Tribeca's The Godfather Reunion, 45 Years Later - Coppola on the state of cinema: “Nothing can get a green light unless it’s a movie that they can have a whole series of, or a Marvel comic. Risk, Nobody wants the risk.”

Image result for the godfather reunion

 Coppola is correct and knows what he's talking about. Unless it was Oscar bait or the pet project of a safe director the studios like (like Christopher Nolan), there is no way The Godfather could be made in today's cinematic climate. The Coppola of the time would have never have had the chance. Post-Godfather, prestige-Coppola? Maybe.

After winning the Best Picture Oscar two years before that, Francis Ford Coppola decided he would continue Mario Puzo's gangster saga by making a sequel to his 1972 masterpiece "The Godfather." Wise decision. If anything, Part II one upped everything that made the original so great: the dialogue, the shot selection, the violence, the artful resonance. Oh, and it also added one of the greatest actors of all-time in what would be the start of his prime: Robert De Niro. De Niro brought a ferocious intensity to his role in flashbacks as the young, up and coming Don Corleone, roaming the streets of sicily, trying to make them his own property. I also have a theory that this sprawling 222 minute epic was the film that would influence and change Television, yes TV, forever. You can see imprints of Coppola's style in future TV hallmarks The Sopranos, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and, hell, even Breaking Bad. Because of that, and TV's clearly more prescient and cinematic future ahead, it might just turn out to be the most infuential film of all-time.

The cast of this beloved movie ended up reuniting at the Tribeca Film Festival this past weekend, a cinematic wet dream for anyone that knows the Godfather movies top to bottom like I do. 

 Here are a few nfty quotes from the discussion:

 Paramount didn't want Pacino :

“Once I called [Pacino] after he had tested six times,” Coppola remembered. “His girlfriend came on the phone and I said, ‘I just need Al to come in one more time’ and she said, ‘What are you doing to him? You’re torturing him!’ She yelled at me and berated me.”

 Most of the cast thought it would bomb. Pacino and Keaton got so depressed they were actually drunk during the wedding sequence:
“The whole thing had a surreal feeling,” he recalled, remembering a night drinking with Keaton, after filming a scene. “We were talking about, ‘Where do we go from here? We’re gone. It’s over. This is the worst film ever made.’ He and Diane Keaton went back to their hotel and hit the sauce. "We got so loaded after that wedding sequence," the actor says, "We were theater actors, and we were not used to film. The whole thing had sort of a surreal feel to it. So we got back and started drinking: 'Where do we go from here, we're done, it's over! This is the worst film ever made!'" He eventually got over it, he admits. As for Keaton, she is still unsure why she was cast. "I heard it was because Francis thought I was eccentric," she says."

 This weekend was the first time Coppola saw the film since the year it was released:
“I tend not to see the movies I’ve worked on,” Coppola said, after, for at least some of the time, sitting in the audience. “I forgot a lot … I found it a very emotional experience.”

 It would never be released in today's current cinematic climate:

“Today it wouldn’t get a go-ahead,” he said. “The first Godfather cost $6.5m and the second cost about $11m or $12m. If you convert that, it would take a major studio [to make it], but it would never get through the process of getting an OK."
“Nothing can get a green light unless it’s a movie that they can have a whole series of, or a Marvel comic.”
“Risk,” Coppola said. “Nobody wants the risk.”

Exclusive: Kevin Feige reveals why there won't be an MCU Phase 4



It says a lot about Marvel's achievements with the first 3 phases of its cinematc Universe that we all really want to know what Phase 4 will look like. I mean, we REALLY want to know. There is so much demand for an answer that Marvel head Kevin Feige keeps trying to address the swirling rumors by not revealing too much and, sometimes, just stating that there is no plan to unveil a new phase at all. Maybe there just isn't.

