The Motorcycle Diaries

Based on the travelogue by Che Guevara and the book Traveling with Che Guevara: The Making of a Revolutionary by Alberto Granado, The Motorcycle Diaries is the story of Che Guevara’s 1952 expedition all across South America with his friend Alberto Granado as they would encounter many things that would shape Guevara’s outlook into the world. Directed by Walter Salles and screenplay by Jose Rivera, the film is an exploration about the journey of two men from Argentina to Venezuela through the entire South American continent as Gael Garcia Bernal plays Guevara and Rodrigo de la Serna as Alberto Granado. Also starring Mercedes Moran, Mia Maestro, and Jean Pierre Noher. The Motorcycle Diaries is an enriching and mesmerizing film from Walter Salles.

The film explores the trip that Guevara and Granado would take in early 1952 from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Venezuela on a motorcycle called the Mighty One where the two men would endure many things that would plant the seeds for Guevara’s desire to change the world. Yet, the film showcases a sense of innocence that emerges early on when Guevara was known as Ernesto Guevara de la Serna. A man who was just a 23-year old middle-class medical student who goes on a journey with Granado who was a chemist at the time as the two travel all over South America through Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and the Amazon where they would encounter a world that is filled with inequality and turmoil. Especially as Guevara would question everything that he had encounter as well as the need to make a difference for a world that is quite trouble.

Jose Rivera’s screenplay definitely takes its time to develop Guevara’s sensibility about the ways of the world as he goes from this middle-class med student with a girlfriend who wants him to travel to America. Yet, some of the things he sees such as a mining couple who lost their jobs due to their affiliation with the Communist party as well as death and all sorts of things. While the Granado character is portrayed as a man of humor who has a lust for life, he is also a man that can bullshit his way through anything and get things done as he would be the person that Guevara would need to travel through South America. Their encounters with some of these atrocities in South America which would culminate with them working at the Amazon at a leper colony. Rivera’s script doesn’t go for any kind of structure but rather something loose that pays true to what Guevara and Granado would encounter without the need to overemphasize many of the politic and social context of the story. Especially as the film features a lot of voice-over narration from Guevara’s perspective to play into his own development.

Walter Salles’ direction is entrancing not just for the way he captures the sense of unpredictability of the road film but also one that would be an experience that would change two men. Though half of the film is spent with the two men on a motorcycle that barely works, it has this liveliness where Salles shoots on location in different colonies based on the books along with some moments that play into the development of these two men. Some of which is presented in handheld camera shots or with a simple more controlling camera work where Salles plays into this unique world that is full of life but also one in turmoil considering that it is filled with indigenous people who are disconnected from the rest of the world. Salles would use some voiceover narration to express Guevara’s reflections on the world such as a key scene at Machu Picchu that played his own struggle with the ways of the world. Even as Salles would find some hope in this leper colony in the way Guevara would defy something that he thinks couldn’t be done to reveal that anything is possible. Overall, Salles crafts a very engaging yet intoxicating film about the road trip that would shape the life of a young Che Guevara.

Cinematographer Eric Gautier does great work with the film‘s very beautiful cinematography from some of the naturalistic look of the film‘s many exterior settings to some low-key lights for some of its interiors. Editor Daniel Rezende does excellent work in the editing in creating a few montages as well as jump-cuts and other stylistic flourishes to play into the looseness of the story. Production designer Carlos Conti, with art directors Graciela Oderigo, Laurent Ott, and Maria Eugenio Suerio, does nice work with the few set pieces such as the houses Guevara and Granado go to as well as the shelter of the leper colony.

Costume designers Beatriz De Benedetto and Marisa Urruti do terrific work with the period costumes with the dresses the women wear to the more rugged look of the men. Sound designer Frank Gaeta does fantastic work with the sound to capture some of the aspects of the locations along with some of the moments in the cities to capture some of the small parties and the sound of the motorcycle. The film’s music by Gustavo Santaolalla is phenomenal for its mixture of folk music with some electric guitar that is low-key yet very entrancing to play into the sense of the journey while music supervisor Adrian Nicolas Sosa creates a wonderful soundtrack filled with the music of the times from those countries plus some traditional pieces and a song by Jorge Drexler for the film’s final credits.

The casting by Walter Rippell is superb as it features some notable small performances from Jorge Chiarella as a Peruvian contact they stay at, Mercedes’ Moran as Guevara’s mother, Jean Pierre Noher as Guevara’s father, Antonella Costa as an ailing woman suffering from leprosy, and Mia Maestro as Guevara’s girlfriend Chichina. Rodrigo de la Serna is marvelous as Alberto Granado as this guy who can bullshit his way through anything while looking for a good time but also be someone who can be very helpful. Finally, there’s Gael Garcia Bernal in an incredible performance as the young Che Guevara as a young doctor with a lot of ideals as he comes of age into seeing what is happening in South America as Bernal brings a sensitivity and earnestness to the role in display Guevara as a young man who later create a revolution.

The Motorcycle Diaries is an outstanding film from Walter Salles that features great performances from Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna. The film is a truly beautiful yet captivating story about the journey that would shape the life of a young Che Guevara before he becomes a revolutionary. In the end, The Motorcycle Diaries is a magnificent film from Walter Salles.

Walter Salles Films: (A Grande Arte) - (Foreign Land) - (Central Station) - (Midnight (1998 film)) - (Behind the Sun) - (Dark Water (2005 film)) - (Linha de Passe) - (On the Road (2012 film))

Related: Che

© thevoid99 2014

To Each His Own Cinema

Note: The Version of the Film I Saw Does Not Feature the Coen Brothers’ World Cinema short starring Josh Brolin and Grant Heslov that Can be Seen Here.

Chacun son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema) is a 2007 anthology film project produced by Cannes Film Festival organizer Gilles Jacob to celebrate the festival’s 60th anniversary. Inviting many filmmakers from five different continents and twenty-five countries, each filmmaker has to create a three-minute short to exemplify their love for cinema. Among the filmmakers contributing to this project are the Coen Brothers, Gus Van Sant, Ken Loach, Lars von Trier, David Cronenberg, Wong Kar-Wai, Roman Polanski, David Lynch, Michael Cimino, Walter Salles, Atom Egoyan, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, the Dardenne Brothers, and many more.  The result is one of the most fascinating collection of shorts from some of the world's revered filmmakers.

