Cinema Verdict » Strange and Unusual

Guillermo Del Toro to adapt Dahl’s “The Witches”?

adam arseneau — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:30:15 +0000

Courtesy of io9, this might very well be the most interesting bit of film news I’ve seen all day. It seems that a stop motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s creepy-yet-charming kids novel The Witches is in the works, headed up by (who else?) Guillermo Del Toro.

The brilliant Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men), was the original front runner for the director spot. But Cuaron told Empire Magazine he’s stepped up to produce the feature, and Del Toro is now the director. Apparently the two started chatting about adapting about Dahl’s story “Uncle Oswald” when they got on the subject of The Witches.

The best part about Dahl’s novels for children is how borderline disturbing they all are. So who better to highlight and emphasize these themes than Del Toro? Can you imagine Pan’s Labyrinth meeting Roald Dahl?

Who knows when this film will go into production (if ever) but I’m happy that it’s even in discussion. If this falls through, I’d like somebody to up the crazy ante and see what David Cronenberg could do with The BFG. He’d ruin your brain.

(via io9)

Toronto After Dark Festival: Lineup announced

adam arseneau — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:21:07 +0000

Often dwarfed and passed over by its big cinematic festival brother, the Toronto After Dark Festival has been growing in notoriety and size over the last few years. The critically acclaimed festival features new horror, sci-fi, fantasy, action, animated and cult films from around the world, including a number of award-winning features and shorts. Last year, the festival was attended by over 6,500 enthusiastic film fans and over 100 members of press and industry — according to their website, at least.

In its first wave of film titles revealed for 2008, Toronto After Dark Film Festival is proud to announce a selection of eight outstanding new horror, sci-fi, action and cult feature films that will have their Toronto Theatrical Premieres at the festival this October 17-24. The initial lineup includes a number of critically acclaimed and award-winning films from around the world including the much-anticipated new sci-fi horror musical REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA, Sundance selection revenge thriller RED based on Jack Ketchum’s novel, cult horror action movie TOKYO GORE POLICE, celebrated vampire feature LET THE RIGHT ONE IN which won Best Picture at the Tribeca Film Festival, and Oscar-nominated animator Bill Plympton’s dark and twisted modern fairytale, IDIOTS & ANGELS.

A Festival Preview Trailer video after the jump.

The festival has slowly been creeping on my radar as of late. I always wanted to go, but TIFF usually wipes me out, both physically and financially. Perhaps Cinema Verdict needs to pay these fine purveyors of crazy a visit this year…

(via Toronto After Dark and AICN)

Exorcist Spider-Walk Regan action figure

adam arseneau — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:10:58 +0000

If you can think of a better way to spend $16.99, I don’t want to hear it. Goes on sale later this month.

Perfect for the movie lover in your life! What better way to say “I love you” to the movie lover in your life than with a plastic figure preserving demonic possession in all its glory?

Pea soup not included. Seriously. I want one.

(via Boing Boing Gadgets)

The 100 Greatest Movie Posters

adam arseneau — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:08:35 +0000

tccandler.com has a list of the 100 best movie posters of all time, ranked in order of bodaciousness and all listed on a single page. Some controversial choices to be sure (not sure I agree with a single one in the top ten) but you gotta love the high level overview of amazing cinematic advertising art.

Thoughts? What do you guys think? Corrections? Omissions? Leave a comment below!

Grand Theft Auto could be Hollywood’s biggest competition this summer

adam arseneau — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:05:52 +0000

With Hollywood still stinging from the financial impact of a prolonged writer’s strike, it goes without saying that executives everywhere have a lot riding on this summer. A lot of new franchises, a lot of remakes, and some sequels all vying to scrape up as much money as possible in a few short weeks before the next film hits, desperate to make up for lost time. Things are understandably tightly packed—you get in, you make the dough, and you move onto the next film.

But there is an unexpected contender in the marketplace distracting patrons from the movie theater this summer, one that might take a bite out of the official May 2nd kickoff weekend—a video game.

With an estimated $400 million in projected sales, Grand Theft Auto IV may be making some folks out west a bit nervous. It may even be the early harbinger of a new trend: checking video game release calendars for potential conflicts in targeting movie release dates. The big movie for this Friday, Iron Man might find its core audiences—young males—unexpectedly absent from the theater, opting instead to partake in the immersing fantasy of Liberty City.

With more and more money being put into video games lately (and the dividing like between cinematic movies and cinematic games getting thinner) do you guys think this could be the start of something? Or is this merely fantastic speculation?

(via canada.com)