The Hottest Characters of 2012

As 2012 commenced, I had planned to do another Dogs on Film feature for the end of the year. However 2012 has been low on amazing dogs on the big screen. Instead, I decided to make a list of the top five hottest characters to appear in film this year. Enjoy!

1. ’80s Robot

Is there anything on Earth better than a robot from the 1980s? I think not. Nostalgia-fest The Muppets gave us the finest gift in the form of ’80s Robot. The manservant of Kermit, ’80s Robot offers guests Tab Cola and New Coke, speaks eighties slang and has a dial-up modem. That sound. God bless ’80s Robot for reminding us of the wonderment of the 1980s.

The Muppets is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray.

2. Mr Bobo

The virtues of Mr Bobo from The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists have been extolled on these pages before. Suffice to say, you can’t really go wrong with a monocle-wearing monkey butler. Especially one who communicates through subtitled cards.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray.

3. Robot

It has been a good year for robots. Although Robot & Frank does not get a UK release until 2013, I saw the film this year so Robot goes on the list. Robot is a everyone’s dream; a butler who will wake you with breakfast, ensure you have activities for the day, and may just help you break the law. The morning after seeing Robot & Frank, I was so disappointed to be woken by my phone alarm and not my robot butler.

Robot & Frank is released in cinemas on 8th March 2013.

4. Mr Whiskers

Mr Whiskers narrowly beats Sparky from Frankenweenie to earn his place on the list. Mr Whiskers’ facial expression, his delivery of ‘meow’ and the fact that when he dreams about someone he poos their initial all add up to one memorable character. What occurs later in the film only adds to this.

Frankenweenie is released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 11th February 2013.

5. Ted

A teddy bear who comes to life. For this premise alone Ted should make the list. However, Ted is rather adorable-looking to boot. Granted, he is far more lewd than my pristine teddies would ever be, but he also is fun. Also, he appears most amusing when sitting on top of a dog.

Ted is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition

To celebrate Frankenweenie opening the London Film Festival, and to coincide with the film’s release, the BFI are hosting a free exhibition entitled The Art of Frankenweenie at the Southbank. I took a look this morning and it is rather delightful. Although small, there are puppets, artwork, sets and even a short film in the cinema room. Anyone who is interested in animation, particularly stop motion, should check it out.

The Art of Frankenweenie runs from 17th to 21st October 2012. I have included a picture of hot slice Mr Whiskers for your viewing pleasure below.

Frankenweenie Press Conference

Director Tim Burton, executive producer Don Hahn, producer Allison Abbate and stars Martin Landau, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short came together to discuss London Film Festival opening film Frankenweenie today. The panel were on good form, with Martin Short impersonating Burton and Martin Landau doing an impression of Alfred Hitchcock. Burton talked about working with the close-nit group. The director has worked with all of the panel on at least one previous occasion. The panel were asked to each offer their first impressions of Burton, which ranged from Catherine O’Hara being late for their initial meeting to Martin Landau seeing Beetlejuice at the cinema and him wanting to work with Burton because of the film.

Tim Burton also spoke about the importance of shooting Frankenweenie in black and white, stating that it gives the film the feel of an old horror movie, even for those too young to have watched them. The director remarked that he still considered himself to be outside the mainstream, despite the commercial success of his films. Martin Landau likened working with Burton to a ‘playground’, while Martin Short praised the director for giving actors the opportunity to express their thoughts.

The BFI London Film Festival runs 10-21 October 2012. Frankenweenie opens in cinemas on 17th October 2012.

 

Film Review: Frankenweenie

Tim Burton could make another film that epitomised his output as a filmmaker, but it would be difficult for him to match Frankenweenie in this respect. For Frankenweenie is quintessentially Burtonesque.

