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Top Five Election Day Movies

sunilrajaraman — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:54:20 +0000

It has been a very strange year in politics, and it’s only going to get stranger on Election Day. Will the ever-polarizing Christine O’Donnel win? Will Sarah Palin join the cast of “Dancing with the Stars”? Will Sean Penn make an extremely controversial statement related to Hugo Chavez and human rights? All I know is this – if you are planning on watching a movie on Election Day, it should be one of the five listed below:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

What happens when you put Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart together? Instant masterpiece. Jimmy Stewart plays Jefferson Smith, and turns in one of the greatest acting performances of all time. Elected officials should be required to watch this movie, and remember whom they are fighting for. Jefferson Smith is the President this country deserves!

JFK

Kevin Costner was a fantastic actor in his prime, and JFK was his piece de resistance (with all due respect to Bull Durham and Field of Dreams fans). Not only was Costner in his prime, but Oliver Stone was not so bad himself. Conspiracy theorists and history buffs alike should watch JFK, and appreciate every minute of this three-plus hour masterpiece. The all-star casts includes Costner, Gary Oldman, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon, and Seinfeld’s Wayne Knight.

Clear and Present Danger

If Jefferson Smith is America’s ideal President, then Jack Ryan should be his running mate. Harrison Ford is much a boy scout as he is a badass in this Phillip Noyce directed Clancy adaptation about a President who has taken matters in his own hands. Clear and Present Danger sheds some light on the cartels in South America, and their vicious battle to control the drug trade to the US, which in and of itself is relevant to modern times.

All the President’s Men

Robert Redford absolutely shines as Bob Woodward, and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein – the reporters who broke Watergate. All the President’s Men is a great example of how journalists can wield their power for good, and in the process, make a significant impact. Also, for those of you who are into contemporary history, you are probably familiar with Woodward’s recent books on Bush and Obama (which make Woodward relevant again).

The Manchurian Candidate (the original, not the crappy remake)

The last one was definitely a tough call, but I have to give the nod to The Manchurian Candidate. A sinister assassination plot + political intrigue make this nail-biter an all time classic. Definitely worth a re-watch on Election Day should you feel compelled; fantastic performance by Sinatra.

Honorable Mention: Election, Dave, The American President, Primary Colors, Wag the Dog, Milk, The Candidate

Written by Sunil Rajaraman who is the President and CEO of Scripped.com.

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:30:01 +0000

Oliver Stone returns to the big screen with the long awaited sequel to his 1980s hit Wall Street. Money Never Sleeps takes place during the 2008 recession and follows a new and younger group of Wall Street traders. The film doesn’t try to copy the original as much as you might think. Yes, there’s the mentoring of an up and comer by a devious veteran but it also tackles the politics and corruption present in the new millennium. Money Never Sleeps opens a whole new bag of worms.

Check out the review…

The Players:

Director: Oliver Stone
Screenwriters: Allan Loeb, Stephen Schiff, Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser (characters)
Cast: Shia Labeouf, Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, Eli Wallach, Susan Sarandon
Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto
Original Music By: Craig Armstrong

The Plot:

Money Never Sleeps is set 20 years after the first film and centers on a young Wall Street trader named Jacob Moore (Labeouf), who gets taught some hard lessons in the business. After emerging from his stint in prison, Gordon Gekko has become a popular author and media expert on all things financial. He’s also Jacob’s future father-in-law who helps him take down the corrupt bank CEO, Bretton James (Brolin). In exchange for his services, Moore has to help Gekko repair his estranged relationship with his daughter Winnie (Mulligan). He soon discovers that playing with money is like playing with greed and greed isn’t good, it’s evil.

