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.

The latest rumors from the casting mill involving Robert Rodriguez’s b-movie Machete which we have reported on this site in the past.  Rodriguez’s Shorts is about to drop on us all, but he is switching gears for his next project.  While Danny Trejo is set for the lead, Steven Seagal is being rumored as a possible cast member for the film.  [Movie Muser] Nothing is confirmed, other than his reps appear to be in deep discussions about his place in the project, as long as “certain conditions” are met.  At this point who knows what those conditions are, perhaps screen time/size of role would have something to do with it.  A trailer for his Indian rituals? I don’t know.  Still, it’d be nice to see him do something reasonable again (and I am jumping to conclusions that Machete will be worth a damn).  Seagal was also once rumored for Sylvester Stallone’s upcoming The Expendables movie, but it was put to rest that he would not be in it.  Sad, considering the ridiculous amount of actioners on board for that movie.  Statham, Jet Li, and Sly himself of course among them.  However, Machete has another interesting rumor as well.

One minute your eatin' a Denver omelette, next someone's stickin' a gun in your face.

Apparently, the queen of paparazzi, Lindsay Lohan (who once would have been rubbed with a slow hand-inside joke) has been offered a role in RR’s flick. Robert stated:

“Lindsay’s cool. There’s actually a cool part in the movie for her – if she takes it.”

She notoriously turned down a role in The Hangover, and that turned out to be a gigantic mistake, considering it is the top grossing R-rated comedy of all-time (not in true box office though, as Beverly Hills Cop still would rule with inflation).  Nevertheless, wouldn’t it be wise of her to accept a role this time around?  Or is the potential role and movie, so vastly different from what she might have done in The Hangover, that it wouldn’t suit her?  Nobody knows for sure, but as one of the (seemingly) few who is actually pulling for LiLo to turn her career around (yeah, she’s thrashed, but I am a sucker for a good comeback story, what can I say?), I hope that she takes the role, if nothing else to gain the type of exposure she needs, not the type that she gets turning up on gossip sites.  What say you, mateys?  Hit me one.

Not sure why I am in the mood to share something like this (especially since I haven’t even seen the movie-shame on me), but this T-shirt caught my eye as something worth passing along.  If you enjoyed The Hangover as so many of you did (it is well over $200mm earned domestically, HUGE for a comedy), then I thought some of you might get clever and plop down $20 for a shirt like this.  Here is the link to purchase.  There are tons of other options should you desire to browse.  I think our very own Zack Galifianakis fan #1 would be interested.  Enjoy, and if you do get one, let us know what you think!  By the way, for those interested, Bruno is getting destroyed in its 2nd week at the box office.  One of the sharpest falls in movie history.  Ouch!

Its a Wednesday so we decided to round up the stories from around the web that you might have missed over the last week.  Some good stuff to be had here.

The surprise box office winner from this past weekend The Hangover, had the best non-Holiday Monday ever at the box office.  [Get The Big Picture] Pretty impressive for a cast of relative unknowns.

There are possible plans for 9 Saw films, which would possibly have them hacking away through 2012 here. [Screenrant] A bit long in the tooth past film 3 or so in my estimation.

On the flipside, in Japan the Diary of a Fishing Fool franchise draws to a close with it’s 20th film dropping in December.  The series launched in 1988 and has had the same stars since the jump.  [Variety] And we thought our sequels are too many.

Spawn creator Todd McFarlane wants Leonardo DiCaprio to play the lead in the next installment as the guy chasing Spawn.  [Comic Vine] Leo may have the time since he supposedly broke up with SI Swimsuit cover-model Bar Rafaeli.  I’m guessing that Todd won’t get his wish though.

Transmorphing is greater than Transforming?  I’ll prop up [Twitch] for that and give you the trailer below of a film that should rival Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  Transmorphers: Fall of Man.  Umm, genius?

And since you love unsubstantiated casting news, it is rumored that Megan Fox is being considered for the lead in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer remake and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the leader in the clubhouse for Arnie’s role in the Commando remake. Not too sure of [Cinefools] credibility, so we’ll have to take it with a handful of salt.

And since I am a nice guy, I figured I would give you a shot I took of her when she was coming over to make mad passionate love to me in my spa.  I am good like that.

"Take me, The Rake. Now!" Easy, Meg. Easy.

