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19 articles from 2009

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Blu-ray Review: My Sister's Keeper

29 November 2009 3:16 PM, PST | BuzzFocus.com | See recent BuzzFocus.com news »

Recently arriving on Blu-ray just in time to tug at your heart strings for the holidays is My Sister's Keeper. Directed by Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, John Q) and with solid performances by Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva, the movie is an intriguing, but sad tale of one family's battle to stay together amidst a long fight with a rare form of cancer. Keeper is based on the successful novel by Jodi Picoult and follows the Fitzgerald family, which is being torn apart by the eldest daughter's lifelong struggle with a deadly form of leukemia. The youngest daughter Anna (Breslin) is conceived deliberately to be a genetic match and bone marrow donor for her sick sister. Years later, after many intrusive and painful donor operations, Anna decides to sue her parents (Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric) for medical emancipation to prevent herself from being her sister's kidney donor. With that …

- Alexis James-Whitehead

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Hollywood and the Art of the Lowest Common Denominator

13 November 2009 9:20 PM, PST | CinemaSpy | See recent CinemaSpy news »

Seems like every film you go see these days at the Megamovieplex has a number in the title. Metal-morpho-robo-bashers VI, Hackslashstab  IV, Radioactive Caribou Man 12.5...and so on. The word franchise is as telling as any about the present state of filmmaking. In the past the word franchise used to be synonymous with fast food chain restaurants (often characterized with anthropomorphic cows, chickens, and pigs encouraging you to tuck into their various succulent body parts) but in recent years has come to include any sufficiently popular property that can be exploited over and over again. Remade. Re-imagined. Rebooted. Re-cycled.

Regurgitated.

Why be original, when you can make as much money shilling the same old sh*t in a shiny new package?

Comic book properties (and now, the latest Hollywood trend, board games) are ideal in that they come with a built-in recognition factor and thus come pre-publicized. No matter how bad the final product is, …

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Harrison Ford's Extraordinary Measures Trailer Will Upset You

11 November 2009 2:07 PM, PST | cinemablend.com | See recent Cinema Blend news »

On Tuesday Josh put up the new poster for Extraordinary Measures, starring Harrison Ford and Brendon Fraiser and called it Han Solo's funeral. Unfortunately, the new trailer is simply the engraving on his headstone. The film centers on a father, played by Fraser, who, after finding out his children have an incurable genetic disorder, seeks out the help of a scientist (Ford), who he hopes can help cure his children. Think John Q without the gun. What you really take away from the trailer is simply that Harrison Ford can't do it anymore. I grew up watching him fight the Empire, Nazis, Colombian drug lords and Russian terrorists, and now even Kerri Russell has a hard time believing that he can do his job. Check out the trailer embedded below or in HD over at Yahoo!. …

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Discuss: Why Did Couples Retreat Do So Well?

12 October 2009 12:05 PM, PDT | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »

It's no surprise that Couples Retreat was... not good. And we now know (thanks to this week's Reject Report) that it won the weekend box office with $35 mil. So, what gives? Perhaps it was treating the press to an all-expenses paid trip to a tropical paradise for the media junket? Perhaps critics don't know squat about movies that John Q Public deem worth their money? Perhaps it was the only thing opening this weekend? Perhaps Kristin Davis's fanbase is larger and more rabid than you'd think? Perhaps we're missing something here? The Fans I've been wracking my brain, and I can't figure it out. In a perfect world, this movie succeeded because it's a good movie. It's not, and the world sucks. So, that's out. My next idea was that, in some respects, it has a pretty strong cast. Or, at least, a cast of people with some hard-core fans. So …

- Bethany Perryman

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Enemy of the Horror Business, Honest Scrap, & The Cyber-Horror Elite!

16 August 2009 10:55 PM, PDT | Fangoria | See recent Fangoria news »

First off I need to to a little bit of housekeeping here. I've been neglecting my blog section lately, and for that I apologize. It's been a busy time here in Fangoland, and in my personal life. My wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world last Friday, and while I was away for that a few cool things went down in the horror world - both courtesy of The Vault of Horror.

Regular visitors to Fangoria.com might recall a storm set off last November when fellow blogger Brian Matus aka Hellstorm posted a response to a list of films put out under The Vault's "Cyber-horror Elite" banner. Over the course of a few more installments of Brian's Raising Hell column, he took on said "elite" on a few more issues.

