The Wolfman

[Watashi]

Director Mark Romanek has dropped out of Universal Pictures The Wolfman, reports Variety.

The trade says Romanek exited the film late Monday night over creative differences. The film has long had Benicio Del Toro aboard to play the werewolf, and the studio just set Emily Blunt (Charlie Wilson's War) and Anthony Hopkins to play the other leads in the film.

Universal maintains that Romanek left the project in strong shape and that it expects to set another director quickly. No word on whether a Feb. 18 start date will remain in place.

The studio is targeting a February 13, 2009 release date for the horror flick.

According to AICN (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35454), none other than Match Cut's favorite, Brett Ratner, is scheduled to take over. What do studios see in this guy? I fucking hate Hollywood.

[EvilShoe]

Ratner doesn't judge, Wats.
He doesn't judge.

[number8]

Matt Reeves is also in the running.

[Ezee E]

I thought it was another Brett that may come in. Brett Eisner or something.

[DavidSeven]

According to AICN (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35454), none other than Match Cut's favorite, Brett Ratner, is scheduled to take over. What do studios see in this guy? I fucking hate Hollywood.

He makes easily digestible, inoffensive fluff. He has no discernible artistic, political, or intellectual goals, and his movies make money. He's the poster boy for studio filmmaking.

[Wryan]

Matt Reeves is also in the running.

God I hope so. Even after Cloverfield, he's still basically untested........which is better than being tested and having a disease.

Ratner is a disease.

[Grouchy]

God I hope so. Even after Cloverfield, he's still basically untested........which is better than being tested and having a disease.

Ratner is a disease.
Not to go off-topic here, it's just what came to mind, but you know what's a disease? Harlequyn Icthyosis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhZxAMPGJ5c) is a disease.

(warning: if you're sensitive to truly ugly stuff, don't click that link)

[Wryan]

Ratner out.

Maybes:

Frank Darabont
James Mangold
Joe Johnston
Bill Condon
Neil Marshall
Martin Campbell
John Landis
Guillermo Del Toro

From Hollywood Reporter/AICN

[number8]

I'd root for John Landis, if they have cops on the set at all times.

[Wryan]

http://www.firstshowing.net/img/wolfman-del-toro.jpg

Hee-hee.

[megladon8]

Does Benicio Del Toro have any writing/story credit with this film?

I know he'd probably love as much creative control over this as possible, since the original Chaney, Jr. film is one of his absolute favorites - he even has a quote on the DVD cover.

[Wryan]

Does Benicio Del Toro have any writing/story credit with this film?

I know he'd probably love as much creative control over this as possible, since the original Chaney, Jr. film is one of his absolute favorites - he even has a quote on the DVD cover.

Producing credit, though who knows how the final film will work out.

[Ezee E]

Ratner out.

Maybes:

Frank Darabont
James Mangold
Joe Johnston
Bill Condon
Neil Marshall
Martin Campbell
John Landis
Guillermo Del Toro

From Hollywood Reporter/AICN

Well, I'll cut Del Toro, Campbell, and Landis out right away because they are working on projects.

Bill Condon? Nah.

[megladon8]

James Mangold could be interesting, if rather vanilla.

Frank Darabont seems unlikely, since he has those Stephen King projects lined up.

[Watashi]

Joe Johnston is the director (http://aintitcool.com/node/35492)

[DavidSeven]

They might have been better off with Ratner.

[Sycophant]

Joe Johnston is the director (http://aintitcool.com/node/35492)Hey. He's like one of my friend's uncles or something.

He's not a total hack, is he?

[Wryan]

Kind of a less-than-solid choice. I mean, it won't be Sommers-level of interpretation. Right?

...

[lovejuice]

Hey. He's like one of my friend's uncles or something.

He's not a total hack, is he?

not at all. not at all. he doesn't have enough chance to prove himself yet. worse come to worse he might be on par with ratner. a solid hired-man director for a studio.

[Morris Schæffer]

They might have been better off with Ratner.

Johnston has made The Rocketeer my friend. ;)

[Kurosawa Fan]

I liked Jumanji and October Sky.

*shrug*

[Sycophant]

Yeah, I liked October Sky quite a bit. And I've got nothing but fond memories of Rocketeer and Honey I Shrunk the Kids. And I know JP3 has its defenders/champions.

The only reason I haven't seen Hidalgo is because it's a damned horse movie.

[Morris Schæffer]

The evidence is overwhelming. Johnston > Ratner. No seriously.

[Wryan]

October Sky is great for that one perfect montage that uses "Ain't that a Shame." The rest is just merely good.

