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The Art of Getting By: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:29:25 +0000

The Art of Getting By is yet another timely romantic comedy for all the recent high school graduates to help them realize that being 18 is hard for everyone. This film is not the first of its kind, but it is very well made, has a edge to it that sets it apart, and has an extremely strong cast that will keep you both laughing and engaged throughout the entire film.

The Players:

Director/Writer: Gavin Wiesen
Actors: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Sasha Spielberg, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ann Dowd, Maya Ri Sanchez, Blair Underwood
Original Music by: Alec Puro
Cinematography by: Ben Kutchins

The Plot:

George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

The Good:

Highmore: He’s the new Christian Slater, Robert Pattinson, Heath Ledger, Bud Cort, John Cusack, Skeet Ulrich of his time (hopefully I was able to get a teen crush for just about everyone in there). He’s not your typical leading man but he’s got that oddball charm that when given some clever lines and the right premise he’s able to shine. This film is perfect for him and he does an amazing job at tackling all the emotional challenges, subtle wit and embarrassing moments that every outcast out there can in some way relate to and feel for.
The Writing: Overall the story, though simple is very well organized, but it’s the sharp one liners that pop up every five or so minutes that make this film stand out. This is a film that relies on it’s audience having a sense of what’s come before it and while showing what’s happening doesn’t force anything down your throat – which is a refreshing rarity for this genre.
The Heart: At the bottom of it all, the film has an extremely strong heart that strikes a cord with its audiences makes you care for it and the characters. It’s hard to identify all the aspects that go into giving a film “heart” but this film undeniably has it in spades.

The Bad:

Not the First Time: Follows the usual plotlines for this kind of film and is predictable, but because it’s a fun enough ride I don’t think should deter most viewers. Plus, every teenager needs this kind of film to come out at the right time (didn’t everyone just graduate?) to help them remind them they’re not the only ones, they’re just like everyone else.
Alicia Silverston: She wasn’t bad! I just couldn’t help but wondering why she took such a small part? Was it bigger and it got cut? Was she helping a friend? I feel like someone lesser known would have been better, or beefing up her role would have made more sense.

Overall:

It’s not the first of this kind of movie, but it’s very well made and worth the time.

Rating: 7.5/10

The Art of Getting By will be released in theaters June 17th!

Photo Gallery:

Scream 4: Movie Review

Damon Houx — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 02:00:33 +0000

The gang’s all back together with some fresh blood for the fourth installment of the Scream franchise. So vets David Arquette, Courtney Cox, and Neve Campbell have Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Rory Culkin, Marielle Jaffe, Erik Knudson, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Marley Shelton and Nico Tortorella in the mix in the slasher/whodunnit franchise that helped bring horror back to the big screen. In the intervening years, there’s been entire ways of horror films, so the movie has to comment on that as well. Did they succeed? Find out more below…

The Players:

Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Kevin Williamson (uncredited on the film, but definitely involved: Erhen Kruger)
Stars: Anthony Anderson, David Arquette, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Rory Culkin, Marielle Jaffe, Erik Knudson, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Marley Shelton and Nico Tortorella

The Plot:

Sidney Prescott (Campbell) heads back home to start her book tour just as a new wave of killings happen that involve someone pulling the same phone and stabbing stunts as before. This reinvigorates Gail Weathers (Cox), who’s been married to Sheriff Dewey (Arquette) and hasn’t been able to figure out what to write next. Sidney stays with her Aunt (Mary McDonald) and Niece Jill (Roberts), and it turns out it’s Jill and her classmates who are to be the next victims of the Ghostface Killer.

The Good:

The Film is aware of its current place: Ten years have past since the last Scream film, and there’s been all those remakes and J-Horror and Torture Porn horror films. The film does have fun acknowledging their presence and how they’ve changed horror films.
The Familiarity: Though it’s been ten years, it is nice to see these familiar faces and how they’ve changed, and when the film focuses on its well established leads it’s enjoyable as a reunion tour sort of film.
The Ending: No spoilers, but what the film builds to is probably the best part about it, as it does have something to say about horror and the modern world.
Alison Brie: As a TV star of both “Mad Men” and “Community”, Brie’s character gets to say the word “fuck” an awful lot, and for someone who usually plays naive and chipper, it’s nice to hear her cuss like a sailor.

