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1-20 of 53 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
Review of BBC's Day Of The Triffids mini-series (part 1)
30 December 2009 9:26 PM, PST
| QuietEarth.us
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Year: 2009
Directors: Nick Copus
Writers: Patrick Harbinson
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Reviewed by: projectcyclops
Rating: 7 out of 10
Ever since I first saw those amazing opening scenes from 28 Days Later, I've been waiting for someone to step-up and adapt John Wyndham's brilliant apocalyptic novel The Day of the Triffids, and do it right. We had a disastrous film version in 1962, that I watched once and vowed never to revisit. There is also a far more faithful UK television adaptation from 1981 that I would recommend to anyone who might be curious, although it was somewhat limited by a low budget and quite stilted direction, although the bleakness and horror were certainly there.
So now it's 2009, and we have a fairly big budget BBC adaptation with some serious star power: Dougary Scott (Mi:2), Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck), Eddie Izzard (Valkary), Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement), Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting) and one of my favourite actors Mr.
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Blu-Ray Review: Give Johnny Depp, Michael Mann’s ‘Public Enemies’ Another Chance
15 December 2009 1:51 PM, PST
| HollywoodChicago.com
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Chicago – On paper, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” looked like it would be a clear contender for end-of-the-year consideration but it has been largely forgotten, only a few months after its release. The cold, dense film didn’t register strongly enough with critics or audiences and it looks like it could disappear without much fanfare. What I think is more likely is that Mann’s dark, complex film will slowly get the recognition it deserves on the home market and it starts with this Blu-Ray release.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
“Public Enemies” is an examination of the intersection of the end of the era of the bank robber and the beginning of the legend of the G-men. The former is represented by one of the “public enemies” of the day, John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), and the latter by the man assigned to catch the elusive mastermind, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Dillinger stole
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- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
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Exclusive Interview: Stephen Lang (Avatar) - Part I
14 December 2009 10:02 PM, PST
| ScreenStar
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Stephen Lang is one of those actors: You may not know his name, but you know his face, his voice and, most importantly, you don't easily forget his remarkable performances. Long before Jack Nicholson played Col. Nathan Jessup in the big-screen version of A Few Good Men (1992), Lang originated the role on Broadway. And his film and television credits include Manhunter (1986), Crime Story (TV), Tombstone (1993), the 2001 TV series edition of The Fugitive (he was the one-armed man), The Bronx Is Burning (2007), and more. And he's having a hell of a 2009, with roles in The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), Public Enemies (2009) and now, the film that may finally help people match a name to that face and voice, James Cameron's sci-fi epic, Avatar (2009). Set for release on Dec. 18, Avatar is a big-budget, high-tech spectacle in which humans threaten the homeworld of the indigenous population, the Na'vi, on a moon called Pandora.
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- ianspelling@corp.popstar.com (Ian Spelling)
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DVD Review: ‘Public Enemies’
11 December 2009 12:15 PM, PST
| The Flickcast
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Public Enemies, the latest film from director Michael Mann (TVs Miami Vice, Manhunter, Heat, Collateral), hit DVD shelves this week, and if you were a fan of the film in the theater, you’ll want to pick it up on DVD or Blu-Ray. In the film, Johnny Depp plays Depression-era Robin Hood John Dillinger who rose to fame as a notorious bank robber and the F.B.I.’s first public enemy #1.
The film is a loose interpretation of many events such as Dillinger’s empathy for sharecroppers and out on their luck everyday individuals, his famous escape from an Indiana jail, and his eventual demise at Chicago’s Biograph Theater at the hands of F.B.I. agent Melvin Purvis and his band of intrepid G-Men.
Some exciting features on the Blu-Ray and DVD include a documentary about both Dillinger and Purvis who became media adversaries as both rose to both fame and infamy.
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- Douglas Barnett
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Brian Cox and Anna Maxwell Martin to star in MPs' expenses drama
8 December 2009 11:13 PM, PST
| The Guardian - TV News
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Satirical BBC film to tell story of freedom of information campaigner Heather Brooke
He is perhaps best known for his roles as Hannibal Lecter in the movie Manhunter and a scheming CIA boss in the Bourne films.
Now the Dundee-born actor Brian Cox is to take on a role rather closer to home, playing fellow Scot Michael Martin, the former Speaker of the House of Commons, in a forthcoming BBC satirical drama about MPs' expenses affair.
Martin, who was forced to resign in May over his handling of what became the biggest political scandal for years, fought to keep details of MPs' expenses out of public view.