Cinema d’ete (Open-Air Cinema) (Raymond Depardon) is about a gathering of young Islamic people going up the roof of a building to see a Bollywood movie as they enjoy themselves. One Fine Day (Takeshi Kitano) has a laborer (Takeshi Kitano) going to a small theater in the middle of Japan to watch Kitano’s Kids Return by himself only for things to go wrong during the screening. In Trois minutes (Three Minutes) (Theo Angelopoulos), a woman (Jeanne Moreau) enters an empty theater where she talks to the ghost of Marcello Mastroianni. Dans le noir (In the Dark) (Andrei Konchalovski) has a woman (Yola Sanko) watching Fellini’s 8 ½ while hearing a young couple having sex in her theater. In Diaro di uno spettatore (Diary of a Moviegoer) (Nanni Moretti), Nanni Moretti reflects his own experiences watching films in a cinema along with the places he watches those movies.

The Electric Princess Picture House (Hou Hsiao-hsien) is about Hsiao-hsien’s reflection of an old theater where he has a family in the 1960s going to this beloved theater to watch Robert Bresson’s Mouchette. Dans l’obscurite (Darkness) (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne) is about a young thief (Jeremie Segard) trying to steal the purse of a woman (Emilie Dequenne) as she is crying during a screening of Bresson’s Au Hasard Balthazar. In Absurda (David Lynch) has a group of teens watching a movie where a man on the film presents them horrifying images that scares them. Anna (Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu) has a blind woman (Luisa Williams) watching Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt with her friend (Shaun Madden) as she is moved by what she’s hearing. En regardant le film (Movie Night) (Zhang Yimou) is about a little boy along with a group of children and adults in a small Chinese village waiting to see a movie as they wait for nightfall to see a movie.

In Le Dibbouk de Haifa (The Dybbuk of Haifa) (Amos Gitai), two different groups of people in 1936 Warsaw and in 2006 Haifa are watching the same film just before things would change around them. The Lady Bug (Jane Campion) is the story of a cleaning man (Clayton Jacobson) trying to kill a dancing bug (Erica Englert) as audio from a film is being played. Artaud Double Bill (Atom Egoyan) is about a woman watching Godard’s Vivre sa vie as she texts her boyfriend who is at another theater watching Egoyan’s The Adjuster. La Fonderie (The Foundry) (Aki Kaurismaki) is about a group of factory workers finishing up their job so they can see a film by the Lumiere brothers inside their factory. Recrudescence (Upsurge) (Olivier Assayas) has a couple (Deniz Gazme Erguven & Lionel Dray) go to a movie while a man (George Babluani) eyes the woman for some strange reason.

47 ans aspres (47 Years Later) (Youssef Chahine) is about Chahine’s experience back at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival where his second film was receiving bad reviews as he looks back 47 years later where he receives a lifetime achievement award at the same festival. It’s a Dream (Tsai Ming-liang) has a man recalling his days when his grandmother took him to the cinema as she eats a certain specialty as he watches a movie with his mother, son, and a picture of his grandmother. Occupations (Lars von Trier) has von Trier at a premiere for his own film Manderlay where he’s being pestered by a rude man (Jacques Frantz) as von Trier deals with him in his way. Le Don (The Gift) (Raoul Ruiz) has a blind film buff (Michael Lonsdale) talking to his anthropologist niece (Miriam Heard) about his own experiences while they watch a film in a theater.

Cinema de boulevard (The Cinema Around the Corner) (Claude Lelouch) is about Lelouch recalling the moment his parents met at a theater and how his life was transformed by the films that would impact his life. In First Kiss (Gus Van Sant), a young projectionist (Paul Parson) puts on a movie as a woman (Viva Las Vegas) appears on screen as he‘s transfixed by her. Cinema Erotique (Erotic Cinema) (Roman Polanski) has an old couple watching Emmanuelle where they’re bothered by a man supposedly masturbating to the movie. No Translation Needed (Michael Cimino) has a budding filmmaker (Yves Courbet) wanting to make a movie about a Cuban band with a diva-esque singer (Juliana Munoz) by asking them to perform in a theater. At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the Last Cinema of the World (David Cronenberg) has Cronenberg set to kill himself at the last cinema in the world as it’s being reported by two reporters commenting on the situation.

I Travelled 9000 km to Give It to You (Wong Kar-Wai) is about a man (Fan Chih Wei) and a woman (Farini Chang Yui Ling) falling for each other during a screening of Godard’s Alphaville. Where is My Romeo? (Abbas Kiarostami) has a group of Muslim women watching Romeo & Juliet in a theater to a strong reaction. In The Last Dating Show (Bille August), a Danish man and an Islamic woman go on a blind date to see a movie as a group of men are bothered by the man translating the wrong things to the woman. Itrebak (Awkward) (Elia Suleiman) has Suleiman attend a screening of a film where things don’t work out while he later does a Q&A where everything feels awkward. Rencontre unique (Sole Meeting) (Manoel de Oliveira) has people watching a silent film about a meeting between Nikita Khrushchev (Michel Piccoli) and Pope Jean XXIII (Duarte D’Almeida).

A 8 944 km de Cannes (5,557 Miles From Cannes) (Walter Salles) is about two men having a musical interlude about one’s trip to Cannes as they’re about to go into a theater to watch The 400 Blows. War in Peace (Wim Wenders) is about a group of people in Kabalo watching Black Hawk Down on a television inside a small building. Zhanxiou Village (Chen Kaige) is about a man reflecting the time he watched a Charles Chaplin film as a child as his friends try to find a way to play the film. In Happy Ending (Ken Loach), a father and son (Bradley Walsh & Joe Siffleet) try to figure out what movie to see at a multiplex. World Cinema (Joel & Ethan Coen) is about a cowboy (Josh Brolin) who walks into an art house theater asking an usher (Grant Heslov) about the event as he watches Climates by Nuri Bilge Ceylan to a surprising reaction.