Questioning Chris Pine’s potential star wattage in a post last week reminded me of my prediction for Zach Galifianakis to ascend through the ranks, perhaps ala Danny McBride after his turn in The Hangover. After going toe-to-toe with Land of the Lost and Up this weekend, The Hangover managed to take the number one spot.  I believe Galifianakis is the driving force behind the film’s success. He’s the wild-card character. He’s the one who “might be a little off.” Indeed he is, but there’s something very genuine about him. He’s the outsider of the group and he dearly wants to be a part of it, even though he’s vastly different from the core set of guys. He may be dimwitted, but he’s likable. He has the distinctive facial hair growth of a golden-haired yak, carries a minuscule man-purse accentuating his rotund belly, takes a taser shot to the face and still manages to save the day with Rain Man-esque precision.

I’ve only seen Galifianakis in one other movie so far and it was for the upcoming Youth in Revolt. He plays a white-trash mother lover in it and has very little to him beyond that caricature. He definitely wasn’t a key role and ultimately didn’t leave me thinking anything much about him. In fact, he so inconsequential to the film I didn’t mention his name in the review. The Hangover might have been the perfect role for his talents, but I think he’ll become a more prominent figure in Hollywood films and eventually headline them. I’m feeling a sort of Ben Stiller level of dominance when all is said and done.

Like a lot of comedic performers, Galifianakis made his way through the ranks as a stand-up comedian. He’s been a part of the Comedians of Comedy tour alongside Patton Oswalt and created the hugely successful “Between Two Ferns” interview-style shorts for FunnyOrDie.com. All of this has slowly exposed him to the mainstream, but the success of The Hangover is what will propel him to the masses.

I mentioned Danny McBride earlier, because he’s essentially Hollywood’s comedic it-boy at the moment. He starred in an independent film (The Foot Fist Way), which happened to be loved by comedic giants Adam McKay, Will Ferrell and Judd Apatow. He had a role in Andy Samberg’s Hot Rod and then went on to film small roles in increasingly larger movies: Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder and now Land of the Lost. He’s headlined a TV show, “Eastbound and Down,” and was just announced to star in a comic book movie, Hench. His star has gradually risen, whereas I think Galifianakis’ star will skyrocket.

Perhaps comparing Galifianakis’ potential stardom can be more easily attributed to a non-comedic actor by the name of Brad Pitt. I’m not suggesting he’ll ever be in Pitt’s world, even if he wanted to, but Pitt is someone who ultimately emerged with a strong supporting performance in a hit movie. He was J.D., the cowboy object of Geena Davis’ flirtations in Thelma & Louise in 1991. Instantly he was headlining films. Johnny Suede, Cool World and finally A River Runs Through It all were released within a year of Thelma & Louise. They might not have been huge, but he was the headlining persona and it didn’t take long for the rest of the world to catch up and catch on.

Coming up for Galifianakis is a voice in the Gerbil movie, G-Force, a smaller film called Little Fish, Small Pond in which he appears to be at least the second-lead, a TV show with Ted Danson and Jason Schwartzman called “Bored to Death,” headlining a movie called Rogue’s Gallery, the aforementioned Youth in Revolt and finally the already greenlit The Hangover 2. I have no idea what the plot involves for the sequel, but I imagine Galifianakis will have an even larger role.

All of this stardom talk is complete speculation, obviously, but it’s fun to do. The bottom line is that the guy’s funny. That’s his calling card and that’s what people want to see more of. I thoroughly enjoyed him in The Hangover and I certainly want to see more of him and to see him succeed. Now that The Hangover has grossed almost $45 milllion in it’s opening weekend, the odds are that most of you have seen it and seen Galifianakis as the off-kilter Alan. So, what are your thoughts on the talk of potential stardom? How high do you think he can rise?

Critics Corner – “The Hangover”

Film Outlet	Movie Critic	Rating Given	Review Date
	Prodigal Son	3 / 4 nests	4-20
	Peter Travers	3.5 / 4 stars	6-4
	Owen Gleiberman	B	6-2
	Roger Ebert	3.5 / 4 stars	6-3
	Critics / Users	B / A	6-5
	Rob Calvert	4 / 4 stars	6-4
	Rating / T-Meter	6.8 / 80%	6-5

Is there a city more infamous than Las Vegas? Lovingly deemed “Sin City,” it’s where Tupac was gunned down. The NBA All-Star game will no longer be held there after Adam “Pacman” Jones made it rain with dollar bills and then bullets after a strip club altercation. It’s a gambler’s paradise where lives can be made and lost in just the yank of a slot machine handle. Hollywood loves playing with stories surrounded in the world without rules city limits. Steven Soderbergh depicted the heist of casino millions in the remake of Ocean’s Eleven, forty years after Vegas should have been wiped clean by the original. Martin Scorcese’s 1995 opus, Casino merged the world of Goodfellas with that of the city of sin. However, the city has been immortalized in my cinematic mind by Swingers. It shall forever be known as “Vegas, baby. Vegas,” even though the film probably has no more than 15 minutes of screen-time set there. If there’s only one other thing Las Vegas is known for, it’s probably bachelor parties. Hence, we have the newest entry into the Las Vegas oeuvre, The Hangover.

