Marley and Me Teaser Trailer
20th Century Fox has released the teaser trailer for the big screen adaptation of Marley & Me. I’ve never read John Grogan’s New York Times bestselling book, but I’ve heard from friends that it is both hilarious and heartwarming. And it seems to me that anyone who has ever had a pet would be able to relate with this story. But many of those same friends were shocked at the typical romantic comedy-esque casting of Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. And the short teaser below doesn’t quarm my uninformed preconceptions with the duo. Tell me what you think in the comments!
The official book cover description follows: The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life. John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley quickly grew into a barreling, 97-pound streamroller of a Labrador Retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged into drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women’s undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good —Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, “Don’t hesitate to use these.”
And yet, his heart was pure. Just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. He shared the couple’s joy at first pregnancy, and their heartbreak over miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a 17-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night. Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at wit’s end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.
Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.
source: marleyandmemovie
Twilight Teaser Trailer
Looks like Twilight won’t be saving Speed Racer after all. Summit Entertainment has released the first teaser trailer for Twilight on MySpace.
Based on the bestselling book series by Stephenie Meyer, and directed by Catherine Hardwicke, Twilight tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. She becomes drawn to Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a pale, mysterious classmate who is part of a family of vampires. Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward’s nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella.
So far readers have been highly critical of this film adaptation. And while I’m not far off, I’m certainly intrigued by the intense fandom. I’ve even recently discovered some of my friends, who opinions I trust, are actually fans of the series. So I really want to give it a chance. And after watching the teaser trailer, I’m still not sure what to think.
Book to Movie: Is Confessions of a Shopaholic the next Devil Wears Prada?
Every-time I’m a Borders or Barnes and Nobles, I run into Sophie Kinsella’s bestselling book Confessions of a Shopaholic. I’m a guy, and the book seems to be targeted for the opposite sex, so I’ve never actually picked it up or skimmed through the pages. The last time I went to the book store, I actually made a bet with myself that I would run into the book. I tried to avoid it, and my entire bookstore visit was Shopaholic free, UNTIL there it was, right when I went to checking out. But the good thing about gambling with yourself is when you lose you also win. So I’m surprised that it’s taken this long for a big screen adaptation to be announced.
Our friends at MadAboutMovies report that P.J. Hogan (Muriel’s Wedding, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Peter Pan) will bring the book to the big screen. Marina compares the book to The Devil Wears Prada, which was certainly one of my guilty pleasures of last year (the film, not the book). So if this film is half as good, and they get someone cute like Anne Hathaway or Mandy Moore to star, I’m there. But what’s this book about anyway? Here is the book description:
Rebecca Bloomwood just hit rock bottom. But she’s never looked better….Becky Bloomwood has a fabulous flat in London’s trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season’s must-haves. The only trouble is that she can’t actually afford it—not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Savings not only bores her to tears, it doesn’t pay much at all. And lately Becky’s been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank—letters with large red sums she can’t bear to read—and they’re getting ever harder to ignore. She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Becky’s only consolation is to buy herself something … just a little something….Finally a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life—and the lives of those around her—forever.
Sophie Kinsella has brilliantly tapped into our collective consumer conscience to deliver a novel of our times—and a heroine who grows stronger every time she weakens. Becky Bloomwood’s hilarious schemes to pay back her debts are as endearing as they are desperate. Her “confessions” are the perfect pick-me-up when life is hanging in the (bank) balance.
Shooting begins November in New York City (looks like they might have moved the locale).
TIFF Movie Review: Into The Wild
Based on the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer, Into The Wild tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, a college graduate who one day decides to emancipate himself from his family and the material word. He leaves all his possessions, giving his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked his way across the America, with a dream to live alone in the wilderness of Alaska.
Directed by Sean Penn, and starring a more than capable cast of actors and actresses, Into The Wild is a scrapbook of a journey - a movie of moments, interesting characters, and self revelation. Penn experiments with the cinematic medium, dividing the movie into chapters, slow-motion, fast-motion, split screen, flashbacks, flash forwards, superimposed handwritten text and much more.
Jena Malone, who plays Christopher’s sister, provides an intermittent voiceover throughout. At times the actors in the film seem to improvise lines which add to the realism in the dialogue. Emile Hirsch gives the best performance of his career thus far, and supposedly lost 30 pounds to play the role. I found the film surprisingly enjoyable. The cinematography is breathtaking. Some people might find the film to be slightly pretentious and at almost two and a half hours in length, maybe a tad bit long. There is also a pretty gruesome sequence involving the killing and consumption of a Moose, animal lovers beware. Into the Wild is one of the best movies of 2007 so far.