IN THE HOUSE DVD REVIEW

Rating: ***1/2

Francois Ozon’s psychological thriller In the House is a disturbing portrayal of the search for literary realism and human intimacy, seen through the eyes of a troubled and gifted young student.

Adapted from Juan Mayorga’s play The Boy in the Back Row, Ozon’s latest offering begins by introducing a failed novelist and thus disillusioned literature teacher at the ‘Lycée Gustave Flaubert’. In an attempt to assess the journalistic abilities of his new class of students, Germain (Fabrice Luchini) sets them a simple writing task – to create an account of how they spent their weekends. We observe as he expresses to his art-curator wife; Jeanne (Kristin Scott Thomas), his utter disappointment at the amateurisms of his students’ unimaginative and lackluster reports of ‘Pizza’ and ‘Television’, until one particular paper rouses him from his disdain. Claude Garcia (Ernst Umhauer) writes an essay about his successful attempt to infiltrate the family home of his affluent classmate Rapha Artole (Bastien Ughetto). After many days spent admiring the house from afar, imagining what events could be unfolding within it’s bourgeois walls from a sheltered bench in the park opposite, the boy finally devises a plan to allow him to tread the hallowed ground itself. By offering to tutor flunking student Rapha in Mathematics after school, Claude is granted access: ‘At 11am, I rang the bell and the house opened itself up to me.’ As Germain and Jeanne grow further enticed with each peculiar line, they are jolted by the boy’s depiction of a particular aroma that catches him whilst unashamedly ‘snooping’ around the premises: ‘The scent of a middle-class woman’. On describing with palpable derision the parents’ voices, clothes and private conversations, he ends the script with an elusive ‘To be continued…’

Before long, the dormant author in Germain is awoken by the promise of this aspiring young writer. In weekly sessions, Claude submits another excerpt of the continuing ‘Rapha family’ saga, whilst his mentor picks apart his methods and motives. At once criticized for being too judgmental, then too apathetic, told to simply observe and then to manipulate, Claude becomes confused and frustrated with his teacher and decides to make his own decisions about what comes next. He develops an affinity with fabrication and it soon becomes unclear what is real or fictitious. In the meantime, Germaine becomes so obsessed with nurturing this nascent talent that he will do almost anything to see it continue, even at the risk of his own integrity.

Claude’s erudite fragments quickly switch from superciliously mocking the family, to longing to be integrated within the unit. This fixation transpires in a latent physical desire for them, from a fleeting playground kiss between schoolboys to full blown sexual desire for the mother, Esther (Emmanuelle Seigner). One has to question whether Claude’s obsession with ‘middle class women’ – expressed later by his admiration of Jeanne’s ‘alabaster skin’ - has something to do with his absent mother and inability to receive love from his badly disabled father in his own house, a house ‘four times smaller’ than Raphas, in a neighbourhood ‘Rapha would never set foot in’.

What results is a harsh and sometimes disorientating analysis of a writers duty to his reader, including a rather literal representation of the author’s devotion to making an account come to life on the page. What is most apparent throughout is a melancholy and uncomfortable tale of a desperate child, longing for some sentiment of inclusion and ‘normalcy’ in all life relationships – familial, romantic or tutorial.

In the House personifies the notion that authentic artistry can guide the voyeuristic gaze of the viewer and the reader alike, and in this case, the characters themselves. As Claude and Germain struggle to distinguish fact from fiction, so does the viewer. What results is an almost Brechtian insertion of the professor within the boy’s story. Seemingly only apparent within the mind of it’s creator and unbeknownst to its moldable pawns, we watch as Germain pops up in each scene, from a heated kiss in the Rapha’s kitchen to an intimate discussion between Rapha and Claude – the teacher is always there, annotating his narration and urging him to change the arc of that story, to embellish and create as we start to see each character unravel. Now we are all truly inside the house.