The concept is simple, a collection of short stories by some of the world’s greatest filmmakers expressing their love for cinema. Whether it’s personal, humorous, or serious, it’s all about going to the movies and what does it mean. With many filmmakers choosing to use clips of other movies to express their love of cinema, they also allow to create some kind of statement about what cinema means to them or to express something about what cinema does to them.

The film opens and ends with two different shorts about going to the movies as Raymond Depardon and Ken Loach each create two amazing shorts about going to the movies. In Depardon, he creates the joy of going to a cinema on a building rooftop in an Islamic country just for a bit of freedom. In Loach’s short, it’s all about a father and son trying to figure out what to see amidst a group of annoyed people waiting in line. These two shorts each exemplify the importance of cinema as they each set an example of what these shorts should tell.

Loach and Depardon are among two of the best shorts in the anthology films as many other filmmakers create some amazing gems for varying different reasons. In the humorous department, the shorts by Roman Polanski, Nanni Moretti, Takeshi Kitano, Elia Suleiman, and Lars von Trier provide different arrays of humor. With Moretti, he adds a personal element about his love of going to the movies where he sings the theme to Rocky while Suleiman reveals the awkwardness of attending a movie. The von Trier segment is easily the most gruesome because it’s all about what not to do when watching a movie with Lars von Trier.

Other great shorts involve personal stories such as the shorts by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Claude Lelouch, Chen Kaige, Tsai Ming-liang, and Yousseff Chahine where they each give their own personal stories. For the dramatic moments, Zhang Yimou, Abbas Kiarostami, Andrei Konchalovski, Aki Kaurismaki, Theo Angelopoulos, and Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu each provide some narratives to their shorts to exemplify the power of cinema. Directors that are known for their style such as the Dardenne Brothers, Walter Salles, the Coen Brothers, Wong Kar-Wai, and David Lynch use the shorts to display part of their own ideas to the anthology. Yet, it’s David Cronenberg’s short that is the major highlight because it has Cronenberg literally shooting himself as he’s about to kill himself over the state of cinema.

With a lot of shorts in this film, there are a slew of great ones but also some good ones that don’t really stand out. The shorts by Gus Van Sant, Bille August, Olivier Assayas, Raoul Ruiz, and Manoel de Oliveira don’t stand out as much but do provide some insight into the power of film. The two shorts by Wim Wenders and Amos Gitai each have political elements though Wenders chooses to downplay at the end of his short while Gitai’s exploration of Hebrews watching a film in two different eras in times of war comes off as pretentious and overbearing. Jane Campion’s short doesn’t really show a film but rather a performance that doesn’t fit in with the entire concept of the film. Yet, her short isn’t the worst as it belongs to Michael Cimino that ends up being extremely ridiculous and very self-indulgent as Cimino tries to make fun of himself for being an egomaniacal filmmaker.

Chacun son Cinema is an extraordinary collection of short films that truly exemplify the brilliance that is cinema. With some amazing shorts from Lars von Trier, David Lynch, David Cronenberg, the Coen Brothers, the Dardenne Brothers, Ken Loach, and several more. There is a great collection that allows fans of these filmmakers to check out while for those who had never heard some of the filmmakers who contribute to this anthology film will get a chance to discover them. In the end, Chacun son Cinema is an anthology film that film buffs must see for these gems from some of the world’s best filmmakers.

© thevoid99 2011

Paris Je T'aime

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/30/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Paris, one of the greatest cities of the world. Home of the arts, the Cinemateque, the Sorbonne, the Eiffel Tower, the Lourve, and many more landmark sites including the people in all of its glory with its mix of models, actors, musicians, and artists eating on the sidewalk cafes eating crepes, French bread, and drink wine. It's a glorious place that for those who want to go will be dreaming about by even saying they've been there but not physically. Yet, for those who still dream about going to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, how can they understand the experience the city? Well, there's a film made by some of the world's greatest directors as they're joined by some of the world's finest actors in an anthology film entitled Paris, Je T'aime (Paris, I Love You).

Paris, Je T'aime is an anthology film featuring 18 short films about various people in the different sections of the city. Based on an idea by Tristan Carne and conceptualized by Emmanuel Benbihy who along with Frederic Auburtin directed the transition sequences between each short. The film is an exploration of the city through different stories from the perspective of its eclectic group of directors that include Joel & Ethan Coen, Gus Van Sant, Alexander Payne, Tom Tykwer, Olivier Assayas, Wes Craven, Gurinder Chadha, Frederic Auburtin & Gerard Depardieu, Christopher Doyle, Richard LaGravenese, Vincenzo Natali, Alfonso Cuaron, Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas, Oliver Schmitz, Sylvain Chomet, Isabel Coixet, Bruno Podalydes, and Nobuhiro Suwa.

Featuring an all-star cast that include Fanny Ardant, Natalie Portman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gerard Depardieu, Nick Nolte, Ludivine Sagnier, Barbet Schroder, Bob Hoskins, Steve Buscemi, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Gaspard Ulliel, Rufus Sewell, Emily Mortimer, Li Xin, Sergio Castellitto, Gena Rowlands, Miranda Richardson, Ben Gazarra, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, and many more. Paris, Je T'aime is a fascinating, enchanting film that will make anyone fall in love with Paris that they want to take a trip to one of the greatest cities in the world.

Montmarte (written & directed by Bruno Podalydes) is the story of a man (Bruno Podalydes) trying to find a parking space through the crowded sidewalk in the city as he finds one where he listens to classical music. Refusing to leave his space, he watches everything around where he then finds a woman (Florence Muller) fainting on his car as he tries to take care of her and then puts her in the back of his car as he tries to comfort her. Quais de Seine (directed by Gurinder Chadha & written by Chadha & Paul Mayeda Berges) is about a young man (Cyril Decours) who is hanging out with a couple of friends taunting women on the Seine River as he catches the eye of a beautiful, Muslim woman (Leila Bekhti) whom he befriends as she leaves for prayer at a nearby mosque as he waits for her. In Le Marais (written & directed by Gus Van Sant), a male customer named Gaspard (Gaspard Ulliel) is with Marianne Faithfull as he finds himself attracted to a young man (Elias McConnell) as he talks to him about soulmates despite the fact that this young man barely understands him.

