Weekly Ketchup: Empire Strikes Back Writer Returns to Franchise

age ain't nothin' but a number except when working in film. The Memphis film sounds intriguing, yet, movies are executed so poorly these days we'll just have to wait and see.

Nov 22 - 10:04 PM

Janson Jinnistan

I'm iffy on Greengrass, otherwise, I'd agree that "Memphis" holds a lot of promise.

Nov 23 - 08:54 AM

John Noto

Never saw Porco Rosso (it's been added to the queue) but Miyazaki's next sounds awesome indeed.

Nov 24 - 04:42 PM

Janson Jinnistan

One of my favorites, and because of Michael Keaton, one of the few I don't mind watching in English.

Nov 26 - 08:08 AM

King Simba

Really glad to here that Lawrence Kasdan is returning to Star Wars. Not sure about Simon Kinberg. Sherlock Holmes was a solid action flick, though The Last Stand was a big dissapointment after the first two X-men films. Then again, with the rushed production of that film and bringing in Brett Ratner to replace Bryan Singer there's a lot of other things to blame other instead of Kinberg. Anyway, I'm anxiously awaiting the anouncement for the director. It was reported earlier this week that the choice had been narrowed down to two directors, so I'll bet we'll be hearing the anouncement anytime soon.

I prefer it when the main characters in a Miyazaki movie are kids, but even so I'm looking forward to his next film. For a while I had thought he had retired so it's great to hear that he's still making movies. Unlike some, when it come to Pixar and Miyazaki I don't feel the need to slam one in favor of the other. I love them both. Sadly, I haven't seen any of Takahata's films, though I'm planning on getting Grave of the Fireflies soon.

I think studios are expecting too much from 3d re-releases. The days are gone when you could re-release a film in theaters and it would rake in big dollars. The Lion King was the exception not the rule.

Nov 21 - 12:37 PM

The only problem: Lawrence Kasdan is THIRTY YEARS OLDER than he was when writing Empire Strikes Back . . . old age kills movie-making. Look at how bad the second batch of Star Wars films were some 25 years after the originals . . . AND . . .look at how PISS-AWFUL Prometheus is when compared to ALIEN . . . Ridley Scott, George Lucas, and Larry Kasdan MAY SIMPLY be too old to undertake the filmmaking process --- but these guys are also geniuses and still can pull rabbits out of hats and make brilliant masterpieces!!!!

Nov 22 - 09:51 PM

Prometheus, a bad movie? Lmao. Man, I love the idiots this page continues to gather.

Nov 23 - 02:43 AM

Chum Chum

Pretty sure you're the biggest one

Nov 23 - 07:20 AM

Jon Owens

Said the man named Chum Chum...

Nov 23 - 02:04 PM

He only said it was bad compared to Alien, which is true. What I will say is it was a great bunch of philosophical ideas surrounded by a bad story and cardboard characters who were about as smart as your average horror movie teenager.

Nov 23 - 02:15 PM

Chum Chum

My names just Chum Chum on rotten tomatoes...nice try

Nov 23 - 06:28 PM

George Voulcan

tss, anyone who thinks Prometheus is a good movie is a worthless excuse of humanity with low standards. You're the reason hollywood churns out crap you slothering moron.

Nov 23 - 10:46 PM

Man, I love being right.

Nov 24 - 12:42 AM

Too bad you never are, isn't it.

Nov 24 - 04:23 PM

Tipton Brian

Prometheus had a lot of problems structurally, and the performances weren't that stellar either. It's very flawed, live with it.

Nov 24 - 05:02 PM

I would beg to differ about the age thing. Spielberg, Scorsese and Eastwood are still turning out some pretty good stuff.

Nov 23 - 02:16 PM

Joshua "LF" Mitchell

"This move leaves just Universal's Despicable Me 3 and Disney's The Lone Ranger on the schedule for July 3, 2013."

I believe that's "Despicable Me 2." :P

Nov 21 - 01:47 PM

Greg Dean Schmitz

RT fixed that, thanks!

Nov 21 - 04:29 PM

Ezra Tross

I'm not even sure if Kasdan can fix Star Wars from where its at now

Nov 21 - 01:52 PM

I agree . . .Lawrence Kasdan is 63-years old now . . . in 1980 he was 31-years old. WELL LET'S LOOK AT ACTS 2:17 - 21 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.///// Old Men will Dream Dreams, Young Men WILL HAVE VISIONS. . . films are "about" VISIONS and novels and paintings are "about" DREAMS. Old Men (like Larry Kasdan cannot make films). HEMMINGWAY was an old man when he wrote OLD MAN AND THE SEA . . . he didn't film it or write it as a screenplay, he WROTE it as a novel and it won the 1964 PULITZER PRIZE FOR LITERATURE!!! Literature is for Old Men and Screenwriting is for young men . . . visionaries.

