Cool News
AICN UK: Box Office, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, SOURCE CODE, HATCHET II, Top Box Office And Games, And More!!
Groovy baby, Britgeek here! No, I'm not trying to be corny, but a fourth AUSTIN POWERS movie is apparently on the way. It isn't a signed deal as originally believed, but Mike Myers' publicist has confirmed that New Line Cinema and the former SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE star are 'in talks' regarding a fourth movie. Okay, so the original three weren't British movies perse, but they're undeniably British in content. I consider Austin Powers to be one of the most memorable characters from the '90s, and I certainly hope that we see the return of the international man of mystery. It goes without saying that it'd be great if it didn't go the same way as THE LOVE GURU, and instead rejuvenates Myers dwindling career. It's a shame to see such talent go to waste in recent years. Eddie Murphy is another prime example of a man who has given us many classics, yet hasn't done anything noteworthy for far too long.
A couple of movies that are very much British, however, are BRIDGET JONES' DIARY and the follow-up. And now we're going to see another sequel. Yes, Rene Zellweger is set to reprise her role seven years after she last played the love-troubled character. There is no hard information on the plot as of yet, but Oscar-winner Colin Firth appeared to let slip the following to Access Hollywood:
“Bridget and Mark can't have children, I think that's the way it goes on. So then she makes the huge mistake of going back to Daniel Cleaver [Hugh Grant] for long enough to get pregnant. I think he dumps her, and guess who comes back to rescue her?”
Was your heart warmed by the first two films enough for you to want another, or did THE EDGE OF REASON leave you cold enough to want to forget the Zellweger/Grant/Firth love triangle?
On to the home entertainment world now, and I've been fortunate enough to see some brilliant films over the last week on DVD and Blu-ray that have either just been released or will be available across the UK in the next couple of weeks.
THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Blu-ray)
There's no denying that THE BIG LEBOWSKI has a massive cult following. It has even spawned its own festival that has seen the film shown at gatherings all over the US, and indeed the UK. But I'm afraid I'm not one of the masses. Now that isn't to say that I don't like the film, as I do. It's a lot of fun, and features Jeff Bridges' craziest performance to date as the eponymous Dude, who gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity that sees him thrown into the deep end of a kidnapping. Is it the Coen brothers' best film? I don't think so – and by quite a way – but it is warm, funny and meaningful. The Dude may just be their most memorable – and quotable – character, though, with John “You see what happens when you find a stranger in the alps?” (PG version) Goodman's turn as Vietnam vet Walter perhaps a close second. It'll also make you want to try a White Russian.
This is an excellent release, however, packaged as a Blu-ray Digibook that's bursting with special features. The remaster is top-notch. Fans are absolutely going to eat this up. Man.
Extras: Worthy Adversaries: What's My Line Trivia; An Exclusive Introduction; The Dude's Life: the cast and crew discuss the titular character; The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later; Making of The Big Lebowski; The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story; Flying Carpets and Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude; Interactive Map; Jeff Bridges Photo Book; Photo Gallery; U-Control interactive features; 24-page colour booklet.
SOURCE CODE (DVD)
Having burst onto the scene with British indie MOON in 2009, for which he won numerous awards, including a BAFTA, Duncan Jones quickly found himself snatched up by Hollywood and at the helm of another sci-fi feature: SOURCE CODE, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. I must say that, before I saw the film, the vibe I was getting from it was of a very middle-of-the-road, forgettable, disposable sci-fi actioner, much like SURROGATES from a couple of years ago. The trailers didn't do much for me and writer Ben Ripley's filmography consisted only of a TV movie and two of the more recent SPECIES sequels. So, you can imagine my elation when the closing credits rolled and I found myself gushing appreciation for it. SOURCE CODE is neither forgettable nor disposable, it's a tightly-wound thriller that plays out almost like a sci-fi version of GROUNDHOG DAY. This is a smart film; the humour and emotion are there and in all the right places, and it's got its fair share of dread once one of the twists is unravelled.
Jones is currently writing his third film and I really look forward to seeing if he can pull off a hat-trick.
Extras: Cast and Crew Insights; Focal Points; Expert Intel; Did You Know?; Tales of Time Travel; an audio commentary with star Gyllenhaal, director Jones and writer Ripley.
HATCHET II (Blu-ray)
I recently sat down and revisited Adam Green's HATCHET in preparation for seeing the sequel for the first time in almost a year to the day, and, once again, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's flawed, but does a great job of harbouring a retro sensibility. That said, HATCHET II positively blew me away. Its mixed reception has done nothing to sway my opinion of the film, which is admittedly a bold one: I think it's the finest slasher sequel I've ever seen. As I noted in my very first column, I attended the world premiere last year at Film4 FrightFest and found myself being strangled by Kane Hodder just moments before show time, so I wanted to be sure that I wasn't caught up in the moment back then and that my thoughts remained the same. Needless to say, they did. HATCHET II is a complete and utter bloodbath, and a great deal of fun. To some extent I agree with Roger Ebert's view that it's almost like a highlight reel of gore-tastic kills, but I don't see that as a hindrance at all.