High school student Victor Frankenstein prefers learning about science than playing sport and enjoys the company of his dog Sparky. When a tragic accident occurs, Victor uses the knowledge he has gained from science class to conduct an experiment to bring back Sparky…

Frankenweenie is based on a live-action short film Tim Burton made whilst he worked at Disney in the early 1980s. It is pleasant for fans of Burton’s older work to see him remaking something of his own this time round. A totally original film may have been preferable in terms of output, but at least Frankenweenie is derived from Burton’s original idea.

Frankenweenie is a well executed film. The story has heart, and seems more genuine than some of Burton’s recent efforts. It is a well crafted tale. Despite being based on a short film, Frankenweenie never feels stretched or padded out. It offers more by way of plot and characters to compensate for the longer duration. There is a good mix of humour and the macabre, the latter of which is never really frightening. The film is certainly suitable for family viewing.

Frankenweenie is an unequivocal product of Tim Burton in that it references his own work whilst highlighting his influences. References to Edward Scissorhands, Vincent, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy stories and others can easily be spotted by those who have a familiarity with Burton’s work. Similarly subjects that have influenced his earlier work are made abundantly clear, with monster movies, gothic horror stories, Universal and Hammer horrors all taking a prominent place.

The fact that it is stop-motion animation and shot in black and white gives the film a quaint feel. It appears that a lot of care has gone into the making of Frankenweenie. Burton has chosen to reunite with Winona Ryder, Martin Landau and Catherine O’Hara, further feeding into the theme of going back.

Frankenweenie could only be the product of Tim Burton, which should inform viewers whether they are likely to enjoy it. The film is sweet, and acts like a homage to Burton’s influences and earlier work.

Frankenweenie opens the London Film Festival on 10th October 2012. It is released in cinemas on 17th October 2012.

Stuff To Look At

A veritable feast for the eyes this week, with the new teaser trailer for The Lone Ranger, excellent posters from the upcoming Frankenweenie, and more besides…

The Lone Ranger

The teaser trailer for 2013’s The Lone Ranger was released this week. Starring Johnny Depp, directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it is unsurprising that the teaser is reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean. Also starring Armie Hammer as the title character and Helena Bonham Carter, The Lone Ranger is due for release next year.

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie will be released in the UK on 17th October 2012, and will open the London Film Festival on 12 October 2012. To promote the release of Tim Burton’s new film, these fantastic retro-style posters have been released. The others can be viewed here. They are entirely in keeping with the style of the stop-motion animated black and white film. To coincide with the release, the exhibition The Art of Frankenweenie will open at the BFI Southbank during the festival.

The Master

One of this year’s most anticipated films will be released in the UK on 16th November 2012, with a special run at the Odeon West End from 2nd November 2012. Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master has been receiving critical acclaim and recently broke the takings per screen record when it opened in the US. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams.

The Hobbit

Several images and features from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey have been released in the last few weeks. These include new posters featuring the dwarves and new Hobbit-related apps. But what I want to know is where are the Gollum posters and apps? Until this time comes, here is an image from the film to sate Gollum fans. The first film instalment of The Hobbit will be released on 14th December 2012.

Gambit

Written by Joel and Ethan Coen and directed by Michael Hoffman, Gambit looks like a lot of fun. Starring Colin Firth, Alan Rickman and Cameron Diaz, Gambit is a remake of the 1966 film of the same name. The film will be released in UK cinemas on 21st November 2012.

London Film Festival 2012 Launch

The BFI London Film Festival’s full programme was announced on Wednesday 5th September. This year, the festival is slightly shorter (twelve days instead of fourteen), but screenings will take place at more venues around London. Prior to the launch, it was announced that Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie would open the festival, and the new adaptation of Great Expectations would close it.

There are not many surprises in the programme. One change to this years proceedings is the dividing of films into new categories such as ‘Love’ and ‘Thrill’. I’m not sure exactly how this will pan out for films more difficult to define. The gala screenings offer some anticipated films, such as Ben Affleck’s Argo and Hyde Park on Hudson, starring Bill Murray. Documentaries that look interesting include The Central Park Five, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, and Love, Marilyn. Also to look out for are Seven Psychopaths, Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time, Antiviral and The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

The BFI London Film Festival runs from 10 – 21 October 2012.

