Arob

I just got the shock of my life this morning!

The Stone of Destiny movie details a true story, and its significant that its about a bunch of guys who steal - because these filmmakers stole my idea! Not really but I had a project kinda similar that I think would probably be better but I havent seen this yet so I dont know...

I wrote a short story about Ian Hamilton, a young and hard drinker, womanizer who made a bar room wager with a Scot mobster that he could steal the Stone of Scone - my story was loosely based on the real life events of Xmas day 1951 when a band of Scottish university students stole the Stone of Scone - the holy relic upon which all British Monarchs are crowned.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3314/3270345530_f7745037b3.jpg

They did it right I imagine. Directed by Charles Martin Smith it looks like he's made it into a stylistic UK cops and robbers heist movie - the flick stars Charlie Cox, (Stardust), and Robert Carlyle of (Trainspotting, Full Monty) and a brave squad of young idealistic Scottish University students, at least one of which is an attractive woman (my story had no women, because there weren't any in the true story) , that break into Westminster Abbey to 'liberate' the most enduring symbol of Scottish national pride, the Stone of Destiny.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/3270345310_280c568568.jpg

But could it possibly be as good as my story?

First, I would way rather see Mickey Rourke as the wrestler and not Nic Cage or Tom Cruise! So thats good casting...

Second I love that he's a washed up wrestler in a low end league and not the big time glory show - we've seen enough of that.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/3105707962_11484f1395.jpg

However I'm kinda scared that Aronofsky will make a sports movie, and thereby perpetuate all the cliches. You know what I'm talking about; the zero to hero formula ...

Typical sports movie, The Wrestler starts with a has been hero looking for a life, and ends with a rematch against The Ayatollah. Thats the tagline as I read it - lets hope its brilliant in the details.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3102848763_6fc340d41b.jpg

Could be most successful Japanese Manga series of all time, Death Note II: The Last Name, the second movie in the franchise, is finally playing on big screens in Canada, Empire Theatres - Weds, December 3rd, 2008.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/3046752498_fd016d6134.jpg

Death Note II: The Last Name is a live action feature film based on the Japanese manga series Death Note created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata. In this amazing story, Light Yagami is a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook called the Death Note. The device was dropped to Earth by a Death God (shinigami) named Ryuk for his own amusement.

The actual Death Note item grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose face they have seen, by writing the victim's name in the notebook. Once charged with this enormous power, Light attempts to rid the world of evil, but just ask anyone that's ever tried to do this, cleansing the world of evil is no easy task...

WARNING Five minutes in there's a love scene that's hard for heterosexual men to watch, but after that you forget Penn is playing Harvey Milk and the character really comes alive...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/3021660219_23d8504fdd.jpg

Harvey Milk was a Gay Rights activist is San Francisco in the 1970s. One year after being elected to office (the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office in the United States) he ran into some serious trouble with another councilor defending old fashion family values. In this movie Josh Brolin does a good job as the lunatic Dan White, but early reports are that Sean Penn could win an Academy Award for his portrayal of Harvey Milk.

Directed by Gus Van Sant, the biopic must have been helped along by the success of The Life and Times of Harvey Milk, an Academy Award winning doc*mentary on the same subject. Milk stars Sean Penn, James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna and Josh Brolin.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3137/3024683533_c2b7d9c377.jpg

Is this something you'll watch in the theatre? or on DVD? or not at all?

Because of the controversy surrounding the title, Kevin Smith could have his first 30 million dollar opening weekend.

In this story Zack and Miri are lifelong childhood ‘buddies’ who find themselves deep in debt and can’t pay their rent. To make extra cash they decide to make a porno movie to sell on the internet. The problem is... they are in love.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2964530282_1f825f0bd6.jpg

Zack And Miri Make A Porno is written and directed (and edited by) Kevin Smith and stars mostly Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, but it also features Jason Mewes, Craig Robinson, Traci Lords, and also Kenny Holtz from Kenny vs Spenny.

