Da Miklos Gimes einen Film über Tom Kummer gedreht hat und der wohl bald zu sehen sein wird (»Kummer« wird er heißen) – darf man vielleicht noch einmal kurz auf Tom Kummers Interviews zurückkommen. Der Mann war Tennisprofi, dann in Berlin, als Berlin noch total krass war, also vor 1989, und Borderline-Journalist, hat auf Reportagen Drogen gekauft, war im Irak und so weiter – und dann in Hollywood. Als er, so beschreibt er es in seinem Buch Blow-Up, bei einem Pressjunket mit Pamela Anderson sass, konnte er mit seinen Fragen ein eine Reihe idiotischer Fragen anderer Journlisten anschließen, und das Masseninterview endete wie folgt:

Du musst doch zugeben, Pamela, die Grenzen zwischen Körper und Technologie, Realität und Fiktion sind ziemlich durchlässig geworden, oder? Eine tolle Frage, ich klopfe mir fast selbst auf die Schulter. Und Pamela sagt dann: »Die Frage verstehe ich nicht.« Und damit ist das Gespräch vorbei.

Als er dann an seinem Schreibtisch sass, wurde ihm klar: »So muss Pamela dann – die Welt erwartet das von mir – etwas so antworten:

Ich kapiere zwar nicht ganu, wovon du sprichst, aber eines weiß ich: Ich muss nicht unbedingt nach einem Sinn im Leben suchen, um glücklich zu sein. Sexsymbole zu hassen ist schick geworden, weil ja fast alle Mädchen neidisch snd und weil mich außer Tommy kein Mann bekommen kann.

Die Frage ist nun einfach: Ist das einfach ein Journalist, der auf die schiefe Bahn geraten ist, was namhafte Redaktionsleiter, unter anderem Roger Köppel, nicht bemerkt oder vielleicht doch bemerkt haben (aber nichts dagegen unternommen haben), und aus Bequemlichkeit Interviews zusammengeschrieben hat und zufällig den Effekt erzeugt, die Artifizialität von Stars und den medialen Inszenierungen von Stars überdeutlich zu machen – oder liegt da mehr vor? Sowas wie eine grundsätzliche Frage zum Verhältnis von Fiktion und Authentizität, zum Schreiben etc. (Ich tendiere eher zum ersten Ansatz: Da passiert nichts, was Baudrillard und Konsorten mit den Begrifflichkeiten Hyperrealität und Simulacrum nicht schon durchdacht hätten…)

Zurück aber zu den Interviews. Wie man sehen kann, besitze ich eine Kopie des Buches. Ich hatte es schon einmal in der ZB ausgeliehen, aber offenbar ist der Band dort verschwunden. Über AbeBooks, den besten Suchdienst für antiquarische Bücher, habe ich mir dieses Exemplar aus Los Angeles (wie treffend, ich bestelle einen dtv Band aus dem Ort, an dem Tom Kummer ihn geschrieben hat) kommen lassen:

Eigentlich sollte man es scannen und online verfügbar machen, aber eigentlich habe ich weder einen Scanner, der Bücher automatisch einscannen kann, noch die Musse, das zu tun, auch wenn ich es für richtig halten würde. Wer aber unbedingt eines der Interviews braucht, kann mich per Mail erreichen und ich kann ein pdf anfertigen.

Nun zu den besten Fragen Tom Kummers, also den Fragen, die man leider den Stars nicht stellen kann, aber gerne würde. Ein Auszug aus einem der Interviews hab ich auf dem Netz gefunden:

Stone: In archaischen und antiken Kulturen gab es nur die Verführung, keine Liebe, keine Gefühlsströmungen und auch keinen Bedarf an Psychoanalyse, die ja diesen stumpfsinnigen Mythos der Liebe lebendig hält. SZ-Magazin: Hat Verführung nicht auch immer etwas Kaltes, Berechnendes?
Stone: Ja, möglicherweise. Ich stelle den anderen Fallen, und dahinter verbirgt sich sicher ein böser Geist. Der ist aber im Kern aller leidenschaftlicher Regungen zu finden. SZ-Magazin:    ? Stone: Vielleicht die Illusion. Das Kino. Das ist die Steigerung der Verführung. Ich spreche jetzt von der List, Sehnsucht nach Idealen zu provozieren und gleichzeitig zu vereiteln. Das gilt auch für eine Partnerschaft. Gibt es etwas Besseres, als immer wieder von neuem anzufangen? Wir wissen doch alle, daß das ideale Objekt sowieso nur zum Ideal werden kann, wenn es tot ist.
SZ-Magazin: Können Siegerinnen wie Sie überhaupt lieben? Stone: Diese Frage unterstellt, daß ich als Verführerin ein oberflächliches Spiel betreibe. Die Liebe wird dabei immer so furchtbar romantisch gesehen, als besonders leidenschaftlich und wahrhaftig. Ich aber halte das Ritual der Verführung für viel wahrhaftiger und viel leidenschaftlicher. SZ-Magazin: Sex als Waffe setzen Sie also nur auf der Leinwand ein, nicht in den Machtkämpfen des wirklichen Lebens? Stone: Nie! Ich ziehe die duellartige Form der Verführung vor. SZ-Magazin: Warum bloß? Stone: Weil Liebe und Sexualität auch Metaphern für Niederlagen sind. Wer siegen will, darf nicht lieben. Miß Stone sagt: “Verführet einander!” [Quelle: Google Cache von http://www.hdbg.de/t96kauf.htm]

Weitere Fragen und Antworten, die ich mag:

[Sean Penn] Ich habe wegen Dingen rebelliert, die den meisten Menschen ziemlich egal sind. Zum Beispiel, wie man eine Zigarette absolut cool in der Hand hält.