 Phase 3 is supposed to end with an Avengers double-header "Infinity War," and its sequel "Infinity Gauntlet," post-that it will become a little clearer and we'll be able to decipher what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 Meanwhile Feige is hinting that there might just not be a fourth phase and that he will, most likely, let all the movies play out and decide the overlapping of characters as they go along. I do like that concept, instead of feeling forced just let it all play out and connect the dots, if they even need to be connected. 

 Here's what Feige had to say:

 “I think people like to talk about our long term plans, which we certainly have. But very rarely do those long term plans dictate the specificity of any individual film. It’s usually the opposite. It’s focusing on a story, and focusing on the individual movie that we’re making to do what’s best. And then, if something changes that we weren’t quite expecting down the line because it was made for a better movie, then we deal with it down the line. I think that’s what happened in Phase One. We were telling those stories and having the crossover of Nick Fury talking about the Southwest Region, when the hammer fell…”

[Screenrant]

Right now a non-connected/overlapping "Phase 4" might look a little something like this:

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3"
"Black Widow"
"Doctor Strange 2"
"Nova"
"Spider-Man: Homecoming 2"
"Secret Avengers"
"Black Panther 2"
"She-Hulk"
"Captain Marvel 2"

"Fantastic Four"

John C. Reilly has one of the highest average Metacritic film scores, third only to Daniel Day-Lewis and Michael Fassbender

Image result for john c reilly 600x200


Here's an interesting study conducted by Vox and based on Metacritic scores, although I would have done it via Rotten Tomatoes scores given that one or two highly negative reviews of any given film can be detrimental to an overall average Metascore.

What this study basically confirms is that John C. Reilly is one of the most versatile character actors that ever lived. Just look at all the films he's been in, great in all of them might I add: Magnolia, Boogie Nights, The Lobster, Guardians of the Galaxy, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Terri, Cyrus, Step Brothers, Walk Hard, Talladega Nights, The Aviator, The Hours, Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Good Girl, Hard Eight, The River Wild, Casualties of War, The Thin Red Line. An abundance of riches. Which is your favorite John C. Reilly performance?









Roman Polanski's new film added to Cannes Lineup

Image result for roman polanski 600x200
I am very excited for this.
Roman Polanski's "Based on a True Story" has been added to the Cannes lineup. It will be playing "out of competition," which means tamper your expectations, this wasn't good enough to be in competition, but good enough to be playing at Cannes. Although, last year, Steven Spielberg's misbegotten "The BFG" played out of competition ... 
Also Ruben Ostlund's "The Square" was added and WILL be plaiyng in competition.
The Wrap has like this:
The 2017 Cannes Film Festival has added seven more films to its lineup, including Roman Polanski‘s “D’après une histoire vraie” (“Based on a True Story”), Cannes organizers announced on Monday.
Other additions include films by Ruben Ostlund, Santiago Mitre and Barbet Schroeder.
Polanski’s film stars Eva Green and Emmanuelle Seigner in the story of a writer who becomes involved with an obsessive fan. The film will screen out of competition at Cannes.
Ostlund (“Force Majeure”) will be part of the main competition with “The Square,” starring Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West.

David Fincher Will Officially Direct the "World War Z" Sequel as His Next Film!




According to Variety "World War Z 2" producer David Ellison has gotten his dream director for the project in David Fincher. Earlier in the year he had stated that “There’s a script that we’re incredibly happy with, and it’s just getting a couple of key deals closed… We hope [Fincher] makes the movie.”

Let's just make sure Fincher gets total creative control here. This would be Fincher's first all-out blockbuster, although, I guess, you could make a case for "Alien 3" as well. Fincher hasn't directed a film since 2014's "Gone Girl." At some point he was supposed to direct Ben Affleck in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on A Train," which would have taken place in a plane instead of the titular train, but IMDB doesn't have that project listed anymore. Scrapped? Who knows. Fincher will be collaborating with Brad Pitt for the fourth time in "World War Z 2"

 My colleagues over at The Film Stage has it this way:

Led by Brad Pitt, who is the main person to blame for Fincher’s attachment, having presented a reportedly compelling idea to him.

