Antichrist Lacks Scares, Boasts Biblical Allegory

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: IFC Films, Foreign, Horror, Independent, Religious, Thrillers, Casting, New Releases, Trailers

For a film whose trailer advertises a critic hailing it as “The most shocking film in the history of Cannes Film Festival,” you’ve at least got to wonder—if not for a mere moment—what a movie like that has to offer. While some remarkable trailers go on to pull back the curtains on so-so films (Where the Wild Things Are, anyone?), a plethora of descriptive words come to mind as I write about Antichrist and “so-so” is hardly one of them.

Opening on a handful of screens in the midst of Halloween season, Lars Von Trier’s latest achievement seemed the perfect pick for the indie lover (or at least those sick of the Saw franchise and/or already viewed Paranormal Activity, the little horror film that could). A fan of the ever-adroit Willem Dafoe and alluring French singer/actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, I find myself drawn to limited casts (Hard Candy); with that, I cannot imagine that Von Trier’s history with Dogme 95 had little to do with this. There was also the slight fact that the director himself was clinically depressed during the writing and some of the production process. Here marks more of an appeal and effort to view the film—did Von Trier meet the challenge of a two-person cast?

Aside from the slight deceit of its “scary movie” marketing poised for shocks (i.e. the bombarding, sanguine title atop corpses intertwined with a tree on the film’s poster), I believe that Von Trier does just that.

Click to continue reading Antichrist Lacks Scares, Boasts Biblical Allegory

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Animated Wes Anderson Film to Open AFI Fest

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Fox Searchlight, Adaptation, Adventure, Family, Comedy, Distribution, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

The Royal Tenenbaums writer-director Wes Anderson is already garnering positive attention for his first stop-motion animated film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, as it has been picked to open the American Film Institute’s Film Festival.

It was at this same gala last year that Juno was chosen as the centerpiece film, impressing critics and prompting movie buzz.

The film stars the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and many more familiar vocals (check out the trailer after the jump).

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Read More | The Hollywood Reporter

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In Theaters This Weekend: December 12, 2008

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, IFC Films, Magnolia, Miramax, Warner Bros, Yari Film Group Releasing, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Foreign, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• The Day The Earth Stood Still (PG-13): starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates (directed by Scott Derrickson)
• Delgo (PG): starring Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Chris Kattan (directed by Marc Adler and Jason Maurer)
• Nothing Like the Holidays (PG-13): starring John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena (directed by Alfredo De Villa)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: December 12, 2008



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