[Sean Penn] Die politische Realität der Gegenwart interessiert mich nicht. Nur soviel: Die Waffe ist Teil der amerikanischen Kultur. Keine andere Gesellschaft ist grausamer als die amerikanische. Schauen Sie doch mal CNN. Die verzweifeln fast daran, dass in der Welt kein anständiger Krieg ausbricht.

[Pamela Anderson] Du sagst doch selber, deine Hobbys sind Tanzen und Sex? – Das stimmt nicht ganz. Ich schneide auch ab und zu die Sträucher in unserem Garten.

[Snoop Doggy Dogg] Mich interessiert nicht die Wahrheit, ich inszeniere meine Wahrheit.

[Snoop Doggy Dogg] KFC und Snoop sind das Beste, was Afro-Amerika seit der Erfindung des Kamms passiert ist. – Warum der Kamm? – Seit es den Kamm gibt, können wir unsere Haare glätten. – Und warum KFC? – Grute Kruste, sehr billig […]  – Hat aber einen äußerst geringen Nährwert… – Daran denken wir nicht, wenn wir die Knöchlein sauberlecken.

[Courtney Love] Tut mir Leid, ich fühle mich deprimiert, leer, blöd. Alle meine Gedichte brennen. Minotauren fressen die Genitalien des Mondes.

[Courtney Love] Ich war acht Jahre als, als mir mein Vater LSD gegeben hat. Das war seine größte erzieherische Leistung.

[Phil Collins] Aber die Wahrheit ist doch, dass es kein solches Ding namens Liebe gibt. oder sehen Sie das anders? – Mein Herz spürt die Liebe sofot, das ist bei mir kein langwieriger Prozess. Ich kann sofort erkennen, wer mich liebt. Und ich weiss, wie ich lieben muss. Da habe ich die totale Kontrolle.

[Nicolas Cage] Tarantino hat vom wahren Leben doch keine Ahnung. Seine besten Jahre verbrachte er in einer Videothek. – Das wahre Leben findet heute im Kopf statt.

[Quentin Tarantino] Sie gelten als Realist, weil Sie so unwirkliche Filme machen. Erklären Sie doch bitte mal diesen Widerspruch. – Wir leben in einer Welt, die uns verunsichert. Weil die Wirklichkeit abgeschafft ist.

You must never ask me or Paolo what we think of this movie unless you are a person who can handle watching someone yak and try to choke themselves with it to escape the hell of their own memories.

Castor Troy: It’s like looking in a mirror. Only… not.

This John Woo movie is so, so, so ridiculously bad that it almost makes you say, “Wait, is it so stupid that it actually orbited around to being awesome?” But the answer is a qualified no. It falls a hairsbreadth short of being so bad that it’s good, remaining just plain poorly written, stupid, and a waste of your time.

Sean Archer: I want to take his face… off. Eyes, nose, skin, teeth. It’s coming off.

The slash in the title and the number of times that people run their fingers down each other’s faces like mentally challenged chimps are a huge part of why the movie falls short of awesome. The people involved in it took it too seriously. A true cult film has to be more accidentally shitty than this.

Dietrich: No more drugs for that man.

The only good part is this guy, Alessandro Nivola, who played the villain’s even less balanced brother. The character’s ridiculous name is Pollux Troy (his brother, the main baddie, is “Castor;” you know, like astronomy shit? *cringe*), but the freaky performance Nivola turns in surpasses that of anyone else but forever-tragically-underused Joan Allen in this film. He’s having fun with it and so it is, like, unhinged — super, super hot. I love crazy!

Castor Troy: You’re not the only one in the family with the brains.
Pollux Troy: No, although now I am the only one with the looks.
Castor Troy: Touche.

Astro Boy è un film d’animazione 3D basato sulla serie giapponese che prende lo stesso nome di Osamu Tezuka. E’ stato prodotto da Imagi Animation Studios e le animazioni dalla società TMNT. Diretto da David Bowers vede come protagonisti vocali Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, e Nicolas Cage. Il film è uscito in Giappone il 10 Ottobre 2009 e nelle sale americane in 23 Ottobre.