Extras: HATCHET II – Behind the Screams; HATCHET II – First Look; Meet the FX Team; TV spot; teaser; trailer; audio commentaries with director Green, cinematographer Will Barratt and special make-up effects supervisor Robert Pendergraft, and Green, Kane Hodder and Tony Todd.
TRUST (Blu-ray)
Thank you, David Schwimmer. Thank you for knocking me for a loop with TRUST. This hard-hitting film about a 14-year-old girl who forms an online relationship with a stranger after receiving a laptop for her birthday, only for it to lead to a devastating face-to-face meeting, is as terrific as it is shocking. One scene in particular that I will neglect to explain, although largely left to the imagination, is utterly gut-wrenching to watch. The performances of Liana Liberato as the girl and Clive Owen as her father are outstanding. It's sure to be a breakout role for Liberato, who has worked mostly in television since her career began. She certainly deserves it to be as she brings so much to such a hard, gruelling role. TRUST is fantastic.
Fancy bagging yourself a copy of TRUST on DVD? I have three (3) to give away. TRUST is out on Blu-ray and DVD on August 29, courtesy of Lions Gate Home Entertainment. All you have to do to enter is let me know the name of the character director David Schwimmer played in FRIENDS by sending me an email (greatmutanjpw@aol.com) with the subject 'TRUST Competition'. For a bonus entry, tweet me your answer. This competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom only. Winners will be selected at random and announced in next week's column.
Speaking of contests, last week I announced that I was giving away five copies of SCREAM 4 on Blu-ray, and the winners have now been randomly selected, so congratulations to the following folks. I'll be in touch.
Twitter user darkreign2409
Twitter user hopesegooden
Liam Comer
Stewart Shepherd
Twitter user polythene37
Time for a slice of box office pie, methinks. After five weeks of dominance as the top dog of the UK box office, where it has so far grossed £66.51m, making it the most successful film in the franchise, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 has finally been dethroned. And it hasn't just been knocked off of one rung, but two. It's always interesting following the performances of the summer blockbusters and this year has been no different. The likes of SUPER 8 and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER have gone up against the magical might of Pottermania, but as AICN UK regulars will know, they both failed to make an impact big enough to supersede it. So what are the two films that have? Say hello to RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES at number one and THE SMURFS right behind it. Two franchise reboots, cementing the fact that the summer of 2011, in terms of movies, has belonged to established brand name blockbusters.
On the subject of Potter, Evanna Lynch and Warrick Davis announced at Empire BIG SCREEN this past weekend, that Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford will house a permanent tour through the sets of the Potter movies, beginning in the Spring of next year, entitled The Making of Harry Potter. Fans can book in advance from October. I guess this is a little more exciting than the Pottermore announcement.
The current UK top 10 are as follows:
-
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - £5,835,140
- THE SMURFS - £3,778,085
- HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 - £1,733,091
- SUPER 8 - £1,154,230
- MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS - £897,336
- HORRIBLE BOSSES - £733,309
- CARS 2 - £698,863
- CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER - £597,916
- HORRID HENRY: THE MOVIE - £401,147
- BRIDESMAIDS - £332,171
ZUMBA FITNESS is still leading the way on the video game charts this week. It seems we're all content with avoiding the gym and staying at home and burning fat in front of the TV. Or should that be chewing the fat?
- ZUMBA FITNESS
- LEGO PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE VIDEO GAME
- CARS 2
- DIRT 3
- FIFA 11
- LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 1-4
- JUST DANCE 2: EXTRA SONGS
- CALL OF JUAREZ: THE CARTEL
- THE SIMS 3
- L.A. NOIRE
- HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
- BRINK
- THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME 3D
- ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD
- BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2
- JUST DANCE 2
- WII SPORTS RESORT
- TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 12: THE MASTERS
- PORTAL 2
- DUNGEON SIEGE III
Jon Favreau's COWBOYS AND ALIENS is out today, as is THE INBETWEENERS MOVIE, which has been getting plenty of positive early buzz. As I mentioned last week, it has a huge following that has extended to the US, so its box office performance should be of note. We shall see next week. As for the rest of this week, however, the following releases are incoming:
Friday, August 19: GLEE: THE 3D CONCERT MOVIE, THE GUARD, IN A BETTER WORLD, KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, SPY KIDS 4: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD, VILLAIN.
Black comedy THE GUARD finally arrives in Britain after doing well in its native Ireland and it's a must-see, as is 1949 classic KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, but surely I don't need to tell you that, right? The folks at Optimum Releasing are giving it a short theatrical run at the BFI Southbank and a few other cinemas, so the opportunity is there for anyone who'd like to see Alec Guinness and Dennis Price tear it up on the big screen.
That's all from the column for this week, but be sure to look out for my interview tomorrow with the prolific Jonathan Sothcott, a leading independent British producer who has a staggering seven films out this year alone. Sothcott runs Black and Blue Films with his partners Billy Murray, Martin Kemp and Simon Phillips. In the interview, he discusses how he broke into the industry, his favourite projects, what it was like to work with industry icons like Mark Hamill and Robert Englund, and much more. I had originally planned to speak with Kemp, but I will instead be doing so closer to the release of his film STALKER, his feature directorial debut, which Sothcott will also be talking about.
