Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Review - Alice in Wonderland in 3-D
Tim Burton always gets a bad rap from critics. I’ve always thought of him as one of those directors that will reach his peak once he’s long gone and 30 years from now people will where retro t-shirts of featuring his various interpretations of characters. But, in present day he is still shrouded in mystery and in some ways his own little world as you sit through Alice in Wonderland you will either feel like he’s is the genius you always knew he was or that he has once again fallen off his spaceship rocker (don’t be surprised if he actually has one) for another notch in his quest to waste a bunch of Hollywood money.
The Good – Alice in Wonderland gave me much of what I wanted visually. The 3-D is not invasive; the colors keep the film feeling like a wonderland ride and the combination of various types of animation underline the wow factor. Add to that memorable performances by Helena B Carter and Johnny Depp (actually all of the actors really keep this movie afloat) and what you have is a twist on a classic tale and a pleasant visual feast. This may also lead to a strong opening as the curiosity of this film has really reached it’s peak thanks to Disney – oh and btw – Disney is aggressively concentrating on licensing and extending brands which the success of this film will depend on.
The Bad – I almost felt as if Tim Burton gave up on script aspect of his story after he introduced us to the original twist. I also felt as if the film was 20 mins too long even for me so I don’t think kids are going to be able to turn off their Nintendo DS’s long enough to stay interested. Fans of the book may not like the way some of their lovable characters come across on screen. Unlike past films where some those ‘adult themed’ jokes go right over head, what you might be left explaining to a youngster is ‘why doing drugs may inspire filmmaking’.
The Ugly - Mia Wasikowska as Alice was the worst thing about this film. I didn’t care about her, I felt like the character was just floating along and her range of emotion was lost in sequences where she could not even stretch her own imagination. I think she may have been the mis-cast of the year with this role and I do not look forward to her future work if her ‘big break’ was some of her best work.
Final Note
I want Cameron, Lucas and Burton to teach a course on how to step up the visual game of Hollywood and invite these masters to create a blueprint for future success.
See Alice in Wonderland on the big screen in 3-D and you will get a lot more out of it then you could possibly get by simply watching it at home. What is a great visual ride gets lost in itself at times but carries a charm and uniqueness that compensates for a questionable star.
The Good – Alice in Wonderland gave me much of what I wanted visually. The 3-D is not invasive; the colors keep the film feeling like a wonderland ride and the combination of various types of animation underline the wow factor. Add to that memorable performances by Helena B Carter and Johnny Depp (actually all of the actors really keep this movie afloat) and what you have is a twist on a classic tale and a pleasant visual feast. This may also lead to a strong opening as the curiosity of this film has really reached it’s peak thanks to Disney – oh and btw – Disney is aggressively concentrating on licensing and extending brands which the success of this film will depend on.
The Bad – I almost felt as if Tim Burton gave up on script aspect of his story after he introduced us to the original twist. I also felt as if the film was 20 mins too long even for me so I don’t think kids are going to be able to turn off their Nintendo DS’s long enough to stay interested. Fans of the book may not like the way some of their lovable characters come across on screen. Unlike past films where some those ‘adult themed’ jokes go right over head, what you might be left explaining to a youngster is ‘why doing drugs may inspire filmmaking’.
The Ugly - Mia Wasikowska as Alice was the worst thing about this film. I didn’t care about her, I felt like the character was just floating along and her range of emotion was lost in sequences where she could not even stretch her own imagination. I think she may have been the mis-cast of the year with this role and I do not look forward to her future work if her ‘big break’ was some of her best work.
Final Note
I want Cameron, Lucas and Burton to teach a course on how to step up the visual game of Hollywood and invite these masters to create a blueprint for future success.
See Alice in Wonderland on the big screen in 3-D and you will get a lot more out of it then you could possibly get by simply watching it at home. What is a great visual ride gets lost in itself at times but carries a charm and uniqueness that compensates for a questionable star.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Shutter Island - Not what I was expecting
While their has been a lot of talk about this film being released almost a year after its original due date and the problems Marty had with agreeing to a final edit of this film, finally Leo fans can rejoice that the film can speak for itself.....or can it?