Intera colonna sonora di Astro Boy

Musica composta da John Ottman

01. Opening Theme (02:06)
02. Astro Flies! (03:14)
03. Start It Up (03:57)
04. Morning Lessons (01:50)
05. Blue Core Pursuit (03:58)
06. Designing Toby (04:48)
07. I Don’t Want You (01:22)
08. One Of Us / Meeting Trashcan (02:29)
09. I Love Robots / Hamegg’s Story (02:21)
10. The RRF / New Friends (02:58)
11. Reviving Zog (01:59)
12. Reluctant Warrior (04:43)
13. Cora’s Call (02:27)
14. Undercover Robots (00:51)
15. Egg On Hamegg (03:29)
16. Toby’s Destiny (04:31)
17. Saving Metro City (03:47)
18. Final Sacrifice (02:47)
19. Robot Humanity (03:23)
20. Theme From Astro Boy (04:34)
21. Bonus Track: “Robots Are Our Friends” Infomercial * (01:27)

WARNING! MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Once in a great while, a movie comes along that is so insane, so crazy, so completely out of its mind wild, that you almost can’t believe what you are seeing. BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS (or THE BAD LIEUTENANT PORT OF CALL: NEW ORLEANS as it’s written in the opening title) is that movie! It’s the most delightfully cracked out movie about a crazed drug addict policeman I’ve ever seen in my life. It is not one of those so-bad-it’s-good movies at all. This movie is the result of some very talented artists getting together and having a great deal of fun making a really cool, weird, funny and surreal cop movie.

I don’t know if this is an actual remake of ABEL FERRARA’S brilliant 1992 BAD LIEUTENANT, which is an agonizingly hellish character study of an out of control cop, that is played with amazing intensity by HARVEY KEITEL. There are several similarities in both the plot structure and character details, but this new BAD LIEUTENANT is a much different beast altogether. The original was much more serious and there was very little sympathy for the protagonist, who wasn’t even given a name, but referred to only as The Lieutenant in the end credits.

The new BAD LIEUTENANT is named Terence McDonagh and is played with comic exuberance by NICOLAS CAGE, who hasn’t been this awesome since LEAVING LAS VEGAS. His career of late has been spotty to say the least, with a few great movies like ADAPTATION and LORD OF WAR, mixed in with a lot of big budget action fluff. It’s been awhile since he’s really cut loose in a role and he tears this movie up with his energy. This is the CAGE of VAMPIRE’S KISS and RAISING ARIZONA. The manic, funny and inventive CAGE who makes the most out of each take. His character is a man addicted to crack, coke, heroin, vicodin, gambling and sex, who abuses his power at every opportunity he gets, and yet he’s a very likable guy. Even though his methods are totally crazy and completely unpredictable, he’s a really good detective and he gets results, as he breaks every law imaginable in the process. CAGE’S performance is a tour de force! He should get 10 Oscars!

HARVEY KEITEL as the o.g. BAD LIEUTENANT, whom is quite different from...

NICOLAS CAGE'S BAD LIEUTENANT! Those old ladies deserve it, trust me.

How this movie came together is beyond me. I can’t imagine there’s been a clamoring for a BAD LIEUTENANT revisit over the 17 years since the first. When I first read that WERNER HERZOG was directing a remake, I thought “The legendary German filmmaker responsible for FITZCARRALDO, NOSFERATU, GRIZZLY MAN and RESCUE DAWN wants to do a reboot of BAD LIEUTENANT? Huh?” It’s an odd choice indeed, but HERZOG is an odd director and he has made a very odd film and I’m so glad of that. His BAD LIEUTENANT is given humanity right off the bat, where with the original you really have to search for something to feel sympathetic for.

NICOLAS CAGE and WERNER HERZOG must have had a blast making this movie.

The film starts off in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, with detective Terence McDonagh (CAGE) and his colleague (VAL KILMER) emptying out a fellow officer’s locker. They come across a criminal still locked in a flooding cell and in an act of heroism, McDonagh jumps in to save him, injuring his back in the process. He is prescribed vicodin by a doctor and when we see him a year later, he’s become a full blown addict who’s graduated to crack, coke and heroin. He also has a bad gambling problem that gets his bookie (BRAD DOURIF) a bit testy.

When he’s put in charge of an investigation to find whoever was responsible for a drug related multiple homicide (in the original it was a case involving the rape of a nun), he throws himself fully into the assignment. The movie then swings back and forth between CAGE’S working the case and engaging in his own criminal activities. One scene he’s interviewing a suspect and gathering clues, the next he’s robbing drugs from a young couple of club goers and forcing the guy to watch him fuck his girlfriend.

EVA MENDES is great as the BAD LIEUTENANT’S  hooker girlfriend. Despite the fact that their relationship is based on doing drugs together and ripping off her johns, they actually have a few very tender scenes together. There’s a moment they share concerning a hidden silver spoon that’s downright heartwarming. No shit!

FAIRUZA BALK shows up as a corrupt traffic cop with some really nice boots and BRAD DOURIF is typically terrific as CAGE’S bookie, whom unlike his character’s counterpart in the original, joins the rest of us in falling for the BAD LIEUTENANT’S charm. Also, the rapper XZIBIT turns out a really well executed performance as Big Fate the gangster. He too, is a totally likable scumbag.

EVA MENDES as the BAD LIEUTENANT'S girlfriend.

"Shoot him again, his soul's still dancing!"

There are individual scenes in the new BAD LIEUTENANT that are sheer brilliance. One of my favorites involves a crack hallucination CAGE has involving two iguanas, that’s set to an old blues tune. The scene just keeps playing out,  supremely confident in its own complete absurdity and I couldn’t stop laughing.

Another one involves a group of gangsters being shot down. CAGE, in the midst of another drug delusion, exclaims to the killers, “Shoot him again, his soul is still dancing!” The camera then pans over to someone dressed like the fallen gangster, breakdancing in the middle of the room. It’s fucking AMAZING!

