[SWF4E]

FANTASTIC FOUR:

The Rise of the Silver Surfer

Doug Jones ... Silver Surfer/Norrin Radd

Ioan Gruffudd ... Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic
Jessica Alba ... Susan Storm/Invisible Woman
Chris Evans ... Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
Michael Chiklis ... Ben Grimm/The Thing

Julian McMahon ... Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom
Kerry Washington ... Alicia Masters
Andre Braugher ... General Hager
Beau Garrett ... Frankie Raye
Gonzalo Menendez ... Major Cruz

In USA theaters on June 15, 2007!!!

MOVIE website

[SWF4E]

FANTASTIC FOUR (#2):

The Rise of the Silver Surfer

2-3/4 stars (for diehard comicbook fans & kids ONLY)

[(2007)US-Germany/FOX/Rated PG] - (1 hr. 35 min.)

Directed by Tim Story

Screenplay by Don Payne & Mark Frost

Source: based on the Marvel comicbook by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Original Music byJohn Ottman
Director of photography:Larry Blanford
Editors:Peter S. Elliot, William Hoy, & Michael McCusker

Lead characters/Cast
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic - Ioan Gruffudd
Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Reed's fiance) - Jessica Alba
Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Sue's brother) - Chris Evans
Ben Grimm/The Thing - Michael Chiklis

Supporting characters/Cast
Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom - Julian McMahon
Alicia Masters (The Thing's blind girlfriend) - Kerry Washington
General Hager (Army commander) - Andre Braugher
Voice of the Silver Surfer - Laurence Fishburne
Cameo:
Rejected Wedding Guest - Stan Lee (Marvel Comics chief)

"It's clobberin' time?" (see review)

Review:

While much more entertaining than the first installment of "The Fantastic Four," this film closely adheres to the 'family-oriented' action formula so that none of the danger ever feels real or life-threatening ...
Select the black box below with your cursor to view the spoiler text

(though one main character does get to play out a death scene).

That said, comicbook fans should race to their nearest cineplex to witness the widescreen spendor of "The Silver Surfer," who is rendered beautifully by the latest 3D-graphics technology. It's too bad they still haven't figured out how to make 'Mr. Fantastic's (Ioan Gruffudd) stretchability look a little less cartoonish.

But low-brow humor abounds in many of the scenes (the Thing belches), along with a lot of dumbed-down TV-sitcom style dialogue. Just as with the "Ghost Rider" movie earlier this year, it's the Special FX that carry the day while the scripting and direction lag far behind. Why this is I have no idea, since the comics have been in existence for decades and there's certainly no shortage of useable storylines.

What is all-too-obvious throughout the film is it's pandering to a worldwide audience by spreading the action out from Japan to LA to London to China to ... (you-name-it-they-go-there). You'd think you were watching a "James Bond" movie with all of the globetrotting, though very little of the local citizenry is put to use.

This sequel certainly won't create too many comicbook movie converts, but it does speak to the fact that the casting for this series was shaky at best to start with though the 'familial' bond between the characters has strengthened geometrically.

Father & daughter?

That said, I still feel the too-youthful actress Jessica Alba (age 26), as the 'Invisible Woman', looks more like pediphile-bait than fiance-material for 'Mr. Fantastic (actor Ioan Gruffudd, age 33). Meanwhile actors Chris Evans ('The Human Torch') and Michael Chiklis ('The Thing') do the best they can to promote their characters' rivalry with the weak comedic material they've been provided (though Evans gets a few chuckle-worthy zingers).

Of course, the freakiest casting of all is having actor Laurence Fishburne do the voice of the Silver Surfer' (anybody recall 'Morphius' from "The Matrix"). If anything, hearing his voice makes you which the Fantastic Four clan would take the whole end-of-the-world scenario a little more seriously. And Julian McMahon ('Dr. Doom') seems to have fallen under the spell of "Superman Returns" as many of his line readings too-closely emulate those of Keven Spacey's 'Lex Luthor' character.

Okay, okay, I know I know ... I am officially nitpicking this sucker to death, but it's only because this was one of my favorite comics as a kid and I hold it to such a high standard. Sadly, the studio wants mass appeal so they've dumbed it down appropriately.

I still like the surfer and the action sequences, and I'm still recommending it to Marvel believers like myself. Just keep the expectations low and leave your brain at the door.

You've been warned, but it is watchable, right?