The Mixed:

The Violence: Though there’s some problems with this, Wes Craven is not one to shy away from necessary brutality, and a number of the kills have a visceral impact. Knife violence tends to facilitate that. But then one of the death scenes is protracted to the point of both inevitability and banality (there’s no English on the ball, it’s straight down the middle), and one death is punctuated by a terrible joke.
The Opening: The film sets up some mechanics that allow for a playful jab at the film’s ongoing tradition of a pre-credit murder, and some of it hits and some of it misses. But it also goes on to the point that when the point is finally reached it creates (what seems to be) an unintentional schism. By that point it’s hard to care about the violence on screen.

The Bad:

Character Development: It’s hard not to be curious if the collapse of Cox and Arquette’s marriage made it too difficult to play with their character’s relationship, or if it would be too distracting for the audience. Regardless, none of the returning cast members have anything left to do or prove. The closest the film comes is to give Gail a sense of renewed purpose when there’s a new set of killers, but the older characters feel grafted on to another script. The new characters come across as red meat or red herrings. Since it’s hard to care about most of them because we know it’s a Scream movie, by the end it’s only the murder mystery that keeps the story moving.
Doing It For the Money: And to that there seems to be little reason to have a new entry, or if there was one it wasn’t compelling in regards to the old cast members. Craven seems to find his point and purpose in talking about the modern world, but it reminds of a number of four films (like Alien: Resurrection, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or Lethal Weapon 4) that may be as good or slightly better than the last film (which often ended on a sour note for some), but come across as reunion tours where the only point is to see characters you like doing it again.
Cell Phones: Seriously, you made the joke in the last two movies that people have caller ID. With the way the world, cell phones and the internet has progressed that the film uses phones as it does over the course of the movie is flat-out insulting.

Overall:

There is a perfunctory quality to the film, but it was self-evident for a fourth film coming out ten years after the fact. If you accept going in that this is more mercenary than artistic, there’s fun to be had in the constant name checking of other franchises, and the developments of horror over that decade, even if the film has some slow spots. While there are interesting characters in the first three movies, this feels washed out in comparison. Ultimately the first film didn’t need sequels, and where all three have their pluses and minuses, none deserve to be put in the same class as the first film. That’s just as true about this movie as the others.

Rating: 6/10

Scream 4 hits theaters April 15.

Interview: Anthony Anderson, Rory Culkin, Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts on Scream 4

Damon Houx — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:00:12 +0000

With every slasher, there’s got to be fresh meat, and for Scream 4, there’s a ton of new kids to run around and get scared of the Ghostface killer. Four of the possible victims and/or murderers (because it could be anyone) talked about their roles in the Scream Franchise, and the franchise itself. For Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin and Anthony Anderson, all grew up with the original films and the original cast.

History with the franchise

Did you watch the whole “Scream” series or have you watched the first one? And what did you think when you were offered this role?

Anthony Anderson: I grew up watching this franchise and it’s probably a trivia question, but I spoofed this movie in Scary Movie 3 and 4 and now I’m a part of the franchise that I spoofed. So I think that there should be a Scary Movie 5 that I should be a part of now. This franchise was fun to be part of and to watch growing up. The way Wes Craven tells the stories and how he intertwines the horror with humor – I think that’s what really separates this franchise of horror film from the others. What do you guys think?

Emma Roberts: I was obviously too young to ever see it when it came out in theaters. But it was one of those movies where when I was a teenager all of my friends were obsessed with watching scary movies and I remember thinking this was probably the scariest, because this is the most real, the most plausible and that’s why it’s so freaky. When a phone rings you’re kind of freaked out and when you see those big glass windows – you know what I’m talking about – it’s scary. So it was definitely creepy.

Rory Culkin: I saw the first one when I was eight years old. I was scarred for a little while and then after I got this part I watched it and it’s all pretty solid. It’s not dated but it says a lot about its time.

Hayden Panettiere: Well I was seven when I came out so I waited a little bit later in life to experience Scream. It was something I was a big fan of. It’s got that Halloween aspect of the masked person but at the same time it’s got this realistic aspect of somebody — the fear of somebody breaking into your house. That’s a terrifying thing but it was a great experience.

How was it like working with the original trio?

ER: We were in Michigan for three months so we all got to bond and hang out. I would say we had a lot of time together.