[DavidSeven]

Johnston has made The Rocketeer my friend. ;)

It's hard to look beyond the awfulness of JP3.

[Wryan]

It's hard to look beyond the awfulness of JP3.

Really? I thought it was hard to look beyond the awfulness of JP2 until JP3 made it all silly and fun again.

[lovejuice]

Really? I thought it was hard to look beyond the awfulness of JP2 until JP3 made it all silly and fun again.

word. although it's clearly evident that johnston is no spilburg. he manages that film quite well in a B-movie manner.

[number8]

The Lost World rocks. Stop hatin'.

[Morris Schæffer]

The Lost World rocks. Stop hatin'.

You know that scene at the pier? Where they're all waiting for the boat to arrive? And suddenly it emerges from the dark and smashes into said pier? That was unbelievably tense and brilliant! More tense than any scene involving the actual dinos methinks. Not a ringing endorsement, but I've seen worse sequels.

[Wryan]

The Lost World rocks. Stop hatin'.

The book spoiled me. I know I shouldn't compare.......but, well......if Criterion could release the book, they would.

[lovejuice]

The book spoiled me. I know I shouldn't compare.......but, well......if Criterion could release the book, they would.

really? i don't recall the book being that good either. if i remember correctly, the only thing in common between the two is the title. yet both have the feeling of a sequel that exists for the sake of cashing in on the popularity of the original. (in fact i believe the book was written while the movie was shot, so that explains why the two share almost nothing in common.) i grant you though, there's one really cool scene in lost world: the novel features a raptor/car chase.

JP3 actually borrowed a few scenes from the first book that were missing in the first movie. doesn't make the sequel good or bad. just wanna mention it.

[Sven]

Joe Johnston is a good director.

[MadMan]

http://www.firstshowing.net/img/wolfman-del-toro.jpg

Hee-hee.That's both awesome and hilarious.

The Lost World book is better than the film, but its not that great of a book either. I liked it for what it was but out of the Cricton works I've read it would rank near the bottom.

Joe Johnston has some really solid films under his belt, so I think he'll do this film justice.

[Wryan]

You guys are nuts. TLW book is terrific. I'd rank it up with Sphere. :)

[lovejuice]

You guys are nuts. TLW book is terrific. I'd rank it up with Sphere. :)

at least you recognize the awesomeness that is sphere. ;)

[MadMan]

You guys are nuts. TLW book is terrific. I'd rank it up with Sphere. :)I've been meaning to read Sphere for some time. I'd rank Congo above TLW. So far the best book of his that I've read is Jurassic Park. I really like Cricton as an author-he manages to daftly combine roller coster ride style moments with intelligent scientific ideas and thoughts.

[lovejuice]

I've been meaning to read Sphere for some time. I'd rank Congo above TLW. So far the best book of his that I've read is Jurassic Park. I really like Cricton as an author-he manages to daftly combine roller coster ride style moments with intelligent scientific ideas and thoughts.

congo is awesome. you guys should check out sci-fi thread in literature sub-forum, and put some sense into d's head.

[MadMan]

congo is awesome. you guys should check out sci-fi thread in literature sub-forum, and put some sense into d's head.I haven't read enough sci-fi to contend with the will and opinion of Davis. But I will probably stop by sometime.

[Watashi]

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/wolfman1.jpg

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/wolfman2.jpg

Sweet.

[Wryan]

I'm sure it'll look even better on film, but it looks good just like that. A nice medium between too humanoid and too bestial.

[D_Davis]

congo is awesome. you guys should check out sci-fi thread in literature sub-forum, and put some sense into d's head.

I've got plenty of sense!

[lovejuice]

I've got plenty of sense!

not enough to realize the awesomeness of crichton. ;)
and those pictures look juicy.

[Ivan Drago]

Can this possibly be a good remake of a horror movie?

As awesome as this looks, probably not. Same with video game movies, the makers will find some magical way to fuck this up.

[D_Davis]

Can this possibly be a good remake of a horror movie?

As awesome as this looks, probably not. Same with video game movies, the makers will find some magical way to fuck this up.

Or it could turn out like The Thing and The Fly.

[D_Davis]

not enough to realize the awesomeness of crichton. ;)
and those pictures look juicy.

I like the Andromeda Strain and Sphere movies.

[MadMan]

Those current two new pics look pretty radical.

[Wryan]

Trailer from Comic-Con is making some pirated rounds.

Basically looks to be aping Coppola's BSD...but at least aping it well.

I'm sold on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhkkd1UmZW4

[Sven]

Trailer from Comic-Con is making some pirated rounds.

Basically looks to be aping Coppola's BSD...but at least aping it well.

