Rosario Dawson

DVD Review: ‘Killshot’ With Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane Finally Gets Released

BrianTT — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:30:18 -0600

CHICAGO – How does a movie with Oscar-nominated leads, a prominent director, beloved source material, and an excellent supporting cast get delayed for so long that it inevitably gets quietly shuffled off to DVD? Well, if history tells us anything, having a complicated and troubled project in the Weinstein Company archives doesn’t help a movie like “Killshot,” an action thriller that has its flaws but none so big that it deserved such an unusual and lackluster fate.

DVD Rating: 1.0/5.0

Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Rosario Dawson started shooting “Killshot” with director John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”) in 2005. Then the dreaded Weinstein test audience process began. Entire characters (including one played by Johnny Knoxville) were excised from the film and “Killshot” had more release date delays than nearly any movie in history.

Of course, everyone moved on and Mickey Rourke became a star again with “The Wrestler”. So, after a minor theatrical release, “Killshot” is being quietly released in what is essentially a straight-to-DVD release to bank off Rourke’s return to fame.

Killshot was released on DVD on May 26th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

It has to be horrible, right? Only a train wreck of a film would suffer a fate as awful as the editing out of complete characters, three years of release date delays, and a straight-to-DVD release with no accompanying Blu-Ray, right? Of course not.

Killshot was released on DVD on May 26th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

To be fair, “Killshot” has some problems. It’s not too hard to see what turned off test audiences and spooked the executives. Hossein Amini’s screenplay based on the book by Elmore Leonard doesn’t quite work and even Madden doesn’t seem to have the right grasp on the character-driven crimes of one of the best genre authors of the last century. It’s hard to tell how many of the problems with “Killshot” are directly related to the nightmare post-production and how many were there in the first place, but it’s not like this is a perfect hidden gem that was completely railroaded by the Hollywood machine. But while it may not be perfect, “Killshot” deserved a better fate.

I think audiences will take to “Killshot” on DVD. Action films always do well on the home market and Rourke is absolutely beloved by nearly everyone who saw “The Wrestler”.

Rourke plays a hitman named Blackbird, a deadly killer who leaves no loose ends. Blackbird gets pressured into a job with the psychotic Richie Nix (a movie-stealing Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and stumbles across a pair of witnesses (Thomas Jane & Diane Lane) who see his face. The struggling couple gets put in the witness protection program and the rest of the film is basically a ticking clock until the two pairs inevitably meet up again.

Killshot was released on DVD on May 26th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

The set-up for “Killshot” is interesting but the follow-through is dull and plodding. It’s hard to tell, but it’s unlikely that years of delays and editing did anything to help the final product. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Thomas Jane, and Rosario Dawson all do good work but Rourke and Lane are surprisingly dull. Both of these actors are capable of so much more when given better material.

The film itself might be a solid 2.5/5 but this is a “DVD review” and the home release for “Killshot” is absolutely pathetic. With all the editing, you would think there would at least be a FEW deleted scenes. And how amazing would it have been to hear a commentary by Madden or anyone else involved after all this time? Have they all forgotten they made the film?

The fact is that in today’s market of great technical transfers and hours of special features, a bare-bones DVD without a single bonus and standard video & audio just doesn’t cut it. “Killshot” deserved better.

‘Killshot’ is released by The Weinstein Company and stars Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Thomas Jane. It was written by Hossein Amini and directed by John Madden. The DVD was released on May 26th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Sin City’ Exceeds Expectations With Flawless Release

BrianTT — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:22:52 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Sin City - Recut, Extended, Unrated” was one of the best DVD box sets in the history of the format. Most collectors interested in the Blu-Ray upgrade of the title will probably already own the box set that came with an entire graphic novel and is currently anchoring many a respectable DVD shelf. The Blu-Ray release features two new special features and, of course, HD picture and sound. Should you upgrade?

Yes. I’m sorry to say it, but those of you who liked “Sin City” enough to buy the DVD set will love the two new special features on the Blu-Ray release. The video and audio are flawless. Ultimately, one of the best standard DVD releases has become a must-own Blu-Ray release, an exhaustive, fascinating dissection of a very enjoyable film.

Sin City was released on Blu-Ray on April 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: WDSHE

“Sin City” is what we call a “schedule clearer”. There’s so much material in this one two-disc set that you’ll need to cancel some plans. It brings new meaning to “jam-packed”.

