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1-20 of 29 articles from 2008   « Prev | Next »

25 July 2008 11:21 AM, PDT | From ifc.com | See recent IFC news

By Aaron Hillis

Lists are breezy reads, but there can be an unfortunate disposability to the data because arbitrarily numbered "10 Best" somethings or "Five Things You Should Know About" whatevers literally demonstrate quantity's domination over quality. And now that I've sucked all the fun out of the room, here's a practical but otherwise unranked list of 10 auteurist gems . nine of which are already on DVD . that deserve their layers of dust blown off. (Sorry, "Zero Effect" and "11 Harrowhouse," but the list dictates the rules!)

"One From the Heart" (1982)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

The fires of over-ambition still smoldering in his belly after "Apocalypse Now," Francis Ford Coppola's follow-up was a decadent fiasco that bankrupted him, and might have seemed at the time as if the director had returned half-mad from the Filipino jungles. Epically staged on the Zoetrope studio lot, Coppola's hypertheatrical Vegas romance-cum-musical fantasy stars Frederic Forrest

Aaron Hillis

23 July 2008 7:55 PM, PDT | From TwitchFilm.net | See recent Twitch news

Martial arts film is at a crossroads.  Yes, the fan base is still worldwide and massive but the supply of talent is in crisis and has been for years.  Pretty much right from the beginning we have looked to China and Hong Kong for our screen fighters but the golden days of the Shaw Brothers grooming young talent, the Yuen Clan cherry picking the best youngsters and the Beijing Opera turning out performers by the boat load have long since passed.  Look at what’s happening in Hong Kong film right now:  Jet Li and Jackie Chan are both losing ground to age and talking retirement, leaving only Donnie Yen as a prime, top of his game fighter.  The next generation?  With the exception of Wu Jing it’s simply not there, or if it is nobody has recognized it yet.  If you’re looking for fresh fists of fury

Todd Brown

23 July 2008 5:09 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Jackie Chan loved working with Steve Coogan on the set of Around The World In 80 Days - because they would poke fun at each other's accents.

Chan and Coogan would often challenge each other to speak in a variety of different voices to fill breaks in filming.

And Chan admits he would attract laughter from the film crew when he tried out his posh English accent.

He tells Britain's Maxim magazine, "(Coogan) is very funny. He always teaches me English, until one day the director says, 'Cut! Jackie, speak English.'

"And I say, 'I am speaking English.' He says, 'No, you have to speak Jackie Chan English, not posh British English.'

"Every day with Coogan, I always make fun of him. 'Would you like caaarp orf teeeeea?' 'Well, orf coooooourse.'"

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30 June 2008 9:07 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Hollywood moviemaker Brett Ratner ran into trouble when directing his blockbuster film Rush Hour 3 - because the French government enforced strict labour laws which made filming nearly impossible.

Ratner chose to shoot the third installment of the action franchise starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in Paris with hopes of adding to the movie's "fish out of water comedy".

But the French's leisurely approach to the working week soon forced the director to relocate the film set back to Los Angeles.

Ratner says, "We could only shoot eight hours a day because it was the law - the thirty hour work week in France. No overtime. It doesn't matter if you offer them triple overtime, they will not work more.

"So it's eight hour days and two hour lunches and wine service during lunch. Every crew member, in their contract, has a right to drink wine. So they have an open bottle of wine and they bring you an appetizer, a main course and then a dessert - service. It's not like you go get your own food and you sit down. So basically I'm getting six hours a day shooting.

"So we decided we've got to go back to LA and build an extended (set of Paris)."

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19 June 2008 3:09 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Martial arts star Jackie Chan was met with an icy reception when he arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, with protestors chanting for the star to "get out".

The Rush Hour actor flew to the capital Taipei to attend a charity event - but his trip was marred by locals who were still angry at Chan's comments about their country's presidential election four years ago.

Chan riled supporters of then-Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian by describing the election as "the biggest joke in the world".

Chen was voted into office with a narrow victory over rival Annette Lu in 2004, after they were both shot on the eve of the election. They suffered only minor injuries, but Chen's opponents claimed the shooting was staged to help him win the sympathy vote.

And Taiwanese locals are still enraged by Chan's comments four years on.

One woman says, "Jackie Chan insulted Taiwanese people and denied the value of our democracy."

But Chan insists he meant no harm to the locals - citing his family history to prove there were no hard feelings.

At a press conference later on Wednesday, he said, "My affection for Taiwan... is witnessed by everyone. My wife is Taiwanese and I am the son-in-law of Taiwan. I am half Taiwanese."

