Posts Tagged ‘James Cameron’

It sounds crazy, but the remedy for a so-so prequel just might in fact be a sequel

Dear Universal Pictures,

Just an idea, but maybe you should dare to follow your prequel of The Thing with a sequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing, and make it a follow-up reminiscent of James Cameron’s Aliens.

In my review of Heijningen Jr.’s recently released prequel I note how transparent it is that what he really made was actually more of a remake. And although there is still a rather large cultural resistance to horror remakes (I’m going by fan forums here, not box office numbers), such a fact should not really be held against Heijningen Jr. himself. More appropriately, any hostility towards this truth should be directed at you because it was you who insisted on making a “prequel” that in this particular case couldn’t have been anything else but a remake. One way you could redeem yourself of this misguided decision, though, is by seriously entertaining the above suggestion.

It sounds almost paradoxical for me to suggest that the way to make up for a poorly conceived remake is to base another related story on a film that so many – including myself – consider a classic of such status that to even joke about “tampering” with it might be tantamount to heresy, but hear me out.

Read the rest of this entry »

Short Take: Beyond its obvious faults it delivers exactly what it advtertises, and then some

Director: Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes (2006))

Screenwriters: Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (Sorority Row)

Cast: Elizabeth Shue (Hamlet 2), Christopher Lloyd (Camp Nowhere), Ving Rhames (Surrogates), Jerry O’Connell (Obsessed), Adam Scott (TV’s Party Down)

Length: 1h 30m

Synopsis: After a subterranean tremor causes a rift that conjoins a mysterious underwater lake with the aboveground Lake Victoria community, a prehistoric predator proceeds to roam free and eat at will. That predator is the very first breed of Piranha, which are thousands strong and eager to feed on fresh meat. It just so happens that these ferocious fish escape during Spring Break, when every virile teenager and college student within fifty miles is congregating to drink, fornicate, and unknowingly serve themselves up as dinner. Gratuitous nudity and violence ensues on a level not seen in American theaters in some time. Read the rest of this entry »

The online video rental giant Netflix has grown even stronger

After signing new, separate deals, Netflix will have access to more 20th Century Fox and Universal Studios‘ films. Under their new deals, Neflix will agree to wait 28 days after any of their films release on DVD to offer them through their website. Also, Universal agreed to license more of their films for streaming (online viewing) and Fox has agreed to a first-time license that will allow Netflix to stream certain Fox TV shows.

Netflix also made a similar 28 day delay deal for new releases with Warner Bros. earlier this year.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in October studios were wrestling with declining DVD sales as the rental market has been modestly growing and that some studios are considering introducing a DVD retail sales-only window for a few weeks. – Hollywood Reporter

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Quick Opinion: The 28 day delay deals certainly make sense for the studios, particularly 20th Century Fox because they own the distribution rights to James Cameron’s Avatar (which in case you’ve been living under a rock has become the most successful film in history). Having that 28 day window will allow the studio to grab all the money they can from those who don’t wish to wait 28 extra days to rent the movie – and you can bet that will be a lot of people. On the flip side, Netflix’s side of the deals only make sense because they’re getting something in return, and good enough for them it’s something that will actually improve their profits. With more streaming movies and wider selections the company will have an even firmer grasp on the video renting market. And, even though they have 28 day delays for the 3 biggest Hollywood studios, they don’t have to wait that long to make every new DVD available, as they can still provide newly released DVDs from everyone else.

