Tag: al pacino

Blu Monday: April 5, 2011

Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray

Blu-Ray for Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

  1. Steven Spielberg’s A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001)
  2. An early Al Pacino in …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (1979)
  3. Dudley Moore is a happy drunk in ARTHUR/ARTHUR 2: ON THE ROCKS (1981/1988)
  4. Cute pork for kids… BABE (1995)
  5. Another dose of the villainous Mark Hamill in BATMAN: RETURN OF THE JOKER (2000)
  6. Forgotten good rom-com with Johnny Depp… BENNY & JOON (1993)
  7. From the late George Hickenlooper, Kevin Spacey is CASINO JACK (2010)
  8. Shocking dolphin documentary THE COVE (2009)
  9. Kevin Kline & Ashley Judd star in DE-LOVELY (2004)
  10. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: 40th Anniversary Edition, Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (1971)
  11. Jim Carrey & Ewan McGregor star in I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (2010)
  12. Rose McGoawn stars in the dark high school comedy JAWBREAKER (1999)
  13. Ryan Gosling stars in LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007)
  14. Robert DeNiro & Ben Stiller star in LITTLE FOCKERS (2010)
  15. Romantic comedy, Shakespeare-style with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993)
  16. Julia Roberts & Annabeth Gish star in MYSTIC PIZZA (1988)
  17. Woody Harrelson stars in THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT (1996)
  18. A most unusual love triangle in THE RULES OF ATTRACTION (2002)
  19. Not as funny sequel… STILL WAITING (2009)
  20. Queen Latifah & Jimmy Fallon star in TAXI (2004)
  21. Robert DeNiro is the TAXI DRIVER (1976)
  22. The original TRON: Special Edition, 2-disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (1982)
  23. TRON: LEGACY, 2-disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (2010)

DVD for Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

  1. April 4th – YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE (2010)
  2. Kate Hudson & Stuart Townsend star in ABOUT ADAM (2000)
  3. Margot Benacerraf’s gorgeously photographed documentary ARAYA (1959)
  4. AYN RAND: IN HER OWN WORDS (2010)
  5. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: DARK TALE (2009)
  6. Anne Hathaway stars in BECOMING JANE (2007)
  7. More “made for TV” giant monster fun with BEHEMOTH (2011)
  8. BILL MOYERS: THE LANGUAGE OF LIFE (1995)
  9. Angie Dickinson & Bobby Darin star in CAPTAIN NEWMAN, M.D. (1963)
  10. COME UNDONE [Cosa voglio di piu] (2010)
  11. Shocking dolphin documentary THE COVE (2009)
  12. College students re-enact a family’s murder on web-cam in DEAD ON SITE (2008)
  13. Diana Dors Double Feature: AN ALLIGATOR NAMED DAISY / VALUE FOR MONEY
  14. A new kind of zombie flick… HORRID (2009)
  15. Jim Carrey & Ewan McGregor star in I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (2010)
  16. Ben Affleck & Liv Tyler in Kevin Smith’s JERSEY GIRL (2004)
  17. Robert DeNiro & Ben Stiller star in LITTLE FOCKERS (2010)
  18. Spencer Tracy & Robert Wagner star in THE MOUNTAIN (1956)
  19. Peter O’Toole & Omar Sharif star in THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS (1967)
  20. Roger Corman’s Action-Packed Collection: GEORGIA PEACHES / THE GREAT TEXAS DYNAMITE CHASE / SMOKEY BITES THE DUST
  21. Burt Lancaster & Claude Rains star in ROPE OF SAND (1949)
  22. STRAIGHTMAN: 10th Anniversary Edition (2001)
  23. Muslim punk rock in America… THE TAQWACORES (2010)
  24. Terry Thomas Double Feature: TOO MANY CROOKS /  MAKE MINE MINK
  25. The original TRON: Special Edition, 2-disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (1982)
  26. YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS (2011)

SCARFACE on Blu-ray for the First Time 9/6/11

Universal City, California, March 24, 2011—With machine guns blazing, the explosive underworld epic Scarface arrives on Blu-ray TM Hi-Def September 6, 2011 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

SYNOPSIS

In the spring of 1980, the Mariel boatlift brought thousands of Cuban refugees to the sun-washed avenues of Miami in search of the American dream. From acclaimed director Brian DePalma, Scarface is the rags-to-riches story of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), who finds wealth, power and passion beyond his wildest dreams…at a price he never imagined. Tony Montana’s meteoric rise, lavish life and soul-destroying fall anchor an epic film that inspired a worldwide following. Pacino is at his most memorable as Montana, blasting his way to the top of Miami’s drug underworld in a bravura performance.