After the Daily Telegraph revealed a litany of questionable claims amid a public outcry, he stepped down from the Speaker's chair, quit his Glasgow seat and has since been ennobled as Lord Martin of Springburn.
The satirical BBC4 drama, Bringing Down the House,
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- Chris Tryhorn
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Public Enemies Blu-ray Review
1 December 2009 6:52 AM, PST
| Collider.com
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I root for Michael Mann even when he missteps, because he is one of America’s premier filmmakers, and one of the great visionaries of cinema. And, really, he’s only been building up steam. TV seemed to occupy him in the 80’s (even with three efforts, the best being Manhunter), but it wasn’t until 1995 that he really struck gold with Heat, and followed that up with The Insider. Both of which qualify as two of the best films of the 90’s. Since then it’s been a film every two or three years, and though none have been as great as those two, they run from the interesting to awesome. Public Enemies falls more into the interesting than awesome camp, but it is definitely solid, albeit familiar ground. My review after the jump.
Johnny Depp stars as John Dillinger, the bank-robbing, folk-hero of his era. A little bit Robin Hood-ish,
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- Andre Dellamorte
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Hannibal Lecter to Play a Dwarf in The Hobbit?
17 November 2009 1:20 AM, PST
| Reelzchannel.com
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AICN's Australian correspondent reports that Brian Cox, the Scottish actor who originated the role of Hannibal Lecter in 1986's Manhunter and tried to take down Wolverine in X2: X-Men United as William Stryker, may play one of the dwarves in The Hobbit, Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming prequel to The Lord of the Rings triology.
With John Rhys-Davies saying he would not return as the father of his Lord of the Rings character Gimli, clearly the search for actors to play the 13 dwarf characters is ongoing. However, Cox's casting is only a rumor at this point.
Empire speculates that Cox could play Thorin, the meatiest dwarf role in the original novel, but really, Cox could be playing any of the dwarves or none at all. In any case, we have to admit that we hope they're right.
The Hobbit will start shooting in March.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 11/17/2009 by Ryan
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- Ryan Gowland
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Brian Cox Up For Dwarf Role In 'The Hobbit'?
16 November 2009 8:32 AM, PST
| MTV Splash Page
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From Movies Blog: File this one under "here's hoping." Brian Cox is a gifted performer. One of those actors whose mere presence is enough to elevate a movie. "Troy" wasn't that great, but Cox helped make it bearable as Agamemnon. And his roles in "X2: X-Men United" and "Super Troopers" -- already fine films -- are unforgettable, career highlights without question. Also don't forget: Cox was the first person to fill the role of man-eater Hannibal Lecter (spelled Lecktor back then), in Michael Mann's "Manhunter."
Now the word is that Cox is up for one of the dwarves in director Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of "The Hobbit." The news comes from AICN, with Cox being described as a "major contender." The report is clear to state that there's no way of knowing right now if the role is cast or if the producers are just looking at the veteran actor,
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- Adam Rosenberg
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Brian Cox A Contender For One Of 'The Hobbit' Dwarves
16 November 2009 7:00 AM, PST
| MTV Movies Blog
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File this one under "here's hoping." Brian Cox is a gifted performer. One of those actors whose mere presence is enough to elevate a movie. "Troy" wasn' that great, but Cox helped make it bearable as Agamemnon. And his roles in "X2: X-Men United" and "Super Troopers" -- already fine films -- are unforgettable, career highlights without question. Also don't forget: Cox was the first person to fill the role of man-eater Hannibal Lecter (spelled Lecktor back then), in Michael Mann's "Manhunter."