I'm sold on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhkkd1UmZW4

Whoa. Looks strange. Gotta say, moderate to biggish fan as I am of Johnston, I'm looking forward to this a bit.

[Spinal]

Anthony Hopkins ... *yawn*. Feel like I pretty much know what his performance will be like before I see it. If the reviews are great, maybe. Otherwise, I can do without it.

[Sven]

Anthony Hopkins ... *yawn*. Feel like I pretty much know what his performance will be like before I see it. If the reviews are great, maybe. Otherwise, I can do without it.

I think it's funny that somehow he is cast as the father of both Benicio del Toro and Antonio Banderas. Is he really that Latin-y? I would never have thought it.

[Bosco B Thug]

The use of music in the trailer is pretty darn cool. Can't wait to get a quality look at the trailer.

Don't have much faith in Joe Johnston, but Jumanji was probably one of my most watched movies as a kid...

[Spinal]

I think it's funny that somehow he is cast as the father of both Benicio del Toro and Antonio Banderas. Is he really that Latin-y? I would never have thought it.

Yeah, was Edward James Almos not available or something? Come on!

*checks IMDb*

Hmmm ... guess this would have conflicted with Beverly Hills Chihuahua. :|

[DavidSeven]

Anthony Hopkins ... *yawn*. Feel like I pretty much know what his performance will be like before I see it.

This.

Blunt cast as a female lead is encouraging.

[MadMan]

Trailer from Comic-Con is making some pirated rounds.

Basically looks to be aping Coppola's BSD...but at least aping it well.

I'm sold on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhkkd1UmZW4Dude the cast for this alone makes me want to see it. Pretty good trailer, and it gives off a fairly solid feel for what the movie will be like.

[Dukefrukem]

Hugo Weaving?? I'm there!

[Dukefrukem]

bumped to Feb 12, 2010 :(

[Sven]

Seriously, what's keeping this movie?

[number8]

The excuse is that the November slot was against A Christmas Carol. And they wanted to have enough time to market the movie with its now-finished effects.

Good news is, first trailer with Inglourious Basterds.

[Ezee E]

November was the delayed date from April though.

[Saya]

Offical trailer (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810007466/video/15143214) is up.

[megladon8]

As soon as that name "Joe Johnston" reared its ugly head, I lost hope.

[Dukefrukem]

Oh man. I can't wait for the first transformation.

[number8]

That looks like ass.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Emily Blunt is stunning. It's absurd how attractive she is.

[Sven]

As soon as that name "Joe Johnston" reared its ugly head, I lost hope.

... I think he's good.

[number8]

What's wrong with Joe Johnston?

[Eleven]

And here I was hoping for a Robert Weston Smith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfman_Jack) biopic.

[Grouchy]

Eh, that looks good. I just wish the trailer wasn't that long - it showed me the entire fucking movie.

By the way, Banderas is no Latino. He's Spanish.

[Wryan]

That looks like ass.

Actually I thought "the look" was pretty nifty, although the movie itself likely won't be much.

[Watashi]

It looks better than Van Helsing.

[megladon8]

What's wrong with Joe Johnston?


Jurassic Park III, Hidalgo and The Pagemaster.

[number8]

:|

Pagemaster is fabulous. Never saw the other two, but the rest of his filmography are excellent.

[Watashi]

Jumanji, The Rocketeer, and October Sky are all great too.

[number8]

That's the rest of his filmography.

[Sven]

JPIII is the best of the three.

[Watashi]

I was digging Jurassic Park III.... until the raptors started communicating with the humans.

[megladon8]

JPIII is the best of the three.


You're a nut.

I mean that lovingly.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I was digging Jurassic Park III.... until the raptors started communicating with the humans.

So you were digging it for 95% of the runtime? That's pretty good.

Going off the trailer, the film looks gorgeous, the roster of actors is excellent. The transformation stuff looks pretty good. And then, at the end, I was reminded that Andrew Kevin Walker (Seven, Sleepy Hollow) wrote it, which is always helpful.

Also, I like JP III, The Rocketeer, and, to a lesser degree, Jumanji.

[number8]

JPIII is the best of the three.

Ridiculous. Everybody knows that The Lost World is best.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Ridiculous. Everybody knows that The Lost World is best.

Overall:

Jurassic Park > Jurassic Park III > The Lost World

For hot, sexy dinosaur action:

The Lost World > Jurassic Park III > Jurassic Park

[Watashi]

I'm pretty sure AKW's original screenplay was demolished after several rewrites.

[Sven]

Ridiculous. Everybody knows that The Lost World is best.