Considered one of the most influential gangster films ever made, Scarface’s gritty depiction of Tony Montana’s lethal ambition has made it a cultural touchstone that spans generations. Now, fans can experience the film’s raw power in the newly restored, high-resolution, high-definition picture and explosive 7.1 audio for the first time ever. Exclusive new bonus content created especially for this release reveals the film’s iconic legacy as one of the greatest crime sagas of all time. For a limited time only, Scarface Special Limited Edition Blu-rayTM comes with collectible SteelBookTM packaging, ten exclusive art cards, a digital copy of the film and a DVD of the original 1932 Scarface, making it a must-own addition to every film fan’s library. And, for the ultimate collector and cigar enthusiast, an elegantly hand-crafted Scarface-themed humidor will be made available in an exclusive, never-before-available, limited edition. Created by the renowned Daniel Marshall, the humidor’s exterior is hand painted and polished with the Marshall’s trademark “1000 coat brilliant finish.”  The interior – made with untreated Spanish cedar – will properly condition and age approximately 100 cigars at optimal humidity levels. Limited to 1,000 worldwide, each individually numbered humidor comes embellished with custom medallions inspired by the iconic film and includes a certificate of authenticity.

“Nearly 30 years after it first exploded onto the screen, Scarface stands as a cultural icon with a passionate and growing fan base that continues to exert an enduring influence on not just moviemakers but artists across the entire pop-culture landscape,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  “Now, for the first time ever, fans of this jewel in the Universal crown can enjoy Scarface with the spectacular picture and sound quality that only Blu-rayTM provides.”

A masterful collaboration between acclaimed director Brian de Palma (The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way) and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Oliver Stone (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Platoon), Scarface features extraordinary performances from a powerhouse cast that includes Academy Award® winner Al Pacino (The Godfather), Academy Award® nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (The Fabulous Baker Boys, Hairspray), Academy Award® nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (The Color of Money, The Perfect Storm), Academy Award® nominee Robert Loggia (Jagged Edge) and Steven Bauer (Traffic). The film was nominated for three Golden Globe® Awards (including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Score), and was named one of the Top 10 Gangster Films of All Time by the American Film Institute.

NATIONAL FAN ART CONTEST

To celebrate the film’s Blu-rayTM debut, fans will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design Scarface-inspired artwork using classic Tony Montana images from the film. Universal will select the Top 25 submissions based on creativity, originality, quality of composition/design and utilization of the Scarface theme.  Fans will vote on their favorite 10 submissions which will then be featured as exclusive art cards in the Scarface Limited Edition Blu-rayTM. The designer who garners the highest number of fan votes will become the Grand Prize winner, and will have their art featured on both the art card and on a high-profile billboard in a major US city to promote the release.

For more information on how to enter the fan art contest and to be among the first to hear future exciting, exclusive announcements about Scarface on Blu-rayTM, join over 3.6 million fans on Facebook and visit www.facebook.com/scarfacethemovie.

BONUS FEATURES

·       The Scarface Phenomenon— This all-new documentary presents Scarface as a unique phenomenon in cinema history.  It explores how a film plagued by controversy leading up to its release has become a Hollywood classic, influencing a whole new generation of filmmakers and leaving a lasting imprint on popular culture.

·      Deleted Scenes

·      The World of Tony Montana —Experience the world of the ultimate gangster and hear from experts on the real world violence, fear and paranoia that surrounds a drug lord.

·       The Rebirth —Director Brian De Palma, producer Martin Bregman, actor Al Pacino, and screenwriter Oliver Stone revisit the history of Scarface, from the inspiration of the original Howard Hawks classic to the evolution of the script.

·       The Acting — Join the filmmakers, Al Pacino and Steven Bauer to discover how each of the roles was cast and how Brian De Palma worked with his actors to get unforgettable performances.

·       The Creating — A fascinating, controversial and definitive journey through the making of the film, which began with the production being forced to leave its initial location in Florida. Discover how the chainsaw scene was filmed, learn about the production design, the photography, and the struggle to get the film an “R” rating.