Most viewers will start with the movie itself, a film that has held up very well since its release. I enjoy “300” and even parts of “The Spirit,” but they don’t compare to this ambitious, stunningly rendered film. And, as the back of the case says pretty correctly, “If ever a movie was meant to be experienced in high definition, Frank Miller’s Sin City is guilty on all counts!”

Sin City was released on Blu-Ray on April 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: WDSHE

The film itself looks incredible in 1080p with the film’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and the sound mix is perfect in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. I found no flaws in either the video or audio. The line definition between the blacks and whites of Rodriguez’s vision is crystal clear with no blurring or unnecessary grain.

On the first disc, you can watch the film itself five separate ways. You can just experience the movie itself, watch it with a commentary by Rodriguez and Miller, watch it with an amazing commentary by Rodriguez and Tarantino, watch with the audio track of a recording of the first Austin audience to see the film, or use Cine-Explore.

That last choice is the first Blu-Ray exclusive feature and it’s a stunner. The film split-screens to show you what you’re watching at several different stages. For example, in the opening scene, you’ll see Josh Hartnett in the film itself, the actor standing on a green screen, and the panels from the original comic that inspired it, all on the same screen. It’s a must-see feature for fans of the film.

Disc one would make “Sin City” worth buying on Blu-Ray. The movie with flawless video/audio, a great picture-in-picture special feature, and a very entertaining commentary track from Tarantino and Rodriguez justify the purchase price. But it’s just the beginning.

Sin City was released on Blu-Ray on April 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: WDSHE

Disc two features the “Recut, Extended, Unrated Version” of “Sin City”. Now you can watch a re-edited version of the film with 23 minutes not included in the theatrical version and with the option to watch each story individually. Want to just see Marv’s (Mickey Rourke) story from beginning to end? Now you can in HD.

Disc two also includes all the special features from the last edition and a new interactive comic book called “Kill ‘Em Good”. The special features included are “15-Minute Film School,” “All Green-Screen Version,” “The Long Take,” “Sin City: Live in Concert,” “10-Minute Cooking School,” “How it Went Down: Convincing Frank Miller to Make the Film,” “Special Guest Director: Quentin Tarantino,” “A Hard Top With a Decent Engine: The Cars of Sin City,” “Booze, Broads and Guns: The Props of Sin City,” “Making the Monsters: Special Effects Make-Up,” “Trench Coats & Fishnet: The Costumes of Sin City,” the teaser and theatrical trailer. There will be no questions left unanswered about the making of the movie.

“Sin City” should be a model for movies like this one on Blu-Ray. Of course, you can’t have this exhaustive a treatment for an intimate drama, but a technically-accomplished, challenging film like “Sin City” should play to its fan base like this release does. The bar for blockbusters on Blu-Ray has been set just a bit higher.

‘Sin City’ is released by Walt Disney Home Video and stars Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Alexis Bledel, and Devon Aoki. It was written and directed by Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez. It was released on April 21st, 2009. It is rated R and not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Seven Pounds’ With Will Smith is Manipulative Melodrama

BrianTT — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:05:58 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – There’s arguably no bigger star on Earth than Will Smith but even the greats need a misfire to bring them crashing to the ground. “Seven Pounds” is a mess, a film of conflicting tones and arguably offensive themes, a movie that moves beyond traditional melodrama in just the first few minutes and keeps flying into the over-the-top stratosphere. The Sony Blu-Ray release is impressive, but the movie itself is not.

If you focus solely on the excellent work by Rosario Dawson and are impressed by gorgeous HD picture quality, there may be enough weight in “Seven Pounds” to warrant a rental, but most people will be shocked by this somber melodrama that somehow also tries to be a crowd-pleaser.

Seven Pounds was released on Blu-Ray on March 31st, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

Ben Thomas (Smith) opens the film by calling 911 and announcing that he needs an ambulance for his own suicide. The film than flashes back and we watch Ben enter the lives of several people in unusual ways.

Seven Pounds was released on Blu-Ray on March 31st, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

First, he contacts a telephone operator named Ezra Turner (Woody Harrelson) and viciously berates him. Ben transitions his way into the life of Emily Posa (Dawson), a beautiful young lady dying of a chronic heart problem. Thomas pretends to be an IRS field agent, who happens to have an exorbitant amount of time for one client. He also helps an abused woman escape her nightmare and donates bone marrow to a sick child, but the love story between Ben and Emily takes center stage.

