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Every Day: Movie Review

Ruffus — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:40:55 +0000

Are you in the mood for a film about average folks, with average problems that are amplified on the big screen? If your answer is yes, then you’ll probably be in the mood for Every Day. It’s a dramedy from writer-director Richard Levine that centers on the ups and downs of an every day family. These people could be your neighbors, your friends, they could even be you!

Check out the review…

The Players:

Director: Richard Levine
Screenwriter: Richard Levine
Cast: Carla Gugino, Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehy, Eddie Izzard
Cinematography By: Nancy Schreiber

The Good:

Relatable Characters/Themes: These characters represent the “everyday” people – the people we know. There’s nothing remotely heightened or embellished about who they are as individuals or the conflicts they face. This movie has you nodding your head not because you agree with what’s on screen but because you genuinely feel for it.
Performances: Across the board they’re very honest, subtle performances by everyone – even the kids, which is rare.

The Good/Bad:

“Every Day:” It’s a perfect title for this film because it very much highlights an “every day” lifestyle among “every day” people. There is a “peak” in the story, but it doesn’t feel like your average climax. The movie feels more like a series of events stocked with your typical ups and downs. I appreciate this kind of story telling because it’s risky- why? Because making a movie without the exciting characters and dramatics reduces its commercial appeal. But, clearly this director was more committed to making something real that audiences could relate to.

The Bad:

Not Memorable: I’d like to think that normal characters and a normal story can still make for a memorable film. Unfortunately, Every Day just feels average. There is nothing particularly gripping about the story and more importantly, it doesn’t leave the audience with anything they’ll think about after leaving the theater.

Overall:

Every Day isn’t horrendous but it’s definitely not worth your money. Check out something else this weekend.

Rating: 5/10

Every Day opens in theaters January 14, 2011.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Are you interested in seeing Every Day?

Nicolas Cage Drops Out of Joel Schumacher’s Trespass

Krystal Clark — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:49:03 +0000

Nicolas Cage must be learning from his past mistakes because according to Deadline he’s bailed on a project with director Joel Schumacher. The film is called Trespass and the Oscar winning actor has abruptly dropped out and he’s not coming back. Neither Schumacher or Cage have had the best box office track record as of late and maybe just maybe, one of them realized that two wrongs don’t make a right.

Mike Fleming’s sources claim that Cage dropped out of Trespass last week and went on a vacation in the Bahamas. There’s no word on whether or not the deal was “pay or play” but he was set as one-half of a leading couple, with his counterpart being Nicole Kidman. They were set to play “a married couple taken hostage by thieves looking for an easy payday. Cage was going to play the husband, but within the last two weeks he switched and instead decided to play the leader of the kidnappers.”

Word on the street is that Liev Schreiber had been offered the husband role in lieu of Cage’s absence. Cage was going to score $7 million for his part in the film, which we’re surprised he bailed on considering his current box office clout. Will Trespass continue on? The fate of the film is up in the air but let’s look at this as a blessing in disguise.

What do you think of Cage ducking out of Trespass?

Comic-Con 2010: Why Was Salt Here?

Brendan Walsh — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 02:33:43 +0000

Come on, we’re all adults here at Comic-Con…well, except for the children…but they don’t count! But let’s be honest with each other, what was once the greatest party a nerd could attend has been hijacked by Hollywood so they can trot out whatever’s meant to be gobbled up by the 18-34 male demographic. But at least for the past few years it was to build hype for things that were still months away! Sony Pictures’ Salt opened the NIGHT of its panel! Is this publicity really going to give it the bump that will transform the film from the next in a series of action duds (I’m looking at you, Knight and Day)? Let’s discuss this, by which I mean “let me shout at you some more,” after the jump…Here at the San Diego convention center, Hall H is the big show as far as movies are concerned. It’s the largest capacity room, with about 6,500 seats, and it’s full of the people who are the most excited for whatever is being shown. For the last few years it’s simply become expected by Con-goers that whatever is on display here is going to be a huge deal, and the #1 A-List celebrities will be on hand to receive all screaming hysterics a studio could hope for.

But it seems there’s an awful lot of short sighted studio fare on the line-up this year, which is to say they’re not building anticipation for upcoming projects, so much as trying to bolster films with immediate releases. Salt is probably the worst offender. The marketing campaign for this film has plastered advertisements on any surface they can get the rights to for months now, asking us “Who is Salt,” as if we don’t already know. Trailers have been getting increasing airtime, showcasing the biggest stunts and action scenes in the film. It’s practically impossible not to know that there’s an Angelina Jolie spy flick coming out mid-summer. So why is it here at Comic-Con desperately trying to woo those extra 6,500 ticket buyers?

