The Move to Toxic Hollywood

Hey all!

I just wanted to apologize for not posting since December. Things have been pretty crazy. Well, for the select group of loyal fans who may read this Blog, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I will no longer be posting on JeffTheMovieGuy.com. The site will still sit here and you can enjoy all of my previous posts. The good news is that I've moved! An awesome up and coming movie/entertainment website entitled Toxic Hollywood has recruited me to be their official movie guy! I've been there for a while now, developing an awesome catalogue of articles and garnering more hits and readers than ever. At Toxic Hollywood I do a lot more general movie news and not just reviews, though the reviews are still kicking!

So please, if you're one of the few who enjoyed this Blog and (for some reason) my ramblings about various flicks, I urge you to become a reader of Toxic Hollywood.

It was great to post on here again, and you can now keep up with my postings and reviews at Toxic Hollywood, right here!

- Jeff The Movie Guy ;)

'The Dark Knight' - Today Show featurette

Al Roker from The Today Show went to the set of 'The Dark Knight' recently and was able to get interviews with Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and director Christopher Nolan. Thanks to The Today Show we also get the treat of some behind the scenes footage and a few glimpses into the movie. Check out the video below for all the Bat-goodies!



'The Dark Knight' hits theaters July 18th, 2008.

'The Mist' review

Rating: ***1/2 out of ****

On the surface, ‘The Mist’ is another horror film made with standard pieces and mixed together by a formula. This is true of course, but like the mist that smothers the town in the Stephen King adaptation, there is more here than what's on the surface.

‘The Mist’ begins with a powerful hurricane descending on a village in Maine, the signature of a King story. The storm dissipates, leaving a thick mist that eventually engulfs the town. The story centers on a local artist named David Drayton (Thomas Jane) who, along with his son and neighbor (Andre Braugher) travels into town to pick up supplies at the local shop. All is well until a bleeding, panicking man runs into the store screaming that people must not leave, as there is ‘something in the mist’. From here on, the film stays primarily in the shop. As expected, the mist envelopes the store and all methods of communication are cut. Here, we meet the usual crop of locals – the ignorant mechanic Jim (Bill Sadler), the cute shop girl Sally (Alexa Davalos), the heroic shop clerk Ollie (Toby Jones) and above all, Ms. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), a religious extremist and would-be messianic leader.

David and Ms. Carmody inadvertently fall into roles as leaders of opposing bands of survivors. One side is the logical folks who understand the situation: figure out how to survive or escape before whatever is in the mist comes to kill them. The other side is made up of Ms. Carmody and her rapidly growing band of followers who, as she convinces them, are preparing for the end of days. Ms. Carmody is a radical fundamentalist who preys upon the fearful to join her. She doesn’t see murder or human sacrifice as a small price to pay to avoid eternal damnation. Slowly, David’s group becomes outnumbered and eventually has to figure out how to survive the menace inside as well as the one outside. And of course, there are the standard folks who, for one reason or another, find reasons to venture outside into the mist. I don’t need to say what happens, suffice it to say a grown man leaves in one piece and comes back in one substantially smaller piece.

That’s exactly the appeal of ‘The Mist’. It’s not just about what’s outside the shop, but what’s occurring inside. It’s a character study about how a person can be rational and intelligent but people can be dangerous animals. It shows how people divide, take sides and are willing to believe anything when they’re facing death. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of playing God and the limits of technology (just because we can, does not mean we should). Its characters think and act more logically than most horror characters. I was glad that when time came to flee the store, most had an actual reason to do so, rather than to further the plot (‘Dawn of The Dead’). It also contains a scene so cathartic it drew applause in the theater and the ending simultaneously shocked me and broke my heart. Many saw the ending as predictable or that there were alternatives to what takes place, but considering the situation, what has gone on before this, and what the characters know by now, it seemed like a completely logical and plausible conclusion.

‘The Mist’ has been adapted and directed by Frank Darabont (‘The Shawshank Redemption’, ‘The Green Mile’) and he is just the man to handle this material. Rather than undertake another 3-hour epic, Darabont uses his skill to adapt a formulaic horror story into a captivating piece of suspense. The film isn’t dependent on elaborate set pieces or special effects but operates on great performances, tone, and dialogue. It is so rare in this day to see a dialogue-driven horror film. It’s a nice balance to the myriad of splatter-fests hitting the multiplexes.

Darabont is a teacher as well as a filmmaker. ‘The Mist’ is a master’s class on how to make an exceptional B-movie.

The Joker Revealed Early!

Source: Comingsoon.net

The January 2008 cover of Empire magazine has been leaked online. The cover features Heath Ledger in full Joker attire and can be viewed below. Warner Bros. will release 'The Dark Knight' - the sequel to 'Batman Begins' on July 18, 2008.

First Look at Zachary Quinto as Young Spock!

Souce: JFXOnline

JFXonline has posted a first look at photos of "Heroes" star Zachary Quinto as young Spock on the set of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. The site also has some images of filming on the set in which it looks like a Vulcan council meeting is taking place. You'll also see shots of Abrams with Quinto and more. I have posted a few below, but you can view them all here.

In related news, Abrams has confirmed that "House" star Jennifer Morrison has a role in the movie.

'Star Trek' opens Christmas Day 2008.

'In The Land of Women' review

Rating: *** out of ****

Jonathan Kasden’s ‘In The Land of Women’ is the companion piece to Zach Braff’s ‘Garden State’. They both center on young post-adolescent males who leave Los Angeles and go back home for similar reasons. The difference here is that the hero doesn’t run into the wide array of wacky characters and situations that the folks in ‘Garden State’ do. And you know what? That’s exactly what this story needs. Not to say it is better or worse. It just has a smaller, more subdued tale to tell. It is short and sweet and though it could have been more detailed in some areas, most of the time we get exactly what we need.

Carter Webb (Adam Brody of ‘The O.C.’) is a 26-year-old soft-core porn writer who has recently been dumped by his girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya), a model/actress. It is rumored that after their breakup Sofia begins dating Colin Farrell, which begged the question, ‘How did Carter get this girl?’ He seems rather out of her league. Anyway, Carter’s grandmother (Olympia Dukakis), who lives back east, is not well. Well, she says she’s not well but Carter believes she is either out for attention or going senile. Devastated over his breakup with Sofia and seeking inspiration for a serious writing project, Carter leaves L.A. to stay with his grandma in suburban Detroit. Shortly after arriving, he meets The Hardwicke family who lives across the street. Before long, Carter finds himself involved in the personal goings-on of Lucy (Kristen Stewart), the teenaged daughter of the Hardwicke family and Sarah (Meg Ryan), Lucy’s mother.

Sarah has recently discovered she has breast cancer. The changes this brings about in the Hardwicke family, force Lucy and Sarah to reevaluate their lives and take stock of what really matters to them. Sarah’s husband is having an affair. Both Sarah and Lucy know this. Sarah admits she is no longer in love with him, but that she fears losing her secure world, even though her life may end soon. Lucy admits she resents her mother for her father’s unfaithful nature. Lucy is going through man troubles of her own, on a more high school level. Nevertheless, both women face the same problem: admitting their feelings to themselves and taking the obvious choice that is right in front of them. Carter becomes a confidant to both women, offering solace in small doses, such as a walk or a cigarette on the 50-Yard Line. How Carter deals with his new responsibilities and relationships are what makes the film fun to watch. Though he does develop romantic connections with both Lucy and Sarah, it never veers off into the direction of a seedy love triangle, in which Carter is simultaneously seducing both mother and daughter. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder what another version of the story would play like, in which the alternate story came to fruition. Larry Clark might handle the material well.

But I digress.

Olympia Dukakis steels the show in the role of the grandma. While everyone else is intelligent yet wrought with personal crises, Grandma is often represented as a crackpot, and in a weird twist of irony, is revealed the one character that is in complete control of their destiny.

It is the connections and bonds built between Carter and the women in his life, old and new, that drives ‘In The Land of Women’. As Carter struggles to resolve his own issues, he is drawn into the dilemmas of the Hardwicke women - all of whom, in their way, fall in love with him, and all of whom, in their way, help him find his desired path. In spite of the ending being a bit too convenient and my wish for a stronger resolution between the three characters, this is a small, sweet tale with endearing characters and strong performances, by Dukakis and Ryan especially. Adam Brody is perfect in the role of Carter, the young man trying to find his place in a world that suddenly makes no sense. Some may say this film succeeds over ‘Garden State’, as it has essentially the same story only leaner and it still has the catchy, alt-rock soundtrack - and we all know how important that is in these movies.

Man Pleads Guilty in 'Indiana Jones' Theft

Source: The Associated Press

A man who schemed to sell stolen computers and photographs used for Steven Spielberg's upcoming ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ has pleaded guilty to two felony counts, according to The Associated Press.

Roderick Davis, 37, of Cerritos pleaded guilty Thursday to receiving stolen property and commercial burglary. As part of his plea deal, he will serve two years and four months in state prison.

He would have faced at least four years in prison if convicted of the charges, the District Attorney's Office said.

Davis was arrested Oct. 4 in West Hollywood during a sting operation by detectives who learned that some of the stolen material was being offered for sale to several entertainment gossip Web sites.

They posed as potential buyers for the images and set up a meeting. When Davis arrived, they took him into custody.