“Seven Pounds” is almost a cavalcade of depressing themes - the life of a blind person, elderly abuse, spousal abuse, people in need of heart transplants, tragic loss after an accident, and even thoughts of suicide. By using all of these devices to pull your heartstrings, none of them feel remotely genuine. It’s all part of the “mystery” at the core of “Seven Pounds” - why is Ben working his way into these people’s lives and why will he eventually commit suicide?

Honestly, I think audiences should be offended by the way Muccino and Smith whitewash such serious themes. Apparently, all abused women need to get out of their situation is to have Smith tell them “Don’t be weak.” It’s all so shockingly two-dimensional and I think it’s irresponsible to use such serious themes like death and abuse in such a crowd-pleasing, manipulative manner.

The melodrama of “Seven Pounds” wouldn’t be quite as awful if it wasn’t so flat. There’s no rising action. If you’ve seen it, think about if it would be interesting at all if there was no mystery as to what Ben’s doing to get you through it. If you need a twist ending device to make your drama interesting, you have a problem as a screenwriter.

Seven Pounds was released on Blu-Ray on March 31st, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

The one good thing about the movie itself is the easy-going chemistry between Dawson and Smith, although even that feels a little bit dirty. I wonder if Ben would have gone through with his plan if Emily didn’t look like one of the most beautiful actresses on the planet.

As for the Blu-Ray, it’s nearly unimpeachable. The video in 1080P is gorgeous, the audio is strong, and the special features are informative. They could have been better organized and it would have been nice to see a little more cast involvement than crew in the behind-the-scenes featurettes, but they’re minor complaints for what is a very good collection of special features.

The special features on “Seven Pounds” start with “Seven View on Seven Pounds” - seven mini-featurettes examining the film from the angle of the writer, producers, director, location manager, designer, editor, and composer. The featurettes total about half an hour of running time.

Other special features include the 13-minute “Creating the Perfect Ensemble,” 5-minute “The Box Jellyfish: World’s Deadliest Co-Star,” 9-minute “Emily’s Passion: The Art of the Printing Press,” four minutes of deleted scenes and the film’s trailers.

‘Seven Pounds’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and stars Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michel Ealy, and Barry Pepper. It was written by Grant Nieporte and directed by Gabriele Muccino. It was released on March 31st, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: ‘Wonder Woman’ Continues Series of Interesting DC Universe Releases

BrianTT — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:20:52 -0700

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Even though I once had a weekly comic book addiction, I was never a big Wonder Woman fan. Maybe it was a trapping of my gender, but I always tended toward books with male heroes like Superman, Batman, and The X-Men. Having said that, I can still respect what the team behind DC Universe’s latest film have accomplished with “Wonder Woman,” another installment in an increasingly intriguing series of straight-to-DVD movies.

When you tell a lot of people that an animated straight-to-DVD movie is worth their time, a lot of them glaze over, smile, and nod. Trust me. “Superman: Doomsday,” “Justice League: The New Frontier,” “Batman: Gotham Knight,” and, now, “Wonder Woman” would make for a better superhero marathon than most live-action blockbusters of men (or a woman) in tights. If I had to rank the four, “WW” would be the lowest, but that’s largely just because of how highly I think of the other films, particularly the must-see “New Frontier”.

“Wonder Woman” takes the feminist roots of its heroine and turns them up to eleven. It’s essentially the classic origin story for the girl with the invisible jet, told with a lot more Shakespearian intensity than usual. Maybe a bit too much. Maybe it’s because I grew up on Lynda Carter, but this take on “Wonder Woman” sometimes felt a little too serious for its own good. They could have had more fun with it.

Wonder Woman was released on DVD on March 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Princess Diana (Keri Russell), the girl who would become Wonder Woman, is raised to be a warrior on an island with no men after her mother Hippolyta (Virginia Madsen) defeats the god of war Ares (Alfred Molina) and imprisons him, vowing to never deal with the opposite sex again. When pilot Col. Steve Trevor (Nathan Fillion) crashes on the island, Diana wins a contest to take him back home.

The journey for Steve and Diana becomes fraught with peril when it turns out that Ares has been set free by a traitor on the island and is trying to contact Hades (Oliver Platt) to be released for good and take over the world. With very strong feminist undertones, Diana learns that she can be both a strong woman and that not all men are evil.

