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Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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Brothers Bumped

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Jim Sheridan's Brothers, which I've been very much looking forward to, being a fan of Jim's work and Susanne Bier's original 2004 film, is being bumped into '09 -- possibly a late summer release, or possibly one in the fall. MGM had planned it to open it on 12.4.08, but now they'll be taking it to next May's Cannes Film Festival. Draw whatever conclusions you want, but the implication is that it's not a quality issue as much as a concern that it might suffer against the heavy year-end competition.

Brothers director Jim Sheridan, costar Jake Gyllenhaal

This despite test-screening responses that seemed (emphasis on the "s" word) to indicate possible Oscar contention. Particular praise has gone to the performances of costars Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman.

The MGM team wasn't in the building from 9:15 to 10:45 am (even the receptionists didn't answer) so I called Brothers producer Mike DeLuca, who confirmed the news. The decision to hold was basically due to the "crazy full fall for serious movies" this year, he says. "We love Brothers and want to blitz in Cannes, but it's just too crowded this year for a wide fall release and an Oscar campaign."

A key factor in the decision, he says, is that costar Jake Gyllenhaal is unavailable for year-end p.r. due to filming on Prince of Persia and "we can't promote this movie without jake. So Cannes makes most sense. I'm super proud of the movie and a major unveiling on the Cote d'Azur with all cast present is too good to pass up."

Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and mystery man on Brothers set.

An MGM source said that a mid to late summer release could conceivably happen due to next summer looking relatively weak,

As noted three or four times before on HE, Brothers is a remake of Susanne Bier's 2004 Danish-language original about a younger "bad" brother (Gyllenhaal in Sheridan's version) stepping into the familial shoes of his older "good" brother (Maguire) after the latter disappears during an enemy skirmish in Afghanistan.

Natalie Portman plays the wife-mother whose loyalties shift, or at least adapt to new realities. Sam Shepard plays the gruff and disapproving pater familias, the father of Gyllenhaal and Maguire. David Benioff (The Kite Runner, The 25th Hour) adapted the screenplay.

In a relatively recent interview with DGA magazine's F.X. Feeney, Sheridan (or was it Feeney?) alluded to Brothers as a kind of Cain and Abel story.

Sheridan "had been very moved by that film when he first saw it, intrigued by the themes of intense love and lethal jealousy between two polar opposite brothers -- one a career military man, the other a lifelong screw-up who only comes into his own by caring for his brother's family after his super-achieving sibling goes missing in Afghanistan and is declared dead.

"Sheridan realized transposing a Danish drama for an American audience could be risky. 'You can't just microwave something,' he says emphatically. 'You can't just reheat it.'

"The challenge is to find what works best in the story about Americans, for Americans. 'There are rules that apply to American cinema that don't apply to other forms of cinema,' he explains. 'In a Danish film, people can get drunk with impunity. They can leave their kids at home unattended while they go pick up their brother in the bar. In an American movie, you're not allowed. Americans are different and the rules are different. So all the time I'm consciously working within a framework of American storytelling.'"

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 1, 2008 at 10:38 AM

comment #1

bmcintire says ...

MGM had yet ANOTHER bomb threat this morning. No one is allowed back in the building until after 1:00PM.

I was really looking forward to seeing this in the next few weeks. Dammit!

Posted by bmcintire at October 1, 2008 12:00 PM

comment #2

actionman says ...

I really enjoyed and respected Bier's Brothers, and I am optimisitc about this remake. The casting seems right-on and Sheridan can make a great film when he wants too. Benioff is a very talented writer so here's hoping that they nailed it.

Not surprised about this film getting a bump till next year, though. Considering how any film with even a remote war-tinge to it seems destined for box office death, it's probably wise to give it some more time before it hits theaters. Rolling it out at Cannes seems like a great idea.

Out of all of Bier's films, this is my least favorite, but I'd still give it ***1/2. I am in love with Bier as a filmmaker; all of her work is blistering and honest and completely engrossing. I eagerly await whatever she's working on next.

A late summer release seems all-wrong, however. This is a fall/winter film. It explores serious issues and deserves to be released at a more serious time for movie going. This isn't an action film or a jingoistic drama of any kind.

Posted by actionman at October 1, 2008 12:04 PM

comment #3

p.Vice says ...

After admiring Sheridan's Irish films I always wondered why In America turned out to be such a huge piece of shit, and Feeney's article has the answer. The Sheridan quotes pretty much confirm that he's turned into a dirty fucking hack. Take a look at this one... if he's putting this kind of thought into what the audience reaction is going to be, then he's not making films that are true to character. He's just a manipulator pulling strings.

“I had a problem because the character of the father was a very direct self-portrait,” admits Sheridan, “and as such there was no way to hide. He’s a man who brings his wife and kids to New York to basically live in poverty. The American audience was likely to hate him if I didn’t do something about it. So I shot a scene where he does an audition for the theater, and you can see he’s a good actor. The audience can say, ‘Oh, he wants to be a star,’ and put aside their doubts about him. You sometimes need a goal for a character just so the viewer can relax.”

Posted by p.Vice at October 1, 2008 1:22 PM

comment #4

actionman says ...

In America was hardly a piece of shit. Go away, p.Vice. Please. Just disappear. Why do you even bother commenting at this blog when all you do is bitch-bitch-bitch?

Posted by actionman at October 1, 2008 1:24 PM

comment #5

p.Vice says ...

Actionman, I'm truly sorry if my "bitching" usurps your pointless speculation about release dates and flowery praise of mediocre filmmakers. If you disagree with something I've said, "go away" isn't an especially witty or intelligent way to make your point. And if you don't have a point, which apparently you don't, then you don't have to respond to me at all.

Now go and get your fuckin' shinebox.

Posted by p.Vice at October 1, 2008 1:49 PM

comment #6

actionman says ...

Dude, you are the most annoying person on this blog. For the last two years all you have done is bitch and moan and complain. In fact, the only reasonably smart thing you have ever said around here was quoting a line from Goodfellas. All you do is spout negative rants about every movie and every filmmaker that Wells feels is worthy of discussion.

The way you slander movies like In America and filmmakers like Jim Sheridan makes me fucking sick. Have you ever made a film? Have you ever worked in the industry? Have you ever written a movie review? You are an annoyance, and sorry if my "pointless speculation about release dates and flowery praise of mediocre filmmakers" isn't what you want to read.

The day that Jim Sheridan is considered a mediocre filmmaker is the day that I will stop caring about movies in general. I have asked you before, but of course never got an answer -- do you like ANYTHING? I mean, do you ever see a film and say -- shit, that was great...or even good?

For the most part, I don't feel the need to express negative sentiments on this blog. If something truly bothers me, then I will make that clear. I am more interested in learning about new films and reading about all of the good stuff that's out there waiting to be discovered. The world is already filled with enough whining douches like yourself who can think of nothing better to do than complain about everything. People around here have warned me of your behavior in the past; I should have just listened better.

Oh yeah...maybe they didn't go up there...maybe they didn't tell you...I don't shine shoes no more.

Posted by actionman at October 1, 2008 2:04 PM

comment #7

hcat says ...

Loved the original but looking at the cast photo I just think they look to young and lightweight. Jake can pull this off but Portman and Toby are still to gosh gee whiz in my eyes to do the heavy lifting required by these roles.

Posted by hcat at October 1, 2008 2:09 PM

comment #8

actionman says ...

they do seem a little lightweight when compared to the Danish leads in the original but they should do just fine I think.

Posted by actionman at October 1, 2008 2:11 PM

comment #9

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Really, actionman, I thought the most annoying person on this blog was you? Gooooo Transformers, more than meets the EYE!!

Yea, P. Vice has a tendency to be overly critical or negative, but it's not like he doesn't make valid points. He is usually onto something, as he is in this thread.

I got a bad vibe from "In America" after watching it, as well. Wasn't absolutely deplorable, but it didn't rang true, which is kind of death for that kind of a film. Paddy Considine is a decent actor, but his character really should have been more of an asshole in that film. If you're going to make an honest movie about how tough life is for Irish immigrants in the United States, he really needed to turn down the saint/martyr overtones to his character, it was tiresome, manipulative, and false.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 1, 2008 6:44 PM

comment #10