Doug is set to be married to Tracy. Aside from getting cold feet, the pre-marriage routine calls for a bachelor party and Doug is scheduled to celebrate one last taste of freedom with his best friends, as well as Tracy’s brother, Alan. Put bluntly, Alan is sort of a strange individual. He shirks at the tailor measuring his inner thigh for his tuxedo fitting, but then drops trou to embrace his soon-to-be brother-in-law in only a jockstrap, like he’s Chris Farley in Tommy Boy. However, in an odd way, Alan is the fourth wheel that balances out the vehicle of Doug and his friends Phil and Stu. Phil is a married father who teaches grade school, but embraces any time away from home. He is the knowledgeable player of the group, who encourages Vegas’ no rules motto, but ultimately adheres to them himself. Stu is the worrywart of the group. A dentist who fancies himself a doctor, suffers from an overbearing girlfriend he must lie to in order to join his friends. Once it’s on though, it’s destination Vegas.

Bachelor parties are supposed to be about having fun and for most, that’s what Las Vegas personifies. It’s no different for our fearless foursome as – much to Stu’s chagrin – they throw caution completely into the wind and go for broke. Upon arrival, they immediately upgrade their quaint shared rooms to a multi-thousand-dollar-per-night suite. He who visits Vegas, must party like it. They trek up to the roof of the hotel/casino (“catel?” “hosino?”) for a toast and vow to make it the best night possible. Alan provides the drinks. The debauchery begins.

Then, the debauchery ends. We fade to black and open back up in the suite the next morning. A tornado, localized entirely within their suite, hit. A pack of jungle animals stampeded and then left. At least those explanations would make sense. Actually, that second one is party true. Stu wakes up with a missing incisor and bloodstains on his shirt. Alan, bleary-eyed, wakes up in his underwear (not that surprising, really) to go to the bathroom while a Bengal tiger stares him down. A baby, whom Alan dubs Carlos, cries in a closet.  The worst thing though, is there’s no sign of Doug and nobody can remember a thing from the night before. Hence, the title. Doug is slated to be married the next day, so they have to retrace their steps from the few clues they are given and bring their friend to his wedding on time.

"I'm sorry, I don't touch money. You'll have to put it in my mouth."

Director Todd Phillips has specialized in the male bonding group comedy. He strayed from the formula with Mr. Woodcock, and that film failed, whether it was his fault or not. He built his name through Road Trip and Old School and The Hangover seemed a naural fit for him. He does seem back at home, as he’s able to juggle multiple characters all having their own agenda. He’s aided by what’s easily the best produced script by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, whose strongest competitors are Rebound, Four Christmases and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. The detective-like work Phil, Stu and Alan must do to find their friend and ringleader is a great storytelling device, especially for use in comedy. The creative team deserves and extra bit of kudos for making the best use of an end credits sequence I’ve seen to-date. It’s very much ingrained in the story, but would be superfluous to show in the body of the film. It adds an exclamation point to the story and the viewer is duly rewarded for the additional few minutes in their seat.

It is kind of odd to have the main character – or at least the character the entire premise of the film is built around – absent for the vast majority of the film’s runtime. Obviously, that’s why Justin Bartha played the role of Doug and not someone with a bigger name. Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms play Phil and Stu respectively, and you feel them truly embody their characters. Cooper’s golden-boy tan gives Phil a hint of sliminess, while Helms typifies the zeta-male, cowering to the whim of his alpha girlfriend. Alan, on the other hand, is the manic creation of Zach Galafianakis. Go ahead and start committing that name to memory right now. You’d better be able to spell it, too. I’d seen some YouTube clips of him in the recent past and wasn’t quite set up for what I received here. Alan is someone who’s “not all there,” but he isn’t’ completely detached from the world, either. He still retains some shreds of societal values and this balance helps make him a unique character. Galafianakis is destined for a Danny McBride-esque ascent and this is the role to start it.

The film remains consistently funny throughout, only occasionally throwing in a joke that doesn’t hit. It takes you to some Vegas staples, like the quick-marry chapels, but brings some new twists with a Mike Tyson cameo and an Asian gang (are there any other?) led by Mr. Chow, played by Ken Jeong. This type of comedy was a complete breath of fresh air after suffering the brutal wounds of Observe and Report. It’s ultimately a lighthearted R-rated comedy that doesn’t pull any punches, but also isn’t aiming for the solar plexus. Just the funny bone. Some movies are made purely for entertainment and enjoyment purposes. On each level this film wholly satisfies its goals.