If one is of the opinion that art imitates life, this complex and unnerving French feature provides a study of just how closely the two can intertwine. It’s final scene pays a sinister homage to Rear Window that rounds off an engaging yet flawed film, depicting a psychoanalytical and sociopathic dissection of our human need for truth and knowledge.

Bad Teacher DVD Review (2011)

Rating:  * * ½

Think it would be awkward to publicly break up with your boyfriend and then star in a film opposite him in which you are desperately trying to get him in the sack? OK, how about if you throw in some intense dry humping and the line ‘I want to sit on his face’…

That’s certainly something viewers can look forward to when strapping in for the ninety – four minute joy ride that is Bad Teacher. Unfortunately, there is not much else.

Proving that she’s ‘still got it’, Cameron Diaz stars as the ‘smoking hot’, morally challenged and foul-mouthed protagonist who manages to achieve the delicate balance of acting as an amalgamation of Dewey Finn and Miss Trunchbull, whilst wearing a see-through blouse and stiletto heels.

After being dumped by her rich husband, Elizabeth Halsey makes it her ultimate goal to find herself a rich man to support her flamboyant lifestyle. In order to do so, she decides to have a breast augmentation operation and will do absolutely anything to drum up the cash to pay for her new assets. In between smoking pot and drinking herself silly while throwing herself at the nearest investment banker with a platinum account, Miss Halsey spends her days avoiding teaching her students by playing them a movie for the entire duration of the class while she, herself, passes out on the desk.

Diaz does plays the role candidly and certainly does a good job of being far more risqué than we have seen her before – pushing the boundaries of the film’s certificate 15 status by the use of the C word – however the character is relatively implausible, to have someone that rude and that apathetic towards the world who then turns around and becomes a fairly decent human being, no longer looking for a rich man to dote on her, but happy with the dumpy sarcastic gym teacher who makes her laugh. This metamorphosis was a little trite when teamed with the overtly stereotypical car wash scene, which sees Miss Diaz don a pair of denim shorts and cropped plaid shirt that only Daisy Duke could rival, while pouring soapy water all over herself and the car. Indeed one half expected her to buff the windshield with her breasts to give it that waxy finish.

However, as a whole the film delivered some funny lines and strong performances from it’s supporting cast. Jason Segal played an endearing funny man (shock horror) somewhat authentically and Lucy Punch held her own as eccentric and entirely OTT rival teacher, ‘Amy Squirrel’ with passive aggressive precision. However, the star turn has to be the understated, tongue in cheek and alarmingly self-aware performance by Justin Timberlake as the highly sensitive and wealthy substitute teacher that Elizabeth and Amy are fighting over. His cringe-worthy portrayal of mawkish and ingenuous ‘Scott Delacorte’ provided the lion’s share of the laughs.

So it seems the problem lies not with the acting, or even with the script but possibly in the entire lack of a congruent plotline. Unfortunately, kooky characters, awkward situations and mildly entertaining dialogue does not a storyline make.

In terms of Bonus Features, the DVD extras in the ‘School’s Out Edition’ include the standard deleted scenes and outtakes along with a closer look at the genius behind Cameron’s hotpants and some ’naughtier’ sequences. The ‘Behind the scenes with Jason and Justin’, featuring a bit of ad lib improv is worth a watch.

If you are looking for a film that doesn’t require attention or strenuous brain activity (or any at all for that matter!) but is a bit of cheap fun for a few hours then Bad Teacher is a safe bet.

'In Time' Review (2011)

Rating: ****

Writer and Director Andrew Niccol is no stranger to making alternate realities come to life, having a wealth of successful endeavours under his belt. From the man who was responsible for the subtle yet inspired creation of the suburban, Stepford-esque microcosm that provided the locale for box office smash The Truman Show, comes the conception of the futuristic, dystopian, corrupt world in which this latest venture is set.

