I must admit that, after watching this new trailer on Yahoo! Movies for upcoming actioner Max Payne, I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it, but I'm willing to predict this much: it won't be boring.
Having not played the games, I can't speak for much faithfulness beyond the incorporation of slo-mo, but beyond that, this strikes me as some sort of cross between The Punisher (as Mark Wahlberg's eponymous NYC cop has lost his family to criminals) and Constantine (seriously, what's with the angelic demons here?).
That's not necessarily a bad thing, mind you -- for a video game adaptation, this thing looks pretty slick and atmospheric so far -- but how will this flick play out under an assured PG-13 rating? Doesn't that somewhat defeat the purpose of anything titled 'Max Payne' (or anything starring Mila Kunis for that matter)?
Regardless, Max-ish Payne opens on October 17th, opposite the teen-targeting (but R-rated) romp Sex Drive and Oliver Stone's controversy-magnet-in-waiting, W.
It's funny how little things can make a big difference. When the first poster was released from the big-screen version of Max Payne, I have to tell you; I was pretty underwhelmed. But my opinion of the design has improved now that I've gotten a gander at the two new posters for the flick (see larger versions of both in the gallery below). Although, I have to ask, who knew that Mr. Payne was such a 'shoe-gazer'? The original Max seemed a bit more thick-skinned than his feature film version; Wahlberg makes the man look downright depressed at times.
Mark Wahlberg stars as Payne, a cop who has lost his family and partner at the hands of a powerful crime syndicate. When he is left to his own devices, our hero sets out on a mission of revenge for his loved ones, and discovering some unnatural secrets along the way. Starring alongside Wahlberg are Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) as Mona Sax, Beau Bridges as Payne's friend and mentor, and Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges as an IA agent.
We finally got a look at the trailer back in July, and if you are fan of the series, you probably noticed that the film has taken it's look from the original game. Payne was directed by John Moore, who has the dubious credit of being behind the remake of The Omen back in 2006. But, to be fair, the flick seems like an easy sell. Wahlberg seems suited to the more 'violent' strain of moviemaking. Plus, once you throw in the pre-existing fan base, and competition-free release date, Fox should be able to rake in some serious dough.
Max Payne will arrive in theaters on October 17th.
Here's a movie that's getting stranger and stranger the more details we get -- and I'm loving it. First, Mike Judge's Extract was simply a movie that "explores what it's like to be the boss when everything seems to be shifting around you." Then it became about a guy who owns an industrial flower-extract plant and has to deal with workplace issues and a cheating wife. Now, it turns out that one of the "workplace issues" is an employee who loses a body part in a freak accident, and that the wife is cheating on the protagonist with a gigolo. Awesome.
Jason Bateman plays the factory owner -- that, we already knew. We also knew that the amazing Kristen Wiig is playing the wife, and Mila Kunis another employee. The new info is that Clifton Collins, Jr. has joined the cast as the maiming victim, and Ben Affleck as an ambulance-chasing lawyer who, I'd imagine, wants to milk Bateman's character for all he's worth. No word on who's playing the gigolo.
I got pelted with poop for praising Mike Judge's last movie, the largely direct-to-DVD Idiocracy, the first time I wrote about this project, but I stand by comments. It would have been easy for Judge to do Office Space 2, but it's been gratifying to watch him go in some even more offbeat directions instead.
Ladies, get ready for Jake "Prince of Persia" Gyllenhaal! Just Jared has nailed the first set photos from the highly-anticipated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, based on the popular video game in which a Prince does ... stuff ... God does he look hot, or what!? Okay, for realz now -- Jake plays a young Prince named Dastan who must team with a feisty and exotic Princess (Gemma Arterton) and stop an evil ruler from destroying the world. Something tells me this is one film where looks will definitely kill. Check out two more photos below, then the rest over at Just Jared. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time will hit theaters on May 28, 2010.