Martin Scorsese Pays Tribute to Jonathan Demme

Martin Scorsese just issued a statement on Jonathan Demme's passing:

 “Whenever I ran into Jonathan, he was filled with enthusiasm and excitement about a new project. He took so much joy in moviemaking. His pictures have an inner lyricism that just lifts them off the ground–even a story like The Silence of the Lambs. I have great admiration for Jonathan as a filmmaker–I love the freshness of his style and his excellent use of music, from Buddy Holly to Miklos Rozsa. There’s so much more to be said, and I hardly know where to begin. I also loved him as a friend, and to me he was always young. My young friend. The idea that he’s gone seems impossible to me.”

Gladiator 2? Ridley Scott says Maximus would use the "portal of a dying warrior" to come back from the dead

Nope, this is not courtesy of The Onion. Ridley Scott really thinks he can find a way to bring back to life Russell Crowe's Maximus for another go-round at the mighty Roman Colosseum. 

"I know how to bring him back," Scott revealed. "I was having this talk with the studio — Whether it will happen I don’t know. Gladiator was 2000, so Russell’s changed a little bit. He’s doing something right now but I’m trying to get him back down here."

Scott spoke to ME Movies and actually revealed how he would bring back Maximus from the dead for the sequel. Maximus would use the "portal of a dying warrior" to come back from the dead, whatever that means. Nick Cave has written the script for the unlikely sequel, but, according to Scott, it's been sitting on the DreamWorks shelf for close to 10 years now, good luck dusting that off.


M. Night Shyamalan Reveals 2019 'Unbreakable' Sequel Is Called 'Glass'




THR is reporting that the sequel to "Split" will be called "Glass," as in Mr. Glass, the villain from M Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable," as played by Samuel L Jackson. It looks like we're entering a Shyamalan superhero cinematic universe. I say, why not? "Glass" is set for a 2019 release according to the same article.

 M Night Shyamalan's comeback has been official since "Split" topped the box-office for three weekends in a row. It had practically made $100 million in those three weekends alone and made, overall, close to $150+ million. An all out smash for Blumhouse and Universal. The film had a budget of $9 million. 

I though it was a silly, but well-orchestrated film that benefited from James McAvoy's incredible  performance. 

As for the twist, I have to mention that reveal at the end, you should stop reading this if you haven't seen the film ... Although the title of this post should already be an indicator.

Bruce Willis' superhero from "Unbreakable" shows up to reveal what will likely be a melding of both films for a future sequel. I have been an avid admirer of Shyamalan's "Unbreakable," at the very least a toss-up with "The Sixth Sense "for his best film. There have always been rumors of a sequel happening and I always looked forward to that, but I don't know if I want it to go in the direction the film seems to be hinting it is going. One reason why "Unbreakable" was so good was that it deconstructed the superhero genre to its core and didn't reveal itself as being a superhero movie until its very last frame. This next movie would likely go full on creature vs superhero .... unless Shyamalan will, again. surprise us and give us something more subtle. With all that being said, I do love the fact that people that, all thanks to "Split," have never seen "Unbreakable" are now going to discover it.

'Logan' to be released with a black & white "Noir" version.

Image result for logan black and white 600x200

Google Play already has the Noir Version of "Logan," available for pre-sale. This just doesn't do it for me, as much as the "Chrome Edition" of "Mad Max: Fury Road" had no appeal whatsoever. As cool as this all sounds, the color in "Logan" seemed perfect to me. That dreamy dusty gray and brown made it feel like a classic western. I am not too sure if the outdoor scenes would really benefit from black and white.

Jonathan Demme, Oscar-Winning Director of ‘Silence of the Lambs,’ Dies At 73




It was with a very heavy heart that I found out this morning the passing of filmmaking legend Jonathan Demme at the age of 73.

