1. Vin Diesel is hinting once again about a third Riddick installment (the first two being Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick). While both films have got more than their share of violence, Riddick’s story is also often riddled with God-talk, so I’m interested to see just what the next one has in store. Interestingly, while Babylon A.D. definately wasn’t the best of filmmaking, I found it interesting that Vin Diesel’s Toorup seemed more than akin to Riddick, and that film too had its share of God-talk. (Hat tip ComingSoon)
2. The Red Dawn remake is apparently still on track. In an interview with ShockTillYouDrop, Disturbia scribe Carl Ellsworth had this to say: "We're working with Dan Bradley, the director, on revising the draft. . . ."We're not straying too far from the original story. It's about the Wolverines, a group of kids. And we're doing our best to make these kids realistic and relatable. There are parallels between these kids who become an insurgency and the insurgencies we've had to face in Iraq. . . . I want to explore what could happen, let's talk to some experts and see if this could happen today. Oddly enough, the timing of the remake could really tap into something with what's happening with the world right now." The original (a 1984 film released during my early college years) was a cultural touchstone for my generation. My husband and I watched it again a few months ago and I was struck by how it at once plays on the fears harbored in the midst of the Cold War but also explores the costs of war—especially on the young. There is a solid segment of critics out there who have suggested that the original is a pro-war blood fest (and they have a point), but after watching those kids shredded on the inside and out (it hits you different when you're parent, I think), I’m not so sure it’s the positive spin they think it is. But then that’s just my humble opinion, heh.3. At SF Gospel, Gabriel McKee gives the pithiest review yet on Watchmen (which my husband and I still haven’t seen). And Barbara Nicolosi doesn’t seem to like it (to put it mildly)—or several other recent films, either. Also Jeffrey Overstreet chips in with a list of links to “Five reviews from critics that matter to me—And they disagree.”
4. At C-Orthodoxy, Ken Brown gives a thoughtful analysis of unconditional love (among other things) in Patch Adams—well worth the read.
5. At Search for Serenity, Julie has invited anyone who’s interested to take a look and comment on several key chapters of her about-to-be-handed-in dissertation: Reimagining Faith and Church in the ’Verse: A dialogue between Joss Whedon’s Firefly and contemporary understandings of belief, ministry and mission. Did I mention before how jealous I am? Oh, yes. I see that I did. And I am. Very.
6. And, of course, there’s master list-maker and film critic Peter Chattaway’s endless supply of movie “Newsbites” at his FilmChatBlog, which most recently includes a collection about sequels and remakes, period pieces (Del Toro retelling Count of Monte Cristo as a Western?!), supernatural stories (Ghostbusters return!), science fiction (I’m pretending he didn’t really mention a V remake, oh, please, no), and even one about Hasbro toys and games.
(Image: screencapture from Chronicles of Riddick; Red Dawn, MGM/UA)