In Tuileres (written & directed by Joel & Ethan Coen), a tourist (Steve Buscemi) is waiting in the Tuileres station, he reads a book about Paris where he breaks an unspoken rule about eye contact where he catches the eye of a young woman (Julie Bataille) only to anger her boyfriend (Axel Keiner) where he finds himself in trouble while getting hit with spitballs from a child. Loin du 16e (written & directed by Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas) tells the story of a young woman (Catalina Sandino Moreno) who leaves her baby behind at a daycare as she sings him a lullaby. After leaving her child, she takes a long journey from one side of the city to another as she works as a nanny for a rich woman to take care of her baby. Porte de Choisy (directed by Christopher Doyle & written by Doyle, Gabrielle Keng, & Kathy Li) involves a beauty products salesman (Barbet Schroder) whose meeting with a salon owner (Li Xin) nearly proves to be disastrous until the look he gives her proves to be a hit with her customers.

Bastille (written & directed by Isabelle Coixet) tells the story of a man (Sergio Castellitto) who decides to leave his wife (Miranda Richardson) for a younger woman (Leonor Watling) until his wife tells him some news that makes him rethink his decision as it's told in a third-person narration. Place des Victoires (written & directed by Nobuhiro Suwa) features a woman (Juliette Binoche) still coping with the death of her young son (Martin Combes) as her grief is suddenly comforted by a mysterious yet magical cowboy (Willem Dafoe). Tour Eiffel (written & directed by Sylvain Chomet) is told by a little boy (Dylan Gomong) of how his mime parents (Paul Putner & Yolande Moreau) meet and fell in love. Parc Monceau (written & directed by Alfonso Cuaron) is about an old man (Nick Nolte) who decides to meet a young woman (Ludivine Sagnier) based on an arrangement for a man named Gaspard as they talk about their own troubles in one continuous shot.

Quartier de Enfants Rouge (written & directed by Olivier Assayas) features an American actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who befriends a dealer (Lionel Dray) as she procures some strong hashish she needed before going to work on a costume drama. Place des Fetes (written & directed by Oliver Schmitz) features a wounded man (Seydou Boro) who is trying to talk to a woman (Aissa Maiga) whom he had met and fallen for some time ago as he tried to find her and ask her for a cup of coffee. Pigalle (written & directed by Richard LaGravenese) features an aging couple (Bob Hoskins & Fanny Ardant) trying to reinvigorate their marriage and love life as they contend with aging and their upcoming doom. In Quartier de la Madeleine (written & directed by Vincenzo Natali), a backpacking tourist (Elijah Wood) is walking late at night when he catches a vampiress (Olga Kurylenko) biting someone as she catches him as he falls in love with her.

Pere-Lachaise (written & directed by Wes Craven) features a soon-to-be-married couple (Rufus Sewell & Emily Mortimer) visiting famous grave sites as the woman is upset by her lover's lack of humor while they catch the grave of Oscar Wilde where during a tense moment, the man finds inspiration from the ghost of Oscar Wilde (Alexander Payne). Faubourg Saint-Denis (written & directed by Tom Tykwer) tells the story of a blind man (Melchior Beslon) who receives a call from his actress-girlfriend (Natalie Portman) about a break-up as he recalls the memories of their love life and their decline. Quartier Latin (directed by Gerard Depardieu & Frederic Auburtin & written by Gena Rowlands) tells the story of an old couple (Gena Rowlands & Ben Gazarra) set to divorce as they talk about their life for one last drink on the day before they officially separate. In 14e Arrondissement (written & directed by Alexander Payne), an American tourist (Margo Martindale) takes a trip to Paris and in rough French, where she goes through the sites of the city and wonders about the city and herself.

Essentially, the film is about Paris and the stories of love surrounding the place through its characters and interactions with the city or something. In many ways, it's a joyous collection of shorts from some of the world's greatest directors in this cinematic tour guide in the City of Lights. For some directors like Alexander Payne, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, and the Coen Brothers, it's an opportunity to take a story each told in five minutes and use it to emphasize their themes and such. Payne's story of an American tourist telling her story in rough French emphasizes the director's mix of melancholia and humor as it's told wonderfully. The Coen Brothers segment with regular Steve Buscemi is a funny take on the don'ts at a subway. Gus Van Sant's segment will remind audiences of his early work like Mala Noche and My Own Private Idaho revels in the director's themes of gay love and disappointments. Then there's Gurinder Chadha's poignant tale of a young man falling for a young Muslim woman as he is captivated by her beauty. That short is another emphasis on Chadha's worldly view on Muslims and their mystical beauty.

The shorts of these directors along with the shorts of Sylvain Chomet, Wes Craven, Tom Tykwer, Nobuhiro Suwa, and Vincenzo Natali are the real highlights among the 18 shorts shown on film. Chomet, who is known as an animated film director, brings a delightful story told through mimes as it's truly one of the most entertaining. Tom Tykwer's short about a declining relationship told from one's memory is engrossed in the German auteur's unique style of fast-forward editing, sharp camera work, and electronic music as it emphasizes some of the film's emotional moments. Wes Craven's short is a surprise of sorts from the director who is known for horror and thrillers as he brings a wonderful take on romantic comedy with help from Alexander Payne as Oscar Wilde. Nobuhiro Suwa's emotional story of loss reminds audiences of Juliette Binoche's work from Krzystof Kieslowski's Trois Couleurs: Bleu with a wonderful appearance from Willem Dafoe as a cowboy in a strange, fantasy sequence.

While a lot of the shorts are mostly told in a dramatic fashion, Vincenzo Natali's short features no dialogue and is a mix of horror, comedy, silent-film, and romance as it's one of the film's finest shorts with wonderful performances from Elijah Wood and Olga Kurylenko. Other shorts that are memorable include Olivier Assayas' short with Maggie Gyllenhaal that features a grainy-like camera work to emphasize her character's hazy state of mind through hashish. Renowned Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle explores his familiar world with Asians in a wonderful short with Barbet Schroder and Li Xin that is filled of humor and references to French actresses. Bruno Podalydes' short was a great opener to the film as it emphasizes the accidental meetings between man and woman. Isabel Coixet's short was also strong that showed a man's choice between one woman and another forces him to question his loyalties.