Chris Evans

Additional cast (from IMDbPRO.com):
Doug Jones ... The Silver Surfer (body & movements)
Kenneth Welsh ... Dr. Jeff Wagner
Beau Garrett ... Captain Raye (blonde army officer, rejects Johnny)
Gonzalo Menendez ... Lieutenant
Vanessa Minnillo ... Johnny’s Date for Wedding scene
Brian Posehn ... Wedding Minister
Zach Grenier ... Mr. Sherman/Rafke
TV anchors/reporters (various news clips):
Dawn Chubai,Chris Gailus, & Giuliana DePandi
Kevin McNulty ... Baxter Building Doorman
Patricia Harras ... Fan Four Receptionist
Hot Girls Bachelor party: Debbie Timuss, Moneca Delain, &Crystal Lowe
Fareed Abdelhak ... Egyptian Tour Guide
</FONT>

Watch the Trailer

[mrstillwater]

Everybody's a super hero nowasays.

I highly suggest people check out this guy who is posing as the silver surfer. He is F*&^ing hilarious!!!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=KidSis2

[THE spammer - NO mercy!]

Those guys that spray paint themselves for attention (& money) are crazy funny ... when you're drunker than they are!

[REEL_REVIEWER]

Still PLAYING in 2nd-run theaters!!!
... including these select venues ...

October 19, 2007

• Noland Fashion Square 6 (Independence,MO)
• Metro North Cinema 6 (Kansas City,MO)

HELD OVER

• Malco Bartlett Cinema 10 (Memphis,TN)
• Cinemark Movies 16 (San Antonio,TX)

On DVD now!!!

[Angelic_Daemon]

Ehh I read the comics this movie sux. And to be nice I won't spoil it for those who have not seen the movie.

Spoiler Below, hightlight the space below and change the color and you'll see the spoiler.









At the begining of the movie where the surfer comes into the planet and is disrupting everything because, by Reed's account, he doesn't have full control of his powers this is not true. The surfer is able to alter matter and convert energy to matter as well as steer the course of evolution for a whole planet. The point where they determine the 'source' of his powers is the board is retarded. He drawls his powers from natural cosmic radiation. They way they weaken him in the comics was that Dr. Doom absord his power rendering The Surfer weak for a time until he was able to rejuvinate his powers. The final major point in the movie that ruin The Surfer was the fact that it made it seem that he killed Galacticus, he only oppsed him and with that definace Galacticus exiled him to the planet Earth erecting a barrier attuned to the Surfers Board's energy signature restricting his ablity to fly outside of the Earth atmosphere.

There thats my rant.

[seamusfloyd]

I don't believe it - this movie was even worse than the first one! Arrgh.

[Darko, Donnie]

On DVD in the USA now!!!

(worth a rental or purchase?)

[SWF4E]

COMICS retake top spot ...

... (Like there was any doubt)!

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE / Oct. 19-21, 2007

1. 30 Days of Night ((not-a-sequel/Sony-Columbia) .... $16 mill
Engagements: 2,855

2. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married .... $12.1 mill
(not-a-sequel/Lionsgate/Engagements: 2,034/2nd week)
Cume: $38.9 mill

3. The Game Plan (not-a-sequel/BV/4th week)...$8.1 mill
Engagements: 3,301 | Cume: $69.2 mill

4. Michael Clayton (not-a-sequel/Warner Bros./3rd week)...$7.1 mill
Engagements: 2,585 | Cume: $22.0 million

5. Gone Baby Gone (Miramax)...$6.0 mill
Engagements: 1,713

6. The Comebacks (Fox Atomic)...$5.9 mill
Engagements: 2,812

7. We Own the Night (not-a-sequel/Sony-Columbia/2nd week)...$5.5 mill
Engagements: 2,362 | Cume: $19.8 million

8. Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D...$5.1 mill
(Walt Disney/Engagements: 564)

9. Rendition (New Line)............$4.2 mill
Engagements: 2,250

10. The Heartbreak Kid (Remake/Paramount-DW/3rd week).....$3.9 mill
Engagements 2,782 | Cume: $32.1 mill

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Audiences sink teeth into 'Night'
Sony's vampire film takes bite of box office

Sony's vampire horror pic “30 Days of Night" won the weekend at the domestic box office with an estimated gross of $16 million from 2,855 locations, while Ben Affleck’s feature directorial debut “Gone Baby Gone” opened the strongest among the crowded pack of new adult dramas.
Overall, however, films had trouble sucking much blood out of the box office, where business remained down.

