Monday, June 6, 2011

Breaking Super 8 First Class

This is IT!! Trailer for Breaking Dawn Part 1 is up, and I, for one, could not be more excited!! This dress is seriously, going to be more guarded than Duchess Kate's dress (which while looking at pictures of it again, she did look marvelous)!! I'm really stoked for part 1, so I'm re-reading it up until the part where I think it'll split, when she "dies".



Anyway, I was watching the tv spot to the new film coming out, Super 8, and I have to admit, I kind of want to watch it. I mean, I was hesitant at first, but I shouldn't have been. This is JJ Abrams we're talking about here, and I shouldn't have put my doubts in front of what clearly seems to be a stellar track record (hehe, stellar). But I for some reason, had my reservations and after watching this trailer, I couldn't remember why.



Now let's go back to what I really wanted to discuss, which was X-Men First Class. I wanted to discuss how WICKEDLY AWESOME it was. Everything about it was well done. The acting, the filming, the directing, the screenwriting, the plot, the producing, everything. I'm really sort of hoping it's going to do better at the world box office, cause the US hasn't been showing it the love it so RIGHTEOUSLY deserves, so here's to hoping. This movie had everything I enjoy about a film. I couldn't really pinpoint one bad thing about it (except for Rose Byrne's Moira McTaggert. She could've been more serious than girly, but all in all she wasn't really that bad). I mean, January Jones's Emma Frost was just the epitome of her name...frosty. I wholeheartedly enjoyed James McAvoy. He makes me believe that he's the characters he portrays, that he really was a doctor in the late 70's in Africa in The Last King of Scotland. I really believed he was an assassin in Wanted. I also believed he was Tom LeFroy, the man who stole Ms. Jane Austen's heart in Becoming Jane. I just....he's exceptional to me. Atonement was incredible. Michael Fassbender made me like Magneto! I was just really impressed, and I rarely get inpressed with a film. I may praise it as good, but this one's earned my respect, much like The Adjustment Bureau. Congrats, Matthew Vaughn.


Saturday, June 4, 2011

Girl With a Dragon Tattoo

I don't know what the big hype is about--I haven't read the book yet. But after watching this trailer, I might just have to.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Creepy....

I actually am kind of afraid of watching this trailer, which means this film is going to be AWESOME!!!!!! It's a remake, but it's Guillermo Del Toro. I have to respect him because he's one of the few directors who created a likeable sequel to a fantastic film--Hellboy and Hellboy 2.

Friday, May 27, 2011

THE MUPPETS ARE BACK and Some News!!


I have to mention this first, since this is the CUTEST LITTLE THING I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!



BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T LOVE THE MUPPETS?????????





Pictured are Jim Broadbent and the magnanimous Meryl Streep as the Thatchers in the upcoming The Iron Lady, based on the first female British Prime Minister. Ms. Streep just immerses herself completely and just transforms into her character. That's why she's freaking Meryl Streep and no one will really compare to her star power in my generation.



Sean Hayes in The Three Stooges, which I still think should've included Jim Carrey, because I don't know what it is--he just seems to be back on top with his comedy. It's refreshing to see him be funny again. His SNL comedy sketch was the funniest I've seen come out of SNL since Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon's skits. But Will Sasso from MADTV will be Curly, with Sean as Larry, and Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe. I don't know. Let's go at this with a grain of salt, yes. But with at least an ounce of hesitation. Also the fact that Jane Lynch is in this, gray skies are turning blue.




Now THIS, I'm actually looking forward to. Rock of Ages is this hit on Broadway, and it's coming to the big screen, with Footloose star Julianne Hough as the female lead. I'm kind of excited for this!! It's all about the 80's scene and music and all that, and Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Bryan Cranston, Russell Brand and Mary J. Blige are all in it, with Tobey McGuire and Adam Shankman producing it. So you know it's bound to be good if the Shankman has his fingers in it.





