I left one movie off my previous post from 2007, which was my Part One list of Twelve Movies From The Last Five Years That I Wanted To Like But Didn’t.  Remaining are the movies from 2008 and 2009 that made (or didn’t make, if you look at it that way) the cut.

2007 continued

American Gangster

Common = Gangster in RIdley Scott's American Gangster.

This movie was built up to be pretty big in the minds of those that love a gangster film.  You have Denzel, Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott directing, a Jay-Z-laden soundtrack, and comparisons to the classic film Scarface, then…ehhh.  The movie was just okay. It wasn’t along the same lines of the Pacino/DePalma classic, it didn’t really move me, nothing about it was very memorable, even though it was a solid film.  It was just another movie and that was disappointing. I still haven’t seen it since.

2008 – Be Kind, Rewind & Blindness

Be Kind, Rewind

Be Kind featured Mos Def and Jack Black, an odd and intriguing pairing, mixed with the directing talents of Michel Gondry, and the result was one of the weakest movies of the year.  Mos was almost impossible to watch (to listen to him), the lo-fi film recreation storyline should have been a lot more fun, and it really amounted to a schlocky, underwhelming piece, that made me further question the talents of those involved, and have highly soured me on Gondry as a director. He has to earn back the good will that he built with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I don’t know that he is up to the task.

Blindness

This turned out to be the biggest rip-off ending in a film that I have seen in years.  With Fernando Meirelles helming one of my favorite films of the past decade and a high-ranking personal favorite of all-time in the amazing City of God, this was an opportunity to see him take the next huge step as a director and reap the rewards that fans of City of God wanted for him. (Fernando, feel free to mix in a Lil’ Dice cameo).  Instead, he didn’t take advantage.  The movie kept your attention (though not easily) for the duration and then yanked the rug out from beneath your feet in a horrendous ending.  I don’t know that I will ever forgive him.  BTW, Fernando, call me – because in truth I don’t remember the ending, I just know I absolutely hated it.

2009 – Bronson, Watchmen, The Hangover & Public Enemies

Bronson

Tom Hardy was Bronson, pre-Inception.

Nicolas Winding Refn’s film built up as A Clockwork Orange type of film, but was nothing more than a weird, sordid tale about a guy, told in an odd, and rather uninspiring way.  I was very high for the film before I saw it only to be incredibly let down. It was actually hard to make it through. I know it was based on a true story, but it didn’t redeem it at all for me. I hoped for a lot more.

Watchmen

This was a film that had a great trailer. Normally I wouldn’t have had much interest in a film like this, but it was built up to be perhaps one of the biggest movies ever, and landed with a rather resounding thud.  This wasn’t a horrible work, but if you counter it with a movie like The Dark Knight which more than matched the hype, it only exaggerated the difference of what this film might have been.  I think Zack Snyder may be able to become an interesting director, but he also might be the next Michael Bay. At this point, the meter is swinging in the “Bay” direction. Not good.

The Hangover

I don’t like comedies. Rarely, do they ever live up to my expectations, which are, I don’t know, how do I say this, to….laugh during the movie.  Is that too much to ask?  Absolutely. I chuckled two to three times during the film.  That does not a good movie make, nor is it worthy of being the biggest comedy of all-time.  This movie exemplifies how different the tastes of mainstream America and mine are.  I envy you, mainstream audiences.  To derive enjoyment from such average work must be nice. I wish I was as easily entertained, but alas, I am not. I’d rather be hung over, than watch The Hangover.  It was not believable, nor very fun.

Public Enemies

I have to include this movie on the list, because we did a dedication week to Michael Mann here on The Film Nest, and I (essentially) had breakfast with the man a few months ago. I was hoping for another movie along the lines of his previous actioners such as Heat and Collateral.  This did not match that.  I don’t think that this is a bad movie by any means, it just wasn’t great, and I thought it had the potential to be that.

Casting Johnny Depp (a feminine man in a masculine role) was the starting point of this heading down the wrong path.  The action was ordinary and you didn’t care enough about the characters to engage in the story.  It was a movie you simply watched but didn’t interact with. For that, it makes the disappointing list.  And Michael, next time we are at breakfast, easy with the staring at me brother, I’m just trying to eat and mind my own business.  Don’t use me for your script inspiration – unless of course, you really, really needed it.

I hope all movies I see are entertaining, but the odds are stacked wildly against me.  In the next five years, if I lower my expectations, perhaps there won’t be a need to compile such a list. I’m counting on you Hollywood, to bail me out.  If not, my pen (or keyboard in this case) is ready. Good luck.

