2020 has been a prolific year for monster movies, be they funny and romantic (Love & Monsters), purely for kids (A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting), or in the case of Monster Hunter, mindless action. Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil) returns to the other genre that made him, the genre he never really left: video game adaptations. He and wife Milla Jovovich are the king and queen of them, if there can be such a thing for the seemingly accursed genre.
Folks, including myself, keep saying they’re the next big thing in Hollywood after superhero movies, and while valiant attempts have been made, even when talented people are aboard (Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia, Justin Kurzel and Fassy/Cotillard in Assassin’s Creed), they don't pan out. Like all the rest, Monster Hunter ain’t exactly the ticket to Hollywood genre royalty...
"Happy" might, alas, be the wrong word given how pachyderms have been treated in this world, practically always shamefully despite so much evidence of their intense family bonds, good natures (unlessly treated cruelly and then who doesn't lose their temper?) and their other cute qualities we may or may not be anthropomorphizing. Elephants may go extinct in our lifetime (which is unthinkable) so here are some charitable organizations you should consider supporting if you can that are fighting to save them.
Elephant activists also suggests never supporting the ivory trade which is easy and never going to elephant attractions (I once rode on an elephant as a child but I didn't know anything about animal cruelty back then) because most of them have taken from their mothers to train them. If you're interested in a good doc on the subject of elephants in captivity -- or rather the ways their captors grapple with the morality of it and how thinking around the topic is changing, I'd suggest One Lucky Elephant (2011) which is about a circus man giving up the elephant he'd raised and lived with for 16 years. It's both hopeful and sad.
After saying all that it may seem hypocritical to share favorite photos of celebrities with elephants (as these beasts have obviously been trained or been living in captivity) but we aren't perfect and can't resist the combo of movie stars and anything glorious that they happen to pose with. A beauty break with lots more photos after the jump including Lupita Nyong'o, Barbra Stanwyck, and Harrison Ford...
Eleven questions about this week's newly released titles. Q1: Which of these titles are you planning to catch up with or revisit at home?
Aloha (Reviewed) Cameron Crowe directs Bradley Cooper & Emma Stone in Hawaii. Q2: Are you the type who rubbernecks at car crashes? Citizen Four (Oscar Discussion / Podcasted) 2014's Oscar winning Documentary on Edward Snowden Q3: Do you try to see all nominees in the doc category each year and if so do you succeed? Iris Albert Maysles is no longer with us but before he left us, he made one last documentary about an eccentric old lady (which you might say is a specialty) Q4: Do you love Grey Gardens (rhetorical question) and if so did you watch "Sandy Passage" on Documentary Now this week? Lila & Eve Viola Davis & JLo are out to avenge the murder of their sons Q5: Has Viola moved into her trashy B-phase with this revenge thriller and How to Get Away With Murder and if so are you eager for something classy again? October Gale Director Ruba Nadda and Goddess Patricia Clarkson reunite post Cairo Time for this drama about a doctor (Patricia Clarkson) and a man who washes up on her shore wounded (Scott Speedman). Is a killer coming to finish the job? Q6: Do the words "Patricia Clarkson and Scott Speedman" in combination make you suddenly hungry because that sounds delicious to me? The Runner Nicolas Cage is a politician with a sex scandal problem. With Sarah Paulson and Connie Nielsen and the BP Oil Spill in supporting. Q7: What did Sarah Paulson ever do to deserve this?
Save him, Patricia!Action Flickers: Tony Jaa & Dolph Lundgren
Skin Trade Giant powerhouse Dolph Lundgren hunts his family's killer down in Southeast Asia with tiny powerhouse Tony Jaa by his side. Q8: Dolph or Tony? Two Days One Night Oscar nominated Marion Cotillard tries to save her job in this wrenching smart drama from Belgium's Dardennes brothers. Q9: On a scale of 10-10, how utterly amazing do you think Cotillard is in this movie? Where Hope Grows an athlete befriends a man with Down's Syndrome Q10: Are you even reading this post? TV Season Releases Elementary (3rd), Revenge (4th), The Walking Dead (5th), Good Wife (6th), Criminal Minds (10th) Q11: Do you still buy TV seasons on DVD or did you give that up with the rise of streaming options?