In Time is above all a concept movie. The concept being this: Human beings are only programmed to live until the age of 25, at which point they stop ageing and one must earn, beg, borrow or steal more time in order to live longer. A green neon clock on their arm literally counts down to the second, how long they have to live. When this clock ‘times out’, they die….one would assume microwave ovens have been made obsolete in this era so not to provide a terrifying reminder of their own mortality…

The currency in this world is measured in minutes and hours, making the phrase ‘time is money’ painstakingly literal. Time can be passed from one person to another by holding arms, however this is also how it can be easily taken from them.

Aside from this one over-arching fact, the world in which they live is not at all dissimilar with our own. There are some areas, or cleverly spun here as ‘time zones’, that have far more ‘wealth’ than others; those that live in the ‘ghettos’ live minute-to-minute, and those that live in the more abundant areas (in this case, a zone called ‘New Greenwich’) have all the time in the world and live out their affluent and decadent centuries without a care. This idea of a class system, a poverty gap between the rich and poor being translated into this reality gives the story an interesting edge. Transposing a worldly familiar and common occurrence into a fantastical and irregular environment, gives the film the ability to indulge in social commentary; to blur the lines between the fictional and the satirical.

Will Salas (Justin Timerberlake) lives in Dayton; a ghetto, where the inhabitants spend their days dodging a wealth of menace. The first being gang of thugs called ‘Minute Men’, who will steal your every second for themselves, draining the life out of you. These urban thieves are lead by gangster ‘Fortis’ (Alex Pettyfer). Additional threat is posed by the elusive ‘Time Keepers’- a governmental body who are appointed to keep order and balance, fronted by straight faced ‘Raymond Leon’ (played superbly by veteran villain Cillian Murphy).

After a reckless 105-year-old man flashes his centuries in a bar in the ghetto, Will helps him escape from the Minute Men. They hide out in an abandoned warehouse and the man shares his experience of the capitalist system with Will; explaining that ‘for a few to be immortal, many must die’. During the night, the wealthy man gives Will all of his time, leaving himself but a few seconds.

Shortly after this, Will’s 50 year old mother, played somewhat humorously by the stunning and youthful Olivia Wilde, ‘times out’ in his arms, unable to reach him in time. (Due to some very questionable cruelty by a bus driver who would rather let a woman die than reduce the fare). Consumed by rage, Will decides to use his riches to cross time zones (separated by increasingly expensive toll booths) get revenge on ‘the man’.

Will discovers the old man was right all along when he meets a wealthy tycoon in a casino and kidnaps his beautiful daughter Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried). Initially a reluctant hostage, Slyvia changes her tune when she is robbed of all her time and the couple decide to upset the economic imbalance, by going ‘on the lam’ and robbing her father’s banks in order to give to those less fortunate.

If you look past the inventive concept, the plotline is simply a futuristic robin hood.

What results is a pseudo action movie with an unsurprising yet unlikely romance, gaping plot holes and a heck of a lot of running. Indeed, for a man so preoccupied with the sanctity of human life, he sure managed to clock up a lot of killings along the way. Backstories where hinted at but never explained, with recurrent cryptic and superfluous mention of Will’s father with absolutely no follow up, and a series of accidents from which the couple continuously escape unscathed.

Solid performances were given by all, whilst elements of humour and intelligence penetrate the thread. For example, when begging for some spare change, a little girl asks: “You got a minute?”

One thing this film does prove is there are an incredible amount of phrases that still work when you interchange the word ‘money’ with the word ‘time’…(we get the idea).

Although In Time should be championed for an original idea, something a lot of today’s releases are in fact lacking, it does unfortunately follow the pattern that most promising concept movies fall victim to. An strong original idea is not enough to carry a two hour feature alone, the script and story line was a little weak and repetitive, not entirely sure of where to go with what they had created.

It may be that the story would benefit from a series of films, but it is unsure if the plotline could carry. Though a little throw away, if you want two hours of entertainment and intrigue, then you won’t be disappointed. In Time has something for everyone; with some very clever ideas, a little humour, romance and some exciting action sequences it is well worth a watch for the creativity alone.