I'd be inclined to agree if it wasn't for that long, long, LONG sequence of Vince Vaughn wandering through the abandoned control center, with Spielberg clumsily staging a bunch of "gotcha!" moments that don't work. That, and the stupid gym class little girl raptor gag followed by the stupid punchline. I'm all for requisite lameness, but that was the height of it.

Other than that, I love that movie substantially. Still, you should see the third.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'm pretty sure AKW's original screenplay was demolished after several rewrites.

And after the director switch from Romanek to Johnston. Still, a guy can hope.

[Ezee E]

LOVE The Rocketeer, I should rewatch that and see if it's still as good as I remember. Jennifer Connelly at her hottest too.

[Morris Schæffer]

Yeah, you wanna talk hack helmers, then Joe Johnston really isn't the bottom of the barrel.

[Rowland]

The ultimate hack auteur is Peter Hyams. He's the cinematographer/director extraordinaire of such crap as Stay Tuned, Timecop, Sudden Death, The Relic, End of Days, etc., all of them obnoxiously inept in most departments, and with a common thread of artless sadism to boot. I thought A Sound of Thunder ruined him for good, but he's back this year with the Michael Douglas-starring Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, which he has also apparently written. Damn you, Hyams!

[Grouchy]

The Rocketeer is already a damn great movie under his hat.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The ultimate hack auteur is Peter Hyams. He's the cinematographer/director extraordinaire of such crap as Stay Tuned, Timecop, Sudden Death, The Relic, End of Days, etc., all of them obnoxiously inept in most departments, and with a common thread of artless sadism to boot. I thought A Sound of Thunder ruined him for good, but he's back this year with the Michael Douglas-starring Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, which he has also apparently written. Damn you, Hyams!

Hollywood: Preferring Known Failures to Potential Successes Since 1913.

[Morris Schæffer]

The ultimate hack auteur is Peter Hyams. He's the cinematographer/director extraordinaire of such crap as Stay Tuned, Timecop, Sudden Death, The Relic, End of Days, etc., all of them obnoxiously inept in most departments, and with a common thread of artless sadism to boot. I thought A Sound of Thunder ruined him for good, but he's back this year with the Michael Douglas-starring Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, which he has also apparently written. Damn you, Hyams!

He used to be good with 2010, Capricorn One and Hanover Street. But then suddenly I guess he thought he could become a player in the realm of commercially viable blockbusters.

[Rowland]

He used to be good with 2010, Capricorn One and Hanover Street. But then suddenly I guess he thought he could become a player in the realm of commercially viable blockbusters.2010 is the only early film of his that I've seen, and while it is certainly more competent than the near-Boll lows of his later work, it's still crap.

[Wryan]

JP3 was indeed awesome.

[Ivan Drago]

JP3 was indeed awesome.

If by awesome, you mean awesomely bad, then yes, I agree.

[megladon8]

I really don't understand how anyone could like Jurassic Park III, let alone consider it the best of the trilogy which is just absolute lunacy.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I really don't understand how anyone could like Jurassic Park III, let alone consider it the best of the trilogy which is just absolute lunacy.

Because it's ninety unpretentious minutes of dinosaurs I grew up loving. My only real problem with the film is that the Spino/Rex battle was the first-act capper, instead of the finale.

They should've been alternately pursued by the two for most of the movie, taken bets, and then let 'er rip.

[megladon8]

Because it's ninety unpretentious minutes of dinosaurs I grew up loving. My only real problem with the film is that the Spino/Rex battle was the first-act capper, instead of the finale.

They should've been alternately pursued by the two for most of the movie, taken bets, and then let 'er rip.


Unpretentious? That's a strange descriptor. It's not like the first or second films were pretentious.

Plus they had infinitely better action, thrills and effects.

I don't even see the third film as being comparable to the first two. It's a mess. And that kid actor is freaking awful...every time I see him I want to double jump kick him in the face.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Unpretentious? That's a strange descriptor. It's not like the first or second films were pretentious.

The first film tried to say something noble about its ideas, only to eventually retreat to run-from-monster melodrama that, while thrilling on its own terms, feel unworthy of the premise.

The second film's ostensible judgment of hunters/trappers and appraisal of environmentalists was so misguided as to stop entire sections of the film. Worst offender: after the thrilling dinosaur stampede concludes with a parasaur falling, Spielberg cuts to reactions from Hammond's team. And every single member gets their own single shot, even Eddie Carr, who's a fucking engineer.


Plus they had infinitely better action, thrills and effects.

Apart from that word, I agree with this. Spielberg slumming is still top-notch action.


I don't even see the third film as being comparable to the first two. It's a mess. And that kid actor is freaking awful...every time I see him I want to double jump kick him in the face.

