Millar Wants to do Superman

Writer Mark Millar, who's comic book Wanted is currently on the big screen with James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie, told London's Daily Mail that he has hopes of doing a Superman film in the near future. From the interview:

But Mark's big dream is making a Superman movie.

He said: "Since I was a kid I've always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century.

"I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think.

"The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost $200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it.

"Sadly I can't say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas.

"But fingers crossed it could work out, that would be my lifetime's dream."

Millar also penned the DC Elseworlds saga Superman: Red Son. The three-issue mini series tells the story of a world where baby Kal-El's rocket from Krypton crashes in the Soviet Union instead of the American Heartland. Could this be the story Millar wants to bring to the big screen?

Missing Scenes Discovered From Fritz Lang's Metropolis

For 80 years, the original version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis has been considered lost. The German news magazine ZEITmagazin shows details from the missing scenes of the 1927 masterpiece for the first time in its Thursday edition, and reports exclusively on how the film was tracked down in the archive of the Museo del Cine (Cinema Museum) in Buenos Aires.

Through this new discovery, key scenes from the silent film become more intelligible, minor characters now have leading parts.

Rainer Rother, Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kinemathek Museum in Berlin and the series of "Retrospectives" at the Berlinale, examined the footage for ZEITmagazin and comes to the following conclusion: "Metropolis, Fritz Lang's most famous film, can be seen through new eyes."

For him the find represents a "sensational discovery."

Prof. Martin Koerber, the restorer of the most recent version of Metropolis, who also examined the footage, confirms like Rainer Rother the authenticity of the material. He adds: "No matter how bad the condition of the material may be, the original intention of the film, including all of its minor characters and subplots, is now once again tangible for the normal viewer. The rhythm of the film has been restored."

Enno Patalas, the film historian and former director of the Munich Film Museum, who has been working on the reconstruction of the film since the 1970s, and was responsible along with Martin Koerber for producing the 2001 version of Metropolis current until today, talks of the "most authentic material that we know" after viewing the scenes.

Helmut Possmann, director of the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation, the holder of the rights to Metropolis, said to ZEITmagazin: "The material believed to be lost leads to a new understanding of the Fritz Lang masterpiece." Following the discovery, the Murnau Foundation sees itself as "responsible, along with the archive in Buenos Aires and our partners for making the material available to the public."

Select screen images are available at: http://www.zeit.de/online/2008/27/bg-metropolis-en

When Animals Escape

I'm willing to bet $10 that this news story ends up as the basis for a new animated feature. I'm thinking Madagascar 3: Escape from the Circus!

Spielberg! Call me. We'll do lunch.

Moviegoer Mindset (or Statistical Mumbo Jumbo)

This week, Mindset Media (www.mindset-media.com) released a Mindset Profile(TM) of people who go to the movies regularly. The online ad network generated their statistics from a recent study conducted using Nielsen's Online panel.

The study defines people who go to the movies "regularly" as those who see three or more movies each month and plan what movie they are going to see in advance. The results of the study suggest that four Mindsets distinguished regular movie goers from the general population:

• 58 percent more likely to be an Assertiveness 5
• 99 percent more likely to be a Dynamism 5
• 38 percent more likely to be an Optimism 5
• 76 percent more likely to be a Creativity 5

The results are interesting, if dubious. In their press release, the company states:

"[I]f you see more than three movies a month, you are more likely to be highly optimistic, creative, or assertive."

It's the "or" that gets me. Pick any four personality traits and any group of people. I would be willing to bet that every person in that group falls into one of those categories. If I went to a football game, I'll bet I could find at good percentage of the people who were: alcoholic, greedy, driving a Ford, OR suffering from premature hair loss. So what?

I especially like the company's definition of Dynamism. From their press release:

"Dynamism 5's (highly dynamic people) thrive on being where the action is. They see and do more in a typical day than many would dream of doing in a week, or even a month. They believe the only place to be is in the thick of it; never on the sidelines."

I find it more than a little amusing that anyone would categorize moviegoers as wanting to be "where the action is." Movies are by their nature a passive form of entertainment. People who go out to movies are certainly more likely to be "dynamic" than people who stay home to watch DVDs, but I don't think the movie has anything to do with it. People who go to the mall are more dynamic than me.

Say what you want about moviegoers as a whole, I don't think it matters. We're all just people who (like every other group) are likely to have some things in common. I am reminded of those immortal words from John Hughes' The Breakfast Club:

"You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question?"

