starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, and Albert Brooks. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Rated R.
Despite his recent steadily working transformation into Jude Law circa 2004 (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, anyone?) I still have yet to see a film featuring former Mouseketeer Ryan Gosling. “You mean you still haven’t seen Blue Valen-?!?” Nope. “And you have yet to see Half Ne-?” That is correct. “Well, surely you’ve had to have seen Lar-” No! Nothing! No Notebook, no Crazy, Stupid, Love., no… Wait a tick – I have seen Remember the Titans… Still, he’s not a Titan I remember (Was he the gay one?). I’ve probably also seen his first listed work on IMDb for Nickelodeon’s “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” but couldn’t say for sure…
But back to Drive: It looks set to rule. From what I’ve read from critics who got an early peak at it, its subject matter is far more existential than one would be led to believe by its artsy-action-filled trailer. This greatly appeals to me; I feel it’s time we have another type of Memento fall into our laps. Looking up the past work of Refn (Bronson), I could see signs of instant Nolan-like fame. I’m admittedly a little hesitant about how the rubber Stone Cold Steve Austin Halloween mask factors in and how seriously we can take Brooks as a frightening heavy (who isn’t animated). The premise also suspiciously reminds me of a certain Playstation game. I wonder… but will gladly investigate.
I’m not fond of my premonition that it will underperform at the box office to The Lion King in 3D.
GOT ME
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starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, and Kelsey Grammer. Directed by Douglas McGrath. Rated PG-13.
It’s the day of the film’s release so I’ll bluntly go ahead and confess that I haven’t bothered to watch this trailer – a GOT ME/LOST ME first. If Sarah Jessica Parker is the lead or one of the two leads, I am 97% sure I won’t be interested. I haven’t seen one snippet of movement from this flick – not one commercial – and I was still able to predict its PG-13 rating from the education of Failure to Launch/Did You Hear About the Morgans? past. I didn’t read why it’s rated PG-13, but I can probably guess that too. I’m going with “for language, adult content, and sexually suggestive dialogue” or things of this nature.
You know why the only movie I like “SJP” in is Ed Wood? One word: Humility. I mean, hell, her husband Matthew Broderick isn’t the biggest star of his upcoming film and he’s Ferris freakin’ Bueller!
LOST ME
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starring Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Ryo Kase, and Schuyler Fisk. Directed by Gus Van Sant. Rated PG-13.
I’m fairly positive this is another instance of the trailer not doing its film justice. The talent alone – especially the director – suggests this. I’m also a little let down about the reveal of Wasikowska’s character’s connection to the hospital; blowing the lid off didn’t seem necessary as a selling point when the audience is already given the info about Kase’s ghost (and with that, by the way… Um, what?…)
Hmmm… This one’s a tough call….. I’ll say I’ll give it a shot as a rental. As much as I sense the trailer is a disgrace to the finished product, the biggest reveal of all is that Imagine – the production company of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer – doesn’t seem to have much confidence in the presentation. No chance it will be as awesome as Milk, but a lazy submission from Van Sant is potentially still more tolerable than some directors at their best.
GOT ME
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starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgård, and James Woods. Directed by Rod Lurie. Rated R.
This remake of the Sam Peckinpah tale of bloody refusal to be emasculated appears to be rated R… So why does it still inhabit that gamey PG-13 stench in the ads? I think there are a couple of reasons. It’s not directed by anybody immediately recognizable. The role originally brought to life by a freshly famous Dustin Hoffman is now being played by Marsden who is mostly known either by his dismissible Tom Cruise impression as Cyclops in the first three X-Men films or as the high, naked guy (that I’m guessing Alan Tudyk outperformed in the original) from the remake of Death at a Funeral. Speaking of Marsden, both he and Bosworth were previously matched in Bryan Singer’s dreadful Superman Returns. Throw in a vampire from “True Blood“, and you should be able to at least somewhat comprehend my eye-rubbing and heavy groaning. Oh, and just what was missing from the movies – alarmingly unsettling country folk (MAN, I can’t wait to see Tucker and Dale vs. Evil! Hey, that also has Alan Tudyk!).
LOST ME
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Return next week for the GM/LM for September 23rd, 2011 which will include Moneyball with Brad Pitt and Killer Elite with Jason Statham. If you regularly visit Twitter, feel free to follow @gttmovies and @MEIER_in_a_CT for more instant and unadulterated reactions to movies.