It’s probably the internet’s fault. There is a huge press and web presence at Comic-Con, with reporters from outlets that receive millions of page views to others which probably don’t amount to much more than a bi-monthly newsletter among friends. Pretty much anyone with a website can get a press pass, any publicity is good publicity, right? That notion, combined with social networking, must lead them to believe that as soon as they see the theatrical trailer (yet again), and half a glimpse at the lead actress (from about football field’s length away), the press and fans will race each other to internet to get the word out that “OMFG!!!1!1! SALT IS THE GOODZ!” And they might even be right. But that still doesn’t keep this movie from being out of place, with no relevance to the key interests of this particular audience.

What it all seems to boil down to is that Hollywood, stubborn as ever, is hedging their bets and keeping the old business model of “We know what you want better than you do.” They’re giving audiences stuff they’ve been conditioned to enjoy, rather than embracing the unique tastes of this particular group.

What do you think? We wrote another piece about the empty lines going into Hall H yesterday before Drive Angry 3D as well.

Have the studios taken this too far? Do films like Salt and/or films coming out the same day deserve a spot in Hall H?

Like what you read? For more fun, check out our top stories from Comic-Con…

Salt: Movie Review

JC — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:36:26 +0000

The inexplicability of Angelina Jolie‘s super-human existence is officially off the charts. Why? Because while she isn’t busy adopting half of the Third World, maintaining a position as a Goodwill Ambassador, and keeping Brad Pitt amused, she’s pulling off yet another bad-ass action film. This summer’s highly anticipated blockbuster, Salt, directed by Phillip Noyce could potentially stand toe-to-toe at the box-office with last weeks booming success, Inception.

Let’s take a closer look…

The Players:

Director: Phillip Noyce
Writer: Kurt Wimmer
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor

The Plot:

As a highly accomplished/respected CIA officer, Evelyn Salt is a diamond in the rough. On the evening of her anniversary, she’s called in for a last minute emergency cross examination of a Russian prisoner, and a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Without any solid explanation, Salt immediately takes off and initiates the goose-chase of the century to avoid disclosing the truth behind her identity.

The Good:

Pacing/Writing: First things first, round of applause for a 100-minute run-time. Salt wasted zero time and achieved its “bad-ass” quota quite deftly, and without the typical Action/Thriller fluff. The story unravels itself with gripping suspense, though with a certain grace and fluidity - the audience was captivated by the mystery, and not so eager for answers. We’re enjoying the twists and turns of Salt‘s anonymity.
Performances: Gold stars across the boards in this department. There was more than one occasion for cheesy, declarative (!) dialogue – though they were sufficiently overshadowed/saved by solid acting.
Ending: The story offers something of a “pay-off,” while still rendering the audience uncertain. Salt’s identity and “allegiance” is revealed, but there’s no definitive conclusion or outcome to her mission. Hellooo, sequel!

The Bad:

Eat Something: Yes, Ms. Jolie is a bad-ass. But let’s be frank, the viability of a 90-pound sack of bones scaling a 30-story building, bare-foot, with a dog in her back pack…or beating the ever-loving crap out of 90% of the secret service is pretty slim.
Chase Scenes: The chase scenes were well-executed and visually stirring, but indisputably unrealistic. This is an action-film, so exaggerated reality is almost a requirement – but, again, the likelihood of Ms. Jolie surviving explosions, car accidents, and machine guns is pretty dim.

Overall:

See it.

Rating: 6.5/10

Salt hits theaters on July 23rd.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Repo Men: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:45:56 +0000

This weekend Oscar nominee Jude Law and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker will both take a step out of their comfort zones to star in a sci-fi action flick. Repo Men is the big screen adaptation of the novel Repossession Mambo by Eric Garcia who also penned the screenplay. With such acclaimed material on their hands and the original author on board with the script, how did this film turn into a convoluted and detached mess?

