The Scorecard Review

He Said - She Said

It's our first ever he said/he said ... all about Watchmen starring Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. This time around we have Jeff Bayer (didn't read the graphic novel) and Nick Allen (read the graphic novel).As always, I don't recommend reading this if you haven't seen the movie.

Jeff says

Well, did it deliver for you? I thought the beginning was great, the middle was OK, and the ending just zapped the fun out of the whole thing. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, is this the story you expected to see? Or are there huge differences between the novel and the film? But the big thing I need to figure out before anything else ... what makes a superhero super

Mar 5
Mar 5 Watchmen

Click here to read Nick Allen's take. Allen read the graphic novel.

WatchmenDirected by: Zack Snyder Cast: Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson Running Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Rating: R

Plot: It's an alternative America, with President Nixon serving his third term, and the Russians on the brink of nuclear war with the United States. Now someone killed off an ex-superhero, which leads to a plan that could risk all of Earth.

Who’s It For? I have no clue if the rabid fan base will be satisfied, but superhero fans will get just enough of what they crave.

Expectations: So curious. I avoid previews for the most part. There's just no purpose in them for me, since my goal is maximum entertainment while sitting in the theater. Plus

Mar 5
Mar 5 Watchmen

Watchmen Directed by: Zack Snyder Cast: Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode Running Time: 2 hrs 43 mins Rating: R

Plot: In 1985, a group of defunct masked vigilantes struggle with their invalidness while living in a world on the brink of nuclear war. Based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons.

Who’s It For? Anyone who has ever enjoyed the graphic novel owes to it themselves to see it. It should also be known that this is definitely not a movie for the young crowd - The Incredible Hulk, this ain't.

Expectations: Finally, after two decades, a Watchmen movie is being released. However, compared to many other graphic novels, this one has always been seen as "unfilmable." How would the director of 300 be able

Mar 5
Mar 5 The Black Balloon

Megan Lehar

The Black Balloon Directed by: Elissa Down Cast: Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Gemma Ward Running Time: 1 hr 35 min Rating: PG-13

Plot: Thomas Mollison (Rhys Wakefield) moves to a new town with his family, including pregnant mother Maggie (Toni Collette) and an autistic brother (Luke Ford). He desperately wants to fit in at his new high school, but finds it hard. Having a brother on the "spastic" bus doesn't help. Until he befriends Jackie Masters (Gemma Ward), an alarmingly beautiful girl with a compassionate heart.

Who’s It For? A coming of age movie for people who are sick of coming of age movies (like me). Also, anyone who every really wanted a Super NES.

Expectations: I'd read a good review, but didn't know much about it other than it

Mar 4
Mar 4 32nd Portland International Film Festival - Audience Awards

Here are the final results for Portland own film festival. Great turnout, great films. And now on to the press release ...

The Northwest Film Center Announces The 32nd Portland International Film Festival’s Audience Awards

The 31,000 audience members at this year’s 32nd Portland International Film Festival have selected their favorite films from among the 78 feature and 36 shorts screened February 6-22.

Tying for first place for Best Feature Award are Toa Frazer’s DEAN SPANLEY (New Zealand) and Dorie Dörrie’s CHERRY BLOSSOMS (Germany). Two films also tied for the Best Documentary Award—Festival guest Jennifer Grausman’s film PRESSURE COOKER (US), co-directed with Mark Becker, and Agnés Varda’s THE BEACHES OF AGNÉS (France), both of which tied for second place in the overall balloting. The winner

Mar 4
Mar 4 Kevin Smith to direct Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan

Kevin Smith helped Zack and Miri Make A Porno, and now it seems that Smith is going to make something equally as tasteless. Variety is reporting that Smith is set to direct Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in - you guessed it - a buddy comedy. The two play police officers who are caught up in various adventures - finding a stolen baseball card, rescuing a pretty lady, all while dealing with gangsters and laundered drug money.

The title? As of now, it has the super original, extremely interesting title of A Couple of Cops. Originally, Smith wanted it to be named A Couple of Dicks, which would've been nice Smith flair - but no dice. Maybe before its released (on a date that is unknown) it will be called simply Paycheck.

Regardless

Mar 4
Mar 4 Leonardo DiCaprio added to Nolan's Inception?