·      Scarface: The TV Version—A revealing and hilarious montage of film clips comparing the theatrical version to the network television version of Scarface.

·      The Making of Scarface: The Video Game: Immerse yourself in the world of Scarface in this behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the video game.

U-CONTROL FEATURES ON THIS BLU-RAY DISC:

·      Scarface Scoreboard—Watch Scarface like never before.  Keep track of the number of times the “F” word is used and monitor the bullets fired!

·       Picture in Picture—Access  interview footage of Brian De Palma, Al Pacino, Screenwriter Oliver Stone, and others without interruption to the movie experience.   Also featured is a scene comparison between the 1983 version of Scarface and Howard Hawks’ original film.

·      BD-LIVE™—Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest trailers and more.

·      pocket BLU™ app— USHE’s groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone™, iPad™, iPod® touch, Smartphone, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™  player and offers advanced features such as:

o   Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.

o   Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the movie.

o   Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to mobile devices or to stream from anywhere there’s a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy exclusive content on the go, anytime, anywhere.

o   Keyboard: Enter data into a Blu-ray™ player with your device’s easy and intuitive keyboard to facilitate such Blu-ray™ features as chatting with friends and sending messages.

Technical Information

Street Date: September 6, 2011
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 Hours 50 Minutes
Number of Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Technical Info: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1/DTS Surround 2.0, French DTS Surround 2.0 Mono, Spanish DTS Surround 2.0 Mono

Languages: English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
Gift Set SRP: $999.99

Katie Holmes Joins Adam Sandler and Al Pacino In JACK AND JILL

The Hollywood Reporter has the news that Katie Holmes is in talks to star opposite Adam Sandler and Al Pacino in JACK AND JILL, a Columbia comedy being directed by Dennis Dugan. Holmes is presently shooting History’s miniseries “The Kennedys,” playing Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

In the film, Jack, a family man, deals with his twin sister, Jill, when she visits for Thanksgiving then won’t leave. Sandler will play both characters. Holmes would play Sandler’s wife; Pacino is set to play himself. JACK AND JILL is being produced by Sandler and Happy Madison partner Jack Giarraputo with Todd Garner, is planning an October shoot.

The role marks Holmes’ first studio film since 2005’s “Batman Begins.” In between, she took a break from acting but graced the screen in 2008’s small-budgeted “Mad Money.” She has several ensemble indies in the can — including romantic drama “The Romantics” and crime thriller “The Son of No One” — and stars in the Guillermo del Toro-produced chiller “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” which Miramax is set to open Jan. 21.

WAMG Interview with JACK HUSTON

WAMG’s Melissa Howland got a chance to sit down with actor Jack Huston (who plays Royce King in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE) while visiting Saint Louis to talk about acting for stage and screen, working with Nikki Reed and Al Pacino, and being a part of The Twilight Saga phenomenon.

Character Cage Match: Week #1

I’ve dug up the old Character Cage Match and dusted it off, upgrading it to version 2.0 with a new, more interactive purpose. The new CCM will be a weekly feature, randomly pitting two note-worthy cinematic characters against one another in a battle of popularity. Readers will vote on which character is their favorite and the victor will advance to next week’s face-off against a new contender. Who will hold the title the longest? Who will be eliminated in shame? The outcome is in your hands!

Being the first of a new generation of CCM, this happens to ab an all Al Pacino week. This week’s cage match features Al Pacino as Tony Montana, from Brian De Palma’s SCARFACE (1983) versus Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s GODFATHER trilogy. Bare in mind, the contest isn’t necessarily determined by the number of appearances, assumed bad ass-ness or number of awards or box office draw, how these may play into your decision. Simply put, its a contest of popularity, by whatever means of determination those voting deem pertinent.

For all intents and purposes, this is an experimental project. The continuation of this weekly feature will be determined by the amount of participation from our readers. The new Character Cage match is part of an effort to develop some more interactive content with our readers, just to see what sticks. So, if you like the idea, or are simply curious to see how things pan out, please cast your vote once a week. Its easy… read the short post, then choose between the two cinematic characters based on which is your favorite, for whatever reason you choose. Then, place your vote by leaving a comment on this post with your selection. Feel free to elaborate on your choice, if you choose, but it is not necessary for the vote to count. On with the show…

Al Pacino develops ‘Napoleon’ complex

alpacinonapoleon

Al Pacino will finally get to play the Emperor Napoleon in a big screen adaptation of Staton Rabin’s children’s book ‘Betsy and the Emperor’.

