Harry Potter Quidditch Movie Planned

Warner Bros are planning on making a big screen adaptation of JK Rowling’s  Harry Potter accompaniment Quidditch Through The Ages . The studio remains determined to extend the box office magic of the wizard movie saga by bribing the wider Harry Potter universe to life on the big screen.

The reported interested in a movie based on the popular invented sport follows recent confirmation that Rowing will provide a script for Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, giving Warners their first official Potter spin-off.

JK Rowling recently revealed that how she invented the sport of Quidditch.

“It was invented in a small hotel in Manchester after a row with my then boyfriend, I had been pondering the things that hold a society together, cause it to congregate and signify its particular character and knew I needed a sport. It infuriates men… which is quite satisfying given my state of mind when I invented it.”

While reports of the Quidditch movie are as yet unconfirmed it seems likely the studio will continue to do it’s very best to continue to exploit the magically lucrative billion dollar Harry Potter franchise as much as possible.

Bryce Dallas Howard Joins Jurassic World

Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of acclaimed director Ron Howard and brief star of the Twilight Saga, is officially in talks to join the cast of the long delayed and questionably necessary Jurassic Park sequel Jurassic World.

After years of uncertainty over the future of the iconic dinosaur franchise production is finally moving ahead under the guidance of Producer Steven Spielberg and Director Colin Trevorrow. Trevorrow having recently established himself with cult sci-fi comedy hit Safety Not Guaranteed. 

Plot details and other casting news is expected soon, as the studio tries to meet a 2015 release date, having already delayed initial plans to have the sequel rused into cinemas next summer.

Austenland Review

The Plot:

Jane a modern day singleton obsessed with the world of Jane Austen and romantic ideals of Pride & Prejudice impulsively spends her life savings to visit an Austen themed holiday resort. Living in costume surrounded by professional actors, Jane hopes for a life changing experience living out her fantasies. But as the sparks of real life romance start to fly it soon becomes hard to tell where make believe ends and real love starts.

The Good:

Austen’s well known romantic clichés and the devoted obsession it inspires in modern day fans provide an easy target for comedy. It’s not too challenging to parody stern heartthrobs in britches and dashing sideburns or hysterical heroines in corsets and bonnets. Many will no doubt be pleased to see this silly satire take aim at the melodramatic seriousness of Mr Darcy themed fantasies.

Keri Russell does an adequate job as Austen obsessive and hapless romantic Jane.  Though it’s actually JJ Fields and Flight of the Conchords star Brett McKenzie that commendably breathe some valuable likeability into the pretend Mr Darcy and real life stable hand that might both prove the answer to Jane’s romantic dreams. This at least gives the film some intrigue in its later stages.

Those with a real life love of Colin Firth’s smouldering Mr Darcy may take some joy from seeing it lampooned, especially if they have a taste for uncomplicated farce.

The Bad:

Much like Hess’s breakout success Napoleon Dynamite, Austenland is slow moving and will irritate some just as much as it amuses others. Hess’s obvious taste in eccentric oddity and campy kitsch definitely isn’t universally shared. Ultimately it just depends whether you prefer to greet frequent displays of cringe inducing awkwardness with a whimsical smile or an infuriated sneer.

As an example Jennifer Coolidge, best known for memorable supporting turns in American Pie and Legally Blonde, yet again plays a tactless buxom loudmouth. In previous roles this may have been amusing or endearing, but listening to her mangled deliberately awful attempts at an English accent is simply excruciating. It’s a perfect indication of the kind of heavy handed laughs the film continually offers up.

Brash American’s failing atrociously to imitate British accents, wit and sophistication is the kind of lazy laughs often found in children’s films. The same could be said of much of the film’s slapstick attempts at humour. Many of Austenland’s inhabitants, including snobbish proprietor Mrs. Wattlesbrook played by Jane Seymour, seem to be borrowed from a film aimed at a much younger audience than Hess likely ever intended.

The Ugly Truth:

Austenland gradually improves but never succeeds in matching the romantic heights of real Austen. A good soundtrack and occasional flashes of comedic or romantic chemistry keep thing’s watchable but feel more like redeeming features than a real joy. Ultimately Austenland provides a little light amusement, especially if you have a particular passion for period drama.

Martin Freeman For Fargo TV Series

Sherlock Holmes and The Hobbit star Martin Freeman has reportedly been cast in the Coen Brothers new Fargo TV series. Freeman will play Lester Nygaard, a character based on the part played by William H. Macy in the cult classic film version.

Filming is set to start in Canada,with Coen brother’s favourite Billy Bob Thornton also confirmed among the cast of the new show. Thornton will play Lorne Malvo and sinister figure who takes advantage of Freeman’s meek mannered insurance salesman.

Freeman will next be seen in the spectacular second installment of The Hobbit trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug, due in cinemas this Christmas. It will be followed quickly by the  long awaited third series of Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch, which will also be back on UK TV screens at the start of 2014.

Irrfan Khan Attacks Unimaginative Bollywood

Irrfan Khan the star of over 100 Bollywood films as well as Life Of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire has launched an outspoken attack on the lack of creativity in modern Indian cinema during an interview with the BBC.

“I think the songs are being used unimaginatively. Earlier, in the 50s and 60s, we had our own unique language and the songs were used in a very imaginative way; songs were the strength of the film. Now we have become complacent, the songs have become a burden. That’s why universal audiences from the West cannot connect. There’s no credibility”

Talking about the recent centenary celebration of India’s first silent feature the actor seemed unenthusiastic about the milestone:

“We don’t have many sources of entertainment – that is the reason we have survived 100 years. There was outstanding work, fabulous work which was done earlier. We had fantastic directors, there were films which were made in so-called Indian style, with song and dance, but they used to deal with complex problems; they used to address the issues of society, but we lost that magic. We have been surviving 100 years, but it does not mean we have any reason to celebrate it”.

Speaking about his own preference for serious drama over lighter efforts.

“There are films which are like a one night stand: You indulge and you forget. I don’t enjoy those kinds of films very much. I try to do films which leave a longer impact, which speak to you and which keep coming back to you after you’ve seen them; I prefer movies which have a longer relationship.”

Khan’s new film The Lunchbox will screen at this year’s London Film Festival next month, having already picked up the viewer’s choice award at the Cannes Film Festival.