Pulse: Critics Heart Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
It’s happening. Across the Web, early reviews for next weekend’s Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D are moderately apologetic and yet thoroughly positive, with a fair number of comparisons to the “Spielbergian wonder of old” popping up in support. Like seductive ooze, it seems that Hollywood’s first live-action tent-pole in the forthcoming theatrical 3D boom (boon?), will win over moviegoers with great 3D special effects, an epic wonderland scope and, to quote Variety, the “highest screams-per-capita ratio in the history of action-adventure pics.” Lalala. In other words, it’s only a movie-as-theme park ride, but they like it…well, save for the scene where star Brendan Fraser spits into a sink in 3D. And there’s also a requisite 3D yo-yo scene to rival the one in Friday the 13th Part 3(D). Where’s a hologram of Pauline Kael when we need it?
Based on the marketing, he expected to hate the film, but Cinematical’s Christopher Campbell informs that it’s an “astonishing 3D experience” and admits twice in his review that he “reverted back to my 8-year-old self”…
“Basically, throughout the movie there are three kinds of effects shots, which I labeled as silly, neat or wow! As you might guess, most of the time the shots fall within the “neat” range. But those considered ‘wow!’ are really ‘wow!’ They more than make up for those I label ’silly.’ …With Journey, I was immersed almost entirely, only conscious of my real surroundings when the audience jumped, gasped and/or laughed at (with) the pop-out 3-D effects.”
He compares the film sans “wow” but favorably to The Goonies and Raiders, but says that, in the end, Journey’s flimsy storyline can’t compete. Surveying the early reactions online, perhaps the film’s TV spots should feature excited testimonials from kids outfitted in mysteriously over-sized and mundane clothing. Over at CinemaBlend, Katey Rich gives the film 4 1/2 stars, saying…
“Experiencing it all in glorious 3D ups the ante—it’ll be a brave 8-year-old who never finds his palms sweating. …Journey 3D is predictable, cheesy and not even a little edgy, but it’s also as much fun as you’re likely to have in a PG movie this summer.”
Palm sweat! Take that Speed Racer, Kung Fu Panda, Meet Dave and Midnight Meat Train. Spoiler alert: Rich says that a “T. rex, for whatever reason, lives happily in the earth’s molten core.” And with that, we’ll circle back around with a closing endorsement from Variety’s John Anderson, who feels that Journey’s cocktail of humor, an ever-entertaining Fraser, and “thrills a minute” would be just as successful in 2D.
“…fortunately [the film has] thesp Brendan Fraser—whose mission in Hollywood seems to be to humanize the most f/x-besotted adventure. Boisterous action, 3-D visuals and equal doses of humor and chills should rocket the deep-dwelling tale into strong B.O. orbit.”
For many months, Journey 3D was anticipated by skeptics (like ourselves, but less carefree) to be surefire evidence that Hollywood will utilize its new 3D tech to shovel empty spectacle into theaters for years to come. Similar to Paramount’s roll-out with Beowulf (which was awesome), New Line will release Journey in both 3D (approx. 1,000 screens) and 2D (lawd, the children). Several reports peg Journey’s budget as far, far less than Beowulf’s $150 million, but its box office performance will be a more definitive sign of whether 3D is the future of cinema—especially family-oriented stuff—or simply an increasingly alarming option for stoned college kids at midnight. Either way, Brendan Fraser has The Mummy 7.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Is Breathing Easy
Sarah Michelle Gellar Is Breathing Easy
Taking a break from scaring the crap out of audiences in the Grudge franchise, Sarah Michelle Gellar attended the premiere of her new flick The Air I Breathe last night.
The Scooby Doo actress was most definitely the belle of the ball, dressed in an atypical light blue sleeveless dress with gold accents and a prom-style updo.
And it sounds like Gellar has surrounded herself with a who’s who of costars in her new movie. Everyone from Forest Whitaker to Brendan Fraser to the iconic Kevin Bacon make up the ensemble cast of The Air I Breathe.
The Internet Movie Database describes the film as, “A drama based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. A businessman (Whitaker) bets his life on a horse race; a gangster (Fraser) sees the future; a pop star (Gellar) falls prey to a crime boss (Garcia); a doctor (Bacon) must save the love of his life.”
The Air I Breathe opens in limited release on January 25th.
Rihanna’s Night at the Kids’ Choice Awards
Rihanna’s Night at the Kids’ Choice Awards
Taking a break from her string of charity gigs, R&R hitmaker Rihanna paid a visit to UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion for Saturday night’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.
And to the surprise of many, the Umbrella singer and her rumored boyfriend Chris Brown walked the event’s orange carpet separately.
Brown, who picked up the favorite male singer prize, kept his distance from the Barbados beauty as they both took separate turns waving to the throngs of screaming fans.
Chris even went as far as telling reporters, “We’re not in a relationship or anything,” before making his way inside the slime-filled ceremony.
Meanwhile, Rihanna was content chumming it up with fellow celebs such as Ashlee Simpson before tending to her presenting duties alongside Brendan Fraser.
Depp, Smith, Downey Hot at Fiery MTV Movie Awards
The only thing hotter than the predawn blaze that closed down the area surrounding the Gibson Amphitheatre before the 2008 MTV Movie Awards was double-threat Johnny Depp.