Someone needs to “repo” Repo Men stat…

The Players:

Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writers: Eric Garcia (screenplay & novel), Garrett Lerner
Cast: Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Liev Schreiber, Alice Braga, Carice van Houten
Cinematography: Enrique Chediak
Music: Marco Beltrami

The Plot:

The film takes place in a future where vital organs needed for transplant patients can be bought on credit. On the surface it sounds like a great solution to a horrible problem right? Wrong! If you can’t continue the payments on your new found heart, lung, or kidney they will send the repo men to get you. In this case Jude Law and Forest Whitaker are two of the top guys in the repossession business and their lives are about to be turned upside down when one of them is no longer the hunter, but the hunted.

The Good:

The Action: The fight scenes in this movie were intricate and well choreographed. There was a certain level of technical difficulty used that didn’t fall back on quick editing to give it impact. Plus, it made someone as pretty as Jude Law and tiny as Alice Braga look like they could take down an entire army.
Liev Schreiber: His character is, for lack of a better word, a slime ball but he plays him like a patron Saint. Schreiber was actually a breathe of fresh air amongst a bevy of bad performances from his co-stars who all missed the mark.

The Bad:

Forest Whitaker: What the hell was he doing in this movie? This man is one of the best actors of his generation but his talent was completely lost on this caricature he brought to the screen. His role was already written badly and his over the top performance didn’t help.
The Setting: Where does this movie take place? The landscape of the city looks like something out of The Jetsons yet the residential neighborhoods look like they’re from 1960′s suburbia. Plus, Jude Law has his British accent, Whitaker has a faux New York accent and Braga sounds like she’s straight from South America. If that wasn’t bad enough, the story takes place in this high tech world yet they’re using current model iPhones and cars.
The Lack of Chemistry: Are we supposed to care about the deep rooted “friendship” between Law and Whitaker because they were like oil and water. As a matter of fact, Law didn’t have chemistry with anyone including both his love interests, which made all of his relationships and motives seem forced and ridiculous.
The Story: This is a good premise with poor execution. It starts off with one basic idea and tries to add all these different elements of surprise that does nothing for the overall arc. There’s no build up which means there’s definitely no payoff, which leaves you with no interest.

Overall:

Repo Men is an unfortunate series of events strung together by action, decent special effects and a horrible script. I’d double and even triple pass on seeing this in theaters this weekend.

Rating: 3/10

Repo Men opens in wide release on March 19th.

Photos:

Trailer:

Are you interested in seeing Repo Men this weekend?

Jude Law in Repo Men Trailer

Krystal Clark — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:43:13 +0000

A red band trailer has been released for the latest Jude Law film entitled, Repo Men. It’s a sci-fi thriller that’s based on the novel Repossession Mambo by Eric Garcia. The film version has Gattica, Total Recall, Aeon Flux, and Ultraviolet written all over it. We’re not sure if that’s a good combination, so we’ll let you be the judge when you watch the trailer…

After watching this trailer several times, I lost count of how many cliches were visible within the story. This movie is trying too hard with the build up between Law and Whitaker. They’re trying to make Law some bad ass superhero and he’s not cutting it. That superhero stance at the end of the trailer was overkill. And how the hell did Liev Schreiber sneak into this film, without anyone noticing? It looks like he’s playing the same character in Repo Men that he plays in that Angelina Jolie movie, Salt. Variety is the spice of life Liev, remember that.

The film is directed by Miguel Sapochnik, and is scheduled to hit theaters on April 2, 1010.

Does Repo Men look like a film you’d be interested in seeing?

Interview With the Cast of X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Mali Elfman — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:52:59 +0000

Here it is! The X-Men Origins: Wolverine press conference, with Gavin Hood, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Will.i.iam, Lynn Collins, and Taylor Kitsch. Overall, everyone was in good spirits, happy to be promoting a film that deserves to be put out the way it was intended.

The highlights for me were Ryan Renolds and Liev Schreiber. Everything Reynolds says is hysterical, from joking about wearing a silver dress that Collins was tricked by Jackman into wearing, to teasing Hugh Jackman about the music he listens to. Schreiber on the other hand, I could listen to all day, equally funny, but in a much different way. The man has a quick wit and is not afraid to jest about himself (and his fears about getting “big” enough for the roll) or his good friend Hugh Jackman.

Check out what they all had to say below…

Q: Hugh, how protective do you feel about this movie versus the other X-Men movies, since this is really you, front and center?

Hugh: Every role I do has no less effort or desire. Every film has that sense for me, as an actor. But, obviously, this movie has a different dimension, as a producer. Particularly, I found myself asking the cast what they thought of the movie, and I was nervous about it. In that way, I feel it’s more personal to me. It’s more my baby. I asked all these actors and Gavin Hood, the director, to come on board, so obviously I’m more attached to it. It feels more personal. That’s the difference.

