Movie Review: "Rango"

Seen on: March 4, 2011

The players: Director: Gore Verbinski, Writer: John Logan, Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy

Facts of interest: Verbinski also helmed "The Ring" and "Pirates of the Caribbean."

The plot: Rango is a pretty insecure chameleon who gets lost in the desert and later stumbles across a small town in desperate need of water.

Our thoughts: Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” is a whole lot of fun to watch on the big screen; I can tell you that much. Loaded with eccentric characters and a solid amount of enjoyable action moments paired with fresh humor, this animated adventure easily goes down as one of the more memorable films of 2011. “Rango” sure has its imperfections, but in terms of fast-paced family fun, the movie definitely delivers on its commitment to entertain its audiences.

Click to read more ...

Watch this new, funny clip from 'Rango'

In terms of upcoming animated flicks, Gore Verbinski's "Rango" is definitely the one I'm looking forward to most. I love the look of the characters and the film's gorgeous animation, and to be honest, I'm even already sold on the storyline. Long story short, it looks like a ton of fun, and here is a new clip to prove it.

"Rango" is a family western that follows a depressed chameleon (voiced by Depp) trying to survive in the ruthless desert. Johnny Depp voices the lizard, and he's backed by Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy, Timothy Olyphant, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina and Ray Winstone. The movie opens March 4, 2011. Bring it on.

Click to read more ...

Finally: The real 'Rango' trailer is here

Just yesterday we got a first look at Johnny Depp's animated character in Gore Verbinski's upcoming adventure "Rango," and now we're in for the first official trailer, which you can check out after the jump.

Finally, we really get a good look at what to expect in "Rango," a sort of western family adventure that follows a depressed chameleon (voiced by Depp) trying to survive in the ruthless desert. Sounds cool.

In fact, I have to admit I am more impressed by the visuals than anything else right now. It looks like the artists behind this project invested a lot of time to focus on detail, and that can make a big difference.

Click to read more ...

'Rango' teaser trailer is so weird...

Gore Verbinski has been working on an animated family flick titled "Rango," and Paramount has released a short preview for the film. It's sort of a teaser, but it's incredibly weird. See for yourself after the jump.

Okay, so what you see there isn't special or even that visually pleasing, right? It is a tease, sure, but then again, there are better ways to get people excited. Personally, I'm intrigued, but that's it, really.

Written by John Logan, screenwriter of “The Aviator,” the plot focuses on a pet that embarks on an adventure to discover its true self. Johnny Depp is on board to voice the pet. Isla Fisher is also on board.

Click to read more ...

Isla Fisher bags two projects at Universal

The charming Isla Fisher is pretty much set to play the lead roles in two upcoming comedies developed by Universal Pictures. She recently celebrated her lead role debut in "Confessions of a Shopaholic."

Variety says Fisher is in talks to star in "Life Coach," which follows a woman seeking the help from a life coach whose own life is totally messed up. Liz Cackowski and Maggie Carey are writing the script.

Fisher is also attached to appear in an untitled romantic comedy based on a French script called "Un Jour mes princes viendront" (One Day My Princes Will Come). Plot details for this one are kept under wraps.

Click to read more ...

Movie Review: “Confessions of a Shopaholic”

Seen on: February 13, 2009

The players: Director: P.J. Hogan, Writers: Kayla Alpert, Tracey Jackson, Tim Firth, Cast: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow

Facts of interest: Based on the novels by Sophie Kinsella.

The plot: Rebecca Bloomwood has plenty of debt, and she needs to do something about it. Her first step: pad her resume and apply for a job at a popular fashion magazine.

Our thoughts: In “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” Isla Fisher plays Rebecca Bloomwood, an attractive, energetic New York City shopaholic who’s drowning in credit card debt and really struggles to turn her life around. But here’s Rebecca’s biggest problem: she’s quite simply not funny enough.

Click to read more ...

'Confessions of a Shopaholic' web reviews

Based on the novels by Sophie Kinsella, P.J. Hogan's "Confessions of a Shopaholic" stars Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood, a New York City girl who decides to change her life and face her huge debt. I hear the books are funny, but what do the Web's critics have to say about the film?

• Katey Rich at CinemaBlend: "There's lots to look at, between Patricia Field's gonzo costumes and Dancy's sparkling blue eyes, but nothing to feel in Shopaholic, other than a deep regret that we ever thought this kind of lifestyle was funny, much less admirable."

• Brad Brevet at RopeOfSilicon: "The film gets a "D-" because I had maybe one or two chuckles and I felt like being kind, but don't take that slight bump to mean anything more."

• Ron Henriques at LatinoReview: "Director P.J. Hogan who made such a remarkable breakthrough with the lovely 'Muriel's Wedding' seems to have sold his soul to the devil himself, producer Jerry Bruckheimer."

• Kevin Carr at FilmSchoolRejetcs: "Fisher makes this movie work, and she’s proving herself as an adorable screen presence, likely to be the next Reese Witherspoon. Fisher’s goofy attitude makes the fluffy story bearable, and her knack for comedy works, at least in the first part of the film."

• Collider's Matt Goldberg: "The film's other weakness is the runtime. There's just no reason for the film to be almost two hours long and there are some scenes that aren't bad but could easily have found the cutting room floor without weakening the rest of the picture."

This week's new movie releases - Feb. 13, 2009

We're only looking at three wide releases this week: "Confessions of a Shopaholic" with Isla Fisher, Marcus Nispel's horror remake "Friday the 13th" and Tom Tykwer's thriller "The International" with Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. Let's take a closer look:

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC

Synopsis: Rebecca Bloomwood is a sweet and charming New York City girl who has a tiny, little problem that is rapidly turning into a big problem: she's hopelessly addicted to shopping and drowning in a sea of debt. While Rebecca has dreams of working for a top fashion magazine, she can't quite get her foot in the door -- that is, until she snags a job as an advice columnist for a new financial magazine published by the same company.

Click to read more ...

Isla Fisher joins Gore Verbinski's 'Rango'

Isla Fisher has joined the voice cast of Gore Verbinski's upcoming animated family flick "Rango" for Paramount Pictures.

Written by John Logan, screenwriter of “The Aviator,” the plot focuses on a pet that embarks on an adventure to discover its true self.

Johnny Depp is on board to voice the pet, while Fisher will take on the female lead, according to Variety. Also part of the project are Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty.

“Rango” marks the first production Depp and Verbinski work on together since the three “Pirates of the Caribbean” flicks.

As for Fisher, she will next be seen in "Confessions of a Shopaholic." She also recently starred in "Definitely, Maybe" and "Hot Rod."

Fisher is incredibly talented, and she deserves a fabulous career. Here's to seeing (or hearing) her on the big screen more often in the near future.

International 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' trailer!

Shopaholics, rejoice! Here is the brand-new international trailer for the upcoming big-screen adaptation of "Confessions of a Shopaholic."

based on the novels by Sophie Kinsella, the film focuses on Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher), a charming New York City girl who's addicted to shopping. Only problem: she's facing a huge debt.

But when Rebecca lands a job as an advice columnist for a new financial magazine, she hopes to finally be able to make her payments and somehow get control of her chaotic lifestyle.

The trailer you can check out after the jump is a little different from the domestic one, but the footage is more or less the same. Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack, Kristin Scott Thomas and Leslie Bibb star.

The film is directed by P.J. Hogan ("My Best Friend's Wedding") and will open everywhere Feb. 13, 2009. I haven't read the books, but I've heard they are great. That said, the trailer looks highly enjoyable.

Click to read more ...