The Good
I went in expecting a horror film and what I got was a dramatic thriller at best. The plot thickens in the final hour of the movie which leads you to forget about most of the first hour non linear and at times confusing movie mash up. What ever the case is you feel like their way more to the story then you see and it keeps you minimally gripped. The performances keep the intrigue at a peak and the cinematography creates an atmosphere that leaves you feeling creepy and claustrophobic.
The Bad
Brace yourself. This is not Marty's best work by any means. In fact, if Leo was not in every single frame of the film their would be reason to fast forward through this on DVD rather then watch it on the big screen. Michelle Williams plays his mis cast wife who can't save the confusing story and the other supporting cast further the leads the movie down a dark hole that most viewers won't even want to come out of.
The Ugly
Mark Ruffalo must be sleeping with someone in Hollywood who has a lot of pull because he is one of the worst actors of this generation. With so much talent to choose from playing Leo's sidekick was the worst casting choice I've seen in a long time. Also, their are some green screen choices that look too forced that further loses the audience at many parts.
All in all I give the film a 3 out of 5 but I do feel like I am being nice about that rating considering what the Leo/Marty team is capable of.
The Good
I went in expecting a horror film and what I got was a dramatic thriller at best. The plot thickens in the final hour of the movie which leads you to forget about most of the first hour non linear and at times confusing movie mash up. What ever the case is you feel like their way more to the story then you see and it keeps you minimally gripped. The performances keep the intrigue at a peak and the cinematography creates an atmosphere that leaves you feeling creepy and claustrophobic.
The Bad
Brace yourself. This is not Marty's best work by any means. In fact, if Leo was not in every single frame of the film their would be reason to fast forward through this on DVD rather then watch it on the big screen. Michelle Williams plays his mis cast wife who can't save the confusing story and the other supporting cast further the leads the movie down a dark hole that most viewers won't even want to come out of.
The Ugly
Mark Ruffalo must be sleeping with someone in Hollywood who has a lot of pull because he is one of the worst actors of this generation. With so much talent to choose from playing Leo's sidekick was the worst casting choice I've seen in a long time. Also, their are some green screen choices that look too forced that further loses the audience at many parts.
All in all I give the film a 3 out of 5 but I do feel like I am being nice about that rating considering what the Leo/Marty team is capable of.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Indian-themed comedies a new TV trend
Indian-themed comedies a new TV trend
Exec: 'Slumdog Millionaire' effect has 'a lot to do with it'
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7da84139be87c4e2837c833dd607cd7e
By Nellie Andreeva
Jan 31, 2010, 11:00 PM ET
They are the two comeback stories of this pilot season, projects developed years ago that have been resurrected and have landed orders at the broadcast networks.
The two comedies -- "Nirvana" at Fox and "Outsourced" at NBC -- have something else in common: They both are ensemble shows about Indians and Indian Americans.
A third project, a U.S. version of popular British comedy "The Kumars at No. 42," about an immigrant Indian family, also is poised for revival. Eight years after NBC took a stab at the format, the show's British producers are shopping it to U.S. networks, including FX.
Is it a coincidence or a delayed "Slumdog Millionaire" effect?
"I do think that 'Slumdog' had a lot to do with it," a TV studio executive said of India's rapid emergence on the U.S. pop culture scene. "It was boiling, hovering there, with the increasing popularity of Indian clothing, food and Bollywood movies, but with its mainstream acceptance and critical success, 'Slumdog' pushed it over the tipping point."
In Hollywood, consciousness grew exponentially last year with Danny Boyle's runaway hit and Oscar winner as well as the $1.2 billion deal between Indian conglomerate Reliance and DreamWorks.
Reliance also is bidding for MGM and has signed production pacts with eight A-list Hollywood actors, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
On the small screen, India's growing impact has been dramatic as well, albeit more slowly developing.
When producer Gavin Polone brought "Kumars" to the U.S. in 2002, its Indian roots were stripped away and it was remade as "The Ortegas," a show about a Mexican American family.
