Cinematical

• Who's Up for a 'Return to Sleepaway Camp'?
  

  Filed under: Horror, Magnolia, Home Entertainment, Remakes and Sequels

  Ah yes, Sleepaway Camp. That ending still packs one wacky punch, doesn't it? Yeah. So here's a quick history lesson:
  
  1983 -- Robert Hiltzik unleashes Sleepaway Camp unto the world. Ten of thousands of creeped-out teenagers can't stop talking about the ending.
  
  1988 & 1989 -- One Michael A. Simpson delivered a pair of back-to-back video sequels: Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers and Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland. Both are notable for their vicious violence, their goofy gore, and their lead actress, who happens to be Bruce Springsteen's little sister. I forget which...
  



• The Exhibitionist: Repeat Business
  

  Filed under: Action, Magnolia, Warner Brothers, Box Office, Fandom, Exhibition, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Columns

  
  
  Behold my 1000-plus words way of asking you this simple question: how many times have you seen The Dark Knight?
  
  Here's a little story I probably tell too often (it's even in my "Meet the Team" bio): Long ago, at an art school that should remain nameless (I hated the place too much to give it any kind of credit), I studied film production, with the crazy notion that I would be the one to bridge the gap between Steven Spielberg and Quentin...
  



• Sundance Thriller 'Red' Sets Theatrical Release
  

  Filed under: Thrillers, Sundance, Magnolia, Distribution, Cinematical Indie

  Don't mess with a man's best friend! I'm borrowing that phrase from our own Eric D. Snider, who used it to describe the plot of Red, a thriller starring the great Brian Cox as a man on a mission to avenge the death of his beloved dog at the hands of a bunch of teenage punks.

  As Eric noted, Magnolia Pictures picked up distribution rights for the movie and planned a late summer release. Well, it must be later than we thought, because Dread Central now tells us that Red will be unleashed to theaters...
  




• Indies on DVD: 'Funny Games,' 'The Grand,' 'The Signal'
  

  Filed under: Comedy, Horror, Thrillers, Magnolia, Warner Independent Pictures, New on DVD, Cinematical Indie

  This week's marquee indie release is being marketed as a twisted tie-in to the US Open golf championship. At least, that's the conclusion I draw from the DVD cover for Michael Haneke's US remake of his own Funny Games. Naomi Watts and her big tear have been relegated to the back. James Rocchi declared it "a great movie ... cruel, cold and darkly thrilling." DVD features are non-existent, unless you consider a full-screen version to be an extra.
  
  Erik Davis called Zak Penn's poker...
  



• Indies on DVD: 'Control,' 'Boarding Gate,' 'Flawless,' 'Twisted'
  

  Filed under: Documentary, Drama, Magnolia, New on DVD, The Weinstein Co., Home Entertainment, Cinematical Indie

  In telling the story of Joy Division's Ian Curtis, director Anton Corbjin focuses on his wife Deborah (Samantha Morton) as much as the singer (Sam Riley) himself. Control hits DVD today courtesy of The Weinstein Co.; Corbijn contributes an audio commentary and a conversation. Other extras include a "making of" feature, extended live performances, and music videos from Joy Division and the Killers. James Rocchi reviewedControl and so did Christopher Campbell.
  
  Mr. Rocchi also saw Olivier Assayas' Boarding Gate, but he...
  



• Indie Weekend Box Office: 'War, Inc.' Continues Its Reign
  

  Filed under: Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Language, Thrillers, IFC, Magnolia, ThinkFilm, Box Office, Cinematical Indie, Paramount Vantage

  Most critics didn't love it, but for the second week in a row, viewers streamed in anyway. Still playing at just two theaters, Joshua Seftel's comedy-drama War, Inc. (First Look), starring John Cusack, averaged $12,100 per screen to continue its reign at the top of the indie weekend box office chart, according to estimates compiled by Box Office Mojo. That gives it a two-week total of $78,700.
  
  Among new specialty releases, Leonard Klady...
  



• Indie Deals: 'Gomorra' to IFC, 'Buck Howard' to Magnolia
  

  Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Deals, Sundance, Cannes, IFC, Magnolia, Distribution, Cinematical Indie

  Time to play catch up with a couple of indie distribution deals that were completed during the past few days.
  
  In the warm afterglow of Cannes, IFC Films acquired one more title to add to their stockpile, according to The Hollywood Reporter: Italian crime drama Gomorra. Directed by Matteo Garrone, the film is based on a best-selling book and follows five separate stories. "Set in the provinces around Naples," wrote our own James Rocchi, "Gomorra's a sweeping, stirring drama that has the...
  



• Review: Bigger, Stronger, Faster*
  

  Filed under: Documentary, New Releases, Magnolia, Theatrical Reviews, Cinematical Indie

  
  
  In 1988, sprinter Ben Johnson exploded out of the blocks and powered his way to the finish line in the 100-meter dash at the Seoul Olympic Games, easily defeating a somewhat embarrassed Carl Lewis, who was heavily favored to win the race. It was a stunning television moment, a study in contrast between the well-muscled, modestly-spoken Canadian and the brash and lean American. Within 24 hours, it was all over. Johnson tested positive for steroid use and Lewis was awarded the gold medal.
  
  At the time, it seemed outrageous that someone would cheat at...
  



• Cannes Deal: Magnet Picks Up Jennifer Lynch's 'Surveillance'
  

  Filed under: Thrillers, Deals, Magnolia, Distribution, Cinematical Indie

  While David Lynch prepares to team up with Werner Herzog to make a guerilla-style murder drama, his daughter is doing quite well on her own, thank you very much. indieWIRE reports that Surveillance, the first film by Jennifer Chambers Lynch in 15 years, has been picked up by Magnet Releasing for distribution in the US. The thriller will be playing out of competition at Cannes next week in one of the three Midnight screening slots.
  
  Surveillance is set in the Santa Fe desert, where a blood-curdling killing spree has been unleashed,...
  



• David Cronenberg Digging the 'Timecrimes' Remake?
  

  Filed under: Foreign Language, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sundance, Magnolia, United Artists, Fantastic Fest, Remakes and Sequels

  The last time I saw my awesome amigo Nacho Vigalondo, it was at a Sundance party during which he was A) very thrilled to have his film play the festival, B) mega-elated that writer/producer Steven Zaillian would be involved in the English-language remake of his film (Timecrimes), and C) seriously drunk and hanging out with an overworked karaoke machine. When I pressed him for additional details, he said something to the effect of "I don't know yet, but .... Steve SALE-IAN, man!...