What is discouraging about the last bit of news is this: With the rental market slowly rising and DVD sales somewhat declining, is there any reason to assume that this is not because of the current recession? With less money to play with, of course people are going to forgo spending $20+ on a new DVD and spend $5, $6 or $7 on a rental instead. It’s smart consumerism, especially if you’re not head over heals for a particular movie or haven’t seen it before (regardless of what some people might think there are some people who have yet to see Avatar, so why should studios expect people who haven’t seen it to spend $20+ to own it?). If the studios decide to make up for their losses with DVD sales by creating a sales-only window after releases there could possibly be some serious consequences. Ma and Pa video stores, already barely getting by (as the switch from VHS to DVD nearly wiped them out as it is), would no longer be able to provide their hottest commodity, which is new releases. Most of these stores at this point get by through offering great selections and immediate service (as opposed to Netflix’s 2 to 3 days wait period), but any more hits to this small market and I fear they’ll start disappearing for good. Creating a sales-only window might help studios beat the current lull in DVD sales, but the lull is only temporary and the window’s possible effects could be permanent. It would be a step towards getting rid of all video rental stores period instead of just the one rental giant Blockbuster, which looks like it will soon file for Chapter 11.

"Avatar" looks great (see photo), but the 3D is what really makes it stunning.

IGN.com recently published an article where author Eric Moro compared the 3D image quality of the theatrical version of James Cameron’s Avatar with its Blu-Ray copy being designed for home theater use.

Almost everyone who has seen the movie in theaters praises the 3D technology for making the experience highly immersive, and Moro is no different. That being said, he claims the scenes he was able to witness for the special 3D Blu-ray player looked even better than they did in the theater. You can read the full article here.

So for those who were worried that Avatar was destined to be solely a theatrical experience that would force home viewing to be lackluster by comparison, there seems to be at least a little bit of hope. One report is hardly the final word on the issue, but it does allow for some optimism.

Should 'Avatar' be considered exemplary of what Hollywood should regularly strive to create?

Much has been made about James Cameron’s newest cinematic juggernaut Avatar. With the film’s production said to exceed a record-setting $400 million, it has made back roughly 75% of that cost just 5 days after its release (domestic + foreign). The vast majority of that price tag is due to the groundbreaking special effects and 3D presentation (as I’m sure you’ve all heard), which required the kind of technology and personnel that only the likes of a Hollywood studio can provide. Many like to deride Hollywood because of its “gross” financing for projects intended for mass consumption, however on occasion (such as with Avatar) we are reminded that Hollywood is capable of delivering us something truly striking and amazing. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is another example that can be referenced from this decade. Big name studios love cashing in on such films, and audiences love paying to see them. When done right (unlike with, say, Waterworld) big budget extravaganzas have the ability, and by all accounts likelihood, to be very notable and even pivotal artifacts within the world of movies. So, then, what could all of this mean? What could the tremendous success of Avatar lead to? Read the rest of this entry »

Short Take: Jaw-dropping visuals, and a list of relevant messages

Director: James Cameron (Titanic)

Screenwriter: James Cameron (Titanic)

Cast: Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation), Zoe Saldana (Star Trek), Sigourney Weaver (Prayers for Bobby), Stephen Lang (Public Enemies)

Length: 2h 42m

Synopsis: Humans have landed on an earth-like alien planet named Pandora, where they hope to collect precious minerals that are worth unimaginable sums. Standing in their way are an indigenous people called the Na’vi (pronounced Nah-vee), whose physical prowess and territorial rigidity have made diplomatic resolutions exceedingly difficult. In the mix is a man who is able to take control of his own alien body and permeate the Na’vi’s intense and scrupulous social boundaries in order to persuade them to peacefully make way for the humans. Read the rest of this entry »

A still of Zoe Saldana from "Avatar"

ComingSoon.net has published a transcript of a panel discussion that took place in London involving director James Cameron and the cast of his new movie Avatar. The documented Q and A session is moderately long, and goes into great detail about the film and how its creators felt about it on various levels. The questions are precise and demand complex answers, and said answers are elaborate and insightful. Cameron and the cast seemed to make sure to be as articulate as possible, and as a result they provide a wealth of information about both themselves and the film. The questions range from the typical “how did ___ make you feel,” to discussing the difference between seeing and “really seeing” and their relationship to the film and its story.

If you’re curious and/or interested about Avatar we would like to strongly recommend that you take a close look at this transcript. It contains less than a handful of the most minor of spoilers, which if you’re someone who’s been keeping up with the film they might not be new to you anyways.