RC: They were in our position fifteen years earlier so they understood where we were coming from.

HP: It’s always a little bit nerve-wracking when you come into a family. It was something that was established. They’ve been through so much together and they’ve made these films together. You really have to tread lightly on that, have respect for that and find your way into that group, where you fit in. They were great with that. They really had an interest in knowing us and including us. They really made that effort and it really made it a great experience.

AA: They’re all fossil-like. They’re old, we’re the new generation of the Scream franchise. They’re just tired, old and bitter (laughs). It was great working with these guys. David Arquette, Courtney Cox and I have been friends for thirteen, fourteen years now. David and I have worked together in the past so it was great to finally work together with him in a franchise that I grew up watching, spoofed, parodied and one that I enjoy. We bonded. Neve (Campbell) would rent out a lake house and we’d be out there for three, four days at a time having wonderful hikes and barbecues.

HP: Oh, I know how their barbecues went. It was more like flames than a barbecue.

AA: You need the fire, you need the fire!

HP: I still have those burns!

AA: David (Arquette) put some gasoline on the fire pit–

HP: In the middle of our photo shoot! You didn’t seem too disturbed by it. You were like “I am man! I make fire!”

AA: And you ate our meat!

The film

You experience a lot of action in this movie, a lot of physical stuff. Are you considering more physical roles in the future?

ER: I’d love to. I’m not very athletic. I always played girl sports, I was never a big sports person, so it was difficult because I was never able to run convincingly. I had to learn that in this movie.

Rory, how much of a cinepile or a movie buff are you?

RC: Yeah, I tried to go back and watch all of Wes’ films. Does Wes Craven exist in the Scream world? Because all of his movies do.

Hayden, your character is very spunky and fearless, how similar are you to her?

HP: Well I’d like to think of myself as those things but it goes both ways. I was drawn to her because she’s not like anything I’ve ever played before. She’s dry, sarcastic, got that tomboy aspect to her which I can relate to. But she’s a horror movie buff. which is not what you’d expect from her. It’s unexpected and clever.

How crazy was the lockdown on set?

ER: I read the script before I signed on to do the movie, but I had to go to Wes Craven’s house to read it. When we got our scripts all of us were scared because they were watermarked so if you lost it, it would say “Emma Roberts.” I was scared if mine got lost that it would all over the internet with my name on it. There were a couple of times where I was like “Do I shred them? What do I do?”

AA: Well I did lose mine, and I think that’s the reason why they never gave me the real script. I never really thought I had the real script because every time I would go home and study these lines I’d show up on set and they’d give me a complete new set of lines for the day. “This is not the shit you told me I was supposed to study for yesterday!” That’s how I knew they were pulling tricks on me at least.

ER: It was just him for the record. (Laughs)

Scaring People

There’s a difference between seeing Ghostface on the screen and then working with the guy in full costume. What was it like growing up with an iconic character and then him chasing you down in the scenes?

ER: Scary. I would get freaked out. Running away would get scary. There was a scene where I had to run up some stairs and he was catching up and I almost ate it because I was getting nervous. I was also in heels because I was too short. I’m 5’2 on a good day but I was 5’7 or 5’9 in the movie because I had shoes that weren’t ideal from running away from a serial killer.

HP: You know you’ve got the horror masks nowadays and a lot of them are very gruesome and they’ve got blood and scabs. There is something scary about that mask. It’s simple but even the painting that it’s based off is eerie. It gets you in a way that only the simplistic can make you scared.

Wes Craven tweeted during production that Ghostface scared you off-camera. So can you tell us about the experience and if anybody else got that?

HP: We were doing a scene in the bedroom, thinking Ghostface might be in the closet. You open the closet and he’s not there but then all of a sudden he was there and he wasn’t supposed to be. It was our prop guy, he scared me half to death, then disappeared. I didn’t see him until the next day. He said ” I wanted to come back but I felt so bad!” You try to front that you’re tough and then something jumps out of the closet and you scream.

AA: You know it’s funny because I’m the biggest and the baddest one on set, the loudest and the boisterous. Wes (Craven) did the same thing to me in the exact same scene. I had no idea that’s what he did to her. I’m upstairs in the bedroom of the house, going through the closet and nobody is supposed to be in there. I open up the door and I didn’t know the prop guy’s name but he jumped out in the mask with a knife and scared me shitless to the point of where I soiled myself.

