Happy Valentine’s Day!
Shutter Island: A Thriller Out Of Time?
by Damon Wise at Empire Online
It’s been interesting watching the reactions to Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, from the trailer alone. People seem to forget that artists have a fractious relationship with their times, that sometimes their work arrives out of synch with public taste, and that sometimes their art takes chances that even their most loyal followers won’t accept. The irony, of course, is that nobody knows this better than Scorsese, who has conducted a personal journey through the film cultures of three very cine-literate countries (Italy and the US, with Britain on its way) and directed a milestone documentary (No Direction Home) about the musician, poet and electric folklorist Bob Dylan, himself no stranger to controversy and public questioning. Along the way, the song remains the same; sometimes a contemporary audience isn’t always sitting in the right seats to judge.
Well, the arguments over Shutter Island appear to be raging over Scorsese’s decision to embrace high melodrama: thrashing winds; crashing waves; thundering rain; a detective dressed like a tsunami-drenched Dana Andrews; an insane asylum right out of Dickens; a score with more threat and bombast than Bernard Herrmann’s original theme for Cape Fear…
Read More here.
Here’s Why Most Werewolf Movies Suck
by Scott Weinberg at Horror Squad
Werewolf of London (1935), The Wolf Man (1941), Curse of the Werewolf (1961). An American Werewolf in London, The Howling, and Wolfen all showed up in 1981. Later we got Ginger Snaps and Dog Soldiers. I’ve skipped over stuff like Silver Bullet, Bad Moon, and Underworld because even if you think they’re half-decent werewolf movies — you probably don’t think they’re fantastic werewolf movies. Hell, I only included the very dry Wolfen up top because it’s weird that three werewolf movies came out in 1981!
Clearly my assertion is that there aren’t really all that many GOOD werewolf movies. I will now take that assertion and stretch it like so much bubble gum … and there: I now have a specious piece of logic that says MOST werewolf movies are crap. (Wolf? Blood and Chocolate? I Was a Teenage Werewolf? Cursed? Don’t make me laugh. And the name of that witless “Paris” sequel will go unmentioned on this website.) Actually that’s not entirely accurate either because, really, we don’t really GET all that many werewolf movies these days. And I think I know why…
Read More here.
Will We See The Riddler, Robin And More In Dark Knight Sequel?
by Graeme McMillan at io9
Now that we know that Christopher Nolan’s third Batman movie is getting underway, rumors about the choice of villain and plot are beginning to trickle online. Surprisingly, they don’t seem entirely impossible…
According to an anonymous source to ComicBookMovie.com, the third movie will feature not only the Riddler as the main villain – figuring out Batman’s secret identity, in a move swiped from the comics – but also cameos from other villains within Arkham Asylum, as well as appearances by Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson and mentions of Lex Luthor and Metropolis, setting up a cross-continuity with any future Superman movie.
Ignoring the fact that Barbara Gordon would be too young to be Batgirl in the movie continuity, all of this seems potentially legit, especially considering that The Dark Knight featured villain cameos, Nolan is overseeing a Superman movie reboot and the non-powered-but-mentally-troubled Riddler seems a particularly strong choice for villain.
Read More here.
Penelope Cruz eyes ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ sequel
by Borys Kit at Heat Vision Blog
Penelope Cruz is in negotiations to join Johnny Depp and sail the seven seas in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth installment of the movie series being directed by Rob Marshall.
Depp is reprising his popular role of Captain Jack Sparrow, and while plot details are buried deeper than Blackbeard’s treasure, it is known the tale revolves around the Fountain of Youth.
Cruz’s character details are also being kept secret, though she is to be Sparrow’s foil and equal in many ways.
Read More here.
If I liked horror movies, I’d go see Shutter Island, the plot actually sounds good. I just don’t like being scared. And I think the Riddler would be a better choice than Catwoman for the next Batman movie, but the way the characters are adapted for Nolan’s version anyone might work.
What do you think about the new Batman villain ideas? Are you looking forward to the new Pirates movie?