In 2004, when NBC shot two pilots of "Nirvana," one starring then up-and-comer Kal Penn, and one starring creator Ajay Sahgal, there were only two Indian actors in primetime, Sahgal recalls: Ravi Kapoor on NBC's "Crossing Jordan" and Parminder Nagra, who had just joined "ER."
That is not the case anymore. Most successful shows launched in the past five years feature a prominent Indian actor: "The Office," "The Big Bang Theory," "30 Rock," "Parks and Recreation" and three hot freshmen: "Community," "Glee" and "The Good Wife."
"24" also has regularly featured Indian actors, including one of Bollywood's biggest stars, "Slumdog's" Anil Kapoor, who has a major role this season. Additionally, Penn co-starred on Fox's "House" until he left to pursue a career in Washington.
"There are far more Indian actors today that can do this kind of thing than there were six or seven years ago," Sahgal said.
To find them, he is launching an international talent search for "Nirvana," an ensemble multicamera comedy about grown-up Indian American brothers and their Indian immigrant parents, with casting taking place in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, London and Mumbai.
"Outsourced" -- a single-camera office comedy about an American shipped off to India to manage a ragtag group of customer service reps -- has hired casting consultants in Toronto and India.
There was some luck involved with the comebacks of "Nirvana" and "Outsourced."
Sahgal ran into Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly while accompanying his wife, "Lie to Me" co-star Kelli Williams, at a Fox event last year, and Reilly, who originally greenlighted the project at NBC, encouraged Sahgal to revisit it.
Meanwhile, NBC approached Ken Kwapis, the driver behind "Outsourced" in its first incarnation during the 2007-08 season, to direct another pilot for the network. Instead, he urged the network to revisit "Outsourced."
That the film and TV industry are seizing on the growing popularity of Indian culture isn't surprising, according to TV historian Tim Brooks.
"Hollywood, and TV in particular, always tries to jump on a trend," he said.
Another ethnic comedy making a comeback is ABC's "Funny in Farsi," about a family of Iranian immigrants living in Newport Beach. The single-camera project directed by Barry Sonnenfeld earned a green light this season after failing to secure a production order last year.
Cultural momentum notwithstanding, "Nirvana, " "Outsourced" and "Farsi" all face long odds.
There been only a couple of successful ethnic comedies on American television, mostly with Mexican American characters, including the 1970s "Chico and the Man" and ABC's "George Lopez." Even with the phenomenal boxoffice success of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the film's Greek American-themed series offshoot on CBS lasted only seven episodes.
"American audience is very American-centered and not interested in other cultures for their own sakes," Brooks said. "For a show such as these to succeed, it can't be just about an (exotic) culture. Americans want things that they can relate to."
"Nirvana" has what it takes to do it, said Polone, who attended the taping of the project's second pilot in 2004.
"That show is the one that would work; it transcends the India-centered idea and is very accessible," he said.
Kwapis believes "Outsourced" will have no problem connecting with American audiences either.
"This is really a show about America as seen outside of America," he said. "It is unique and, at the same time, relatable. Unique, because how often do you get to see a comedy set in another country? And relatable because we all have experience talking with a call center worker. It's an important aspect of our lives but we don't see what is on the other side of the phone."
Exec: 'Slumdog Millionaire' effect has 'a lot to do with it'
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7da84139be87c4e2837c833dd607cd7e
By Nellie Andreeva
Jan 31, 2010, 11:00 PM ET
They are the two comeback stories of this pilot season, projects developed years ago that have been resurrected and have landed orders at the broadcast networks.
The two comedies -- "Nirvana" at Fox and "Outsourced" at NBC -- have something else in common: They both are ensemble shows about Indians and Indian Americans.
A third project, a U.S. version of popular British comedy "The Kumars at No. 42," about an immigrant Indian family, also is poised for revival. Eight years after NBC took a stab at the format, the show's British producers are shopping it to U.S. networks, including FX.
Is it a coincidence or a delayed "Slumdog Millionaire" effect?