This is a ridiculous idea. Would you make a porno for extra cash? You would have to be VERy confident of your abilities.

The Second City comedy club on Mercer Street in Toronto has six comedians and a hit show:

http://www.movietrailerlive.com/img_0005_BaracktotheFutureBox.jpg

Barack to the Future pokes fun at pop culture, politics, relationships and culture snobs. Its homegrown comedy, written and performed by Toronto's own Marty Adams, Kerry Griffin, Darryl Hinds, Reid Janisse, Karen Parker, and Leslie Seiler.
The review by Richard Ouzounian of TheStar.com awarded the work 3.5 (out of 4).

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/Dumpdiggers/LifeCap/BARACK_FUTURE_PR_005.jpg

Tickets are affordable, $23 Monday to Thursday and $28 on wknds and the whole place has full bar / table service.

Has anyone here seen this show? What did you think of it?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2910112910_2e927e979d.jpg

Battle in Seattle is the Hollywood dramatization of the real 1999 WTO protests in Seattle. The movie stars Woody Harrelson as a tough cop, Ray Liotta as the Mayor of Seattle, and Charlize Theron as a pregnant retail sales clerk that gets kicked in the stomach.

In December 1999 the media covered the protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Seattle, but most people had no idea how violent this event really was..

Mongol is a foreign film, with subtitles. But it's so good it was nominated for a 2008 Academy Award.

Coming soon, this film is only screening at a few select theaters in a few cities in June, and in Toronto that means the Varsity Theater in the basement of the Manulife building at Bay and Bloor.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2538355087_8197f68360.jpg

Mongol is an absolutely stunning historical epic by Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov. This movie is very similar to Conan the Barbarian, and I suppose Braveheart too, but in this case the hero, Temudjin (Ghengis Khan), gets lucky and marries a smart woman who actually saves his butt a few times - there's a twist.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/2533144465_34323825be.jpg

Try and watch this film in the theater if you can...

I saw the Morgan Spurlock doc*mentary Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? in which he travels to nine different Mid East countries on a quest for the world's most wanted man, and I wondered... Will Osama Bin Laden ever watch the film? Do you think it’s possible that maybe some of his handlers might show him the DVD someday? Would he chuckle and marvel at how Spurlock almost found him? http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2443098760_ff64260a46.jpg
I also wonder if it will be revealed someday where exactly Osama is really at?? and how he managed to escape and hide out for so long against all manner of high technology snooping devices? with vast riches in monetary rewards offered for his capture? against all odds? This is an interesting mystery that perhaps nobody will ever solve... Where do you think Osama is at?

Yesterday I had the pleasure to attend an advance screening of The Stone Angel which is the feature film adaptation of Canadian author Margaret Laurence's classic novel, and will be in Limited Release on May 9th, 2008 and enjoy a wider release on May 23th.

http://www.travellerspoint.com/photos/144017/The_Stone_..Bursten.jpg

The witty, irascible and fiercely proud Hagar Shipley escapes confinement when her son Marvin and daughter in law Doris try to force her into a retirement home. Hagar sets out on a preposterous journey in search of a way to reconcile herself to her tumultuous past.

What a powerful movie! The film is every bit as heartbreaking as the book, and leaves the viewer marveling at all senior citizens. Ellen Burstyn's performance is impeccable - Margaret Laurence would be proud of her. The movie also includes performances by several other well known Canadian performers including, Ellen Page of Juno.

Run, Fat Boy, Run is a funny little British chick flick with some signature American characters and themes. The film is well directed by David Schwimmer from Friends, who proves more than capable of delivering a steady stream of laughs without imposing any signature style.

http://lifecaptureinc.com/wc/img_005_run_fatboy_run_468x60D.jpg

A nicely balanced three act story about a lovable idiot named Dennis, (Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), who abandons his fiancé Libby, (Thandie Newton) at the altar, Run Fat Boy Run exposes the pain every man feels when they lose the respect of the woman they love. Simon Pegg shares a writing credit here, and has certainly brought some of his own humor to the project. His character, Dennis always hopes to win Libby back, but the quest becomes a high priority when Whit, a rich investment banker from Chicago (Hank Azaria) enters the picture, and plays father to his nine year old son.