The project will be directed by John Curran (The Painted Veil) from a screenplay written by Brian Edgar. The book tells a children’s story based on the actual man and real history.

[source: Hollywood Reporter]

Camilla Belle to Play ‘Mary, Mother of Christ’

camilla-belle

Camilla Belle, currently smoking up the screen in ‘Push’, has signed on to play the titular role in ‘Mary, Mother of Christ’.   Aloe Entertainment is putting the New Testament film together also starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the dual roles of Gabriel and Lucifer and Peter O’Toole as Symeon.

Al Pacino and Jessica Lange are in talks to play Herod and Anna the Prophetess.

Argentine filmmaker Alejandro Agresti (‘Valentin’ and ‘The Lake House’) is directing the film, which begins filming in Morocco in May.

MGM plans to release the film wide in 2,000-plus theaters April 2, 2010, which coincides with Good Friday.

Source: Variety

Pacino Taking on ‘King Lear’

pacino-shakespeare

Al Pacino is once again circling a project based on a work by William Shakespeare.   He directed and was featured in the 1996 documentary ‘Looking for Richard’ and later starred in the  Michael Radford-directed adaptation of ‘Merchant of Venice’.   Now, Pacino is reteaming with Radford for an adaptation of ‘King Lear’.

Pic will be produced by Barry Navidi, who teamed with Pacino on ‘Merchant’ as well as the upcoming ‘Salomaybe?,’ which Pacino directed and stars in. That film, based on the Oscar Wilde  play, is in post-production.

While Pacino has played many Shakespearean characters, he has never played King Lear, the aging monarch who selects his successor by parsing his kingdom in three parts, ruled by his trio of daughters. Two of them are scheming connivers who flatter their father, while the one loving daughter, Cordelia, refuses to play that game and is exiled. The king ultimately loses everything.

“Al has been offered this role many times over the years, but didn’t feel ready,” Navidi said. “He’s ready now. The film will be true to its period, very similar to the classical look of ‘Merchant of Venice.’ Michael came up with the most brilliant adaptation and Al and I flipped for it.”

Source: Variety

Pacino Drafted By The Dodgers????

Ok..not drafted, but our boy Al Pacino will be doning Dodger Blue for the upcoming Bio-Pic on legendary Manager Tommy Lasorda. Michelle Pfeiffer is interested in becoming the MIsses. Miramax is fast tracking this project posibbly wanting it out around the All-Star Game next season. A major challenge will be the amount of weight Pacino will have to put on to play the role. I can only suggest hanging out at Charlie Gitto’s here in St. Louis, Lasorda always did when he was in town. A few plates of pasta and Al should be at playing weight really soon! As more develops on this we will have it here at WAMG.

Review: ‘Righteous Kill’

Ram-Man:

When you tell me that Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino are in a cop thriller involving a serial killer, I am the first guy in line to see it! jon Avnet (Less than Zero, Risky Business) has team the two acting icons again to tell the story of New York street justice and what happens when the system fails and all that is left is the judgement of NY’s finest in Righteous Kill.

New York police detectives Turk and Rooster (DeNiro, Pacino), have been partners for most of their 30 years on the force, respond to a domestic violence case that changes them forever. A ten year old girl was beaten to death by her mom’s drunken boyfriend, Charles Randall. The mother in fear for her life, provides and alibi for the boyfriend and he walks on the murder charge. This doesn’t sit well with Turk, so he plants a gun at Randall’s house. Charles Randall then goes away, just not for the crime he committed. Rooster, knowing everything, keep his mouth shut because that’s what partners do.

Soon after, more “bad” guys begin to drop. A serial killer known only as the “poetry killer” because he leaves a poem and the murder weapon at the scene of each of the executions.   The thing these murders have in common, all of the victims are criminals that have fallen through the cracks in the justice system and have walked on the crime they were accused of. They also have a tie in some way to Turk.  LT. Hingis  (Brian Dennehy) assigns Turk and Rooster to head-up a team of detective from two precincts to find this vigilante before he can kill anyone else. The team consisting of Turks main squeeze: forensic officer Karen Correlli ( Carla Gugino from Sin City), Det. Ted Riley (Donnie Wahlberg) and Karen’s ex Det. Simon Perez (John Leguizamo) which provides some added pressure to Turk. As more criminals turn up, the team begins to feel this is one of their own, a cop either on the job or retired, wasting the scum of society. Turk wont believe it. As the team begins to dig into the evidence they begin to look at the Randall case and begin to think that the killer could actually be Turk!