Cinderoncé The complete Cinderella story set to Beyoncé music because of course LA Times on the 20 year road to get Dallas Buyers Club made. Pajiba on the "Fred"'s aka Lucas Cruikshank's adorable coming out Crikey a review of Pain & Gain that actually makes me want to see the first movie. The last paragraph is blurb heaven and should be quoted on every poster /FilmReality Bites, one of my personal definitive movies of the 90s, is going to TV series. I'm not against this in concept except that Winona Ryder is unimproveable as Leilana so you're starting from behind, you know? I've long thought it was her (arguably) her greatest performance in a career full of memorable ones.
MNPP suggests a movie for Domnhall Gleeson and David Wenham. Someone Kickstarter Ginger Heat please! Cinema Blend whoa, I thought Tony Jaa (of Thai action Ong Bak film fame) was long gone from cinema but he's been added to the Fast and Furious 7 cast Boy Culture pitch-shifting Madonna's vocals on MDNA. These lower versions sound so much better which leads you to wonder what was with all the up-shifting (p.s. I love the album as is, unlike most) Salon on why you should watch Project Runway again In Contention has a Venice Film Festival preview Gawker defends Ben Affleck's casting as Batman by way of Heath Ledger's equally (at first) controversial casting as The Joker. Forgets to also notice that Heath Ledger was always an awesome actor before The Joker but yes, people do go on about casting notices for superhero films.
Marion. I added the Damn Spot*Speaking of... ZOMG I forgot to mention what you've already finished talking about. That Marion Cotillard replaced Natalie Portman in the upcoming Macbeth film. The one with Fassy as Macbeth. Yay, upgrade! I like Natalie more than Marion (historically speaking) but that part was such a weird fit for the ballerina.
*Lady Macbeth, and the Complete Character Gallery of Tennesse Williams plays are my equivalents to superheroes when it comes to casting notices. I'd definitely prefer a new Lady Macbeth or a new Maggie the Cat reboot every 5 years to a new Batman or Spider-Man origin story every 5, wouldn't you?
The Film Doctor has nine notes on Zach Snyder's Sucker Punch. Inside TV EW describes a truckload of new pilots. Which will make the cut for fall. Lots of movie peeps willing to say goodbye to movie stardom if their shows get picked up including Kerry Washington, Kat Denning, Zooey Deschanel and Patrick Wilson. Others like Anjelica Huston and Angela Bassett are less surprising since the film roles have dried up (Stupid Hollywood!) Serious Film offers up Lawrence of Arabia in the Line Reading Hall of Fame.
Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, post coital in DON'T LOOK NOW
Twitch has doubts about Simon Kook becoming the new Thai action star in light of Tony Jaa's problematic career trajectory. Cartoon Brew want to learn about animation and story development from the Pixar folks? You can for $500 during their upcoming New York seminar. Movie|Line As the weekend began they followed up with the suddenly in-the-news again story about the infamous sex scene between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in Don't Look Now. Love the ending of the article.
Besides, what better way to spend a Friday than by trying to figure out if two movie stars had sex 38 years ago?
As for his denial, Peter Bart's new book, and Julie Christie's 38 year old refusal to answer the question... Trust no one. The only thing that makes these stories fun is that you really can't trust anyone. Only the director and the stars know for sure. But I'll say this: it looks just as convincing as the sex scene in Lust, Caution but in both cases, who knows? Editing can be deceiving. Especially when the editing is rapid fire and jaggedy as it it in both films.
And here is one of those freaky Taiwanese animated news renditions this time on Elizabeth Taylor's passing. I know some people will consider this disrespectful, but it's of a piece with what they do.
They always manage to come up with a few visual gags that show a certain amount of perverse creativity and actual thought. (Remember Jake Gyllenhaal's fruity penis from that SXSW news bit?) Plus I bet Elizabeth herself would guffaw as she had a great bawdy sense of humor about herself and everything else, too.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 8:00PM 
by Tony Ruggio
