Movie News Tuesday: 15 July, 2008

Coming Soon.Net Reports from the Set of Watchmen

As the summer roll out continues, tent pole after tent pole testing the mainstream audiences appetite for spectacle, one of the movies that hopes to tantalize audience cinematic taste buds in 2009 soldiers on. For those looking for some insights into the production design and the unique universe of the film, look no further that this onset visit. (Coming Soon.net)

Where is Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are

It was supposed to be the family film follow-up for the man responsible for Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Now, it’s apparently lost in reshoot limbo. For those wondering the status of the maverick director’s take on the Maurice Sendak classic can read more about its here. (LA Times)

Kate Hudson Lands Key Role in Big Screen Nine

While casting changes on the upcoming Rob Marshall musical adaptation are nothing new (Javier Bardem dropped out, only to be replaced by this year’s Best Actor Oscar winner Daniel Day Lewis), the addition of the Almost Famous actress is interesting. She joins a star studded cast including Dame Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, and Penelope Cruz. E Online has more on the production. (E Online)

Cast of W Caught In Bar-Room Brawl

It’s a given that, when dealing with an Oliver Stone film, controversy is bound to be a byproduct. But who knew his take on the life of current President George W. Bush would be so contentious off-screen. Apparently, a few in the cast and crew – including lead Josh Brolin and co-star Jeffrey Wright – got pinched for public intoxication and resisting arrest. Given the Commander in Chief’s party-fueled past, this recent dust up seems almost appropriate. Read more here. (Shreveport Times)

Trailer for Ricky Gervais’ Ghost Town Is Up

It’s angry loner vs. genial spooks in this unusual comedy from Spider-man scribe David Koepp. Featuring the Office UK sensation as a disgruntled dentist able to see the dead, this sounds an awful lot like the 1993 Ron Underwood film Heart and Souls. Who knows – maybe Gervais can bring something different to the failing fantasy comedy genre. (Official Site)

First Full Spirit Trailer Leaked Online

Ever since the success of Sin City and 300 Frank Miller has been looking for a suitable project to propel his own career as a solo filmmaker. He may have found it in this stylized take on the famous Will Eisner comic. While fanboys have been flummoxed by the director’s desire to closely mimic the look of a pen and ink panel, this preview appears intriguing enough. (Film School Rejects)

Jack Black Back for More Rock

Flush with the success of Kung Fu Panda – and the upcoming buzz over August’s Tropic Thunder – Jack Black is planning to revisit his 2003 success. Helmed by Richard Linklater (who directed the first film) and with a script again delivered by Mike White, School of Rock 2: America Rocks. Paramount has yet to state a planned release date. (Variety)

DVD releases of Note for 15 July

The Bank Job

Meet Bill

Never Forever

Penelope

Poison Sweethearts

Shutter

Steel Trap: Read the SE&L Review HERE

Trafic: The Criterion Collection

Box Office Figures for Weekend of 11 July

#1 – Hellboy 2: The Golden Army: $35.7.6 million

#2 – Hancock: $33.8 million

#3 – Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D: $20.5 million

#4 – WALL*E: $18.6 million

#5 – Wanted: $11.7 million

#6 – Get Smart: $7.0 million

#7 – Meet Dave: $5.2 million

#8 – Kung Fu Panda: $4.3 million

#9 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: $2.3 million

#10 – Kit Kittredge: An American Girl: $2.2 million

Films Opening This Week:

General Release:

The Dark Knight – Christopher Nolan returns with another installment of his Batman reboot. This time around, the late Heath Ledger is the Joker, challenging the Caped Crusader to reveal his true nature to the citizens of Gotham. It’s everything you’ve heard it is.

Rated PG-13

Mamma Mia! – Meryl Streep stars in the big screen translation of the wildly successful ABBA jukebox musical. It’s a light and breezy entertainment bogged down by some of the worse directing choices since a certain German doc turned hack filmmaker.

Rated PG-13

Space Chimps – After a stellar set of CGI cartoons this summer, it’s back to business as usual with this tired take on the genre. Some apes find themselves thrown to the alien wolves, used by NASA to explore an uncharted planet with typical juvenile-styled hijinx. Rated PG

Limited:

Transsiberian – Brad Anderson, the director of the provocative The Machinist (which starred an emaciated Christian Bale) returns with a thriller based on a pair of Americans traveling abroad. It promises to be quite intriguing, despite what the trailer may tell you. Rated R