Now the word is that Cox is up for one of the dwarves in director Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of "The Hobbit." The news comes from AICN, with Cox being described as a "major contender." The report is clear to state that there's no way of knowing right now if the role is cast or if the producers are just looking at the veteran actor, but
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- Adam Rosenberg
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Blu-Ray Review: Michael Mann’s ‘Heat’ a Modern Masterpiece
11 November 2009 1:23 PM, PST
| HollywoodChicago.com
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Chicago – Michael Mann might first seem the ideal fit for Blu-Ray. He’s a notorious perfectionist, apparent in every frame of his remarkable output of films that includes such great modern classics as “Manhunter,” “The Insider,” “Collateral,” and “Public Enemies”. But one of Mann’s best films, “Heat,” recently released on Blu-Ray, is an interesting example of a director who has a vision that shouldn’t necessarily be overly polished by the HD format. The film looks like Mann wants it - gritty, dark, and like, well, actual film. It’s a release that some buyers may think doesn’t look “HD enough,” but to this Mann aficionado thinks that it looks just right.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
As for the film itself, it’s one of the rare ’90s films that gets better every time I see it. It’s a battle of wills between two of the most legendary actors
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- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
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Heat Blu-ray Review
9 November 2009 10:12 AM, PST
| TheHDRoom
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Though there are notable exceptions (Ali, Last of the Mohicans), it is not an unreasonable stretch that Michael Mann has made a career telling stories about cops and robbers. From Thief (1981) and Manhunter (1986) through Miami Vice (2006) and Public Enemies (2009), he has produced tense explorations into the cerebral underpinnings of what makes players tick both in and outside of our legal system. Heat (1995) could very well be considered his crowning achievement in this territory, and its two most iconic scenes epitomize what the writer/director's classic crime drama is all about.
The no holds bar shootout in downtown Los Angeles during a broad daylight bank heist escape is one of the most thrilling firefights put to celluloid and has been among my favorites to sample out of context on DVD over the years (and its all that more awesome on Blu-ray!). Not just a great piece of realistic, machismo gunplay, what
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Podcast: Tom Noonan (The House of the Devil)
31 October 2009 6:52 AM, PDT
| GreenCine Daily
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Among other things, Tom Noonan is a musician, playwright, and writer-director of two acclaimed films (What Happened Was, The Wife), but most will sooner recognize this tall, reserved but eerily intense gentleman as a memorable character actor from films as diverse as Manhunter, Mystery Train, and Synecdoche New York. His latest chance to effortlessly steal scenes arrives in Ti West's wonderfully slow-burning, retro-horror flick, The House of the Devil:
Sam (Jocelin Donahue) is a pretty college sophomore, so desperate to earn some cash for a deposit on an apartment that she accepts a babysitting job even after she finds out there is no baby. Mr. and Mrs. Ulman (cult actors Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov) are the older couple who lure Sam out to their creeky Victorian mansion deep in the woods, just in time for a total lunar eclipse. Megan (Greta Gerwig) is Sam's best friend, who
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HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 ‘The House of the Devil’ Passes to Advance Chicago Screening
29 October 2009 11:28 PM, PDT
| HollywoodChicago.com
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Chicago – In our latest horror edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The House of the Devil”!
“The House of the Devil” from writer and director Ti West (read our interview with him here) stars Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig, Aj Bowen, Dee Wallace, Heather Robb, Mary B. McCann and John Speredakos. The 1980s-set satanic thriller opens in Chicago on Nov. 13, 2009 and was part of the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “The House of the Devil” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question below. That’s it! This screening will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.
“The House of the Devil
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- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
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Final Retro One-Sheet Poster for The House Of The Devil
20 October 2009
| shocktillyoudrop.com
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We showed you the first theatrical one-sheet poster for The House Of The Devil at this original post here . Then we got a look at an alternate one-sheet right here and finally last week three more retro posters surfaced. (See those here ) Below you'll find the sixth and final poster for Ti West's latest. Personally, we love the marketing on this flick and this is definitely among one of the cooler promotional images concocted for the film.
The House Of The Devil stars Jocelin Donahue (Jt Petty's The Burrowers ), indie ingénue Greta Gerwig ( Baghead ), Tom Noonan ( Snow Angels , Manhunter ), Mary Woronov ( Eating Raoul , The Devil's Rejects ), Aj Bowen ( The Signal ) and Dee Wallace (Rob Zombie's Halloween ).
It's now available on VOD and hits theaters in a
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Villains: The Highs and Lows of Recasting
15 October 2009 6:32 PM, PDT
| Cinematical
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Why recast the relatively small role of a doctor in a thriller? Michael Mann's Manhunter was an excellent thriller, featuring Brian Cox in a small role as the imprisoned, chillingly cold cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecktor. When the time came to adapt another one of Thomas Harris' bestsellers, Jonathan Demme went in a different direction, casting Anthony Hopkins as the good doctor. The character's family name was restored (Lecter, not Lecktor) and a whole new set of tics and tricks were placed on display. Hopkins may have been the only actor alive who could have hammed it up to such extreme levels and yet, somehow, made Lector creepy rather than campy, unnerving rather than unbelievable. For his memorable efforts in The Silence of the Lambs, Hopkins won an Academy Award.
