Father Geek here... I've got some sad news for you regular readers of this column... Due to increased duties in his "REAL-WORLD" job Edgard has had to giveup editing this report for us... BUMMER. Finding someone who speaks 5 languages to fill his shoes will be difficult, possibly impossible. Contact ME if you're interested in taking over the euroaicn@yahoo.com address and Edgard's job of collecting all the Euro-news. This week will be alittle thin, until Edgard's sources start funneling ol' Father Geek their info, reviews, festival reports, etc...
First a tidbit on MATRIX from Belgium...
My name is Cihan and I'm from Belgium. I don't know whether you know but according to uptomovie.com (a Belgian movie site) the Matrix producers have decided not to use the footage they shot of Aaliyah for the Matrix films. Because her character Zee is too crucial for the film they decided to recast. Eva Mendes ('Exit Wounds') is said to be the most likely candidate for the role. You can find this bit of info at www.uptomivie.com. It is in Dutch.
Then there was this review of the wonderful BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLVES...
Okay, I know you've already reviewed Brotherhood Of The Wolf and had a report from Toronto, but let me give you another thumbs up from Boston...
Kick ass!
This movie almost didn't arrive; they had to cancel the Friday night shows and then moved the Saturday afternoon ones from one theater to another for the second and third screenings, seeing how demand was so high. Funny story behind that; I had actually purchased a ticket for what turned out to be a terrible little film called Sam The Man, but they hadn't switched the theater numbers on the tickets, so I wound up seeing the first fifteen minutes of this before they moved us all to our right theaters. Those first fifteen minutes had me certain to come back later, though
The first thing that leapt to mind from those fifteen minutes was Evil Dead 2. The running over uneven ground, stumbling, the unseen pursuer, and the hyper-zoom almost seemed like an homage, and it's clear Gans has seen ED2 - why else would he choose Joseph LoDuca as his composer, right?
What really got me was the movie's style - it's like a synthesis of French, Hollywood, and Hong Kong, somehow all working together perfectly. It's got that matter-of-fact French attitude toward the grotesque, Hollywood polish and production values (this is a gorgeous film to look at; costumes, creatures, cinematography, a wholly unnecessary and undoubtedly expensive helicopter shot of people on a period sailing vessel), and Hong Kong-style action.
I don't know how historically accurate a martial-arts-master Mohawk Iriquois is, but Mark Dacascos makes the idea a whole lot of fun. He kicks ass, gets laid, and even pulls off the whole communing with nature thing without Mani seeming like a silly stereotype. I loved the scientist hero actually attacking a problem scientifically. Emilie Dequenne is too cute to describe, and Marianne is a fun character.
That's what this movie is - fun. It's got everything you could want in two and a half hours of monster movie - noble heroes, great action scenes, pretty girls, grotesque monsters, scheming, wit, and great forward momentum. The best action/horror/adventure/epic in a long, long time.
Now here's a piece on HARRY POTTER...
Don't know if you know this story but this was in yesterdays news of the world in the uk about the running time of the film.
FILM chiefs have found a more traditional role for Harry Potter's broomstick.
Instead of transporting the schoolboy wizard they need it for, er, a short spell to sweep the piles of footage on the cutting room floor of the new Harry movie.
Director Chris Columbus was so determined to stay faithful to JK Rowling's first book that Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is currently FOUR HOURS long.
Now bosses at Warner Bros have told him: "You'll have to Quidditch half of it!"
They reckon even the most devoted young followers of the 11-year-old hero will be unable to sit through what would be one of the longest movies ever.
Your Potter potty News of the World was the first paper to bring you details of the long-awaited film.
Last week we told you how reporter Charles Begley had actually changed himself into Harry Potter (by deed poll) to show how serious he was about summoning up the most magical coverage of the movie, which opens in Britain on November 16.
Warners spent £100 million on the movie and a sequel is already on the drawing board. They want the massive cuts to safeguard box office takings.
A company insider said: "No kid is going to sit through a four-hour movie - however lovingly it's made."
Columbus - who directed Mrs Doubtfire and Home Alone - now has a huge job on his hands to prepare the film for its world premiere in London on November 4.
A lot of the plot and many of the 500 special effects will have to go. Robbie Coltrane, who plays Harry's chum Hagrid, admitted: "I don't envy Chris.
"Children know every single thing about this book. They're going to ask, 'What happened to the bit where Mrs Whatsername does so and so?'"
Author JK Rowling said: "The makers have been very gracious in allowing me a lot of input - but ultimately the control is not mine."
The all-British film is expected to make a superstar of schoolboy Daniel Radcliffe, 12, who plays the trainee wizard. The cast includes John Cleese, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman and Richard Griffiths.
Let's hope Columbus is as good as Harry at making things vanish!
Tracy
Then there was this on HIGHLANDER 5 from Ireland...
The Irish examiner has some fresh details on that HIGHLANDER 5 you mentioned yesterday. Producers are in negotiations with Sean Connery, who they hope will reprise his role as Ramirez. It's believed that the above-par script will entice him back.
The report also confirms your rumour that Timothy
Dalton is in as the next villain.
Here's some news on HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE...
Hello there,
I am passionately in love with the books of Diana Wynne Jones. She's a British fantasy author who is a friend of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS was based on her book EIGHT DAYS OF LUKE, and much of the Harry Potter books are influenced by her Chrestomanci novels. For years her stuff has gone completely under the radar.
I am also, like many others I know, a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki and his animation studio, and have seen all of the subtitled or dubbed Ghibli films that have come across the sea. I've also seen NAUSICAA and LAPUTA in the original Japanese alongside the English scripts from nausicaa.net.
Now comes the news. Studio Ghibli is going to make Diana Wynne Jones' book HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE into a feature film. The director will not be Miyazaki, as he has retired, but instead Mamoru Hosoda from Toei. I read this on a DWJ website and my heart started beating so fast... this is beyond belief for me.
http://screendaily.com/shtml_files/search_redirect.shtml
For years my dream was for Miyazaki to take on Philip Pullman's THE GOLDEN COMPASS. I still think that, if anybody, Miyazaki would be the one to properly put this book to film. But Miyazaki has retired from animation following SPIRITED AWAY, and I think that if Golden Compass were made, its feel would be too close to LAPUTA. I now think that Diana Wynne is Ghibli's best option if they are trying to draw on British fantasy, simply because her stories are always so fresh. The only way that Ghibli could do better on this movie is if they got Miyazaki or Takahata to direct it.
With hope,
Tanamoril
Then there was this plea from an Irish fan of AICN...
What ?? Butt-numb-a-thon EUROPE Where ?? Dublin, Ireland (The best entertainment city in Europe) When ?? As soon as you arrange to come over Why ?? Cos you can't take over the world without coming to Europe How ?? Lots of hard work by some dedicated celluloid geeks Whats in it for Harry ?? You'll see Dublin, you'll make lots of europeans happy, you'll be shown how party Irish style, in the city where Guinness came from !
If you think this is a good idea drop me a line.
Damien.
Well, that's all Father Geek has for this week... Remember Edgard's gone... send me, Father Geek , all your Euro-News till we find a multi-lingual, film fanatic/reporter to take his place. He did a great job for us for a year and a half, whoever fills his shoes will have to have "big feet."