As I said, I was never a big “Wonder Woman” fan. And the script for this origin story feels like the weakest to date in the DC Universe line. I was struck more by the cheesy dialogue - “Maybe I think the world’s not worth saving if you’re not in it.” - than in previous installments.

And it feels the least ambitious of the DC Universe titles by far. Superman dies in “Doomsday,” “New Frontier” balances multiple heroes and arcs, and “Gotham Knight” is anime-influenced. “Wonder Woman” feels the most like a standard, Saturday morning cartoon, even if it’s a really good one.

One of the things that has set the DC Universe titles apart is the incredibly accomplished voice work and the people behind the drawings are the best thing about “Wonder Woman”. “Waitress” stars Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell are reunited and they have much of the same quick-and-clever chemistry as they did in that film. Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Alfred Molina - they are all fantastic.

The video and audio on the two-disc special edition of “Wonder Woman” are typically excellent for this line of releases. The colors are vibrant and clearly defined. Upconverted on a Blu-Ray player, it looks practically HD. And the audio in 5.1 Dolby Surround is similarly strong.

One of the elements of these DC Universe releases that have helped set them apart are the excellently designed, produced, and organized special features. Each title has come with a great documentary/featurette about the history of the character and “Wonder Woman” is no exception.

The second disc featurettes - “Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream” and “Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth” - combine to give viewers a great history of this legendary character from her origin to her influence. The first disc includes an informative commentary by producers Gregory Novak and Bruce Timm, writer Michael Jelenic, and director Lauren Montgomery, and a first-look at the fifth title in the series, “Green Lantern: First Flight”.

For the fourth time, DC has taken a legendary comic book hero and created almost the equivalent of a DVD reference book about that character through excellent featurettes and supplemental material. While “Wonder Woman” doesn’t stand up to the other three for me personally, it comes from the same desire of the team behind these titles to really make something to satisfy the fans. That’s more than you can say for most live-action supehero movies.

‘Wonder Woman’ is released by Warner Bros. Home Video and features voice work by Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, and Oliver Platt. It was written by Michael Jelenic and directed by Lauren Montgomery. It was released on March 3rd, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: High Definition Makes ‘The Rock Collection’ More Appealing

BrianTT — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:55:43 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Dwayne Johnson, the artist formerly known as ‘The Rock,’ has a new movie hitting theaters next month, “Race to Witch Mountain,” so the time seems right to revisit the action extravaganzas that almost made this former wrestler a massive star with the release of three of his early films on Blu-Ray in “The Rock Collection”.

A spin-off of “The Mummy,” “The Scorpion King” was the film that started it all for The Rock back in April of 2002. Directed by Chuck Russell, “The Scorpion King” is a loud, nonsensical action movie that co-stars Kelly Hu and Michael Clarke Duncan.

Photo credit: Universal

Set 5,000 years ago in Gomorrah, The Rock plays Matthayus, the most fearsome warrior of the ancient world, a leader hired to kill the beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu) who has helped the evil warlord Memmon (Steven Brand) rule with an iron fist. Matthayus kidnaps the sorceress to lure Memmon into a trap and, with the help of Balthazar (Michael Clarke Duncan), the stage is set for the ultimate showdown.

“The Scorpion King” is a mess, leadenly directed by the man who made “Eraser,” “Bless the Child,” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3,” but it’s the perfect film for Blu-Ray. The Rock was a bigger than life star from the very beginning and the HD format fits him perfectly. He’s too over-the-top for standard definition.

“The Scorpion King is presented in 1080P High-Definition Widescreen with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track (with Spanish and French DTS Surround 5.1 tracks). Universal has given the film the U-Control treatment, meaning behind-the-scenes featurettes can be accessed picture-in-picture while the film plays. Viewers can also access more content through BD-Live and pick their favorite scenes with the “My Scenes” feature. The film also includes a commentary by Chuck Russell.

Photo credit: Universal

Still my favorite Rock film, Peter Berg’s “The Rundown” should have been a bigger hit and really felt like it was going to turn this charismatic action hero into a star. Still the most critically acclaimed film in The Rock’s career, “The Rundown” co-stars Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, and Rosario Dawson in an old-fashioned, fun-as-hell action adventure. He’s moved on to family movies like “The Gameplan,” “Get Smart,” and “Witch Mountain,” but I hold out hope that he has another fun action movie like “The Rundown” yet to produce.