The Good:

The Cast: Money Never Sleeps is filled with a cast of Oscar winners and nominees led by the cool and collected Michael Douglas. Every actor elevates the other’s performance, which makes the film more watchable and more entertaining. LaBeouf may seem like an odd choice for such a dramatic role but he really brings it and proves that he can hang with the big dogs.
The Cinematography: New York City is shown in the way that would make any outsider jealous. It’s shot beautifully with the architecture being somewhat of a secondary character in the film.
The Wardrobe: All of the characters have money and we can tell. Their dressed from head to toe in the most expensive and tailored clothes. You will walk out of the theater with a sudden desire to hit the mall. The film makes you not only want to look good, but powerful as well.
The Set Design: Everything from the Wall Street offices, to the lofts, to the mansions are crafted with such detail. The set designers make sure that every nook and cranny tells a story about the characters and they do!
Carey Mulligan: Earlier I noted the cast but Mulligan’s performance deserves to be called out. Her portrayal as the long suffering daughter of Gekko and fiancee of Jacob is the heart and soul of the film. She’s the glue that holds both men together whether they realize it or not, and when she breaks the viewer does as well. That’s how good she is.

The Bad:

The Length: The only bad thing about the film is its length. The last 15 minutes could have been cut out. The story seems to have a natural resolve at a certain point but then it throws you a curve ball that then has to be played out. Unfortunately, by that time you’re ready for everything to wrap up.

Overall:

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps is a pleasant surprise. It’s not better than the original but it’s a solid stand alone film.

Rating: 8/10

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps opens in theaters nationwide on September 24th.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Will you be seeing Wall Street Money Never Sleeps this weekend?

Oliver Stone To Adapt Travis McGee, Leonardo DiCaprio To Star?

traviswoods — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:04:45 +0000

Hot on the heels of completing his sequel (and worst titled film), Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, Oliver Stone is rumored to be attaching himself to another possible franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In a bid to perhaps reinvigorate his filmography after a series of increasingly awful duds (deep breath: U-Turn, Any Given Sunday, Alexander, World Trade Center, and W.—seriously, what happened?), Stone is currently in talks to direct Travis McGee for Fox.

According to THR:

“McGee is the shaggy hero of 21 detective novels written by John D. MacDonald and could provide fodder for another Fox franchise. The movie will be based on the first book in the series, “The Deep Blue Good-by,” published in 1964. The novel tracks the Florida-based “salvage consultant” as he reluctantly leaves his houseboat to go in search of a treasure hidden by a soldier after World War II.”

Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly taking time off from grimacing and generally looking very serious in Martin Scorsese films to play the titular role of McGee. This would be the first time Stone and DiCaprio have worked together; the two were originally set to collaborate on an adaptation of the controversial novel American Psycho in the late 1990’s, but we see how that turned out. In hindsight they really did Christian Bale a favor on that one.

What do you think of the news? Can Oliver Stone tackle an action franchise?

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps International Trailer

Krystal Clark — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:52:23 +0000

An international trailer has been released for Oliver Stone’s long awaited sequel, Wall Street Money Never Sleeps. It’s a worthy follow up to the teaser trailer that showed less footage but still built up the anticipation. With this trailer you get to see more of the story and the characters led by Michael Douglas‘ Gordon Gekko.

After watching this version of the trailer, I have to admit it shows a LOT of important footage. They pretty much give away what happens in the final act of the film, as well as the relationship between Shia Labeouf and Carey Mulligan’s characters. After emerging from his stint in prison Gordon Gekko has become a popular author and media expert on all things financial. Labeouf’s character Jake is completely enamored by his charisma and his knowledge, and like most young brokers falls under his spell.

Mulligan plays Gekko’s daughter and Jake’s fiancee and throughout the entire trailer she constantly warns Jake to stay away from her father. There’s also an appearance by Frank Langella who looks insane in ever shot he’s in, and Josh Brolin who attempts to kill Jake with his motorcycle. Thanks trailer people for telling us all the good plot points in the film.

Let us know your thoughts on the international Wall Street 2 trailer. Do you think it shows too much footage?