That kid's got absolutely nothing on Gymnasto-Girl. Nothing.

Nothing.

"The school cut you from the team" was the first time I hated Spielberg, and I mean, hated him.

[Ezee E]

I liked this preview, and like that it's in the Victorian Era instead of modern times. Gives the movie more options I think.

[Morris Schæffer]

I really don't understand how anyone could like Jurassic Park III, let alone consider it the best of the trilogy which is just absolute lunacy.

I like to think that a lot of sequels lend themselves well to a double standard. While it is impossible to see The Return of the King as its own entity, unrelated to FotR and TTT, I don't feel a similarly pressing need to compare JP III to previous entries. Sure, it might be the worst of the bunch, but compare it to most loud, overbearing shit we have to tolerate today, and JP III suddenly doesn't strike me as that bad of a proposition.

It's why I had a blast with Speed 2: Cruise Control.

[MadMan]

Offical trailer (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810007466/video/15143214) is up.The official preview is solid enough. However, the pirated trailer from Comic-Con that was posted a while back was actually better. Still looking forward to this, though.

[transmogrifier]

I think it's funny two of the staunch defenders of Crank are here dissing JP3. It truly does take all kinds.

[Acapelli]

I think it's funny two of the staunch defenders of Crank are here dissing JP3. It truly does take all kinds.
sven said jp3 is his favorite

[transmogrifier]

sven said jp3 is his favorite

I was talking about meg and ivan

[megladon8]

I'm hardly a "staunch defender" of Crank.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow JP3 and Speed 2 likes here? And people thought my love for outrageous idiotic horror movies was bad.

[Dukefrukem]

Such a better trailer....................... ..................... wow. (http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/thewolfman/)

[Dukefrukem]

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/6499/wolfmanposter2.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6499/wolfmanposter2.jpg

[KK2.0]

Loving this JP discussion :lol:

JP3 is also my favorite, probably because it's the shortest of the three and it has the Pterodactyls.

Back to topic, i've saw the trailer for Wolfman in front of Paranormal Activity and thought it looked great. This movie was completely under my radar until now, it's been a long time since i saw a trailer at the theaters before watching it on the internet! It was... exciting!

[lovejuice]

Hollywood: Preferring Known Failures to Potential Successes Since 1913.

weirdly enough, business-wise, that makes more sense. it's not too hard to make a profit out of a known but calculable failure. it's actually movie like Avatar that put us into recession. we must invest wisely on horror remakes, another Saw sequels and Peter Hyams.

:P

[Dead & Messed Up]

weirdly enough, business-wise, that makes more sense. it's not too hard to make a profit out of a known but calculable failure. it's actually movie like Avatar that put us into recession. we must invest wisely on horror remakes, another Saw sequels and Peter Hyams.

:P

Whatever, man. You and your business "associates" are keeping down the artists and the singers of songs, man. Don't oppress us with your financial "sinterests," you pencil-pushing bottom-liners! Man!

[megladon8]

As much as I want to be uber-excited for this movie, I can't help thinking it's going to be terrible.

[Raiders]

As much as I want to be uber-excited for this movie, I can't help thinking it's going to be terrible.

If nothing else, it is an excuse to watch Emily Blunt for a couple hours.

[MadMan]

If nothing else, it is an excuse to watch Emily Blunt for a couple hours.Exactly. Except I still think this will be good. A bit on the silly side, sure, but entertaining never the less.

[Morris Schæffer]

Perhaps surprisingly, The Wolfman will sport an "R"rating.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43318

[Dukefrukem]

The first film tried to say something noble about its ideas, only to eventually retreat to run-from-monster melodrama that, while thrilling on its own terms, feel unworthy of the premise.

I'm late to this discussion but...

Wow really? I read this three or four times and I don't understand how you could come to this conclusion looking at all three movies as they sit today. Unworthy of the premise? Trapped on an island with dinosaurs? All is well...then all of a sudden....

The third film doesn't even have ANY tension at the level the first two movies have... The original has the T-Rex scene, then the fridge raptor scene, the 2nd has the trailer dangling over the edge scene... what does the third movie have??

[Scar]

I would rather watch bits and pieces of II than III. HOWEVER, I'd rather watch III in its entirety than II.

Goddamn Gymnastics Girl. Damn her to HELL.

Anyways, Anthony Hopkins sports a double rifle in Wolfman, so I'll definitely be checking it out, probably not until it hits BluRay, but thats how I roll.

[Boner M]

This is getting really bad buzz from my twitter critic friends. Shame, since the trailer had me kinda pumped.