I loved Demme. He was one of the few truly great directors that focused on the female voice, for more than 4 decades to boot. “Married to the Mob”, “Something Wild”, “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Rachel Getting Married” are prime examples of that. All are great movies. 
Demme’s key period lasted about 13 years — Melvin and Howard (’80), Stop Making Sense ('84) Swing Shift (’84), Something Wild (’86), Swimming to Cambodia (’87), Married to the Mob (’88), The Silence of the Lambs (’91) and, more or less, finally Philadelphia (’93) although I find the latter hasn't aged well over the years. He also changed the way music could be shot with the Talking Heads concert "Stop Making Sense," which, for my money, is the greatest shot concert of all-time. 

 Image may contain: 1 person, closeup

 As far as latter-day Demme goes, along with the aforementioned Rachel Getting Married, The Manchurian Candidate remake was very good and highly underrated. 

 "Something Wild" will always be my favorite Demme. There has never been anything like it, before or after its release. I'd probably rank it in my top 20 of the 1980s. It belongs in the same league as David Lynch's "Blue Velvet," a surreal foray into the wild blue. A film which dared to combine comedy and romance with the darkest cinematic surrealism imaginable. 
I was holding out hope with Demme, whose was concentrating mostly on non-fiction documentaries the last 15-20 years, to make a return, but I didn't know he was suffering from Esophegal cancer the past 3 years. His cinematic legacy will no doubt last.

Confirmed Release Dates: Star Wars Episode IX released May 24th, 2019 and Indiana Jones 5 will be released July 10th, 2020




The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm announced today two major upcoming release dates.

Star Wars: Episode IX is now set for release on May 24, 2019. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film will close out the third Star Wars trilogy.

In addition, the fifth chapter of the Indiana Jones series is now confirmed for a July 10, 2020 release. Both Steven Spielberg, director of every Indiana Jones film, and star Harrison Ford will return.

It will be great to finally be getting a "Star Wars" movie in the summer. The prequels were released in the summer and the amount of anticipation and just overall fun of having such movies come out during that season was great, I am just overwhelmingly filled with great memories from that time, even though those prequels didn't turn out to be anything special.

If you want to go further back in terms of nostalgia, the original Star Wars came out in the summer of 1977 and there are thousands of anectodes of how it was like that summer, "Star Wars" was EVERYWHERE, it took over the season.

Now, as for Indiana Jones. The film has yet to have a title and will arrive on July 10th, 2020. Harrison Ford is set to return as Indy and Steven Spielberg will direct. 

The rumor of Chris Pratt taking over Ford's role will not happen and I'm all fine with that as long as Harrison Ford stops flying planes for a living and concentrates on being healthy and ready for this role.

The last Indiana Jones, Kingdom of Crystal Skull, had its charms, but was nevertheless a letdown. I hated it upon initial viewing but a rewatch, with tampered expectations, had me thinking this was actually a slight, but playfully entrtaining romp. Nevertheless, it was nowhere near as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom or, even, The Last Crusade. Spielberg admitted it. Ford admitted it. The screenplay was terrible, it took them almost 20 years to write something concrete and all they could come up with was a half-cooked plot about aliens and nazis? It seems to me like Spielberg is going to try and make up for it with this next film. George Lucas won't have anything to do with this one, which is great, his screenplay and creative inputs usually stink. Another part of the reason the last Indy didn't work as well was that you had to suspend disbelief and pretend a 70 year-old Harrison Ford could pull off all those stunts. He's going to be 75 years old by the time this thing gets released ... The first two films are still the golden standard, but can we conceivably buy him at AARP age still kickin' ass?

[Star Wars]

Wes Anderson's "Isle of Dogs" has a poster and a release sate



       

Of all the great Wes Anderson movies, and there quite a few, I've always a real fondness for "The Fantastic Mr. Fox," a stop-motion animation treat from 2009 that was the most formally realized picture of his career. So it is with great joy that I see  that there's another film of his that will be in stop motion animation form: "Isle of Dogs." If that wasn't enough he has amassed another fantastic cast to take part in this adventure.

 Earlier this year, Anderson had mentioned that the film was “less influenced by stop-motion movies than it is by Akira Kurosawa.”