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And speaking of guys who look good with their shirt off and shoot movies based on video games, 20th Century Fox has put out a few new promotional pics from Max Payne, starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis. In the film, based on yet another popular video game, Wahlberg stars as a guy whose family was killed and, well, he's out to kick some ass. Kunis plays a hottie assassin out to avenge the death of her sister. Together, these two are the kind of nuts you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley -- but you'd definitely want to meet in a darkened movie theater. Max Payne hits theaters on October 17. Check out the new pics below.
I'm not exactly sure how a scheduled block of round-table interviews turned into a half-organized two-headed press conference, but that's pretty much how it went down in this particular convention hall room. (Sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm just trying to give you a taste of the chaos that goes on here: Nothing's on time, nobody seems to have the right answers, and a lot of time is simply spent ... waiting. (It's fun AND frustrating!)
But to be fair, it's not every day you sit in a room populated by Mark Wahlberg, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, and Mila Kunis (among others) -- but there we were! (We, um, weren't allowed to take photos -- at a press conference. Don't ask me.) After much waiting and friendly nerd-banter among patient movie folks, the cast and director ofMax Payne walked in to share their thoughts on their upcoming videogame adaptation.
Mr. Wahlberg was quick to note that, while he wasn't much of a game player, he was very excited about playing a kick-ass action hero. Interviewers wanted to know why the actor chose a popcorn movie after The Departed, and one even poked a little fun: "So you won't be running away from the wind in this one?" (A cute quip, but a little classless.) When the questioners focused on director John Moore, he was his typically enthusiastic self, promising fans a gritty good time that delivers the mayhem. And just as the adorable Mila Kunis was about to explain how her character is actually a kick-ass assassin-type...
The first trailer forMax Payne has arrived online, and it looks pretty good. Based on the popular video game (of which I've played some), Payne stars Mark Wahlberg as a former NYC detective whose family was murdered. Three years later, he finds himself working undercover for the DEA deep inside the Punchinello crime family. So he's got issues and he's got a pretty important (and dangerous) gig -- something is bound to go wrong.
The game itself includes slo-mo scenes -- kinda like that Matrix stuff -- and based on this trailer, it seems we'll get a fair amount of it in the film (which also seems to have a Sin City sorta vibe to it too). It definitely looks highly-stylized, which seemed to work for this summer's Wanted. John Moore directs, after giving us films like Behind Enemy Lines and The Omen, while the very beautiful Mila Kunis co-stars alongside other folks like Beau Bridges, Ludacris and Chris O'Donnell (who it's nice to see back on the big screen as of late).
Check out the trailer above, and let us know what you think -- especially for those fans of the video game. Can Max Payne become one of those rare successful video game adaptations? It hits theaters on October 17.
After years of Beavis and Butt-Head, there was Office Space. But after red Swingline staplers and the need for flair, Mike Judge took a number of years off from directing -- until the largely ignored Idiocracy. This time around, however, we don't have to wait as long (as Eugene pointed out in April). Extract is on the way, and now EW's Hollywood Insider has shared more of the plot, and who's in talks to co-star alongside Jason Bateman.
The film will focus on a guy who owns a flower-extract plant -- the industrial sort, not the leafy sort. In typical, professional Judge fashion, the guy is having a bunch of bad luck, which includes "workplace issues and a cheating wife." EW sources say that Kristen Wiig is looking into playing the wife, while Mila Kunis might grab a role as a plant employee. That sounds like a set up for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, revisited -- the man can choose between his crappy partner and the wonderful nice girl right in front of him.
Between the possible murk of an actors' strike and Wiig's SNL schedule, the film is slated to start production in August.
It looks like things are getting pretty destructive on the set of the video game adaptation, Max Payne. Slash Film has new on-set photos for John Moore's (The Omen) crime thriller starring Mark Wahlberg as the undercover cop and noir hero; and even though Wahlberg doesn't make an appearance in this latest batch, (you can see him in full scowl here), we do get a glimpse of the action that Moore has planned.