In “The Rundown,” The Rock stars as a bounty hunter named Beck sent into the treacherous jungles of the Amazon to bring the rebellious Travis (Scott) back to the States. When Beck and Travis reluctantly join forces to hunt down a priceless treasure, this unlikely team embarks on a pulse-pounding, non-stop thrill ride.

The Blu-Ray presentation for “The Rundown” is in 1080P with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track (with Spanish and French DTS 5.1 track). Special features include BD-Live functionality, My Scenes, deleted scenes, “Rumble in the Jungle,” “The Amazon, Hawaii Style,” “Appetite For Destruction,” “The Rundown Uncensored,” “Running Down the Town,” “Walken’s World,” a commentary by The Rock and Peter Berg, and a commentary by producers Kevin Misher and Marc Abraham.

Photo credit: Universal

The final film in “The Rock Collection” is his least successful, the disastrous “Doom,” a film that looks better when played on Blu-Ray, but if you’re watching it on your PS3, you’ll want to pick up a controller and join in. “Doom” looks good in HD but the script is a total disaster and it’s not even paced well. But the film will clearly have fans happy to get it on Blu-Ray.

The Rock and Karl Urban head a team assigned to respond to a distress call at a remote research station on Mars. They descend into the Olduval Research Station, where they find a legion of nightmarish creatures, lurking in the darkness, killing at will. Once there, the Marines must use an arsenal of firepower to carry out their mission; nothing gets out alive.

“Doom” is presented in 1080P with a 2.35:1 aspect ration and an English DTS-HD Master Audio track (with Spanish and French DTS 5.1 tracks). Special features include BD-Live, My Scenes functionality, “Basic Training,” “Rock Formation,” “Master Monster Makers,” “First-Person Shooter Sequence,” “Doom Nation”, and “Game On!”

It’s impossible to heartily recommend a three-pack with only one good movie in it and “The Scorpion King” and “Doom” are definite misfires. Having said that, as bad as these movies are, they were made for Blu-Ray, enhanced by the world of high-definition more than your average drama and accompanied by Universal’s excellent understanding of how next-gen special features should be presented. If you’re primary reason to buy a Blu-Ray title is the movie itself, just pick up “The Rundown,” but if you’re drawn in by all the bells and whistles, “The Rock Collection” is likely to satisfy.

‘The Rock Collection’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Kelly Hu, Michael Clarke Duncan, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson, and Karl Urban. ‘Doom’ is unrated and ‘The Scorpion King’ and ‘The Rundown’ are PG-13. It was released on February 10th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Kevin Smith Makes a Good Blu-Ray With ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:28:43 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The inevitable merging of the Judd Apatow-verse and the View Askew-verse headed by Kevin Smith happened in the underrated and under-seen “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” new on Blu-Ray this week and joined by a Special Edition release of “Clerks II”.

Smith’s best film since “Chasing Amy” comes home to Blu-Ray this week in a release that gets the job done but will likely leave Smith fans a little disappointed. Oddly enough, The Weinstein Company also released “Clerks II” on Blu-Ray this week in a much more impressive 2-disc special edition, proving that the quality of the movie and the quality of the Blu-Ray aren’t always a perfect match.

Seth Rogen (Zack) and Elizabeth Banks (Miri) star in Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make A Porno.
Photo credit: Darren Michaels

Kevin Smith himself has credited “Knocked Up” with showing him that not only was Seth Rogen born to deliver the “Clerks” creator’s dialogue hybrid of pop culture references and dirty jokes but that the ceiling on his brand of humor may not be as high as first thought.

Actually, it might be because “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” topped out just barely above Smith’s last string of flicks. Five movies in a row have made between $24 and $32 million, not a huge number but more than enough for these low-budget comedies that surely do very well on the home market.

Seth Rogen (Zack) stars in Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make A Porno.
Photo credit: Darren Michaels

There’s an element of heart that Smith is still missing that Apatow seems to get right and they both need a better editor, but “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” does show a writer re-invigorated by his own style.

There is much to like about “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” but a lot of it goes back to the best performances of the great Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks’ careers. The two star as the title characters, a pair of friends caught waist deep in our current economic crisis. They realize that the only way to make ends meet is to make, well, other things meet.