Now, by some strange cosmic alignment or wicked turn of events, I have been invited by Brian Solomon, …

- no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)

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Sdcc '09: Saturday Horror

19 July 2009 2:25 AM, PDT | Fangoria | See recent Fangoria news »

The 2009 Edition of Comic-Con gets underway this week at the San Diego Convention Center, promising the biggest pop-culture event of the year.

Fangoria will be there reporting on the action live from the show floor, with constant updates on all the genre panels, announcements, and more - bringing all the latest Sdcc '09 Horror News direct to you right here on Fangoria.com

For those of you planning to attend the 100% Sold-out show, here's a look at what to expect for genre programming on Saturday, July 25th, 2009.

10:00-11:00 Idw: Angel on the Rise— With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall …

- no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)

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San Diego Comic Con 2009 - Saturday Schedule

11 July 2009 7:16 PM, PDT | DreadCentral.com | See recent Dread Central news »

While it may seem as if a lot of the "big name" genre projects showing off their wares at 2009's San Diego Comic-Con have favored the front end of the show's run, the last two days are pretty chock full of panels and screenings as well. Here's a rundown of Saturday's schedule for those of you sniffing out the horror goods.

Saturday, July 25

10:00-11:00 - Idw: Angel on the Rise — With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall), Peter David (Fallen Angel), plus the reveal of the all-new monthly Angelwriter and more! Room 7Ab

10:15-11:15 - Eastwick Pilot Screening and …

- The Woman In Black

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San Diego Comic-Con Schedule: Saturday, July 25

11 July 2009 2:40 PM, PDT | ScreenRant.com | See recent Screen Rant news »

The following information focuses on the 2009 Comic-Con schedule that is set for Saturday, July 25th. It’s not a full schedule - it only highlights TV and movie related panels and events.

Highlights for Saturday include Lost, Fringe, a screening of the pilot episode of ABC’s V, a first look at Heroes: Redemption, 2012 and a little film coming out next year you may have heard of: Iron Man 2.

 

10:00-11:00

Marvel: “Hero Up” with The Super Hero Squad Show!— Marvel’s first action-comedy series is a manic, mind-blowing, all-ages romp through the Marvel Universe. Coming to Cartoon Network in September, the animated show is loaded with superstar voice talent. Several of the actors will preview their characters in a live performance: Tom Kenny (Spongebob) as Iron Man and Modok, Charlie Adler (Cow and Chicken, Transformers features) as Dr. Doom, Steve Blum (Wolverine and the X-Men) as Wolverine, …

- Vic Holtreman

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My Sister’s Keeper (review)

26 June 2009 8:36 AM, PDT | www.flickfilosopher.com | See recent FlickFilosopher news »

There came a point, deep into the melodramatic morass of My Sister’s Keeper, when it suddenly struck me: Cancer, the way most films deploy this Big Scary Thing, is pretty much the same as the Empire State Building or the White House getting blown up... by a fleet of invading aliens... while the beloved war-hero President escapes in the nick of time. And director Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, John Q) is the Michael Bay of chick flicks. Subtlety? Not only not necessary: not desirable. Guys want to see armies of giant extraterrestrial robots battling it out with U.S. army tanks in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Chicks want to see sad-faced little girls with sallow eyes and bald heads frolicking in slo-mo on the beach as they come to terms with the fact that they’re going to die too, too young. I’m exaggerating, of course: …

- MaryAnn Johanson

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My Sister’s Keeper – Michael’s Take

26 June 2009 4:54 AM, PDT | Atomic Popcorn | See recent Atomic Popcorn news »

I confess myself disappointed.  Alright, I never had high hopes for “My Sister’s Keeper” in the first place, but nonetheless I sucked it up and went into the movie expecting a decent movie regardless.  You could say I’m disappointed because there were moments during the movie that actually showed potential and served as windows that peeked into a better movie, but alas those moments are few and far between.  For the most part, what turned me off was the fact that the screenplay seemed to value manipulating your emotions to make you cry, rather than letting the material do that naturally.

