So was this Steven Soderbergh’s final project for film school?  The question is posed for it seems that the stylish director (Ocean’s flicks, Traffic, Contagion, etc.) couldn’t afford a talented lead for Haywire. Plus, the sound edit, uh, sounds as if a micro-budgeted indie filmmaker made this on his Macbook. Actually, one could probably get better sound out of that computer.

Obviously, this isn’t Soderbergh’s senior project and there was some coin behind it ($25 million) as you can surmise from the talented cast that chimed in on this 93 minute flick.  And although the action, which is to say hand-to-hand combat sequences, had some intensity to them, the script suffers immensely from the storytelling execution via the femme fatale, Gina Carano.

Her dialogue delivery is bloody awful to the point that you feel sorry for her as you watch this.  Now even though the story wasn’t all that riveting to begin with, having the majority of it told through the more-or-less rookie actress was clearly too much to ask here.  She is surrounded by an accomplished supporting cast and she does have the ability to carry them in the above mention decently choreographed fight sequences.  But once those come and go, the mediocre level this flick attains drops faster than a man between Carano’s leg scissors.  And speaking of those legs, the one thing Carano did accomplish is the dethroning of Famke Janssen (Goldeneye 1995); as she can now proudly wear the title of having the sexiest choke-hold in cinematic history.

While Carano just isn’t ready to enhance this spy-betrayed-by-the-system saga outside of using her apt MMA skills – and perhaps Soderbergh realized this during filming, as there are prolonged shots of her just running around and scaling rooftops (one of the better shot sequences though), it all falls on Soderbergh and the story to keep us wired in.  Watching Soderbergh’s camera placement is always intriguing.  If he’s shooting on a rooftop, he’ll find a crevice between a fireplace and a pipe and guide the lens through as it follows the character.  When screenplay is active, he’s at his best.  And much like his Ocean’s flicks, the luring musical score has the ability to set the tone.

Most of everything stated above is realized within the first thirty minutes.  And while the direction of this piece doesn’t quite come fully together, one is hopeful the plot will eventually catch you.  Unfortunately, it just isn’t happening here.  The atmosphere is subdued despite it being a spy-thriller.  It’s not wordy or bland like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or The American, but it doesn’t have an adrenaline rush commonly found in a Bourne movie or even Salt for that matter.  As far as originality goes, there is none.  Well, except for the fact that Carano actually looks like she can kick some ass as opposed to a 95lbs. Angelina Jolie. So basically, this is just Soderbergh’s take on a spy-thriller…that isn’t all that thrilling and has a few mechanical issues.

Overall, Haywire can never really get going.  At certain turns, you wonder if this would even make the cut to be shown in a local film festival based on the production and acting levels of Gina Carano. The pacing is fairly good when considering the short running time, yet the product as a whole feels like a rush job that people just wanted to unload.  In other words: Why bother even making this?

RATING: 2 out of 5

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The most recent update on a potential sequel to Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class came from Fox Chairman and CEO of Filmed Entertainment Tom Rothman last year who said they were “working hard” on the script and getting Vaughn back to direct was a priority.

In a brief interview with SHH Michael Fassbender joked that he had “no choice” but to play Magneto again as he’s signed for multiple films. He also said development on the sequel was at “the ground level” so it’ll probably be a while before he has to wear the helmet again.

X-Men: First Class co-writer Jane Goldman was also asked recently about the next film, and she’s on-board if Matthew Vaughn wants her (which is likely).

From MTV:

“James and Michael brought so much to them that I think it’s entirely natural to be talking about where those characters would go next,” she said. “It was inherent in their stories and their arcs. There are so many interesting places to go.”

“In terms of what’s going on with that, again from my point of view, it’s down to what Matthew [Vaughn] decides to do,” she said. “If he decides he wants to direct the next one and if he wants me on board, I’m 100 percent there.”

In November James McAvoy said Vaughn was pitching ideas to 20th Century Fox, so at this point it’s looking likely that Vaughn will be back. Simon Kinberg, who co-wrote X-Men: The Last Stand and co-produced X-Men: First Class, was hired to begin work on the script 2 months ago so we may start hearing things about the next film this year.

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After teasing us over the past few days 20th Century Fox has released the first official trailer for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus which stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green, Patrick Wilson, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce and Rafe Spall.

You can watch the trailer below. It definitely has an Alien-vibe to it, and meets the hype that’s been building. Hopefully the actual movie does too.

Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.

20th Century Fox will release Prometheus on June 8th 2012.

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Yesterday 20th Century Fox released a short trailer preview for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus in preparation for the first official trailer which will debut on Thursday. Now the studio has released a “two days to go teaser” which contains more snippets of footage and more talk from Ridley Scott.

Watch below:

We can probably expect another one to appear online tomorrow. So far Prometheus is looking like one of the must-see sci-fi movies of next year.

Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green, and Idris Elba, and 20th Century Fox will release the film on June 8th 2012.

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The first official trailer for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus will arrive in 3 days, and in preparation 20th Century Fox has released a short preview which contains footage from the forthcoming trailer, along with a behind the scenes interview with Scott himself where he explains what we can expect.

Watch below:

Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green, and Idris Elba, and 20th Century Fox will release the film on June 8th 2012.

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The New York Film Critics Online, the Boston Society of Film Critics, and the L.A. Film Critics all released their annual awards on Sunday. The American Film Institute also released its top ten movies and television shows of the year.

Michel Hazanavicius’ tribute to the silent movie era, The Artist, was one of the biggest winners, receiving Best Picture honors from both the NYFCO and the BSFC. It was also given a special award from the AFI (for movies which do not fit into the AFI’s normal criteria). Hazanavicius also won Best Director from the NYFCO.

The Descendants won the Best Picture prize from the LAFC.

The NYFCO, BSFC, and LAFC all awarded different winners in both the Best Actor (Michael Shannon for Take Shelter, Brad Pitt for Moneyball, and Michael Fassbender for his whole year’s body of work, including Shame and A Dangerous Method, respectively) and Best Actress categories (Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn, and Yun Jung-hee for Poetry, respectively).

Albert Brooks (Drive) nabbed the Best Supporting Actor awards from both the NYFCO and the BSFC. Christopher Plummer (Beginners) received it from the LAFC.

One of the most interesting winners from yesterday was Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), who was honored by the NYFCO and the BSFC in the Supporting Actress category. Strictly comedic performances are often overlooked during the awards season, but if Robert Downey Jr. can get an Oscar nomination for Tropic Thunder, then maybe McCarthy can grab one too.

There doesn’t seem to be a clear front runner in any category, but The Artist, War Horse, The Descendants, Tree of Life, and Hugo (among several others) are all looking good to garner some Best Picture nominations during the big awards in the New Year.

You can view the complete list for the New York Film Critics Online awards here; the Boston Society Film Critics’ awards here; the L.A. Film Critics’ awards here; and the AFI awards here.

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This is one of the rare times where the synopsis must be described before yours truly even attempts to analyze any of this sucker (no pun intended…yet).

Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) is a bachelor living in present day New York City. He earns a decent living and resides in a roughly 600 sq.ft. apartment (that’s a good size for that town). Brandon presents himself well and spends his time hanging with his boss (James Badge Dale) as they frequent trendy bars and restaurant lounges. While Brandon always seems composed and confident, he is quite eager to feed his sexual appetite. Basically, the dude’s a sex fiend. Fortunate for him, he has the game to entrance an array of women from all walks of life, and usually ends up sealing the deal moments later. And if he doesn’t by some chance, he’ll shell out for hookers, play on live XXX webcams, or just have a good old fashion mental fantasy with himself in the nearest bathroom.

His smooth and sticky world gets a bit out of sorts when his estranged sister, Cissy (Carey Mulligan), randomly drops in looking for a place to crash. Brandon and Cissy seemingly have no other family, and they reluctantly put up with each other’s weirdness. Also throwing off Brandon’s rhythm is a fellow co-worker in Marianne (Nicole Beharie). She probes Brandon’s mind about relationships; which begins to stimulate his other head, leading him to deal with a few uncomfortable situations.

The subtle psychology that is laced throughout this 101 minute flick is what really keeps this together; especially during the excellent conversation piece between Fassbender and Beharie at a restaurant. What makes this particular scene riveting is how director Steve McQueen just set a still-camera on a tri-pod and captured the dialogue from afar. This mechanic enabled and enhanced the authentic acting of those two – along with the waiter (Robert Montano) – bringing you into the restaurant with them, as you hang on their every word. Aside from the psychology in how the Brandon character views relationship life, his persona is also an instantly attractive element; and the natural intrigue about his sexual vice/practice/perspective, will charm you into seeing where this telling is headed. That is…if you can tolerate the early unnecessary nakedness that is shoved in your face early on and casually reappears from time-to-time (full frontal nudity from both male and female players).

Fassbender’s portrayal does draw a likeness to Christian Bale’s character in American Psycho. Granted, no one is being mutilated after a solid romp, but there is a fascinating charisma that draws you in no matter what your view point is on the character’s actions. The guy is in the proverbial zone! Knowing that, Shame is definitely showing more in the sexual department as it is rated NC-17. Yet all these moments are tastefully handled all things considered and are not gratuitous by any means, save for the above mentioned the initial sequence; where we first see nudity that doesn’t really have a purpose, but the rest makes perfect sense. And let it be known that these shots are detailed enough to the point where Kevin Bacon’s weaponry may be replaced in your mind (will only make sense if you have seen Wild Things).

Finally – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – Carey Mulligan is doing something worthwhile here. Her performance goes beyond a sad face for once as she shows a full range of her assets (in more ways than you can imagine). While Fassbender owns every moment (since he’s in every shot) Mulligan can successfully snag some of the attention and she deserves every bit of it (I need a drink now).

Overall, Shame is real, fascinating, provocative, and told in a respectful and humble manner through the lens. Sure the wrapping up (hopefully Fassbender did) of this isn’t mind blowing, but that’s not the intentions of this quiet script. All the key sequences – and you’ll know when the epic sounding score slowly fills the room/scene – are laced in all the other facets of the screenplay. The performances are impeccable and it was pleasurable (pun intended) to watch every nuance of their actions within this methodically candid story. And I’m out of adjectives.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

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Over recent months we’ve been hearing about Darren Aronofsky’s next project Noah, which will be a big screen adaptation of the Noah’s Ark story. In October Paramount and New Regency came on-board to finance and distribute the $130 million movie, and Aronofsky was said to be interested in having Christian Bale play the lead character.

Well Variety now reports that Bale has had to pass on the role as he’ll be shooting Terrence Malick’s next two films, Lawless and Knight of Cups, back-to-back next year. Instead, Aronofsky is said to be holding talks with Michael Fassbender.

Fassbender is on a roll at the moment following the success of X-Men: First Class and that’s unlikely to slow down with the awards buzz he’s picking up for Steve McQueen’s Shame. Fassbender is no stranger to the swords and sandals genre having starred in 300, but this time he’ll be leading the film instead of playing a supporting role.

Below is a recently released French trailer for the graphic novel which gives us an idea of what to expect:

Earlier this year Aronofsky said:

“Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his family’s journey. The imaginations of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. It’s my hope that I can present a window into Noah’s passion and perseverance for the silver screen”.

Academy Award nominated screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator) is re-writing the script and the aim is to begin production next year.

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With Shame just two days away from its limited opening, Fox Searchlight released another trailer yesterday on their Facebook page. The NC-17 flick directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan is sure to become one of the most controversial pictures of the year.

This red band trailer shows a few glimpses of the more adult stuff in the movie, if you know what I mean. A series of flashes are presented during a prolonged starring contest on a moving subway train. Besides those flashes there’s nothing we haven’t seen in the past previews.

Shame is the story of sex-addict Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) and the events that follow when his younger sister comes to live with him out of the blue, thus the life-style he lead becomes a problem.

Shame opens on December 2nd in just 9 theaters and strangely, it’s the only movie coming out that weekend. What’s even more out of the ordinary is the way Fox Searchlight have handled the NC-17 rating they got. Instead of trying to cut the movie until it gets an R-rating, they chose to stick with the NC-17 rating and wear it like a “badge of honor”.

After 38 counted reviews, Shame stands at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and it was just nominated yesterday at the Spirit Awards for Best International Film.

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The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly contains our first good look at Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, which stars Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba, Patrick Wilson, Guy Pearce and Logan Marshall-Green.

In the image below we see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo‘s Noomi Rapace as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, a researcher and archaeologist. In an interview last month Rapace said Shaw was the “most complete person” she’s ever played, and she “turns into a fighter” halfway through the film after “a lot of things happen”.

Also in the image is Logan Marshall-Green (Devil) who plays a crewman onboard the space ship and the love interest of Elizabeth Shaw. A blonde Michael Fassbender plays an android named David.

Other images show us the characters of Charlize Theron and Idris Elba.

Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

With 20th Century Fox’s marketing campaign seemingly under-way we can probably expect the teaser trailer to hit sometime soon. Ridley Scott’s return to sci-fi hits June 8, 2012.

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