IN SADDER NEWS, according to the website Deadline , we're told that there soon should be good news and bad news on the Star Trek sequel front. The good news: With his film Super 8 set for release June 10, JJ Abrams is expected to announce shortly his return as director of Star Trek 2. The bad news: Even moving at warp speed, Abrams will be hard pressed to make the June 29, 2012 release date that the studio set for the film. I'm told that the move being considered right now is to push Trek back for a Holiday 2012 release. This comes after Paramount pushed back the other franchise film in its arsenal that has Chris Pine as its star. Pine's also playing Jack Ryan in the reboot of the Tom Clancy-created series. Pine was expected to shoot that film first, but the script wasn't ready. Thing is, in order for the film to succeed again, they need exactly all the right pieces to fall together at the same time, and unfortunately, his excellent team of director, exec producers, writers and such are all busy doing other awesome-but-not-as-equally-fantastic projects. The film has three top-flight writers in Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof. Kurtzman directed Welcome to People. Orci has been busy on Cowboys & Aliens, a film I'm STOKED AND EXCITED AND THRILLED AND ANXIOUS to watch, and in prepping the Gavin Hood-directed sci-fi epic Ender's Game. Lindelof has been busy working on Prometheus, the Ridley Scott film (brilliant man, Mr. Scott) for Fox. The result? It doesn't sound like they are close to having a script that will live up to the high quality of the last film that revived a dead franchise.


OOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Jersey boy Zach Braff is in final talks to join Sam Raimi's Oz: The Great and Powerful for Disney Pictures. Braff will play the role of Frank, the loyal but under-appreciated assistant to Oz (James Franco), a charismatic circus magician who is treated as a powerful wizard after his balloon blows off course into Oz.


Kim Basinger, Heather Graham, Catherine O'Hara and Jason Patric are all in final negotiations to star in the dark indie comedy Fortune for Nasser Group North says Variety. The story revolves around four characters - a petty thief who seeks a way out of his life after a roadside killing, and two broke sisters who team to get the bounty on a female mobster. They all collide in Las Vegas.



Jamie Chung, who recently starred in The Hangover Part II, Julie Bowen, who also recently starred in Jumping the Broom, Connie Britton, and Jennifer Morrison (funny how I just mentioned Star Trek and she had a previous small role in the first film) are all in negotiations to join the cast of the indie political drama "Knife Fight" reports Variety. Bill Guttentag is directing and co-writing the script with Chris Lehane. Rob Lowe (man looks great at any age--bratpacker to West Wing to now....rawr) stars as a political crisis manager who specializes in playing hardball on behalf of scandal-plagued clients. Chung plays his savvy assistant, Bowen an ambitious TV reporter who sleeps with him for scoops, and Britton an earthy liberal looking to run for public office. Mader plays a masseuse/prostitute bent on blackmail, Morrison plays one of her classmates, and Welliver plays a private investigator working for Lowe.

And that's a wrap, folks!!!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

TinTin, And a Bit of News

Um, refresh my memory, someone, but wasn't Rin Tin Tin a German Shepherd? Then why is it in this animated remake (I didn't even know Spielberg did animated films) is he a Scottish Terrier, I wonder? Then I watched the teaser trailer, and it's not about the Dog after all. It's about a boy named TinTin. I just thought they were giving the film a hyped up name or something....something to bring it to the 21st century. Whatevs. Anyway, it looks cute, but if I know Spielberg films, and I like to think I do, it'll be anything but just plain cute. So this is about a boy who's a reporter, and his Scottish Terrier named Snowy from a comic strip that appeared in a French newspaper in the late 20's. He reported on various world occurences like the Bolshevik Revolution, WWII, the Space Race and even traveled as far as Tibet. So what an interesting adventure for boys, and quite a role model. The best role model I've really seen in a long time. Below are the posters released for the film.





So Michelle Williams has accepted the role of Glinda in the new film, Oz, The Great and Powerful. This prequel to The Wizard of Oz tells the story of the origins of The Wizard and Oz's infamous witches like Glinda, the Good Witch of the North; Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East; and Theodorah, the Wicked Witch of the West, all came about. James Franco and Mila Kunis are already set to star as the Wizard and Theodorah. Rachel Weisz is in talks to play the power-hungry Evanorah, but her deal is complicated due to overlapping schedules with her commitment to The Bourne Legacy. With Sam Raimi at the helm, I don't know if this will be the Wicked-like musical we've all know and love. But hey, dark and twisty is interesting, too.

