Where Love, Science, and Fantasy Thrive: The Fountain

In the present, Hugh is the passionate scientist Thomas Creo (Spanish for “I believe”), who is fighting not only to save the woman he loves,his wife Izzi, from certain death caused by the cancer she’s suffering from, but also to eradicate mortality altogether. Academy Award-winner Ellen Burstyn plays Dr. Lillian Guzetti, his supervisor. Thomas believes death is a disease which can be cured.

The future actually takes place in the 26th century and where wee see an astronaut named Tom (once again Hugh) traveling in a floating bubble to Xibalba, a distant nebula where he hopes to be reborn with his dead wife.

The stories are told simultaneously, in an interweaving manner, and not in necessarily sequential order. The movie is almost clustered with symbolism and poetry. Love survives, though lovers don’t. Our hopes for overcoming our limited human nature is ancient, as old as human kind itself. We must essentially come to terms with the fact that human nature is what it is. However, love can transcend the boundaries of flesh and time, space, and ultimately death.

Altogether a hopeful message for the viewers in my opinion. The Fountain is complete with beautiful, symbolic imagery. The secret of mortality has always been something to aspire to gain and there is a message of commonality too, in my opinion as well. Human beings are united in their most fundamental needs and ideals and fears which connects us all more than it seperated us. “The Fountain” is almost a modern fairy tale because it to is eternal since it deals with that which is archetypal: life, death and love.

The story comes so close to mythical depths, that many are sure to fall in love with its haunting beauty and poetic romanticism.

–Brief Review Comments from Rotten Tomatoes–

An awesome work, dazzlingly inventive, constantly surprising, and told with a minimum of showbiz hoopla. – Jeffrey M. Anderson

As deeply emotional and damnably frustrating as any work of pure individual vision must be. – Walter Chaw

A Sad Time for LOTR Fans

Fans all over the world expressed their disappointment towards New Line Cinema’s decision to remove Peter Jackson from directing “The Hobbit” on fan forums they are not expected to just leave this critcal topic go by.

According to Chris Pirrotta, co-founder of TheOneRing.net where Peter Jackson’s letter to the fans was published, the site has received over 100,000 visitors since the letter has been posted, high above the usual number of 15,000 per day they usually get.

“They are very upset,” Pirrotta told Reuters. “We are seeing calls for everything from letter writing campaigns to a boycott of the studio.”

Despite the fact that nearly $3 billion dollars were made from “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the director who was initially going to direct a possible screening of “The Hobbit,” said last week a top executive with Los Angeles-based New Line Cinema called him to say the studio was moving ahead on “The Hobbit” without him. It might have to do with the fact that Jackson is suing New Line Cinema for over $100 million unpaid dues to him.

Being the curtious and respectful man that he is , Jackson wrote a letter to the fans be cause he felt that they needed to truly undetstand the course of events that took everyone by suprice.

In summary, this is what he wrote:

“You cannot be in a relationship with a film studio, making a complex, expensive movie and dealing with all the pressures and responsibilities that come with the job, while an unresolved lawsuit exists,” his letter wrote adding that a decision to make the movie should come from the heart, otherwise the film is “doomed.”

“Given that New Line are committed to this course of action, we felt at the very least, we owed you, the fans, a straightforward account of events as they have unfolded for us,” Jackson wrote.

With hopes the Tolkien franchise will sell itself, the studio is now searching for a new director , however, many fans believe this will trigger many conflicts considering the actors might have something to say as well.

“TheOneRing.net and the entire Tolkien community spent the last day reacting to the jaw-dropping letter we received from Peter Jackson concerning ‘The Hobbit’.”

This entire incident raises the oldest and greatest paradox in the world of art and artists: Do you create art for your intellectaul appeasement, or for profit, and when you are fully appeased with your work do you continue to produce your wokr of art eventough it is not truly your passion and you simply do it for the profits. Has Jackson reached an apex in his work? Did he quit the movie because he did not get his money, or because he is a man of prinicple and actaully cares about his passion and art?

Harry Potter Romance Close-Up

Harry Potter, the favorite wizard boy of Britan steps into adulthood with his on-screen kiss.

The upcoming “Harry Potter and the Order of the Poenix” features a much hyped about kissing scene between Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, and 18-year-old unknown acress Katie Leung, who plays comely Hogwarts witch, Cho Chang.

Daniel told the Daily Mail Magazine that he jumped into the scene ready get it on, but later in an interview he denied reports saying that he milked the scene for about 30 takes.

“It was reported that we did a huge amount of takes, but actually you do that number on any scene,” Radcliffe said. “Once you have covered it from all the camera angles you’ve done about 30 takes.”

The “Order of the Phoenix” comes out in July and will feature plenty of magical action and adventure for fans who aren’t into the stuff.

Letters From Iwo Jima ( Flags of Our Fathers Part II)

Filmaker Clint Eastwood will release his next film “Letters From Iwo Jima” later this year to qualify for the Academy Awards.
The Japanese-language companion piece to “Flags of Our Fathers” will open in New York, Los Angeles and possibly San Francisco Dec. 20 as opposed to the originally scheduled February date.

The story for “Letters from Iwo Jima” is an account of the same bloody World War II battle as “Flags of Our Fathers” but from the viewpoint of the Japanese garrison.

In addition to making the film eligible for this year’s awards season, the new date capitalizes on the drawing power of “Flags of Our Fathers” Daily Variety Magazine said.

Variety also added that Eastwood consulted Steven Spielberg, a co-producer on both films, before approaching Warner Bros. about changing the release date.

Penguins > Bond ?

The animated penguins of “Happy Feet” opened No. 1 this weekend in the U.S. box office topping “Casino Royale,” the latest James Bond flick.

The cartoon comedy raked in over $42 million in its first week once again beating “Casino Royale,” which made $40 million in its opening.

“Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” which only cost $18 million to make, was third with $14.3 million for a three-week total of $90.5 million. Estimated figures are from Box Office Mojo.

Other movie earnings and standings are as follows:

The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause,” was fourth with $8.2 million, the animated cartoon “Flushed Away” was fifth with $6.8 million, the Will Ferrell comedy “Stranger than Fiction”, was sixth with $6.6 million and Babel was No. 7 with $2.9 million.

“Saw III” was eighth with $2.8 million, “The Departed” was No. 9 with $2.6 million and “After Dark’s Horror Fest: 8 Films to Die For” rounded out the top 10 with $2.4 million.

Robert De Niro and 50 Cent Pair Up

Rapper 50 Cent and actor Robert De Niro are about to become the weirdest couple in movie history as they are in the final stage of negotiating their roles in a movie called “New Orleans”, based on the Hurricane Katrina disaster a year ago.

The script was written by Eugene Hess and it will be directed by Tim Hunter and is anticipated to be an exciting and suspensful police thriller (previously titled “Microwave Park”), revolving around a cop’s life who will be played by De Niro. De Niros character is led to believe that his partner died during the storm caused by the hurricane. Later on, he discovers the truth about his friend’s death who was shot to death. De Niro gets a new partner, 50 Cent, and together they begin investigating the death of his past parter but instead wind up trapped and tangled in a world of police corruption.

The shooting is expected to start in the Louisiana city, in February of this upcoming year.

Royale, Casino Royale

Columbia Picture’s “Casino Royale” has taken in more at British box offices on its first day than any previous James Bond film.

The film, which features actor Daniel Craig’s first role as James Bond took in about $3.2 million Thursday in British theaters, the BBC reported.

“Die Another Day” was the previous record holder and “Casino Royale” more than doubled its record.

“Casino Royale” will open this weekend in 27 countries, including the United States and Russia. So far the movie has recieved excellent reviews.

—Quick Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes—

“Casino Royale sees Bond himself recharged with fresh toughness and arrogance, along with balancing hints of sadism and humanity, just as the fabled series is reinvigorated by going back to basics.” – Todd McCarthy

“The most believable Bond since the days of Connery and for the first time in decades, I left the theater with the distinct reaction that I wanted to be James Bond. ” – Erik Childress

“Here’s the biggest surprise of the year: the new Casino Royale is the best James Bond film since Goldfinger (1964).” – Jeffrey M. Anderson

Wir haben Angst von Borat

Austrian tourist marketers and tourist businesses tremble in anticipation of Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s next incarnation. After the worldwide success of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, that turned the previously unheard of Asian country into global laughing stock, Austria now fears becoming the next Kazakhstan.
Universal Studios announced that after Borat dominated the box office, he will be succeeded by Bruno “a gay, stupid, self- centred and Nazi-adoring Austrian, lifestyle journalist.”

Expect Bruno to misbehaves and provokes even more embarrassing reactions from his unsuspecting victims.
Bruno hosts “Funkyzeit mit Brueno” (funky time with Bruen) on a fictional Austrian TV channel, conducts interviews on fashion, celebrities and homosexuality. Needless to say, Bruno will starts torturing interviewees in his faux-German accent.

Borat’s impact on the image of Kazakhstan are disastrous, several analysts said, asking who would want to do business with a country where people drink fermented horse urine? So is the inevitable destruction of Austria’s image closing in, considering Bruno will be shot and produced next summer?

Sacha Cohen (Borat) Join “Sweeney Todd”

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen has joined the cast of Tim Burtons new movie “Sweeney Todd” thanks to thehuge success of Borat. What started as only a sketch in Da Ali G Show has paved the way for future movies for Sacha Cohen. Cohen will play Signor Adolfo Pirelli, a rival to Johny Depp’s character, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Todd will have to teams up with (Helena Bonham Carter’s) Mrs. Lovett to execute a plot involving murder and meat pies, Zap2it.com and IMB reported. The film from DreamWorks/Warner Bros. will begin shooting next month, aiming for a late 2007 release.

Sacha Cohen’s “Borat” film has made him more than $67 million in the US in its first two weeks in limited release theaters. Cohen has also agreeded with Universal to bring another character from Da Ali G Show to the big screen: The Austrian fashion reporter Bruno.