Friday was a busy day! Take a look:
Thanks to AW contributer Antonius Bloch! - Todd McCarthy of Variety praises Apocalypto!
"Mel Gibson is always good for a surprise, and his latest is that "Apocalypto" is a remarkable film. Set in the waning days of the Mayan civilization, the picture provides a trip to a place one's never been before, offering hitherto unseen sights of exceptional vividness and power. In the wake of its director's recent outburst and unwanted publicity, commercial prospects remain anyone's guess, and those looking for a reason not to attend will undoubtedly find one, be it Gibson's tirade, the gore, the subtitles or outre subject matter. But blood-and-guts action audiences should eat this up, Gibson is courting Latinos, eco-political types will like the message and at least part of the massive "The Passion of the Christ" crowd should be curious, so strong biz is possible if these distinct constituencies are roused." [Read the rest of the review.]
Now that seems more like a fair review...
- Apocalypto running time longer than initially confirmed:
We're hearing various times for its running length: anywhere between 2hrs and 17 minutes up to 2hrs and 28 minutes. We'll keep looking into it. - Another rave review of Apocalypto, this one by Tony Medley:
Get the audience reaction: "Make no mistake, this is a visually violent picture, not one for the squeamish. In fact, several people walked out of the all-media screening I attended. But everyone else sat transfixed as the story grabbed the audience. After it was over the audience filed out in stunned silence. Personally, I was exhausted." The Gist: "This is a slam-bang, action-packed chase movie that puts the audience smack-dab in the middle of pre-Columbian America, and that's the joy of the movie. Gibson has brilliantly come as close to showing how it was before Columbus arrived as we will ever get. If you can stand the gore and violence, "Apocalypto" is a don't-miss experience." He gave Apocalypto a 10/10. - American Indians hail 'Apocalypto' cast - Associated Press:
"Mel Gibson's effort to find an indigenous cast for his new movie "Apocalypto," which depicts the end of the Mayan civilization, is drawing praise from American Indian leaders. Gibson wanted an indigenous cast for the project, so the filmmakers found people from the Yucatan, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Xalapa, Veracruz and other spots. Two of the cast members are from the United States, three are from Canada and the rest hail from Central America. "It is very important to note that Mr. Gibson has gone to great lengths to cast indigenous people in this film," Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby said. "This not only helps make the film more realistic, it serves as an inspiration to Native American actors who aspire to perform relevant roles in the film industry."
[Read the full article here.]
Technorati Tags: Apocalypto, Mel Gibson, James Horner, Rudy Youngblood, Mauricio Amuy Tenorio, Raoul Trujillo, Mayra Serbulo, Dalia Hernandez, Gerardo Taracena, Roger Friedman, Todd McCarthy, Tony Medley |