In other news, Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell are teaming up again after their successful stint as NYPD partners in the hit comedy The Other Guys, in the upcoming also comedy Turkey Bowl, and the pair will play guys from football-obsessed towns who lead rival teams in an annual tackle football game for bragging and trash-talking rights. Apparently, Alec Baldwin has already been signed on to play Wahlberg's father, so this should be HIGHLY interesting.

And that's all folks! Watch TV this week!!! Season finales all around!!!!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Horrible Bosses

Again....Jason Bateman. And even if you make Colin Farrell with a receding hairline, no matter. The man's still rawr. And Jennifer Aniston, not the girl next door in this film!!! And she's not a blonde!!!!! How excited am I about this??? But people. Let's be real here. This film kind of, sort of, maybe just a little bit, reminds me of the 3 women from 9 to 5. I don't know who's who, but the only thing different is that they each have a boss, instead of 9 to 5, they all want to kill the same boss. Just pointing it out. Well, anyway. Trailer below.

La Piel Que Habito

From the TRULY BRILLIANT Pedro Aldomovar, the genius Spaniard that brought us the oscar winning film Talk To Her (the only real reason I watched this was because singer Caetano Veloso had a brief role, but I'm so glad I did), has a new film out called The Skin I Live In, with fellow Spaniard Antonio Banderas. Based on the novel by Thierry Jonquet, it is about a plastic surgeon (Banderas) who decides to get revenge on the person who raped his daughter. Aldomovar describes this film as a horror story without the screaming. It's just.....ooooh..


The Change-Up

I love Jason Bateman. Let me just put it out there....and I also love Ryan Reynolds. Even in his crappiest film, I'll still love him. So let's just say I will be very excited when this film comes out. VERY excited. Because their personalities are actually a bit similar in where they're both a little cynical. So watching them "switch bodies" in this film will be quite interesting! And Leslie Mann, she's just so damn underrated, it's just so hilarious to watch her. She's a sexy housewife!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

News and Pictures!!!

Well, this little tidbit of news comes from the fiery redhead herself: Kate Walsh wrote on her Twitter page that she will participate in the film adaptation of the novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a story about a teenage boy named Charlie (or so we are led to call him)--hopefully expertly portrayed by one Logan Lerman--whose only friend committed suicide prior the novel's beginning, and becomes friends with a pair of step-siblings, Sam (holding my breath for Emma Watson, here. Her first film role post-Harry Potter) and Patrick who teach him to be eclectic, open-minded and a hard-party-er. Experiences that Charlie and his family and friends go through and the topics explored throughout the novel include suicide, difficult/abusive relationships, drug use/smoking, sex, abortion, child abuse/trauma, the struggles of homosexuality, and the awkward times of adolescence, such as first kisses and first girlfriends. Her role is yet undefined, but perhaps it will be the mysterious aunt Helen, Charlie's "favorite person in the whole world" and states frequently that something bad happened to her, but he can never talk about her death as it takes him to his "bad place." Filming is underway, and projected release is sometime in 2012.

Sources say that Sam Worthington's schedule is a little packed after his filming the Clash sequel. He's been lined up to work with The Italian Job & Law Abiding Citizen's director F. Gary Gray in The Last Days of American Crime. In the futuristic tale based on the Radical Publishing comic, America responds to a second major terrorism attack by developing technology that eliminates the impulse to commit crimes of any kind (think Minority Report here, cause that's how I'm seeing it--a way to always be preventing the crime). Worthington plays the leader of a heist team that plans to pull off a final job five days before the signal rubs out the criminal instinct.


Asked about future plans for the X-Men series in light of the upcoming First Class prequel/reboot, Bryan Singer says he's open to the idea of Wolverine popping up should they go ahead with a sequel. “I think there would definitely be room. I think it would be a very exciting thing. This universe has to establish itself first, but that would be a very interesting and fun thing” he says. The comments differ from producer Lauren Shuler Donner's remarks that a fourth X-Men film following the events of X-Men: The Last Stand would likely be the next project. Most likely they and the atudio are waiting to see the returns on First Class. Let's see how this goes, then we'll talk.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering another sequel to another of his works - the 1988 comedy Twins. The original had Ahnold playing Julius Benedict, the product of an experiment to create a perfect human being who lives on a south seas island where he is raised by philosophers. He learns the experiment went awry, creating an accidental twin (DeVito) who didn't inherit his height, physicality or brains and was given up for adoption years before. He sets out in search of both him and their long lost mother. Schwarzenegger has already committed to Cry Macho as his first post-Governor film project with Terminator 5 and several other works like The Tomb as likely follow-ups.