The Richard LaGravenese short with Fanny Ardant and Bob Hoskins is one filled with lots of humor that featured the French actress and British actor playing off each other through great comedic timing. Gerard Depardieu & Frederic Auburtin's short that featured Depardieu as a restaurant owner is a joy to watch that is also in a style reminiscent of John Cassavetes with a script by Gena Rowlands as she and Cassavetes associate Ben Gazarra do amazing work with Rowlands displaying herself gracefully in the short. Another strong short is Oliver Schmitz short featuring African actors in a story of love and desperation proving the film's diversity. Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas' short tells a great story with a wonderfully understated performance from Catalina Sandino Moreno though it's one story that is depressing.

With every anthology film, there's some great shorts and some really good ones. Then, there's those that don't do as well. This is in the case of the short by Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, which is surprising considering his reputation for great films. The problem with his short that features Nick Nolte & Ludivine Sagnier is told through one, uncut, unedited, continuous shot. While on a technical level, it's a great idea yet the result is style over substance. The tracking shot is really a distraction as the story of this old man and young woman talking doesn't have a lot of depth. Nolte and Sagnier are fine actors but the material they're working with isn't very good and Cuaron's overwhelming emphasis on technical style over the story definitely causes a problem. It's the one short that doesn't work in some respects.

With some amazing technical work in the editing, different styles of cinematography with contributions from Eric Gautier and Bruno Dubonnel, and the music to convey the romanticism of Paris. The film flows easily as for most of the time, the film is well-paced with very few bumps while the overall aspect is entertaining. Yet, with directors bringing in their own style of storytelling as well as a vision. The result is truly mesmerizing. Even with a diverse cast of actors from legends like Fanny Ardant, Gena Rowlands, and Bob Hoskins to famed character actors like Steve Buscemi and Sergio Castellitto, to young talents like Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, and Gaspard Ulliel.

Paris, Je T'aime is an extraordinary short that is a must have for fans of anthology films. For anyone who loves the work of Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven, the Coen Brothers, Gurinder Chadha, Tom Tykwer, and Alexander Payne will no doubt find shorts worthy of their rich filmography along with surprises from Sylvain Chomet, Nobuhiro Suwa, and Vincenzo Natali. For anyone who dreams of going to the City of Lights will no doubt enjoy this tour of one of the most beloved cities in the world. In the end, for anyone who wants to say they've been to Paris but not physically, Paris, Je T'aime is the film to go see.

Related: New York, I Love You - (Tsibilis, I Love You) - Rio, Eu Te Amo

(C) thevoid99 2011

The Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (Pt. 2)

50 More 2011 Releases

Action/Blockbusters

Cowboys vs. Aliens

Directed by Jon Favreau. Screenplay by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. Based on the graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Adam Beach, Ana de la Reguera, and Clancy Brown.

Green Lantern

Directed by Martin Campbell. Screenplay by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, and Michael Goldenberg. Based on the comic book by Bill Finger, Martin Nodell, John Broome, and Gil Kane. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Strong, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Angela Basset, and Tim Robbins.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Directed by Brad Bird. Screenplay by Andre Nemic, Josh Applebaum, and J.J. Abrams. Based on the TV show by Bruce Gellar. Starring Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway, Paula Patton, Mikael Nyqvist, Lea Seydoux, and Anil Kapoor.

Drive Angry

Directed by Patrick Lussier. Written by Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier. Starring Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, Katy Mixon, David Morse, Christa Campbell, and William Fichtner.

Battle: Los Angeles

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman. Written by Christopher Bertolini. Starring Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena, and Bridget Moynahan.

Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World

Written and Directed by Robert Rodriguez. Starring Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Danny Trejo, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Jeremy Piven, and Antonio Banderas.

I Am Number Four

Directed by D.J. Caruso. Screenplay by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Marti Nixon. Based on the novel by Jobie Hughes & James Frey. Starring Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron, Teresa Palmer, and Kevin Durand.

The Eagle

Directed by Kevin McDonald. Screenplay by Jeremy Brock. Based on the book The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. Starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Mark Strong, and Donald Sutherland.

In the world of action films and blockbusters, there’s stuff to offer that can satisfy fans of big time blockbusters. One of those films will be Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens where Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford play cowboys who fight off against aliens. Ryan Reynolds becomes Green Lantern for another superhero from a comic book. Tom Cruise goes for another Mission: Impossible film but it looks more promising with Brad Bird helming his first live-action feature film plus Jeremy Renner sharing the screen.

Nicolas Cage comes back from hell to seek revenge in Drive Angry. Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez are in a huge war against aliens in Battle: Los Angeles. Robert Rodriguez returns for another Spy Kids as Jessica Alba becomes the new Cortez to help train her kids. Alex Pettyfer plays a young alien who fights to protect Earth from a dark nemesis in I Am Number Four. Kevin McDonald goes back to the age of the Romans in The Eagle

Comedies

2010 was a very dismal year for comedies as they weren’t anything that to really laugh at. 2011 looks more promising with the return of two masters of comedies in Judd Apatow and the Farrelly Brothers. Even as they’re more projects that will give filmgoers something to laugh at.

Take Me Home Tonight

Directed by Michael Dowse. Screenplay by Jackie & Jeff Filgo. Story by Topher Grace and Gordon Kaywin. Starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Teresa Palmer, Dan Fogler, Demetri Martin, Robert Hoffman, Emma Stone, and Michelle Trachtenberg.

Bridesmaids

Directed by Paul Feig. Written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig. Starring Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, Melissa McCarthy, Kali Hawk, and Jill Clayburgh.

Zookeeper

Directed by Frank Coraci. Screenplay by Kevin James, Nick Backay, Rock Reuben, and Scott Armstrong. Story by Jay Scherick and David Ronn. Starring Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Ken Jeong, Donnie Wahlberg, and Jim Breuer plus the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Maya Rudolph, and Billy Crystal.

Wanderlust

Directed by David Wain. Screenplay by David Wain and Ken Marino. Story by David Wain. Starring Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Malin Akerman, Justin Theroux, Lauren Ambrose, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, and Alan Alda.

Bad Teacher

Directed by Jake Kasdan. Written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. Starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Amy Punch, John Michael Higgins, and Thomas Lennon.

