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Kurt Russell And Sacha Baron Cohen Quit ‘Django Unchained’

Travis Woods — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:25:14 +0000

It would seem that, in terms of casting, Quentin Tarantino just can’t catch a break lately. His latest film, Django Unchained, has been beset with actor dropouts almost as soon as casting for the spaghetti western began—first, Kevin Costner was attached to star as the villainous Ace Woody before dropping out and being replaced by Kurt Russell, then Joseph Gordon-Levitt bailed to film his directorial debut. Now, Kurt Russell and Sacha Baron Cohen are also bailing on the project, as well.

During a recent promotion tour for The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen told Howard Stern that he had to drop out of Django Unchained in order to do the press for The Dictator. Cohen had originally been set to play Scotty Harmony, a gambler who purchases Django’s (Jamie Foxx) wife as a prostitute. While the loss of Cohen is surely inconvenient for Tarantino (who had originally set Jonah Hill for the role), it’s not exactly devastating, as the role Scott Harmony is a small one.

That said, Kurt Russell’s exit spells far larger problems for the production. Russell had been set to play Ace Woody, a slave trainer for the film’s primary antagonist, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). No reason has yet been given for Russell’s abrupt exit from the film, which is scheduled for a Christmas Day release. It is also unclear if, in the wake of this casting news, Django Unchained will even be able to meet its own release date.

Russell had previously worked with Tarantino on Death Proof, the director’s half of the Grindhouse double feature. Django Unchained stars (for the moment, anyway) Jaime Foxx and Christoph Waltz as a freed slave and a bounty hunter, respectively, who plan to rescue Django’s wife from Calvin Candie.

What do you think of the Django news?

Source: Cinema Blend

Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’ Full Plot Summary Has Been Released

Travis Woods — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:22:50 +0000

It’s been a big week for Quentin Tarantino fans—after a long dry spell of no new information from the set of the hotshot director’s newest film, the spaghetti western-influenced Django Unchained, this week has been a veritable free-for-all of new trivia by comparison. First, there was the fantastic Saul Bass-esque teaser poster for the film; today, The Weinstein Company has released an official, 282 word plot summary for the mysterious new movie.

While the basic plot details of Django Unchained have been known for months, the plot summary offers a far greater depth and detailing of plot specifics than had been previously known. Further, it makes the film sound absolutely insane:

Set in the South two years before the Civil War, DJANGO UNCHAINED stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.

Django and Schultz’s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of “Candyland,” an infamous plantation where slaves are groomed by trainer Ace Woody (Kurt Russell) to battle each other for sport. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award®-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie’s trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival…

Written and directed by Academy Award®-winner Quentin Tarantino, DJANGO UNCHAINED is produced by Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone. The executive producers are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, Shannon McIntosh, and James Skotchdopole. DJANGO UNCHAINED will be released in the U.S. on December 25, 2012, and internationally by Sony Pictures.

So there you have it—bounty hunting, battles to the death for sport, Christoph Waltz gliding over more Tarantino dialogue, and more anarchic Tarantino revisionism of history, as previously seen/enjoyed in Inglourious Basterds.

In addition to Foxx, Waltz, Di Caprio, Jackson, and Washington, Django Unchained co-stars Garrett Dillahunt, Walton Goggins, RZA, M.C. Gainey, Dennis Christopher, Gerald McRaney, Laura Cayouette, Don Johnson, Tom Savini, and Sacha Baron Cohen. The presence of cinema badass Kurt Russell alone may make Django worth the price of admission; further, the casting of Don Johnson seems to be another example of Tarantino’s “rescue casting” (a la John Travolta and Robert Forster) that somehow always leads to a great performance.

Will you be seeing Django Unchained?

Source: Collider

VOTD: Sacha Baron Cohen Pours Ash On Ryan Seacrest At The Oscars

Travis Woods — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:54:17 +0000

Because it wouldn’t be Oscar night without a few desperate bids for shameless self-promotion, Sacha Baron Cohen did arrive to the Academy Awards telecast, as he was rumored to do, in full costume and character to promote his upcoming film, The Dictator. And the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn’t ban him after all, which led to a briefly funny bit in which Cohen poured ash all over perennial red carpet stooge Ryan Seacrest—which kind of makes the annoying Dictator schtick worth it. Watch a video of the confrontation below.

UPDATE: Pink is the New Blog has it that this was an obvious farce; which makes one even more annoyed at Cohen; still, enjoy the make believe moment of Seacrest getting owned on live TV.