[number8]

I just saw it a couple of hours ago, and apparently I'm not allowed to say anything about it. But trust your critic friends.

[Scar]

Damn, I had a feeling it would suck.

But, like I said, Anthony Hopkins + Double Rifle, and I'll see it.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, how long ago was this suppose to be released? And I remember that Mark Romanek was originally behind it.

Ah well.

[Wryan]

Fuck that. I be seeing this shit...

[MadMan]

Fuck that. I be seeing this shit...Damn right! And hey, if it sucks, oh well. But I sense great, cheesy fun.

[Dukefrukem]

Fuck that. I be seeing this shit...

Couldnt have said it better. :pritch:

[number8]

Just rewatched the trailer. Man, this movie looks so gooood. I can't wait to see—Oh.

[Wryan]

Just rewatched the trailer. Man, this movie looks so gooood. I can't wait to see—Oh.

Hey man, I thought Van Helsing was a hoot and a half.

Van. Helsing.

[Dukefrukem]

where's your review 8?

[number8]

where's your review 8?

Why, here.

http://www.justpressplay.net/movie-reviews/40-reviews/6386-the-wolfman.html

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'm late to this discussion but...

Wow really? I read this three or four times and I don't understand how you could come to this conclusion looking at all three movies as they sit today. Unworthy of the premise? Trapped on an island with dinosaurs? All is well...then all of a sudden....

The third film doesn't even have ANY tension at the level the first two movies have... The original has the T-Rex scene, then the fridge raptor scene, the 2nd has the trailer dangling over the edge scene... what does the third movie have??

My point was simply to underline what I felt was a problem with the first couple films - that they could've been cerebral entertainments as well as the visceral entertainments they clearly are. And there are efforts in both films to bridge that gap...but both films falter in that regard.

And while the third film doesn't carry the character interest of the first one (which renders its set-pieces a little hollow), I got a real kick out of the action scenes. The ridiculously-long plane crash, the aviary sequence (love that fog), and the river chase.

It reminds me a lot of Harryhausen flicks, in that every ten minutes, there's a fun new creature to keep our attention. It doesn't quite have the imagination of those films, but it carries a bit of the charm.

[Sxottlan]

Cinematography looks great in the trailers. And I love Emily Blunt. But otherwise, I can't get really enthused.

[Ezee E]

Sort of off topic, but I was going through the premiere pictures of this movie, and dear lord, Emily Blunt looks amazing. People have liked her before, but she's at her top right now.

There's one picture of her that would be perfect for Catwoman.

[Dukefrukem]

Why, here.

http://www.justpressplay.net/movie-reviews/40-reviews/6386-the-wolfman.html

I saw it yesterday. And although your review touches on a few things that bothered me, the movie entertained me. There's a lot more going on than just brutal murdering. For example some of the dream sequences had moments of excellence, although they were quickly dispatched (a few times) but doubling up on the cheap scare tricks.

I liked this. It's surely a much better werewolf movie than anything else in the past 10 years.

[Skitch]

Watched this last night. I thought it was great fun! Pleasantly surprised.

[Dukefrukem]

Watched this last night. I thought it was great fun! Pleasantly surprised.

:pritch:

[number8]

For example some of the dream sequences had moments of excellence, although they were quickly dispatched (a few times) but doubling up on the cheap scare tricks.

Which ones specifically? The one of his mom and brother are really cheesy, while the nightmarish ones are hilariously bad in that it's one jump scare after another. I chuckled when he wakes up after getting bit and not one, BUT TWO, imaginary monsters leap at him, and then he peeks around from behind a blanket to see if a third one will show up.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I saw it yesterday. And although your review touches on a few things that bothered me, the movie entertained me. There's a lot more going on than just brutal murdering. For example some of the dream sequences had moments of excellence, although they were quickly dispatched (a few times) but doubling up on the cheap scare tricks.

I liked this. It's surely a much better werewolf movie than anything else in the past 10 years.

It's better than Dog Soldiers and Ginger Snaps? I find that hard to believe.

[number8]

It's better than Dog Soldiers and Ginger Snaps? I find that hard to believe.

Yeah, not even close.

[Skitch]

It's better than Dog Soldiers and Ginger Snaps? I find that hard to believe.
Dog Soldiers no, Ginger Snaps yes. Course, I didn't like GS so....

[number8]

Man, I love Ginger Snaps. That reminds me, I've been hankering to rewatch it ever since I saw Jennifer's Body.

[Dukefrukem]

Which ones specifically? The one of his mom and brother are really cheesy, while the nightmarish ones are hilariously bad in that it's one jump scare after another. I chuckled when he wakes up after getting bit and not one, BUT TWO, imaginary monsters leap at him, and then he peeks around from behind a blanket to see if a third one will show up.