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10 June 2008 9:02 PM, PDT | From avclub.com | See recent The AV Club news

One of the bedrocks of Chinese kung-fu movies, King Hu's 1966 wuxia classic Come Drink With Me is best known as primary source material for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but its influence is far more extensive. Inspired by the movements and rhythms of Chinese opera, it could also be credited as the root of a more balletic style of fight choreography, the gold standard for female ass-kickery from Michelle Yeoh to Uma Thurman, and a "drunken master" source while Jackie Chan was still in short pants. (Chan can apparently be seen as a young singer early in the film, though there's some dispute over the fact.) Finally released here under the Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label, the film marries Shaw Brothers production values with a story that's full of sophistication and feeling, rather than just obligatory strands connecting the fight sequences. As the film opens, a group of...

Scott Tobias

9 June 2008 11:55 AM, PDT | From MovieMaker.com | See recent Movie Maker news

Seems like all those promos must have paid off—first at Cannes, then the TV commercial onslaught—as Kung Fu Panda kicked some serious butt at the box office over the weekend, out-grossing Adam Sandler's new film, You Don't Mess With the Zohan, by 50 percent. The animated action flick, featuring the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan, took in $60 million over the weekend—while Zohan earned $40 million. Harrison Ford and Shia Labeouf's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull held strong in the number three position with $22.8 million, while last year's surprise topper, Michael Patrick King's Sex and the City, saw a more than 62 percent decline in ticket sales, with a weekend total of $21.3 million.

2 June 2008 7:35 AM, PDT | From ifc.com | See recent IFC news

By Neil Pedley

Among this week's offerings: The pregnancy comedy goes pre-natal, the fate of all the jungle rests in the hands of the world's most lethargic endangered species, and Dario Argento has a new film, rendering the rest of this list mostly unnecessary.

"Dreams With Sharp Teeth"

Author Harlan Ellison is widely regarded as one of the finest writers of the 20th century. He is also, as this documentary readily highlights, abrasive, petulant, egotistical and prone to fits of belligerent rage. Collecting together more than two decades worth of footage and interviews, "Grizzly Man" producer Erik Nelson lifts the dust jacket off one of literature's genuinely larger than life characters and a man who has filed more lawsuits than the Aclu, proving that sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction, even Ellison's sci-fi tales.

Opens in New York.

"The Go-Getter"

On paper, it sounds like the dictionary definition of

Neil Pedley

1 June 2008 11:23 PM, PDT | From fantasymoguls.com | See recent Fantasy Moguls news

The summer blockbuster season moves into full swing this weekend with two surefire hits. Dreamworks/Paramount unleashes Kung Fu Panda, and Adam Sandler returns in another of his Pg-13-rated, broad comedies You Don't Mess with the Zohan (Sony). Early industry tracking indicates that both of these titles are on very solid ground. With the genius concept of a panda bear performing martial arts and high profile actors like Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen and Jackie Chan lending their voices, Kung Fu Panda is an easy sell. My sources tell me that Panda is on par with the tracking performance of last year’s Ratatouille (Disney) at the same point in its marketing cycle.

Steve Mason

23 May 2008 10:31 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Movie action man Jackie Chan is planning to make a film about last week's (ends16May08) devastating Chinese earthquake, which left almost 60,000 dead and more than five million homeless.

The 7.9-magnitude quake stunned the world and now Chan wants to do everything he can to help the shellshocked survivors - and that involves making a film about their plight.

The Rush Hour star, who is an icon in China, is planning a meeting with the country's leading studio bosses and film financiers to discuss his movie plans.

He says, "There are so many touching stories (and) through this movie, we will be able to show the whole world what happened. This will also be another way to raise money."

Chan also plans to raise money through benefits for the victims and their families.

He tells America's People magazine, "I can spend six years doing a movie, but I can plan an event in 72 hours. An event we're doing on June 1 in Hong Kong will include more than 100 artists from Asia."

Chan has already visited hospitals, schools and the ruins of streets of houses in the areas worst hit by the earthquake, and he has already donated more than $1 million (GBP500,000) to the relief effort.

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22 May 2008 11:00 PM, PDT | From PEOPLE.com | See recent PEOPLE.com news

Jackie Chan plans to make a film highlighting the plight of victims of last week's earthquake in China – where the death toll is closing in on the 60,000-person mark and more than 5 million people have been left homeless. The martial arts screen hero, 54, returned to his home country as soon as he heard about the 7.9-magnitude quake and also plans to raise money through benefits for the victims, he's announced. "Events for us are easy," he told People. "I can spend six years doing a movie, but I can plan an event in 72 hours. An event we're doing on June

Pearl Barraclough

14 May 2008 9:17 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Funnyman Jack Black made a dramatic entrance at the opening of the 61st Cannes Film Festival in France - arriving by speedboat with 40 people dressed as giant pandas.

After docking on Wednesday, the 38-year-old danced his way down the pier with the stuffed animals and proceeded to amuse spectators with a martial arts routine - for his new movie Kung Fu Panda.