“My Sister’s Keeper”, co-written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, revolves around a suburban family whose oldest daughter Kate is in the late stages of leukemia.  Abigail Breslin plays Anna Fitzgerald, the younger daughter who was conceived as a donor child, one who would provide Kate with …

- Michael

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Nick Cassavetes Interview, My Sisters Keeper

23 June 2009 8:00 PM, PDT | MoviesOnline.ca | See recent MoviesOnline news »

Nick Cassavetes strives to create personal films marked by narrative authenticity and universal resonance while remaining true to his independent roots. He recently wrote and directed the gritty drama "Alpha Dog," based on a true story and starring Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake and Emile Hirsch. Cassavetes also directed the hit romantic drama "The Notebook," based on the bestselling Nicholas Sparks novel and starring Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner and Gena Rowlands. Prior to that the director helmed "John Q.," starring Denzel Washington, and "She's So Lovely," the only film to …

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Weekend Report: Lush 'Hangover,' 'Up' Linger Over Typical 'Taking'

15 June 2009 1:23 PM, PDT | Box Office Mojo | See recent BoxOfficeMojo.com news »

The good times continued to roll for The Hangover and Up, though not so much for the new movies and the box office as a whole. Hangover kept its buzz going with $32.8 million, while Up maintained its slow descent with $30.8 million. While those pictures were bustling, overall business was down 24 percent from the same weekend last year and had the lowest attendance for the timeframe in over a decade. Imbibing an exceptional $104.8 million in ten days, The Hangover saw the smallest dip among nationwide releases, down 27 percent. The ribald comedy held better than Knocked Up at the same point, but not quite as well as Wedding Crashers. Regardless of the percentage drops, though, it's grossed significantly more than those pictures at the ten-day mark, even when adjusted for ticket price inflation, and has flown way above genre norms. Up eased 30 percent and its tally climbed to $187.4 million in 17 days, the …

- Brandon Gray

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my week at the movies: ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.,’ ‘My Sister’s Keeper,’ ‘Year One,’ ‘Humpday’

15 June 2009 8:59 AM, PDT | www.flickfilosopher.com | See recent FlickFilosopher news »

I saw a woman in Manhattan the other day completely covered, head to foot, in shapeless robes, with only the narrowest slit allowing her to see. Her husband was taking a picture of her in front of tourist attraction, and I thought, What’s the point of taking a picture of someone you can’t even see? The husband, of course, was half naked, wearing shorts and flip-flops and a short-sleeved shirt. It infuriated me to see her reduced to an unperson while he was free to dress as he pleased. So I’m primed for The Stoning of Soraya M. (opens in the U.S. on June 26; no U.K. release date has been announced), which looks certain to engage my rage. My Sister’s Keeper (opens in the U.S. and the U.K. on June 26) is a sure-to-be weepie about a little girl, conceived to be an …

- MaryAnn Johanson

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Box-Office Oracle: Jun. 12 - Jun. 14, 2009

11 June 2009 4:12 PM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »

#1 movie predicted correctly: 0 Weeks in a Row 1. Up In a photo finish, I ended up losing last weekend as Hangover slipped past Up. So I'm taking Up again, if only to prove I'm stubborn. Estimate: $30.2 million 2. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 I've put it right smack dab in the middle of John Q and Inside Man (per theater). It's not doing well on Rt, which means it probably won't win the word of mouth battle either. Estimate: $27.7 million 3. The Hangover Simple math is going to get it, even it's a solid film. It's in 550 less theaters (than Up), and people already came out in droves last weekend. So I'm giving it a 40% bleed, which is fantastic, but not enough to win the weekend. Estimate: $27.0 million 4. Land of the Lost A $100m dollar budget, and it's made $24m so far. So no, not ideal. Estimate: $9.0 million 5. Night at the Museum: Battle of …

- Laremy Legel

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500 Days of Joey & Zooey

17 April 2009 10:00 AM, PDT | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »

Nashville Film Festival ~ Day One

Nff chose well with their opening film. (500) Days of Summer = exuberant crowd pleaser. It's always so enjoyable to see smart comedies with an audience that actually laughs out loud repeatedly (critics screenings can be brutally quiet). The audience was totally with the movie and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer's (Zooey Deschanel) difficult romance from start to finish. I was a little more tentative about falling for it. Within its first few minutes it threw four things at me that I am completely allergic to: omniscient narrator, precocious child as wizened soul, men vs. women ('they're different!') jokes, and chronology jumbling. I didn't even sneeze. It won me over.