Sir Anthony Hopkins has reportedly been talking to Angelina Jolie about taking on the role of Sir Winston Churchill in Churchill and Roosevelt reports MTV News. All I have to say to that is OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! No story details have been revealed, though with said title, I think it's safe to say it's going to focus on FDR and Churchill, the two Western leaders of the Allied forces during WWII. Jolie is developing the film, though her official role on the project is unclear at the moment. Hopkins has not yet confirmed his involvement and isn't keen on the idea of having to put on weight to play Churchill. Um, Sir Anthony? They call it fat suits for a reason.

Cameron Diaz is in final negotiations to star in What to Expect When You’re Expecting for Lionsgate and Phoenix Pictures. The story follows five couples who suffer the many joys of the childbirth process as they await the birth of the first child. Diaz will play a woman in the mold of Jillian Michaels and hosts a weight-loss fitness show. Kirk Jones directs the Shauna Cross and Heather Hach-scripted adaptation of the non-fiction pregnancy guidebook series. Shooting kicks off in July once Diaz wraps work on the remake of Gambit.

Al Pacino has joined the cast of indie mob drama Gotti: Three Generations opposite John Travolta (awesome), Kelly Preston (awesomer), Joe Pesci (awesomest) and Lindsay Lohan (ew). Pacino will portray Gotti associate Neil Dellacroce. Deal for Pacino was announced Tuesday by Fiore Films at Cannes. Fiore Films acquired life rights last year from John Gotti Jr., the son of the late mob boss John Gotti, to the story of his life with his father. Production is expected to begin in New York in late fall, with a theatrical release in late 2012. Gotti will focus on the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who chose to leave that world behind. Preston will play Victoria DiGiorgio, the wife of John Gotti Sr., who's being played by Preston's real-life husband John Travolta. And the couple's daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, will play the role of their daughter, Angel Gotti. Joe Pesci is on board as Gotti deputy Angelo Ruggiero and Lindsay Lohan (who better behave around INSANELY incredible talents like Travolta, Pesci and THE GENIUS Pacino) will play Kim Gotti, the wife of John Gotti, Jr.




And last but certainly not least, a few images from the upcoming Footloose, something I'm SUPER excited for:
















Marriage, Terminated.





I'm actually really sad to hear that one of the longer-lasting Hollywood-Political couples (let's be honest here, there's not many of them. Ronald and Nancy Reagan would be the last ones, wouldn't they?) have called it quits. It makes me sad--Maria Shriver, a Kennedy, falling in love with Mr. Universe, the Terminator himself, Ahnold. It seemed unseemly, yes. But they made it work, and for 25 years, they were together everywhere, doing everything, seeing everyone. Until I'm guessing, politics kind of ruined their marriage. Sources state that Maria didn't want Schwarzenegger to run for Political office--this coming from a Kennedy???--but he wound up doing it anyway, and she stayed with him through two terms. But as the state went kaput, so did their marriage. I can just feel the rumors being churned by someone's rumor mill that he stayed with her through his Political interests because of her famous family and their insane connections. I mean, his former uncle-in-law was JFK. You cannot get any more politically savvy than that. Nevertheless, it still makes me sad. They were different, but they made it work. I hope they seek counseling. I really do.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Zoe Saldana, Female Assassin