Final Destination 5 Review (2011)

(Mangled bones and severed limbs and rusty hooks, oh my!)

Rating: * *

Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema have teamed up to take on the fifth installment of the Final Destination franchise, lead by Director Steven Quale.

It feels somewhat redundant at this stage to outline the plot of the film as it is almost exactly the same as the last four features. However, for the benefit of those new to the concept, a short synopsis:

A group of teens narrowly survive a gruesome accident on a collapsing suspension bridge due to an unexplainable premonition that a member of the group, ‘Sam’ (Nicholas D’Agosto) experienced moments before. After expressing his horrific concerns, eight people are able to get off the bridge before his fears are realized and everyone else plummets to their unsuspecting deaths. Returning to their everyday lives after their narrow escape, the lucky few soon discover that you cannot cheat death without him coming back to claim…

Those familiar with the previous films will be no stranger to the hole-ridden plot, stereotypical characterization and diabolical script that comes attached. However, FD5 does offer its fans a notable increase in brutality. Going out of its way to be the absolute ‘grossest’ it could be, this movie definitely trumps its predecessors. The already farcical deaths of features past are outdone by an horrific gore-fest that has now teetered over the precarious border into the entirely ludicrous.

What has resulted will prove surprisingly entertaining for horror fans, with ‘squirming in your seat’ discomfort throughout as the film forces you to wait for each and every character to be systematically slaughtered in obscenely far-fetched ‘Itchy and Scratchy’ style freak ‘accidents’ that each surpass the last. Indeed the overwhelming sound that came from the audience was not of screams but of laughter. Though completely absurd, there is an element of fun and hilarity in nervously awaiting the next implausible fatality.

FD5 suffered from amateur acting in some points by certain members of the cast and one-dimensional, (quite a feat of achievement in eye popping 3D) stock characters. The jock, the girlfriend, the slut, the teacher, the hot-head and even, dare I say it, a single ‘token’ black guy in the mix that turned the film almost into an homage to old horror B- Movies.  

While quality may be something this film lacks, unfortunately, it certainly does not skimp on quantity, managing to drag a brutally murdered horse for what is now an eleven-year span.

It is clear that the film must not be subject to review as a movie in its own right, instead, a more favourable opinion will result from comparing FD5 within the ‘Final Destination’ world.

In this case, kudos must be awarded to some clever alterations. A painstakingly familiar storyline was marginally alleviated by the induction of some new ideas. In this scenario, a morality clause was added. In order to escape the wrath of Death, you can take the life of another and live in his place for the years he was supposed to. This was an interesting addition, as it allowed for some characters to struggle with their morality and for the emergence of villainy within the ranks. Fans of the previous films are also rewarded for their loyalty with subtle references to previous events in the chain and by the repeat appearance of ‘William Bludworth’ (Tony Todd), the unsettling coroner that we see in each release, reminding us here of his trademark creepiness, as he warns the survivors; “Death doesn’t like to be cheated”.  Fans will also enjoy the morbid ‘sizzle reel’ celebration of the favourite deaths over the years during the end credits.

Another positive attribute were the red herrings. With many scenes showing almost every object as a possible weapon and every situation a possible hazard, forcing a collective groan from the audience as they began to cover their 3D goggles.  Indeed there were some very questionable locations and shoddy building work that would violate every health and safety code anyway. You would think they’d have learnt by now not to put the unstable water cooler next to those pesky exposed electrical cables. However, credit where credit's due, there is an element of surprise in that most deaths do not follow what they have shown you in the trailer and they certainly do not turn out how you expect them to.

Most notably, those who pay attention will be rewarded with a very clever twist at the end that added an element of skill to the storytelling.