The film was written by WILLIAM FINKELSTEIN and I’m curious if it was his intention to pattern it after the original BAD LIEUTENANT, or if it was an original idea and the marketing department attached it to the FERRARA film. There are a few similarities in the plot, but overall this is a far different film and stands on its own as a great piece of cop noir. FINKELSTEIN’S previous work as a television writer for NYPD BLUE, LAW & ORDER, L.A. LAW and COP ROCK have served him well and he has written a truly unique and funny film.

WERNER HERZOG’S direction is probably what sends this movie sailing over the fence the most. His attachment alone is what takes this film from being a simple cop thriller and turns it into an art-house masterpiece. It’s his genius in taking such care with the little moments, (like CAGE reading a child’s poem about a fish) that make this a much more enjoyable BAD LIEUTENANT than we’ve previously seen. Not that ABEL FERRARA’S film is any less great or powerful, it’s just a different sensibility with the exact same subject.

Which is why I’d like to see a BAD LIEUTENANT franchise develop out of this. My pitch is this: each new film is the exact same formula – drugged up Lieutenant tries to solve a case he’s assigned while on a self destructive gambling and crack binge. It’s a different city, director and lead actor each time. A franchise that continues to remake and take a new spin at the same storyline. I think that would be cool. BAD LIEUTENANT: LOS ANGELES directed by DAVID LYNCH and starring ROBERT DOWNEY JR.; BAD LIEUTENANT: DALLAS directed by the COEN BROTHERS and starring MATT DILLON; BAD LIEUTENANT: PARIS directed by ROMAN POLANSKI and starring GERARD DEPARDIEU; and BAD LIEUTENANT: MIAMI directed by LARS VON TRIER and starring DON JOHNSON (now that would be REALLY crazy!).

See BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS because it is an awesome piece of crazy independent cinema! It’s like smoking a rock out of your lucky crack pipe, without the withdrawls and iguanas. I leave you with trailers for both the original and the new one. Enjoy!

Hello Subscriber!
And welcome to the inaugural issue of Nicolas Cage Fun Facts. Where every week we bring you fun (and educational) facts about everyone’s favorite actor!

Fact!
Nicolas Cage loves the feel of terry cloth.

Nicolas Cage loves the feel of terry cloth between his fingers. He loves the feel of terry cloth on his cheek. His bedspread is made of terry cloth and so is his pillow. During the filming of Ghost Rider, Nicolas Cage requested the inside of his trailer to be re-upholstered in freshly laundered terry cloth. Ghost Rider was not a critical success, but the custom terry cloth trailer made Nicolas Cage slightly comfortable for several, several hours.

Novo filme de terror de Nicolas Cage!

Filme para 19 de março de 2010, mas se ele tiver a emoção do trailer, já podemso esperar um filmão.

História: Cage interpreta um cavaleiro do século 14, que vivem em uma Europa dominada pela  a epidemia de Peste Negra, até ai nada de anormal.

A missão: transportar uma bruxa suspeita de ser a causadora da epidemia até uma abadia onde vivem monges treinados em exorcismo, e esta viagem não vai ser calma, se preparem para muita briga de espada, demônios e magia.

O título  ainda não tradução para o português.

Elenco: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman (hellboy), Claire Foy, Ulrich Thomsen, Stephen Graham e Christopher Lee completam o elenco.

The Nicolas Cage starer “Season of the Witch” is due to release on 19th March, 2010 in the US. The Supernatural Thriller, is set in the 14th-century. When two knights (Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman) transport a suspected witch to a monastery, where monks deduce her powers could be the source of the Black Plague. The trailer looks good, lets hope the movie is too…

Almost lost me, then it didn’t! One great lieutenant! 8/10 [IAN]

Buy it

Synopsis-

In Season Of The Witch, Nicolas Cage stars as a 14th century Crusader who returns with his comrade (Ron Perlman) to a homeland devastated by the Black Plague. A beleaguered church, deeming sorcery the culprit of the plague, commands the two knights to transport an accused witch (Claire Foy) to a remote abbey, where monks will perform a ritual in hopes of ending the pestilence.

A priest (Stephen Campbell Moore), a grieving knight (Ulrich Thomsen), an itinerant swindler (Stephen Graham) and a headstrong youth who can only dream of becoming a knight (Robert Sheehan) join a mission troubled by mythically hostile wilderness and fierce contention over the fate of the girl.

When the embattled party arrives at the abbey, a horrific discovery jeopardizes the knight’s pledge to ensure the girl fair treatment, and pits them against an inexplicably powerful and destructive force. Source ShockTillYouDrop

Click link to view trailer Second Trailer for Season Of The Witch – ShockTillYouDrop.com

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Hace unas semanas se presentó Season of the Witch con un breve trailer que dejaba, aunque sólo fuera por curiosidad, con ganas de más. Las mismas intentan ser saciadas ahora con este trailer completo en el que se dibuja aún más profundamente el tono de la película y su trama. En ella, a medio camino entre la acción y el terror, seguimos el viaje de un caballero y su séquito hacia un santuario donde debe ser juzgada la bruja a la que escoltan. Sin embargo los poderes de la criatura les pondrán las cosas muy difíciles. Nicolas Cage, de nuevo en uno de esos papeles en los que uno jamás apostaría verle, carga con el peso del protagonismo, acompañado por Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Robert Sheehan, Claire Foy, Ulrich Thomsen, Stephen Graham y el legendario Christopher Lee. Dirige Dominic Sena, que nos ofrecerá su película a partir del 19 de Marzo de 2.010.