Vanity Fair’s Wall Street 2 Cast Photo

Krystal Clark — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:12:35 +0000

Our first official look at the cast of the upcoming Wall Street sequel Money Never Sleeps has appeared online and it’s thanks to the folks at Vanity Fair. The magazine that’s known for its breathtaking photos under the creative direction of photographer Annie Leibovitz. The whole cast showed up for the shoot, including Satan’s spawn Gordon Gekko aka Michael Douglas…

The cast of Money Never Sleeps is led by Shia Labeouf, and the film’s story will mimic some of the original content from the first movie. Labeouf’s character is an up and coming trader on Wall Street who gets taught the hard lessons of the business. In the midst of it he unites with the infamous Gordon Gekko to save the financial community from the oncoming economic collapse. If that’s not enough for you, he also gets involved with Gekko’s daughter and tries to find out who’s responsible for the death of his former mentor.

The above photo features Josh Brolin, director Oliver Stone, Douglas, Labeouf and Golden Globe nominee Carey Mulligan. The film is slated to hit theaters on April 23, 2010, so get ready for Shia to trade in Sam Witwicky’s ‘Strokes T-shirt for a couple of costum made suits.

Here’s another photo from the Vanity Fair issue that features a solo shot of a newly reformed Gekko.

What do you think of the first official cast photos from Money Never Sleeps?

Michael Douglas Talks Gordon Gekko, Wall Street 2

Krystal Clark — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:46:25 +0000

Last week we brought you some behind the scenes photos of Shia Labeouf, Frank Langella, and director Oliver Stone on the set of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. As an obvious observation, Michael Douglas was nowhere in sight. The actor is set to reprise his Oscar winning role of Gordon Gekko in the film, which has been over 20 years in the making. We haven’t heard much from Douglas since his initial attachment to the sequel, but the actor has finally broken his silence and is filling us in on what his character’s been up to for the past two decades.

In an exclusive interview with Empire, Douglas opened up about Gordon Gekko and gave a good “where are they now” synopsis of the character.

It’s 22 years later,” Douglas explains. “Gordon has done about eight years in jail and got out in about 2001. The picture predominantly focuses on these last couple of years on Wall Street, which nobody anticipated. We shot the first one in 1986 and it was a wild, wild colorful time. And here we have both a train crash and a larger-than-life period leading up to that train crash. It’s an exciting time to make a picture about Wall Street.”

With Gekko back on the scene, where does that leave the newly appointed bad guy Josh Brolin? According to Douglas, Brolin will definitely be the villain of the piece, and describes his role as having a bit of “Terence Stamp, from the first one in there.” If Gekko will be hitting the streets after being a jail bird for the better part of the last decade, does that mean he’ll be a changed man?

“Is this a softer Gekko? Eh, I can’t say that. I think he’s got some amends to make. (Laughs) We’ll see what he’s up to.”

It will be interesting to see Douglas’ integration into the film that already has so many strong actors involved. Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps opens in theaters on April 23, 2010. I really wish they would cut the title down to simply, Money Never Sleeps. It could be similar to The Hustler and The Color of Money, same main character, similar story, but set in a different time.

What do you think about Gordon Gekko’s return to Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps?

First Wall Street 2 Set Photos

Krystal Clark — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:00:38 +0000

A few images have emerged from the New York production of Oliver Stone‘s highly anticipated sequel, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. We were lucky enough to find a few photos of stars Shia Labeouf and Frank Langella on set, with Stone giving them some insightful direction. Labeouf is dressed to the nines in modern business attire, while Langella looks like he escaped from a mental institution. Seriously…

Check out all three in action, while filming a couple of scenes in the park…

Apparently Shia is showing the world that he isn’t a kid anymore. Do you see how sharp the creases are in that guys slacks? His character means business. Over at Joblo they got a tip from a spectator who had this to say about one of the scenes being filmed.

“In one scene, Langella looked like he’d just escaped from an asylum, wearing blue pajamas under a rumpled trench coat. In another, Stone appeared to be giving Langella intense direction on how to walk a pack of King Charles spaniels.”

