‘Wanted’ and ‘Hellboy’ to bookend LA Film Festival
Variety reported this afternoon that Russian director Timur Bekmambetov’s Wanted starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie is opening the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival while Guillermo del Toro’s sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army will be closing it.
Sandwiched in the middle with 230 films, shorts and music videos will be Sacha Gervasi’s documentary Anvil! The True Story of Anvil.
I speculated earlier this morning that the LA based Hancock might make a showing in the footsteps of last year’s Transformers, but that’s not the case for now. Don’t feel bad. I love being wrong. No, really.
The opener and the closer are both from Universal and are both based on graphic novels. Timur Bekmambetov made a name for himself with the Night Watch films. Guillermo del Toro…well hell, you know who he is.
Wanted is scheduled to hit theaters on June 27 and Hellboy opens on July 11.
Filed under: Film Festivals
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The Nightwatch films were gorgeous, stream-of-consciousness gobbeldy gook. Bekmambetov reveled in the fact that his films made little to no sense (not even to the people familiar with the source material), practically rolled around in the absurdity of it all. In that sense, they have a certain charm, once you can accept they’re simply 2 hour long goth music videos, but really, once you’ve seen one My Chemical Romance video you’ve seen them all, and who wants to watch 20 of them in a row?
With that said, I’ll still see Wanted just to see if a bigger budget means making more sense (I know, I know, I’m stretching), and it gives off that guilty pleasure vibe I’ve been known to succumb to so often.
And yeah, I’m there for Hellboy as well. Call me a wannabe fanboy.
For me, making sense of the Nightwatch films was greatly assisted by my familiarity with the books. But enormous liberties were taken in their adaptation and Bekmambetov brought his own brand of anarchic sensibility to the stories. His inventiveness, daring, energy, and bravura impressed me. But like you I’m left wondering whether he’s capable of more than exercises in style.
I never saw any of the Nightwatch films. The only graphic novel-based film I’ve seen is From Hell, which I did not like at all. Maybe it was Heather Graham - she was dreadfully miscast. Besides that, I feel this story had been done better before. But I digress.
Wanted interests me because of James McAvoy. Isn’t it amazing how a cute face can persuade me to see a movie? ;-)
I’m just going to throw this out there: the Wanted movie may be good, may not, but it bears little if no resemblance to the graphic novel based on the major plot spoilers I’ve read. Shame, because the graphic novel was a somewhat meta-deconstruction of the notion of heroes and villians. That said, I wish McAvoy well. I’ve been hoping that kid would find a vehicle to put him over the top.
Regardless, I’ve got high hopes for Hellboy 2. Not sure it merits film festival status, but I’m happy to see Del Toro and crew getting some props…for a sequel, no less. To a comic book movie.
It IS summertime, ain’t it?
I’ve been unable to fully enjoy Summer ever since I realized it’s Winter for Nick Plowman.
But in winter he gets the movies at relatively the same time, right, so it’s actually summer for Nick. The rest of the year he’s a season behind.
Oh Nick…we feel your pain.
I agree, Ryan.
It’s also been unseasonably chilly up here in the Bay Area, although that is nothing new. Mark Twain said it all, supposedly–the coldest winter he ever experienced was a summer in San Francisco.
“Winter for Nick Plowman”, now at a bookstore near you.
Film rights instantly optioned by Leo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions. He wants another shot at the SA accent he bollixed in Blood Diamond.
Hahahah Jeff, I was just scrolling down to make a comment to that effect and you beat me to it. It’s Ryan’s Great American Novel.
We gotta get Nick on tape saying “In America, it’s bling bling. But out here it’s bling bang.”
Hellboy hardly feels like festival fare, but it’s right in line with the usual attention getting stuff. Beats the crap out of Tribeca’s Baby Mama, that’s for sure.
Wanted I’m interested in, but I can wait for the regular release. Hellboy I might have to make an effort to catch at the festival.
We gotta get Nick on tape saying “In America, it’s bling bling. But out here it’s bling bang.”
LOL.
I have to say I’m a little surprised at these selections, but for a summer festival I guess that’s the norm. Are you going through the schedule? I’m curious as to what you plan on seeing. Will wait.
I didn’t know Wanted was based on a graphic novel. It looks like it could be fun, so I’m down for that one, even if the Filmspotting guys are making fun of it. I like that McAvoy. And that Jolie kid might make a name for herself one of these days.
I haven’t seen the first Hellboy yet. I know it got pretty mixed reviews. Haven’t heard any buzz on the sequel’s merits.
Summer or winter, Nick Plowman always makes it Spring in my heart.
That said, I wish McAvoy well. I’ve been hoping that kid would find a vehicle to put him over the top.
Same here, joel.
I’ve never read either graphic novel, but I liked the first Hellboy.
The cast of Wanted intrigues me.
Jennybee, you just might be on to something with that Jolie girl…
“Isn’t it amazing how a cute face can persuade me to see a movie?”
Ha ha. Alison said it best.
God, there are days when a cute face (or a distracting physique) can get me to do just about ANYTHING.
All I’m sayin.