Ok. So we've had a lot of women hit-men in the past, and unfortunately it was unssucessful in box offices, La Femme Nikita with Rebecca Romijn being one of them, though she was......naughty. But to be honest, I'm really looking forward to this butt-kicker film, Colombiana. I never wanted to meet Zoe Saldana in a dark alley anyway, she does look like she can kick some serious butt. However, this film truly promises--and the scenes with Michael Vartan, it's nice to see him back in films that aren't sappy and idiotic, like Monster-in-Law. Let's be real here--the writer, Luc Besson, was the genius that brought us The Professional, The Fifth Element, Taken, and the original french La Femme Nikita. The man's got it going on. I just seriously hope that the director, Olivier Megaton, whom Luc's worked with in the Transporter films seriously gets this right. Because if he ruins this, there's no going back. I really hope to all that is good that he does well with this film, as it promises.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Beastly Ledge

Ok. The trailer for this new movie with Charlie Hunnam came out, and at first I didn't really care about the actual movie, CHARLIE HUNNAM WAS IN IT!!!!!!!! But after watching the trailer, I realized Patrick Wilson was in it, and it was INCREDIBLE. First off, Wilson's got such range that it scares me a little--he can be the swashbuckling hero in The Phantom of the Opera, be the annoying jerk of a special agent in The A-Team, be a creepy pedophile in Hard Candy. He's just really phenomenal. He blows me away and I really TRULY hope that one day, and one day really soon the academy recognizes his unmatched talent. But back to Charlie Hunnam. I am so excited to see him in anything outside Sons of Anarchy, although I truly do enjoy that show. I really do. It's sexy, smart, well-written and it's got some ridiculous plot twists that just jerk you around in the good way. Charlie plays Jax Teller, the town of Charming's Champion, protector and prince. A tough biker with soft spots around his heart for the people he cares for the most--his son, his old lady Tara (well portrayed by Maggie Siff), his club, and his mother (recent Golden Globe winner Katey Segal, who by the way received a standing O from her former Married co-star Ed O'Neill and I thought that was incredibly sweet). Oh, and Liv Tyler's in this film too, and I don't usually have an opinion about her. I haven't seen her in anything that really wowed me at all. Well, maybe That Thing You Do! and Reign Over Me, and of course The Lord of the Rings trilogies, but Reign was all Adam Sandler, and how he always seems to floor me when he does dramatic roles. But back to this film, I was just overly impressed screenwriter/director Matthew Chapman tackling on such a tricky subject. Hopefully it won't give any of the Christians a bad name, but from what I saw he makes a serious point in how someone who is ridiculously tempted to do something that isn't wholeheartedly a Christian thing to do. Christians try to live the holy life and it sometimes backfires because we are human. We fail. We commit sin. It's inevitable. Chapman explores the inevitability of being human. I am impressed. Very impressed. And very excited for this film to be released.



Now I just watched Beastly and it made me seriously want to go read the dictionary for me to retain the neurons I lost from watching such a load of bunk. It wasn't even sappy, it was just pathetic. The acting was horrible, except for Mary Kate Olsen who truly rocked her role of witchy Kendra and the always effervescent Neil Patrick Harris, who provided light comedy relief to an otherwise bland film. It wasn't anything even remotely close to the book. It was ridiculous and idiotic and I was truly upset with screenwriter/director Daniel Barnz, and am beginning to think he's a one-hit wonder after his surprise mini-hit film Phoebe in Wonderland. I'm going to try to give him the benefit of the doubt, and hope to God he redeems himself. Ech. Seriously. Ech. And if I ever have to watch another film with Vanessa Hudgens, I will seriously commit myself to a mental institution.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Is There Any Prouder Day to Be An American????

I cannot believe this: Osama Bin Laden is dead. It's a bit bittersweet. I wanted the US Justice System to work in our favor, I wanted to make sure he fried on the electric chair, and I know there's some states that actually still do a firing round. But what's done is done, and it's confirmed that his death came at the hand of gunfight by the CIA and Navy SEALS (I knew I always loved that branch of the Special Elite forces). I'm just thunderstruck and awed. I very much enjoyed the fact that people at Ground Zero and all over the US were gathering together, Americans and non-Americans alike, to celebrate this momentous occasion. Though it was a life, this life was riddled with absolute and complete impure evil, corruption, vileness and anything else disgusting and just plain wrong this world can pile on, 1 life isn't worth 3000 lives. I kind of wanted him captured alive so we can see who he was. I wanted him to see the families he destroyed, the lives he took, the people he assumed responsibility ....I wanted him to see it all.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

X-Men First Class Second Trailer

Is it just me or is this version of X-Men just a little darker than what I remember the series to be? The characters seem darker, the plotline seems....I don't know. Grimmer, if such a word exists. This is the beginning of one of the most popular series Marvel has ever put out as a graphic novel. It just seems, not more evil, but....well, grimmer is the only word that comes to mind, really. Take a look.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Thor Trailer. Took Me Long Enough.