Surrounded by two flower girls, “The Dictator” was jokingly carrying the “ashes” of deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, and claimed it was Kim’s dream to someday be “to be sprinkled over the red carpet and over Halle Berry’s chest.” And before security could haul Cohen away, he promptly dumped most of the ash all over a visibly shaken Seacrest’s tuxedo. Check it out:

So, was Sacha Baron Cohen’s dictator schtick an annoying and mostly unfunny bout of shameless film promotion for a film that, quite frankly, looks terrible? Yes it was. But was it worth it just to see him annoy a tool like Ryan Seacrest? Yes. Yes, it was.

What do you think of the ash incident?

Source: Denver Post

Sacha Baron Cohen Releases Video Response About His ‘Oscar Ban’

Travis Woods — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:33:12 +0000

Yesterday, we reported that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may revoke comedic actor Sacha Baron Cohen’s tickets to the Academy Awards on Sunday if he arrives to the awards ceremony dressed as the titular character from his upcoming film, The Dictator. And because the news that story generated is just about the best promotion the film could ask for—because the trailer certainly didn’t do it many favors—Cohen has now released a video response to the non-controversy, in character as the dictator.

In the video, Cohen fires off a few cute lines, but, much like the trailer to the film, this video clip feels strangely flat and unfunny, coming as it does behind the comedic mastermind that made Bruno. Something about the schtick-y nature of the character, perhaps, but the entirety of what has been seen of The Dictator thus far just plays as one long, unfunny late-period Mike Myers premise. Check out the video:

Well, am I wrong? Is this funny? Or does it just feel like a desperate attempt to hijack some free press for a film that doesn’t look that great to begin with (just as dressing up as the dictator while attending the Oscars would have done)? Let us know your feelings in the comments wall below.

Sacha Baron Cohen May Be Banned From The Academy Awards

Travis Woods — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:59:41 +0000

Because Sacha Baron Cohen’s new film, The Dictator, could use the press, and because the Academy Awards desperately, desperately needs a reason for people to tune in to a three-hour telecast in which Billy Crystal mugs his way through a series of celebrity backslappery, news broke this week that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will ban the comic actor from the award ceremony if he attends in full costume to promote his new film. And thus, we must now all tune in to see what happens. Well played, Oscars, well played.

Cohen, as you know, is one of the lead actors in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, which is at the head of the nominee-pack with a whopping 11 Academy Award nominations, and was thus set to appear on Sunday night. Then “rumors had begun circling that he might use the red carpet opportunity to dress in full costume” to promote his new film, and the Academy flipped. Their response: revoking all of Cohen’s tickets unless they have assurance he won’t appear in costume and “make a mockery” of the red carpet.

I’m going to repeat that—the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does not want someone making a mockery of the red carpet portion of the ceremony. You know, that one massive chunk of the telecast that absolutely nothing to do with films, film-making, or artistry of any sort, and exists solely to allow TMZ, US Weekly and People Magazine to generate copy.

No word yet on what Cohen’s next move will be, but hopefully it will be one in which he continues to mock a wholly pointless dead limb portion of the Academy Awards.

What do you think of the anti-controversy?

Source: /Film

Trailers for Trailers: Super Bowl XLVI Movie Previews

Damon Houx — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:24:28 +0000

Are you ready for (some ads during) Football? If you love movies, but aren’t so crazy about sports, the Super Bowl has become a time where some of the biggest films of the year drop $3.5 Million dollars for thirty seconds of your attention. Summer blockbusters looking to build buzz and get people excited about the year in film. So much so that there are now teasers for these ads. Trailers for trailers. Here’s a round-up…

There are a number of film-related ads that aren’t for movies, some of which have already premiered. There’s already been some buzz about the terrible Ferris Bueller/Matthew Broderick car commercial (which we already wrote about), but this year we’re also getting more Volkswagen Star Wars ads. Check out the latest:

And here’s a Teaser for the Transformers 3-D ride:

Then there’s a spot for Sacha Baron Cohen‘s The Dictator:

There’s also a new trend – as I mentioned – of teasing the teaser, so there are a number of ten second excerpts from some of the big trailers of the day. These are the ones that will hopefully get people stoked to see these movies. First up is the biggest question mark. John Carter:

And then there’s Battleship:

And Finally, The Avengers:

These full spots will be hitting on Sunday and we’ll have updates throughout the game.

Who are you rooting for this Super Bowl: The Avengers or Battleship?

Trailer: Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘The Dictator’

Travis Woods — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:50:21 +0000

Another year, another Sacha Baron Cohen comedy. After bringing the world such characters as Ali G, Borat, and Brüno, Cohen has returned with a new film, Unlike his previous two, The Dictator does not play as a pseudo comedy; rather, the film seems to be playing it fairly straight (or, as straight as it can be with a madman like Cohen at the helm). That said, despite a few good gags, the trailer seems to fall a little flat, and is more reminiscent of a late period Mike Myers flop like The Love Guru rather than a modern comedy classic like Bruno. After the jump, you can decide.