The masses-approved heartthrob had to wait out a thundering standing ovation before being able to give thanks for his Best Comedic Performance win, his third Golden Popcorn to date for playing Captain Jack Sparrow. And with Juno scribe Diablo Cody having already clutched her hand to her heart the first time, the reception was only a bit milder when Depp took the stage again, when he was named Best Villain for his turn as the murderous Sweeney Todd.
“I’m not really sure how this happened because you can ask anybodyI’m not a very funny person,” a clean-shaven Depp said in accepting his first award of the night.
And later: “Two times in one nightthat’s nutty. Wow…I have to thank all of you who voted for me. That’s really a great honor, thanks for sticking with me on this very obtuse and strange road…I’m not particularly eloquent at the moment, but thank you so much.”
Like the people who picked Transformers for Best Movie (we were wondering why they kept flashing to Michael Bay) over Juno and Superbad are worried about Depp’s eloquence.
But other than the frantic editing needed to bleep out curse words and other R-rated action, the vote-for-your-favorite kudosfest went off without a hitch, the majority of the drama having occurred earlier in the day.
Braving air that was still a little hazyeven by L.A. standardsdue to an early-morning fire on the Universal Studios backlot that destroyed several sets and shut down the adjacent theme park and Universal CityWalk for the day, spiffed-up stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Charlize Theron, Lindsay Lohan, Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sean Combs, Brendan Fraser and Paris Hilton and Benji Madden crowded the gold carpet leading into the venue.
Depp-as-Sparrow missed out on a clean sweep of the Best Male Performance category, with that honor going this year to box office golden boy Will Smith for his isolationist turn in the sci-fi hit I Am Legend.
“I’ve dedicated my life to creating and trying to do things that are different,” Smith said. “I’ve dedicated my life to making everything that I touch better…This film was hard and I was on camera for an hour by myself and y’all still went to see it. Thank you very much.”
The statue for Best Female Performance went to Juno It girl Ellen Page, who theoretically could be considered to be in the third trimester of her breakout year, now that it’s about time to stop honoring last year’s movies.
Tom Cruise was called upon to fete this year’s winner of the MTV Generation Award”Falling in Love With Drew Barrymore Man,” “Yelling at Jack Nicholson Guy,” “Magic Remote Control Dude” Adam Sandler.
“He liberated us form the presumption that it was not cool to punch old people…and he taught us how to celebrate Hanukkah by drinking gin-and-tonicas,” a straight-faced Cruise reminded us during the lengthy tribute.
“Thanks, guys, that was funthe most arrogant thing I’ve ever done,” the funnyman said after singing his own version of “Nobody Does It Better.” “I appreciate everything over the years…Thanks to you guys for always being so cool to me.”
Perfectly coiffed Hairspray star Zac Efron, who was sitting in the audience with High School Musical and real-life girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens, won for Best Breakthrough Performance. “I love you, Zacky!” costar Nikki Blonsky shouted from her seat.
Awards for Best Kiss and Best Fight each went to duos who may not yet be household names, but could very well be one day if looks and chemistry have anything to do with it.
Step Up 2 the Streets costars Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman gave us the usual Best Kiss winners makeout session (not as good as Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen’s from last year, though) and Best Fight opponents Sean Faris and Cam Gigandet did the endearing buddy thing when accepting their trophies for their mixed-martial-arts throwdown in Never Back Down.
“Thanks, Grandma, for voting 5 million times,” Faris said.
Meanwhile, although anything was going to look benign after Sarah Silverman’s Paris bashing last year, Mike Myers proved to be a largely inoffensive host, except for when he trotted out Dana Carvey for a Wayne’s World sketch.
“No Country for Old Balls” as the third-best porn title based on ’07 films was admittedly pretty funny, but other than that, the skit was largely a tired riff on Tila Tequila’s bisexuality.
And, just as they did during the American Idol finale, Tropic Thunder costars Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. turned in one of the funniest bits of the night, a sketch of them plotting a viral video campaign to tout their film that just turns into Downey hitting Black repeatedly in the crotch while holding an Iron Man helmet.
Although we needed two hands to count the testicle jokes and Megan Fox closed the show by promising that Transformers 2 is going to be “f—ing badass,” apparently MTV will only push the envelope so far when it comes to one of its biggest telecasts of the year.
Cameras immediately panned way outseriously, from close-up to aerial shotwhen Pineapple Express costars Seth Rogen and James Franco, in promoting their upcoming pot-enthusiast summer comedy, whipped out what really looked like a fatty bag of marijuana and started puffing away on a joint that they assured the audience was totally fake and not at all “really good s–t.”
The laughter was scattered for what Franco later said was an MTV-sanctioned bit, but then the moment turned a tad awkward when they presented the award for Best Summer Movie So Far (a category in need of narcotic enhancement, if there ever was one) to Iron Man director Jon Favreau and its prominently rehabbed star.
“Thanks, fellas, for the intoxicating introduction,” a bemused Downey said upon accepting the Golden Popcorn.
Here’s the complete list of winners of the 2008 MTV Movie Awards:
- Best Movie: Transformers
- Best Male Performance: Will Smith, I Am Legend
- Best Female Performance: Ellen Page, Juno
- Best Villain: Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
- Best Comedic Performance: Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
- Best Fight: Sean Faris vs. Cam Gigandet, Never Back Down
- Best Kiss: Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman, Step Up 2 the Streets
- Breakthrough Performance: Zac Efron, Hairspray
- Best Summer Movie So Far: Iron Man
- MTV Generation Award: Adam Sandler