NEW TRAILER: TIM BURTON'S "FRANKENWEENIE"

Still from Frankenweenie

After Victor loses his Dog and Best Friend Sparky, he brings him back to life with a bit of Science and Home-Sewing. Sparky soon breaks loose however, and the entire town soon learns that a new "leash on life" can in fact be monstrous!  

Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, featuring the Voice Work of Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder and Charlie Tahan, hits theatres October 5, 2012 via Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada and it looks amaze.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada)

THE DILEMMA - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from The Dilemma

Ron Howard's The Dilemma certainly isn't his best work, but it also isn't as bad as the negative all the negative Publicity surrounding it would have you believe.  We follow Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn), a recovering Gambling Addict looking to propose to longtime Girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Connelly).  His Best Friend Nick (Kevin James) and him are partnering on a project to develop a powerful Engine for Chrysler.  The extended hours and unwavering focus at work have left Nick disengaged from his Wife Geneva (Winona Ryder).  After witnessing Geneva having an affair with a hunky younger Man named Zip (Channing Tatum), Ronny finds himself obsessed with the idea of Fidelity, threatening to expose the affair to Nick, to whom he owes his loyalties.  At the same time though, Ronny finds himself withdrawn progressively from his own relationship with Beth.

One cannot take anything away from the Principal Cast of The Dilemma. Vaughn, James, Connelly and Ryder all deliver strong performances, with Vaughn in particular shining brightest, given that his character is has much range to work with as Ronny spirals out of control.  James tackles a role more serious than what we are accustomed to from him, but nonetheless is as likable as ever, even though he never really hits his best stride in matching Vaughn's level of commitment. Ryder at last is given a meaty role to work with after suffering several career setbacks in recent memory.  At one point she manages to convince us that it just might be okay that she is cheating on her Husband.  Yes, she's that good.  

WINONA RYDER RECALLS A HOMOPHOBIC AND ANTI-SEMETIC MEL GIBSON

Winona Ryder at TIFF 2010

Winona Ryder is back in the headlines again and this time it's not negative press about her.  Ryder just revealed in an Interview with GQ Magazine, an encounter she had with shamed Actor Mel Gibson some years ago at a bash in Hollywood.

Ryder recalls "He was really drunk. I was with my friend, who's Gay. He (Gibson) made a really horrible Gay joke. And somehow it came up that I was Jewish. He said something about 'Oven Dodgers,' but I didn't get it. I'd never heard that before. It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, 'He's Anti-Semitic and he's Homophobic.' No one believed me!".  For your own knowledge, an Over Dodger is a crude term used to describe people of Jewish descent in reference to the cremations which took place during the Holocaust.

No surprises here. So much for the Public's forgiveness of Gibson for now - not that I've ever really been a big Fan of his to begin with.

On her period of addiction to Prescribed Drugs, Ryder explained "I broke my arm in two places. For about a month, I had to take it. But then I just kept taking it for, like... maybe three more weeks. But the thing I do remember is that once my arm was OK and they were still there, you kind of like... ".

All is forgiven Winona, welcome back!  The negative publicity you had was a good thing because it gave you a chance to come back and remind us why we loved you in the first place. Now stop being so mean to your Fans and sign some Autographs for crying out loud!  Horrible.

Read the Interview in full here.

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

TIFF BLACK SWAN GALA (REVIEW AND PICS)

Crazy people and Ballet - what a perfect match.  Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) has directed possibly another masterpiece in Black Swan and judging by the warm round of applause from an at-capacity Roy Thomson Hall  tonight it received, it appears many would agree.  The edgy Thriller however, is entirely dependent on a demanding performance from its star Natalie Portman as Nina. After watching this film, one can only wonder if there are any limits to her versatility.

Nina is chosen to play the dual role of White Swan/Black Swan by the Artistic Director of her Company, the inappropriate Thomas (Vincent Cassel).   Having grown up under the uncomfortably close watch of her mother (Barbara Hershey), Nina is not without her share of insecurities and this manifests itself through strange and self-mutilating habits.  She is driven at her craft to the point of obsession, yet somewhat naive about the world.  It is because of this that Thomas doubts whether or not she is capable of playing the role of Black Swan due to her inability to fully "lose herself" and "transcend".  

A new Ballerina is introduced in Lily (Mila Kunis), and soon Nina becomes suspicious of her intentions, feeling threatened that she just may lose her coveted opportunity to her new rival.  Lily is a perfect contrast to Nina - dark, fearless and seductive.  Tensions mount at home for Nina as her mother resents that she will eventually lose control over her daughter because of her oppressive regime.  And oddly there is a lingering sense of sexual tension also as Thomas and Lily both awaken sexual feelings in her.