McCain to run for President ‘08

Just when I thought the Republician party was done for, Sen. John McCain has announced that he will run for the presidency. This exciting news and creates a slight dilemma. I really want a democrat in office but McCain is one of the few Republicians I really like and respect. I’m thrilled his running and now only if Al Gore would reconsidered we would have ourselves a worthy election. I know this is completely off topic for a movie blog, but the news was to exciting to pass up.

McCain Announces Presidential Bid on Letterman’s Talk Show
US Republican Senator John McCain announced he will run for President of the United States in 2008 during an appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman on Wednesday night. McCain said although he was announcing his candidacy, a more formal announcement will be made next month. He told David Letterman, “The last time we were on this program, I’m sure you remember everything very clearly that we say, but you asked me if I would come back on this show if I was going to announce. I am announcing that I will be a candidate for President of the United States.” He added jokingly, “This is the announcement, you drag this out as long as you can. You know what I mean? You don’t just have one rendition. You’ve got to go over and over. This is the announcement preceding the formal announcement!”

Wild Hogs to dethrone Ghost Rider

After two weeks on top, a leather-clad superhero who rides a motorcycle collecting sould will likely be replaced by four middle-aged guys riding their hogs cross country. After a weak week, the box-office looks ready to rebound with a slew of exciting new releases.
Wild Hogs featuring four washed-up Hollywood stars in what some critics have called, “recycled garbage with a stench that stays for days.” But, knowing the American public and the fact that poorly written excuses for movies tend to do big business, insiders are expecting the film to take this weekend’s prize. The movie is expected to open within the lower 20s range. A take of 23-million is the general agreement.
Despite rave reviews, The Zodiac because of its subject matter and lacking of a “real” star will likely play bridesmaid. The movie is opening in 1,000 less theaters than Wild Hogs so this will also effect the outcome. In 2006, movies about murderers or cases in California didn’t translate to box-office mint with both Hollywoodland and The Black Dahlia failing to connect. The Zodiac is expected to take home around $16-$18 million putting it inline with the opening of Fincher’s Se7en.
The final new wide release is Black Snake Moan and with its sleazy advertisements and entertaining trailers should pay off giving the movie a top 5 opening. The Christina Ricci-Samuel L. Jackson flick should open it the neighborhood of $8 million.
Among holdovers, Ghost Rider should experience a 50 percent decline to about $10 million bringing its total to $93 million. While The Number 23 will likely tumble 55-60 percent to earn $6.5 million. Disney’s The Bridge to Tabithia will easy a meager 30 percent to just shy of $9 million this weekend.
Again, these are just industry expectations and anything can happen. I’d advise that those interested in seeing Wild Hogs rethink their decision and opt for the more story-driven Zodiac.

Angelina Jolie does it again

The actress is preparing to adopt yet another child, which is great. This is the woman who started this entire trend but I fear soon we will all be the adopted children of Angelina Jolie. Here is the story:

Angelina Jolie has filed papers to adopt a Vietnamese child, the country’s top adoption official said Friday.
A U.S. adoption agency representing the Hollywood star filed the papers at Vietnam’s International Adoption Agency, said Vu Duc Long, the agency’s director.
“She just filed the papers this week,” Long said.
Jolie and her superstar partner, Brad Pitt, have three children: 5-year-old Maddox, adopted from Cambodia; 2-year-old Zahara, adopted from Ethiopia; and another daughter, Shiloh, who was born to the couple in May.
Long would not name the U.S. adoption agency working with Jolie, who applied to adopt as a single parent.
Jolie and Pitt made a surprise visit to Vietnam at Thanksgiving, when they visited the Tam Binh orphanage, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City.
Their pictures were splashed across the front page of Vietnamese newspapers, showing the couple cruising around Ho Chi Minh City on a motorbike.
Nguyen Van Trung, the director of the Tam Binh orphanage, declined to comment. He said he was awaiting the papers from the International Adoption Agency.

New trailers from: Resident Evil, 300 and Spiderman 3

A look at some of the hottest trailers on the internet.
Resident Evil 3: Extinction
Sept. 21, 2007

The desert wasteland images that first fill the screen remind me more of a Mad Max film rather than another installment of the Resident Evil franchise. The trailer itself looks very good but much interms of a story remains up in the air. While I love the video games the previous two cinematic entries have been less than stellar. I can only hope filmmakers finally get it right with the third chapter but it doesn’t look likely.