Take a look at the two minute trailer below, maybe you’ll find it a little funnier than we did:

As you can see, the trailer seems like one clever joke stretched out far too broadly to retain any real level of edge or comedy. While a few good lines are apparent (“America—the birthplace of AIDS!”), Cohen’s film about a foreign dictator coming to America seems surprisingly bland from a comedian as risk-taking and edgy as Cohen. Oh well—maybe it’s just a case in which the darkest, most edgy material was simply too risqué for the trailer and had to be saved for the film. Let’s hope so.

What did you think of the trailer?

Source: /Film

Hugo: Movie Review

Damon Houx — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:00:34 +0000

One of the side effects of Martin Scorsese being one of America’s greatest living directors is that every new picture is viewed under the magnifying glass of greatness. Is Hugo another in a line of great movies, or is it a muddled attempt at trying to do something out of his reach? Is it an old man picture, with modest pleasures but a looser grasp? Those seem to be the categories the film’s critics slotted the film into, with many adults deciding that Scorsese failed at directing a film for children, to which the only evidence is anecdotal. But the film is good, possibly great (time will tell), and the most engaging and engaged picture Scorsese has made in a while.

The Players:

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: John Logan
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz , Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer
Original Music by: Howard Shore
Cinematography by: Robert Richardson

The Plot:

Hugo Cabret (Butterfield) is an orphan who lives in a Paris train station where he gets his independence by making sure all the clocks are still working. He meets George (Kingsley) – a toymaker – when he’s caught stealing parts. Hugo has entered into thievery mostly to stay alive, but also to repair the automaton that his late father (Law) rescued, which he thinks holds a secret his father wants him to have. It will only work with a key, one he finds around the neck of fast friend Isabelle (Moretz), and the ward of George. George and Hugo bond over Hugo’s gift for repair, but George holds many secrets that he and Isabelle help to unravel.

The Good:

Martin Scorsese: Being known as a master director helps attune one’s awareness. Which begs the rose question about any other name. This doesn’t feel as distinctly “Marty” as Casino, but he’s also played with a certain austerity before in pictures like Age of Innocence, so this isn’t such a stretch. But from the opening tracking shot (with digital assist) to the wooshing camera around Hugo’s workplace, Scorsese cues the viewer to pay attention early on, and shows that he’s in complete control. And there’s something to be said for a director with vision, in an era where many filmmakers fall back on masters and TV framing. But with Scorsese, you expect nothing less.
For the Love of Cinema: Though the IMDb ruins it, there is a reveal later in the picture about one of the characters who was involved in silent cinema. The film then turns into a story about the origins of film, and the role this character played in shaping cinematic fantasies. And though Hugo is much more grounded than that work, it communicates the joy of that cinema just the same, and how movies can be escapist in the best possible sense. In that way Hugo is a better appreciation of the silent era (and loves it more) than The Artist.
Gentle Journey: The story of an orphan who seeks to get closer to lost parents is familiar terrain of young adult literature, and of animated cinema (how many Disney films feature dead parents?) And though that is the starting point, the film creates a microcosm world in the train station. There’s the nasty-seeming cop (Cohen), who is ashamed of his wounded leg, but wants to romance a flower seller (Mortimer). There’s an older couple who fancy each other, but her dog keeps biting him. And then there’s the old book seller (Christopher Lee), whose frightening exterior reveals a much warmer heart. In that way Hugo is about the harmony that comes from a happy community, and this may be Scorsese’s warmest film. And though some of his attempts at a period or genre mimicry don’t work perfectly (New York, New York and Cape Fear come to mind), Scorsese nails this one.

The Bad:

Indifference: The worst thing about this film is that it’s not going very wide this weekend, and it doesn’t appear to have been marketed that strongly. It’s a weird film in that it takes its time (kids films that aren’t Potter-ish run around 100 minutes, this is over two hours), but it’s also a very interesting film that can’t be pigeon-holed readily. It is an orphan’s adventure, but then it becomes something more. If Martin Scorsese had directed a gangster picture, it would open big and people would be raring to watch, but because he’s directing a kids film, it’s possible this could get lost in the Holiday shuffle.

Overall:

Scorsese’s love of cinema glows bright throughout Hugo, but that’s not the only reason why it charms. There’s heart and characters, comedy and adventure, all of which work well. Hugo is an ode to both assembled families and silent films, Hugo is a heartfelt love letter.

Rating: 9/10

Hugo opens November 23.

