Collateral Beauty (2016)

This year I'm seriously committing to watching all those movies that have been on my watchlist since the dawn of times because I always put them off. Collateral Beauty is one of them and since it was on TV some nights ago, I  finally watched it. 

The film mostly focuses on Howard Inlet (Will Smith), a successful advertising executive who has completely lost it after the death of his daughter. Building domino chains and writing letters to Love, Time, and Death, is all he does, and he's driving his company on the verge of bankruptcy. His three friends and business partners, Whit Yardsham (Edward Norton), Claire Wilson (Kate Winslet), and Simon Scott (Michael Peña), fear for the future of the company so, in order to save/sell it, they hire three actors, Amy (Keira Knightley), Raffi (Jacob Latimore), and Brigitte (Helen Mirren), to play Love, Time, and Death respectively, and convince him that nobody else can see them so to prove he's mentally unstable. 

It's a story with a lot of potential, unfortunately it was poorly executed —not only the entire plot is revealed within the first 15-20 minutes, but after a while it just stops going anywhere and it becomes just a dull sequence of events that lead to a first twist that was obvious from the character's first appearance and a less obvious second twist at the end that still fail to wow you. It feels like Collateral Beauty's wants to be a poignant, emotional story about loss and pain but also love and hope, but it just comes off as bland and cold. I didn't lose my interest but still, I wasn't compelled by it. 

The characters aren't much better than that as they are, just like the story, bland. We don't care about any of them and the ending is a relief only because it means the movie is over. Despite his interactions with Love, Time, and Death, Howard doesn't grow nor change in any way. The friends' motives are questionable at best. Furthermore, these characters are just fillers, their stories are tremendously rushed, feel forced and take away the focus from the mains storyline which ends up feeling like a subplot. 

Warner Bros. Pictures

The performances are meh. Will Smith pretty much gives the same performance he gave in The Pursuit of Happiness and Seven Pounds but this time around he didn't succeed in moving me to tears —I guess the director did the trick in the movies I just mentioned. Edward Norton was bad, and it really hurt as I'm a huge fan of his. Kate Wins finds herself stuck with one of the most generic roles ever. Helen Mirren is probably the only one trying here and as a result she gives a compelling performance as Brigitte/Death. 

Ultimately, Collateral Beauty tries to be a deep movie but it ends up being flat. There's some meaningful lines here and there, mostly delivered by Helen Mirren, but they come out of nowhere so they don't have much of an impact on us. Also, I'm not entirely sure I understood the whole concept of collateral beauty. I guess I'm too rational for this kind of movie. 

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2 In The Works - Sequel Worthy Story Written By Emmerich And Devlin

Interesting news from producer Dean Devlin (INDEPENDENCE DAY, STARGATE) from our friends over at Collider - INDEPENDENCE DAY 2 is definitely in the works!

Here's what Devlin had to say at the Saturn Awards:
“I can tell you that Roland Emmerich and I are working together for the first time in eleven years and we are working really hard to try and make this happen. I think that the story that we finally cracked is finally worthy of a sequel. And I think that the people who have been fans will feel like they got the movie they were waiting for.”

Further Devlin said that the time between the movies would be used as part of the plot which makes total sense to me. Time is a requirement for most fictional space travel so why not? I see it as being a plot device too for the sequel to DISTRICT 9 should that happen too.

However, I don't believe Devlin is your standard Hollywood writer / producer. Want proof? How about this quote from him:

“Many years ago, I was actually hired to write the sequel to Independence Day. And I wrote a sequel. And they paid me a boatload of money to go write this thing. And after I wrote it, I read it and I gave them back the money and I said, ‘look, this is an okay movie I just wrote. But it’s not worthy of the sequel to Independence Day.’ And I literally gave back the money. And afterwards I said, ‘You know what? I’m not even going to try anymore.’ And it was only about a year-and-a-half ago that Roland called me up and said, ‘We should try again.’”

No word on whether Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum or any of the other stars will be returning to the sequel, but Devlin did allude to it when he said that (paraphrased) it's necessary to account for the time between movies because the actors get older. Hint, hint.

More details when I get it! I am definitely up for another ID movie. Loved the first one despite some cheesy moments. Goldblum has GOT to come back.

INDEPENDENCE DAY Being Theatrically Re-released In 3D Next Summer! And More News From Fox...

Very cool information released from Fox today that affects us in many ways! First of all the big news is that Roland Emmerich's INDEPENDENCE DAY will be re-released in 3D on July 3, 2013. Despite some overly patriotic scenes, I simply loved the movie. Heck any movie with Jeff Goldblum in I love, but throw in some Will Smith and you've got a blockbuster. 

There has been rumors for years about a potential sequel to the alien invasion movie (oops spoilers!) and with this conversion investment it seems that Fox is getting serious about the property once again. Will we see another installment eventually? Perhaps we'll know more by the time next summer rolls around.