"I do think that 'Slumdog' had a lot to do with it," a TV studio executive said of India's rapid emergence on the U.S. pop culture scene. "It was boiling, hovering there, with the increasing popularity of Indian clothing, food and Bollywood movies, but with its mainstream acceptance and critical success, 'Slumdog' pushed it over the tipping point."
In Hollywood, consciousness grew exponentially last year with Danny Boyle's runaway hit and Oscar winner as well as the $1.2 billion deal between Indian conglomerate Reliance and DreamWorks.
Reliance also is bidding for MGM and has signed production pacts with eight A-list Hollywood actors, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
On the small screen, India's growing impact has been dramatic as well, albeit more slowly developing.
When producer Gavin Polone brought "Kumars" to the U.S. in 2002, its Indian roots were stripped away and it was remade as "The Ortegas," a show about a Mexican American family.
In 2004, when NBC shot two pilots of "Nirvana," one starring then up-and-comer Kal Penn, and one starring creator Ajay Sahgal, there were only two Indian actors in primetime, Sahgal recalls: Ravi Kapoor on NBC's "Crossing Jordan" and Parminder Nagra, who had just joined "ER."
That is not the case anymore. Most successful shows launched in the past five years feature a prominent Indian actor: "The Office," "The Big Bang Theory," "30 Rock," "Parks and Recreation" and three hot freshmen: "Community," "Glee" and "The Good Wife."
"24" also has regularly featured Indian actors, including one of Bollywood's biggest stars, "Slumdog's" Anil Kapoor, who has a major role this season. Additionally, Penn co-starred on Fox's "House" until he left to pursue a career in Washington.
"There are far more Indian actors today that can do this kind of thing than there were six or seven years ago," Sahgal said.
To find them, he is launching an international talent search for "Nirvana," an ensemble multicamera comedy about grown-up Indian American brothers and their Indian immigrant parents, with casting taking place in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, London and Mumbai.
"Outsourced" -- a single-camera office comedy about an American shipped off to India to manage a ragtag group of customer service reps -- has hired casting consultants in Toronto and India.
There was some luck involved with the comebacks of "Nirvana" and "Outsourced."
Sahgal ran into Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly while accompanying his wife, "Lie to Me" co-star Kelli Williams, at a Fox event last year, and Reilly, who originally greenlighted the project at NBC, encouraged Sahgal to revisit it.
Meanwhile, NBC approached Ken Kwapis, the driver behind "Outsourced" in its first incarnation during the 2007-08 season, to direct another pilot for the network. Instead, he urged the network to revisit "Outsourced."
That the film and TV industry are seizing on the growing popularity of Indian culture isn't surprising, according to TV historian Tim Brooks.
"Hollywood, and TV in particular, always tries to jump on a trend," he said.
Another ethnic comedy making a comeback is ABC's "Funny in Farsi," about a family of Iranian immigrants living in Newport Beach. The single-camera project directed by Barry Sonnenfeld earned a green light this season after failing to secure a production order last year.
Cultural momentum notwithstanding, "Nirvana, " "Outsourced" and "Farsi" all face long odds.
There been only a couple of successful ethnic comedies on American television, mostly with Mexican American characters, including the 1970s "Chico and the Man" and ABC's "George Lopez." Even with the phenomenal boxoffice success of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the film's Greek American-themed series offshoot on CBS lasted only seven episodes.
"American audience is very American-centered and not interested in other cultures for their own sakes," Brooks said. "For a show such as these to succeed, it can't be just about an (exotic) culture. Americans want things that they can relate to."
"Nirvana" has what it takes to do it, said Polone, who attended the taping of the project's second pilot in 2004.
"That show is the one that would work; it transcends the India-centered idea and is very accessible," he said.
Kwapis believes "Outsourced" will have no problem connecting with American audiences either.
"This is really a show about America as seen outside of America," he said. "It is unique and, at the same time, relatable. Unique, because how often do you get to see a comedy set in another country? And relatable because we all have experience talking with a call center worker. It's an important aspect of our lives but we don't see what is on the other side of the phone."
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