Zack and Miri become inspired to make a porno movie after running into the gay porn star lover (Justin Long) of an old crush of Miri’s (Brandon Routh) at a reunion. At first, the pair merely plan to sell their adult movie to their old classmates under the idea that anybody would watch their old school colleagues going at it (which is probably true).

The two friends gather a ragtag team including Zack’s co-worker at Bean ‘n’ Gone (Craig Robinson of “The Office”), a stripper named Bubbles (Traci Lords), and, of course, a character played by Jason Mewes who may not be Jay but isn’t too far down the character spectrum. The team prepare to shoot “Star Whores” and Zack and Miri realize that there may be more to their on-screen chemistry than a need for cash.

“Zack and Miri Make a Porno” works more often than it doesn’t for one simple reason - it’s pretty damn funny. Rogen, Banks, Robinson, and even Mewes all have excellent timing. Rogen and Banks are the two best leads that Smith has ever had and the power of their comic timing goes a long way. They also, shockingly, sell the romance. You won’t believe me until you see it, but one of the best and most believably intimate love scenes of 2008, and arguably THE best, is in “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”.

There’s also something deeper here that I believe Smith is reaching for even if he doesn’t quite get there. Between the boob jokes, there’s something interesting being said about how sex, friendship, and general needs can blur over time. When you’re financially co-dependent and sexually intimate, is actual love inevitable? Zack and Miri need each other in every way, just not physically, until they make porno. Smith may be trying to say that adding the physical element to friendship and co-dependence equals love.

Seth Rogen (Zack) and Elizabeth Banks (Miri) star in Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make A Porno.
Photo credit: Darren Michaels

I like what Smith has done with “Zack and Miri” but the main reason it’s held back from true comedy greatness is that the great writer and director really needs a better editor. Anyone could cut ten to twelve minutes from “Zack”. Smith will almost always go one joke too far. If a scene needs four or five fake porno names, Smith will do nine or ten.

In the end (no pun intended), “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” will definitely be a home run for Kevin Smith fans and could be a surprise rental for people who haven’t liked Smith in a while (although they should make sure they’re okay with NC-17 dialogue). Let’s hope it’s not a quickie and Smith has a few more like it in the near future.

The Blu-Ray release of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” would be above average if it were not a part of the Smith-verse but we’ve come to expect lavish releases for his films. “Clerks II” was also released on Blu-Ray this week with over 6 hours of bonus features, including two full commentary tracks that feature the talkative Smith himself. The special features alone make “Clerks II” definitely worth a pick-up for comedy fans looking to enhance their Blu-Ray collection.

With Smith being so talkative, where is he on the “Zack and Miri” Blu-Ray release? There’s no commentary track from a man who regularly speaks to sold-out crowds. It’s odd. What is included - “Popcorn Porn: The Making of Zack and Miri,” deleted scenes, Money Shots webisodes, Comic-Con 2008, outtakes, ad-libs, bloopers, and “Seth vs. Justin: Battle For Improvisational Supremacy” - is good, it just seems oddly light for a Kevin Smith movie.

The special features may be light for a Smith movie but “Zack and Miri” and “Clerks II” both look fantastic in HD. These are the kind of flicks that you wouldn’t expect to be that enhanced by the format, but I was struck by how good they both looked. Both films comes with English 5.1 TrueHD tracks. Now you can hear dick jokes in surround sound.

‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is released by The Weinstein Company and stars Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords, Jeff Anderson, Katie Morgan, and Ricky Mabe. It was written and directed by Kevin Smith. It was released on February 3rd, 2009.

‘Clerks II’ is released by The Weinstein Company and stars Jeff Anderson, Brian O’Halloran, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jennifer Schwalbach, and Jason Mewes. It was written and directed by Kevin Smith. It was released on February 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Killshot’ Poster, Cast, Synopsis Information For Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane Thriller

BrianTT — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:55:14 -0700

CHICAGO – The Weinstein Company sent over the official poster for Killshot and information about the long-delayed release.