Arguably not one for the traditional horror fans, instead appeasing the gore-porn generation which spawned the likes of Saw, (though that series hit our screens with a far more intelligent and versatile thread) and equally with those who enjoy horror comedies like Scary Movie. FD5 confidently straddles the mid point between torture porn and spoof.

One would think the second unit director of Avatar and Titanic and the screenwriter behind Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) and the highly anticipated upcoming horror remake The Thing, could have between them come up with something a little more impressive. It may be that they were intending to stay true to the pattern that the other films followed, in which case they did an excellent job.

Review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Rating: * * * * ½

I recently had the privilege of going to see a midnight screening of director Rupert Wyatt’s revision of the classic Planet  of the Apes; the rather aptly titled Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Clutching a thermos full of black coffee in one hand and a pre-paid ticket stub in the other, I joined the queue of people eagerly awaiting this advanced screening. Easily one of the most highly anticipated theatrical releases of the year, expectations were certainly high.

Starring James Franco (127 Hours), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings) and John Lithgow (Shrek), the film follows a young Neuro-scientist; Will Rodman (Franco) as he strives to find a cure for Alzheimers in a laboratory in San Francisco, whilst caring for his father who suffers from the degenerative disease. Various strains of a virus designed to encourage the regeneration of brain cells are tested on Chimpanzees in order to assess the long-term effect they may have on humans.  When a baby chimp is taken into Will’s care, we are shown the shocking result of this genetical engineering on the animal’s intelligence. The exceptional chimp in question, Caesar (Serkis), is looked after for many years and becomes a beloved member of their family.

When Caesar attacks a neighbour whilst trying to protect his family, he is pulled from his home and taken to a ‘primate sanctuary’ by animal control. Forced to live with other less advanced apes and subject to much maltreatment, Caesar and his peers eventually decides to fight back.

Anyone familiar with the original 1968 movie starring Charlton Heston, concerning a planet in the future on which speaking Apes rule over a minority of humans who are enslaved as their prisoners, will appreciate this prequel’s attempt to provide a meaningful and realistic backstory to the seemingly unfathomable events of former features and series in the franchise. Rise of the Planet of the Apes chronicles the beginnings of the shift in the balance of power between the two species that will ultimately lead to the subordination of the human race.

The film plays heavily on your sympathy for the simians (not least with the arrival of an unbelievably cute baby Ceasar at the beginning of the film), having it seem on first glance that they are suggesting you ally yourself with these badly mistreated creatures. Humans are portrayed as monstrous and barbaric, while Serkis’ Caesar is the gentler, victimized specimen. In fact, audience members were not quite sure if they should feel bad that a Gorilla took down an entire helicopter full of armed Policemen, instead worrying for the animal’s safety. However, I would not stretch to say the film forces you to choose the ‘side’ of the Apes, rather it serves to help you understand the justifications and motives for their rebellious and aggressive behavior.

What helps this plight enormously is yet another incredible performance by Andy Serkis. No stranger to playing a Primate, having played the part of the titular protagonist in Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of King Kong. Thanks to exceptional performance capture technology, Serkis manages to find the impactful happy medium between the animalistic and the human. His facial mannerisms are clearly distinguishable, adding emotional and empathetic depth to the character. Though the rest of the actors delivered solid performances (notwithstanding the somewhat superfluous existence of Pinto’s ‘love interest’), the Apes really did steal the show.

Packed with action from the very first scene, this 105 minute feature is expertly shot with powerful cinematography and intelligent photographic technique. In a scene depicting Ceasar running through the forest and swinging from treetops, his movements remain perfectly fluid whilst the background imagery shifts from season to season, illustrating the passing of time beautifully. These sequences of harmony and aesthetic delicacy are juxtaposed later with rather menacing visual sequences of the Simian uprising that work together to create a directional narrative with thrilling escalation. Viewers are left with the overwhelming feeling that they are witnessing a revolution; a social uprising of an oppressed population. You almost forget they aren’t human.