Q: Hugh, why was it important to you to include more of Wolverine’s relationships in this, as well as the action, since comic book fans just want to see the action?

Hugh: I don’t think that’s true. Comic book fans have loved Wolverine, and all the X-Men characters, for more than the action. I think that’s what set it apart from many of the other comic books. In the case of Wolverine, when he appeared, he was a revolution really. He was the first anti-hero. There was not just good guys versus bad guys, but an internal battle of good and bad, going on within the character. That’s why people relate to them. Yeah, they’re cool and they’ve got claws and can do amazing things with swords and cards, and all that great, fun stuff, but each one of them has a personal battle going on, and that’s why audiences can relate. So, yes, the first priority of this movie is for it to be fun. I want people to come and have a great time. I want them to be entertained. I want them to go on see it on a big screen with their friends or whoever, and just have a great time. But, what we have an opportunity to deliver — and this is in the comic book itself — is to make them think a little bit and make them feel, and take them on a journey through these characters.

Q: Hugh, can you talk about reinterpreting Wolverine and making him a little bit different from the Wolverine character that the fans got to know in the previous X-Men movies?

Hugh: [With these movies,] about every third day, for the rest of your life, you hear a critique about how you played the part, what you should have done differently, and what you can do the next time, if you ever get a shot at it. I knew exactly what fans wanted, and not just the comic book fans, but fans of the movie. It’s fair to say that, by X-Men 3, Wolverine had gone a little soft, and I agree with them there. What fans love about Wolverine is his more uncompromising approach to life. He is who he is. He’s not always a nice guy. He has got edge. He’s an anti-hero. And, there’s also a vulnerability in there. There is conflict and battles going on in there. With Gavin and the other actors, I had the chance to explore that more. I wanted the film to feel different. Gavin and I talked a lot about the aesthetic and tone of it. It’s a little darker, a little rawer, a little tougher and, hopefully, maybe even a little more human. That’s really what has appealed to me about the comic book. And, no more black leather suits.

Q: For Gavin, what challenges did you face, in honoring what came before while adding something uniquely original for your own vision?

Gavin: Coming into a franchise that’s done as well as this franchise has done is obviously, at some level, a little intimidating. I think I was lucky that this is a prequel and not a sequel because, in that sense, if you’ve never seen any of the other X-Men movies, you can still go to this movie and enjoy it because this is the beginning and, hopefully, then you’ll go and see the others. At the same time, I don’t think a director consciously says, “I want to do something stylistically different.” By and large, directors don’t really know how to do something, other than the way it comes to us. It seemed to me that there was an opportunity here to do two things. There was the opportunity to deliver the expected spectacle — the action, the energy and all of that wonderful eye-candy, great stuff. But, also, there was an opportunity to do something that was really character driven and work with, ironically, very human emotion, in what is an otherwise great big, mythic, comic book story. Really, what I wanted to be sure we did, and Hugh very much wanted this too, when he first spoke to me, was to make sure that people really attached to the character. I think it would be very easy, and there certainly was a moment for me, to be caught up in the visual effects and the action and let that overwhelm you, and forget that the most important thing, at the end of the day, for me, when making a film, is still that moment when I’ve got a long lens on an actor’s close-up, with any one of the actors. That’s when I’m at my most focused because, if you don’t crack that moment behind the eyes, where those reactions are just not melodramatic or goofy, and they just somehow attack that moment perfectly, all of the special effects in the world aren’t going to save you. So, I’m very proud of the performances by the actors, and I thank Hugh for getting me involved in this. I had a great time.

Q: With the film leaking to the Internet, was there a satisfaction in finally being able to show the completed version of this film to an audience? What reactions have you gotten from people so far?

Gavin: Absolutely! The reaction seems to be positive. It was a huge shock, for all of us, when someone stole the movie. It would be like me reaching out to you guys and grabbing your notebooks right now and saying, “You know, I’m just going to publish whatever you’ve written, right now. I know you’re not done yet, but we’ll just shove it out there and see what people think of your work.” Any piece of work is molded and shaped and, finally, you feel ready to offer it to the public, knowing that you will be judged on that piece of work. So, I’m thrilled that it’s finally out there in the form that we wanted it to be, on a big screen, and thank you for coming to see it on a big screen.

