Saturday, February 03, 2007

We Can't Wait #17 The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

Jeremy Renner and Sam Rockwell flank their leader Brad Pitt as gunslinger Jesse James

Andrew Dominik, the writer/director of this new Western (based on the novel of the same lengthy name by Ron Hansen), made his name on the brutal Chopper (2000) which he also wrote and directed adapting from a novel. Dominik's first film was critically well received and introduced the world to Eric Bana (previously known only in the starmaking capital of the world --that'd be Australia). His second feature The Assassination of Jesse James... comes with a ready made star whose already as famous as anyone's ever going to get. Brad Pitt is the assassinated and Casey Affleck is the coward. The film is shot (no pun intended) by legendary and still Oscar-less cinematographer Roger Deakins so at the very least it'll look purty.

The film is due in, well, we're not sure. October maybe? Here's the official site.

Two questions for my anticipating movie companions.
  1. Are you worried that this film was delayed from last fall. Is it "troubled"?
  2. Is Andrew Dominik only going to make movies with the stars of Troy -- Is Orlando Bloom next?
Gabriel: Not especially worried. I like the story, I like the director and I like the casting (the new, roughed-up, no-makeup Brad Pitt is infinitely more interesting that he used to be). It should be interesting, even if it's bad.

Lulu: This one's a push-pull kinda thing. Mary-Louise Parker & Zooey Deschanel? (Big YAY!) In a Western (Mmm, okayyyyy.) With Brad Pitt and the talented Affleck? (Mini yay.) In a reimagination of the already overblown Jesse James myth. (Major feh.) Here's crossing the appropriate digits that Mary-Louise (as a character named Zeralda) really brings home this bacon.

Joe: I'll be the shameful one today who says he has never seen Chopper. I'm sure it's wonderful and I'll one day see it, I swear! Anyway, is really loving the title a good enough reason to want to see this? Bah, even if it's not, I've got Roger Deakins and my girl Mary Louise Parker, though MLP will probably be stuck with the role of the mourning widow or some such. And...you say Zooey Deschanel. That's it. I'm in.

Jason: Yeah, I had nothing on this movie til the director of Chopper and the name Zooey were invoked, and now I'm spellbound. Zooey... Zooey... hypnotizing.

Nathaniel: I'm agnostic on Zooey. But Mary-Louise --Mmm. And I wish all movies had titles like this. Imagine: The Deflowering of Jack Twist by the Closet Case Ennis Del Mar.

previously on "we can't wait"
#18 Spider-Man 3
#19 Rendition
#20 The Bourne Ultimatum
Intro -films that didn't make the list

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Deflowering of Jack Twist by the Closet Case Ennis Del Mar.

Genius.

Glenn Dunks said...

I sort of want to see this movie. Andrew Dominik getting to work with Roger Deakins gets me excited.

But... I really don't like Brad Pitt at all. Not as an actor, not as a personality, not even as eye-candy. I just do. not. like. him.

Glenn Dunks said...

OMG! Is it too late to put in a consideration for this series? (I know it is, but 'tev)

Across The freakin' Universe!!

Just watched the trailer (below) and... wow. The second half of the trailer just looks amazing. Julie Taymor is such a great visual artist, I hope the whole film is as mesmerising as those couple of minutes. Some of those images just look astonishing. Eep. This is officially my most anticipated musical of this year.

Anonymous said...

The reason for the delay???? Pitt was already an Oscar Contender for Babel...and the film is slated for Fall of 2007..so either around October or November...But I'm hopefull...especially for Mary Louise Parker who is AMAZING on Weeds...

Glenn Dunks said...

Isn't Brad Pitt the lead of Jesse James, so I doubt that's the real reason. And if it is they're pretty stupid.

Anonymous said...

kamikaze, doesn't the fact that a film about the counterculture 60's revolution is rated PG-13 bother you? How well can they film this story if the MPAA deems it only worth PG-13 (which means it's likely PG in non-puritanical countries).

Anonymous said...

You should be worried about "...Jesse James...."

The delay's been caused because Brad Pitt has insisted on doing his own cut of the film, which is happening now. Two versions will preview: Andrew Dominick's and Brad Pitt's. Word on the street has it that Pitt's cut is less coherent and even longer than Dominick's. Go figure.

When actors are given too much creative control of projects, very bad things can happen.....stay tuned.

NicksFlickPicks said...

Nathaniel, you are bringing the funny in a big way with these write-ups. I love the Deflowering Title. I am also entertaining The Rude Awakening of the Rancho Carne Toros by the Fierce Clovers of Compton.

NATHANIEL R said...

heee. How is Torrance going to work that into her dialogue though? That's a mouthful for the sassy girl quips!

Glenn Dunks said...

Arkaan, it doesn't bother me because the MPAA is screwed up and wouldn't know how to rate a movie if they tried. But, also - this movie is clearly going to be trying to target young people (as well as people of all ages) and if that means cutting out a scene of Evan Rachel Wood explicitly dropping acid and having buck wild sex then I can deal.