The full cast:

Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Kunichi Nomura, Harvey Keitel, Akira Ito, Akira Takayama, Koyu Rankin, Yoko Ono (!), Courtney B. Vance (!), Greta Gerwig (!!!), Frances McDormand, Bob Balaban and Liev Schreiber

"Isle of Dogs" comes out on April 20th, 2018. Is it a coincidence that this is coming out on 4/20?

"The Fate of the Furious" Still Unseen

I have yet to see "The Fate of the Furious," nor do I, to tell you the truth, have any motivation to do so, but it is my duty to eventually watch the darn thing. As mentioned in a previous post, I was out of town for the press screening of the film, I have been offered a few chances to watch it during matinee showings, but have unwillingly declined to watch it. All due to the fact that I am just not that interested in what Vin Diesel, The Rock and the gang have in store in this latest installment . The movie has now topped the box-office for two straight weekends, way to go America, and broke the worldwide opening record with almost half a billion in its first 3 or so days alone.

I have seen 4 of the films in the series, the one that seemed to pass the quality test was "Fast Five," which fully took advantage of its luscious Rio setting to create a cinematic atmosphere that the other films lacked. Was it a perfect movie? Hell no, but as far as this franchise goes that seemed to be the peak. It had a great opening sequence, involving a prison escape, and it was The Rock's debut, which many credit as being the beginning of the franchise's resurgence. That was probably one of the best bits of casting a franchise pulled off maybe, ever? The series was DOA until The Rock decided to saddle up for "Fast Five" and it made a world of difference. He brought some real zest to the series. Now it's a billion-dollar making franchise and, yet, I still have no interest in watching another one of these movies ever again.

"Once Upon A Time In Venice" wants to be Bruce Willis' "John Wick"



Oh, Well the obvious thing I'll start off with is that this trailer gives away too much plotting. I felt like I just sat through a big chunk of the movie just by watching these two minutes. Now, as I've mentioned before, Neeson and "Taken" really started a chain reaction of older, more mature-looking, Hollywood A-listers taking a crack at being action stars. It worked for Neeson and Reeves, but Willis? This movie probably needed a better writer and director team as this is from Robb and Mark Cullen, the guys who wrote the god-awful "Cop Out." Also, didn't the whole "they took/killed my dog" revenge trope get used up to death after "John Wick"? 
"Once Upon A Time In Venice" opens on June 16th.

Cannes Jury Announced: Chastain, Will Smith, Sorrentino, Ade, Park Chan-Wook, Agnes Jaoui and more



You know this is going to be an actual good jury when you see Almodovar, Chastain, Ade, Park and Sorrentino. Cannes really wanted to make amends after their last few lackluster Palme choices. I mean, "I, Daniel Blake"? Really? Especially when you had an incredible competition which included "Patterson," "Toni Erdmann," "Elle," Personal Shopper," "American Honey," "The Handmaiden," "The Salesman." Not just that, the George Miller-led Jury gave their consolation prize to Xavier Dolan's misbegotten "It's Only the End of the World"? What were they smoking last year at the croisette air? This year's jury is composed of seasoned veterans, but, more importantly, artists with top-notch artistic credibility. Well, Will Smith excepted ... Although I've been a fan of his over the years, I can see him more as an "I, Daniel Blake" kind of guy than a "Toni Erdmann" or "Elle" fantatic. We will, hopefully, be on track this year with credible winners. I will be there covering the fest starting May 16th.

 Pedro Almodóvar – President
(Director, Writer, Producer – Spain)

 Maren Ade
(Director, Screenwriter, Producer – Germany)

 Jessica Chastain
(Actress, Producer – United States)

 Fan Bingbing
(Actress, Producer – China)

 Agnès Jaoui
(Actress, Screenwriter, Director, Singer – France)

 Park Chan-wook
(Director, Screenwriter, Producer – South Korea)

 Will Smith
(Actor, Producer, Musician – United States)

 Paolo Sorrentino
(Director, Screenwriter – Italy)

 Gabriel Yared
(Composer – France)