“Killshot”

Release Date: January 23rd, 2009

Cast: Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Rosario Dawson, Johnny Knoxville

Synopsis: From Academy Award nominated director John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”) comes Hossein Amini’s wry adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s best-selling crime novel. The beautiful Carmen Colson (Diane Lane) and her husband Wayne (Thomas Jane) become entangled in a scam with a bumbling, small time con artist (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and his over-the-hill hitman partner the Blackbird (Mickey Rourke). Ultimately, it all comes down to one wife, one husband, two killers…and one lethal killshot.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

To Film ‘New Moon,’ ‘Twilight’ Star Robert Pattinson Cancels Part in ‘Parts Per Billion’

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:38:04 -0700

CHICAGO – While “Twilight” fanatics are currently busy following the drama of whether the character Jacob Black will again be played by Taylor Lautner in the film’s “New Moon” follow up, news surfaced on Tuesday on “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson to temporarily keep followers gabbing about something else.

In order to film “New Moon,” the agent of 22-year-old Pattinson on Tuesday revealed that he must bow out of his part in the much-anticipated and lesser-known film “Parts Per Billion,” which was slated to begin filming in Jan. 2009 in Los Angeles, according to MTV.

Kristen Stewart (left) as Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in “Twilight”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

While “Twilight” fans would much likely prefer to be deprived of Pattinson’s performance in “Parts Per Billion” if it meant he wouldn’t be able to film “New Moon,” some may especially feel neglected of what was reported to be a provocative sex scene with Olivia Thirlby from “Juno” fame.

While choosing “New Moon” (which is riding on the blockbuster fame of “Twilight”) over “Parts Per Billion” is a sign that the British actor is gravitating toward more grander film over independent fame, at least Rosario Dawson is disappointed that he’s chosen more profitable pastures.

Dawson is producing the “Parts Per Billion” indie flick and was to be Pattinson’s co-star.

“Unfortunately, the prep time and production schedule on ‘New Moon’ haven’t left enough time for Robert to work on ‘Parts Per Billion’ in the first quarter of this year,” Pattison’s agent, Nicholas Frenkel, told MTV on Tuesday.

Dennis Hopper also stars in the Brian Horiuchi-directed “Parts Per Billion,” which centers on three couples whose lives are being stirred by the same cataclysmal incident. Pattinson’s departure from “Parts Per Billion” forces a swifty recast for his role in order for the show to go on as planned.

Pattinson can also be seen in the 2008 films “Little Ashes” (where he plays Salvador Dalí; the film has a limited release on March 27, 2009) and “How to Be”. He filmed both before “Twilight” and also played Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”.

“New Moon” is slated to begin filming in March 2009 and open in theaters on Nov. 20, 2009.

Read our Taylor Lautner casting story for “New Moon”.
See our 2009 Summit release slideshow with “New Moon”.
See our high-quality, 28-image “Twilight” slideshow.
Read our “Twilight” opening-weekend box-office story.
Read our “Twilight” sequel story prior to opening weekend.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Eagle Eye’ Makes Modern Paranoia Ridiculous

BrianTT — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:20:04 -0700

CHICAGO – “Eagle Eye,” the second collaboration between new star Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso after the surprise success of “Disturbia,” isn’t nearly as successful a diversion, stretching the very concept of suspension of disbelief to the breaking point.

The Blu-Ray release matches the success of the film with solid video and audio and an entertaining set of special features, but the movie itself brings the entire package down.

With “Eagle Eye,” writers John Glenn & Travis Adam Wright and Hilary Seitz and Dan McDermott (it took four people to write this thing?) attempt to turn modern-day paranoia about the intrusive nature of technology into an action adventure a la “Die Hard”. The set-up isn’t bad, but the film quickly dissolves into a barrage of unbelievable, unrealistic, and unenjoyable action sequences fueled by increasingly ridiculous plot twists.

Shia LaBeouf stars as Jerry Shaw, a drop-out from Stanford who gets caught in an international crisis after his twin brother Ethan, an Air Force star, passes away in a car accident. Jerry goes to the funeral and comes home to a complete nightmare. His bank account, usually too empty to buy a latte, has three-quarters of a million dollars in it, and his apartment is full of terrorist supplies, which, apparently, can easily be shipped via DHL.

The money and the bomb-making equipment make Jerry a target of the government (including agents played by Rosario Dawson and Billy Bob Thornton), but Shaw keeps getting phone calls that keep him one step ahead of the people trying to get to him. Meanwhile, Rachel Holloman (the lovely but miscast Michelle Monaghan) gets a similarly omniscient call that tells her that her son will die if she doesn’t do as she’s told.