I'm going to give you the official press release next and you can see how these announcements could affect 3D in a big way. Conceivably, 7 out of the 9 movies talked about could be in 3D! Read on...

Here's the PR (emphasis is mine):

On the heels of the $344 million worldwide success of TITANIC 3D, the studio and director Roland Emmerich, in conjunction with Stereo 3D, which did the work on TITANIC, will produce a top quality 3D version of the iconic INDEPENDENCE DAY. ID43D will be released worldwide on July 3, 2013.

The studio also staked its 2014 summer with three giant tentpoles. First up, Fox, together with Disney and Dreamworks, has shifted the release of Steven Spielberg’s epic ROBOPOCALYPSE to go worldwide on April 25, 2014, the same weekend that “Avengers” was released internationally this year. Disney distributes domestically. (ID43D now occupies its former release date.)

Then on Memorial Day (May 23, 2014), Fox unleashes DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES worldwide, the sequel to the $483 million grossing RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Rupert Wyatt, who helmed the 2011 smash, returns to direct. The returning producers are Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

And on July 18, 2014, Fox releases worldwide the third of its summer tentpoles, the currently untitled X-MEN, to be directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Fox also announced its Christmas 2013 line-up, with THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, starring Ben Stiller and Kristin Wiig, and directed by Ben Stiller, set for Christmas Day. Samuel Goldwyn, John Goldwyn, Stuart Cornfeld and Ben Stiller produce the film.

Also for Christmas, the studio will shift WALKING WITH DINOSAURS from October 11 to December 20, 2013. The film is based on the massively successful TV series and live show, which has grossed more than $250 million in box office worldwide.

Other 2013 dates include the following: PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, based on Rick Riordan’s publishing phenomenon, goes out August 16, 2013, moving from March 15. And Fox earlier announced that Beyoncé Knowles would headline the voice cast of EPIC, in theaters May 24, 2013, from the makers of “Ice Age” and “Rio.” The film was previously known as “Leafmen.” Also joining the cast are Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Blake Anderson and Judah Friedlander.

Lastly, an as-yet-untitled comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, directed by Paul Feig (BRIDESMAIDS) will land in theaters April 5, 2013.

So what do you think? With THE AVENGERS slaughter of the box office in tandem with the pending release of PROMETHEUS why would Fox not want to augment their films with some glorious 3D? Heck all of them could go 3D, but comedy has not fully embraced it yet.

Indeed, I'm looking for a trailblazing, cutting edge comedic director to step up and deliver the goods! I thought Todd Phillips was the man after I asked him about THE HANGOVER 2 conceivably going 3D, but he let me down without further consulting me! :-)

3D Geek Alert: Get A Free Ticket To See MEN IN BLACK III With A Pre-Order Of The Blu-ray

Amazon's got a pretty good deal going on right now for the first 10,000 customers who pre-order the Men In Black 3 Blu-ray from them before June 25, 2013. This will undoubtedly sell out fast, so if you plan on getting the Blu-ray anyway - go for it!

Here's what Amazon says about the deal:

Be one of the first 10,000 customers to pre-order Men in Black 3 on Blu-ray or Blu-ray 3D at Amazon.com between May 23, 2012 and June 25, 2012 and receive a promotional code that you can redeem by July 5, 2012 for a certificate valid for one admission up to $10 to see the movie at participating theaters. Terms and conditions apply.

• Step 1: Complete your pre-order of Men in Black 3 on Blu-ray or Blu-ray 3D between May 23, 2012 and June 25, 2012.
• Step 2: If you are one of the first 10,000 to pre-order, you will receive an e-mail within 48 hours containing your promotional code, click the link contained in the email to go to http://www.sonymoviecash.com/mib3 and redeem your promotional code by July 5, 2012. 
• Step 3: On the http://www.sonymoviecash.com/mib3, website follow the instructions to enter your promotional code and other required information and print your certificate. 

Sounds like a great deal to me. THE AVENGERS gave away poster at the midnight screenings but this deal of a free ticket AND potentially seeing a 6 minute clip of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN at the screening tonight is adding up to a really good deal!

Thanks to /Film for the heads up!

Will Smith Needs 3D And 3D Needs Will Smith - MEN IN BLACK 3D In The Works!!

Jim here. According to ShowBiz411, Director Barry Sonnenfeld has secured Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones to reprise their MEN IN BLACK roles for a third iteration - this time in stereoscopic 3D!

Roger Friedman conjectures that MIB 3D would replace the delayed SPIDER-MAN 4 in the Memorial Day window of 2011.

We will see about the timing, but this is great news. I have been thinking we need a Will Smith actioner in 3D and this fit suits me just fine.

Of course I called MIB 3D a full year ago :-)

And an I AM LEGEND prequel in 3D would be a home run too if you ask me.