Sometimes there are movies that because of high expectations, don’t quite live up to the hype, therefore people and critics shrug it off as a failure. There are also some movies that people just pan or shrug off based on it’s cast or premise. Although there are some occassions where I’ve had such thoughts, I like to give every movie a chance. There are times when I regret it but there are times when there is a true gem that most people just don’t care for without even seeing it, or they just don’t like it for the reasons I’ve mentioned.

My list is compiled of movies that “failed” due to high expectations as well as those that most think are truly horrible. I love all of these movies and I don’t feel ashamed for doing so.

Here are my top 10 most underrated movies of the decade.

10. Australia

Baz Luhrman | 2008

I guess that after the greatness of Moulin Rouge! there were high expectations for Lurhrman’s next project (mine were definitely like that). When it was announced that he would do an epic romance, I guess people thought that he was going to try to bring back the sub-genre, when in fact it was just an homage to those movies. Most people didn’t see it as the latter, which is why they hated it. However, there were a few of us who saw it for what it was and we loved it. The romance is great, the cinematography is amazing, the score fits the story, and the performances are great. Yes, the script had problems, but they can be easily forgiven thanks to the rest of the production.

9. The Fall

Tarsem | 2008

This movie originally played in the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006 and it was panned, with most critics calling it an inferior copy of anther festival darling from that year, Pan’s Labyrinth. Two year later, it was released independently to bad reviews. There were a few critics like Roger Ebert who actually saw it for what it was, a visual treat supported by a small story. It is a gorgeous movie filled with  remarkable images and featuring great performances by Lee Pace and Catinka Untaru. It may not have a very deep and thought provoking story, but the story confined with the magnificent production makes for a great experience.

8. Across the Universe

Julie Taymor | 2007

Most people who dislike this mostly complain about how “misused” the songs by The Beatles were, about how little story there is to support those historic lyrics. I guess their love for the songs did not allow them to see the beautiful production, the great direction, the great performances, the good arrangements of the songs. They missed out on all the fun.

7. Knowing

Alex Proyas | 2009

Nicolas Cage had not had a good decade. For every Lord of War ,The Weatherman, and Adaptation there are two National Treasures, one Next, one Bangkok Dangerous, one Ghost Rider, and one The Wicker Man. So I guess that when this came out the presence of Cage made most people dismiss it as another one of his attempts to become an action star so late in his career. However, the movie is not just Nicolas Cage. It was directed by one of the most interesting directors out there, the script, despite it’s huge flaws, had some interesting ideas that Proyas takes the most advatage of, and it also features Cage’s best performances since 2005 when he had both Lord of War and The Weatherman

6. Memoirs of a Geisha

Rob Marshall | 2005

The book on which this is based is amazing, so there is no way that the movie was going to live up to it. Despite that, I believe Rob Marshall did a great job in translating the story visually into the screen it is one of the best produced movies of the decade. Yes, the script is rather bad, but the behind-the-scenes people and the actors rise above the material. Should you expect a fast-paced movie? No, you should expect a slow-burning experience and take everything in to enjoy the great ending.

5. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zizzou

Wes Anderson | 2004

It may not be Wes Anderson’s best, but I’d say that it is his most interesting, visually, and it has some really funny moments, as well as plenty of heart felt ones. Plus, it sports Bill Murray’s best post-Lost in Translation performance, Angelica Houston, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, and a song by Sigur Ros. What more can you ask for?

4. Monster-in-Law

Robert Luketic | 2005

Does it have the most original story? No. Is It well written and directed? No. So why do I think it is underrated? Well, it is because of the actresses. Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez have great chemistry together, and that alone makes almost every joke work. Plus, there is the always-reliable Wanda Sykes and the always reliable assistant ready with a one liner for every situation.

3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Garth Jennings | 2005

Based on the books by Douglas Adams, I think the movies does a great job of translating the humor, which is not the humor that most people are used to. I does not have jokes that give you belly laughs, but the kind of humor that makes you go, “that’s funny.” Martin Freeman, Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, and Sam Rockwell are perfectly cast and make everything work.

2. Speed Racer

The Wachowskis | 2008

“It looks like a videogame and it has no story” was the biggest complaint I heard about this movie. This was never supposed to be the next Matrix, it was supposed to be a movie for the whole family to enjoy. And that was what we got. It has a simple good vs. evil, family always sticks together story, combined with great, groundbreaking visual effects, and good performances to boot.

1. The Fountain

Darren Aronofsky | 2005

I guess the main reason why most people don’t like it is because of it’s non-linear narrative. I loved it from the first time I saw it, and has only gotten better with repeat viewings. Hugh Jackman gives what is his best performance to date, and Rachel Weiz is also quite good. Some parts are off-putting and you do wonder what part is actually happening, but that is only part of the beauty of it. This is definitely one of the best movies of the decade.

There are my 10 most underrated movies of the decade. Feel free to offer your opinion in the comments section.

…comes from the Wikipedia page for the 2006 Nicolas Cage film The Wicker Man.