Sorry. It took me a while. I was watching the commercial for this film on TV and I wanted to see the whole trailer. Here I am, thinking I'm doing my due diligence in including one of this summer's main blockbusters on this blog, and clearly I haven't. Um. My bad.

Anyway.....here it is. Enjoy!


!

Royals and Robots

So Prince William married Kate Middleton and became the newly minted Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Well, one down, one left as Harry is now THE most eligible bachelor in Great Britain and its commonwealth. I'll miss pining over William, but now since he's married and she's positively gorgeous (no way any of us mere mortals can compete with the beauty of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge), I'll move on and stick to films. Speaking of, here's the latest trailer for Dark Side of the Moon, the new Transformers film. Hm....I think something's different. I can't quite put my finger on it....WAIT!!! THAT'S RIGHT!! Megan Fox's horrible acting isn't in this one!!!!!! I just hope this new girl, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is just a smidge better. That would make THE WORLD of difference.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The End....

This merits a post without commentary. This is just....man.

Freddie Highmore, All Grown Up

I was watching August Rush the other day and I couldn't help but think, boy. I hate to say it, but Freddie Highmore peaked at 13. He hadn't been in anything worth mentioning since...The Spiderwick Chronicles....and that's barely mentionable. Although, I watched him in BBC's film, Toast, and he and Helena Bonham Carter (LOVE THAT WOMAN) just bonded like they were back on the set of Women Talking Dirty. He kind of shocked me a bit here with this character, a gay boy in the 60's who wants to be a chef, and though I'm used to Helena Bonham Carter taking on shocking roles, she was once again in her prime element. I think Highmore's got so much potential as an actor, that when I saw the trailer to this film, I was glad he wasn't cast aside because he wasn't the cute little boy from Finding Neverland or August Rush anymore. This film, The Art of Getting By is a Sundance pick, and I'm ecstatic for it to succeed because not only does it have Highmore, which I completely respect as a young actor, it's got Emma Roberts, creating her own way out of her famous aunt's spotlight and getting a spotlight of her own. It also has black sheep Michael Angarano, who kind of blows my mind in the indie film Black Irish with Brendan Gleeson and recent Oscar winner Melissa Leo, and is just a riot in Ceremony with Uma Thurman and Lee Pace (Someone whom I've loved since his Pushing Daisies days with Kristin Chenoweth), but going back to The Art. Seriously, I'm not a big Sundance selection film watcher and I don't watch films because they were selected by Sundance. Like I said, I don't really discriminate films at all--regardless of whom they were made by, unless I've already discriminated before and it was so terrible that I swore to myself I'll never watch another film ever again by the director/producer/actor et al.... But this one I'm actually going to make the effort to see. I'm pleasantly surprised, and I hope you will be too.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Immortals Trailer

This looks visually appealing. Perseus is my favorite hero in Greek Mythology, so Sam Worthington currently holds that title of hero in my heart. However, it looks really good, and I'm really excited for it. The trailer doesn't have much, but that's because the film must be incredible, which makes me salivate over it!!


I'm Loving The Avengers!!!




I am a wee bit STOKED for this film to come out next year. The Avengers is beginning to look phenomenal, and it has all these great actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, JEREMY RENNER IS CONFIRMED AS HAWKEYE--I wonder who his Shayera is going to be, if they're casting her at all. I mean, seriously, creating the character Hawkeye for film and not have his own film aside from the Avenger series??? There's something seriously wrong with that. Plus he's Jeremy Freaking Renner. Now what I'm genuinely upset about is the fact that Ed Norton is not going to be the Hulk, and they've replaced him with Mark Ruffalo. I enjoy his acting, don't get me wrong. But I LOVE Edward Norton and was heartbroken to discover he was replaced for some reason (I don't really care what the reason was. I'm just upset he's not Bruce Banner). But Chris Evans's Captain America, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury are all in, and I'm super excited nonetheless, regardless of the lack of Norton.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

......Wha?