Star Trek and JJ Abrams

I don't normally like reading Harry Knowles' stuff over at Ain't It Cool News. It may seem odd; even though I run a film review site, I don't normally read reviews. I hate spoilers, too.

Today, Harry posted something I had to read. Recently, he was in Los Angeles and had a chance to meet JJ Abrams and get a peek at the new Star Trek movie.

For years, I've been concerned about the direction of the franchise. I used to love Star Trek: The Next Generation, but in recent years, the shows and the movies left me cold. I would categorize myself with Harry's description as a "lapsed Trekkie." Even so, I have had hopes for the new film and the reboot of the franchise.

If you're worried about Abrams' direction for Star Trek, you need to read this article. Though there are no photos, Harry paints a good word picture. It has me excited about the future of Star Trek. It's enough to give me hope, and I'm eager to see more.

Read it all here: Harry has seen some of JJ Abrams' STAR TREK!!!

Quantum of Solace Trailer

Moviegoers eager for their first look at Quantum of Solace, the highly anticipated new James Bond adventure, will be able to catch the theatrical trailer on television and the Internet Monday, June 30th. The trailer will make its debut on AOL.com (domestic) and MSN.com (international) in an exclusive two-hour window Monday morning, 9:00am - 11:00am PDT.

It debuts in theaters on July 2, when it is attached to the Will Smith superhero film Hancock.

Quantum of Solace continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) that began in Casino Royale.

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organization that blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel a sinister plan and stop the mysterious organization.

Quantum of Solace will be released in the U.K. on October 31, 2008, in the U.S. on November 7, 2008, and around the world in November.

AFI Misses the Mark - Again!

The compilers of irrelevant top ten lists over at the American Film Institute (AFI) have released their latest blog fodder. This is a milestone of sorts, as they have released a Top 10 list for ten different categories. A Top 10 of Top 10s, as it were.

In this case, the subject is "Classic Genres." The genres represented here are: Science Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Gangster, Epic, Sports, Western, Animation, Courtroom Drama, Mystery and Fantasy. Each genre received it's own Top 10. The winners in each category are:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey (Science Fiction)
• City Lights (Romantic Comedy)
• The Godfather (Gangster)
• Lawrence of Arabia (Epic)
• Raging Bull (Sports)
• The Searchers (Western)
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Animation)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (Courtroom Drama)
• Vertigo (Mystery)
• The Wizard of Oz (Fantasy)

I have often argued in the past that these lists are at best superfluous. At worst, they fail to reach the true scope of cinematic history. (Many of the voters seem to be stuck in the late '60s and early '70s.) This time around, I found the selections debatable on another level. Who decided what constituted a genre?

The last time I checked, Courtroom Drama wasn't a genre. I understand what they were going for here, but genres are very vague to begin with and the lines can be drawn in many different ways. For instance, Courtroom Drama is probably a sub-genre of the Drama category. Who decided to make it a genre? Same goes with Romantic Comedy, a sub-genre of the Comedy category.

More disappointing are the number of genres left off this list. Where is the Musical genre? What about Action, Horror, War, or Silent films? It seems that if you are going to do Science Fiction and Fantasy as two separate categories, Horror should get its own.

And what happened to genres based on cinematic style, like Film Noir or French New Wave? Have we abandoned recognizing artistic form in favor of categorizing films by the simplest terms for consumer convenience at the local video store?

Then there's the categorizing of films. Who decided that Caddyshack (a screwball comedy) and Jerry Maguire (a romantic drama) were Sports films? Yes, there are sports in both, but only as a peg on which to hang the plot. It's like categorizing Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds under "Nature Film."

As always, I was also disappointed to see that films without a long track record were considered for voting. No offense to the great films of 1988 through the present, but if a film is less than 20 years old it hasn't stood the test of time. No matter how great Finding Nemo or The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring may be, they don't deserve to be on a list recognizing great film until they have been around for awhile.

Let me know your thoughts on the subject.

See the complete list of Top 10 Top 10s over at AFI.com.

F/X Wizard Stan Winston Dead

Stan Winston, whose makeup and visual effects have made monsters and aliens come alive, is dead at the age of 62.

For seven years, Winston had struggled with multiple myeloma, according to a representative from Stan Winston Studio. He died at his home Sunday, surrounded by his family.

Winston won four Academy Awards. In addition to sharing Oscars for visual effects on Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Jurassic Park (1994), he also shared the award for makeup on Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He was nominated six other times.