HP: It reeked in the house for awhile.

AA: That’s when I found out Wes does have a sense of humor. He’s a cool dude to work with and for. I didn’t know what to expect, given some of his earlier works, I grew up with The Last House on the Left and his early stuff. To get to opportunity to work with him “Okay, how is he really going to be on set?” I was expecting this weirdo creep and I got a weirdo and a creep but in a great way. Wes is the uncle and the grandfather you want reading bedtime stories to your kids. It was fun to see him in that way and to work with him.

HP: It was interesting because Wes is kind of shy. He’s quiet and then you get to know his sense of humor, and he comes out with all of these one-liners. “Dude, that was really funny.” He makes you feel very comfortable to try different things and throw different things at you. And when you get into something that’s so established like the Scream franchise, sometimes when you step out the box you get nervous to try your own thing. You’re waiting for somebody to escort you down this path and tell you how it’s done. What’s amazing too is the little nuances that go into making a horror movie, things that you don’t even think about doing. Wes would come up and say “Add a little jump there. This slams, add a little jump.” It doesn’t feel right to you, but when it’s all pieced together it’s just such a big part of how the audience can come with you on this journey and feel what the characters are feeling.

So have you ever been in a situation where you were with some friends at night and then somebody gets a mysterious phone call? Or you’re watching a scary movie and–

ER: No, my friends keep calling me doing the voice and saying “What’s your favorite scary movie?” And as much as I know it’s a joke I can’t help but be looking over my shoulder a little bit because it’s creepy.

How easy or hard of a scare are you guys when you’re watching scary movies in your real life. Is it hard to scare you or very easy?

ER: I’m really easily scared. I was covering my eyes through most of Scream 4 and I was in the movie. I saw it with my mom and she said “Honey, I love you but I have to step out for a minute I’m too scared with this.” I said “You’re too scared? It’s me!” and she said “It’s just scary.” I was sitting next to a bunch of people and we were all in our seats with our knees up.

Have any of you successfully scared the living shit out of someone else?

ER: I have a little brother, that’s a given. And vice-versa, I got it back when he got older.

RC: When I was younger I had a Ghostface mask and I stood in my sister’s room in the corner for half an hour before she saw me in the reflection behind her and she freaked out. She was slapping me and I was like “Oh I’m sorry!”

HP: It’s dangerous. It’s dangerous to scare someone. You never know because you see some of those “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and this guy pops up on the porch and the guy just nails him in the face. He’s apologizing afterwards but it’s never a good idea to scare some people.

ER: I’m not really good at scaring other people but I get scared so easily. I got scared on set. I mean my sister is ten and she scares me with stupid things like fake spiders so I’m really–

AA: None for me. I grew up in an area where if you screamed to try and scare someone you got your ass whooped. You know, just reflex so we didn’t play those games.

Scream 4 opens April 15. Check it out.

New Scream 4 Photos Show a Scared Emma Roberts

Krystal Clark — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:00:38 +0000

Are you ready to scream like you’ve never screamed before? That’s the question that Ghostface might be asking Emma Roberts in the above photo. Judging from her reaction she doesn’t want to play his infamous, “What’s your favorite scary movie” game. In promotion of Scream 4, the latest installment in the Wes Craven directed horror saga, two new photos from the film have been released. One of Roberts and another of David Arquette and Courteney Cox, check it out…

We’re totally confused as to why this image looks as if was taken out of Scream 1 or 2. Why is Dewey wearing the same uniform? After all he’s been through, is he still a deputy? In Scream 3 he had taken a break from the police force, but obviously he’s back in the game, and as a survivor of the infamous Ghostface you’d think that would get him some points in terms of rank.

Maybe the outfit is supposed to throw us off? As for Gail, she looks like…Gail. She’s pent up and ready for her latest scoop aka pay day.

Scream 4 is scheduled to hit theaters on April 15.

What do you think of the latest photos from Scream 4? Are you interested in seeing the sequel?

Neil Patrick Harris Making Directorial Debut With Aaron and Sarah

Krystal Clark — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:22:24 +0000

Neil Patrick Harris has done it all. He’s done film, television, Broadway, he’s hosted two major award shows, and now he wants to direct. We’re not talking about an episode of “How I Met Your Mother,” we’re talking about a feature film. According to THR, Harris is ready to take the big leap in his career by directing his first movie, a comedy called Aaron and Sarah.