In the film Langella is supposed to be Labouf’s mentor, but perhaps something happens within the company that he tries to blow the whistle on, but no one believes him? From that point they could say he’s crazy and have him committed to a mental institution which opens the door for Gordon Gekko. That’s just my theory, but it would be a nice reintroduction to the classic character. What do you think?

What do you think of the first set photos from Wall Street 2?

Photos courtesy of Accidental Sexiness.

Trailer for Oliver Stone’s South of the Border

Krystal Clark — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:05:45 +0000

Oliver Stone‘s latest film, (not Wall Street 2) has got a new trailer. The feature’s entitled South of the Border, and is a documentary that will premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival. In typical Stone fashion, the director doesn’t shy away from controversy with the film’s subject matter. The following trailer gives us a peek into South of the Border’s attack on U.S. propaganda and its portrayal of Latin American leaders.

As you can see, Stone focuses primarily on Hugo Chavez and his portrayal in the media, but he also interviews several other political figures. Some of the people highlighted represent Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, even the President of Cuba got into the mix.

It’s easy to see this film as a big propaganda piece in its own right. There’s actually a shot of one of the presidents playing soccer with Stone on his front lawn. Every Latin person is not born with a soccer ball attached to their hip! Either way, the film is supposed to shed a positive light on countries that have otherwise been shown as magnets for conflict.

What do you think of Stone’s trailer for South of the Border? Do you see it as propaganda?

Susan Sarandon Cast in Wall Street 2

Krystal Clark — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:35:08 +0000

Oscar winner Susan Sarandon has been cast in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street sequel, Money Never Sleeps. According to Variety, the actress is in final negotiations to join the film’s ensemble, which currently includes Shia Labeouf, Michael Douglas, and Frank Langella. The film is a follow up to the 1987 hit, that earned Douglas an Academy Award for his role as the ruthless Gordon Gekko. More on the film below.

The trade is reporting that Sarandon is finalizing a deal to star in the film as Labeouf’s mother. His character, much like Charlie Sheen‘s in the original, falls under the money hungry spell of Gekko. He also falls in love with the businessman’s daughter, who’ll be played by British actress Carey Mulligan. Allen Loeb wrote the initial screenplay for the film, which will be produced by Ed Pressman who also produced the original.

I’m not typically for sequels that span over twenty years, but this film might have something going for itself. I actually respect Sarandon as a strong actress and I trust her judgment. Production on Money Never Sleeps is scheduled to start next month in New York. This will definitely be one to watch!

What do you think of Susan Sarandon joining the cast of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps?

Shia Labeouf to Star in Wall Street 2?

Krystal Clark — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:10:50 +0000

Sequels and remakes have been ridiculously hot these past few years, and they don’t seem to show any signs of stopping. According to THR, Oliver Stone’s gritty financial drama Wall Street must have another story to tell, because part two is on it’s way. Stone has officially signed on to direct a sequel to the 1987 film with studio 20th Century Fox. The plot to the film is being kept under wraps, and for the time being the project has been given the title of Wall Street 2.

The cast of the original Wall Street was led by Michael Douglas who captured a Best Actor Oscar for his role as the film’s morally challenged lead, Gordon Gekko. He was supported by a young Charlie Sheen in the role of an upstart trying to make his mark in a financial company. This time around Douglas is expected to make a return as his landmark character, and his new protege could be played by Shia Labeouf. Sources say the Transformers actor is in talks with the studio to star in the younger role.

Allen Loeb will re-write the initial screenplay for the film, which will be produced by Ed Pressman who also produced the original. So we have the same director, same producer, and same lead actor returning for a sequel over 20 years in the making. Is this going to be the suit and tie version of Fast & Furious? Different model, original parts? I’m surprised Douglas signed on for this, but then again his most recent project is the romantic comedy Ghost of Girlfriends Past, so maybe he needs this.

