Screen Junkies » brad pitt

Brad Pitt To Play The Man Who Sentenced Jesus To Death

Penn Collins — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:44:37 +0000

That man is Pontius Pilate. In a film called Pontius Pilate.

Brad Pitt is getting pretty cocky with his celebrity these days, flaunting his “I can do no wrong” attitude by playing the man who condemned our lord and savior. Well, not “our” lord and savior, but some people’s lord and savior. Ok. Some people’s lord and some people’s savior. It’s not an all or nothing-type thing. One man’s savior is another man’s lord. And vice versa.

The film purports itself to be “80% fact” which is just the right amount to ensure that absolutely everyone gets pissed at your film and hates it because it shows Christians/Romans/Jews/Whores/Judges in a bad light.

‘World War Z’ Official Trailer Will (Metaphorically) Eat Your Brains

Penn Collins — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 01:07:01 +0000

Diehard fans of World War Z (the book) got all up in arms when they found that the “oral history” aspect of the book was being forsaken because it would have cost a metric shitload of money to produce twenty-odd vignettes around the world. It understandable that a movie studio would diminish the breadth of scope of the novel and focus it a little more for the purposes of narrative and cost.

However, this trailer shows that the film became more or less the story of Brad Pitt’s character and his family, and looks sort of like Outbreak meets Independence Day.

It’s a departure, and seems to nullify what made the book so special, but the film still looks good, though in a much more conventional way.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read the book. It’s terrific, and is an amazing narrative and story, regardless of whether or not you give a damn about zombies.

I Voted…To See Some ‘World War Z’ Footage

Penn Collins — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:48:16 +0000

And you can too. This is the first official video for the film, so we are in a hurry to post it even if it has some ET narration that is just truly awful. Watch it with the sound off.

And tuck your pants into your socks, there are zombies out there.

The 6 Best-Looking Stoners In Film, For Those Observing 4/20

Penn Collins — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:50:21 +0000

Let me begin by wishing all those who observe a solemn, dignified 4/20. This is the highest of high holy days for stoners, so may your observance be filled with Bob Marley, DVR’d episodes of Tosh.0, and perhaps a backyard wrestling tape or two.

Hollywood has given us no shortage of stoners over the past 40 years or so, with the most iconic ones having been inventoried and recited ad nauseum. But what of the most attractive stoners? What of them? The Venn diagram of attractive stoners is a strange beast, as it seems that many men can fall into the overlapping segments, but only a handful of women.

Stupid sexist Hollywood. When will the entertainment industry give attractive women the recognition and notoriety they deserve?. This has gone on for far too long.

Milla Jovavich – Dazed and Confused

She didn’t speak much, but she didn’t really have to. Her character, Michelle Burroughs (had to look that one up), added to the film by just being there, and of course, by mindlessly staring at her lighter flame while stoned at the moon tower beer bust. She didn’t speak, she was hot, she got stoned, and she played guitar. This would be a stoner’s dream girl right here.

Milla also introduces us to a pretty familiar trope: the stoner girl that doesn’t speak. We see it in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels as well. I guess if you’re going to be around a stoner, many would prefer to be around one that doesn’t talk, so that makes some sense.

Bridget Fonda – Jackie Brown

Here’s another hot girl from the movies who loves to smoke pot! But don’t get used to it, because from here on out, it’s mostly dudes. Good-looking dudes, but dudes nonetheless.

Bridget Fonda’s turn in Jackie Brown was pretty much as just a housegirl that keeps Robert De Niro company and also has sex with him. However, she’s got some wisdom in that hot body of hers, as she holds court on why coughing while smoking gets you even higher. Something to do with some part of your lungs opening up for air and taking in even more weed smoke.

And this whole time I just thought that it was because coughing meant you just took a huge hit of weed. Silly me.