Q: Hugh, this is your fourth time playing this same character. What is new for you about it? Are you used to the action, or is it still new to you?

Hugh: Everything felt new to me. Everything was new. It took me a little while to get over the fact that Halle Berry wasn’t on set, most days. Sorry, I jest. Yes, I’m playing the same character, but I’m filling in approximately 100 years of his life, that had never been explored before and had been unknown to him. So, it was a chance to reveal that. What Gavin and I talked about, right from the beginning, was that we didn’t want that shot at the beginning of the movie, where people say, “Yeah, that’s Wolverine!” I wanted to see him evolve. You see him, at the very beginning, as a little kid, very unlike how you would imagine Wolverine to be, as a young boy. That was a wonderful young actor. And, to watch him evolve was fantastic. Not my main reason, but part of the reason I wanted someone like Gavin, and all the actors shared this feeling, is that he is an amazing actor’s director. He gets straight to the heart of it. He won’t take any B.S. He won’t take anything less than your best, most committed work, all the time. There was many an occasion where I felt a kind of friendly arm around my shoulder after take one, or sometimes before take one. Gavin has that ability, even though I had played the role three times, and yes it may be my fourth time putting the claws on, to make it feel fresh, new, deeper and, hopefully, more honest.

Q: Ryan, what kind of work did you do to get yourself ready for all of the fight sequences?

Ryan: I’ve actually wanted to play Deadpool for a really long time so, for me, it was a bit of a dream come true. I always thought that he was a character that sort of felt like a cross between Commando and Phantom of the Opera, by way of Caddyshack. So, for me, it was a pretty original type of guy, in this universe. I felt like I was ready years ago because I’ve been wanting to play this guy forever. But, it was a lot of sword training and a lot of working out with Hugh, who I remember, on my first day, looked a lot like a guy who was going to make a necklace out of my teeth. That was the gold standard that was set, from early on. Basically, it was about spending countless hours with the katana sword-training fellas.

Q: What about having your mouth covered? Was that very claustrophobic?

Ryan: Yes. Having my mouth sewn shut was definitely [uncomfortable]. It’s a moment where you say, “Why am I method?,” but you go for it anyway. At lunch, snorting a steak was hard, but I got it down.

Q: And Liev, how was the training for you?

Liev: Something like 12 years ago, Hugh and I did a film together and, believe it or not, I think I actually was bigger than Hugh, in those days. Things have changed, over the years, and he’s grown substantially, as an actor and as a human being, in general. So, the first agenda was getting bigger. I made the awful mistake of going online to see what the fans thought and, of course, they said, “You need to get bigger.” So, I started working out with Hugh and doing the high-protein diet. Between the two of us, I think we wiped out a whole gene pool of chickens. I know people think that it’s a departure for me, but I don’t really. I feel right at home, with that sibling rivalry thing with Hugh. It was a lot of fun.

Q: As an acting technique, do any of you ever listen to music on set to get into character? If so, what was on your playlist?

Taylor: Obviously, Gambit is from New Orleans, so I was listening to John Lee Hooker, all the time.

Lynn: I had one song, “Apologize,” from One Republic. I listened to it constantly, and now I can’t listen to it anymore. It ruined the song for me.

Hugh: Not on set, but when I train, I listen to Godsmack, which is the kind of music I would rarely listen to. I’d listen to it really high, as loud as I can. Sometimes, it’s a little embarrassing when you’re in a public gym. To me, that was as close to Wolverine as I could get.

Ryan: I heard Faith Hill coming out of Hugh’s trailer, to be honest.

Hugh: There is a sensitivity to Wolverine.

Ryan: Yes, there is.

Hugh: It’s not easy to access.

Ryan: For me, it was a band called The National. I was obsessed with them. I loved them.

Will.i.am: I’m always making music . . .

Hugh: Yeah, all the time, on set.

Will.i.am: . . . so I had to stop ‘cause I had to focus. This was my first big thing. I took my studio there, at first, and then I got a whisperer, saying, “You should probably take your studio out of the trailer.” I was making beats in my off time because you’re sittin’ there and waitin’ a lot. So, I made about a thousand beats.

Liev: In between tanks, Will and I would play this game where we would hum TV show tunes to each other and see if we could identify them. He has an incredible memory for that, especially with 80′s sitcoms.

Q: Do you have any special memories from the set?

