LOOP SCREEN EMAILER 12-04-01

The return of Hannibal the Cannibal to our screens this week is a reminder of what greases the Hollywood gravy-train: unnecessary sequels. Do we really want to see Hannibal Lecter on the loose? Decide for yourself this weekend.

Still, most of the biggest entries in this year's Tinseltown no-brain sweepstakes are first timers: Tim Burton's reinvention of Planet of the Apes, Simon West's adaptation of the Playstation game Tomb Raider (which features one of the more lamentable trailers to hit screens in recent months... I mean, Lara's Party Mix - how lame is that?), and Steven Spielberg's hotly-awaited Kubrick tribute A.I. are all potential first-entries in future franchises.

Of course, it's a foregone conclusion there'll be sequels to Boxing Day's The Fellowship of the Ring... while according to our sources, the capital should brace itself this week for the return of the trilogy's core cast for additional shooting in and around Wellington.

Want something included in this e-mailer? Let me know at matt@loop.co.nz.

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THIS WEEK

HANNIBAL (BIG SCREEN): Cinema's best-loved serial killer returns in a (more or less) faithful adaptation of Thomas Harris's bestseller. Gore freaks should come away happy, but a notable absence of quid pro quo is likely to be keenly felt, as is Julianne Moore's distinctly underwhelming performance. Should be the most talked-about movie of Easter weekend, if nothing else. Official site: http://www.hannibal.com

SAY IT ISN'T SO (BIG SCREEN): Say it isn't another gross-out comedy from those Farrelly Brothers. Chris Klein and Heather Graham star in a tale about siblings who connect with far more than just fraternal feelings. Advance word is less than encouraging; let's hope it's better than the U.S. reviews suggest. Official site: http://www.sayitisntsomovie.com

THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD (BIG SCREEN): Everyone's favourite tank engine makes an Americanised trip to the big screen and goes off the rails in the process... and hey, I don't remember any hocus pocus in the original books. Official site: http://thomasthetankengine.com/magic

MEMENTO (BIG SCREEN): Christopher Nolan's magically monumental mindfuck of a movie previews this weekend. This arse-about-face narrative-bending oddity flummoxed some World Cinema Showcase audiences and delighted the rest; reviews from Emma and Noel at http://loop.co.nz/?m=649 and http://loop.co.nz/?m=646 or visit the official site at - cleverly enough - http://www.otnemem.com

BEST IN SHOW (BIG SCREEN): One of the highlights of the recent World Cinema Showcase, Best In Show reunites many of the creative team behind Waiting For Guffman for another dose of improvisational lunacy. Every bit as uneven as Guffman, but a more cohesive work overall; check out Loop reviews from both Emma and Noel at: http://loop.co.nz/?m=596 and http://loop.co.nz/?m=598

THE BLUES BROTHERS (DVD (R1, R4)): Director's Cut of the love-it-or-hate-it John Landis classic makes its way to DVD, featuring expanded musical numbers and extra scenes. Also included is a 1998 retrospective documentary with new interviews with Dan Ackroyd and Landis. Also available in a box set that includes the lamentable sequel, Blues Brothers 2000.

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NOW PLAYING

BETTER THAN SEX (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE): Emma found Better Than Sex blatant and coarse, and more besides: http://loop.co.nz/?m=651

PRINCESS MONONOKE (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE): The spectacular Manga that took last year's New Zealand Film Festival by storm returned, and Emma was there: http://loop.co.nz/?m=652

KEEP THE RIVER ON THE RIGHT (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE): Simon looks at the unique globetrotting documentary: http://loop.co.nz/?m=672

MEMENTO (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE, RELEASED THIS WEEK): Emma and Noel reckon audiences won't forget Memento in a hurry: http://loop.co.nz/?m=649 and http://loop.co.nz/?m=646

THE CRIMSON RIVERS (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE): The French take on the Hollywood thriller, and Noel Meek was there: http://loop.co.nz/?m=661

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (BIG SCREEN): Noel endured Darren Aronfsky's intense and disturbing movie about New York junkies: http://loop.co.nz/?m=617

BEST IN SHOW (WORLD CINEMA SHOWCASE, RELEASED THIS WEEK): From the team what brought you the vastly under-rated Waiting For Guffman.

DANCER IN THE DARK (BIG SCREEN, DVD (R1)): Simon Sweetman and Ian Pryor took a look at Danish filmmaker and eccentric Lars Von Trier's moody musical: http://loop.co.nz/?m=619 and http://loop.co.nz/?m=597

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FESTIVALS HEADS-UP

BECK'S INCREDIBLE FILM FESTIVAL (Civic 13/04 - 05/05, Paramount 07/06 - 08/07): No longer strange but even more incredible, the eighth year of this celebration of cinematic eccentricity includes such delights as Tsui Hark's martial arts epic Green Snake, Danish oddity In China They Eat Dogs, Star Wars doco Starwoids and German horror thriller Anatomie, starring Franka Potente of Run Lola Run fame. Full preview coming soon to loop.co.nz.

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AROUND THE WEB

THE MATRIX EXPOSED: Want to know what happens in the first Matrix sequel? Well, don't say we didn't say 'spoiler warning': http://www.angelfire.com/film/matrix2

ARTIFICIAL KUBRICK: One of the most hotly-anticipated movies of this year is Spielberg's A.I., bequeathed to the Bearded One by uber-beard Stanley Kubrick. Check out the stunning full trailer at: http://countingdown.com/features?feature_id=16381

SPIDEY UP FOR GRABS: Forget the Lord of the Rings props thefts - a light-fingered larrakin on the Spider-Man set lifted the mother lode (maybe it was Dr Octopus?)... look out for these on eBay: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/bpihw/20010404/en/col_dragnet_for_missing_spider-man_costumes_1.html

SCARY BRANDO COMEDY: Winning the prize for unlikeliest piece of news this week, Marlon Brando has reportedly signed to appear in a major comedy sequel: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010410/re/brando_dc_1.html

SOUNDED LIKE A JOKE TO ME: Okay, so it was eons ago, but anyone remember Mike Myers introduction to the Sound categories at the Oscars? Well, it would seem there's one group of techs in Hollywood desperately in need of a collective a funnybone: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/eo/20010410/en/academy_sounds_off_1.html

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STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW

For Hoyts session times, check out:

http://www.hoyts.co.nz/whatson.html

For Region 1 DVDs with free worldwide shipping, we think Canadian site DVD Box Office kicks arse. They have free worldwide shipping, and they even display prices in NZ$. Did I mention free worldwide shipping?

http://www.dvdboxoffice.com

For new and Second-hand Region 1 and 4 DVDs, the Overlords of upper Cuba and Queen Streets, Real Groovy, are just that.

For the rental of Region 1 and 4 DVDs, Amalgamated Video on Taranaki St is your friend. Repeat after me: Amalgamated Video on Taranaki St is your friend.

To buy second-hand Region 1 and 4 DVDs on-line from other New Zealanders, you can do worse than the DVDs For Sale section at:

http://www.nzht.co.nz

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