“Malus then begins searching the village, suspecting that Rowan might be involved in the ritual. After being attacked by a crazed Sister Honey, whom he subdues by punching her in the face and then kicking her into a wall, he disguises himself in a bear costume and follows a parade led by Sister Summersisle.”

Yet more evidence that Nicolas Cage is just awful and everything he does sucks.

*This passage has since been removed from the page. Find the old draft here.

L’acteur aux mille moumoutes, Nicola Cages revient l’année prochaine dans un film d’horreur moyennageux. Moi perso ça m’a l’air plutôt pas mal, puis l’ambiance poisseuse me fait un peu penser à l’excellentissime La chair et le sang

En plein Moyen-Âge, alors que la peste noire et les superstitions ravagent l’Europe, le chevalier Bethem reçoit pour mission d’escorter une jeune fille suspectée d’être une sorcière et d’avoir propagé la maladie. Convaincus qu’elle est accusée à tort, l’homme et ses compagnons traversent le pays vers les lieux où son innocence pourra être prouvée et le fléau stoppé. Ils ignorent que les forces les plus sombres les guettent.

Este es el nuevo trailer de la pelicula “Season of the Wich“, la cual es la esperanza que tiene Nicolas Cage para salir de la banca rota en la que esta metido.

La historia de la pelicula es ambientada en el siglo XIV en la que un grupo deberá trasldar a una acusada de brujería hasta una aldea de monjes para que éstos ‘erradiquen’ la enfermedad de la chica. Como todos se imaginaran en el camino estos personajes pasaran de todo para lograr su meta.

Haz click aqui para ver el trailer.

Attempted to go see “A Serious Man,” went to the wrong theater and caught this saw this on a whim.  Glad I did.  It’s not at all what I think most would expect after seeing the trailer and was a real treat.   Werner Herzog is ill, man.

Man sollte immer skeptisch sein wenn es heißt “Der neue Film mit Nicolas Cage!”. Da läuft einem schon ein kalter Schauer über den Rücken. Am Freitag hat die Filmfirma Lionsgate den erste Trailer zum Film “Season of the Witch” veröffentlicht. In dem Film – der im 14.Jahrhundert spielt – geht es um den herumziehenden Ritter Lavey, der eines Tages in seine Heimat zurückkehrt und diese von der Pest heimgesucht wurde. Die Kirche macht Hexerei für den Ausbruch des schwarzen Todes verantwortlich und Lavey und einige seiner Kumpanen werden damit beauftragt die als Hexe verdächtigte Frau in ein Kloster zu bringen, wo Mönche ein Ritual an ihr ausüben sollen, um die Seuche zu beenden.

Also Hexenverfolgung im 14.Jahrhundert – da gibt es bereits jetzt Logiklöcher, ist die Hexenverfolgung doch eher zu Beginn des 15.Jahrhunderts anzusiedeln. Aber was soll’s, die besten Filme beinhalten Logikfehler. Der Trailer schaut so übel gar nicht aus, insofern, lehnt euch die zwei Minuten zurück und schaut den Trailer an.

Dominic Sena (“Projekt:Swordfish”) führt Regie bei “Season of the Witch”. Wir sehen im Film Nicolas Cage (“Knowing”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy 2 – Die Goldene Armee”), Claire Foy (bisher wirkte sie nur in einigen wenigen Fernsehserien mit) und in einer Nebenrolle auch Christopher Lee (“Der Goldene Kompass”). Der US Start für den Film ist für den 19.März 2010 festgelegt, für Deutschland gibt es noch kein Veröffentlichungsdatum.

Few characters have made as powerful or as lasting an impression on international popular culture as Astro Boy. The little robot first appeared in 1951 as a character in the celebrated artist and animator Osamu Tezuka’s legendary manga(Japanese comic book) and became an instant icon. He was subsequently featured as the star of his own television series in both black-and white and in color, eventually airing in over 40 countries. Astro Boy created the standard for a new form of animation that has become world famous as anime.

Now for the first time, Astro Boy will be brought to life on the big screen. Created with breathtaking computer animation from Imagi Studios, the film Astro Boy is a thrilling tale of a true hero. The film is set to debut in theaters on October 23, 2009.

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns toMetro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it means to be a hero.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Bill Nighy, Freddie Highmore, Donald Sutherland, Eugene Levy, Nathan Lane, Matt Lucas, Sterling Beaumon, Madeline Carroll, Charlize Theron
Director: David Bowers
Screenwriter: Timothy Harris, David Bowers
Studio: Summit Entertainment

MOVIE TRAILER :

]]> http://dtmmr.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/con-air-1997/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:46:43 +0000 cmrok93 http://dtmmr.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/con-air-1997/

Nic Cage takes a ride with a bunch of convicts featuring Dave Chapelle, yeah this is a movie.

When the government puts all its rotten criminal eggs in one airborne basket, it’s asking for trouble. Before you can say, “Pass the barf bag,” the crooks control the plane, led by creepy Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (John Malkovich). Watching his every move is the just-released Nicolas Cage, who’d rather reunite with his family. John Cusack plays the creator of the plane and stands by as his whole dream turns into a nightmare.