Nov 22 - 10:01 PM

1953- Pulitzer Prize

Nov 22 - 10:16 PM

Alex Szatkowski

this was the biggest piece of bullshit i ever read. "screenplays are for young people". Tell that to woody allen. Sure, his recent films arent as good as his older films, But the script for Midnight in Paris was still very good. The reason older filmmakers tend to disappoint has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with running out of ideas. Lucas was mediocre in his later years because he surrounded himself with "yes men" and never had his ideas shot down. Spielberg is old but still makes great films, same with Scorsese. If Lawrence kasdan was ever a good writer, he will still be one and the script will be good.

Nov 24 - 11:34 PM

Dave J

All I can say about Liam Neeson's latest thriller/ action project is that, that is if the synopsis is correct it's one I can picture myself going to the theatre and seeing as well, but I have to say that the most anticipated on this weeks list have to to be from studio "Ghibli" since Miyazaki has been pretty consistent so far!

Nov 21 - 01:55 PM

Jacob Holmes

Star Wars and Ghibli are the only things I care about this week. I'm just getting more and more optimistic about the new movies, and I think they're getting the right people for the projects. I'm glad Miyazaki isn't making a full-fledged sequel to Porco Rosso, since he's such an original filmmaker. Takahata's new movie looks interesting and it's good to see him back in the business

Nov 21 - 02:27 PM

Diego Tutweiller

Damn, I'm glad they're not treating Independence Day as just another piece of pop drivel. This movie should be treasured.

Nov 21 - 04:28 PM

sputnik 99

Really? I sold my copy of it at a garage sale. Made a buck!

Nov 21 - 06:28 PM

I saw it on eBay once two years ago for 50 cents. No one wanted it.

Nov 21 - 08:17 PM

you're also an idiot for voting for Mitt Romney . . . what the heck is your problem. INDEPENDENCE DAY is AWESOME!!!! Only idiots who voted for Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney would say otherwise. Romney earned less votes than Mccain. Independence Day is on TV waaay too often--over exposure killed it.

Nov 22 - 09:46 PM

Josiah Coulter

Wow, you are really annoying.

Nov 23 - 01:15 AM

What exactly does who you voted for have to do anything with what movie you liked. This is a movie forum not a political forum. Take your rants elsewhere. (And before you come down on me, I voted for Obama, but if I want to read any more political BS, I'll go to Facebook or a political website, so knock it off.)

Nov 23 - 02:18 PM

bob jones

i like independence day but this is just a stupid comment. what does the election have to do with liking independence day? over-exposure? what does that even mean?

Nov 23 - 08:28 PM

Kate Avery

i voted Obama. and while I think that for a mindless, just have-fun popcorn flick, it does its job well, Independence Day is in no way a GOOD movie. At best, it's an entertaining piece of crap. Gordon, you are just as crazy as Palin and the rest of the extremist right wingers. You just play for the other side. As a devoted member of that side, most of the time I wish you would just SHUT UP. You are NOT helping our cause, just making us look crazy too. The biggest problem this country is facing is the partisanship that is slowly destroying it. If both sides can't figure out how to stop complaining about the other and actually work with each other again, then economy, nothing, will ever be fixed. Gordon, this is a movie site. Not a political one. If you insist on making every conversation political, go somewhere else. But I sincerely hope, for the love of your country, you just shut up completely.

Nov 24 - 06:20 AM

Alex Szatkowski

yeah, Independence day was just another alien invasion film.

Nov 24 - 11:35 PM

Independence Day was groundbreaking for its time, but it hasn't aged real well. Still a fun movie though.

Nov 23 - 02:19 PM

Tipton Brian

If by "treasured" you mean "buried deep in the ocean, never to be seen again" then, yes I agree 100%.

Nov 24 - 05:03 PM

Top News:

Never likes SW, but seeing what Disney did with Tron, & the Avengers, I might look forward to this.

Fresh:

1. FINALLY!! Oh master Miyazaki of the wonderous Ghibli company, your finally announced another Oscar expected project! And thanks again for giving another hand-drawn movie! (Fuck you CGI animation)

2. It's about damn time! Now all we're missing is a movie about Rosa Parks.

The two fresh announcements are a good set of news that make up for the shit weekly ketchup in the last few weeks.

Nov 21 - 08:16 PM

I suppose you could be forgiven for not liking the newer SW trilogy, but the first? May you be raped by Ewoks and tossed into The Great Pit of Carkoon to be slowly digested for centuries.

Nov 21 - 10:20 PM

Man, you really are filled with nothing but idiocy, aren't you? I can't believe you're actually that moronic for someone in their 40s.

Nov 23 - 02:40 AM

I can't believe you haven't managed to get run over by traffic by now. But life has it's disappointments.

Nov 24 - 04:25 PM

I rest my case.

Nov 24 - 06:56 PM

Fred Fredburger

@Val Mordas

You're 40 years old, supposedly, & I've seen 14 year old girls act far more mature than you. How sad.

Nov 24 - 07:46 PM

How many accounts you got there, George?

Nov 25 - 03:39 AM