Friends with Benefits

Directed by Will Gluck. Written by Will Gluck and Keith Merryman. Starring Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Patricia Clarkson, and Richard Jenkins.

The Hangover Pt. II

Directed by Todd Phillips. Screenplay by Todd Phillips and Scot Armstrong. Starring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, and Jamie Chung.

Cedar Rapids

Directed by Miguel Arteta. Written by Phil Johnson. Starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Alia Shawkat, Stephen Root, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., Kurtwood Smith, and Sigourney Weaver.

Hall Pass

Directed by Bobby & Peter Farrelly. Written by Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly, and Kevin Barnett. Starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Alyssa Milano, Vanessa Angel, Stephen Merchant, Joy Behar, and Richard Jenkins.

Arthur

Directed by Jason Winer. Screenplay by Jared Stern and Peter Baynham. Characters based on the 1981 film by Steve Gordon. Starring Russell Brand, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Garner, Nick Nolte, and Helen Mirren.

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Directed by Glen Ficarra and John Requa. Written by Dan Fogelman. Starring Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, and Kevin Bacon.

In Take Me Home Tonight, Topher Grace and Anna Faris play twins going to a party in the 1980s for their final night of their youth. In Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph help try to plan the ultimate wedding in a comedy produced by Judd Apatow. Kevin James is The Zookeeper as he is confronted by talking animals as they help win the heart of Rosario Dawson. Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd leave yuppie-dom and discover the world nudist colonies in Wanderlust. In Bad Teacher, Cameron Diaz battles Amy Punch for the affections of a new substitute teacher in Justin Timberlake while he also gets very friendly with best friend Mila Kunis in Friends with Benefits.

Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, and Justin Bartha return for the sequel to The Hangover as they go for more mayhem but in Bangkok. In Miguel Arteta’s Cedar Rapids, Ed Helms tries to save his company after his boss died of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis decide to switch wives for the Farrelly Brothers comedy Hall Pass. Russell Brand plays the legendary role that made Dudley Moore a superstar in a remake of Arthur with Helen Mirren playing Sir John Gielgud’s role. In Crazy, Stupid, Love, Steve Carell turns to Ryan Gosling to make him a ladies man all over again.

Dramas

The Adjustment Bureau

Written for the Screen and Directed by George Nolfi. Based on the short story Adjustment Team by Phillip K. Dick. Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Michael Kelly, and John Slattery.

Larry Crowne

Directed by Tom Hanks. Written by Tom Hanks and Nia Vardalos. Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Taraji P. Henson, Nia Vardalos, Jon Seda, Pam Grier, and Cedric the Entertainer.

Unknown

Directed by Juame Collet-Serra. Screenplay by Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cromwell. Based on the novel Out of My Head by Didier van Cauwelaert. Starring Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Krueger, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, and Frank Langella.

Jane Eyre

Directed by Cary Fukanuga. Screenplay by Moira Buffini. Based on the novel by Charlotte Bronte. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, and Judi Dench.

The Lincoln Lawyer

Directed by Brad Furman. Written by Michael Connelly. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Josh Lucas, and Frances Fisher.

There isn’t a lot of films that are more geared towards adults for 2011 though the films they offer this year does have some promise. Matt Damon plays an aspiring politician who falls for Emily Blunt as they evade some forces in The Adjustment Bureau. Tom Hanks returns to the director’s chair since 1996’s That Thing You Do! for a comedy-drama about a middle-aged man who goes back to college as he falls for a professor played by Jullia Roberts in Larry Crowne. Liam Neeson tries to find his identity in Unknown while Mia Wasikowska is Jane Eyre in a new adaptation by Cary Fukunaga. In The Lincoln Lawyer, Matthew McConaughey is a slick lawyer who realizes that is client is in fact guilty as he faces his own dilemma.

Family Films

The Muppets

Directed by James Bobin & Jason Segal. Screenplay by Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segal. Based on characters created by Jim Henson. Starring The Muppets, Jason Segal, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and Rashida Jones.

Cars 2

Directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis. Featuring the voices of Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Emily Mortimer, Jason Issacs, Joe Mantegna, Thomas Krestchmann, Peter Jacobson, and Sir Michael Caine.

Kung Fu Panda 2

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. Screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. Featuring the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, David Cross, James Hong, James Wood, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber, and Gary Oldman.

Mars Needs Moms

Directed by Simon Wells. Screenplay by Simon Wells and Wendy Wells. Based on the novel by Berkley Breathed. Featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Joan Cusack, Elisabeth Harnois, Dan Fogler, Mindy Sterling, Breckin Meyer, and Billy Dee Williams.

Winnie the Pooh

Directed by Stephen Anderson and Don Hall. Screenplay by Burny Mattinson. Based on characters by A.A. Milne. Narration by John Cleese. Featuring the voices of Jim Cummings, Tom Kenny, Craig Ferguson, Travis Oates, and Bud Luckey.

Rio

Directed by Carlos Saldanha. Screenplay by Don Rhymer. Featuring the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jane Lynch, George Lopez, Jake T. Austin, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Mann, will.i.am., Jermaine Clement, and Jamie Foxx.

Rango

Directed by Gore Verbinski. Screenplay by John Logan. Story by John Logan, Gore Verbinski, and James Bykrit. Featuring the voices of Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Timothy Olyphant, Alanna Ulbach, Ray Winstone, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Gnomeo & Juliet

Directed by Kelly Asbury. Screenplay by Kelly Asbury, Andy Riley, Mark Burton, Emily Cook, Kathy Greenburg, Kevin Cecil, and Steve Hamilton Shaw. Based on Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. Featuring the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Jason Statham, Ashley Jensen, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Michael Caine, Matt Lucas, Ozzy Osbourne, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Dolly Parton, and Hulk Hogan.

There’s something for everyone in the world of family films as there’s a slew that will be entertaining for kids but also might give adults something more fulfilling as well. The Muppets will return to the big screen following a long-decade hiatus with help from Jason Segal. Pixar returns with a sequel to 2006’s Cars as Lightning McQueen and Mater go international while dealing with spies who mistake Mater as a super-spy. Dreamworks Animation also make a sequel to 2008’s Kung Fu Panda as Po and the Furious Five team up with new creatures to fight a fearsome enemy. Disney Animations has two features lined up in different styles. The first is the 3D computer-animated film about a boy who tries to save his kidnapped mom from Martians in Mars Needs Moms. The second is a traditional 2D hand-drawn animation tale of Winnie the Pooh who makes his big screen return.