The idea is that Jerry and Rachel are pawns in an elaborate plot fueled by our civilization’s increasing reliance on items that come with a certain lack of privacy. It’s not the concept that fails “Eagle Eye,” it’s the development of it.

The problem with “Eagle Eye” is that it’s played with a completely straight face. Half of the charm of the “Die Hard” movies, especially the last one, is in Bruce Willis’ winking performance. He’s knows it’s ridiculously over-the-top. “Eagle Eye” feels like LaBeouf and Caruso think this is a cautionary tale. If the filmmaker and cast had put their tongues even slightly in their cheeks, “Eagle Eye” might have worked as escapist entertainment.

So, as the film seems to continuously top itself with more and more ridiculous, nonsensical plot twists, it’s far too easy to be eye-rolling instead of sitting on the edge of your seat. When the power on the other end of the phone starts to manipulate the system well beyond reason - my favorite being when it cannot only break a power line but snap it into a running individual - the suspension of disbelief collapses.

The film may be a mess but the Blu-Ray release is satisfactory. On Blu-Ray, the presentation of “Eagle Eye” is neither remarkable nor below par. The video in 1080p High Definition is the highlight. DreamWorks has become one of the leaders in HD transfers. And the audio in English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD is better than average.

As for the special features, renters and buyers of “Eagle Eye” might be disappointed by the lack of a commentary and the featurettes are a little perfunctory. It’s also disappointing to not have any picture-in-picture capability. It’s a movie about technology. Shouldn’t the presentation of the special features feel more than average?

“Eagle Eye” includes, all in HD, deleted scenes, “Asymmetrical Warfare: The Making of Eagle Eye,” “Eagle Eye on Location: Washington, DC,” “Is My Cell Phone Spying on Me?,” “Shall We Play a Game?,” a gag reel, “Road Trip: On Location with the Cast and Crew,” a photo gallery and the theatrical trailer.

‘Eagle Eye’ is released by DreamWorks Home Video and stars Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, and Anthony Mackie, and was written by John Glenn & Travis Adam Wright and Hilary Seitz and Dan McDermott and directed by D.J. Caruso. It was released on December 28th, 2008.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DC Universe Releases Images, Premiere Details For ‘Wonder Woman’

BrianTT — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:55:19 -0700

CHICAGO – Warner Brothers announced this week that their fourth original DC Universe animated original film, “Wonder Woman”, will debut at the New York Comic Con in February and sent along a couple of brand new images to get audiences excited.

Preceding the March 3rd, 2009 release of “Wonder Woman” on Blu-Ray, DVD, OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, & Digital Download all simultaneously, the original animated movie will receive a big screen premiere at the New York Comic Con on February 6th, 2009 at the IGN Theater at the Javits Center.

A full month before the availability of “Wonder Woman” on the home market, fans can see the entire film and participate in a panel discussion featuring members of the film’s cast and crew that will follow the 8:30 p.m. screening. Exact talent available for the Q&A is not yet clear.

Wonder Wonder prepares to take on Ares in battle in “Wonder Woman,” the all-new DC Universe animated original movie will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3, 2009.

“Wonder Woman” is presented by Warner Premiere, Warner Bros. Animation, and DC Comics and will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3rd, 2009. It will be available as a Single Disc DVD, 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, and Blu-Ray Disc. “Wonder Woman” will also be available OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, and available on digital download on the same day as the film’s street date.

Steve Trevor gets his first look at the Amazons in “Wonder Woman,” the all-new DC Universe animated original movie will be distributed by Warner Home Video on March 3, 2009.

“Wonder Woman” is being produced by the legendary and Emmy Award-winning animation king Bruce Timm and features voice work by Keri Russell in the lead role and Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, Rosario Dawson, Oliver Platt, and David McCallum in supporting roles. Bruce Timm will actually be a Guest of Honor at the New York Comic Con along with previously-announced Guests of Honor including Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, George Perez, J. Michael Straczynski, and Michael Uslan.

The DC Universe series of animated PG-13 films written and directed by acclaimed comic book directors have been very successful for Warner Brothers and include the acclaimed “Superman: Doomsday”, “Justice League: The New Frontier”, and “Batman: Gotham Knight”. Films in development include works based on Batman, Superman, Justice League, Green Lantern, and The Flash.

‘Wonder Woman’ will be released by Warner Home Video and includes voice work by Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, Rosario Dawson, Oliver Platt, and David McCallum. It will be released on March 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com