The Shallow Hal actor is the voice of Po, a lazy panda who must defend his peaceful valley from enemy invaders by learning the art of kung fu.

The film's star-studded voice cast includes Angelina Jolie as a tigress, Lucy Liu as a viper, Jackie Chan as the wise kung fu master and Deadwood star Ian McShane as an evil snow leopard.

The movie will premiere in Cannes on Thursday.

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6 May 2008 9:09 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Teen comedy Superbad is leading the nominations for the 2008 MTV Movie Awards after picking up five nods, including Best Movie.

The high-school comedy, directed by Greg Mottola, also scooped nominations for the film's stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, who will compete in the Breakthrough Performance category along with their co-star Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Hill is also up for Best Comedic Performance.

But Superbad will be going up against Oscar-winning Juno - which Cera also stars in - for the Best Movie prize, while the actor is also recognised for his efforts in the teen pregnancy film with a nomination for Best Male Performance.

Meanwhile, the big-screen adaptation of Transformers is nominated for three gongs: Best Movie, Best Male Performance for Shia LaBeouf and Breakthrough Performance for Megan Fox. And Enchanted star Amy Adams also received a trio of nods for the Disney film - Best Female Performance, Best Comedic Performance and Best Kiss for her smooch with Patrick Dempsey.

The winners for the 17th Annual MTV Movie Awards will be unveiled on 1 June at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, California.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Best Movie:

Superbad

Juno

I Am Legend

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Transformers

Best Comedic Performance:

Amy Adams - Enchanted

Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Jonah Hill - Superbad

Seth Rogen - Knocked Up

Adam Sandler - I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry

Best Male Performance:

Michael Cera - Juno

Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum

Shia LaBeouf - Transformers

Will Smith - I Am Legend

Denzel Washington - American Gangster

Best Female Performance:

Amy Adams - Enchanted

Jessica Biel - I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry

Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up

Keira Knightley - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Ellen Page - Juno

Breakthrough Performance:

Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray

Chris Brown - This Christmas

Michael Cera - Superbad

Zac Efron - Hairspray

Megan Fox - Transformers

Jonah Hill - Superbad

Christopher Mintz-Plasse - Superbad

Seth Rogen - Knocked Up

Best Fight:

Alien vs. Predator - Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest

Hayden Christensen vs. Jamie Bell - Jumper

Matt Damon vs. Joey Ansah - The Bourne Ultimatum

Sean Faris vs. Cam Gigandet - Never Back Down

Tobey Maguire vs. James Franco - Spider-Man 3

Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan vs. Sun Ming Ming - Rush Hour 3

Best Villain:

Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men

Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Topher Grace - Spider-Man 3

Angelina Jolie - Beowulf

Denzel Washington - American Gangster

Best Kiss:

Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey - Enchanted

Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman - Step Up 2 the Streets

Shia LaBeouf and Sarah Roemer - Disturbia

Ellen Page and Michael Cera - Juno

Daniel Radcliffe and Katie Leung - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Best Summer Movie So Far:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Sex and the City: The Movie

Speed Racer

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Iron Man.

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5 May 2008 12:08 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Iron Man has muscled its way to the top of the global box office, taking in an impressive $96.8 million (GBP48.4 million) in its opening weekend (02-04May08).

The action film, adapted from the Marvel comic book series, has already raked in $100.8 million (GBP50.4 million) in the U.S. in its first three days on release to become the first $100 million (GBP50 million) opener of the year.

The massive international haul leaves Jackie Chan and Jet Li's martial arts movie Forbidden Kingdom far behind at number two with $8 million (GBP4 million), and romantic comedy Made of Honor comes in at three with $6.5 million (GBP3.25 million).

Fool's Gold is in fourth place with $4.7 million (GBP2.35 million) and comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall made $4 million (GBP2 million) to round out the world's top five most popular movies outside the U.S.

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27 April 2008 6:19 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Baby Mama has raced kicking and screaming to the top of the U.S. box office charts, taking $18.3 million (GBP9.125 million) during its opening weekend (25-27Apr08).

The comedy, starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as a woman desperate for a baby, and the surrogate she hires, replaced Jet Li and Jackie Chan's martial arts movie The Forgotten Kingdom in the number one spot.

Another new entry, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, took $14.5 million (GBP7.25 million) and second place, ahead of The Forgotten Kingdom with $11.2 million (GBP5.6 million).

Last week's number two, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, collected $11 million (GBP5.5 million), but slipped from two to four in the chart. Children's adventure Nim's Island rounds out the top five, with takings of $4.5 million (GBP2.25 million).

