Daily Reviews » Hitting

Live on Stage: Conan Hitting the Road for Comedy Tour

Admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:37:33 +0000

Remember that guy who had a show and then had another show? Well, he now has a tour.

Conan O’Brien will hit the road for a live comedy/music tour — dubbed the “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour” — starting April 12. The two-month …

Restored Version of Metropolis Hitting Theaters in Summer

Admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:37:54 +0000

What many people may not know about me is that I am a huge fan of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. I love the sci-fi genre and have an immense respect for Metropolis, not only for its influences on the genre, but also because it’s just a wonderful movie. If you didn’t know, Metropolis (originally released in 1927) has been butchered over the years with re-edits and different cuts that Fritz Lang himself has come to denounce. Eventually, part of the original version became lost, and it wasn’t until another unedited original print was found in Buenos Aires that it could be restored to the original version that Lang intended audiences to see.

The Berlin Film Festival hosted a screening of the “reconstructed and restored” Metropolis right in Pariser Platz near the Brandenburg Gate (which is where the photo below comes from via In Contention) yesterday night. There was also a streaming version of the event online (watch a recap here), but for those of you that want to actually see this movie in its original form on the big screen, you may have the opportunity to do so soon. Ain’t It Cool News says they’ve heard that “there will be a summer theatrical premiere around the world with a DVD/Blu-Ray release to follow this Fall/X-Mas season.” It’s heading back to theaters!

Reactions to that premiere in Berlin yesterday have been incredible, as the new footage is said to contain pieces that are crucial to the films overall understanding. Some have called it “absolutely marvelous” and say it’s the “most satisfying version of this classic to date.” We don’t know when it’ll be hitting theaters this summer, but you can be sure we’ll definitely let you know all the details once they’re announced. I have a feeling it’ll be a very limited opening in a few cities, not nationwide, but we’ll see soon. As a fan, this is an event I can’t wait for, and I hope anyone who hasn’t seen Metropolis takes this opportunity to see it as well.

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Vin Diesel & Paul Waker Hitting the Gas Again for ‘Fast Five’

Admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:20:00 +0000

After missing what was one of the greatest opportunities for a pun-titled sequel (why the hell wasn’t it just called Fast & Four-ious?), the franchise which can’t seem to stop putting the pedal to the metal is officially moving forward with another thrilling installment as Variety reports the cleverly titled Fast Five will bring back Vin Diesel and Paul Walker for even more high speed car racing. This confirms at least part of what Diesel told us himself via his Facebook page last month. He mentioned two more scripts from writer Chris Morgan, but I’m sure Universal will wait to make sure this one will be as lucrative as Fast & Furious first.

Once again directed by Justin Lin (of Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious), the story finds franchise characters Dom (Diesel) and Brian (Walker) as fugitives being pursued by legendary lawmen. Universal is looking at a 2011 release which will bring this out about ten years after the first one was released way back in 2001. It’s almost maddening that the franchise has sustained itself for ten years, and Conan O’Brien couldn’t even get more than seven months out of “The Tonight Show.” Yes, that was an unrelated, “other media” reference, I know, but I’m baffled that such a mediocre franchise has stayed so strong, especially when the most recent installment didn’t even have kick-ass cars, killer car chases or great action sequences like in the first few.

Here’s another hilarious bit of information: Fast & Furious was Universal’s top grossing movie of last year with an unimpressive $155 million. In second was Couples Retreat with $109 million. You’ve got to love a studio that survives by rehashing a franchises like this one for its fifth go-around. Does that mean Fast Five will be their top grossing movie in 2011? I just hope Lin is able to get a budget big enough to actually pay his stars and get solid action sequences this time. Anyone out there still interested in seeing Fast Five?

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