You'd think that with mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, and large, screeching birds you wouldn't need much more to deliver an entertaining romp through yester-epoch, but 10,000 B.C. proves that merely having an exotic setting as your premise won't get you over a mundane plot and more mundane characters.
The film begins with a blue-eyed girl coming to live with a clan of "manuk" (that's "mammoth" to you and me) hunters after her tribe is wiped out by what appear to be the bad guys from Conan the Barbarian. The tribe elder (Mona Hammond) declares that this girl is part of some prophecy while the son of the tribe's #1 hunter looks on.
That little boy grows up to be D'Leh (Steven Strait), but not before his dad runs off for no apparent reason, leaving his son an outcast. The little girl grows up to be Evolet (Camilla Belle), on whom D'Leh has a pretty serious crush, but, tribes being what they are, he must take down a woolly manuk in order to win her. Seriously.
D'Leh actually accomplishes this goal, albeit accidentally, but no sooner is he confessing the truth about his ill-gotten laurels than the marauders from Evolet's past come along and ruin it all by kidnapping just about everyone in the tribe, including Evolet. The rest of the movie is D'Leh, with some help from the current #1 hunter Tic'Tic (Cliff Curtis) and others, trying to track down and retrieve his beloved.
All of the ingredients are here for a solid, if routine, action epic, and, to be fair, the film does an adequate job of delivering said epic before getting increasingly silly towards the end. But that's the problem. When you have multimillion dollar special effects and the potential to watch man vs. prehistoric beast, "adequate" doesn't cut it. But that's all you get: adequate action sequences and adequate special effects. The Skull Island sequence from Peter Jackson's King Kong alone blows this movie out of the water, and it doesn't take almost two hours to slog through. (Too bad about the rest of the movie, eh? - Ed.)
And for an "exotic" setting, 10,000 B.C. isn't all that exotic. A desert is still a desert, a jungle is still a jungle, and snow is still snow (even if you call it "white rain"). Nothing in this film really makes you feel like you're transported back in time. If anything, the attempt to fuse ancient Egyptian lore, tribal warfare, and mammoths towards the end of the film is more confusing than engaging.
Which brings us to the silliness. At some point in the film, D'Leh and his wandering band discover a black African tribe. They, in turn, lead him to other tribes, which seem to cover everything from pygmies to Native Americans. They believe because of some prophecy (everybody in this movie has a prophecy) that he's the one they've been waiting for to lead them to victory.
Frankly, it's a little depressing to think that even in a film set 12,000 years ago, the highly-trained dark-skinned warrior characters need to wait for a rookie light-skinned character to come along before they can do anything to help themselves. Secondly, the United Tribes of Benetton shtick feels forced and, for a film that's already left plausibility in the fridge way past the expiration date, totally impossible even if they were living on Pangaea.
Ultimately, though, the film's cardinal sin is to be boring. The far more inane Scorpion King at least has a pulse. And director Roland Emmerich's previous efforts such as Independence Day or Stargate were occasionally able to muster something resembling intensity. But for all its attempted grandeur, 10,000 B.C. is about as slow and lumbering as a wounded manuk.
Simon says throw your spear.
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Sunday, 15 June 2008
10,000 B.C. - 6/24/2008
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Loversrock
Artist: Loversrock
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
Brian
Year: 2004
Tracks: 3
Love and Rockets comprised guitarist/vocalist Daniel Ash, bassist/vocalist David J, and drummer Kevin Haskins, all former members of the pioneering peasant ring Bauhaus. However, the grouping didn't legal very similar to its start incarnation. Instead, Love and Rockets emphasized the strains of psychedelia and glam rock candy that appeared underneath Bauhaus' sulky drone, adding elements of pop songcraft, common people, and R&B, as well as cryptic, chesty lyrics. For to the highest degree of the late '80s, the group had a devoted cult next, resulting in a surprisal Top Ten hit single, "So Alive," in 1989. During the early '90s, the group's audience steadily declined, although they motionless maintained a number of loyal fans.
Afterward Bauhaus bust up in 1983, David J recorded a solo album and collaborated with the Jazz Butcher, patch Daniel Ash concentrated on a side fancy, Tones on Tail. Haskins before long united Tones on Tail, simply the mathematical group folded in 1984. Haskins and Ash and then attempted to reunite Bauhaus. David J in agreement to the project, merely the band's leading vocaliser, Peter Murphy, refused. Instead of pursuing an uncomplete Bauhaus reunion, Ash, J, and Haskins formed Love and Rockets, pickings their identify from the underground comic book created by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez.