A lesser film would not have been able to pull this extraordinary notion off with such graceful execution without becoming farcical, instead Wyatt’s efforts here are action-packed with both pathos and resonance.

Overall, the film is incredibly entertaining from start to finish, teaming explosive action with emotional and sensitive subject, Rise of the Planet of the Apes gives you a whole lot of bang for your buck.

FEATURE

SNOW WHITE AND THE FAIRY TALE WARS

BY DALE BARNETT

There seems to be a battle going on in Hollywood of late. Heavyweight fighter Universal Pictures is sparring with independent distribution company Relativity media in a race to release their new films before their competitors. The conflict being that both studios have chosen to commission glittering big screen re-makes of the fairy-tale classic Snow White, in the very same year. Ouch!

According to Deadline: ‘Universal and Relativity Media have been playing a game of can you top this in terms of release dates.’ With an initial release date in late 2012, Universal reacted to the news of their opposing production being scheduled for the same year by moving the date of their aptly titled Snow White and the Huntsman to June 1^st, a month ahead of Relativity’s formerly titled The Brothers Grimm: Snow White, which will be directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall, The Cell). Relativity retaliated by setting its now confirmed March 16^th release, securing their position in first place on the cinematic calendar.

Both parties certainly have cause for concern, presenting to a rather skeptical public not one, but two fairy tale remakes in extremely quick succession. There is a danger of a despondent public judging the films long before they make their theatrical debut, grouping them under a collective umbrella of ‘fairy tale remakes’ that have proven less than exemplary at the box office this year. The two features will arrive shortly after the release of Catherine Hardwicke’s Red Riding Hood; a gothic adaptation of the European folk tale made famous by The Brother’s Grimm, which was met by rather mixed reviews to say the least. Similarly, Lionsgate’s attempt at a modern take on Beauty and the Beast came this year in the form of teen romance Beastly which proved somewhat twee and insubstantial, falling victim to harsh criticism from the press.

The direct competition between the two Snow Whites will prove palpable with audiences who will no doubt compare one film with the other. At the risk of further confusion, we’re going to break it down for you.

So let’s deal with this chronologically… Tarsem Singh’s offering is currently residing under the temporarily indecisive title of Untitled Snow White Project. The previous and not so tentatively named Brothers Grimm addition suggested an homage and possible throwback to the classic lore from the story-telling siblings. It seemed Singh was learning from the mistakes of preceding titles that have tried to modernise an inherently antiquated story. However, the decision to ditch this in favour of a presently unrevealed title, leaves us a little in the lurch. With a bumped up release date the clock is certainly ticking, thus a decision like this can only be seen as a strategic one. Being billed as ‘the one with no name’ gives a definite air of mystery to Singh’s re-imagining, whilst surely serving to irritate Universal by leaving them in the dark with the rest of us.

Singh and his crew have just started principal photography in picturesque Montreal. In a press release leaked by Collider.com, it appears Relativity are not straying too far from the original plotline. You’ll see an evil queen ruling over a helpless kingdom, and an exiled princess who meets the acquaintance of seven small yet resourceful friends who will work to help her reclaim her rightful place in the palace, yada yada yada. However, the hook being that this time, they are going for a ‘spirited adventure comedy filled with jealousy, romance and betrayal’. This change of genre, could give Untitled a slight edge; leaning more towards the humorous side could actually work to give an extra-ordinary piece of fiction some validity with today’s audience. When working with magical or melodramatic subject matter such as this, presenting the events in a tongue-in-cheek manner, allowing the actors to almost make fun of themselves and letting the audience in on the joke in the process may prove a very wise move.

So what of the cast? The undoubtedly raven-haired and ruby-lipped princess will be played by porcelain-skinned newcomer, Lily Collins. (The Blind Side, Priest) Oscar winner Julia Roberts will play the evil enchantress, whilst Armie Hammer (The Social Network) plays the object of their affection and Prince Charming substitute, ‘Prince Andrew Alcott’. The film also stars Nathan Lane (The Birdcage) as a clumsy and doting servant to the Queen.