Remember that new Christopher Nolan movie we told you about? Prepare to get excited even more. Variety is reporting that Leonardo DiCaprio is in final negotiations to star in Nolan's latest, Inception.

The new film from the Dark Knight director is said to be "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." Much else about the film is being kept under wraps, but the information provided to us common folk is enough: Leo, Christopher Nolan, and a phrase like "architecture of the mind." Sounds like this film is definitely going to be a trip.

Aiming for a Summer 2010 release, the original script by Nolan would be his next project, and it is still uncertain whether a third Batman movie would follow.

DiCaprio, previously experienced in Revolutionary Road

Mar 4
Mar 4 Craig Robinson, Zach Cregger & Trevor Moore - Miss March

Chris De Salvo

Interviews

I recently sat down with the cast of Miss March, and we covered everything from Sketch Comedy dos-and-don’ts to why Ben Stiller may be the greatest working director in Hollywood today. Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore, and Craig Robinson believe in the importance of comic timing, the future of our children, and the power of Tina Fey. The Sax Hotel provided the setting for our conversation which never lacked the sort of edge these three talented young men bring to the table in their upcoming film. If you’re interested in why Craig Robinson [The Office] would possibly want to send me down a trap door, please read on. Enjoy.

Interview:

So, you guys started off doing improv and sketch comedy together in New York, right?

ZC: Right.

TM: Right, but not Improv.

Right, and that lead

Mar 2
Mar 2 Twilight at Midnight - DVD coming March 20

Twilight burned up the box office. Even if critics (including me) didn't love the big-screen adaptation. Now comes word that you can shop late into the night on March 20 ... to make sure you can be one of the first to own the flick.Los Angeles, CA (March 2, 2009) – On Friday, March 20, 2009, from 10PM until 12 midnight, Summit Home Entertainment will provide TWILIGHT fans across the country with the chance to celebrate the midnight DVD release of the film that has unanimously been described as a “full-blown pop culture phenomenon.” TWILIGHT at MIDNIGHT will allow participating retailers the opportunity to stay open late as fans line up to purchase the DVD of the epic romance at midnight parties. The official TWILIGHT website- www.twilightthemovie.com – will feature

Mar 3
Mar 3 December Release for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media announced that the third Narnia film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, will be released December 10, 2010. The winter release is not surprising given the history of the franchise. The first film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, opened in December 2005 and pulled in an impressive $291 million domestically. The second film, Prince Caspian, only made $141 million in the same market after a May 2008 release.

Variety reports that Fox and Walden believe Narnia is better suited for a December release. Perhaps The Chronicles of Narnia is a dish best served in the cold of winter.

Source: Variety

Mar 3
Mar 3 Keira Knightley to Star in Never Let Me Go

Keira Knightley will star with Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan in Fox Searchlight's upcoming science-fiction thriller Never Let Me Go. Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich and Alex Garland (who also wrote the screenplay) will be producing and Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) is set to direct. The film revolves around three friends growing up in a boarding school cut off from the outside world who discover they are clones raised for the sole purpose of organ donation. Filming will begin in April in London and Norfolk, England.

I'll admit, I like the idea of cloning Keira Knightley but the plot reminds me a lot of film from a few years ago called The Island, staring Scarlett Johansson (I didn't mind them cloning her either) and Ewan McGregor.

Source:Variety

Mar 2
Mar 2 TOP 7 Anticipated Films (March & April 2009)

Top 7

The Oscars of 2008 have past, and now with a beefy line-up of films we can dive headfirst in 2009. Though the highly anticipated Watchmen film is undeniably the most important one of the next two months, (if not the entire year), there are plenty of other movies bound to keep multiplex audiences busy. A wide variety of titles are scheduled, ranging from Hannah Montana: The Movie to the exceptionally less sissy Crank 2: High Voltage. Whatever gets you going (to the theaters), Hollywood is sure to offer. But it doesn't matter. Viva la Watchmen! Here's a list of the top 7 anticipated films of March and April. What do you think should be added to the list?