Most recently, Winston had worked on popular films Iron Man and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In May, he had been enlisted by director McG to begin work on the upcoming sequel to the Terminator series, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.

DC Screening of Bunker Hill

ACLU to Host Washington, DC Screening of Kevin Willmott's New Feature Film Bunker Hill

6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12, 2008 -- University of the District of Columbia Auditorium

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to Introduce the Film
Panel Discussion on Civil Liberties in Post-9/11 America to Follow

WASHINGTON, DC -- Bunker Hill, the new, politically-charged independent feature film from director Kevin Willmott (CSA: Confederate States of America) will have an exclusive screening at the University of the District of Columbia s Main Auditorium on Thursday, June 12, 2008, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of the National Capital Area. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will appear, and a panel discussion on Civil Liberties in Post-9/11 America will follow the screening.

The film stars Emmy and Peabody Award winner James McDaniel (NYPD Blue, Sunshine State); Saeed Jaffrey the legendary actor from India who has starred in more than 150 films including Gandhi, Passage to India, My Beautiful Launderette and The Man Who Would Be King; and Laura Kirk, star and co-writer of the acclaimed feature film Lisa Picard is Famous, which premiered at The Cannes Film Festival.

Bunker Hill is the story of a former Wall Street executive who leaves prison and heads for the small town of Bunker Hill, Kansas, where his ex-wife and their children have started a new life. Soon after he arrives, an apparent massive terrorist attack against America darkens the town. Cut off from the world, the town s militant past is reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town s fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches and eventually, murder.

"The America we live in today is very different from the America we lived in on September 11, 2001. The differences I speak of are the things Americans are doing to themselves, not the terrible things done by those wanting to do harm to this Country. We can rebuild the icons of democracy --- the Twin Towers are being reconstructed; the Pentagon has been restored; the grass on the side of that Hill in Pennsylvania has grown back --- yet, democracy itself is far more fragile. It is not easily rebuilt and restored. Democracy and freedom must not become casualties in the War on Terror. This great film reminds us of that," said Johnny Barnes, executive director of the ACLU of the National Capital Area.

When writing fiction, you always hope that you re on to something that reflects what is actually going on in the world, says Willmott. Bunker Hill tells a pretty wild story that is amazingly close to what has really happened to us since 9/11, right up to the current presidential election campaign.

For information on the screening:
http://www.aclu-nca.org/boxSub.asp?id=163

Free admission, but seating is limited.  To confirm a ticket:
Johnny.Barnes@ACLU-NCA.org  or  Beverly@ACLU-NCA.org
202-457-0800

For information about the film:
ScottRichardson@Sunflower.com  or  GregHurd@Sunflower.com
785-865-3439       785-550-3605

www.BunkerHillTheFilm.com

Fire at Universal Studios

For those who haven't heard, a fire broke out at Universal Studios on Sunday. The fire destroyed a set from Back to the Future, a King Kong exhibit and a streetscape seen frequently in movies and TV shows.

To read the whole story, check out Yahoo! News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080601/ap_en_mo/studio_fire

Sydney Pollack, R.I.P.

By now, most film lovers don't need me to tell them that one of the great actor's directors has passed on. Sydney Pollack, the director of The Way We Were and Tootsie died of cancer at his home Monday afternoon. He was 73.

Pollack's career spanned over four decades, working in television and film. He will be remembered as a versatile director, able to work in almost any genres. He directed western, romance, intrigue, comedy and drama. He was nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Director. He won for Out of Africa in 1986.

In addition to directing, he was also a producer. His last project was a film for HBO Pictures called Recount, about the 2000 election. He left the project when his health declined.

Pollack also acted in many films, even appearing in his own movies. His uncredited role as Dustin Hoffman's agent in Tootsie was done at Hoffman's request.

Screenland Armour Opens

On Sunday, The FilmGuru had the honor to attend the grand opening of Kansas City's latest movie theater, the newly-renovated Screenland Armour in North Kansas City. The event coincided with a sneak preview of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (A review will be posted Thursday!)

For film lovers, this theater is a dream. It is a beautiful, single screen theater, lovingly restored. Although it may look like something from the Golden Age of Hollywood, make no mistake -- everything here is new! From the plaster molding around the screen to the murals on the walls, this is a wonderful recreation. The only thing that survived from the original theater are the light sconces on the walls.