20th Century Fox animations go to Brazil for the adventure comedy Rio. Gore Verbinski of Pirates of the Caribbean fame reunites with Johnny Depp for a computer-animated western involving lizards and other creatures in Rango. Finally, a new re-telling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is told in the form of a new computer-animated with gnomes called Gnomeo & Juliet.

Sci-Fi/Horror/Thrillers

Hanna

Directed by Joe Wright. Screenplay by Joe Wright, David Farr, Seth Lochhead, and Joe Penhall. Story by Seth Lochhead. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, and Tom Hollander.

Sherlock Holmes 2

Directed by Guy Ritchie. Screenplay by Kiernan Mulroney & Michele Mulroney. Based on the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Nooni Rapace, Kelly Reilly, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Fry, and Jared Harris.

The Cabin in the Woods

Directed by Drew Goddard. Written by Drew Goddard & Joss Whedon. Starring Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Jesse Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchinson, Jodelle Ferland, and Amy Acker.

Rise of the Apes

Directed by Rupert Wyatt. Written by Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, and Jamie Moss. Starring James Franco, Frieda Pinto, John Lithgow, Andy Serkis, Tom Felton, David Hewlett, and Brian Cox.

The Darkest Hour

Directed by Chris Gorak. Written by Leslie Bohem, M.T. Ahern, and Jon Spaihts. Starring Olivia Thirlby, Emile Hirsch, Joel Kinnaman, Rachael Taylor, and Max Minghella.

The Rite

Directed by Mikael Hafstrom. Written by Matt Baglio and Michael Petroni. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Colin O’Donoghue, Alice Braga, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, Franco Nero, and Rutger Hauer.

Super 8

Written & Directed by J.J. Abrams. Starring Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ally Michalka, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, and Zach Mills.

Scream 4

Directed by Wes Craven. Written by Kevin Williamson. Starring Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, Hayden Panettiere, Alison Brie, and Adam Brody.

Source Code

Directed by Duncan Jones. Written by Ben Ripley. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Arden, Russell Peters, and Jeffrey Wright.

Straw Dogs

Written for the Screen and Directed by Rod Lurie. Based on story by David Zelag Goodman and Sam Peckinpah. Based on the novel The Siege of Trencher’s Farm by Gordon Williams. Starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard, Dominic Purcell, and James Woods.

Red Riding Hood

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Written by David Leslie Johnson. Starring Amanda Seyfried, Virginia Madsen, Julie Christie, Billy Burke, Lukas Haas, and Gary Oldman.

Red State

Written and Directed by Kevin Smith. Starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, Stephen Root, and Kevin Pollak.

There’s lots of chills and thrills for 2011 and in good supply. Joe Wright reteams with Atonement’s Saoirse Ronan for her role as a young killer named Hanna. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law return for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes sequel where they battle Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty. Joss Whedon co-writes The Cabin in the Woods that gives the idea in a horror film with a twist. James Franco stars in Rise of the Apes which is a prequel to the Planet of the Apes series. Olivia Thirlby and Emile Hirsch play two young people fighting to survive an alien invasion in Russia for The Darkest Hour. Anthony Hopkins helps a young American priest fight exorcism in The Rite.

J.J. Abrams returns with another alien invasion film with Super 8 that is set in the 1970s. Wes Craven returns with another Scream as Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette reunite for a new set of horror rules. Jake Gyllenhaal is part of an experiment in Duncan Jone’s sci-fi film Source Code. James Marsters and Kate Bosworth star in a new remake of the controversial Sam Peckinpah classic Straw Dogs with Alexander Skarsgard as a crazed local. Catherine Hardwicke creates a stylish take on Little Red Riding Hood with Amanda Seyfried as the title character. Kevin Smith meanwhile, takes on the fundamentalism in Middle America for the horror film Red State.

Arthouse/Indie

On the Road

Directed by Walter Salles. Screenplay by Jose Rivera. Based on the novel by Jack Kerouac. Starring Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss, Terrence Howard, Alice Braga, and Steve Buscemi.

Rum Diary

Written for the Screen and Directed by Bruce Robinson. Based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson. Starring Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Rispoli, and Richard Jenkins.

The Future

Written and Directed by Miranda July. Starring Miranda July, Hamish Linklater, and David Warshofsky.

Win Win

Directed by Thomas McCarthy. Screenplay by Thomas McCarthy. Story by Thomas McCarthy & Joe Tiboni. Starring Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Jeffrey Tambor, and Alex Shafer.

Drive

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Written by Hossein Amini & Nicolas Winding Refn. Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Ron Pearlman, Albert Brooks, and Bryan Cranston.

Immortals

Directed by Tarsem Singh. Starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, Joseph Morgan, Frieda Pinto, John Hurt, Isabel Lucas, and Mickey Rourke.

For the world of indie/art house films, there’s something for those with something different. Walter Salles brings a large ensemble for an adaptation of the famed Jack Kerouac novel On the Road while Johnny Depp stars in a long-awaited adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s Rum Diary. Miranda July will return with her sophomore feature film The Future about a couple’s adoption towards a stray cat leads to some strange consequences with time and space. Thomas McCarthy’s Win Win has disheartened attorney Paul Giamatti moonlighting as a high school wrestling coach in hopes to make some money with a star athlete. Ryan Gosling stars as stunt driver who is on the run following a heist gone wrong while Tarsem Singh takes on a large fantasy film with an all-star cast for Immortals.

The Filthy 15 Films of 2011

For every year in film, there is always something that is going to bring in a lot of money and ends up conning the filmgoers. Yes, there is always a bad movie to come around. Whether its from hacks like Paul W.S. Anderson and Uwe Boll or the parody-creators of such crap like Disaster Movie and 2010’s Vampire Sucks. There is always something bad to come out.

Transformers 3: The Dark of the Moon

Directed by Michael Bay. Written by Ehren Kruger. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez, Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand.

