TRAILER CATCH-UP

3 teasers for Stephen Chow’s Kung-Fu Hustle: one two three

Trey Parker & Matt Stone’s Team America.

Alexander Payne’s Sideways.

David O. Russell’s I Heart Huckabees. Excellent cast.

Mike Nichols’s Closer. Natalie Portman as a stripper. I suppose it was just a matter of time. But honestly, she still looks too young to play opposite either Jude Law or Clive Owen as a serious love interest. It slightly feels pedophilic.

Jonathan Glazer’s Birth. Very intriguing premise, but is Cameron Bright the new Haley Joel Osment or something?

Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic. Words cannot express how much I want to see this film RIGHT FUCKING NOW. As always, an excellent cast.

2 ½ minutes from Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. I’ve read one negative review, and it didn’t really make any noise at Cannes, but I’m still hoping it’s good.

The Sin City footage shown at the San Diego Comicon (this is a huge file, btw). Note that this is raw footage, not yet fully rendered. And it’s not a trailer (hence the inclusion of panels from the comics for comparison). I’m still cautiously optimistic. It looks fantastic, but part of me is worried about it being TOO literal an adaptation. In fact, Rodriguez doesn’t even call it that. He says it’s a transliteration; that’s why they’re using the exact framing from the comics. There wasn’t even a script; actors were given the graphic novels. There were moments where I felt like I was watching a really good fan film, except that they hired professional actors. BUT. Look at that cast: Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Elijah Wood, Maria Bello, Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Michael Madsen, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Nick Stahl, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Marley Shelton. I didn’t even know Clive Owen was in this thing. Amazing.

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Finished Palahniuk's Non-Fiction, which was good and interesting. He shows more range as a writer in his non-fiction than in his fiction. Thisclose to finishing his Fugitives & Refugees. Have begun- finally- Alex Garland's The Beach.

Shaun of the Dead is hilarious.