Like I said, I agree with the jump scare tactics as being lame, but I didn't mind the mom and his brother one. Or the nightmarish ones.

[Dukefrukem]

It's better than Dog Soldiers and Ginger Snaps? I find that hard to believe.

Okay For some reason I thought Dog Soldiers came out in the 90s, and I haven't seen Ginger Snaps so...

[Skitch]

Man, I love Ginger Snaps. That reminds me, I've been hankering to rewatch it ever since I saw Jennifer's Body.

I'm kinda bummed you didn't like Wolfman so much. I was really surprised. It's casual though, not the kind of film I would go to great lengths defending...I just had a good time with it.

[Wryan]

Yeah a little bit of fun and some nice imagery, cinematography, and effects. But awful acting and serious abuse of the jump scare. Asylum breakout is fun and thereafter. Gypsy camp is kinda fun. WWF ending is awful and telegraphed from miles and miles.

Slash the budget and make a men-in-suits sequel with Hugo Weaving's character.

I went with a coworker and immediately recommended Dog Soldiers and Ginger Snaps.

[Dukefrukem]

btw guys...


sequel? it made $30 fuckin million in its first weekend

[number8]

btw guys...


sequel? it made $30 fuckin million in its first weekend


Woohoo. I've always wanted a 3-D motion-captured version of Abbot and Costello Meet the Wolfman.

[Dead & Messed Up]

btw guys...


sequel? it made $30 fuckin million in its first weekend


Doubtful. It's been in production for ages, and word-of-mouth is gonna kill it. If it tops $70 million, I'll be very surprised.

[Wryan]

Good design work too, on sets and costumes and makeup.

[Wryan]

The reveal about his mother doesn't make any sense, either.

Little boy woulda been killed immediately by dadwolf.

[Wryan]

You know, it's always bothered me when werewolf movies play the transformation as only possible when the full moon is visible. That makes no sense. Cloudy nights would be an aggravating, and possibly painful, process of back and forth switches and shit. Fuck that...even if it's just a one-time switch upon first vision...still doesn't make much sense.

[Dukefrukem]

The reveal about his mother doesn't make any sense, either.

Little boy woulda been killed immediately by dadwolf.


Not necessarily. Lawrence wasn't gonna kill Gwen until he saw that she was holding the gun. There was still some human in him. The same could have happened with his father.

[Wryan]

Not necessarily. Lawrence wasn't gonna kill Gwen until he saw that she was holding the gun. There was still some human in him. The same could have happened with his father.


He just killed his wife, though.

[number8]

You know, it's always bothered me when werewolf movies play the transformation as only possible when the full moon is visible. That makes no sense. Cloudy nights would be an aggravating, and possibly painful, process and back and forth switches and shit. Fuck that...even if it's just a one-time switch upon first vision...still doesn't make much sense.

If I ever make a werewolf movie, it's going to be like taking a shit. You can hold it in, but after a few days you just gotta hit the can. Or transform.

There will be a scene where the main character is in public and has to run away holding it in before he explodes in front of everyone, but keeps finding obstacles. It's an homage to American Pie.

[Wryan]

If I ever make a werewolf movie, I'm going to be as unfair to the characters and audience as possible concerning when stuff is "supposed" to happen. Eventually, they'll be so off-balance they'll have no idea what will happen at any given time.

[Dukefrukem]

He just killed his wife, though.


and Lawrence was gonna kill her (supposedly)... if his father saw how hurt his son was... its possible he could have shied away from him.

[Skitch]

He just killed his wife, though.

One of these days...to the moon...

[number8]

Made me smile:

Taylor Lautner fan insists The Wolfman is a rip-off of Twilight... because it has a werewolf. (http://www.latinoreview.com/news/open-letter-to-universal-your-wolfman-ripped-off-twilight-9247)

[Sxottlan]

Pretty prefunctory. Gorgeous photography and Emily Blunt is a goddess. The dreams with red herring after red herring were tiresome. And I really can't see though why the townspeople were coming for Lawrence based on his speedy recovery when there was clearly something else attacking the gypsy camp.

[Spun Lepton]

Made me smile:

Taylor Lautner fan insists The Wolfman is a rip-off of Twilight... because it has a werewolf. (http://www.latinoreview.com/news/open-letter-to-universal-your-wolfman-ripped-off-twilight-9247)

Is anybody shocked by the fact that a Twilight fan is a moron?