Trailer:

Sacha Baron Cohen Up for Django Unchained

Damon Houx — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:08:19 +0000

Sacha Baron Cohen is a chameleon, so it’s no surprise that Quentin Tarantino has taken a liking to the actor, and according to Variety, Cohen is in “final talks” to appear in Tarantino’s latest Django Unchained. He’d be joining cast members Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson in QT’s western opus.

According to Variety it’s a small but important role, and as Jonah Hill recently mentioned being unable to appear in the film, so it’s likely the same part. Casting has been steady for the last month or two, with the film filling out nicely. Django Unchained is scheduled to start shooting any day now.

Cohen made a name for himself in England with Da Ali G Show, where he played three characters (Ali G, Borat and Bruno), all of whom have had their own spin off movies. The show moved to America, and by the time his film Borat was released, that character and the film became a phenomenon. But his ability to disappear into characters made sure that he wasn’t defined by these comic characters, and he’s been gathering a great career in supporting work in films like Sweeney Todd and Hugo, though he recently wrapped a starring role in the film The Dictator, which he also co-wrote.

Who would you like to see added to the Django Unchained cast?

New Trailer for Martin Scorsese’s Hugo

Damon Houx — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:33:54 +0000

Martin Scorsese‘s children’s movie Hugo is starting to build good word of mouth after a New York screening. The first trailer was a little more slapsticky and was selling the film more to children than film fans, and it seemed to suggest a lesser film, but it looks like the film is better than that, and the new trailer sells the scale and wonder. Check it out…

Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz star as children in the middle of an adventure with Butterfield’s Hugo Cabret trying to get closer to his father (Jude Law) and his robot invention. Where the first trailer played up the presence of Sacha Baron Cohen and his station conductor, who seems a riff on Inspector Clouseau. Now there’s more of the old genius character played by Ben Kingsley.

Again, word is good. There’s no telling if it’s going to be an Oscar contender, but Scorsese’s last couple films have been so mixed, it would be nice to see him hit something out of the park. I like this trailer, and can see how the other trailer was more of a bait and switch (it was attached to Harry Potter). We’ll know for sure come November 23, when the film is released.

What was the last Martin Scorsese film you unabashedly loved?

First Look: Sacha Baron Cohen in Hugo Cabret

Krystal Clark — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:03:35 +0000

Back in August we posted a photo of Sir Ben Kingsley on the set of his latest film, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It’s directed by Martin Scorsese and marks the helmer’s first entry into the children’s genre and 3D filmmaking. Today on Facebook (via The Playlist) we got our first glance at another actor dressed in character from the film, Sacha Baron Cohen. We also have a new photo of Kingsley that shows him looking a bit aged beyond his years. Check it out…

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a highly praised novel written by Brian Selznick that centers on a 12 year old orphan boy (Asa Butterfield) who lives within the walls of a train station. It follows his daily journeys as he interacts with several suspicious characters including a bitter old man (Kingsley), a bookish girl (Chloe Moretz), and a local station inspector (Cohen). Jude Law is also stars as Cabret’s father, while Emily Mortimer plays the station’s flower shop girl, Lisette, and Michael Stuhlbarg plays Rene Tabard, a film restorer.

Here’s the full photo of Cohen:

Here’s the full photo of Kingsley:

What do you think of Cohen’s look for the character? Is it how you imagined?

Sacha Baron Cohen to Play Freddie Mercury – Who’s Surprised?

Krystal Clark — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:14:53 +0000

Boom, boom, psssh. Boom, boom, psshh. We will, we will, rock you! Sing it! Now that we’ve got you hype off some vintage Queen are you ready for this? A Freddie Mercury biopic is on the way. The lead singer of the group who was known for his signature fashion and songwriting skills is headed to the big screen — via Sacha Baron Cohen.

According to AP, Cohen just signed on to play Mercury in a film being penned by Peter Morgan who wrote The Queen (seriously, no pun intended). The story will span the founding of the band in 1971 by Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor and peak at the 1985 Live Aid concert in London. Mercury died in 1991 due to complications from the AIDS virus.

The film is currently untitled but we do know that it will feature some of Queen’s biggest hits including “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The best thing about the project is the fact that it has the surviving band members support. Brian May said the choice of Cohen “will probably be a shock to a lot of people, but he’s been talking with us for a long time.”

It’s not a shock to me. They have a lot of the same features, body type, and hair. All he needs are some aviator glasses and some short shorts and he’s good. I can get behind this.

I couldn’t let this post go without putting in a video. Check out Queen in action performing “We Will Rock You.”

What do you think of Cohen playing Mercury in the biopic?

ScreenCrave.com » sacha baron cohen

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Hugo: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 9/10

Trailer:

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