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22 April 2008 10:30 PM, PDT | From PEOPLE.com | See recent PEOPLE.com news

The Cannes Film Festival will be rolling out a red-hot carpet next month with Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett and Madonna all expected to promote movies and causes. The surprise addition of Clint Eastwood's The Changeling to the 61st edition of the South of France fest, May 14-25, sets the stage for a repeat of last year's flashbulb-popping appearances of Jolie and Brad Pitt. Jolie stars in the film along with Amy Ryan and John Malkovich. Jolie will also sit in at a May 15 press conference for the animated Kung Fu Panda, alongside Jackie Chan, Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman.

22 April 2008 10:31 AM, PDT | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

A major-studio feature starring two Chinese actors -- something that in itself would have been unthinkable even a few years ago -- wound up at the top of the U.S. box office over the weekend. Not only did The Forbidden Kingdom bring together Jackie Chan and Jet Li, but it was also produced entirely in China mostly with Chinese crews, again something that would have been unheard of until recently. Finally the martial arts film was aimed at a family audience -- without the bloody violence of virtually all previous films of the genre. Nevertheless, it wound up with $21.4 million, at the high end of analysts' expectations, handily beating Universal's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which many analysts had suggested was the film most likely to come out on top. Instead, the R-rated comedy settled for second place with $17.7 million. Together the top 12 films grossed $82.88 million, up 13.46 percent from last year's $73.05 million. This was only the second week out of the past ten that the box office has seen a rise. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):1. The Forbidden Kingdom, Lionsgate, $21,401,121, (New); 2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Universal, $17,725,330, (New); 3. Prom Night, Sony, $8,670,364, 2 Wks. ($32,133,926); 4. 88 Minutes, Sony, $6,957,216, (New); 5. Nim's Island, 20th Century Fox, $5,687,072, 3 Wks. ($32,894,115); 6. 21, Sony, $5,520,362, 4 Wks. ($70,004,505); 7. Street Kings, Fox Searchlight, $4,179,505, 2 Wks. ($20,058,143); 8. Horton Hears a Who!, 20th Century Fox, $3,511,834, 5 Wks. ($144,418,495); 9. Leatherheads, Universal, $3,049,465, 3 Wks. ($26,605,235); 10. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, $2,970,848, (New).

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21 April 2008 10:33 AM, PDT | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Forbidden Kingdom, the martial-arts family film that brought together Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the first time, wound up at the top of the domestic box office over the weekend with an estimated $20.9 million in ticket sales. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers, said, "The film is a good, solid action movie and audience, especially young audience, is looking for that shot of adrenaline. ... This was kind of warming up to summer." Coming in second was the Judd Apatow R-rated comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, written by and starring Jason Segel, which brought in $17.3 million. Several analysts had predicted that it would emerge as the weekend winner, citing its much-talked-about billboard campaign that had heightened awareness of the movie. Two other newcomers flopped. Sony's 88 Minutes, starring Al Pacino, which had been mercilessly drubbed by critics, opened in fourth place with just $6.8 million, while the Ben Stein documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which argued on behalf of "intelligent design" -- that is, the biblical view of creation -- failed to bring out church groups in big numbers and settled for just $3.1 million to wind up in ninth place. Overall, the box office was up for the first time in five weeks, with the top 12 films earning $82.1 million, up 12 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago. "There is a collective sigh of relief in Hollywood," Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. So far this year, revenue is down 3.4 percent from last year while attendance is down 6.5 percent. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers:1. The Forbidden Kingdom, $20.9 million; 2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, $17.3 million; 3. Prom Night, $9.1 million; 4. 88 Minutes, $6.8 million; 5. Nim's Island, $5.7 million; 6. 21, $5.5 million; 7. Street Kings, $4 million; 8. Horton Hears a Who!, $3.5 million; 9. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, $3.1 million; 10. Leatherheads, $3 million.

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20 April 2008 6:00 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Martial arts icons Jet Li and Jackie Chan's first big screen collaboration has reaped big rewards at the U.S. box office, crashing in at number one.

Their new period action film, The Forbidden Kingdom, beat sex comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall to the top spot with an opening weekend take of $20.9 million (GBP10.4 million).

Forgetting Sarah Marshall came in a close second, ahead of former chart-topper Prom Night at three and Al Pacino's new thriller 88 Minutes at four.

Family film Nim's Island rounded out the top five, according to studio estimates.

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20 April 2008 7:13 AM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Chinese action star Jackie Chan has criticised protestors demonstrating against the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games - insisting they just "want to show off on TV".

The Olympic torch relay - which sees the famous flame pass through a variety of different countries prior to the games' opening ceremony - has been dogged by protests from pro-Tibet campaigners, angry at China's human rights record in the region.

Violence broke out on both the London and Paris legs of the journey - with the relay nearly called off over safety fears.

And Chan - who is an official ambassador for this summer's Olympic Games - is furious about the disruption.

He says, "They (the protestors) just want to show off on TV.

"They know if they can get the torch they can get on the TV for the world news."

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1-20 of 29 articles from 2008   « Prev | Next »