Casting for the Rat Pack

In the ’90s, rumors persisted that Martin Scorsese came close to adapting Nick Tosches’ brilliant biography of Dean Martin with an all-star cast headed by Tom Hanks and John Travolta. Lucky for us all, Cinematical is reporting that the greatest living American director may be rekindling a Rat Pack project.

Now the fun part - playing casting agent! How about Leonardo DiCaprio as the Chairman of the Board, Ryan Gosling as Dino, and Edward Norton as Jerry Lewis? Chiwetel Ejiofer would be a perfect Sammy Davis Jr. And Kate Beckinsale could play Ava Gardner for the second time in a Scorsese movie.

Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection DVD Review

Indiana Jones DVDIt was only a matter of time before Paramount mined the original Indiana Jones trilogy for another DVD release — so what better time than right before the hotly anticipated fourth entry to rekindle the Jones fire that burns in so many movie-lover’s hearts. But what about the box sets from five years ago? Do the new versions trump those or is this purely a double-dip issue? The answer is much like a Jones adventure in that it’s more complicated than what you know and in the end, will take much soul searching in order to evaluate how much this prize really means to each buyer. Thankfully, AMG is here to help. After the jump, we’ll spill the dirt on the new discs and let you know if this leap of faith a wise buy or one that’ll melt your face when all is said and done.

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Speed Racer: The AMG Review

The Wachowski Brothers’ CG-fueled futuristic adventure Speed Racer delivers on every promise. An adaptation of the 60’s Japanese cartoon that was among the first anime to hit the States, the movie follows through on every element that endeared the furiously high-strung show to its audience, and offers giant, hypnotically strobing neon signs screaming “FUN! FUN! FUN!” to all viewers who go to the movies looking for a good time.

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What Happens in Vegas: The AMG Review

What Happens in VegasIf a bunch of inebriated film school half-wits on the brink of expulsion got together to produce a sex farce in under a week, the results might be comparable to Tom Vaughan’s What Happens in Vegas – one of the most unbearable Hollywood comedies of recent years.

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The AllMovie 2008 Summer Menu

Our first summer feast was both delicious and nutritious (thanks to the high iron content), and with the festivities officially underway, we at AllMovie are ready to stuff our faces. So take a seat and have a look at this summer’s specials as AMG breaks down your movie food schedule for the coming months.

May 2
Made of Honor: Stale Wedding Cake.
Zagat says: Wasn’t that good when it was fresh.

May 9
Speed Racer: Pop Rocks and Redbull.
Zagat says: Worth the risk of your stomach exploding.

What Happens in Vegas
: Crappy, overpriced room-service.
Zagat says: You know what it’s going to be like, so you’d better be starving.

May 16
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: Renn Fair Turkey Leg.
Zagat says: As long as you’re wearing the cape, you might as well eat it.

May 23
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Grandma’s Mac and Cheese.
Zagat says: Might not be as good as you remember, but what you remember was really, really good.

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Why So Misogynistic?

Ever wonder what the Batman franchise might look like if Neil LaBute wrote and directed it? Comedy Central’s Matt Tobey did too.

On DVD This Week: Women and Death Edition

If you’re looking to score with the ladies this week, take it from us: bitches love funerals.

P.S., I Love You: Tearjerking chick flick where Hilary Swank’s husband dies of a brain tumor, then gives her a life-makeover from beyond the grave.

Over Her Dead Body: Light hearted romcom about a bride who gets impaled by an ice sculpture on her wedding day, and then haunts her fiance’s new girlfriend.

Hottie and the Nottie: Movie starring a woman who makes people want to kill themselves.

Teeth: Two words: Killer Vagina.

Also on DVD this week: Bella, the Business of Being Born, First Sunday, I’m Not There, and Steel City.

Iron Man: The AMG Review

Iron Man Illustration
The curtain rises on Marvel Comics’ first in-house production to rousing results as their metal man of iron introduces himself to enthralled moviegoers everywhere. Just as billionaire playboy Tony Stark utilizes his technological know-how to fight evildoers, so does director Jon Favreau use his bag of cinematic tricks to lay the groundwork for yet another top-caliber franchise starring one of the biggest icons of the printed page. Delivering laughs as well as leaps of wonder, this comic-book fantasy gets it right across the board, with its buoyant tone never diluting the grounded dramatics of the story. For the flick to work, though, one needs an exceptional cast -– something this production has in spades. Sure, it’s an origin story, but to the cast’s credit, none of it ever seems tedious.

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