Con Air combines elements from many other films such as Airplane!, The Rock, The Dirty Dozen, and a little bit of Silence Of The Lambs. Now all of this may seem like a weird combination for a film, but it turns out to be one of my favorite action films of all-time.

First of all, the great thing about Con Air is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Scott Rosenberg’s ultra macho script knows it is having a lot of fun with the writing, and it brings in a lot of good laughs. The tongue-in-cheek approach that this film had never really dies out, cause although some of the lines may be cheesy, they are still hilarious and well worth it.

The action that takes place in this film isn’t so bad either. I liked how it was fun but it wasn’t non stop to the point of where there’s no room for a story to take place. The things that happen in this film seem very believable and the action is never too dumb to where its unbelievable.

The only problem I really had with this film was that it was working out really well by the end, and it loses itself in a routine explosive third act. Yeas, it was very good and fun to look at, but it just didn’t seem like it was needed for this film. I liked how the action took place in that scene, but when it was all said and done I felt like everything else sort of was lost cause of it.

The acting in this film is pretty good but mostly from Malkovich. He plays this slick, witty, and actually pretty smart villain that you want to hate cause he’s so crazy, but you can’t help but to love cause of his amazing apporach to the lines and the events that happen. Cage, I thought could have done a lot better, but his accent by the end just got really annoying for me, and by the end I just couldn’t stand it. Steve Buscemi plays a little side character in this film that is really funny, and by the end of the film, he turns out to be the most-liked character from the whole film.

Consensus: Con Air is full of energy and humor, that is fun to be a part of and does hit the right spots every time throughout the movie. Though the ending was a little bit out of hand, the film still holds a great place in my heart.

9/10=Full Priccee!!!

It seems that in this bad economy even award winning movie stars are suffering economic woes.  Actor Nicolas Cage who has starred in such films as National Treasure and The Rock is losing several of his homes to foreclosure.  His French Quarter home has been purchased by regions banks for 2.3 million. Cage’s other New Orleans home in the garden district was purchased by regions for 2.2 million.  Cage is suing his former business manager Samuel Levin. Cage claims that Levin took over 20 million dollars since 2001.  Currently cage owes over 6 million in back taxes in properties in California and Las Vegas.  It seems like the economy is not playing favorites. Even those with million dollar back accounts are feeling the wrath of the new economy.

I really enjoy Nic Cage’s work (such as Leaving Las Vegas, one of the most depressing movies ever) and wish him the best… Ilene

How Nicolas Cage Spent His Way To The Poorhouse

Courtesy of Clusterstock, by Vince Veneziani

Nicolas Cage is a big movie star with an even bigger name.

A member of the famous Coppola family, Cage spent lavishly over the years, accumulating 9 Rolls Royces, 30 motorcycles, exotic pets, multiple luxury vehicles, a castle, and homes throughout the world. It’s no wonder he’s now being hunted by the IRS for tax evasion – he’s broke!

Currently, Cage owes $6.5 million in back taxes and is being sued by former business manager Samuel Levin.

Click here to see how Cage spent his money>>>

See Also:

Nicolas Cage Blames Money Manager for “Financial Ruin”

When Werner Herzog’s remake/sequel of Abel Ferrera’s Bad Lieutenant was announced, it gave Internet cynics fodder for an endless stream of articles chuckling over how absurd the whole project was. Was this ridicule triggered by the potential folly of recreating a project as uncompromising as Ferrera’s original? Was it the standard cineaste’s resistance to recycling older movies, or the thought of recycling something made so recently? Or was it that Herzog had cast Nicolas Cage? Without a frame being shot it was already being heralded as a disaster, as if Herzog’s legendary take-no-prisoners attitude had suddenly metamorphosed into some kind of dementia. When the trailer arrived the derisory laughter increased. Cage’s reputation as the bad movie actor du jour has become so entrenched in popular thinking that the obviously intentional humour of the trailer was treated as evidence that Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans was another Wicker-Man-style disaster waiting to happen. The reality is that Herzog’s crime drama will more than likely disappoint those who were hoping for a failure, but thrill everyone else.

Cage portrays Terrence McDonagh, a police detective who inherits the mantle of Bad Lieutenant after injuring himself during a post-Katrina rescue. After this quick origin story we see McDonagh in the grip of an addiction to painkillers and coke, deep in debt and stealing drugs from criminals. The only thing that separates him from the perps he chases is his dedication to the job, especially his determination to bring to justice the drug kingpin Big Fate (Alvin “Xzibit” Joiner) who he suspects is responsible for the murder of an immigrant family. So far, so Keitel. McDonagh, however, is lucky enough to have a girlfriend (Frankie, played by Cage’s Ghost Rider co-star Eva Mendes) who just so happens to be a prostitute on a downward spiral of her own. Though neither of them are particularly admirable people, they seem to care for each other. As they become more absorbed into a depraved world, this connection seems to be the one thing that might save them.