Lynn: We were on this location and Hugh came up to me and said, “You know, we’ve seen some of the dailies and we just think that your outfit needs to be skimpier,” so I was like, “Shit! Okay, whatever.” He was like, “So, we found something for you. We put it in your trailer. Can you please try it on?” There was a gaggle of men [standing outside]. And so, I go into my trailer and there is a [tiny] silver spandex dress, and I had this panic attack. I was like, “Oh, my God, they’re all standing in front of the trailer, so I have to put it on.” I put it on and it didn’t fit. You could see my butt and my breasts. It was horrible. I opened the door and everybody was cracking up, and Hugh was like, “April Fool’s.”

Hugh: I love that you put it on and didn’t slap me in the face.

Lynn: It was horrible and slit up the thigh where a very tender area of a woman’s body was just exposed in front of a lot of men.

Hugh: If we put that on the DVD extras, sales would go through the roof.

Taylor: I’m reminded of the pressure of playing Gambit, especially before I got to Oz, but the biggest memory that stuck out for me was when I first got there. I wasn’t working my first day. I was nervous and, when I first met Hugh, it was really great because I just felt that I was already at home and I had the opportunity of a lifetime, and this guy was going to catch me, if I fell. He’s ready to take risks. With all the pressure, it was just really great to know that I was going to work with someone that was so genuine and open.

Hugh: And then, I stabbed him.

Taylor: And then, he stabbed me and I bled a lot, on set.

Hugh: We were in a fight scene and Taylor reeled back very quickly and someone called, “Cut!” I looked down at my claws and there were only two claws left, and I looked over at Taylor and it was sticking out of his thumb, and he was just looking at it.

Taylor: Yeah, those were some good memories Hugh.

Hugh: It was good for me. I liked it. It’s my Australian sense of humor. Genuinely, for me, it’s a rare experience, as a producer, to be involved so heavily with casting and to feel so attached to a scene you’re about to play with everybody and the actors who are playing the characters. Some directors don’t like to rehearse so, often on film, you can turn up the day before and meet someone who is playing your wife or your lover. I was so excited to be involved because movies exist on relationships and characters, and to be in every one of these scenes was a great thrill for me. And then, as a personal moment, when we were all together in January, when finally Ryan Reynolds’ schedule had loosened up for us, and we had all flown in to be with him, we were shooting and it was the inauguration and we all stopped to view the inauguration of the President. For me, that was a highlight because, by that point, we felt like family. To be together and to be united again by that moment was pretty amazing.

Ryan: For me, there was a weird silver dress in my trailer. I honestly worked probably the longest day of my life on this movie. It’s a huge movie, so there were several units going at once, and I had a day where I was going back and forth, from each unit. It was about a 22-hour day, and there was make-up and all these things, and I had to spin these swords at a million miles an hour around my body and, by about hour 19, I had a couple of extremely close calls with these katana swords. When you’re spinning these swords, you wanna wear pants for that. I honestly just about lost my future legacy, a couple of times, and I had to take a little break and pour myself a nice shot of espresso, so I could carry on. That, for me, was probably the worst of it.

Liev: Early on in the film, we were shooting in New Zealand and it was the first big fight sequence for Hugh and I, which was outside of the bar. And, Hugh and I had rehearsed, day and night, for that. I’ll admit and be candid that I wasn’t sure that, physically, I was up to this role. Now, I know I am, but initially, I was a little concerned. I’m sorry to say this in public, but Hugh and I, being the elder statesmen of this cast, were both rightfully concerned that we wouldn’t be able to pull off the fight that the stunt guys had shown us. Sure, we’d been lifting weights and we looked large, but what they were asking for was truly impossible and brutal. And, I just remember the third night, after shooting until six in the morning, every night, looking over at Hugh and the two of us were just so smashed up by the fight, and desperate to impress our small sons at home. They said, “Would you guys like to do one more?,” and I remember looking across at Hugh, praying to myself that he would say, “I’m tired. I want to go home and go to bed.” And, Hugh said, “No, I feel great!”

Hugh: That was the biggest lie of my life.

Liev: And I looked across at him and said, “Yeah, I feel great, too.” They looked at Hugh and said, “One more?,” and Hugh said, “No, I could do two more!,” so I said, “Yeah, I could probably do three or four more!” And that was my sole motivation for the rest of this entire film.