Aaron and Sarah is an indie romantic comedy that centers on “a geeky guy and a popular girl who become friends as freshmen in high school and see their relationship deepen through the four years, four proms and one funeral before graduation.” The two lead roles will be played by Emma Roberts and Josh Hutcherson respectively.

The screenplay for the film was written by Chad Gomez Creasey and Dara Resnik Creasey and was previously titled B.F.F. Several directors have been attached to the project including David O. Russell and Joe Nussbaum before him. Harris has experience directing both television and stage productions so it will be interesting to see him make the transition into film.

The premise of the film sounds sweet. It has a touch of Four Weddings and a Funeral but without Hugh Grant.

What do you think of Aaron and Sarah for Harris’ directorial debut?

It’s Kind Of A Funny Story: Movie Review

Justine JC — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:40:44 +0000

Most 16 year-olds are plagued by the slings and arrows of adolescent angst – few of those 16 year-olds will voluntarily admit themselves into a psych ward. Both adapted and directed by filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, It’s Kind Of A Funny Story stars Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, and Viola Davis and opens nationwide this weekend.

Check out the review below…

The Players:

Writers/Directors: Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden
Novel: Ned Vizzini
Producers: Kevin Misher, Ben Browning
Editor: Anna Boden
Cast: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Viola Davis

The Plot:

It’s 5 a.m. in Brooklyn when 16 year-old Craig (Gilchrist) checks himself into Argenon Hospital and is quickly admitted by a psychiatrist (Davis) for five days. The youth ward is temporarily closed for construction so he’s stuck in the adult ward with a wide range of lunatics, including Bobby (Galifianakis) and Noelle (Roberts). Craig’s brief taste of the cuckoo’s nest inspires unexpected friendships and encourages him to keep his “problems” in perspective.

The Good:

Universal Appeal: Craig, a teenager, is the central focus of the film. But the film’s message resonates with a wider age demographic because everyone relates to a rocky adolescence in some capacity. The movie, quite poignantly, speaks to your inner teen – the anxiety, the awkwardness, the pressure to fit in, the journey of self-identity, etc. Craig’s story, without a doubt, will activate memories of your high school experience.
Humor: It takes a combination of good writing, acting and directing to couple humor and drama in the same scene without one angle diminishing or upstaging the other. We ultimately find that Craig is troubled, yes, but he mistakes his “extreme depression” for fairly standard adolescent anguish. The people he’s surrounded by in the psych ward, however, are legitimately suffering. When these characters (specifically Bobby and Noelle) disclose their respective “disorders” we sympathize appropriately. But both characters toss in a bit sarcasm or silliness that lightens the weight of their situations – the whole “laughing while crying” concept that many filmmakers aim for but few really nail. Overall, these moments reemphasize a major theme of the film: to work with your circumstances and make the best of a bad situation.
Zach Galifianakis: He’s his usual hilarious self, fear not – but he has a number of super dramatic moments. And he nails them. Who knew the guy had such emotional range? Bravo.

The Bad:

I’m racking my brain – but I have no solid, negative commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

Overall:

It’s a very family-style film, spiked with great humor and relevant themes.

Rating: 8/10

It’s Kind of a Funny Story will be in theaters October 8th!

Photo Gallery:

Are you excited to see Galifianakis in the lead?

No Mary Jane in Spider-Man Reboot?

Krystal Clark — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:04:43 +0000

Now that everyone has settled into the idea of Andrew Garfield being the next Peter Parker, it’s time to find his leading lady. According to THR, a shortlist of actresses has been released by Sony but they’re not up for the role of Mary Jane, they’re competing to play a new love interest! Does this mean that we saw the last of the character with Kirsten Dunst? What a terrible way to go out. Here’s the rundown…

Apparently a group of actresses have been meeting with director Marc Webb and star Garfield for a top secret role. If they’re not auditioning for Mary Jane the next obvious choice would be Gwen Stacy who made an appearance in 2007′s Spider-Man 3 and was played by Bryce Dallas Howard. There’s also the option of Felicia Hardy, a beautiful blond who moonlights as The Black Cat. We’re not sure what direction they’re going in but here are the women who’ve caught their eye.

