1.) Cannes 2011 Takes Shape
This year’s festival is approaching fast, and this week, we saw the release of the official lineup. It’s good—really good. We’ve got Malick’s The Tree of Life, which has got to be one of the most-anticipated films of the year for most folks. I’m even more excited for Melancholia, Lars Von Trier’s foray into the “existential disaster movie.” That trailer really grabbed me (see it here). I just hope it lands a U.S. release date sometime soon.
Also hitting the festival:
—Pedro Almodovar’s The Skin that I Inhabit, which I listed as a Best Picture contender on my early Oscar predictions
—Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, which is sounding more and more like it could be a major turn-around for the director
—Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, which I don’t know much about but should be, at the very least, an interesting follow-up to his last films, Valhalla Rising and Bronson.
—Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk about Kevin, which I’m thinking could be an Oscar player next year, especially for Best Actress (Tilda Swinton).
—Gus Van Sant’s Restless, which was pushed back from a January release date to a fall one, the assumption being it could also be an Oscar contender.
Finally, there’s The Beaver, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom—more commercial projects that will get the full red carpet treatment. Should be amazing for festival goers. Frankly, I’m just excited to read about all the great cinema there this May.
2.) A Steaming Pile of Bird Shit
Of all the potential franchises to reboot, why The Crow? I imagine this is how the conversation went:
Executive 1: “So plans are in place for Superman, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Batman reboots. We’ve already gotten a reboot of The Incredible Hulk. Too soon for Iron Man, Fantastic Four, and Green Hornet. Still waiting on Green Lantern…so what’s left?”
Executive 2: “We could try another Catwoman?”
Executive 1: “Maybe, but that might have been too bad to touch again. What else?”
Executive 2: “The Crow? The first one was pretty good, why not just do that all over again?”
Executive 1: “Yeah, but Brandon Lee died during filming, remember? Don’t you think we should just let that be?”
Executive 2: “Maybe…(long pause)…but we’ll definitely make some money. Even if it’s bad.”
Executive 1: “True. Let’s fast track it now, before someone else gets the idea. Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, or Chris Evans?”
Executive 2: “Definitely Cooper. He was hilarious in The Hangover.”
Executive 1: “Yeah, he was. Maybe we should reboot that as well…”
Executive 2: “The sequel is coming out this summer!”
Executive 1: “Shit, you’re right. Next year then…”
3.) Ghostface Doesn’t Kill
I have to admit it: I’m decently surprised by Scream 4’s disappointing box office numbers. It didn’t perform terribly, but $19.3 million wasn’t close to what most were expecting from a horror franchise like this. The brand recognition was there. The familiar faces all showed up. The marketplace was more or less clear. Yet things sort of fell apart. The only question now is what this means for the prospects of a Scream 5.
In other box office news, Rio scored the highest opening weekend of any film this year with $40 million, a record that won’t last but two weeks, when Fast Five comes out.
Upcoming DVDs
My Pick: Rabbit Hole
Other New Releases: The King’s Speech, The Way Back, Somewhere, Gulliver’s Travels
New on Blu-Ray: Kes, Mortal Combat
Upcoming Theatrical Releases
My Pick: African Cats
Other New Releases: Water for Elephants, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family
Limited Releases: POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Incendies
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