Stuff To Look At

Some delights for the eyeballs with Frankenweenie, Monsters University, The Expendables 2 and Pitch Perfect.

Frankenweenie

With these images, you are really spoiling us, Disney. Not content with releasing the first image of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent at the beginning of the week, Disney have also furnished us with new images from Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie. Obviously, I am choosing to share the image of Sparky, the hot piece dog at the centre of the film. Frankenweenie is due for release on 17th October 2012.

Monsters University

I have a terrible confession to make. I have never actually seen Monsters Inc. I know, shoot me down. Many centuries ago, in my brief stint as a ‘Cast Member’ for The Disney Store, we used to sell all kinds of Sully-emblazoned merchandise. Thus, I am aware of the characters and the general happenings of the film, even though I have never watched Monsters Inc. The follow up, prequel Monsters University, is due for release next summer so I have plenty of time to see the original.

The Expendables 2

Of the films out this summer, The Expendables 2 is one I am really looking forward to. With the inclusion of Jason Statham, Jet Li and others, The Expendables 2 is not really an eighties action star reunion. Nevertheless, the film does feature Norris, Stallone, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger and Willis. Not exactly a bad cast. The Expendables 2 is out in cinemas on 16th August and I cannot wait.

Pitch Perfect

What’s this? Another Glee-inspired film about a singing competition? Yes and no. Like Joyful Noise, it is unlikely that the success of Glee did not impact Pitch Perfect being green lit. However, the film seems to have more of an attitude than the television show, so hopefully amusement will trump saccharine sentiment. Pitch Perfect is out in UK cinemas on 19th October 2012.

Stuff To Look At

There is still some time to go before the new trailer for The Dark Knight Rises is unleashed (4th May, to be shown before The Avengers in US cinemas). I am trying to avoid the TDKR scoops/spoilers like the plague. In the mean time, here is some stuff on other upcoming releases.

Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows is out in cinemas on 11th may 2012 and I am really looking forward to it. Warner Brothers have released this fun featurette about vampire history and the film’s televisual past. Dark Shadows is Tim Burton’s first film since 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. The director also has Frankenweenie coming out later this year.

Prometheus

It’s all about the build up to the trailer nowadays. It was announced yesterday that a brand new trailer for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus would air on television during Homeland on Sunday evening. I might have to wait a little longer than that, as I don’t actually watch Homeland. While we wait for that, here is a short featurette on Prometheus and Ridley Scott. Prometheus is out on 1st June 2012.

The Dictator

The Dictator is due for release on 18th May 2012. Sacha Baron Cohen is stepping up promotion for the film, which will hopefully bring the laughs. Above is footage of an Australian television interview with Cohen (in character). Needless to say, there are some silly jibes.

Snow White and the Huntsman

After Mirror Mirror was surprisingly good, Snow White and the Hunstman needs to step up its game. Above is the latest TV spot for the film. I am really looking forward to the film because I like fairy tales and Charlize Theron looks like an amazing Queen. The Florence + The Machine song ‘Breath of Life’, which features in the film, can be heard here. Snow White and the Huntsman is released on 1st June, with previews from the 31st May 2012.

Rock of Ages

I for one am hoping that Rock of Ages will be the hot mess Burlesque was supposed to be. It has all the right ingredients; Tom Cruise as an ageing rocker, an eighties rock soundtrack boasting Journey and Def Leppard, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. I have never seen the musical, but I am looking forward to seeing the film. You can view the trailer here. Rock of Ages will open on 15th June 2012.

Trailer Round-Up

This week saw the release of the first trailer of Frankenweenie, one of my most anticipated films of the year. Also included is the new Avengers Assemble trailer, Neighbourhood Watch and The Dictator.