7. Fast and Furious - Reboot mania produces another example with a new version

Feb 28
Feb 28 Food Fight

Megan Lehar

Food Fight Directed by: Chris Taylor Cast: Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, Wolfgang Puck Running Time: 1 hr 25 min Rating: Unrated Where: Hollywood Theatre - Portland, OR

Plot: A documentary about the movement away from processed food and toward organic in the United States.

Who’s It For? Do you like food? Do you like hearing people talk about what makes food good? Ask yourself this before going.

Expectations: Something along the lines of Supersize Me. The possibility that I might not want to eat anything that I hadn't grown myself ever again.

SCORECARD (0-10)

Actors:

Michael Pollan: He wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, so he's basically a rockstar in the foodie lit world. He's a talking head in this film, adding tidbits about how food processing has changed over the last 80

Feb 26
Feb 26 Kyle Newman - director of Fanboys

Chris De Salvo

Interviews

Kyle Newman knows his Star Wars-speak. The self-proclaimed “fan boy” threw himself into his work to bring us a film about how “the force” may be the necessary tool to make sense of one's life. Fan Boys is the tale of four individuals whose youth may be fading in the rear view, but they collectively refuse to give up on the phenomenon that got them through their Skywalker-crazed adolescence. Whether you’re a staunch appreciator of all things-Shatner, or secretly call your right-hand Leia, Newman can relate to your thirst for knowledge of all things galactic. It’s perhaps his directorial ability to mesh the supernatural with the nature of life that gives his film the heart you wouldn’t expect from a movie about Han Solo-worshipping twenty somethings, whose lives converge for

Feb 26
Feb 26 Michael Cera says yes to Arrested Development and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Michael Cera is a busy man. First up is Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

The Globe and Mail says ... In Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, helmed by British director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), he plays a 23-year-old who lives with his gay roommate and is fixated on the new girl in town, Ramona Flowers. To win her over, Pilgrim - named after a song by the late 1990's all-girl Canadian indie band Plumtree - has to defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. And while there are some other great names attached to this film, the news everyone is talking about it how all the pieces to the Arrested Development puzzle are finally together.

E! News inside sources say the 20-year-old actor is now on board to do the film.

Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi

Feb 25
Feb 25 Michel Gondry to direct Seth Rogen's The Green Hornet

Be Kind Rewind and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind director Michel Gondry is set to direct Seth Rogen's version of The Green Hornet. Gondry was handed the job after wowing production president Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach with his particular vision of the film.

Rogen is set to star in the film as superhero Britt Reid, who is a newspaper publisher by day and a crime fighter by night. Earlier this year, Stephen Chow (Kung-Fu Hustle) was in talks to direct the film, but will now only play the part of Kato - the Hornet's sidekick. That particular role was once played by Bruce Lee.

The Green Hornet started as a radio show in the 1930s, but became arguably more popular during its TV adaptation in the 1960's.

The film, set for release

Feb 25
Feb 25 Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski to helm Clue

Director Gore Verbinski is finally getting a Clue. Universal Studios has attached the director of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to adapt the famous Hasbro board game to the big screen. He will work on the film through his company Blind Wink, and will share producing duties with Hasbro's Bennet Schneir and Brian Goldner.

By the way Blind Wink senior vice president Jonathan Krauss describes the project, it doesn't sound like it will be very similar to the adaptation from 1985 starring Tim Curry. Instead, Krauss has called it "a global thriller and transmedia even that uses deductive reasoning as its storytelling engine."

This idea of upgrading a board game is not new to Hasbro - the company has other projects in or near production based on their products. Transformers: Revenge of

Feb 24
Feb 24 Chiwetel Ejiofor may join Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber in Salt

Chiwetel Ejiofor is in negotiations to join Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber in the upcoming spy thriller, Salt. The Columbia picture is being produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Purkash and will be directed by Phillip Noyce. Jolie is set to play Eveyln Salt, a CIA officer who is accused of being a Russian spy on a mission to assassinate the President. If Ejiofor lands the part he would play opposite Jolie as a CIA counterintelligence officer named Peabody. Schreiber will be in a supporting role as Salt's CIA boss and friend.

Salt will start shooting next month in New York and is scheduled to be released in 2010.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Feb 24
Feb 24 Woody Allen Jumps On The Slumdog Bandwagon with Pinto