Oh, and if you'd like to know what the best British horror movie in years is, see my review of PANIC BUTTON.
Stay in touch on Twitter
TTFN.
-
+ Expand All
-
Better be as good as everyone says.
-
The only good thing about it was laughing at the lead actress and her inexplicably wayward eyebrow.
-
of the same movie? I've never understood this. Is it like keep one, give one away as a gift or something? What is the point of owning two copies of the same movie?
-
Aug 18, 2011 10:58:11 AM CDT
crow3711, it's easy to find a computer to rip a DVD for digital devices.
by stereotypical evil archer
Ripping the 1080p version on an old computer just ain't gonna happen.
Plus a lot of people still only have a DVD player, or have a DVD player in their computer, or have a DVD player in the bedroom or guestroom.
What elitist planet are you from? -
Aug 18, 2011 11:15:02 AM CDT
these britgeek threads are tiresome. Anybody more interested in some french craziness....
by larsson
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14572094
-
Aug 18, 2011 11:16:05 AM CDT
That Still Has Nothing to Do With Why You Need Two Copies of The Same Film
by crow3711
If you want to rip the DVD, why not just download the torrent? If you want the blu-ray, why do you need the DVD? Are you really going to be watching a movie in bluray in one room so your kids can watch the same exact movie in SD in their bedroom? I still see a complete flaw in logic or practicality...but yea...I guess I'm elitist for thinking that owning two copies of the same movie is pointless.
-
That was a stupid thing to say. It's arguable as to what is their "best" film, but Lebowski is probably their most popular; ie many many people think it's their best.
-
I'm absolutely flabbergasted that anyone enjoyed this boring, lowbudget, mess of a movie. Hatchet 2 blew chunks. Yes, there were a few good (lowbudget effects) kills, but the movie practically put me to sleep. I actually can't remember much beyond the boring setup, so maybe I did drift off while waching it.
Every time someone pays money to see Hatchet 2, a puppy dies of cancer.
First one wasn't bad, though. -
What is that? Also the DVD/Blu thing is simply trying to phase out selling them apart. The price is not really much different so they are trying to get people who have Blu Ray player/ps3 but also want to watch it on their computer if they are flying... Or if they also have a DVD player in another room for guests. I don't know it makes sense to me.
-
Feature film adaptation of a British kids TV series.
One of the reasons why Blu-ray/DVD combos are sold in the UK is because Blu-ray hasn't taken off as well as hoped, especially compared to the US market. -
I'm British, and I don't get it. Isn't a story a story, irrespective of its country? It's not as though the British contingent here vet articles on their UK-centricity.
-
well.. I have a BD player in my FRONT room.. but have YET to upgrade my PC for BD.. I don't have UNLIMITED bandwidth.. so downloading a torrent ANY time I wanted to watch a movie would be INSANE..
but the first reason I started buying the combo packs.. was the knowledge that I WOULD, sooner or later, be getting a BD player.. so I picked up most titles, if I could, with BOTH.. in some cases.. they weren't that much more expensive.. so WHEN I did make the switch (holidays last year) I already had a good handful of titles.. also BLACK FRIDAY 2010 got me really started with about a DOZEN titles for 5 bucks each.. was hard to resist.
-
It took a 90 minute drive through shitty weather, but I made it, because I was - am- a fan of the original and wanted to support an unrated theatrical release. But it just didn't work for me. I found myself TRYING to enjoy the film, because I wanted to, but I just couldn't, or at least not enough. It certainly has some good stuff in it, and no movie can ever have too much Tony Todd, but it just failed to click the way the first did.
-
ie Duncan Jones
-
Aug 19, 2011 1:27:55 AM CDT
For a second I thought it were a sequel to the Gary Paulsen book.
by dennis_moore
Anyhow, a Brit should know beter than to use "that said." Please exterminate this foul meme.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- THE DARK KNIGHT RISES TV Spot Has New Footage And Dialogue! UPDATED To Add Second Spot! -- 286 total posts 286 posts
- G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Delayed Nine Months...Thanks To A Force More Sinister Than Cobra!! -- 273 total posts 272 posts
- UPDATE!! What The Hell Happened With G.I. JOE: RETALIATION?! -- 157 total posts 157 posts
- Remember when I said I’d kill The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day last? I lied. -- 147 total posts 147 posts
- Gary Oldman Joins The ROBOCOP Remake! -- 141 total posts 141 posts
- THE EXORCIST Is Being Remade... -- 114 total posts 113 posts
- Quint has seen the brand new Jaws restoration and demands that Universal do a wide theatrical rerelease this summer! -- 95 total posts 95 posts
- Cats Beware!! An ALF Movie May Soon Come Our Way... -- 161 total posts 80 posts
- Who Is The Voice Of Batman In WB's Animated Two Part THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS? -- 172 total posts 77 posts
- The day we've all been waiting for has arrived...IN THE ARMY NOW II is in the works! -- 51 total posts 51 posts