The similarity to Ferrera’s original is obvious, but whereas that movie was harrowing and dark, Herzog brings an unexpected sense of possibility and even joy to this tale. Avoiding the tortured and oppressive air of Catholic guilt that made the original so distinctive, Herzog gives McDonagh a chance at redemption that doesn’t revolve around appeasing an indifferent God, and thus generates a sense of unexpected uplift. Additionally, while Ferrera set his movie in a decaying New York, Herzog takes metaphorical advantage of New Orleans’ recent history and the attempts of the citizens to rebuild their city, efforts that echo McDonagh’s own. Even at its darkest Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is filmed in almost constant brightness, and it helps that Herzog has filled the supporting cast with amusing eccentrics played by terrific character actors like Vondie Curtis Hall, Jennifer Coolidge, Fairuza Balk, Michael Shannon, and Brad Dourif. Also included is a subdued and underused Val Kilmer as a cop lacking even McDonagh’s vanishing moral core.

All act as amusing foils for Cage, but special mention must be made of Shea Whigham as abusive mob goon Justin who appears midway through the film to abuse Frankie. His dopey attitude and woozily delivered threats are sure-fire crowd-pleasers. Perhaps that’s the most surprising thing about Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Even though the trailer featured a number of amusing moments, the refreshingly breezy tone of the movie is a surprise, even though it features murder, sexual abuse, drug-taking, and old-lady-menacing. While Ferrera was determined to send the viewer to hell with Keitel, Herzog takes a cue from William Finkelstein’s script and makes a movie that does all it can to send the audience home with a smile on its face. The lackadaisical approach does come at the cost of narrative momentum: several scenes in the movie meander without purpose, which is something you wouldn’t expect from a seasoned TV writer who has worked on L.A. Law, NYPD Blue and Murder One, though the demented elements of the movie seem to tally with his work on lost TV classic Cop Rock:

It’s possible Finkelstein was partly responsible for the unconventional plotting, but even so, Herzog has little interest in the usual rhythms of crime dramas, happily chasing diversions or playing genre conventions for absurd laughs. He’s smart enough to keep an eye on the needs of the plot — especially the question of how out of control McDonagh actually is, which leads to some satisfying surprises in the final act — and to make sure we see the depressed human behind the outrageous bad behaviour of our protagonist, but he also has a need to drop in random instances of The Weird, often involving animals. A crocodile gets a memorable cameo, but it’s the iguanas that will stay with you when you leave the cinema. Nothing can prepare you for the already legendary Iguana-Cam. Herzog will be pleased to know that this scene brought the house down at the London Film Festival screening we attended. It is a completely deranged moment, a perfectly timed comedic aside, and impossible to forget. (If you wish to experience this scene in its proper context, avoid this clip until you’ve seen the movie.)

Herzog’s unpredictable take on the genre would not work without a strong performance at the core of it, and he is lucky to have Cage on his side. Herzog has found an actor of almost Kinski-esque intensity to guide his movie, someone who understands exactly what he wants and can collaborate as an equal, if this interview is to be believed. It often feels as if each of these imaginative artists has goaded the other on to greater weirdness. Nevertheless, even when the movie threatens to disappear into a cloud of peculiarity, their intelligence brings us back from the brink. Even the most formally or narratively daring moments in the film feel right, as if the movie couldn’t have been made any other way; eccentricity without the desperate quirkiness of a lesser filmmaker like, say, Richard Kelly. Without Herzog the movie would probably have stayed on a familiar genre path, and without Cage Herzog would have been forced to work with someone lacking in the ability to fuse madness with sincerity. Their collaboration is truly fortuitous.

Much has been made of Cage’s manic scenes, which range in tone from darkly funny to troubling, and sometimes both simultaneously. (Again, skip this if you wish to remain unspoiled.)

Less has been said about the humanity of Cage’s performance. While never having a scene as memorable and cathartic as Keitel’s astonishing breakdown in church from the original movie, Cage litters the movie with panicky moments where we get a glimpse of a man who knows he has gone astray. While Harvey Keitel’s lieutenant seems barely aware of his soul’s need for salvation until he collapses in church, McDonagh seems to know things have gone wrong and tries to correct this. Fans of Ferrera’s movie might complain that the remake loses focus by showing a man consciously scrambling to get back to a state of virtue, but what would Herzog gain from replicating Keitel’s downward trajectory? McDonagh’s desire for absolution generates a tension between his goals and his actions that powers what would otherwise be a fragmented and unsatisfying movie.

Cage brilliantly portrays McDonagh’s regression into a state of adolescent impulsiveness. His colleagues and acquaintances seem baffled or annoyed by his delinquent behaviour — both his unintentional outbursts and the rare moments when he harnesses his weird energy to do good –and only Frankie seems to want to help him. Casting Eva Mendes — a naturally charming actress capable of more than she is usually given to do — is another of Herzog’s masterstrokes. Her chemistry with Cage was one of the few truly great things to come out of Mark Steven Johnson’s terrible Ghost Rider.

This is easily the most layered and entertaining work Cage has done since Adaptation — not to mention his most likeable performance — and is enough to trigger hope of a new great Age of Cage. Even some of his more eccentric choices — such as suddenly imitating Ed Sullivan for about twenty minutes and then stopping with no explanation — make a weird kind of sense by the end of the film. His work here runs the risk of being little more than a series of gimmicky outbursts, but it often transcends mere flash to become something more profound, both comedic and tragic. McDonagh has become possessed by something alien and primal — something so destructive it’s almost a form of demonic possession — and it is thrilling to see him battle against it to reclaim his soul. The final, unexpected image will warm even the hardest heart.

But hey, if that’s not enough to convince you to see the movie, just go for the iguanas. You’ll thank me.