Vegas, the city, and Vegas films have been struggling as of late (can we please forget about What Happens in Vegas?), but The Hangover can be proud to enter the pantheon of respectable Vegas-set films. It has a creative and humorous script married to a director perfect for the material, and it presents us with a great new talent we should be seeing emerge in larger and larger roles in the near future. It might not be as fun as a night full of partying in Sin City, but it could be the next best thing. Gather your buddies for one last toast and prepare for The Hangover. It’s one you’ll actually enjoy having.

The Passion of the Christ blew up to mammoth box office propotions when it was released five years ago. Unheralded for an independent, subtitled, bible film. It managed to get a huge spike during Easter of that year and Hollywood now has two Easter (bunny) themed projects in the works. Ahh, Hollywood, the haven of fakery. [Cinematical]

Is Terminator Salvation rated PG-13? So it says according to a Pizza Hut tie-in promotion. I just read the 25-page Terminator retrospective in last month’s “Empire,” and got me hyped. This news doesn’t make the film any more appealing to me. In fact, probably less so. However, The Dark Knight had R-rated themes with just PG-13 level violence. We’ll soon find out. [Ain't It Cool News]

More rating-related news, [Latino Review] reports the future feature film of Stephen King’s It movie will boast an R-rating.

Last week, we posted the new The Hangover trailer. Our review will be up very soon. Hint: It was was pretty good. [CHUD] reports that Warner Bros. is having director, Todd Phillips work on a script for a sequel, already. However, Old School 2 was spoken about for what seems like forever, and I have to doubt that’s ever happening. We’ll see what the box office take is.

Following up The Hangover sequel talk, and coming off the studio’s disappointment in Watchmen, Zack Snyder reveals some ideas for a 300 sequel. 600, maybe? [MTV Movies Blog]

[Coming Soon] has some casting info and some pics of this month’s “Empire” cover girl, Megan Fox, from the set of Jonah Hex.

The George Lucas-produced WWII fighter pilot pic, Red Tails has some casting announcements, involving a Wu-Tang Clan member and a Boy ‘N Tha Hood. [JoBlo]

Lastly, [/film] carries a story about investors and merchandisers may be worried about Pixar’s Up. Nonsense as far as I’m concerned. I can already envision a Carl Frederickson cardboard standee in my room. Let’s get it done!

Wrapping up the week, we have found some more interesting tidbits to share with you in our Film News Daily.

The biggest deal of the week is that we added the Bruno trailer yesterday.  It looks every bit as funny as Borat.  Fooking hilarious!

Also, see our The Hangover trailer with Mike Tyson.  We have seen the movie, our review is dropping soon.

Rabbit Hole has had Nicole Kidman attached for some time but now [Production Weekly] reports that Aaron Eckhart will join her.  This is supposed to be a major tear-jerker (the movie, not the news – and not because Two-Face is not Eckhart’s character).

Little Fockers appears to be the next project on the horizon for Paul Weitz. This should be the final installment in the comedic series where Meet The Parents was good and Meet The Fockers was not. [Rope of Silicon]

Stringer Bell, bka Idris Elba, and Star Trek‘s Queen Uhura, Zoe Saldana, become part of DC Comics’ The Losers, along with Jeffrey Dean Morgan of Watchmen infamy. [Screenrant] has more goods on the prospects.

[MTV] has more goods on David Cronenberg’s The Matarese Circle which is supposed to star both Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise.  That is one of the biggest star pairings in years as far as I can tell, but Cronenberg has more quirky tastes than most blockbusters would allow.  This one is interesting.

Vin Diesel and Chris Pine are officially in for Green Lantern.  [Moviehole] actually says check that.  Pine is close to signing for the lead in “Lantern” and Diesel is looking to play “Sub-Mariner” in another comic property film.

Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) has added Ben Stiller to his untitled film that is underway in LA.  Stiller is doing drama this time (a welcome departure, I think) says [Film School Rejects] and Rhys Ifans is also on board.

Sex And The City 2 gets an official release date of May 28, 2010.  Mark your calenders.  Or don’t. I’m still hopeful it will be re-cast and re-titled, “More Sex, Less City.”

[ShockTilYouDrop] has info on Scott Nicholson’s “The Home” book adaptation turned film.  It’s a horror novel in which experimental treatment on chidlren brings back the spirits of the titular house”s former residents.