[D_Davis]

Made me smile:

Taylor Lautner fan insists The Wolfman is a rip-off of Twilight... because it has a werewolf. (http://www.latinoreview.com/news/open-letter-to-universal-your-wolfman-ripped-off-twilight-9247)

Heh...oh man. What a twightard.

[Sycophant]

At the end of this movie, there are two characters looking at each other, one on the ground. I expected the one to say to the other "Now why the fuck were we in this movie?" and the other to say, "I don't know, but it's over now, thank God."

This movie was really freaking terrible. I hate to get hung up on illogical plot points and such, but this movie made no goddamned sense. Johnston's direction was impotent; the performances were almost universally terrible, even from usually good actors.

The movie was just mean-spirited. All the gore was way over the top and it felt really cheap and seedy. And I'm pretty sure nothing meant anything.

[Dukefrukem]

And I'm pretty sure nothing meant anything.

wut?

What exactly didn't make sense to you? It's not a very complicated movie. And since when is over the top gore a negative?

[Sycophant]

When it's so impersonal, inhuman, exploitative, and cynical.

The story, I suppose, made enough sense in a linear, nonhuman way. But character motivations were nonsense, the coincidences were nakedly contrived, and the timing of events and characters' arrivals on scenes were both absurd and predictable.

The film's pretty nihilistic. In the bad way.

[Sycophant]

Wasn't it said that Benicio del Toro regards the original Wolf Man as one of his personal favorites? That's a sad story.

[number8]

At the end of this movie, there are two characters looking at each other, one on the ground. I expected the one to say to the other "Now why the fuck were we in this movie?" and the other to say, "I don't know, but it's over now, thank God."

They really are all terrible, but I think Del Toro and Blunt gave some effort somewhat. What's hilarious is Hopkins and Weaving really just not giving a fuck. "You want me to what? Carry around a shotgun just being crazy? All right... I'm a werewolf too? I don't want to spend hours on make-up or anything. Oh, computers? Okay. Sign me up."

[Sycophant]

Was del Toro trying, you think? Was he only given one take for each shot?

Hopkins is in severe don'tgiveafuck mode, though. It's kind of charming.

I just read Walter Chaw's review, in which he gives it 3 stars and says "It's so, so bad that it's almost great. It's a hoot." I just thought it was bad, but that probably speaks more to a difference in philosophy.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing my suggested ending, with the actors expressing their relief that it's all done. Then it ends in a dance number, and I feel like the movie was worth something.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm nowhere seeing the level of bad you guys are describing...

[Sycophant]

Well, I did and I paid $6.00 for it.

[Sycophant]

...

[number8]

I'm nowhere seeing the level of bad you guys are describing...

It was in sheep's clothing.

[Wryan]

Hey I thought Hugo Weaving was genuinely good, in that Hugo Weaving Smith sameness thing he's got going on.

Hopkins, though....hilarious.

[Wryan]

Chaw's response to this was my response to Van Helsing. This was nowhere near as awful[ly fun], though.

[Robby P]

It's strange that Del Toro claims to have such a personal investment in the original Wolf Man, since his performance showed no signs of any interest or enthusiasm in the role. He's no more or less guilty than Hopkins of mailing it in, IMO.

[megladon8]

It's strange that Del Toro claims to have such a personal investment in the original Wolf Man, since his performance showed no signs of any interest or enthusiasm in the role. He's no more or less guilty than Hopkins of mailing it in, IMO.


I find this so confusing because a few years back it was Creature From the Black Lagoon that he claimed to be so in touch with. He even had a quote on the movie's DVD cover when it was released around the time Van Helsing came to theatres.

Maybe he just loves the Universal Monster movies in general?

[Dukefrukem]

Universal Home Video has announced DVD and Blu-ray releases of The Wolfman, which stars Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. DVD Active reports that each will include theatrical (1 Hour 43 Minutes) and unrated (1 Hour 59 Minutes) cuts of the movie

16 more minutes.

[Sycophant]

You can make eternity 16 minutes longer?

lol

[Skitch]

I'm nowhere seeing the level of bad you guys are describing...

I didn't either. I thought Hopkins and Del Toro made the movie. Anyone else in those roles and probably would have been a crapfest.

[Ezee E]

Funny that my favorite scene of the movie was cut from the theatres, and it's where Max Von Sydow gives Benicio Del Toro the cane. Not only is it a good mysterious scene, it helps the otherwise weak dream sequences a little more.

And who cuts Max Von Sydow out from their movie????

Funny that Del Toro's character has not one, but two dream sequences of wolfmen attacking him.

Otherwise, pretty lame.

[eternity]

You can make eternity 16 minutes longer?

lolSounds like a condom ad marketed solely at me.