Brad Pitt Is Already Making ‘World War Z’ Trilogy Plans

Wookie Johnson — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:12 +0000

Although it hasn’t been easy to bring World War Z to the big screen, star Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster are already talking sequel. Two actually. Which would make the series a trilogy. Pitt recently told the LA Times:

“[Director Marc] Forster and Paramount Pictures each view World War Z as a trilogy that would have the grounded, gun-metal realism of, say, Damon’s Jason Bourne series tethered to the unsettling end-times vibe of AMC‘s The Walking Dead.“

So, like zombie parkour? I guess I’m into it.

Of course, this all depends on how the film does at the box office when it’s released at the end of this year. Many feel that the zombie trend is wearing out, but if so it’s dying a really slow death with upticks and booms in popularity. The success of The Walking Dead despite its redundancy and slow plotting is proof that the zombie soup hasn’t been completely pissed in yet. We’ll wait for The Asylum to release World War Zombies before making that call.

9 Films That Probably Required Some Very Unpleasant Actor Preparation

Penn Collins — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:00:21 +0000

Thomas Jane recently admitted that he turned tricks on Santa Monica Boulevard when he was a struggling young actor. This stint as a male prostitute probably gave him the edge when auditioning for his current role as a male prostitute on the HBO series Hung.

This made us wonder about what other films and roles might have been preceded with some distasteful or otherwise unpleasant preparation. As it turns out, the list is pretty daunting. We take for granted that actors must really submerse themselves in roles that require them to pretend to know how to fire a rifle or be sexually attracted to Jack Black.

Here’s our take on one of the darker sides of Hollywood.

9. Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, and Akihiro Kitamura – Human Centipede

All actors playing characters that were part of the centipede had to complete a rigorous three-week camp in Morocco at which they had to complete countless trust exercises, centipede observation, and pooping in each others’ mouths.

Said one actor, who requested not to be identified, “It was the best three weeks of my life.”

8. Brad Pitt – Moneyball

In order to “sell” the role of real-life baseball GM Billy Beane, Brad Pitt thought it best that he train himself to be able to discuss baseball without instantly passing out due to boredom. It’s Hollywood’s worst-kept secret that he developed a pretty serious crystal meth habit just so he could stay awake to read lines about OBP, slugging percentages, and balks.

Halfway through filming, he learned a trick from Bob Costas, who inserted a tack into Pitt’s right shoe, instructing him to step down on it, causing enough pain to keep the user alert while engaged in a conversation about pennant races at the All-Star break. It is supposedly the same trick that Freddie Prinze Jr. used while filming Summer Catch.

7. Leonardo DiCaprio/Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Inception

This was a more scientific undertaking than it was a psychological problem. Whenever DiCaprio and Gordon-Levitt were in character, explaining the “levels” of dreams to other characters onscreen, their ears and eyes would begin hemorrhaging blood. It was never enough that Christopher Nolan or the crew would fear for their safety, but it was enough to require frequent costume and makeup changes.

Initially, Nolan spent the better part of nine months putting the cast before dream experts and physics professors to explain the plot, but when even the academics’ eyes started to spew blood, Nolan cut his losses and simply cleared out all the blood in post-production, courtesy of Industrial Light and Magic.

Brad Pitt Busted For Smuggling ‘World War Z’ Guns Into Hungary

Wookie Johnson — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:57:24 +0000

Brad Pitt’s war on zombies has suffered a setback. Police raided a Budapest warehouse and confiscated 85 weapons being used for the currently-filming World War Z. The production claims that the military-style assault rifles came with paperwork claiming they are non-functional, however the Hungarian SWAT team was all like, “No you didn’tttt!!!!”

“This morning a private plane brought guns wrapped in a parcel from a company to an individual [in Budapest],” said Hungary’s Anti-Terrorism officials. “Guns like these are highly illegal to transport even if they were to used as stage guns, which hopefully they weren’t.”

Officials need to handle this threat more seriously. If those weapons fall into the wrong hands then the undead will easily overtake Budapest and then all of Hungary. The key to defeating the zombie menace lies in preparation. If we all band together as a global army and put our differences aside, we can send those geeks back to their graves. (Us)

‘Moneyball’ Scores A Touchdown! (The Sport In This Movie Is Irrelevant)

Penn Collins — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:25:13 +0000

Moneyball’s source material, a non-fiction book of the same name, lends itself to a documentary far more easily than it does a feature film. The book’s focus is the introduction and success of statistical analysis in baseball operations via its implementation by Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane. While a book can focus on statistical innovation, moviemakers like to focus on characters, so it was an easy decision to make Moneyball (the film) about Billy Beane and this thing he did with numbers and baseball rather than about this thing about numbers and baseball that happened to be done by Billy Beane. It may sound semantic, but it’s not.

The role of Beane is played fairly effortlessly by Brad Pitt. In addition to being the focal point of the film, Pitt’s Beane is the vessel through which every aspect of the film runs. If you have a problem with him (the character or the actor (in Moneyball there is little distinction), you will probably not like this film. If you like him, you will probably like this film, love or understanding of baseball be damned. Similarly, at no point do you forget that you’re watching Brad Pitt onscreen. I have no idea what Billy Bean is like as a person, but after watching this film, I expect him to be exactly like Brad Pitt.

This is the Brad Pitt/Billy Beane show, through and through. With a winning turn from Jonah Hill playing Peter Brand, his statistical sidekick, and a somewhat puzzling Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrayal of Art Howe, the club manager and the closest thing to an adversary that appears in the film, both serve to divert the minimal amount of attention required away from Pitt. Hill through comic relief, and almost as an audience surrogate, and Hoffman as a very, very polite nemesis. Seriously, it feels as though Hoffman may have been chewing Tylenol PM throughout this entire shoot.

What’s most striking about Moneyball is that it appears to be a film almost entirely devoid of conflict, which makes it all the more marvelous that it manages to engage for as long as it does. There’s no shouting, no imminent danger, no romance. Even from a black-and-white baseball perspective, the film begins with expectations for the club lowered, then the rest of the film is spent watching the A’s and Beane try to meet expectations, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing.

The baseball season clocks in at 162 games, which means a team is much more likely to win via a slow, steady grind than in a big game. That’s the essence on Moneyball (the concept). Moneyball (the film) reflects this philosophy, not relying on “the big game” or “do or die,” but rather tenacity and a little bit of faith as Beane braves criticism from several fronts. In short, he succeeds by avoiding being nibbled to death by ducks.

The most notable detraction from the film is the B-story of Billy Beane’s earlier playing days. It does little to prove relevant to the story at hand, instead serving as a human interest story that no one asked for. We get more than enough Pitt in contemporary story. There’s no reason to wade through his backstory in the past.

So if there’s little conflict, and extraneous backstory, why do we care about this film?

First off, Pitt is extremely likeable in this role. I have no idea if he is at all representative of the actual Beane in this regard, and I don’t care. He makes this journey enjoyable using his humor and charm, sometimes baring his teeth in a smile, but just as frequently a grimace.

Secondly, the dialogue, written in part by Aaron Sorkin, is funny. And the actors performing it are also funny. Pitt, a consistently underrated comedic actor (or possibly just a really funny guy), delivers the goods, as do Hill, Hoffman, an incredibly restrained Chris Pratt, and a scene-stealing performance as a New-Age stepdad from Spike Jonze. This is a funny film and would be branded a comedy if it wasn’t based on a bestselling non-fiction book about the marriage of math and baseball.

Moneyball fails to represent the book in that it invests us in the man and not the phenomenon, which keeps the reader from rooting terribly hard for the team. Instead, we’re rooting for Pitt. Not even to succeed, but just to keep doing stuff for us to watch. While that may insulate us from the original subject matter, it certainly makes for a far more interesting film than Moneyball (the book) should have been. I guess that’s a verbose way of saying that Brad Pitt has more than enough charisma to make this thing work.

Moneyball

Screen Junkies — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:05:27 +0000

Director: Bennett Miller

Cast: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill

Synopsis: The story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

Release Date: September 23, 2011

Don’t Worry. There Are Fast Zombies In ‘World War Z’

Wookie Johnson — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:11:25 +0000

Don’t fret. Your previously unjustified concerns that World War Z would stray from the source material by featuring fast zombies turned out to be justified after all. Because, hey look, fast zombies.

The above video from the Glasgow set shows a stampede of people running as fast as they can away from the zombie threat, but not fast enough. With everyday that passes, this movie looks less and less like the book. At this point, don’t be surprised if the war element gets downplayed to a tickle-fight. (via FilmDrunk)

Brad Pitt Eyes ‘The Gray Man’, But Not In A Creepy Way

Penn Collins — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:25:23 +0000

In Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Brad Pitt played a very good assassin. But in The Gray Man, he would play the world’s BEST assassin, which is nothing to sneeze at. Like Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, and so many other operatives, his last gig went bad and now he’s on the run from the very people that employed him.

The film is an adaptation from Mark Greaney’s novel, with the adaptation being completed by Adam Cozad. The film will be helmed by James Gray, who is kind of an obvious choice, given the title. The talks aren’t final yet, so nothing is certain, but negotiations are far enough along that the studio feels comfortable letting the world know that Pitt is “in like” with the project and hoping to take things to the next level. (Variety)

‘World War Z’ On Location: Glasgow For Philly

Penn Collins — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:29:03 +0000

You know what city really looks like Philadelphia? Glasgow. Well, it does now that the producers of World War Z took out all the Scottish stuff and droped in a bunch of American stuff. The zombie flick has started filming on location in the Scottish city, with Brad Pitt‘s arrival creating quite a stir.

The Scottish location is the third stop on the World War Z roadshow. Living up to its title, segments have already been shot in Malta and Cornwall. Shooting will go until the end of the month, completing principal photography. After that, Marc Foster and company will have a cushy fifteen months or to really tighten up the footage. In fifteen months, they could probably go ahead and make two more movies if they really wanted to.

We’re still a ways off, but I smell prequels! World Wars X and Y, anyone?

‘World War Z’ Plot Revelation: It’s Not Really Like The Book At All

Penn Collins — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:20:52 +0000

Fans of the book will be disappointed, while those who haven’t read the book won’t weigh in, so the big reveal of the World War Z plot will probably come as a disappointment to everyone who has an opinion right now. Rather than breathe life and imagery into the dozens of oral retellings that the book consists of, which would admittedly be cost-prohibitive, the film will follow a much more traditional narrative, following Brad Pitt‘s Gerry Lane, a UN employee, as he races to stop the zombie outbreak.

That plotline doesn’t sound bad, but it seems to squander so much of what made the book unique. Of course, what makes the book unique is exactly what makes the book difficult to stick to in a film adaptation. I suppose a straightforward zombie story with World War Z’s thoughtful mythology is better than one without it, but it’s a little disappointing nonetheless that the studio and director Marc Foster are compromising, though it’s not surprising.

World War Z hits theaters December 21, 2012.

New ‘Moneyball’ Trailer Says “Take That, Baseball Traditionalists!”

Penn Collins — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:54:33 +0000

If you want to see some hopelessly pragmatic academics upset a bunch of baseball traditionalists by ripping out the heart, soul, and tradition of the game, then Moneyball is the film for you. Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who actually looks like a retired baseball player), Moneyball is the story of the Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane who took a scientific approach to assembling a winning team on a budget. Sort of like Major League if the team had been assembled by MIT grads instead of scruffy Lou Brown.

The trailer does an abrupt heel-turn, going from slapstick to Friday Night Lights-style inspiration. So when you watch this trailer, start by giggling incessantly, but by the end, you’ll have a thousand-yard stare and a solitary tear running down your face. At least I did.

‘World War Z’ Pics Don’t Make Zombie War Look That Bad

Penn Collins — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:16:50 +0000

It looks a little arid and desert-y, but not any more than, say, a war against Al Qaeda. World War Z is an oral history based on dozens of accounts of the fictitious zombie war, so this is likely to be just one of several distinct sets, though it’s not known what the other ones will be. The rumor is, however, that the Battle of Yonkers will be the crux of the story. And this don’t look like Yonkers.

After some concern that the production wouldn’t go forward due to funding issues, it looks like we’ve got some definitive proof that it’s being made. I see cameras and everything.

Or course, we’ve got Brad Pitt donning his most handsome Spy Game-esque expat fashions, but beyond that, there are no readily recognizable faces or characters. Or zombies for that matter. Huh.

Ed Harris & Matthew Fox Won’t Enlist In ‘World War Z’

Wookie Johnson — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:55:01 +0000

Matthew Fox and Ed Harris won’t protect us from the zombie scourge after all. Both actors were in talks to appear in Marc Forster‘s World War Z but have now dropped out. With production already underway, filmmakers are scrambling to find replacements and can’t think of any other actors Ed Harrisish enough for the part.

Fox has a scheduling conflict with his prior commitment to try to kill Madea in I, Alex Cross. Harris didn’t provide a reason for exit from the film but let’s just assume it also involves trying to kill Madea. Someone needs to step up and do it. (Vulture)

Pitt Out To Prove There Can Be Math, And Crying, In Baseball

Col. Longshanks — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:30:14 +0000

Sony has dropped the trailer for Bennett Miller‘s Moneyball. Based on the book by Michael Lewis, Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, who, with the help on Paul De Podesta (Jonah Hill), used fancy mathematics to help the Oakland A’s not suck. Philip Seymour Hoffman makes an appearance in the trailer as A’s coach Art Howe, but he doesn’t say a damn thing. Was Art Howe a mute, or did he just employ a controversial coaching method?

The film looks like it has all the makings of a sports underdog story. There is laughter, tears, guys being chummy, chairs being thrown, and a slow-motion home run hit. Pitt handles all of these things well, except the homer. He leaves that to the guys with less attractive features.

Ed Harris & Matthew Fox On The Ready-Line For ‘World War Z’

Wookie Johnson — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:23:03 +0000

Matthew Fox and Ed Harris have joined the ranks of those who have sworn to protect us from the threat of undead scum. Both actors have signed on to Marc Forster‘s World War Z. Also joining them is French actress Julia Levy-Boeken.

Harris’s role is unspecified and Fox is credited for the role of “Parajumper.” I’m not sure how closely the film will stick to Max Brooks‘ source material (it seems to have weaved away somewhat already) but there is a vignette in the book that follows a female pilot crash-landed in a zombie infested jungle. Could this role now belong to Fox? Dude is the go-to actor for getting stranded in jungles. (via Deadline and Bloody Disgusting)

Terrence Malick Gives Projectionists Specific Instructions

Joseph Gibson — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 19:03:20 +0000

Terrence Malick did not spend 4 decades working on The Tree of Life so som high school dropout could spill Faygo all over the print. But, in many theaters across the country, there’s a real risk of that happening. So Malick has released a list of helpful tips to his projectionist brethren. And here … it is:

Project the film in its proper 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
The correct fader setting on Dolby and DTS systems is 7. Malick asks that faders be kept at 7.5 or even 7.7, system permitting.
The film has no opening credits, and the booth operator is asked to make sure the “lights down cue is well before the opening frame of reel 1.”
With all the recent talk of “darkier, lousier” images, operators are asked that lamps are at “proper standard (5400 Kelvin)” and that the “foot Lambert level is at Standard 14.”

6 photosJessica Chastain

It’ up in the air how these suggestions will be taken – either as a helpful guideline from the respected auteur behind an award-winning movie, or one more example of the Man telling working people what to do. Now, is there any way I can get Terrence Malick to come over to my house and adjust my TV’s settings? (/Film)

Don’t Call The ‘Happy Feet 2′ Teaser A Comeback

Joseph Gibson — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:52:29 +0000

New ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ Trailer Is Penguin-Filled To The Max

People love penguins. And if those penguins have cute and non-threatening hip hop attitude and are animated, people love them even more. So, it stands to reason that people are going to love this teaser for Happy Feet 2, which features adorable penguins performing penguin-y renditions of “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Sexyback.”

So if you like penguins, but you hate Jim Carrey, this will probably be the penguin movie you look to for your penguin-related entertainment needs this year. Happy Feet 2 also stars Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Pink, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Sofia Vergara.

Michael Mann Might (Direct) ‘Go Like Hell’

Joseph Gibson — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:39:16 +0000

Director Michael Mann is no stranger to exciting true life stories – he did Public Enemies, about the career of and hunt for bank robber John Dillinger, The Insider, about the fight against Big Tobacco, and The Last of the Mohicans, about the last of the Mohicans. Now he’s attached to another hopefully-exciting true story called Go Like Hell:

“Based on the book by A.J. Baime, story follows Henry Ford II — with the help of young automotive whiz Lee Iacocca and racing maven Carroll Shelby — as they set about reinventing the Ford Motor Co. by entering the high-stakes world of European car racing. In a handful of years they would develop the Ford GT40 (one of the most celebrated cars in automotive history) and become the first Americans to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “

Michael Mann Shares A Grizzled First Look At HBO’s ‘Luck’

The idea of Michael Mann directing Le Mans racing action is enough to make me proverbially salivate. Actually, I might be literally salivating too. No information on casting, except for the rumor that Brad Pitt has been considered as the lead (Henry Ford II?). Hopefully, this will get made – Mann is just the person to handle this type of story. (Variety)

Fox To Stoners: Bring Your Tree Bong To ‘Tree Of Life’

Geoffrey Golden — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:18:07 +0000

The twin powers of niche marketing and truth in marketing collided on Fox Searchlight‘s twitter feed. The explosion was awesome, but you’d probably appreciate it more if you were high.

Terrence Malick‘s arty film The Tree of Life stars Brad Pitt, The Big Bang, Rippling Water, Sean Penn and a large cast of Trees. Since the film is slow-paced, full of nature images and not exactly plot-driven, distributor Fox Searchlight is trying to spark (light up?) the interest of a certain audience via the following tweet:

@foxsearchlight – LA: are you aware Arclight Hollywood showtimes for TREE OF LIFE include a 4:20 screening daily?

Brad Pitt Wants His Son To Hit Him As Hard As He Can

The Cannes winner is now looking for a stoner audience, which I guess makes ridiculous sense. I wonder if the DVD release will include an “Unrated Edition” with a gratuitous hot girl on the cover and a photoshopped picture of Pitt holding a bong, wearing a Rastafarian hat, popping out from the corner. Well, first we have to have the sure-to-be-unusual-smelling screenings in theaters, which begin May 27, 2011. (Movieline)

‘The Tree Of Life’ Wins Palme d’Or At Cannes

Joseph Gibson — Sun, 22 May 2011 20:48:31 +0000

In news that will surprise probably no one except for anti-dinosaur bigots, Terrence Malick‘s The Tree of Life has won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. A complete list of the winners can be found below – no commentary because I haven’t seen any of the movies yet. Maybe next year I’ll be able to go to Cannes – I just invested my life’s savings in an airport for flying pigs.

Best Picture, the The Palme d’Or winner: Terrence Malick,’The Tree Of Life‘
The Grand Prix: (tie): Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, ‘The Kid with a Bike’ and Nuri Bilge Ceylan, ‘Once Upon A Time In Anatolia’
Best Director: Nicolas Winding Refn -’Drive
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, ‘The Artist‘
Best Actress: Kirsten Dunst, ‘Melancholia‘
Best Screenplay Joseph Cedar, ‘Footnote’
The Jury Prize: Maïwenn, ‘Poliss’
Camera d’Or: Pablo Giorgelli, ‘Las Acacias’
Short Film Palme d’Or: Maryna Vroda, ‘Cross-Country’

There you have it. The movie I’m most excited to see is Drive, followed by The Tree of Life and Melancholia – provided all the prints of the latter aren’t thrown into a huge bonfire due to Lars Von Trier’s “Nazi” remarks. See you at Cannes next year, everybody! (The Playlist)

The Tree of Life

Reza F. — Fri, 20 May 2011 23:05:06 +0000

Director: Terrence Malick

Cast: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain

Synopsis: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

Release Date: May 27, 2011

Review: The Tree Of Life

Fred Topel — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:55:25 +0000

This may surprise you, but I am not a fan of Terrence Malick. That’s right, the guy who defends the artistic merits of Jackass does not enjoy impressionistic abstract art films. Yet, of the five Malick films I have now watched as part of my film education, I had the easiest time with the tree of life. That must mean it’s terrible, but it’s the one I liked.

It’s a screen saver really. You see lots of water ripples, bird flocks, mountains, light wisps, volcanic smoke and even outer space. At least it’s totally out there. Malick portrays The Big Bang and the formation of the planet. And, of course, more trees. Always with the trees.

The CGI is amusing. A sort of dinosaur-seal on the beach looks like the third part of the Sharktopus trilogy. Dinosaurs have been done on film before. Malick could have asked to borrow Spielberg’s, or at least Peter Jackson’s. But bad CGI in an art film, I think that’s kinda funny. Either way, the more abstract segment was my favorite part of the movie.

Just In Time For Your Nap, ‘The Tree Of Life’ Trailer

It begins with a family receiving terrible news about the death of a young son in the ‘50s. Mom (Jessica Chastain) and dad (Brad Pitt) mope around wallowing in sadness. One of their surviving sons, Jack, grows up to be Sean Penn and mopes through his modern day corporate life. That’s the intro!

After that we get the nature trip. Then, the actual story kicks in and it moves forward more than any other Malick film. It’s about the cycle of abuse as the kids discover their father is abusive and the eldest learns to act out in different violent ways. Sounds obvious, but it’s portrayed in that nonlinear way.

You can do the impressionistic version of the cycle of violence story. I don’t think you get any more out of that than just narrative storytelling, but it’s another form of artistic expression. The scenes look like old family movies, only in HD. The way the camera sways and bobs makes it look more interesting, even when all the actors have their back to you. Sometimes Mom will float in midair for no reason, because it’s art, man.

S the tree of life is planted in violence, and gives way to more violence from our evolutionary origins (the dinosaurs). Even as a civil society, if Dad’s insecure about his failures at work, he’ll lash out and create violent youth. Then it wraps up with a little more screen saver and some inner child/spirit vision whatever. It’s also about letting go. I get that too.

Grown-up Jack is barely in it so Sean Penn fans will get ripped off. I also think it’s funny that Pitt is supposed to be a ‘50s dad. You can put glasses on him and grease up his hair, but he still looks like a movie star. Maybe that’s how all kids see their dads.

All the Malick fans can yell at me for oversimplifying it and missing the point, but I actually like this one. These are all positive endorsements. I know Malick makes movies designed to be interpretive. I went with him on this one, and this is MY tree of life.

Angelina Jolie’s First Movie As Director Has A Name

Joseph Gibson — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:43:33 +0000

You know what Angelina Jolie would really like to do? Open up a chain of restaurants that serve tiny hamburgers. Just kidding, she wants to direct. And now, her directorial debut has a title: In The Land of Blood and Honey. I can’t wait for the promotional tie-in breakfast cereal! The movie is “set during the Bosnian War following a love story between a Muslim woman and a Serbian man.” It’s scheduled to come out on December 23. and if some rumors are to be believed, there’s a cameo from Brad Pitt. Here’s a quote from Master Jolie about the movie:

“The film is specific to the Bosnian War, but it’s also universal. I wanted to tell a story of how human relationships and behavior are deeply affected by living inside a war.”

One day, a movie will be made about the moment we all learned the title of Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut. I think it will be called In The Time of The Movie of In The Land of Blood and Honey. (The Playlist)

Brad Pitt Wants His Son To Hit Him As Hard As He Can

Joseph Gibson — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:58:00 +0000

The marketing wizards behind Terrence Malick‘s Tree of Life (premiering soon at Cannes) certainly know how to build buzz. Step one: Make a movie that is in all likelihood a cinematic masterpiece. Step two: Take a really long time to do so. Step three: Release images from the movie that contain dinosaurs. Step four: Release a clip of Brad Pitt getting his “Boy Fights” on.

As you may have guessed, this clip pertains to step four. It’s a good clip, although it lacks the visual resplendosity (my word) of the trailer – it’s basically just a disturbingly realistic depiction of a borderline-abusive father played by Brad Pitt bullying his son, who presumably grows up to be Sean Penn. Or maybe he grows up to be Terrence Malick? (Huffington Post)

See Brad Pitt In ‘Cogan’s Trade’ Looking Slick

Joseph Gibson — Sat, 07 May 2011 17:37:16 +0000

Andrew Dominik‘s upcoming Cogan’s Trade is one of my most eagerly anticipated movies – a crime story about Jackie Cogan, a “professional enforcer hired to investigate the robbery of a mob-protected poker game.” The movie also stars James Gandolfini, Sam Rockwell, Ray Liotta, and Richard Jenkins. And in case you don’t recognize Dominik’s name – he’s the guy who directed the excellent The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. So yeah, I’m psyched.

Anyway, here’s our first look at the movie. It’s not known whether this is a set photo or an “official” still, but to me it definitely looks a lot more polished and cinematic than your average set photo. You can see the larger version below and see if you agree. (The Playlist)

Brad Pitt’s Kids Need A Good Belting In ‘Tree Of Life’ Clip

Wookie Johnson — Wed, 04 May 2011 18:55:07 +0000

Click the rapscallion to view the clip

This clip from Terrence Malick‘s Tree Of Life shows what happens when the story’s abused children get break from their a-hole dad. Without Brad Pitt around to handsomely abuse them, they have a pretty good time with their mom. They get to run around the house, yell their heads off, jump on the beds, and bring home lizards. They really need a good sock in the jaw, if you ask me and Brad Pitt.

Rules for my future children: Go to your rooms.

This montage is illustrative of Malick’s work. The sun pouring through the windows paints the scene with a serenity you rarely find outside of a lazy Saturday afternoon. Which means, in order to contrast, Brad Pitt is really going to have to lay the smack down something fierce when he gets back from his trip. These poor kids’ eyes are probably going to pop.

Ladies (Casting) Night: ‘World War Z’ And ‘Five Year Engagement’

Geoffrey Golden — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:24:29 +0000

If you like these ladies, you need to cast them in major upcoming motion pictures. No flowers or stuffed bears accepted. Luckily for these actresses, some casting directors did just that.

Mireille Enos (AMC’s “The Killing“) has snagged a role in Paramount‘s World War Z, based on the Max Brooks bestseller about zombies. This is the first movie Hollywood has made about zombies in a long time. She’ll play wife Karin Lane to star Brad Pitt. Though Enos has starred in TV shows like “Big Love,” this is the first time her face will be stretched to movie theater proportions in a major role. (Deadline)

Meanwhile, the Judd Apatow produced comedy Five Year Engagement is importing a new lady from NBC Thursdays to join the cast. Mindy Kaling “The Office“) will join Alison Brie (“Community”), as well as Jason Segal, Emily Blunt, Rhys Ifans and Chris Pratt “Parks and Recreation“). With all that NBC talent on board, they’d better hope a film opening opposite them doesn’t feature stars from CBS, or they will be crushed at the box office. (Variety)