Will.i.am: For me, the whole trip [was a memorable experience]. On the first airplane over to Sydney, I was excited. I was like, “Wow, this real!” This is my first big thing. Usually, I tour around the world with my friends when we’re going to sing in Sydney, but here I was, going by myself, for the first time, which was the total opposite of what I normally do. So, the whole memory was wonderful. I remember each day. But, the one that sticks out the most was the inauguration because I had just got finished performing and then, straight after that, I did CNN, rushed to the airplane, flew back and put on my Wraith suit. I remember staying on set that day, after doing the inauguration, and it was just two different worlds. Of course, I was excited and wanted to share, but I wanted to focus on what I was there to do. It was wonderful to see everybody’s face when I walked in. Everybody was excited and said, “Wow, we just saw it on TV!,” and I was like, “I was there!” The most memorable thing, for me, was that day.

Gavin: For me, it was trying to figure out how to direct Hugh Jackman when he wouldn’t listen, or couldn’t listen, to a single thing I said. Hugh was submerged in that tank and he goes through a range of emotions. He enters the tank fairly nervous, but calm. He sees spinning needles coming down into his body and he goes through this period of escalation where his heart rate goes crazy and he freaks out. And then, he dies. There was a lot he had to remember, as we were going along. And then, he hears someone saying he might erase his memory, and he starts to come around and then he snaps out of the tank, roars up and he is the Wolverine that everybody has been wanting to see. It’s the best shot in the movie. So, I had to figure out how we were going to do it ‘cause he couldn’t hear a thing I was saying. We experimented with this underwater speaker that they assured me was going to work, but Hugh was hearing nothing. It was a total disaster. And, he couldn’t just do it by himself, unfortunately, even though we’d figured out these steps, because the cameras were moving. So, we had a very advance technique for that particular scene, where I rolled up my sleeves, stuck my hand in the tank, held onto his big toe and explained to him that, “One grab of the toe is the moment when the procedure begins. By the time I get down to the baby toe, I’m going to yank that thing and that’s when you come roaring out of the tank.” We had this whole system worked out. And then, he screwed it up. I’d be on toe three and he’d think it was toe two, and he’d come roaring out. I’d be like, “How long do you want to stay under the water for?”

Hugh: But, that shot of me coming out of the tank is actually me responding to the two dislocated toes on my right foot.

Ryan: This little piggy got pissed.

Q: Hugh and Liev, playing such intense characters, how did you de-stress, at the end of the day?

Liev: I’ve never been someone who takes characters home with me, at night. The claws and the teeth came off. Unfortunately, the sideburns didn’t. But, I’ve never really had a problem with that. Also, particularly in my case, I was playing anger, which is a relatively easy emotion to access. I know you’re all thinking, “Oh, he’s an angry guy!” No. It’s easy for everyone.

Hugh: That’s true.

Liev: It’s a much easier emotion than love.

Hugh: I feel the same. In fact, playing Wolverine is great therapy, really. Playing Victor is probably the same thing. You get to exorcize a lot of your demons, and then go home feeling very, very relaxed and happy.

Q: Can you talk about working with Lynn and developing the love story between Wolverine and Kayla Silverfox?

Hugh: Lynn plays a character, and fulfills a role, that was so vital to this movie. For fans, it will be a little shocking to see a love story there. But, for anyone who knows acting and film structure, what Lynn had to pull off in the film was probably one of the most difficult things to do. She did an amazing job, and I was really, really proud of what she did. The casting of Lynn was something Gavin and I were so passionate about. The person that Wolverine could be in love with, but more importantly, the person who could be in love with this guy, was so vital and she did an amazing job. I don’t want to belittle anybody else in the film. I’m so proud of it. I just wanted to say what an amazing job she did.

Gavin: I just want to second that. Hugh makes a very valid point. Lynn did have the hardest role in this movie because it’s the one that you can most easily screw up. You have to be somebody who’s in love, and then you have to betray, and then you have to be liked again. One minute, she’s the lover, then she’s the bitch, and then she’s the lover. So, well done.

Q: Finish the sentence, I know it’s summer when . . .

Hugh: When May 1st appears. It’s when the summer blockbusters start rolling around.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. X-Men Origins: Wolverine makes it’s debut in theaters this Friday, on May 1.

Will you see it in theaters?

Check out some Wolverine set photos from the press conference, what Director Gavin Hood had to say at the screening, and everything else we have on Wolverine now.