Righteous Kill also stars Curtis Jackson or as he commonly known “50 Cent” as Spider the drug-dealing club owner under investigation by Turk. Spider tries to help send the final nail into Turk’s coffin only to end up face to face with the Poetry Killer. Righteous Kill is by no way in the league of such classics like the Godfather 2 and Heat, but Anvet does tell and entertaining and twisted thriller that is loaded with gruesome murders, some sexual innuendo and enough turns in the film to have you changing your mind about the killer numerous times before the film is over. Take a shot with Righteous Kill, DeNiro and Pacino will entertain you and give you back the 88 minutes Al robbed us of earlier in the year!

[rating:3.25/5]

Jeremy:

People just love to hold onto the standards of those who once were great.   It’s hard to watch someone who used to have it grow older and start to lose it.   As a wrestling fan, it was hard to watch Ric Flair wrestle his last couple of matches.   His body simply wouldn’t allow him to do the things he once could.   It’s hard to watch a movie like ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ and watch Harrison Ford make obligatory cracks about how easy it “used to be”.   The legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro (68 and 65, respectively) have always been driving forces in whatever film they’ve chosen to do.   In recent years, those choices haven’t been the most commendable.   Since ‘Heat’, a milestone in each of their careers, they have been in a combined 42 films.   Some have been good, but for every ‘Ronin’ or ‘The Insider’, there are two or three ‘The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle’s or ‘S1m0ne’s.

It was a big deal back in ’95 that the two were starring in their first film since ‘The Godfather II’.   In ‘Heat’, the two only had two scenes together, but their combined force made the film a huge success, moreso critically than financially.   With ‘Righteous Kill’, the two share much more than just two scenes together.   Most of the film has the two kicking dialogue back and forth like Beckham with a soccer ball.   It may just be a case of too much of a good thing can make it sour.   There is some good to the film, but there is something missing throughout.

Jon Avnet, the director, also directed Pacino’s stinker, ’88 Minutes’.   That film just felt stale and rehashed from so many better films.   ‘Righteous Kill’ feels much the same way for the most part.

A serial killer is killing other killers who got off on technicalities.   The serial killer turns out to be a cop.   ‘Dexter’ is doing this so much better, it’s laughable.   The pacing of the film is way off.   Many scenes seem to have been thrown in just to push the film to feature length.   Trust me, this is a 30-minute story stretched out to 100 minutes.   Another aspect that just seemed thrown in for no reason was this idea of De Niro narrating over most of the film.   The film is told in flashback from a bookending scene where De Niro says he’s the one responsible for murders.   It’s not a spoiler.   It happens five minutes in.

But, if you’ve seen more than a handful of movies, you know full well that the whole “unreliable narrator” is a standard when it comes to mysteries like this.   Look at ‘The Usual Suspects’ for a brilliant usage of this element.   It has no place being in ‘Righteous Kill’ other than to “swerve” the audience when the finale comes.   It is just downright annoying if you are able to figure out who the real killer is, which really isn’t that difficult.

De Niro, unfortunately, has really lost a step or two in the last few years.   He’s just not the presence he was in films like ‘Goodfellas’ or ‘Cape Fear’.   It seems he really needs a gifted director to push him above the bare minimum.   Avnet, apparently, isn’t up to the task.   De Niro kind of mumbles his way through his lines, goes through the motions, and just feels out of place altogether.

Pacino, on the other hand, is the shining light of the whole movie.   In recent years, he’s become the “yeller”, and most of his films feature finales that have him scream exposition for about 20 minutes.   That’s not the case here, and it is awesome to see the subtle Pacino turn in a great performance once again.

Take away De Niro and Pacino, and ‘Righteous Kill’ is a straight-to-dvd movie probably starring James Caan and James Woods, two other great actors who recently haven’t been hitting it big.   The whole ‘De Niro/Pacino’ thing, when coupled with a movie this standard and stock, ends up looking like just a novelty that probably should never have been.   ‘Righteous Kill’ is not a horrible film, by any means, but with the history its two stars bring to the table, it should have been much better.

[rating:2.5/5]