775 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

I'd be very surprised if Machete did particularly well.

I expect it'll take about $20-30 million Stateside. If it's lucky.

I mean it's a spin-off from a film that was one of the biggest flops of the last decade! Looking forward to it though.

What's it a spinoff of? The film must have flopped so badly I've never even heard of it! (I was under the impression that MACHETE started life as a fake trailer on the Rodriguez/Tarantino GRINDHOUSE project.)

[Safari Suit]

I meant Grindhouse; believe it or not it was such a big money-loser that I've seen it listed at least once as one of the ten biggest losers of the 00s! I'm not sure if that was entirely accurate, but make no mistake it was a big commerical flop

[Safari Suit]

Well it looks like Machete is on track to win the weekend, although bear in mind this is the Labour Day dumping weekend, so that still only means about $10-13mil. Still with a budget of only $20million (possibly only 40x as much as the films it's imitating!), and what at least seems to have been a fairly modest publicity campaign, this one looks unlikely to follow in its fathers footsteps and should have actually made a decent profit by the time it hits DVD.

[dodge]

I'm interested in seeing Machete for a number of reasons, but not enough to shell out movie house prices. Will wait for an affordable used DVD. Till then I'll remain interested in seeing, from afar, if this film does anything for Don Johnson's film career. What in the world ever happened to to DJ?

[Safari Suit]

Till then I'll remain interested in seeing, from afar, if this film does anything for Don Johnson's film career. What in the world ever happened to to DJ?

Considering it's just been determined that he is owed some $50million following a case regarding his other famous TV series, I imagine he's not too worried.

[dodge]

Till then I'll remain interested in seeing, from afar, if this film does anything for Don Johnson's film career. What in the world ever happened to to DJ?

Considering it's just been determined that he is owed some $50million following a case regarding his other famous TV series, I imagine he's not too worried.

Thanks for this fascinating tidbit. I really do have to order at least one season of Nash Bridges

[Red Barchetta]

I haven't seen Sly, and co. yet, and will probably wait for the DVD. But getting JCVD in as a villian with Bruce Willis on the sequel (if there is one) would be great! And, did the Govenator look out of shape?

[dinovelvet]

Bump for The Expendables out on Blu-ray (and that other ancient format) this week. Looks like we get a Sly commentary track which as always should be entertaining, and a 90(!) minute making-of documentary, amongst other things.

[Loomis]

THE EXPENDABLES will hit DVD and Blu-ray in Britain on 13 December. I hope the bonus material will be the same as in the States. Stallone is a great DVD commentator, funny and informative, and I'd love to see this ninety-minute documentary. I suspect that these DVD extras will be much more fun than the film itself!

Having now seen THE EXPENDABLES twice, I'm forced to conclude that it isn't the movie it could and should have been, and is certainly not in the league of ROCKY BALBOA or RAMBO (2008). It is, to put it bluntly, a disappointment. That said, it still manages to crank out just enough dumb fun for ageing fanboys to rate as acceptable entertainment, and may well play better on DVD.

[Loomis]

Wondering what Sly's next film will be? Well, wonder no more. He's scored the lead role in the pricelessly-titled HEADSHOT, which sounds like a cross between ASSASSINS and COP LAND:

http://www.hollywood...orter - Movies)

Sounds a bit, well, generic, although I'd rather see this than that comedy about elderly boxers that he and De Niro were rumoured for a while back.

[Messervy]

Wondering what Sly's next film will be? Well, wonder no more. He's scored the lead role in the pricelessly-titled HEADSHOT, which sounds like a cross between ASSASSINS and COP LAND:

http://www.hollywood...orter - Movies)

Sounds a bit, well, generic, although I'd rather see this than that comedy about elderly boxers that he and De Niro were rumoured for a while back.

I'm of 2 minds on this.
Part of me thinks "why not? It may be some good Get-Carter-kind of gritty crime movie". Part of me thinks "What the ***? It's been seen 100 times!".
So, let's wait and see... Anyway, as you say, it's way better than the ridiculous rumour about this Sly / de Niro boxing thing!