Zach Galifianakis and Amy Adams are in negotiations to star in the comedy Town House for Fox, a project originally conceived in 2007 that was interrupted by the writer’s strike at the end of the year with director John Carney (Once) attached.

From Variety, the story is loosely based on Tish Cohen’s novel of the same name about an agoraphobic (Galifianakis) and his son who live in an historic Boston townhouse inherited through his rock-star father. With monetary troubles, he’s forced to come to terms with life as he establishes a relationship with a call girl (Adams).

Doug Wright and Carney himself adapted the script, which will be produced by Ridley and Tony Scott through their production house Scott Free.

Amy Adams is one of my favorite actresses and almost criminally underutilized and under-appreciated. She gave the best performance in the otherwise stagey and overbearing Doubt, then was given the lesser of two roles in Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia, which hit theaters late this summer. She does have performances in the upcoming romantic-comedy Leap Day and in David O. Russell’s The Fighter opposite Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg, a project which once had David Aronofsky tapped to direct.

Zach Galifianakis, a key cast-member in the smash-hit The Hangover, will be Seth Rogen-busy over the next few years, including another odyssey with Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and the “Hangover” boys.

Town House is set to start filming next summer.

Variety reports that Columbia Pictures is after Ridley Scott to direct Red Riding, a remake of a U.K. miniseries, which was based on the novels by author David Peace. Columbia is also after Steve Zaillian (American Gangster) to write the script for the project.

The plot for the mini-series:  a study of power and police corruption framed around the investigation of the disappearance of several young girls.

Scott and Zaillian will both be producing the project as well. The two have previously worked together on Hannibal and American Gangster.  As was the case with the U.S. adaptation of State of Play, the setting of Red Riding will be transferred to America. The running time of the original, like State of Play, was also over five hours. It’s going to be a huge task to convert a five hour series to a two hour film.

Which brings up the obvious question, why do an adaptation at all? Even though I enjoyed State of Play, I heard it was nowhere near the quality of the original mini-series. I have never seen the U.K. version of Red Riding, but with Scott and Zaillian on board it can’t be all bad. What are your thoughts on this news? As well as your thoughts on Hollywood adapting U.K. mini-series’ into two hour films.

One of the most well-known dystopian works of literature could be making it to the big screen for the first time. According “The Hollywood Reporter’s Risky Biz Blog,” Aldous Huxley’s 1931 novel, “Brave New World,” is currently in development with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ridley Scott set to produce while looking to respectively star in and direct.

Huxley’s novel takes place in what seems to be a perfect 26th century in which the world has achieved peace by women no longer forced to give birth, but rather the process taking place in laboratories. The notion of “family” has been outlawed. The story focuses on Bernard’s pursuit of Lenina. Bernard is seen as antisocial and Lenina is deemed frigid due to her monogamous nature in a society of free sex.

The novel has been adapted for television a few times, but has never been projected onto the silver screen. Currently tapped to write the script is Farhad Safinia, who co-wrote Apocalypto with Mel Gibson.

I’ve never read the book, although it is regarded as a classic. Reading the full synopsis, it appears there’s a lot of cool stuff going on here. Scott has proven his worth in dystopian futures with 1982′s Blade Runner and hopefully this film could dare to be on par with it. I like DiCaprio a lot, and although I haven’t seen their last collaboration (Body of Lies), I would eagerly look forward to this one.

Anybody who’s read the book care to expand on its cinematic capabilities?

We reported on the news a while ago that Robert Rodriguez is mounting up a new version of the 80′s sci-fi classic  Predator after two abysmal Alien vs. Predator films. He’s calling it Predators and yes, we just found out that he wants the Gov., Arnie, back for the film.  However, he was originally scheduled to direct, then it was thought to be Neil Marshall, but it ended up being Nimrod Antal to helm with RR as the producer on the project.  Now comes word that the man who helmed the 1979 sci-fi classic Alien, Ridley Scott, is gonna be back behind the directors chair for a prequel. Jon Spaihts (“Shadow 19″) is set to write the script. From Variety:

Twentieth Century Fox is resuscitating its “Alien” franchise. The studio has hired Jon Spaihts to write a prequel that has Ridley Scott attached to return as director.

Spaihts got the job after pitching the studio and Scott Free, which will produce the film.

The film is set up to be a prequel to the groundbreaking 1979 film that Scott directed. It will precede that film, in which the crew of a commercial towing ship returning to Earth is awakened and sent to respond to a distress signal from a nearby planetoid. The crew discovers too late that the signal generated by an empty ship was meant to warn them.

The deal gives Fox another chance to keep the “Alien” franchise alive. There were three sequels to Scott’s original, but it is the first time the director has set his mind on directing one.