Love and Rockets released their number 1 album, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, in 1985; it received mixed reviews just it began to build their following. Carry, released the following year, was more than successful, charting in both the U.S. and the U.K. On Earth Sun Moon (1987) the band retreated to more atmospheric musical territory, with the celebrated exception of the alternative/college wireless pip "No New Tale to Tell," which helped increase the group's fan base. Love and Rockets, released in 1989, broke the band into the mainstream, thanks to the T. Rex-inspired Top Ten unmarried "So Alive." The album was nearly as successful, breaking into the Top 20 and loss gold.
Subsequently the success of Love and Rockets, the members of the band concentrated on solo projects for about a half-decade. Love and Rockets returned to recording in 1994 with Live Trip to Heaven, which failed to make whatsoever inroads on the pop or substitute charts. In 1996, they returned again with Sweet F.A., and Lift followed two age afterwards.
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin To Perform With Foo Fighters
Legendary rockers LED ZEPPELIN are set to reunite for a second time by joining the FOO FIGHTERS on stage in London, according to reports.
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has reportedly been in talks with the Stairway to Heaven hitmakers for a collaboration since they announced their one-off reunion gig in London last year (07).
Grohl, who flew to the U.K. to catch the band's comeback concert in December, first sparked rumours of a possible collaboration when the Foo Fighters played at London's O2 Arena last year (Nov07), telling fans he had hoped to get Led Zeppelin star Jimmy Page on stage, but unfortunately the legendary guitarist had broken his finger.
But Grohl's determination may have paid off, even though singer Robert Plant is currently touring with Alison Krauss in America - Page, John Paul Jones and late drummer John Bonham's son Jason are all reportedly set to join the Foo Fighters for their two Wembley Stadium gigs this weekend (06-07Jun08).
A source tells British newspaper the Daily Star, "He (Grohl) had the night of his life seeing Zep performing together after all these years and was really keen to be involved with them somehow.
"He suggested they might like to come and do something at a Foos date. Robert Plant is doing his own stuff in the States. But Dave has been talking to other members of Zep and they will play three of their own songs with the Foos and see how things go. It's going to be mega."
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Amy Winehouse's reps deny Israel rehab reports
Amy Winehouse's reps have denied reports the troubled singer is planning to travel to Israel within weeks for drug addiction treatment.
It was claimed the 24-year-old singer was planning to undergo a $12,800 operation to kick her well-documented habit, but her management have dismissed the report as "nonsense", despite Eliezer Cohen, the chairman of the Israel Anti-Drug Authority, saying that "They spoke to a renowned Israeli institution and an Israeli professor who conducts a very special and effective method.
"She has requested to come to him to do this method, since it�s a method that is suitable for her."
But Chris Goodman, a spokesman for the singer, said that Winehouse had "no plans" to travel to Israel.
"These are just old rumors," he said. "She�s going back in the studio and has absolutely no plans to go abroad for treatment."
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SAG Leaders Tear Into AFTRA
A "solidarity" rally staged by the Screen Actors Guild on Monday reportedly drew a modest crowd of a few hundred, who heard speakers denounce the recent agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. "AFTRA has now abandoned us to make their own deal to the potential detriment of actors," SAG President Alan Rosenberg told the crowd. To some, Rosenberg's speech appeared to be contrived to blame AFTRA if SAG negotiators are unable to secure an agreement that is substantially more favorable to the union than the ones negotiated between the AMPTA and AFTRA, the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America. Daily Variety quoted an AFTRA spokeswoman as saying, "It is unfortunate that SAG's primary negotiating tactic seems to be to vote down its sister union's contract on a prayer of achieving a better deal with the AMPTP." Apparently noting that fewer than 500 persons attended the SAG rally despite a membership total of more than 120,000, the AFTRA spokesperson said, "Today's event only further demonstrates that they have little support for their misguided strategy. SAG members should encourage guild leadership to spend more time at the table and less time, effort and member resources undermining AFTRA." In an interview with Variety New York SAG President Sam Freed called the rally "an irresponsible embarrassment."
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Grey's star Jeffrey Dean Morgan engaged?
