Screenhead

All right, folks, strap in and keep your remotes handy because today I’m going to talk about Heat, one of the longest movies you’ll ever love.

The folks out at Warner Brothers sent me a copy of Heat, and you might be wondering why I’m talking about a movie this old.  Well, it’s not like some of you haven’t heard of it, but it was just released on Blu-ray, so we’ve got a responsibility to cover it.

Heat features Val Kilmer and the gigantic concentrated awesome heap that is Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the same movie.  It’s about a career thief who leads a team of thieves through an incredible robbery that nets the team just over a million and a half bucks in bearer bonds.  The bonds were insured, so the only real victim here is the insurance company, and we’ve all been able to agree that they could have used a kick in the slats since 1995 anyway.  Anyway, the fun really starts when the team tries to sell back the stolen bonds instead of laundering them.

Heat is a long–VERY long!–and incredibly involving tale of deceit, thievery and murder that’s actually very engrossing.  I’d actually seen this one maybe five or six times over the last (nearly) fifteen years, so it was a welcome treat.  But you will have to brace yourself adequately.  Clear your calendar, get your snacks together in advance, because this is a LONG movie.  Nearly THREE HOURS worth of long, in fact.

But the critical takeaway here is that it’s also really, REALLY exciting.

The Screenhead Ten Scale loves my taste in movies and hands this a seven out of ten for being a solid actioner with a lot of twists, even if it’s a bit too long.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Legendary actor Al Pacino is reported to be in negotiations to star in the upcoming Jack Kevorkian biopic You Don’t Know Jack.

Kevorkian, popular known as Dr. Death, is infamous for assisting in more than 150 cases of suicide and had beaten the state court system in Michigan numerous times. However, he was finally convicted after he sent a videotape of himself euthanizing a terminally ill man to 60 Minutes.

The film will trace his path to becoming the infamous “Mercy Machine”, starting from his first assisted suicide, ending with the epic legal battles with the state defending a patient’s right to die.

Barry Levinson is attached to direct from a script by Adam Mazer.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Chicago News Dispatcher reports that Prison Break star Wentworth Miller and Oscar-winner Al Pacino have been cast in BioShock, the upcoming game-to-movie adaptation.

Based on the 2007 action game, the film follows an underground city built in the 1940s by a business magnate who wanted to create a scientific utopia. However, his plans go wrong and the city falls into ruin, populated by hulking Big Daddies and Little Sisters who harvest Adam, an energy source.

Pacino is said to be in negotiations to play the magnate Andrew Ryan, while Miller will play Jack, the protagonist presented in the game.

The film is scripted by John Logan and will be directed by Gore Verbinski.

Popularity: 1% [?]

From Variety comes word that Miramax Films is working on developing a biopic about baseball legend Tommy Lasorda. The infamous Major League Baseball pitcher and manager of the Dodgers will most probably be played by Al Pacino as he has expressed interest in the role.

Michelle Pfeiffer has also expressed interest in the movie, especially in the role of the baseball star’s wife.

More on this as it develops.

Popularity: 1% [?]

 

“The Forbidden Kingdom” held its position all week. Go Jackie Chan and Jet Li!!

WEEK BOX OFFICE FINAL
Apr 18 – Apr 24, 2008 1. Forbidden Kingdom, The2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

3. Prom Night

4. 88 Minutes

5. 21

6. Nim’s Island

7. Street Kings

8. Horton Hears A Who

9. Leatherheads

10. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Popularity: 1% [?]

 Which new movie are you going to see this weekend?  Tracking says “Forbidden Kingdom” is the sure winner, starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” was projected the box office drawer, even with an overexposed male body, starring Jason Segel; but it doesn’t look like it. Al Pacino thriller, “88 minutes” is opening as well.  Then, there are some documentaries with limited releases: “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” a documentary bashing the theory of evolution; ”Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?” and “Glass: A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts.”

It looks like a flavor for everyone. 

I am following Tracking and placing my bet on “Forbidden” as the top draw this weekend.

What do you think?

Popularity: 1% [?]