The seven dwarves are all there, but not as we know them. Coming Soon reports: “Each of the film’s seven dwarfs features a distinctive look and seems to be nicknamed by their costume. “Cowboy” wears a cowboy hat, “Wolf” is draped in animal skin and another wears a crooked top hat.”

Is anyone else picturing some very awkward auditions involving actors scrambling around on their knees in full pantomime attire making Shakespearian proclamations in teeny tiny soprano? Let’s hope I’m wrong.

According to the site, the most noticeable departure from the primary account lies in the characterization:

“Snow White herself…will be portrayed as a bit of a fighter, allowing for multiple action sequences…she’s actively trying to win back her rightful throne and combines a blue dress with black, leather armour.” Interesting, I wonder if we’ll have a new entry for our Style Spy pages…

Firmly determined to stay one step ahead in this medieval duel against industry giant Universal, Relativity Media released the first promotional teaser images for the film The photos reveal a very stylized design, “including a very Indian-looking palace and several masquerade designs reminiscent of Mardi Gras and old storybook illustrations.” (Coming Soon) Both projects have now revealed character posters (below). As you can see, Relativity are sticking very closely to the story’s magical roots. Collins told Entertainment Weekly: "I keep saying to everyone I feel like I'm walking into a snow globe, a fairy tale, every single day”. Contrarily, Universal’s artwork portrays a very battle orientated theme, particularly with the protagonist, which is a surprising step away from its competitor.

With a behind the scenes line-up that have lent their collective filmmaking talent to the likes of The Fighter, 300 and Rush Hour, it seems the elusive tagline: “A Comedic Adventure Awaits”, which is displayed proudly above the promos, is a promise Relativity intend to keep.

In the blue corner, flying the flag for Universal is Rupert Sanders’ Snow White and the Huntsman.

Sanders is making his directorial debut here, but with help from Joe Roth, producer of Alice in Wonderland and Tears of the Sun who has had his own directorial turns in the past with hits such as America’s Sweethearts alongside writer Evan Spiliotopolous, who penned the screenplays for children’s favourites; The Jungle Book 2 and The Nutty professor, this is by no means an amateur outfit.

The appropriately named Snow White and the Huntsmen focuses on the relationship between a girl and the man who was sent to kill her. According to Universal: “In a twist to the fairytale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the evil queen”. Is anyone else starting to feel a little sorry for the old broad?

 This film is slightly more traditional, in that it sounds like what you would expect from a Snow White born out of the Twilight generation. To begin with, it centres around a forbidden romance between Snow White and not Prince Charming, but the ‘why-did-you-even-bother-altering-the-name-so-trivially’ titled ‘Prince Charmant’, played by Sam Clafin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), from whom she was separated in their teen years by evil Queen ‘Ravenna’. It is certainly no accident, then, that the studio made the wildly calculated decision to cast Kristen Stewart as the lead. Yes OK, she is fair skinned and dark haired, but could they be more obvious? The second teen audiences catch a glimpse of Miss Stewart on a teaser trailer, well, there’s your one million plus young adult viewers right there.

Snow White and the Huntsman gives a more in-depth backstory to the compassionate woodsman of legends past. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) will star as the Queen’s henchman, devastated by the recent death of his wife, ‘Eric’ is determined to find the white wolf that killed her. When Eric discovers this wolf was acting under the instruction of queen Ravenna, he takes ‘the fairest of them all’ into the forest to prepare to get his revenge. I’m seeing a lot of training montages, with Kristen giving intense and pouty glares and Chris Hemsworth chopping wood…preferably without a shirt on.

