News on the March!

Eastern Promises Sequel

For those that have not seen Eastern Promises; see it!! Now! For a sequel is on the way. I may be over-reaching a little based on recent reports but, dammit, I really want to see this happen! Cronenberg created such a rich, atmospheric, world in the first one, with an astonishing turn by Viggo Mortensen, that another trip into the Russian underworld would be most welcome!

Small disclaimer: the film is quite brutal, in an honest, non-titillating way; but brutal none-the-less. You have been warned.... but, seriously, still see it!

Raiders of the Lost Titans

The Hollywood remake machine keeps on chugging. This time it has it's eyes set on the Harry Hamlin (yes, the guy from L.A. Law) starring Clash of the Titans. I cannot comment on the original as I have never seen it; so, fan-boy hissy-fits of ruining the original film can apply elsewhere.

It could be a disaster in the making but it has a good cast lining up; Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Mads Mikkelson (After the Wedding, Casino Royale), and man of 2009 Sam Worthington (trust me, this guy is going to go all Leo on it once Avatar opens!)

The highlight is a script by Lawrence Kasdan; aka, the man that should have written the Star Wars prequels (yes, I am still sore about it!) With classic blockbusters such as Raiders and Empire under his belt, not to mention his own acclaimed dramas (The Accidental Tourist and Body Heat) this could really be something!

Trailer Round-up

The first Public Enemies trailer left me, frankly, a little concerned. Yes, yes, in context it isn't as great a concern as poverty or war, but fanboys are in need of a good Michael Mann hit. The synopsis promised Heat in prohibition times and the trailer promised a failure in the use of digital filmmaking to do period. Well, the second trailer is much better; with greater atmosphere and sense of character; and the use of digital cameras appears to give the period an immediacy that has never been seen before.

Fans of Office Space may have been a little disappointed with Mike Judge's follow-up, Idiocracy. While it did have some highlights, particularly the opening fertility sequence, it never reached the giddy zeitgeist of Office Space.

His next film, Extract, has a comedy cast to die for (well, maybe that is going too far; maybe a nasty paper cut with lemon juice, yeah, lots of lemon juice). Let's just hope it gets the advertising support it needs to get bums on seats come opening weekend; this guy really deserves a hit.