300
March 9, 2007

The most visually appealing trailer to hit the screens in a long time. 300 retells an heroic tale with a comic book flare that director Zack Snyder seems to have gotten down perfect. After every single viewing I’m driven to want to see this movie even more and though the release is merely a week away, it seems unattainable. Here is to what will likely go down as one of the year’s most entertaining, original visions.

Spiderman 3
May 4, 2007

The movie event of the year. Forget about those silly Pirates of the Caribbean and that ogre who might over-staying his welcome in Shrek the Third, this is the year of Spidey. Unlike the majority of superhero movies, the Spiderman movies seem to get better with each addition and hopefully three won’t be the exception. Be sure to mark your calendar and buy your tickets in advance because this one is going to be a elephant sized hit.

Lynch’s art as challenging as his films

What is it like to glimpse into the mind of moviemaker David Lynch? A new exhibition in Paris shows that it is every bit as twisted as a true fan could imagine.
The exhibition, The Air Is on Fire, is the most comprehensive showing of Lynch’s visual art to date, and it includes paintings, photographs and countless doodles on Post-it notes, hotel stationery and napkins from Bob’s Big Boy diner.
Some sketches date back to 61-year-old Lynch’s high school days when, oddly enough, the Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive director worked his way toward the rank of Eagle Scout.
Though many works have touches of Lynch’s quirky humor, the recurring themes are disconcerting, from leering women in red lipstick to decomposing corpses. Lynch even manages to make photos of snowmen look creepy.
At a news conference Thursday, a reporter gently inquired if Lynch was a happy man.
“Very happy,” Lynch replied. Then he faced a battery of scholarly questions.
What attracts you to the theme of metamorphosis?
“I don’t know,” Lynch deadpanned.
Another reporter asked Lynch what blue symbolized in his work. “It’s a beautiful color,” he said.
“So much of this is ideas that have nothing to do with an intellectual thing,” he said. “It’s an intuitive journey.”
The news conference took a bizarre turn. An aspiring actress grabbed the microphone, begged Lynch to remake Blue Velvet in France, sang the movie’s title song in off-key French, then threw her arms up in a flourish.
Lynch politely thanked her. “You did a very beautiful job singing,” he said, adding that although he loves France and is a regular visitor, he isn’t sure he will shoot a movie here. Lynch won the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize in 1990 for Wild at Heart, and he headed the Cannes jury in 2002.
The Air Is on Fire, which opens to the public Saturday, will run at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art through May 27.

Hurt so good: The Howling III: The Marsupials

Have you ever seen a movie and just got sheer enjoyment from despite the fact it is a steaming pile of crap? Or even some cases it is because of this the movie is more enjoyable. This is a new feature showcasing a few of these ridiculed gems. There are the movies most wouldn’t admit they like, but when they come basic cable you can’t help but watch the mess. A bad movie (there is a difference between a bad and horrible movie) is essential the same as watching a car wreck. Everyone knows that they shouldn’t but it is just so hard to turn away.

The Howling III: The Marsupials
Released: October 1987
imdb user rating: 2.3 (out of 10) **added bonus** The films ranks number 49 on the movie sites bottom 100.
The Tomatometer: a meager 11 percent.
Tagline: Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Down Under (I think this is awesome)
This was the turning point for the franchise where it went from trying to be scary to becoming more of a horror/comedy also was the moment the series stopped making money and shortly after went straight to video. The movie opens with a rash of unexplained sighting of werewolves and this catches the attention of a U.S. scientist who ventures to Australia to investigate the claims. At the same time we are shown a covenent of marsupial werewolves (yes, I know this sounds stupid) living in the Australian outback, but it is not until one of the younger females ventures into the city that the movie picks up its stride. Well sitting in a park she is discovered by a young man who wants to cast her as a victim in, what else, a werewolf movie. Long story short the plot of the movie completely hogwash but scenes in which a trio of werewolves are dressed as nuns, the werewolf “pouch,” and the evoke of the spirit of the true marsupial wolf the film is a laugh riot. This shouldn’t be a movie you put on for a good scare or even a half-witted storyline because you’ll just leave disappointed. Instead, see this as a vacation for your brains and expect the worst and you just might leave it being a bit satisfied. Sit back and let the stupidity of The Howling III: The Marsupials consume you and maybe bring along a six pack for added enjoyment.

Here a scene to satisfy your animal hunger