Recasting villains is a tricky business. Everyone needs to love, identify with, and cheer the hero or heroine, but
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- Peter Martin
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The Hannibal Lecter Anthology Blu-ray Review
12 October 2009 7:58 AM, PDT
| Collider.com
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Debuting twenty-three years ago with “Manhunter”, there have been five films chronicling the enigmatic and terrifying serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Though many of us have seen the first three (which are included in this collection), they were previously unreleased on Blu-Ray format until this past month. If you haven’t seen these films, you owe it yourself to see them at whatever cost, but the Blu-Ray versions don’t necessarily add anything spectacular to the series. Though worth watching, this collection of films doesn’t differ much from the previously released versions, and I am still waiting for some sort of “Ultimate Collection.” Keep reading after the jump to see why.
Starting with the first film in the initial trilogy, “Manhunter” (directed by Michael Mann) stars William Peterson as Will Graham and Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter. Though they were probably right at the time, in retrospect, I don’t
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- Brett Weinstock
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The Hannibal Lecter Collection - Blu-ray Review
11 October 2009 10:42 AM, PDT
| Monsters and Critics
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A reviewer tried to give this set a bad review. His liver was eaten with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Slurp. Actually, the set features a fine special edition of Silence of the Lambs and the only way (so far) that you.ll get Manhunter and Hannibal in high definition. Manhunter (1986, 4 stars): A serial killer called the Tooth Fairy (Tom Noonan) is murdering entire families. FBI supervisor Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina) calls ex-agent Will Graham (William Petersen) out of retirement to help catch the Tooth Fairy. Graham was nearly killed catching the cannibalistic Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox) and retired because of the trauma. Now he has to go back to work and stop the
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- Jeff Swindoll
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Is A Millennium Film On The Way?
11 October 2009 7:31 AM, PDT
| ScreenRant.com
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News broke a few weeks ago that a film version of Chris Carter television show Millennium might be on the way. I’ve spent that time trying to gather some information on the project to see if fans will get to see the return of Lance Henriksen’s Frank Black character.
Millennium was a mid-to-late nineties show from the creator of The X-Files, Chris Carter, as a way of tackling darker stories that did not fit into the X-Files mold. Lance Henriksen starred as Frank Black, a profiler who has remarkable insight into the minds of killers and other demented souls. The show was like Michael Mann’s Manhunter crossed with Seven, by way of The X-Files. While it wasn’t a huge hit, it did acquire many loyal fans during its run and a campaign has been ongoing to try and get some closure on the series.
Lance Henriksen
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- Niall Browne
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The Blu-Ray Review: The Hannibal Lecter Collection - Manhunter (1986)
30 September 2009 10:16 AM, PDT
| The Hollywood News
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Colin J reviews the very first Lecter movie on Blu-Ray.
Though it didn't perform particularly well in 1986, Manhunter earned greater prominence after the success of 1991's Silence of the Lambs.
The two projects share the same writer - Thomas Harris - and a few
characters. Most prominent among these is the infamous Hannibal "The
Cannibal" Lecter, the role made immensely famous by Anthony Hopkins in Lambs.
On the original DVD case of Manhunter, we were repeatedly reminded that the 1986 film showed Lecter first, and allegedly did him better. According to the package, Entertainment Weekly declared Manhunter to be "superior to Lambs". The case also "warns" us that "fans and critics alike consider Manhunter to be far superior to Lambs... as well as one of the most unnerving serial killer movies ever made."
What a crock! As a critic and a fan, I take serious exception to the awfully broad brush with which these folks painted.
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- Paul
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The Hannibal Lecter Collection (Blu-ray Review)
26 September 2009 11:30 PM, PDT
| Fangoria
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“It rubs the lotion on its skin.” “Now it places the lotion in the basket.” Anyway, enough of my usual at home internet surfing activities. I’ve got a review to write damn it, and write one I shall.
Freshly hitting store shelves and web retailers nationwide is MGM’s latest Hannibal Lecter Collection, now on Blu-ray, just in time for the Halloween and holiday season.
Like the previous DVD collection of the same heading, this new collection features Manhunter (the first Thomas Harris adaptation featuring the now notorious Hannibal Lecter, then portrayed rather effectively by Brian Cox), Silence Of The Lambs (ushering the ever talented Sir Anthony Hopkins into the maniacal role of Lecter), and Hannibal now with picture and sound so stunningly clear you can almost smell Clarice Starling’s Evian skin cream and L'Air du Temps perfume.
While I’d like to tell you that this collection
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- no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Compton)
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