Sounds like some very interesting news indeed. After the horrible AvP movies, this is what both franchises needed. I haven’t heard what the plot of the new Predators film will be, but an Alien prequel sounds like a pretty good time to me. If only because Ridley is back on board. The only other “Alien” film I enjoyed was James Cameron’s sequel Aliens. What do you guys think? Will you welcome Mr. Scott back to the franchise?

Some days there is not a lot shaking so you have to stretch the news a bit or grab some more random, interesting stuff.  Consider today one of those days.

Found this list of the 25 Most Successful Actresses of the Decade at [Examiner].  Perhaps some quesitonable criteria but an interesting list nevertheless.  It made my think of our list of 20 Actors Who May Want To Call It A Career, and if you read both, you will know why.

Speaking of lists, if you are excited for Friday’s Wolverine, then you may be inclined to read these 9 Wolverine Books You Must Read Before the Movie.  [io9] If any of you do it, you have to tell us about it…the clock is ticking!

[IESB] has an interview stating that Ridley Scott is considering an Alien prequel or reboot after he finishes with Robin Hood, which is currently shooting.

Russell Brand of Forgetting Sarah Marshall fame is doing a Drop Dead Fred remake of the 1991 film.  [Pop Crunch] breaks down Universal’s plans for the film.

For those into the business side of the movies, it is a real big deal that William Morris (WMA) and Endeavor have decided to merge as a power agency in Hollywood.  [Reuters] They should be bigger than “Entourage”s Miller Gold.  Barely.

Finally, only [MTV] has this for some reason, but it appears Benicio Del Toro is in talks to play Bret Easton Ellis (yes, him) in Lunar Park.  Now this would be wild for Del Toro to go from Three Stooges to this.

Denzel Washinton is in talks to star in yet ANOTHER Tony Scott film. This one is Unstoppable, in which he’d play a train engineer trying to catch-up to and stop a runaway train carrying toxic chemicals. Although Crank is essentially Speed in a human body, this sounds like Crank on a train. [Screening Log]

In some more casting news, Matthew Macfayden will play The Sheriff of Nottingham in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. Although I said I liked the first pic, I think I liked the original idea of the film better, when The Sheriff was the good guy. [Filmonic]

Yesterday, we mentioned Robert Rodriguez will direct a reboot of the Predator franchise in the form of Predators. He had a chat with [Aint It Cool News] and answered a bunch of questions about the project. Turns out, he wrote a treatment for the film back in the 90′s.

Also yesterday, we mentioned Joseph Gordon-Levitt was joining a great cast for Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Today, we’re mentioning Michael Caine has also joined. [Flicks News]

Okay, I swear this is the last time I’m mentioning yesterday‘s post. We told you about the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer debuting April 29th in front of some screenings of the original Transformers. Well, now you can get tickets.

Gore Verbinski opted to direct BioShock instead of Pirates of the Caribbean 4. Haw-haw. Now BioShock in on hold due to budget concerns and may go the way of the Halo movie. I said, “Haw-haw.” [Kotaku]

That damn “Empire” is at it again, this time with multiple behind-the-scenes pics from James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar. I look forward to not being suprised at all when I get to pick up the magazine for myself next week. [Market Saw]

Finally, stay after the credits when you see X-Men Origins: Wolverine next week, as it apparently has mutiple endings afterward. [Sci Fi Scoop]

Have a great weekend, everybody. I hope your NFL team drafts the guy you want.

Welcome to a wonderful new week in film. We have a bunch of first looks for you today. I feel it’s a good way to get it going.

[The Movie Blog] has the first shot of Russell Crowe in Robin Hood garb from the set of the new Ridley Scott film. Although I don’t particularly like the guy as a person, he’s a great actor. He looks pretty hard in this pic. It should be sweet.

For those hyped about the new Star Trek film, you might be interested in checking out the virtual press conference what was held earlier today. Director J. J. Abrams and others were on hand to answer questions. It’s a pretty interesting concept. It looks like they used the graphics engine from “The Sims.” You’ll see what I’m talking about. [Star Trek XI Blog]

[Film Gecko] has the first clip from the animated film 9. You might remember the trailer from a few months ago with the dope Coheed and Cambria soundtrack. This thing looks crazy.

Channing Tatum is blowing up this year with roles in Fighting, Public Enemies and G.I. Joe, but he apparently regrets not being able to play Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. You may not have formed an opinion yet, unless you watched the bootleg version of that film, but do you regret him not being in it? I’m sure I’m happy with the current state. [Filmonic]

One of our most anticipated films of the year, Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones has its first two pics online thanks to [Ace Showbiz]. Ever want to see what heaven looks like outside of the 1998 Robin Williams film, What Dreams May Come? There are some words from Jackson about the project, as well.

