Last weekend seems like such a long time ago. It seems like it was in another galaxy far, far away, in fact. We now live in this strange new world in which Disney not only owns Lucasfilm but is also putting out a new live-action Star Wars movie in two and a half years. And yet, that’s still not the biggest thing to happen in the last seven days. This is, of course, the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, which has affected the film industry to a degree.
For one thing, as we reported, it destroyed a major piece of movie memorabilia — the HMS Bounty replica used in Mutiny on the Bounty and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest — and two human lives with it. Also, a number of films that opened or were supposed to open in limited release in New York City this weekend have been delayed until power is restored to the venues hosting them.
Meanwhile, individuals without electricity in the wake of the storm have been unable to read FSR all week. The least of their problems, obviously, and I’m not saying it’s any priority of theirs to catch up with our content, but if they are looking to do so once they can, the recap is here. Seriously, though, join us in helping the people in need post-Sandy by maybe skipping just one movie and donating the ticket money instead.
If you are catching up or looking for highlights, let us first remind you of our reviews of new releases (Flight, Wreck-It Ralph, The Man With the Iron Fists, The Bay and This Must Be the Place) and of our interviews with Iron Fists co-writer/director RZA and co-writer/producer Eli Roth, as well as horror film composer Tyler Bates and Satellite of Love writer-director Will James Moore. Also this week, we watched trailers for Despicable Me 2, John Dies at the End, West of Memphis, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (red band) and Steven Soderbergh’s supposed next-to-last film, Side Effects.
Now, check out our biggest and best stories and original content from the past week after the break.
What We Expect from Disney’s Star Wars
The bomb was dropped on all level of movie fan with the announcement of Disney’s Lucasfilm purchase and plans for more Star Wars movies. And it was revealed they will be original stories, so no adaptation of Timothy Zahn‘s novels. Speaking of SW novels, this could be the end of those. Once the news settled in and the hangover subsided (sort of; we’re still in a state of shock), we had some fun with the news. Nathan looked at good and bad ideas for who should direct Episode 7. Top pick seemed to be Brad Bird: “his first film as a director of live action, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,not only proved that Bird could be trusted to resuscitate a floundering franchise, it also proved that the guy could flat-out make an awesome, balls-to-the-wall action tentpole.”
Other recommended Star Wars-related posts:
5 Weird Ways Disney Buying Lucasfilm Just Changed The Future
Guillermo Del Toro Rumored for DC Comics Team-Up
Three interesting pieces of news for comic book movie fans arrived this week, and the Guillermo Del Toro had us the most curious. He is rumored to be doing a multi-character team-up called Heaven Sent involving Swamp Thing, John Constantine, Deadman, The Spectre and others. Nathan commented: “If Del Toro gets his hands on all of these characters, or even if one or two should prove to be unavailable, that would give him a pretty huge and pretty weird sandbox to play around with his spooky design aesthetic in, and could produce one of the coolest comic book movies ever, even in a world where Joss Whedon’s The Avengers has already become a reality.”
More recommended comic book movie news:
Jamie Foxx In “Early Talks” to Play Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Bryan Singer Now Official to Direct X-Men: Days of Future Past
Will the Academy Awards Recognize the Ambition of Cloud Atlas?
We have a new column covering the Oscars and awards season, and it is the best damn Oscar blog ever, if we do say so ourselves. In the first installment Daniel looked at the ambition of Cloud Atlas and compared it to similar films in the past that were or weren’t recognized by the Academy, while highlighting its worthiness and potential in specific categories: “Alexander Berner’s editing (one editor on a film with three directors, mind you), might be less likely to make it to a nomination given how closely that category tends to mimic Best Picture. Yet it deserves the attention, somehow darting from scene to scene without ham-handedness or brutality.”
Also recommended:
6 Filmmaking Tips from the Wachowskis
The Cynic’s Oscars: Best Costume Design and Best Makeup Are the Halloween Categories
James Bond Merchandise: A Wonderful, Weird and Fancy History
With less than a week until the U.S. opening of Skyfall (which is already breaking records overseas), we get our second to last Countdown column for 007. Brian looked through the many years of James Bond toys, including action figures, guns, cars, games and trading cards. Also caviar and cigarettes. And rubber bands. “Repeating that: James Bond rubber bands. For the man who believes keeping his potato chips fresh when the chip clip has gone missing is an act of espionage.”
Also recommended:
The 10 Must-See Movies of November 2012
Vote for Mitt Romney and the Zombie Apocalypse
In an amusing political viral video, filmmaker Joss Whedon came out as endorsing Mitt Romney for President, though not necessarily because he thinks the former governor of Massachusetts would make a good commander-in-chief. Neil wrote: “a vote for Romney is a vote for the zombie apocalypse. And if movies have taught we movie fans anything, it’s how to survive such an event. So grab your sword and your sawed-off shotgun and head to the polls, friends.”
Other recommended election-related posts:
Mitt Romney Debates Billy Madison
The Campaign Drinking Game