'Grey's Anatomy' and 'PS, I Love You' star Jeffrey Dean Morgan is reportedly set to marry 'Weeds' actress Mary-Louise Parker.
According to the New York Daily News, the couple, who play a husband and wife on the television show 'Weeds', have recently told their friends that they are engaged.
The pair reportedly split last June after enjoying a short romance together but attended the US premiere of 'PS, I Love You' together in December, holding hands on the red carpet.
Neither the couple nor their representatives have commented on the recent engagement reports.
According to the New York Daily News, the couple, who play a husband and wife on the television show 'Weeds', have recently told their friends that they are engaged.
The pair reportedly split last June after enjoying a short romance together but attended the US premiere of 'PS, I Love You' together in December, holding hands on the red carpet.
Neither the couple nor their representatives have commented on the recent engagement reports.
Crow says Aniston ended marriage to Pitt
Musician Sheryl Crow has contradicted the widely held belief that Brad Pitt left wife Jennifer Aniston after meeting Angelina Jolie.
Crow, who became close with the former 'Friends' star after her break-up with cyclist Lance Armstrong, insists that Aniston was the one who ended the relationship in 2005.
Speaking to Contactmusic Crow said: "For both of us, the perceived idea is that, in our big relationships, we both got dumped. Believe me, this is not true".
She added: "No one ever knows what goes on in relationships. Unfortunately, for some people like Jennifer and me, so much is written about things that you don't say and so many emotions are attributed to you that you haven't had," she added.
Ever since Pitt and Jolie became close on the set 'Mr and Mrs Smith', it had been believed that the actor left his wife for Jolie.
However a number of Aniston's pals have given credence to Crow's claims and one friend told the National Enquirer: "Once Jen saw the writing on the wall, she dumped Brad. She took a cold, hard look at her marriage and realised it was irretrievably broken".
They added: "She and Brad had vastly different personal agendas and feelings about love, career and having a family."
Crow, who became close with the former 'Friends' star after her break-up with cyclist Lance Armstrong, insists that Aniston was the one who ended the relationship in 2005.
Speaking to Contactmusic Crow said: "For both of us, the perceived idea is that, in our big relationships, we both got dumped. Believe me, this is not true".
She added: "No one ever knows what goes on in relationships. Unfortunately, for some people like Jennifer and me, so much is written about things that you don't say and so many emotions are attributed to you that you haven't had," she added.
Ever since Pitt and Jolie became close on the set 'Mr and Mrs Smith', it had been believed that the actor left his wife for Jolie.
However a number of Aniston's pals have given credence to Crow's claims and one friend told the National Enquirer: "Once Jen saw the writing on the wall, she dumped Brad. She took a cold, hard look at her marriage and realised it was irretrievably broken".
They added: "She and Brad had vastly different personal agendas and feelings about love, career and having a family."
'History' retold at DreamWorks
Dario Scardapane hired to update action film
DreamWorks has hired Dario Scardapane to delve back into "Ancient History" for producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.
Developed from an original idea by Di Bonaventura Pictures production president Mark Vahradian, "History" is an actioner about a man who gets himself incarcerated so he can search for treasure hidden somewhere in the prison. Scardapane will update and change the setting of a previous script to try and rehabilitate "History" after it did a short stretch in development purgatory.
Scardapane will also write a remake of "The Mission" for director Peter Berg at Universal, pending rights clearances, and his spec, "Fed X," remains in development at Fox with Hugh Jackman attached to star and produce.
His last produced feature credit is "Posse," a Western released in 1993. In the intervening years, Scardapane has written television pilots for Berg, Joe Carnahan and Michael Bay, and he wrote a draft of "Fantastic Voyage" for James Cameron.
Scardapane is repped by Management 360 and Endeavor.
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Avernus
Artist: Avernus
Genre(s):
Metal: Doom
Metal
Discography:
Where The Sleeping Shadows Lie
Year: 2000
Tracks: 10
Of The Fallen
Year: 1997
Tracks: 8
Avernus is a Texas sextette featuring vocalist Rick McCoy, guitarists Erick Kikke and Robert Franco, keyboard player Chris Predkiewcz, bassist Tony Volpe, and drummer Rick Yfrach. The band released their starting time album, ...Of the Fallen, in 1997, and, thanks to the contribution of female singer Rhiannon, their boor metal intelligent is selfsame resonant of Holland's the Gathering.
Absurd
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