Stuff To Look At

All manner of upcoming film-related items to occupy you for at least a few minutes…

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby has some mighty fine artwork. Art Deco reigns supreme in these new character posters. You can view the latest trailer for the film here. The Great Gatsby is out in UK cinemas on 16th May 2013.

The Hangover Part III

This new trailer for The Hangover Part III gives a good idea of the plot of the film. All the regular faces return for this final instalment, directed by Todd Phillips. The Hangover Part III is released in UK cinemas on 23rd May 2013.

21 and Over

21 and Over is a rites of passage comedy from the writers of The Hangover. Jeff Chang’s two best friends come to town to celebrate his 21st birthday, but he has an important interview the next morning. Starring Project X‘s Miles Teller, the trailer lets viewers know exactly what to expect. 21 and Over is out in UK cinemas on 3rd May 2013.

The Iceman

With a stellar cast that includes Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder and Ray Liotta, The Iceman is based on the story of real-life hitman Richard Kuklinski. The critically acclaimed film is due for release in the UK on 7th June 2013.

The Conjuring

Well this looks suitably terrifying. Here is the main trailer for horror movie The Conjuring. Starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, the film hits UK screens on 19th July 2013.

Film Review: Project X

It has often been said that women get a raw deal in movies. The same can be said of teenage boys. Project X does nothing to rectify this, although the film does amuse in places.

On his seventeenth birthday, high school student Thomas is encouraged by his friends Costa and JB to throw a party. The trio are not the most popular students at school, and Costa thinks a big party will put them on the map. Thomas and his friends are filmed by a fellow colleague as the party gets started…

With barely a semblance of a plot, Nima Nourizadeh’s Project X is all about crass humour and bad behaviour. From the outset, this will turn off numerous viewers. Project X is likely to appeal to and satisfy a particular demographic. The 18 certificate may hinder the film’s chances of box office success as many viewers likely to be attracted by it will be under this age. Filmmakers may have been wiser to make a few cuts in order to get the 15 rating.

Project X is funny, but this humour tends to be rather base and crass. The film will often go for cheap jokes instead of relying on more intelligent writing. The humour works for the type of film that it is, although not sufficiently to sustain the entire production. Certain slurs and language is used over and over again. This is more offensive for the fact that it is a dull steroetype rather than for the actual terms used.

The film is noticeably misogynistic in its depiction of characters. Women are little more than eye candy, and are treated accordingly by the film’s main protagonists. The three main characters do not come off well because of this, and it is a rather unoriginal depiction of teenage boys.

Many teen films will feature parties that will either make viewers envious, or nostalgic for their youth. Project X bucks the trend by offering a party that is most undesirable. There is a conscious display of sweating, dilated pupils and mess; a far cry from more glamorous images of the American high school party. Perhaps this was the aim of Nourizadeh and producer Todd Phillips.

The film does boast a great soundtrack however. Some of the sequences function like a music video with the use of montage. Performances are also fine, with Oliver Cooper excelling as the stereotypical antagonistic pal Costa. If crass humour and debauched teens is your thing, than Project X is the film for you.

Trailer Round-Up

There are four trailers from the past week that are worth a look. A little bit of horror, LA crime drama, teen shenanigans and East End violence seem to be the shape of things to come.

The Cabin in the Woods

 I have seen The Cabin in the Woods, but I am sworn to secrecy. The film was co-written and produced by Joss Whedon. Go and see it when it comes out on 13th April 2012.

 Rampart

There is not enough noir in modern cinema. Rampart, released Friday 24th February, appears to go some way to rectifying this. Featuring a screenplay by L.A. Confidential‘s James Ellroy, Rampart focuses on a veteran cop in the LAPD. The film features an all-star cast including Woody Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver and Steve Buscemi.

 Project X

Project X seems to be a teen party movie with a twist. The film is about a seventeenth birthday party which high school students shoot with their digital cameras. Project X is produced by The Hangover‘s Todd Phillips and The Matrix‘s Joel Silver. The film is released in cinemas on 2nd March 2012.

 Pusher

Pusher is a remake of Nicolas Winding Refn’s film of the same name. This version is set in East London and stars Agyness Deyn, Ruchard Coyle and Bronson Webb. The remake has the approval of Winding Refn, who acts as executive producer of the project. Pusher is due for release this year.

Project X Trailer

From producer Todd Phillips, of The Hangover fame, Project X is due for release in March 2012. The film is about a high school party that gets out of control. Judging by the above teaser trailer, it seems as if the film works from the perspective of as if we had seen the infamous night in Phillips’ The Hangover. Except with teenagers. The teaser does not give away too much, it will be interesting to see the exact angle Project X takes.