Winnipeg Free Press - August 13/09
8 Things in John Hughes Movies You Won’t See in Today’s Teen Movies
ONE of the most influential directors/screenwriters of the last 20 years, John Hughes may not have won any Oscars, but he established the blueprint for teen-focused movies. Behind the lens for genre defining films like Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Weird Science (1985) and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Hughes also was responsible for writing Pretty in Pink (1986), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Beethoven (1992) and Home Alone (1990). One of the first directors to really understand how the power of a soundtrack can leave a lasting impression on an audience, Hughes was able to not only create films that have stood the test of time, but also left a lasting mark on popular culture. With the director’s recent passing, Sprout blog takes a look at 8 Things in John Hughes Movies You Won’t See in Today’s Teen Movies. “There will likely never be another John Hughes, at least not in the way he defined a type of movie” writes Christopher Campbell. “And at the same time, as much as nearly every teen movie since his seminal six recognize his influence, few of today’s teen movies can even get away with or accomplish things his films did.”
CONSIDERING the popularity of the Guitar Hero franchise and Rock Band, it was only a matter of time before someone tapped into other music genres. First out of the gate, Activision has been quietly working for the past 21/2 years on DJ Hero, which will allow gamers to show off their scratching and turntablism skills. Held back after a legal challenge from rival developer Konami attempted to block the release of the game in court, DJ Hero will finally be available in stores Oct. 27. Featuring music and technical advice from DJ Shadow, Z-Trip and DJ AM along with exclusive tracks from mega stars like Eminem and Jay-Z, it looks like DJ Hero wasn’t just thrown together to capitalize on the popularity of the Guitar Hero series. According to early reports, it appears like you’ll be able to play along with your guitar controller on certain songs and battle the DJ to see who has can win over the crowd. Along with being able to create your own DJ persona, gamers will be able to perform as Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Z-Trip, DJ AM and DJ Shadow.
WHEN director Jon Favreau debuted a five-minute clip of the sequel to Iron Man at the recent Comic-Con conference in San Diego, he had to know he was taking a huge risk and that it was likely that the material would eventually end up on the web. While it isn’t really a spoiler, it does offer some insight into where the film will be heading when it is released in 2010. Set six months after the events of the first Iron Man, in a recent interview with USA Today the director suggested the second film in the trilogy will look at how Tony Stark’s revealing his identity is taking its toll on the reluctant superhero and also explore his battle with alcoholism. Actor Mickey Rourke has signed on to appear as Ivan Vanko/Whiplash and shows up in this five-minute teaser. Watch the clip before it is taken down by Marvel.