Emma Roberts – has twice flown from the set of Scream 4 for readings.
Teresa Palmer – is currently shooting I Am Number Four and was the romantic lead in this summer’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Imogen Poots – s currently shooting the Fright Night remake.
Lily Collins – appeared in The Blind Side last year and will be seen in Priest.
Ophelia Lovibond – a British up-and-comer who appeared in Nowhere Boy and 4.3.2.1 and recently wrapped William Monahan’s London Boulevard

Out of this bunch Roberts immediately sticks out like a sore thumb and not in a good way. Even though she is young and can pull off the whole high school vibe that Webb is going for she wouldn’t fit in with Garfield. I could see Palmer in the role of Hardy or maybe even Gwen Stacy, the others not so much. This is a hard call to make considering we don’t really know what character their fighting to play. What do you think?

Who do you think should play Spidey’s love interest in the reboot?

Chace Crawford in Twelve Trailer

Krystal Clark — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:15:06 +0000

“Gossip Girl” star Chace Crawford is getting some indie cred as the lead in the drug-infused drama, Twelve. The movie is directed by Joel Schumacher and co-stars Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, Curtis “5o Cent” Jackson, and a creepy narration by Kiefer Sutherland (Read our Sundance review). Check out the trailer…

Movie Trailers – Movies Blog

Twelve is based on a novel by Nick McDonell and chronicles the life of a privileged urban teen living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (“Gossip Girl”?). The film centers on White Mike, a high school drop out who sells drugs to his peers and has his world turned upside down when his cousin is murdered.

This looks like another urban drama about pretty problems with ugly problems. The premise and the original material seems interesting enough but there’s no gut reaction that makes me want to see it. Schumacher is typically hit or miss when it comes to his films and it’s hard to see this one come out on top. If nothing else, it has a few promising actors in the primary roles but other than that “meh.”

Twelve hits theaters on theaters on July 30, 2010.

What do you think of the trailer for Twelve?

Source: MTV

Emma Roberts Cast in Scream 4

Krystal Clark — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:07:40 +0000

Last week there was a lot of buzz surrounding the fourth film in the Scream franchise thanks to the addition of Twilight’s Ashley Greene, “Heroes” Hayden Panetierre, and Rory Culkin. Now according to a report from EW, Emma Roberts has also signed on to star in the sequel. Previously, we learned that Greene was cast as Jill, Sidney Prescott’s cousin and the new heroine in the series, which isn’t entirely true…

It turns out that THR’s claim that Greene would star as Jill was just speculation. That role will go to Roberts instead who will headline the new cast. This decision makes more sense because Culkin is supposed to star as her love interest and not only are they closer in age but they previously worked together in 2008′s Lymelife.

“I’m so excited to be part of this ground-breaking franchise,” says Roberts, who’s best known for playing Nancy Drew and last year’s Hotel for Dogs. “It’s the perfect opportunity for me to do something completely different than I’ve ever done before.” Producer Wes Craven adds, “Emma’s talent, beauty, and range will add immensely to the sophistication, intensity, and fun of the Scream franchise as it returns to the screen once more.”

It looks like they went the route of actually hiring a teenager to play…a teenager, which is refreshing to see. The original main actors from the first three movies, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, are all reprising their roles in Scream 4 to kick-start another trilogy that will be led by the newbies.

The film is set to begin production next month in Michigan and is scheduled to hit theaters on April 15, 2011.

What do you think about Roberts being the new Scream lead?

Sundance 2010: Twelve Review

Brendan Walsh — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:08:36 +0000

It’s been extremely difficult to be critical of the films screened at Sundance this year. Given the offbeat nature of an overwhelming majority of the films, the fact that they were able to even get made is a bit of a marvel. Yet the talent and craftsmanship exhibited has been of such high caliber, that it seemed practically anomalous. Surely not EVERY film at the festival can be so great, right? Enter Joel Schumacher’s Twelve, starring Chase Crawford, Emma Roberts, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Vapid and pointless, it is downright shocking that this film would even be accepted to Sundance, let alone be the festivals closing premiere. Chalk up yet another loss for Mr. Schumacher. For more outrage, check out the review after the jump…

Twelve, based on the book written by Nick McDonell when he was 17 years old, is the story of a community of privileged teenagers from New York’s upper east side, coming home from their posh boarding schools for spring break to get into the kind of trouble that only rich white kids can: partying, sex, and drugs. With no parental involvement, things spin further out of control, and none of them realize just how out of their depth they really are.