It's 'Zooooey'

I predict big things at the box office. I'm not suggesting it's going to be Juno-sized but I'm guessing it shouldn't have a problem entering that Tyler Perry zone -- $40ish? Or maybe even …

- NATHANIEL R

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This Week on DVD: Yes Man, Doubt, The Day The Earth Stood Still

7 April 2009 9:33 AM, PDT | FilmJunk | See recent FilmJunk news »

An Oscar-nominated film, new comedies from Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler, and a mediocre Keanu Reeves sci-fi remake... that pretty much sums up this week's DVD releases. If you ask me, you'll probably want to save your money, although I wouldn't mind seeing I.O.U.S.A. (a pretty timely documentary from the director of Wordplay) and I've heard good things about Donkey Punch. There's also a 3-disc collector's edition release of No Country for Old Men out this week, plus Tango & Cash on Blu-ray. Doubt [1] (DVD, Blu-ray [2]) Yes Man [3] (DVD, Blu-ray [4]) The Day The Earth Stood Still [5] (DVD, Blu-ray [6]) Bedtime Stories [7] (DVD, Blu-ray [8]) The Tale of Despereaux [9] (DVD, Blu-ray [10]) Not Easily Broken [11] (DVD, Blu-ray [12]) Bricktown [13] (DVD, Blu-ray [14]) Donkey Punch [15] Shuttle [16] I.O.U.S.A. [17] Cleopatra: 75th Anniversary Edition [18] No Country for Old Men: Collector's Edition [19] (DVD, Blu-ray [20]) Beverly Hills: 90210: Season 7 [21] Max Fleischer's Superman: …

- Sean

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Aww Look At The Little Baby Elephants

24 March 2009 10:24 AM, PDT | cinemablend.com | See recent Cinema Blend news »

Nick Cassavetes has never been afraid to jump between genres as a director, from Denzel Washington's medical holdup John Q to the unbearably weepy The Notebook. But now he's taking on something way, way bigger-- elephant-size bigger. Cassavetes has signed on to direct Peaceable Kingdom, a drama based on the life of conservationist Dame Daphne Sheldrick, who has spent her life rescuing baby elephants in Kenya. Producer Cathy Shulman talked up the project to Variety, saying the movie is "all about the cycle of life and rebuilding families, both animal and human. It's also about the intertwining of people and animals." Peaceable Kingdom sounds like about the most boring title for a movie possible, but also soothing in a lullaby, oh-look-at-the-little-baby-elephants way. And who doesn't want to spend two hours watching elephants live their lives peacefully, and a good woman helping save them? If screenwriter Jeff Stockwell can inject …

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Cassavetes to helm "Peaceable Kingdom" for New Line Cinema

24 March 2009 | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »

Nick Cassavetes will direct New Line Cinema's "Peaceable Kingdom" drama.   The story is based on the true life and work of Dame Daphne Sheldrick, a leading animal conservationist in Kenya. She devoted her life to preventing elephant extinction by saving orphaned baby elephants who were left alone from the effects of poaching, culling and war.   Mandalay Pictures' Cathy Schulman and Peter Guber will be producing. An early fall start date in Kenya is anticipated.   Cassavetes past directorial credits include "John Q," "The Notebook" and "Alpha Dog." His upcoming credits include "My Sister's Keeper" starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail BReslin, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack, Thomas Dekker and Jason Patric.     …

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Cassavetes to enter 'Peaceable Kingdom'

23 March 2009 8:51 PM, PDT | screeninglog.com | See recent screeninglog news »

Nick Cassavetes, helmer of the acclaimed romantic drama "The Notebook," is set to direct New Line Cinema's upcoming drama "Peaceable Kingdom."

According to Variety, the film is based on the life and career of Dame Daphne Sheldrick, an animal conservationist in Kenya who spent most of her life fighting against elephant extinction.

Jeff Stockwell, the guy behind the decent "Bridge to Terabithia," wrote the script. Producer Cathy Schulman told Variety she hopes "Kingdom" will be a "four-quadrant family film."

Cassavetes' directing credits also include "John Q," a thriller I mildly enjoyed. He also helmed "Alpha Dog," a rather intriguing drama based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood. The filmmaker most recently finished "My Sister's Keeper," due in theaters June 26, 2009.

For more information about Dame Daphne Sheldrick, check out this Web site. …

- Franck Tabouring

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2009 | 2008 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

19 articles from 2009

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