Competing against Julia Roberts’ she-villain will be (also) Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron, who gained the part over Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder and who pulled out of Clint Eastwood’s upcoming biopic J. Edgar to take the job. For those who remember her incredible character acting in Patty Jenkins harrowing masterpiece; Monster, Theron is a very clever pick, who will definitely stand up against her rom-com frequenting adversary.

However, aside from the fact that production seems well under way for Sanders who has a concrete cast and a confirmed title, the road to theatres is proving a bumpy one. Universal Pictures have reportedly asked Hossein Amini (Drive) to re-write parts of the script. It is unclear if this will be an entire re-working or just a slight tweak, but to the outside world, and to Relativity I’m sure, this suggests Universal and it’s crew are displaying a lack of confidence in their own work at this late stage in the game.

So prepare to pick a side. At this stage, ‘Team Kristen’ and ‘Team Lily’ T-shirts don’t seem out of the question. In the best case scenario, both films will be refreshing and innovative and do very well, then Relativity and Universal can put aside their differences and, for want of a better phrase, live happily ever after. This doesn’t seem likely. Instead, it seems the fairy tale wars have only just begun.

I hear on the entertainment grapevine that there are talks of a 2013 feature ‘Snow and the Seven’, as well as Disney commissioning yet another; Order of the Seven, which will no doubt be like a kid who turns up late to the party. Does this mark a whole-hearted appreciation of timeless classics, or are we simply running out of original ideas? With a finite amount of fairytales to tell, we are bound to get a little repetition from a competitive industry, keen to follow the trend. But is it too much to ask to space it out a little? The next few years will bear witness to a whole host of fairytale re-makes battling it out, with a Hansel and Gretel re-invention and numerous new Cinderellas, Jack and the Beanstalks, a Sleeping Beauty, multiple Pinnochios, countless Peter Pans and even a Tom Thumb in the pipeline, we should probably get used to Tinsletown getting a little Grimm.

 

Relativity Media

Universal Pictures

PARADISE LOST CONCEPT ARTWORK REVEALED

Good news ladies, Bradley Cooper’s becoming the number one bad boy…

Director Alex Proyas (The Crow, Knowing) talked recently at the Legendary Pictures pre-production panel at Comic Con about his upcoming big screen adaptation of John Milton’s epic morality tale, Paradise Lost.

Originally published in 1667, the poem concerns the story of the fall of man. Legendary have released this brief synopsis of the plot:

‘Lucifer and Michael, God's greatest archangels, share the bond of extraordinary friendship until God produces his greatest creation: Man. Unable to remain subservient to God if it means bowing down to humanity, Lucifer begins his dark descent and is cast out — only to plot his revenge.’

A release date has yet to be announced, however the film is causing quite a stir already with the first teaser images released of The Hangover and Limitless star Bradley Cooper as fallen angel, Satan.

At present the only actor attributed to the project, Cooper had been in talks with Proyas for the role for years. He told Entertainment Weekly: “ I’d been vying for that role for three years.” He reveals an anecdote about meeting Ralph Fiennes, who has just finished his eight year stint as dark wizard Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter. Fiennes told him if he really wants to play the role, then he’s got to go for it.

The role is not without its challenges. Cooper told Den of Geek ‘it’s going to be motion capture, and I’ve never done anything like that.’ Following the footsteps of the likes of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Cooper will play the whole piece using performance capture. Of this technology, he remarked: “[it] is evolving exponentially, so where they were when they did Avatar as opposed to where they are now is almost different worlds.”

Proyas revealed more about the film’s focus, claiming: “we’re going to make an incredible epic film about the devil’s fall from grace and the archangel Michael. Adam and Eve play heavily in it as well.” He continued, alluding to the ambitious production process involved: “This film couldn’t have been made a few years ago. In fact, we’re not even sure we can make it now. But we’re gonna try.”

Set to start filming in October in Sydney, Australia, the film is rumoured to be aiming for a 2013 release. With much excitement now surrounding the project, it is speculated that the film will attract another big name to star opposite Bradley in the role of Michael.