The story revolves around prep school dropout turned drug dealer Mike, known to everyone as White Mike (Chace Crawford). After the loss of his mother to breast cancer, and with no sort of ambition, White Mike aimlessly wanders Manhattan, selling weed to his peers who have too much money and not enough responsibility. Because he neither drinks nor does drugs, he is able to remain in control in a way they can’t, but remains at a distance from the apparent fun they all seem to have. However, these kids are easily bored, and when an extremely addictive new designer drug called Twelve hits the market, it takes them all down a road more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.

The film features an ensemble cast of about a dozen gorgeous, up and coming teenagers. They are all very likely talented, but with maybe two exceptions, are stuck in roles that are so positively cliché and uninteresting that they hardly seem worth paying attention to. Each character is so despicably loathsome that there is absolutely no reason to remain involved in any aspect of the story. Even the adults in the film (Ellen Barkin in one brief scene, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson doing exactly what you’d expect), whose characters hold most of the influence over the events in the film, are so bland that they aren’t worthy of any real regard.

The palpable ennui exuded by all the characters is eye-rollingly unjustifiable. One character even admits it, when he says “I think if I met myself, I would hate me.” This might be a touchingly vulnerable confession, but the issue is glossed over and ignored thenceforth. It is next to impossible to find any kind of sympathy for people who have the whole world handed to them and refuse to do anything with their opportunity but pour it down the drain.

Between the wardrobe, locations, and lighting design, and barely legal cheesecake, the film is about just barely stylish enough to be visually stimulating. However, this is most definitely not enough to sustain interest through the mere 90-minute runtime of this film. The decisions made throughout are so patently stupid that it’s exhausting to endure. If the film owned up to the fact that it were actually about what happens when parents ignore their duties to their children, it may have been slightly more engaging. Instead it just feels like a very special episode of Gossip Girl, right down the narration peppered throughout the film, explicating the elements of the story which the filmmakers and actors were apparently unable to convey. In a world where materialism trumps humanity, and no one actually accomplishes anything, audiences are not given one single reason to enjoy this film, and Twelve is a complete waste of time.

Rating: 2/10

Valentine’s Day Teaser Trailer

Krystal Clark — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:45:08 +0000

A teaser trailer has been released for the He’s Just Not That Into You themed comedy, Valentine’s Day. The film has an ensemble cast that includes Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Emma Roberts, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, and Shirley MacLaine. The film centers on the love stories of various couples and singles in the Los Angeles trying to cope with the anxiety and pressure that comes along with Valentine’s Day.

Out of this entire cast there are only a few actors that I can actually tolerate onscreen, but for the most part the talent is lacking. This appears to be a typical romantic comedy that may fall in line with another upcoming ensemble piece, New York, I Love You. Valentine’s Day is directed by Garry Marshall, which makes it even worse because he’s a talented filmmaker who deserves so much better than this mediocre material. I’m not impressed.

What do you think about the teaser trailer for Valentine’s Day?

Zach Galifianakis Set for Funny Story

Krystal Clark — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:35:42 +0000

Funny man Zach Galifianakis has signed on to star in another project according to Yahoo. The Hangover actor is set to join Emma Roberts in the coming of age comedy-drama, It’s Kind of a Funny Story. The film will be brought to us by the same team who were behind the 2006 critical hit, Half Nelson.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is based on a novel by Ned Vizzini, and centers on a 15 year old boy who’s battling depression. He checks himself into a psychiatric hospital, but realizes it’s a institution for adults. He soon develops relationships with the older patients as well as a girl his own age. The teenage girl in question will be portrayed by Emma Roberts. Even though this film will have some comedic elements, it will be a slight dramatic turn for Galifianakis, who’s taken on a string off comedies as of late.

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden wrote the script that was adapted from the novel, and will also serve as directors on the film. Funny Story will be independently financed by Focus Features, and production should begin some time later this year. I wonder if Galifianakis will pull a Robin Williams, and randomly start pulling off really good dramatic performances? Could this be the beginning of that?

What do you think about Zach Galifianakis joining It’s Kind of a Funny Story?

ScreenCrave.com » Emma Roberts

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