Angels & Demons comes out in just a few weeks and Sony/Columbia has announced a third film in the series is on its way. Dan Brown, writer of two Robert Langdon-starring novels “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons,” just finished the third book in the series, titled “The Lost Symbol.” It will focus on the secret society of the Freemasons. The book is due to be released September 15, 2009. The movie, much later. I’m down. [Fused Film]

Just as we began, we end today’s news with another first film image. This time it’s the Peter Jackson-produced Neill Blomkamp-directed District 9, which has been soaring below the radar, but will be released toward the end of this sumer. [SciFi Cool]

In another bit of casting news, Cate Blanchett has signed on to join Russell Crowe in the former Nottingham film, now just going by the Robin Hood project, due in 2010, for the time being.  Variety confirms:

Cate Blanchett will play Maid Marian alongside Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood in the Ridley Scott-directed epic adventure for Universal Pictures.

So, we have the highly regarded actress added to what is Ridley re-teaming with Russell for what I believe is their 5th pairing!  They worked magic in Gladiator in 2000, but they really haven’t struck gold since.  American Gangster did fairly well, but you add Denzel in the mix, and that pot will turn out to smell pretty good.  I am actually good with the idea of this project though, with the cast rounding into shape and a triple figure budget, this trio better get it right because I don’t think it is a slam dunk.  They are aiming for a PG-13 rating, which will pretty much have to happen given the sizeable budget as they would need to bring in the widest audience possible.  We’ll see what happens and we will keep you abreast of the situation.

A couple of casting rumors, while another actor turns down a job. You’ll never guess who. Seriously. It’s bewildering.

From China.org (everybody’s favorite film news site) via FilmSchoolRejects.com lies the tidbit of Anne Hathaway possibly getting together with Jack Black, for the next Stephen Chow (CJ7) film. You might remember Chow dropping out of the director’s chair on The Green Hornet and this is presumably the reason why. He is currently the writing the script for what is apparently a special-effects-ridden, superhero, action-comedy. No other tidbits have been revealed, aside from the aforementioned Black and Hathaway as possible stars, along with Chow himself.

The same person?

The last action-comedy Hathaway was involved in was last summer’s Get Smart. It was mostly unfunny and very forgettable. It did, however, wake me up to Hathaway’s beauty, and that’s certainly commendable. I wouldn’t put the onus on her for the film’s failings. I assume Chow saw something in her that made him think she’d work here. I’m definitely curious to see how this shapes up. Here’s the trailer for Get Smart in order to relive some past glory:

Courtesy of The Telegraph is the news Cate Blanchett has been mentioned as possibly filling the shoes left by Sienna Miller as Maid Marion for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood film, Nottingham. Russell Crowe is set to play the dual role of Robin Hood/Sheriff Nottingham in the film. Actor, Mark Strong (studly in RockNrolla), playing Guy of Gisbourne, talked about the chances:

“I think Cate Blanchett is set to take the Maid Marian part. She is a wonderful actress and it would make it a much classier film if she was in it.”

That assessment is probably correct. Certainly classier than Sienna Miller, but I guess you’d have to combat the antics of Russell Crowe, too. Although I haven’t seen Scott’s past two teamings with Crowe (Body of Lies and A Good Year), I’m somewhat down with this movie. I haven’t been Blanchett’s greatest fan due to the costume dramas, but I don’t diss her either. I’m still on board with this.

To this day, this is what I think about with I hear the name Robin Hood:

Lastly, from TotalFilm comes an excerpt from an interview with Jean-Claude Van Damme about why he turned down a role in Sylvester Stallone’s old-school action-star throwback project, The Expendables.

“Stallone gave me a part in his next movie,” he told us. “But I ask him about the subject, about the story.”

“He said, ‘You’re gonna make lots of money.’ I don’t want to hear that, I want to hear what was my character.  He was unable to tell what it’s going to be.”

“[Stallone said:] ‘You know, uh, well, the fighting will be good.’ [So I said:] ‘Sly, what is my character?’ So I didn’t do the movie.”

So, he’s a serious actor now? Perhaps all the positive buzz from JCVD has gone to his head. I do like Stallone’s idea of this reunion of all these 80′s action stars for one last go-round, combining them with the stars of today, kind of passing the proverbial torch to them. It’s far better than the incessant remaking of the entire 80′s film catalogue.

As of now the action cast stands at: Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li and Jason Statham. Steven Seagal and Arnold Schwarzenegger somehow need to free themselves up for this.

Although most others would probably prefer Bloodsport, the combination of hockey and action film was my Van Damme haven. Gotta love it when he skates out and tends goal! Here’s a clip from Sudden Death: