This is Fresh Bananas, a movie blog set up by three guys from St. Edward's University. We'll try and keep to telling you about the movies we see, but we might stray from the topic.
Movies are rated based on Banana Peels, 1-4. 4 being the best.
If there's a movie you want us to see, let us know!
Enjoy!
Yea, thats right. THR reports that Paramount is contemplating a sequel to the 2005 film Four Brothers. Paramount is bringing back most of the original creative staff, including David Elliot and Paul Lovett as writers and brings Mark Wahlberg back in the lead. The original film followed four brothers on their quest to avenge the death of their adoptive mother, who died in an apparent robbery.
No plot lines have been released. I wonder why? I feel like this film will be just as good as the original, which was not very good. I don't really know how they're going to get to the five brothers, considering one of the original four died in the original. This sounds like a horrible move for Paramount. THR reports that it was Wahlberg who "hatched the idea" to the original writers, which I would say sounds like Mark Wahlberg is trying to return to relevence after a downward spiral since The Departed. He does have The Lovely Bones coming out tomorrow and three other films in post-production, so I could be wrong in my initial evaluation depending on the success of these films.
So, I have to ask. Did anyone see Four Brothers? What do you think about Paramount trying for a sequel?
There WILL be another Sherlock Holmes! Anyone excited? After the huge tease at the end of the film, after movie-making performances, and after great direction from Guy Ritchie, I'm pretty excited! Entertainment Weekly reported today that Robert Downey Jr. would reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes in the untitled Holmes sequel. They also report that Warner Bros. has put the film on the fast-track and will shoot to begin filming in June with the original cast.
The one thing that worries me is that the original writers aren't penning this film. The studio has commissioned Kieran and Michele Mulroney of Paper Man, previously. I don't know why the original writers weren't brought back, but this could go one of two ways. It could really hurt the movie and lend it to be incongruent with the previous film OR it could keep the "franchise" fresh and fun. We shall wait and see.
Wow, watching this was like eating skittles on ecstasy. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call, New Orleans, not to be confused with the 1993 film of the same name is directed by Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn). Let me just say, this is truly an insane ride from start to finish.The movie itself is not about New Orleans as a city, it is more of a back drop and mood setter for the main character and his cohorts. Nicolas Cage, who i might add is one of my least favorite actors, really shines as the lead character Terence McDonagh. The plot of the movie follows McDonagh, a drug and gambling-addled detective in post-Katrina New Orleans investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants. The plot of the film is a diversion to the viewer, instead pay attention to the characters and their mannerisms. I implore you to just go along and let them take you on a magical journey till the very last frame of the movie. Cage takes his role as a drug addict, rapist, and corrupt cop to new heights. Here is a man that breaks all of the rules and makes up a few of his own. Although very gifted at his job the only criminal he can't seem to catch is himself. All of his motives are for self gain and pleasure and he doesn't bother to think about the consequences of his actions, nor does he seem care. He is the quintessential bottom feeder and quickly rises up the ranks because of this.
There is one scene near the beginning of the movie that conveys the duality of life quite nicely, it involves Nicolas Cage interrogating a couple in a parking lot outside of a club. This scene really struck me hard and it rings true in today's society, especially in a place like New Orleans.
Also, something that has had everyone talking is the cinematography of the movie, it as unique as you will ever get from a film and there are a few scenes in particular that will stand out to the viewer that i will keep unmentioned because it is a trip to watch. In addition, the city and the musical score gives this film a weird 80's vibe that i found a bit nostalgic. If your in the mood for a unique movie experience go rent or buy this film it will not disappoint.
There's a new remake in town!!! Another one... to join the long, distinguished line of television-to-cinema adaptations (aka steal the character names, change the setting and situation, and try to make a blockbuster). I've personally never really liked any of them (Starsky and Hutch, Miami Vice, etc) which makes me really hope they do well with this one. I haven't seen an episode of the TV-series so I can't say whether or not it looks like they're gonna screw this one up for the diehard A-Team fans though.
All I know is Mr. T. And after I did my intense research thing on this amazingly useful and readily available tool called the internet, I found out the actual character he played on the show: B.A. Baracas. Amazing! I bet a bunch of you didn't know that. See, I thought Mr. T played Mr. T and there was nothing else to it. Well from what I've read from the diehard fans online, Mr. T IS B.A. Baracas and B.A. Baracas IS Mr. T. Therein lies a big part of the reason of the success of the TV series: Mr. T, himself.
See, now they've gone ahead and done did cast UFC fighter Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (who looks like a crosseyed pitbull in this poster) as the new B.A. Baracas. I couldn't think of a more ridiculously stupid casting call. Seriously, if you had asked me what would be the most hilariously dumb choice to cast as Mr. T (fine, B.A Baracas) in a remake film, I'd probably say Kimbo Slice, Quinton Jackson, Randy Jackson, or Michael (depending on when you asked me). Too soon? Yeah I think so too...they should have waited to find someone less mainstream and more fitting for this iconic character. Hell, Mr. T won't even make a cameo appearance (and he's doing infomercials and WoW commercials for gosh sake) and I guess I don't blame him. Hopefully Rampage can hold his own and do the character justice, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Other than that, Liam Neeson is in it and after seeing him whoop ass in 'Taken', I'm kind of looking forward to seeing his performance along with Sharlto Copley (from District 9 for fooks sake!!!) Other actors include Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) Bradley Cooper (The Hangover), and Jessica Biel (The Illusionist). Every other actor that's in this movie, other than Quinton Jackson, gives me a bit of hope for it. I really hope it kicks ass.
I guess we'll have to wait and see. It's scheduled to be released on June 11th. In the meantime, take a look at the trailer below.
Drop us a comment if you can think of any good TV-to-movie adaptations that you have seen.
AND CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS "PREVIEW" POST ABOUT OTHER UPCOMING MOVIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO in 2010!
Before we get to the actual movie, we just want to say the guys down at theAlamo Drafthouse have their shit together. The atmosphere they create and the movies they show are amazing, and just a heads up, there's a Pulp Fiction quote-a-long coming up next week. How awesome is that? If you haven't experienced a movie at the drafthouse, you better get down there ASAP, no excuses.
Now, a little background: Weird Wednesday is every Wednesday night at midnight at the Ritz drafthouse and is dedicated to bringing the best of the worst B movies ever made, or as others might call them, Grindhouse films. These movies have it all: low budgets, exploitative stories, extremely graphic, poor editing, and poor directing. There are some gems out there and the drafthouse finds them!
Now to the movie:
Poor Pretty Eddie, or Redneck County Rape, or Heartbreak Motel is beautifully bad, I mean, really bad, but we expected that right? This stars Leslie Uggams as a famous American Jazz singer from the north who decides to take some time off and travel south to relax. Really? Mistake 1. On her trip, her car breaks down and she finds a motel/autoshop in the backwoods. Believable right? She then finds herself trapped in a cage of redneck hillbilly inbreds, where she is raped. Gross right? Michael Christian plays and Elvis wannabe and the main antagonizer, Shelley Winters, who had won two oscars, plays the washed up entertainer/proprioter of the backwoods motel/autoshop. Sounds like a winner right? Surprisingly, we get the hero and best performance from the somewhat mute of the film, Keno, played by Ted Cassidy. Im not sure what he did at this place, but he was awesome. Oh, and Slim Pickins plays the Sheriff!
This movie was unbelieveably disjunct. Characters were inconsistent, action was shot horrible, and edited like a two-year old with fun scissors had a go at it. I must say though, the long cut slow-mo's did hit the spot. Even with all there problems, there was still something, dare I say, special about this movie? It might just be the sleak and cool atmosphere Alamo Drafthouse creates, it might have been the burned, scratched, and popping reel that was shown, it might have been many other things, but in a weird way I actually enjoyed the movie. By no means was it any where close to being a somewhat feat of movie mediocraty, but I had fun and what more can you ask for? Here's the first 2 1/2 minutes, just to get a taste:
Looking for fun? Rent this movie, but don't expect much! If you dare to watch this movie, drop us a comment and let us know what you think!
It goes without saying to anyone who's already seen TS that the visuals and special effects are pretty damn awesome. The reason I gave this movie a low score was because of Christian Bale in the role of John Conner. Maybe I'm being biased and bitter because I've heard the audio clips of his rampage on the set of the movie (see below)...but even if I hadn't heard them, I'd still be able to recognize that Christian Bale brings nothing of value to the character of John Connor. If you were to watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day and then TS back-to-back, you'd probably ask yourself "That's not the same kid all grown up, is it? Really?" If he was wearing the Batman mask in TS, it would basically be Batman in a Terminator movie. Bale's voice as John Conner is just as garbled, angry, and incomprehensible as it is when Bale wears the mask.
I liked Anton Yelchin in the role of Kyle Reese. I'm becoming a big fan of that guy after I saw him in Star Trek and then here in TS. He's got the potential for playing some really great roles in the future. Sam Worthington was just...ok. Pretty much like Avatar. Helena Bonham Carter (Fight Club, Big Fish) was like Bale, just making a paycheck, and she was just oddly placed in her role (which is how she usually acts, and it's fine for me in other movies.....but it just didn't feel right in this one).
Let's be honest, this movie was produced solely to make back a very large profit (ie Transformers, although I appreciated the lack of blatant product placements in Terminator Salvation) especially with the popular name of Christian Bale attached to it. The plot lacked a reason to make me a fan again and the ending was pretty lame. But at least this is a step in the right direction if Hollywood insists on continuing the series.
Other than that, if you're looking for something pretty entertaining with big explosions, gunfights, and futuristic vehicles, give it a go. I've got nothing against it in that regard. I was just hoping for a little more substance.
(P.S. One thing that bugs the hell out of me is the director's name, McG. Change your stupid name. It's retarded. How can any actor take you seriously you with a name like McG? How can anyone take you seriously at all?)
^^^Christian Bale fights with Peter Griffin on the set of TS