Nor could new entrants outshine holdovers “Terry Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?”, Disney family title “The Game Plan” and Warner Bros.’ moody legal drama “Michael Clayton,” which came in No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
“Married” declined just 43% in its second frame to an estimated $12 million from 2,034 theaters for a cume of $38.9 million and a per screen average of $5,949.

“Game Plan” declined just 26% in its fourth frame to an estimated $8.1 million from 3,301 locations for a cume of $69.1 million and per screen average of $2,460.

George Clooney starrer “Michael Clayton” likewise showed strong legs, declining only 32% in its second weekend in wide release to $7.1 million from 2,585 runs for a cume of $29.1 million and per location average of $2,747.

The race for the No. 5 spot was a close one between “Gone Baby Gone,” from Miramax, and Fox Atomic’s sports spoof “The Comebacks.” Miramax reported an estimated gross of $6 million from 1,713 locations and a per location average of $3,503. Fox reported an estimated gross of $5.8 million from 2,812 runs for a per location average of $2,080.

Coming in No. 7 was Sony’s holdover “We Own the Night,” which declined 49% in its second frame to an estimated $5.5 million from 2,362 theaters for a cume of $19.8 million and per screen average of $2,329.

Taking No. 8 was Disney’s holiday re-release “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D.” Film grossed an estimated $5.1 million from just 564 screens for a boffo per screen average of $9,122.

New Line’s new political drama “Rendition,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon, placed No. 9, grossing an estimated $4.2 million from 2,250 theaters for a per location average of $1,856.

DreamWorks-Paramount suffered its second box office disappointment this month with the debut of awards hopeful “Things We Lost in the Fire,” which couldn’t crack the top ten films of the weekend. The Halle Berry-Benicio Del Toro starrer grossed $1.6 million from 1,142 theaters for a per screen average of $1,197.

TOP STORY By Pamela McClintock

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And now for the BAD NEWS ...

Sequel-mania returns this Friday with ...

Saw IV

(JIGSAW takes bite out of vampires? - YIKES!)

+++++++++++++++++++++

2007 recap (for comic book movie fans)

<--Direct-to-DVD (No theatrical release)
(On DVD now!)-TEEN TITANS: Trouble in Tokyo [Animated cartoon]


(On DVD now!)-Ghost Rider - IMDb rating: 5.4
[Sony/Rated PG-13] - Dir. by Mark Steven Johnson, w/ Wes Bentley, Sam Elliott, Peter Fonda, Eva Mendes, and Nicolas Cage as 'Johnny Blaze' the Ghost Rider
BOXOFFICE (courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com):
Domestic: $115,802,596
Worldwide: $228,738,393 / All-time ranking: 269

(DVD available: Oct. 30, 2007) Spider-Man 3 - IMDb rating: 6.7 (out of 10)
[Sony/Rated PG-13] - Dir. by Sam Raimi, w/ Kirsten Dunst (as Mary Jane Watson); Daniel Gillies (as John Jameson); J.K Simmons (as J. Jonah Jameson); Thomas Haden Church (as Sandman/Flint Marko); Topher Grace (as Venom); Dylan Baker (as Dr. Curt Conners); and Tobey Mcguire (as Peter Parker/Spiderman)
BOXOFFICE (courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com):
Domestic: $336,530,303
Worldwide: $890,509,718 / All-time ranking: 12


(On DVD now!) Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer - IMDb rating: 6.1 (out of 10)
[FOX/Rated PG] -Dir. by Tim Story, w/ returning cast; Ioan Gruffudd (Mr. Fantastic), Jessica Alba (Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (The Human Torch); Michael Chiklis (The Thing), Julian McMahon (Dr. Doom), w/ Andre Braugher, Kerry Washington, and Doug Jones as the "Silver Surfer"
BOXOFFICE (courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com):
Domestic: $131,921,738
Worldwide: $287,540,879 / All-time ranking: 193

30 Days of Night
[Columbia-Sony/Website/Trailer] -dir. by David Slade, script by Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson (based on the Steve Niles comic), starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George
Domestic: $16.0 million (Opening weekend)




(12/25/07)-AVP-R: Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
[FOX/AVP-Website/Rated R] -dir. by Colin & Greg Strause, starring unknown actors as 'bait'