Do you think they should make a sequel to Wall Street? Can Shia Labeouf hold his own against Michael Douglas?

W. Review Round Up

Mali Elfman — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:20:25 +0000

I think critics should have to state what political party they belong to before submitting a review. Although there is NOTHING ethical about that and a critic or an audience member should be able enjoy a good movie with or without agreeing with it. BUT it does seem like reviews are being effected by which side of the coin you’re on. I think they best way to settle this is to see for yourself. But here is a little round-up of what people think about W. so far. Hell so far the reviews for the film are way better than most of the things written about the President (but that’s not hard to do.)

WSJ: Oliver Stone goes for the juggler vein in “W.,” an exuberant account of the life and times of George W. Bush. He juggles genial mockery and moist empathy without venturing any judgments on his hero’s presidency.

AVClub: It isn’t quite accurate to say that Oliver Stone paints history in sweeping brushstrokes; he’s actually using a roller. His new biopic W., a slapped-together assessment of a lame-duck sitting president, plays like a TV-movie primer on a figure Americans have spent the last eight years getting to know.
FilmSchoolRejects: It may be completely unfair, but it’s difficult to measure the worth of this film outside the motivations for making it. Let’s just say it’s not simply suspicious that a politically motivated movie that wasn’t in motion to be made eight months ago was made quickly enough to come out just before a major election. With that in mind, everything in the film seems sort of, well, unfair – colored by an agenda instead of propelled by good filmmaking. Without that in mind, I have no idea what message you were trying to send.
Rolling Stone: It’s not that W. fails to score points. It’s watchable, often fun and, on rare occasion, suitably fierce. But from Stone you expect a fire in the belly or the gravitas he showed in Nixon. Here, only Brolin and James Cromwell as George Sr. are allowed to play it for real… But the script reduces the actors to stick figures, and Stone’s flair for comedy is largely in his own head.
NYPost: Josh Brolin is superb as George W. Bush, who, while not treated entirely sympathetically, is perhaps surprisingly not entirely evil in the view of Stone and screenwriter Stanley Weiser… “W.” is entertaining as far as it goes, which is up to about four years ago. It’s a story without a final act – one that’s currently playing out in real life.
FilmJournal: Give W. a W for “wonderful,” B for “balance,” and A for excellence in those things that add up to terrific filmed entertainment. Brolin’s Dubya, Stone’s direction, and Weiser’s script nail it, with invaluable support from others both above and below-the-line.
Pastemagazine: It’s a strange complaint, but if anything, W. isn’t quite as bitter or shrill as it should be. The gloves aren’t left on, but subtlety has never been Stone’s strong point (he literally has a character call Bush a devil in a cowboy hat at one point), and the broad, at-times unfocused commentary he gives isn’t what feels promised. W.’s issue isn’t its political statements; it’s that there isn’t a satisfactory film there to back them up.

Oliver Stone, Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks Behind the Scenes of W.

Mali Elfman — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:38:34 +0000

Oliver Stone’s new film W. hits theaters this weekend, just weeks shy of the election. Although this film was intentionally placed directly before even hits the voting booths, the goal of the film is not to scare people away from Republicans or further bash Bush. The movie is about how George Jr. grew into President George W. Bush, simple and plan. The results that it has on the election are completely unknown. Although Stone and Brolin both openly support the Democrats, the film was not made to slam Bush but to “humanize him” as Brolin says. Yes, they used many of W.’s “famous” (or are they “infamous”?) quotes, but those were all real and simply used to make this story relevant.

Below is a little clip with Oliver Stone, Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, and more describing what inspired them to make the film and what they hope will become of it.

What do you think? Are they trying to humilate W. or shed some light on him?

ScreenCrave.com » Oliver Stone

Top Five Election Day Movies

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

JFK

Clear and Present Danger

All the President’s Men

The Manchurian Candidate (the original, not the crappy remake)

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Wall Street Money Never Sleeps: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 8/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

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