Frankenweenie

I used to be a huge Tim Burton fan. I even wrote  a dissertation on his films. More recently, like many, I have found the proliferation of remakes a little tiresome. Although it is also a remake, at least Frankenweenie is Burton remaking his own work. The original short film can be found on The Nightmare Before Christmas DVD. From the above trailer, Frankenweenie looks like quintessential Burton, with a noticeable reference to the Universal Frankenstein films. Frankenweenie is released on 5th October 2012.

Avengers Assemble

The Avengers has had a name change; it is now Avengers Assemble. The full trailer was released earlier this week, and gives us an insight into the film’s plot. Avengers Assemble features Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, the third actor to play this role in the last nine years. Nevertheless, there is continuity with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson all returning. Avengers Assemble is out on 26th April 2012.

The Dictator

This trailer has been floating around for a while, but with Sasha Baron Cohen’s Oscars appearance I thought I would share it. The Dictator features Baron Cohen doing his usual caricature thing. This time, however, the subject matter is more resonant with current affairs. No doubt there will be thematic parallels with the Middle East uprising. The Dictator is released on 16th May 2012.

Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch is a new comedy starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn. Not sure where Owen Wilson is on this one. Instead, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade round up the leads. The film is the first major Hollywood role for Ayoade. The film is about a neighbourhood watch group seemingly overstating their importance in suburbia. Neighbourhood Watch is out on 24th August 2012.

2012’s Most Anticipated

As 2012 arrives imminently, I thought I would share some of my cinematic picks for next year. Below are the films I am most looking forward to seeing next year. These do not include films that I have already seen that are due for general release in the next few months, such as Shame or Martha Marcy May Marlene.

1. The Muppets

Although The Muppets was released in America months ago, it is not due for UK release until February. It seems that we have reverted back to the 1980s in that the UK is getting such a big movie as this months after the US. I love the Muppets, so cannot wait for the film. I have tried not to read too much about it, but all that I am hearing so far is positive. The Muppets is released on 10th February 2012.

2. The Raven

From the trailer, this film seems to have everything; macabre murder mystery, Edgar Allan Poe and John Cusack. I love Poe’s work and the premise of The Raven sounds great; Poe pursues a serial killer who bases his crimes on the author’s work. Hopefully the execution will do the idea justice. The Raven is released on 9th March 2012.

3. Prometheus

Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated new addition to the Alien franchise, the teaser trailer for Prometheus has recently been released. It does not give too much away, but it looks very interesting. Hopefully with Scott at the helm, Prometheus will return to Alien‘s combination of science fiction and horror. With a cast which boasts Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace, Prometheus is very exciting on paper. The film is released on 1st June 2012.

4. The Dark Knight Rises

The grandaddy of them all, the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy will be one of the biggest movies of the summer. I recently watched the prologue, which was impressive on the Imax screen. Like others, I was concerned that I couldn’t understand Bane properly. The trailer looks magnificent, so as long as Bane’s voice becomes clearer, the film should be a fitting end to a fantastic franchise. The Dark Knight Rises is released 20th July 2012.

5. Frankenweenie

Another remake from Tim Burton, but at least this time he is remaking his own work. Frankenweenie was a live action short from the director’s time at Disney. Stills from the film were recently released; Burton aficionados are likely to find them reminiscent of Vincent, a short directed by the filmmaker around the same time as Frankenweenie. The stop-motion remake tells the story of a boy who tries to bring his dog back to life, a homage to Shelley’s Frankenstein. Frankenweenie is released 5th October 2012.

6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings was a triumphant film series, and fans of the books were no doubt pleased when it was announced that the director would return for The Hobbit. On a personal level, I am excited for the film because I love Gollum. The trailer shows the return of familiar faces; hopefully the film will be of the same quality as the earlier series. The Hobbit is released 14th December 2012.