Well after the first film did quite well in 2007, Michael Bay got a chance to make a sequel. While it netted more than $400 million, the film drew massive negative reviews with fans and critics. Some of which named it the worst film of the year as it walked away with three Razzie awards for worst film, worst screenplay, and worst director to Michael Bay. With Megan Fox out of the franchise following some unkind words to Bay. She is replaced by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley which everyone knows won’t be an improvement. The story is about some old Transformers found in the moon as the Autobots and the Decepticons battle it one more time in a dumb, bloated battle that only Michael Bay can bring.

No Strings Attached

Directed by Ivan Reitman. Screenplay by Elizabeth Merriweather. Story by Elizabeth Merriweather and Mike Samonek. Starring Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Olivia Thirlby, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Cary Elwes, and Kevin Kline.

Ivan Reitman hasn’t made a great film since 1993’s Dave and it looks like he’s not going to get a chance to return to form. While he’s got a great cast to work with, there is one big problem. Ashton Kutcher. A kettle head who can’t act in the story about a guy who has sex with his best friend (Natalie Portman) as he wants to have a relationship with her. Well, it’s unfortunate for Portman who is forced to act with someone who can’t even draw a dime these days.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1

Directed by Bill Condon. Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg. Based on the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Elizabeth Reaser, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Maggie Grace, and Mackenzie Foy.

Probably one of the dumbest franchises that made vampires into whiny pussies and werewolve into gay poster-boys. The Twilight film series has garnered loads of fans as well as detractors. Now for the fourth and final book, the studios decide to do what the Harry Potter franchise did with its last film by splitting into two parts. A two-part story of Bella pregnant with some ugly kid while Edward mopes around with his messy hair and deal with the often topless Jacob. And it’s in two parts? Who the fuck wants to see this shit? Oh, right. Fucking teenagers.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

Directed by Justin Chu. Starring Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Usher, and Jaden Smith.

The awful phenomenon of Canadian teen-pop singer Justin Bieber is going to have his 3D concert film with all of crap music and stories about how he finally made it with help from Usher. That’s right parents, waste your money on a crappy 3D concert film with girls screaming all over the place for a kid who think he is cool. For detractors, let’s hope it flops like the Jonas Brothers’ concert film did back in 2009.

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

Directed by Rob Marshall. Screenplay by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Based on the novel On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers. Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Kevin McNally, Ian McShane, Richard Griffiths, and Penelope Cruz.

While the first Pirates film was fun to watch as was Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. The subsequent films got bloated and sillier as a fourth film is finally coming. Not returning to the franchise are Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom along with the series’ original director Gore Verbinski. This time around, Rob Marshall will director as Sparrow and company find the Fountain of Youth. Well, it’s likely that it’s going to be very dumb while Rob Marshall doesn’t have the right tools to make a fun, compelling blockbuster.

From Prada to Nada

Directed by Angel Garcia. Screenplay by Luis Alfaro, Craig Fernandez, and Fina Torres. Based on the novel Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen. Starring Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, April Bowlby, Wilmer Valderrama, Nicholas D’Agosto, and Adriana Barraza.

One for the Money

Directed by Julie Ann Robinson. Screenplay by Liz Brixus, Karen McCullah Lutz, and Kirsten Smith. Based on the novel by Janet Evanovich. Starring Katherine Heigl, John Leguizamo, Sherri Shepherd, Leonardo Nam, Jason O’Mara, and Debbie Reynolds.

Just Go With It

Directed by Dennis Dugan. Written by Timothy Dowling, Allan Loeb, Tim Herlihy, and Adam Sandler. Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nicole Kidman, Dave Matthews, Heidi Montag, Nick Swardson, and Kevin Nealon.

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

Directed by John Whitesell. Written by Matthew Fogel and Don Rhymer. Starring Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson, Sherri Shepherd, Portia Doubleday, Jessica Lucas, and Faizon Love.

New Year’s Eve

Directed by Garry Marshall. Written by Katherine Fugate. Starring Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hilary Swank, Abigail Breslin, Halle Berry, Sofia Vegara, Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, and Robert De Niro.

The Smurfs

Directed by Raja Gosnell. Screenplay by J. David Sterm and David N. Weiss. Based on the characters by Peyo. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vegara, Tim Gunn, and Hank Azaria. Featuring the voices of Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Paul Reubens, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, and Alan Cummings.

Alvin & the Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked

Directed by Mike Mitchell. Featuring the voices of Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, and Ben Burtt.

Monte Carlo

Directed by Tom Bezucha. Written by Tom Bezucha & April Blair. Starring Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, Cory Monteith, Brett Cullen, Pierre Boulanger, and Andie MacDowell.

Real Steel

Directed by Shawn Levy. Screenplay by Leslie Bohem & John Gatins. Story by Richard Matheson. Starring Hugh Jackman, Anthony Mackie, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, and Kevin Durand.

Fast Five

Directed by Justin Lin. Written by Chris Morgan. Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, Elsa Pataky, Don Omar, and Joaquin de Almeida.

With a slew of crap coming out, there’s always some kind of shit for everyone to see. Like a Latino version of Sense & Sensibility called From Prada to Nada or another bad Katherine Heigl comedy with the same writers who wrote The Ugly Truth for an adaptation of One for the Money. Adam Sandler teams up with Jennifer Aniston for another dumb comedy in Just Go With It while Martin Lawrence is Big Momma once again with help from Brandon T. Jackson in another Big Momma movie. Why? Oh, and there’s another sequel coming but for 2010’s Valentine’s Day for another celebration with overpaid stars called New Year’s Eve.

There’s a couple of bad movies for families to avoid. The Smurfs in a hybrid of live action and 3D computer animation as it’s all presented in the 3D gimmick. Oh, and there’s another Alvin & the Chipmunks movie coming and it’s in 3D. A lame romantic comedy with young, awful actresses as they go to vacation in Monte Carlo where they find love. Awww… blech!!!! Shawn Levy tries to go for an action blockbuster by having robots fight other robots in Real Steel and finally, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker team up for another The Fast & the Furious movie called Fast Five. Wow…

Well, that is all for what is ahead of 2011. Of course, there’s some more movies that are out there like Jodie Foster’s The Beaver with Mel Gibson which could be good or bad. Until then, let’s try and be careful for what to see in 2011 and not make it a bad year again that was 2010.

Part 1

© thevoid99 2010