Whit is an all-around swell guy; he’s rich, successful and athletic, and he makes a real big deal about the fact that he’s about to run the Nike River Run Marathon. When Libby says to Dennis, "you've never finished anything in your life", it stings. But is it enough to push a fat man to the very limits of his physical abilities? Will it make this oaf run 26 miles?

RATING 4/5 Consistently funny stuff with some truly memorable moments, and this film contains an easily digested message about commitment-phobia.

In Bruges stars Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson

Collin Farrell is refreshingly funny, but Gleeson steals the show. This movie opened in Toronto on Feb 8th but I got a peak at a screened at work (this is Canada) and although I was only going to watch for a minute... The chemistry between Gleeson and Farrell is really good and so I sat down for a minute…

http://roberrific.typepad.com/photos/arob/collin_ice_cream_in_bruges.jpg
I ended up watching the whole film and even shedding a tear at the end. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Gleeson's work... his role of 'Ken' in this movie reminds me of Skipper on Gilligan's Island for some reason... and in fact Collin would be Gilligan if you can imagine that...

Ralph Fiennes is absolutely brilliant - he makes the third act dynamic so it propels to its horrible conclusion - which is a big surprise.

http://lifecaptureinc.com/wc/img_005_inbruges_468x60.jpg

My favorite line is when Brendan Gleeson says 'Two mangy prostitutes and a racist dwarf, I'm out of here.'

I can honestly say that anyone who sees this movie will like Collin Farrell again and probably become a big fan of Brendan Gleeson.

If you read the book AFTER you see the movie you will be delighted at the imagination presented in both works of ART.
Will Smith carries the movie - he is exceptional as always.
And the book is amazing in its own right and of course, far superior to the film.

I want to talk about Be Kind Rewind which will probably be the best comedy of 2008.

When Jack Black accidentally erases all the movies in the local video store, he and Moss Def must work to reshoot the classics to save Moss's job. It's a hilarious premise, and this Be Kind Rewind trailer is super fun.

Will the music of Moss Def be featured in the soundtrack?
And for that matter will Jack Black contribute? he is a musician too... isn't he?

I have just seen the movie and without giving too much away let me say that I admire the Coen bros for thier departure from the three act standard, but the last act was terrible and very disappointing for an obvious reason that I cant go into for the sake of anyone here that maybe hasnt seen the movie. The words No Country for Old Men are painfully obvious in the character of Tommy Lee and I guess thats what makes this literature, but the bizarre festival of strange coincidences makes the whole experience very unsatisfactory - I remember watching other Coen bros movies and thinking the same thing, 'so what?'

I understand this thread... its the worst movies of all time??? and that's a no brainer... STAR WARS episodes 1,2,and 3!
Lucas should have been incarcerated for the greatest crime in cinema history. JarJar binks and that damn child actor should have their SAG card revoked for all time. There is almost nothing redeeming in that trilogy of shame.

Its a long story, but through my job I receive free tickets to see horror / thriller movies all year long.

Whats more is that I'm actually obligated to go see them, and so my company they ALWAYS give me two tickets every time.

As a recently single guy I find myself in the awkward position of taking out young women to slashers and blood and gore cinema. It kind of creates the wrong first impression.

This weekend I have to see No Country for Old Men and I have a really special first date lined up - a girl that I just met who looks cool. Oh boy. Have you looked at this trailer? She wont call back

I hope its not a spoiler to give away this information.... I must know.

I'm a huge Woody Harrelson fan.

I have to know everything I can about this movie before it opens on November 9th here in Canada. Apparently its awesome and Woody is not a comedian anymore - some people are saying that he will never be offered comedy roles again after this picture?

No Country for Old Men is a thriller and Woody looks evil.