[SecretAgentFan]

Must admit: I was disappointed by THE EXPENDABLES because I expected so much of it. In the end, I think that it was mainly due to my lack of interest in some of the headliners. These all-star ensembles, IMO, only work if they really are all-star. In other words: If Stallone had gotten Schwarzenegger and Willis for the main roles it would have become a much more interesting picture. But the plot itself was... well, so predictable that I couldn´t help but checking my watch again and again.

Then again, I would rather see Stallone go for a film in which he is the sole lead. Maybe Wayne Kramer can direct him better than others have.

[Loomis]

The sequel to THE EXPENDABLES (and Sly's first ever sequel outside the Rocky and Rambo franchises, if I'm not mistaken) now has a release date: 17 August 2012.

http://www.metro.co....-august-17-2012

Can't wait to find out who's directing. No rumours seem to have surfaced yet, but if I had to guess I'd suggest Renny Harlin (Sly's director on CLIFFHANGER and DRIVEN and Bruce's on DIE HARD 2, as well as something of a washed-up action superstar of the 1980s and 1990s in his own right) as a possibility for the director's chair.

[Safari Suit]

I think there's a good chance the director will be Wayne Kramer, who is set to make a Graphic Novel adaptation with Stallone called Headshot

[dinovelvet]

Paul Verhoeven, anyone? MIA since 2006. And if you think doing a low-rent sequel is beneath him, he was at some point attached to direct Thomas Crown Affair 2 : The Quickening.

[Loomis]

I think there's a good chance the director will be Wayne Kramer, who is set to make a Graphic Novel adaptation with Stallone called Headshot

Would Kramer develop two Stallone films at once, though? I was under the impression that HEADSHOT and EXPENDABLES 2 are both set to start shooting in the near future.

Paul Verhoeven, anyone? MIA since 2006. And if you think doing a low-rent sequel is beneath him, he was at some point attached to direct Thomas Crown Affair 2 : The Quickening.

Interesting suggestion. I don't quite see it happening (then again, he seems quite happy to do "low rent" fare - see STARSHIP TROOPERS or HOLLOW MAN, for instance), but I think he'd be an inspired choice. He also has something of a background in action, being the director of ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL. At any rate, I think he's the kind of director Sly should be looking at.

A rather far-out suggestion would be Adrian Lyne. I gather that Stallone is a huge admirer of his work. Seems far less probable than Verhoeven, of course, but I hope that EXPENDABLES 2 has an exciting and slightly surprising choice of director.

[Stainless Steel Teeth INC]

Seeing as the premise of the film was to unite all these former (and some current) action stars together it sort of makes sense to get a director from that approximate period as well.

How about going for Renny Harlin?

He helmed one of Stallone's best (non Rambo/Rocky) action flicks in Cliffhanger along with Die Hard 2 and the underrated The Long Kiss Goodnight. He also seems to have the attitude to handle a set with that amount of testosterone on... he'd probably get my vote.

[Captain Tightpants]

Harlin always struck me as being the fore-runner to Brett Ratner: someone who makes films that have a whole lot of noise, but not a lot of movement. CLIFFHANGER was one of Stallone's best (but that's not saying much), and DIE HARDER was a weak point in the franchise. Harlin was also responsible for directing one of Stallone's worst films, DRIVEN (also known as DRIVEL). When asked if there were any films he regretted making, Stallone pointed to DRIVEL as one of the low points and said that, given the option, he wouldn't have made it at all.

[Loomis]

Harlin always struck me as being the fore-runner to Brett Ratner: someone who makes films that have a whole lot of noise, but not a lot of movement. CLIFFHANGER was one of Stallone's best (but that's not saying much), and DIE HARDER was a weak point in the franchise. Harlin was also responsible for directing one of Stallone's worst films, DRIVEN (also known as DRIVEL). When asked if there were any films he regretted making, Stallone pointed to DRIVEL as one of the low points and said that, given the option, he wouldn't have made it at all.

