The TV Addict 

Let’s hope this time they are a bit more furious in the story department
Now that Michelle Rodriguez is confirmed to be on board for the fourth installment of the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise, I think they might as well call it FAST AND FURIOUS: DEAD END. Because that’s exactly what all main actors have hit in regards to their careers: a dead end. It seems then that they possibly hope the franchise that launched their careers, especially Vin Diesel, might help reboot it before it crashes and burns (wow, so many mixed metaphors). That being said, I did enjoy the first installment, and given that I’ve already invested so much in the series (yes, I even saw TOKYO DRIFT) I think the return of the original cast might be enough to draw me into theatres for this one.

Who watches the Watchmen character pictures?
After much frothing at the mouth, we finally get some concrete visuals from the Zack Synder adaptation of Alan Moore’s seminal graphic-novel, WATCHMEN. (To save space here, I’m going to link you over to JoBlo for the pictures). For the most part these look pretty good. I think they’re perhaps a bit too Batman for my tastes, by which I mean too much muscle impressions in the costumes, but the original costumes from the graphic novel would have looked pretty ridiculous. So I’m more than willing to concede the look here.

I suppose the only concern I really have left about WATCHMEN is that – clearly being the minority here – I think Zack Snyder kind of ran 300 into the ground. I didn’t like 300 at all. I felt that even though it looked cool, that’s all it ended up aspiring to. I love a cool looking film as much as the next guy, but I still need a bit more than just pretty pictures. Style needs substance, otherwise it’s about as filling as TV dinners. I worry especially about this film falling into the same trap because 300 wasn’t as much of a comic classic as WATCHMEN is, so there was less at stake. Here, there is much more potential for screw ups and disappointments.

Recent casting in ME AND ORSON WELLES removes shadows of doubt
This isn’t really huge news, but given that Joseph Cotten is one of my favorite actors of all time, I have to say I’m rather pleased that James Tupper has been cast as Orson Welles’ dear friend in Richard Linklater and Holly Gent Palmo’s ME AND ORSON WELLES, which at this point is probably best known for its casting of curios teen heart-throbe, Zac Efron. Tupper – best known currently for the TV show “Men in Trees” – bears a remarkably strong resemblance to Cotton, and he seems to have the acting chops too. Till now I was a bit skeptical about this project, mostly because of Efron’s casting in anything these days smacks of a desperate attempt on studios part to immediately secure the interest of any girl between the ages of eight and sixteen. But Linklater’s influence may be enough to make this a good film.