5 New Wolverine Images

Mali Elfman — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:45:40 +0000

When I first looked at the news pictures that were just released for Wolverine I was reminded of something Liev Schreiber said in an interview that we did with him a while back where he talked about how much fun it was to shoot the film. He told us it was like being a kid playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians, he also told us, “I don’t think men really grow pass 22 intellectually. Physically we just get older and we’re less capable of doing the things you want to do, but you never stop wanting to do them.”

When I look at these pictures, I see what he means. He and Hugh Jackman look like they’re having too much fun. It’s like they are two incredibly buff kids running around an incredibly big back yard. The way that they’re screaming together in the one shot really makes them look bonded. I’m not sure what it is, but they really look like they’re having fun together (well, not in some other pictures).

Check out the pictures below…

What do you think of the photos?

8 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Photos

Krystal Clark — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:45:14 +0000

Now that April is right around the corner, the marketing efforts for X-Men Origins: Wolverine is getting really heavy. The film opens on May 1, and has Hugh Jackman reprising the role he originated in the initial X-Men trilogy. I’ve found a new batch of photos that feature Wolverine, Sabretooth, Deadpool, Gambit, and Stryker in what looks like production stills from the film. Out of the eight that are featured I only see two that haven’t been shown in previous trailers or promos. One of them include the above image that has Logan/Wolverine standing in a boxing ring at a gym. You can check out the rest of the pics after the jump.

What do you think? How would you rate these as compared to the previous photos?

Images courtesy of XMenFilms.net

Fourth Wolverine TV Spot

Krystal Clark — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:40:20 +0000

A new 60 second TV spot has been released for X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This one is set up a little differently than the previous promos we’ve seen. Instead of giving us a glimpse of the film’s storyline, it just tells us what major characters will be featured. Whether or not I agree with the who’s who in this video is up for debate. I don’t want to spoil too much for you, so if you want to check out the video it’s available after the jump.

Now that you’ve seen it, I can throw in my two cents. First of all, where’s Deadpool? Their dropping names left and right but they don’t show or mention him at all. Isn’t he getting his own spin-off? Shouldn’t he be getting more attention? Second, we get a glimpse of John Wraith aka Will.i.am in the beginning, but they don’t give us his name. If your not familiar with the comic book how are you supposed to know who he is? Third, why is Cyclops in this movie? If your going to take a character from the original trilogy, pick someone who didn’t have such a dominate role. Fourth, Emma Frost gets mentioned but Beak doesn’t? Where is Dominic Monaghan? Every time they show her in a trailer it’s the same footage. Her role probably isn’t even that big, yet she gets a mention here.

Those are just a few of my gripes with this new TV spot. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hugh Jackman and his portrayal of this character, but certain things are getting under my skin. I let Gambit’s appearance in this film slide, but Cyclops I can’t let that go.

What do you think of the new promo? Am I overreacting?

Final Trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Krystal Clark — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:00:57 +0000

The final trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine has just been released! For the most part the trailer shows footage that we’ve already seen, mixed with a couple unfamiliar action sequences. There are a few shots of a young Cyclops that weren’t in the first, and more fight footage with Gambit, Deadpool, and of course Wolverine. After watching the trailer I’ve learned one important thing. Wolverine can use his claws for ANYTHING. He can open prison cells, start fires, shred trucks, and stab airplanes. It’s a bit much but this is an action movie, don’t we want some of the violence to verge on ridiculous?

Check out the trailer after the jump.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is directed by Gavin Hood, and opens in theaters nationwide on May 1 of this year.

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

First Photos of Angelina Jolie in Salt

Krystal Clark — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:30:25 +0000

If you enjoyed Angelina Jolie in the summer action flick Wanted, you’re probably one of the many who are anticipating her latest film Salt. Jolie goes from assassin to spy in the movie, which originally had Tom Cruise attached as it’s star. Jolie will play Evelyn A. Salt, whom was previously known as Edwin when Cruise was in talks for the role. Over at USA Today, they have posted the first photos of the actress as the spy who the film’s producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura claims is “a character you never know.” Salt is directed by Phillip Noyce, and co-stars Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor. You can check out the full sized photos of Jolie in costume after the jump

These photos don’t personally impress me in terms of wardrobe. A spy movie where the person wears wigs? That’s not new. Even though I think she can pull off this action star persona, I would have liked to see Jennifer Garner in something like this. I miss ass-kicking Jen from Alias!

What do you think of Jolie’s super-spy look?

ScreenCrave.com » Liev Schreiber

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