Payne originally centered on an undercover DEA cop whose family had been murdered by a gang of junkies. In a hunt for revenge, he becomes obsessed with tracking down the crime family running the drug racket in big bad New York City. Beau Thorne's script kept some of the game's original story, but has changed some details for the big screen. Now, years after the loss of his family, Payne notices similarities between what happened to his wife and child, and a series of gruesome murders taking place. Some of the characters from the game series that will be making an appearance in the film are Mona Sax (played by Mila Kunis), mob-boss James Lupino, and veteran cop, B.B. Hensley (played by Beau Bridges).
There are still some concerns from fans that Moore will be aiming for a PG-13 rating, and I still can't get my head around that decision. Why even bother bringing a shoot-em up game like Payne to the screen if you are going to cut out half the fun?
Max Payne is expected to arrive in theaters on October 17th.
Most conversations about Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- the new Judd Apatow-produced comedy about a devastating breakup -- are going to start with the penis shot. Sure, there have been willies in the movies before -- hell, there have been dongs in Apatow productions before (see Walk Hard). But a johnson this prominently featured, and in a mainstream romantic comedy? It breaks new ground. And not only is it funny, it's the perfect visual representation of what a guy goes through when he gets dumped. The film's star, Jason Segel, is stripped bare literally and figuratively -- exposed, embarrassed, emasculated. It's a comedy moment for the history books. I just wish I could say the rest of the film is as bold, as brave, as ... ballsy as that penis.
Oh, don't get me wrong. Sarah Marshall is a very funny movie. But its faults -- its sagginess, its tendency to let improvisation roll past the point of laughter, its relationships that often don't ring true -- are what separate this Judd Apatow production from a Judd Apatow film.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall finds Jason Segel vacationing in Hawaii to forget the girl (Kristen Bell) who just dumped him. Alas, she's at the same resort with her new beau! It's the latest comedy from the Apatow camp, and it hits theaters this weekend. Cinematical spoke one-on-one with the film's director, Nicholas Stoller, regarding the movie, his upcoming Muppet project, and how much onscreen penis is too much onscreen penis.
Cinematical: Is it intimidating for you knowing that every movie associated with Apatow these days is such a comedy event? Does that put pressure on you as the director to live up to that standard?
Nicholas Stoller: Not really, I'm still excited I got to make a movie, so I'm not really thinking in terms of if it's going to be a big event. Our movie was cheap so we don't have to make up that much money. It amuses me, and I hope that it amuses more people.
Cinematical: It amused me, so there's one extra person anyway.
NS: We have you and me and we just need 30 million more Americans.
No, unfortunately, they didn't decide to write in a role for Robin at the last minute, Dark Knight fans. But according to Entertainment Weekly, our old friend Chris O'Donnell looks to be returning to the big screen in a pretty big way. Apparently the dude has landed a role in Max Payne, that video game adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis (strange on-screen coupling, but I dig it). Folks who aren't too familiar with Kunis, or simply remember her from those days on That 70's Show, will need to check out this gal in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Not only is she about to become the next HOT thing, but she's definitely a better actress than, say, Jessica Alba.
But back to my man O'Donnell. At one point, this guy was the go-to, guy-next-door actor. Then ... nada. Now, however, O'Donnell has taken a page from the Patrick Dempsey playbook by starring in several episodes of Grey's Anatomy. (Not only do they revive patients on that show, but they also revive entire careers!) EW says O'Donnell will play executive Jason Colvin in the film, which is based on Rockstar Games' shoot-'em-up game. Wahlberg will play a cop whose family was slain, while Kunis is an assassin out to avenge her sister's death. Together ... well, I'm sure a lot of "sparks" will fly.
Max Payne currently has an October 17th release date.
A few days ago I enjoyed a very conventional comedy called Run Fatboy Run. The film succeeds (to a B-minus degree, anyway) thanks almost exclusively to the contributions of actors like Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran, and Hank Azaria. When you have talented people lugging familiar material around, the result can sometimes be unexpectedly amusing. Such is most definitely the case with Nick Stoller'sForgetting Sarah Marshall, a semi-romantic comedy that covers some of the same ground as The Break-Up and The Heartbreak Kid but does one thing differently: It delivers a lot of laughs.