Well, you make Harlin sound absolutely perfect for EXPENDABLES 2, Captain. This isn't a project that needs a "quality" director.

Oh, and LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD is unquestionably the weakest of the DIE HARD flicks. I'd say that DIE HARD 2 is not only the best of the sequels but also almost as good as the original.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Just about to watch it for the first time. Will put up my post-film thoughts in a couple of hours.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Just watched it and...

I liked it, but it falls short of Stallone's best action work (namely the Rambo movies). It offers some really good action scenes and it's very well paced, but the big problem with the film is the occassional inclusion of some very questionable special effects. At times it felt like I was watching a cheaper version of Die Another Day with some incredibly dodgy CGI, and no-one wants to see that! I also didn't really get into the rather simplistic plot, but I guess in films such as these, the plot is never really the priority! So in short, it's not anything particularly amazing, but it's definitely worth a watch and provides some good entertainment for people who liked films such as Rambo, Die Hard 4 and Taken.

[Loomis]

Well, it looks as though Stallone will direct EXPENDABLES 2 after all.

http://www.denofgeek...endables_2.html

While I was looking forward to learning who'd take over the reins from Sly, and hoping for an exciting name (e.g. someone in the John McTiernan or Paul Verhoeven league, although such directors were probably never on the cards anyway), I'm pleased that Stallone is directing again.

In all seriousness, he's never let me down as a director. Even STAYING ALIVE is an enjoyably goofy "guilty pleasure" romp, and while the first EXPENDABLES is undeniably flawed I do give props to Stallone's direction as a significant element in keeping the movie afloat. Its problems are more to do with the script, and hopefully there'll be a meatier storyline this time round.

With a more experienced and confident Stallone in the director's chair, the rumoured larger role for Willis as the main villain, and a bigger budget, hopefully EXPENDABLES 2 will be the classic action extravaganza that THE EXPENDABLES should have been.

[Safari Suit]

I'd heard that Wayne Kramer had left Headshot because of "creative differences" with Sly (but they say they're still friends, and I'm sure they still go for walks in the park together etc.) and that he's in talks with Walter Hill to take over, so I had hoped he would get either Hill or someone of his ilk to do Expendables 2, but I don't mind Sly doing it himself

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Well, it looks as though Stallone will direct EXPENDABLES 2 after all.

http://www.denofgeek...endables_2.html

While I was looking forward to learning who'd take over the reins from Sly, and hoping for an exciting name (e.g. someone in the John McTiernan or Paul Verhoeven league, although such directors were probably never on the cards anyway), I'm pleased that Stallone is directing again.

In all seriousness, he's never let me down as a director. Even STAYING ALIVE is an enjoyably goofy "guilty pleasure" romp, and while the first EXPENDABLES is undeniably flawed I do give props to Stallone's direction as a significant element in keeping the movie afloat. Its problems are more to do with the script, and hopefully there'll be a meatier storyline this time round.

With a more experienced and confident Stallone in the director's chair, the rumoured larger role for Willis as the main villain, and a bigger budget, hopefully EXPENDABLES 2 will be the classic action extravaganza that THE EXPENDABLES should have been.

You've summed up my exact thoughts there Loomis!

[dodge]

Seeing as the premise of the film was to unite all these former (and some current) action stars together it sort of makes sense to get a director from that approximate period as well.

How about going for Renny Harlin?

He helmed one of Stallone's best (non Rambo/Rocky) action flicks in Cliffhanger along with Die Hard 2 and the underrated The Long Kiss Goodnight. He also seems to have the attitude to handle a set with that amount of testosterone on... he'd probably get my vote.

I've never understood why The Long Kiss didn't set the box office charts on fire. It had everything, including some of the best action scenes ever made. Geena Davis, possibly, just couldn't open a film.

[Safari Suit]

I think the taint of the previous Mr. & Mrs. Harlin collaboration Cutthroat Island didn't help... although frankly I've never quite gotten why that was suge a huge flop either!