The Screenland Armour has comfortable, stadium seating. There are also two VIP areas for rent, where you and your friends can get food, beer, and luxury seats. Oh, and did I mention that you can get beer? Beer and movies! What a concept!

And, of course, there is a red curtain. Best of all, the theater has Roscoe, a giant mechanical man who likes to turn the gears and open up the curtain before each show. It's fun to watch!

While North Kansas City is a bit out of my way for regular attendance, I plan to keep my eyes open for special screenings at this great theater. If you live in the area, I encourage you to support this deserving theater and treat it with respect.

Watchmen Contest

Zach Snyder Launches Contest for Warner Bros.'s Watchmen

Zack Snyder is offering you the opportunity to create "Veidt Enterprises" TV commercials that could end up in Warner Bros.'s feature film Watchmen, scheduled to be released in theaters on March 6, 2009.

To get started, download the standard definition and/or high definition assets from the links below, and then shoot your own original TV commercial that advertises one of the products! Remember, the movie is set in 1985, so TV commercials should be in 4:3 aspect ratio (so it looks like standard TV, not widescreen) and they should be either 15, 30 or 60 seconds in length. The products are all made by "Veidt Enterprises," and you can download the product logos for your use as well.

Make your TV commercial in NTSC standard definition (720x486) or higher resolution, upload it, and then others can vote on your work. The contest ends on June 2, 2008. The 40 finalists will win signed posters from Zack Snyder. The top five finalists from user votes will win High-Definition Canon Vixia HG10 camcorders. Up to 20 of Zack's favorite finalists will win $1,000.00, and have a chance to be included in the Watchmen feature film itself.

Contest Website: http://youtube.com/watchmenmovie

Igor Trailer

The good folks over at The Weinstein Company have released the trailer for their new animated film Igor. The trailer will be attached to prints of Speed Racer this weekend. Or you can see it now over at Yahoo! Movies.

Igor is the iconic mad scientist helper. In this story, however, Igor wonders what it would be like to become a scientist and works to break the stereotypical role he seems fated to play. The animated film features the voice talents of John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Eddie Izzard, Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon, Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall and James Lipton (playing himself).

The film is slated for release on September 19th.

Destroy Boll. Free Gum!

In what has to be one of the most bizarre publicity stunts in recent memory, the makers of Stride gum have vowed to give away a free pack of gum to every person who signs a petition to stop vile film director Uwe Boll from directing another movie.

Back in April, Boll promised he would stop making films if the petition scores a million signatures. The good folks over at Stop Uwe Boll are working to make that a reality. As of today, they have collected nearly 250,000 signatures.

Now Stride wants to encourage videogame fans (because so many of Boll's films are based on videogames) to join the petition. If the petition reaches the required 1 million signatures by May 14 at 5pm EDT, each signer will receive a digital coupon for a pack of gum.

"Since gamers are one of our most supportive groups, we've been looking for ways to return the favor," said Gary Osifchin, Stride North American Marketing Director in a published statement. "And what better way is there to get gamers' backs than by helping them rescue their cherished videogames from the clutches of Uwe Boll?"

If you're not familiar with Boll's work, be thankful. He makes some awful films. For some reason, he seems to be drawn to videogame adaptations. The three that have been released in the U.S. (House of the Dead, Bloodrayne and Alone in the Dark) have all received horrible reviews.

Boll's new film Postal -- also based on a videogame -- will be released on May 23, 2008.

Clone Wars Poster

Here it is folks. It may not rock as hard as the many beautiful posters of Star Wars films past, but it does look fun. Not exactly an epic feel, but it's engaging. But, it's still animated.

As I mentioned in my Summer '08 Preview, I'm not sure that an animated film can live up to the franchise standard. Sure, it looks neat, but how can animated effects compare with jaw dropping special effects like the AT-AT assault on the planet Hoth or the lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku?

What are your thoughts on the poster and the coming animated film? Sound off now!

Lionsgate Gets Christmas Spirit

According to Variety, Lionsgate has moved up the release date of Frank Miller's The Spirit. The adaptation of Will Eisner's classic comic character was originally slated for a January 16, 2009 release date. Now it will be featured as a Christmas 2008 release.

Tom Ortenberg, Lionsgate president of theatrical films, announced that the move to Christmas Day came after the project was presented to fans at New York Comic-Con. The stylish teaser trailer for the film has become a hit with a lot of good Internet buzz.

The Spirit is a classic action-adventure-romance. It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he's going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality.