PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Pirates of the Caribbean:
On Stranger Tides

Did another instalment really need to be made? And did it need really to be in 3-D? No, not really. How does one deny though the worldwide success of the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise, having grossed over $2.6 billion since 2003? Its Legacy is something to be respected and its legions of Followers should have no problems appreciating this latest Chapter also.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth film in the series from A Jerry Bruckheimer Production and Walt Disney Motion Pictures. Here we follow free-spirited Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he reunites with a mysterious Woman from his past named Angelica (Penélope Cruz) whom he has scorned. The fiery Daughter of tyrannical Blackbeard (Ian McShane) is on a quest with her Father aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge to locate the illusive Fountain of Youth and the two chalices one must drink from in order to live forever.

We never are sure whether Angelica’s feelings towards Jack are genuine or whether she simply wants to use him – with the help of Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and Gibbs (Kevin McNally) - for the benefit of her Father in his conquest. Before Jack and Co. can make their way to the Fountain of Youth, they must survive some internal strife aboard the Ship and also, the dangerous Waters they charter.

ENTER TO WIN A PASS FOR TWO TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING IN TORONTO OF "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES"

Still from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Join Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he encounters a mysterious Woman from his past named Angelica (Penélope Cruz). We wonder though, if it's love or if she simply is using him to get to the illusive Fountain of Youth after forcing him aboard the ruthless pirate Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) ship, Queen Anne's Revenge.

Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Motion Pictures proudly present Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and together with Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven, we want to give two lucky Readers in Toronto each a pass for two to see an Advance Screening of the Film on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 7:00 PM at Scotiabank Theatre.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is directed by Academy Award-winning Director Rob Marshall with a Screen Story and Screenplay written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. It opens in theatres on Friday, May 20, 2011.  Visit the official website here.

To qualify for the win, please leave a comment telling me who produces Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides no later than Monday, May 16, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST. Good luck, Mavenati!

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures)

BIUTIFUL - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Biutiful

Alejandro González Iñárritu's latest effort is a portrait of dying Man, struggling in a race against time to ensure the one thing constant in his life, his loving Children, are cared for after he passes on. Despite being prolonged by lengthy nuances, it possesses true heart thanks to its tragic Hero.

Biutiful centers around Uxbal (Javier Bardem) who deals in underground affairs, including selling the labour of illegal immigrants in Barcelona. Having separated from his mentally unstable and Alcoholic Wife Marambra (Maricel Álvarez), he finds himself drawn back to her both out of love and a need for a Maternal figure in their Children's lives.

Hai (Cheng Tai-Shen) is Uxbal's Business Associate and together they are caught in a dangerous struggle to keep the illegal Chinese immigrants whom they are harbouring, under the radar from Police. At the same time they must find these people Employment as the future of Uxbal's Children is dependent on this much-needed income and thus, a driving force in his fight to live.

DISNEY PREVIEWS 2011 FILMS: "THE HELP", "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4" AND "THE MUPPETS"

Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada just sent me a preview of some of their 2011 releases and it's looking already like next year will be crammed with Blockbusters!

One release which caught my eye in particular was The Help in which Emma Stone stars.  Its Synopsis states that it takes place in the '60s and is about a Girl named Skeeter (Stone) who visits a town in Mississippi.  Determined to be a Writer, she turns the town upside down after deciding to interview candidly the Black Women who serve the wealthy.  Along with the forthcoming installment of Spider-Man, we'll be seeing a whole lotta Stone next year and I can't seem to get enough.  The Help is slated for an August 12, 2011 release.

Many of you will be excited to know that Jim Henson's The Muppets will be given the treatment next Fall.  Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Jason Segel will be starring in the Film as Walter, a huge Muppets Fan who tries to save The Muppet Theatre from demolition after a wealthy Businessman Tex Richman discovers that there is an Oil resevoir of wealthy beneath it.  To raise the much-needed funds required to keep it running, Walter stages a grand Telethon.  Cute!  The new generation of Kids don't know what they're missing and hopefully this will revive some renewed interest in the iconic Franchise.  The Muppets is scheduled for a November 23, 2011 release.

And of course, many of us are excited to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 3-D which sees Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) reuniting with the beautiful and mysterious Angelica (Penélope Cruz), who coaxes him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.  Soon before he knows it, he finds himself in all sorts of trouble with both Angelica and the dangerous Blackbeard (Ian McShane).  CHICAGO and NINE Director Rob Marshall helms this installment. The Film hits theatres May 20, 2011.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada)

THAI FILM WINS BIG IN CANNES

Apichatpong Weerasethakul, better known as just "Joe" in Thailand, pulled a surprise upset for the coveted Palme D'Or Award at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, which concluded last night. His film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is described as a dying man's meditation of his past lives and ghostly relatives, winning high points with this year's Jury, led by President and acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton.  The film apparently contains a sex scene between a Princess and a Catfish. How original!

As predicted, Oscar winner Javier Bardem took home the award for Best Actor in Alejandro González Iñárritu's Biutiful, sharing the award with Italian actor Elio Germano in Daniele Luchetti's Our Life. Apparently Bardem's girlfriend Penélope Cruz was seen in tears after he thanked her in his Acceptance Speech.

DVD REVIEW: NINE

Just shy of five months since its theatrical release, Rob Marshall's NINE finally surfaces on DVD. The musical, nominated for five Golden Globes and four Oscars, unjustly was panned overall by critics and above this was released on a very competitive Christmas Day which saw the monster known as Sherlock Holmes steal just about everyone's thunder. Unfortunately, it performed well under its $80 million budget domestically earning $19 million only. Overseas it has fared much better, bringing its worldwide gross to $52 million. That's still a loss of over $30 million for its backers, The Weinstein Co. And this is hopefully where it will recoup more of its losses. I hope my one DVD sale helps.  Read my original review of the film here.

For fans of the film, the DVD offers a very generous helping of Special Features. In addition to a Commentary by Marshall and his romantic partner/Producer John DeLuca, there are a total eight Featurettes. You can learn about the recording of some of the film's key musical numbers and the filming of the scenes they are associated with, plus all about the Costumes and Choreography too. You also learn about the casting of the film's seven female stars and apparently during the casting stages of the film, Marshall saw just about every leading actress in Hollywood - actresses who normally don't have to audition.  He made his choices based on who he felt he would be able to work best with after getting to know them personally. The chosen actresses all attended eachother's rehearsals during filming, offering moral support to one another and became like a family.   They would work together, eat together and party together.  To this day, Sophia Loren claims they all exchanged numbers and still keep in touch with one another.

INTERVIEW MAGAZINE: PENÉLOPE CRUZ BY MARION COTILLARD

Although she has made quite a few questionable choices in her career, it is definitely all about Penélope Cruz in Hollywood right now.  The Madrid-born actress' winning streak started in what is arguably her career-best performance in Pedro Almodóvar's Volver (2006), followed by her Oscar-winning turn as emotionally unstable artist Maria Elena in Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008).  She currently can be seen in theatres currently in Rob Marshall's NINE and Almodóvar's latest work Broken Embraces where she once again is just absolutely stellar.

In the December/January 2010 issue of Interview Magazine, Cruz is interviewed by NINE co-star Marion Cotillard.  We learn that upon making her first American film The Hi-Lo Country in 1998, she could barely put together a sentence in English. She never had the chance to visit a cinema until 1990 having to lie that she was 16 years old in order to gain entrance.  Prior to that, she would rent movies in Beta-Max format.  The first film she ever saw in the theatre was in fact, Almodóvar's Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!  Her obsession with his films has become reality as she has become his current muse.  

Cotillard questions Cruz on how she researched for the role of seductress Carla in NINE and we learn that Cruz was in fact channeling Pink Panther the whole time which she kept a secret.  Cruz feels that most successful actors require some degree of insecurity - every actor needs an ego, although their ego can also be their worst enemy.  She mentioned also that she believes there is no greater actress today than Meryl Streep.

REVIEW: BROKEN EMBRACES

Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Pedro Almodóvar's latest effort Broken Embraces definitely is not lacking in the drama department.  Released through Sony Classics, the story is about Mateo Blanco (Lluís Homar), a Spanish film director who also goes by the pseudonom Harry Caine.  In the film, Mateo revisits a series of events 14 years ago leading up to the tragic car accident involving his lover Lena (Penélope Cruz) and resulting in his blindness.

Mateo and Lena become involved in a torrid love affair working on a film titled Girls and Suitcases.  Lena however, is the mistress of a wealthy businessman Ernesto Martel (José Luis Gómez) who offers to produce the film, and his jealousy and betrayal lead to disastrous consequences.  The secondary storyline involving Mateo's confidante/assistant Judit (Blanca Portillo) and her son Diego (Tamar Novas) ties up neatly at the film where we learn that they actually play very integral roles to the main plot.

Don't get me wrong, I love Almodóvar's work. It always has that right combination of intensity,  passion, wit and thoroughness in storytelling.  He does however test our patience a bit here with throwing in surprise after surprise just as the film seemingly is wrapping up and this admittedly is a bit frustrating.  As always, Cruz is effervescent and looks absolutely breathtaking even when she is pretending to be a laughably bad actress.  Her chemistry with Homar is explosive and although not quite as superb as her work on Almodóvar's Volver, she once again delivers here as a woman who lives and breathes love.  We are fixated with her even though her morals are questionable.   And Homar truly understands the subtleties required of his character, embodying a strong self-presence pre and post tragedy.  In all honesty, Broken Embraces was a bit contrived for my liking, but then again, what was expecting right?  Grade: B

As an aside, popular Canadian television personality George Stroumboulopoulos was watching the film too and we had a chat in the bathroom about the film afterwards.  He loved it, especially the surprise punch Portillo drops at the ending.  A fan of Cruz, I recommended he check out NINE also even though he was a little hesitant since he's heard nothing but bad things about it.  George, if you do check it out let us know your thoughts!  I think I just may see it a third time tomorrow....

REVIEW: NINE

After having received a number of requests to review this one as soon as possible, I am fitting this review in after a very, very satiating Christmas dinner. Ignore what some critics say about Rob Marshall's NINE, they are idiots and probably don't appreciate musicals to begin with.  This film is just perfect.

Right from the moment the film opens with Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini in the midst of a press conference, I was drawn in to what would turn out to be a nonstop glam-fest.  Day-Lewis is pitch-perfect as Contini, based on a character created by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini from his masterpiece 8½.  Some critics are insisting that NINE unjustly pays tribute such a great director's work and his own creative struggle, but quite simply, this is not a Fellini biopic.  Contini is Contini and quite frankly 8½ is available out on DVD if people are that adamant about authenticity and honouring Fellini.

Throughout the film we learn about Contini's character through the women who have played a pivotal role to his identity and success in life.  I'm not saying he is likable though - he in fact is egotistical, self-centered, uncommitted and dishonest.  The magic of Day-Lewis' performance under Marshall's direction, is that despite all of these negative qualities, we are still drawn to him.

Inasmuch as I'd like to say that Day-Lewis truly is the star of this film, the attention often diverts to Oscar winner Penélope Cruz, who once again is getting a lot of buzz here for her performance as Carla, Contini's mistress. And who ever would have guessed that Cruz had the ability to nail complex Burlesque choreography and sing decently, as she does performing A Call From The Vatican?  She is captivating as a seductress and there are few actresses in Hollywood today who can do "emotionally unstable" with the level of control that Cruz does.  Although I was never much of a fan of hers before Volver, I think I am finally completely sold now. 

REVIEW: NINE - THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

While we await its theatrical release with baited breath, Universal Music Canada sent me the best early Christmas gift - an advanced copy of the soundtrack for Nine. The film, based on the play of the same name, is inspired by the story of legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini and takes place around the time Fellini underwent a creative drought making his acclaimed masterpiece, 8½. Replace Fellini with the character Guido Contini plus a very sexy female cast of award-winning entertainers as his lovers, and there you have the most eagerly anticipated movie musical in quite some time.

Just looking through the album’s track listing, I could not help but be filled with curiosity how Pénelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Dame Judi Dench, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson and the film’s main star Daniel Day-Lewis, would fare as singers. Nicole Kidman, many of us already know is an adequate vocalist as seen in one of her career best roles in Moulin Rouge. And well, Grammy winner Fergie needs no introduction. 

Rob Marshall and John DeLuca arranged for the cast to record the film’s tracks in London late September 2008, about a month before shooting began. The results though are mixed, but there are some incredible surprises to be found. For one, Music Director Paul Bogaev does an excellent job setting the musical landscape of Italy in the ‘60s, when the story takes place. Day-Lewis is first introduced to us on Guido’s Song and although he is not blessed with an amazing voice, he still does a very credible job tapping into the psyche of a man in a midlife crisis. With the abundance of cast members the material is dispersed, meaning at most, the cast members are responsible only for one or two numbers each. 
Producers