH character banners have fascinating backgrounds
Jul 23
Men love watching women dress up and prance around for their titillation. Americans love weapons and violence. Combining both of these together, Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch is almost guaranteed to be a huge financial hit.
Despite recklessly harming the cause of feminism, what is Sucker Punch really about? Slashfilm (in addition to providing these images) has helpfully summarised the plot thus:
The film stars Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Emily Browning, Scott Glenn, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung. The film follows Emily Browning’s character, Babydoll, who is confined to a mental institution from which she fantasizes an alternate reality. Browning and the other girls seen here are all wards of the institution … Snyder has said many times that the film will be a dark, violent fantasty full of guns, action and monsters.
A mental institution, you say? Good, good, I remember how much fun I had with Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis in one of those in 12 Monkeys. The backgrounds on the banners (look past the women, if you can) are all different and potentially exciting: there’s Far East architecture, some Lord Of The Rings-looking thing, Nazi-era Europe, the future, and what looks suspiciously like the surface of Mars / [insert fictional planet name here]. This sets the scene for some era-hopping, genre-bending episodic storytelling, and could potentially be rather interesting.
One thing that bugs me, though, is why a female mental patient would fantasise an alternate reality full of heavily-armed, scantily-clad women. And giant robots. And outer space. Seems a little more like a teenaged male fantasy to me.
Zack Snyder aims to punch your sucker on 25 March 2011, in the States; we’ll probably get it within a month or so of that.
First image from JACKASS 3D hopes to sell you that extra D
Jul 23
I’m not going to lie to you: Jackass 3D is alarmingly high on my 2010 ‘to-see’ list. It’s always a treat to see Johnny Knoxville and the gang hurt themselves in increasingly complicated and imaginative ways. I’m not even annoyed that it’s in 3D. If anything, I think it’ll help the experience.
This photo floated out of Comic-Con, via Yahoo, and features Knoxville mid-stunt astride a jetski. The novelty suit amuses with its incongruity, but what I really want to know is how they managed to get such a wonderful photograph of the stunt.
Jackass 3D is due on 15 October 2010 in the States; expect similar release dates for the rest of the world.
OPINIONS COUNT