Produced by the recently very prolific Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad), Forgetting Sarah Marshall stars one of the producer's regulars (Jason Segel, who also penned the screenplay) as a TV music composer who is madly in love with his "hot actress" girlfriend. (Her name is Sarah Marshall, obviously.) But when Sarah dumps Peter for a preening British rock star, the sensitive slob of a guy goes into an emotional tailspin. At the advice of his well-meaning stepbrother, Peter decides to take a solo trip down to Hawaii. And ... you guessed it: Sarah and new posh new boyfriend Aldous are already vacationing there! Ack, how comically uncomfortable!
OK, so the first photo to emerge from the set of the big-screen video game movie Max Payne probably isn't as exciting as we would like it to be. But, I've been in this business long enough to know I should take what I can get. Dark Zero has the first picture of Mark Wahlberg on set of the action flick, and to be expected, he's in full scowl (you can also get a glance at a slightly more relaxed Wahlberg on-set here).
Payne centers on a NYPD detective in Hell's Kitchen. When his family is brutally murdered, Payne is left to uncover the reasons why, all the while being accused of the crime himself. Throw in the mafia, corrupt corporations, and shady lady named Mona Sax, and you have all the ingredients of a decent noir thriller. It was just announced that Mila Kunis (Family Guy) will star as Sax. In the film, Kunis will play a young woman who joins up with Payne to get revenge for the murder of her sister.
Payne just started shooting in Toronto, Canada last week. Director John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) had hinted that the film might aim for a PG-13 rating. But if you take out the violence from Payne, what exactly do you have left? I guess we will find out when Max Payne hits theaters on October 17th.
Wahlberg is playing the tormented title character who is investigating a string of murders that may be related to the death of his family. Kunis will be playing an assassin who teams up with Payne to avenge the death of her sister. It will be the first really dark role for Kunis, who is largely known for her comedic roles. It will be the umpteenth for Wahlberg.
Has there been a video game adaptation that was any good? I can't think of one -- and I own both Tomb Raider movies, which are a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm surprised Hollywood keeps churning them out when they never seem to generate much profit or interest. Given that Max Payne was heavily influenced by John Woo and The Matrix, the fact that it is now coming to the big screen is kind of amusing to me.
If an ice-skating Jon Heder wasn't enough to appease your Hederistic impulses for the year, you're getting another shot. indieWIRE has posted that First Independent Pictures will be releasing his next comedy, Moving McAllister, on September 14. The movie's star, Ben Gourley of Pride and Prejudice, wrote the indie screenplay, and the film was helmed by the man who directed him in the Jane Austen film, Andrew Black. It's looking like a cross between Three for the Road, Stranger than Fiction, Road Trip and even some Planes, Trains & Automobiles -- the quest, the uptight hero, the seemingly insane sidekick and some saucy bed shenanigans.
Gourley plays Nick -- a rather anal intern at a law firm who dreams about making partner. To impress the firm's top lawyer McAllister (played by Rutger Hauer), he agrees to transport the lawyer's niece (Mila Kunis) across the country only a few days before he has to take the bar exam. Along the way, they pick up a hitchhiker (Heder) and as with any road trip full of crazy mishaps, Nick begins to reevaluate things. You can check the trailer out here, and even delight in the wonderful scene where Nick pops a rather large pimple on Heder's back. If the initial votes over at IMDb are any indication, it should be worth the time -- out of 32 votes, it's scored 8.9/10.
I must admit that, after watching this new trailer on Yahoo! Movies for upcoming actioner Max Payne, I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it, but I'm willing to predict this much: it won't be boring.
It's funny how little things can make a big difference. When 
Here's a movie that's getting stranger and stranger the more details we get -- and I'm loving it. -(2).jpg)
After years of Beavis and Butt-Head, there was Office Space. But after red Swingline staplers and the need for flair, Mike Judge took a number of years off from directing -- until the largely ignored Idiocracy. This time around, however, we don't have to wait as long (as 
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No, unfortunately, they didn't decide to write in a role for Robin at the last minute, Dark Knight fans. But according to 
OK, so the first photo to emerge from the set of the big-screen video game movie 
After months of nothing, 
If an ice-skating 