I'm having a hard time understanding that they're creating a film version of the '80's television hit, 21 Jump Street, , and it's just now that I'm hearing about it, AND that they were able to get Channing Tatum to play the coveted role of Officer Tom Hanson, the role that catapulted Johnny Depp into the stratosphere. Will it have the same effect for Channing Tatum's career? Because seriously, his role as Tyler Gage in the original Step Up is what made him a household name to ladies in the age range of 17-34. I just really REALLY want him to be able to pull this off--millions of 30-40 something year old women will kill the creators of this film if it goes under. And to be honest, I'm not so sure about Jonah Hill as Doug Penhall. Peter DeLuise looked like a big guy. Probably did football in high school, heavyweight wrestler and all that. I mean, can you see Tatum and Hill as the McQuaid Brothers?? And they CANNOT have a 21 Jump Street film without mentioning the infamous fictitional brothers. It just doesn't work that way. I will have to wait and see how it works. I've been wrong before, so I'm hoping I'm wrong now.

So here's to keeping your fingers crossed to the casting. I don't think they got anyone to play Judy Hoffs yet, or even Ioki. But Ice Cube as Fuller? That I can get on board with.


But I would also like to give a final mention on casting, so back to Channing Tatum. Boy, when you think about it, has he come a long way from being in a supporting role in Coach Carter. He's really flourished as an actor, and I have to give him incredible props for his role in Stop-Loss. I admire an actor who works on getting better, and doesn't just expect the world to give him everything on a silver platter, like some actors and actresses today. And not because he's insanely easy on the eyes. There are gorgeous actors out there who are positively terrible at acting, and yet only get hired because they're pretty faces. Channing Tatum IS a pretty face, but he's really stretching his resume to the limit with roles in films like Dear John, Fighting, GI Joe, The Dilemma, his brilliantness in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (I mean, I watched that movie for Robert Downey Jr. and was incredibly pleasantly surprised at the acting he delivered), and The Eagle. Such incredibly diverse roles, but he's rolling the dice and coming up 7's. Kudos on the insanely vast improvement, Mr. Tatum.



End of an Era




Now I don't usually post stuff about the small screen--yet. I'm going to just focus on the big screen for now, write about the films we see for now, and maybe someday in the future focus on TV shows and awesome series like House, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, and all that (please note that the main characters are all doctors--not what I had planned). But this needs to be said. It's the end of an era for me, as Clark Kent (portrayed by today's birthday boy Tom Welling) finally marries Lois Lane on Smallville, or attempts to marry, we really don't know what's going to happen in this episode of episodes. Now, Smallville has been on air since I was a freshman in high school, and I miss the simpler times of that year when I think about the first few episodes. I can tell you exactly where I was in my life during a specific episode during that master season. Also, how much the show's evolved is incredible. We've seen famous villains, famous heroes, sidekicks and known characters mentioned on this show that has been part of a huge chunk of our lives. So a fond farewell to Smallville in the next few weeks. I'm going to be glued to my television watching the 2-hour series finale with Michael Rosenbaum's return as Lex Luthor like I'm sure, everyone else is. Producers, writers and directors couldn't have given us a better 10th season, a way to say goodbye to the actors that have portrayed these famous roles for ten years. They've grown, and so have we.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

This Just In: Michael Bay Will No Longer Work With Shia LeBouf On a Possible New Transformers

According to an interview Michael Bay gave to MTV.com, he said he wouldn't like to work with Shia LeBouf anymore. He also talks abut further Transformers installments, which I kind of don't really want, if LeBouf isn't going to be in it. It's like saying Josh Duhamel isn't going to be in it, and pretty much that ruins the entire film. Transcript of interview is as follows:

On the "Transformers" franchise being rebooted after the third movie:
"It still could be rebooted. Not with Shia. He’s turning grumpy in his old age," he joked. "He’s like a little brother to me but I told him, ‘I’m never going to work with you when you’re older.’ [Shia said] ‘Why?’ ‘Because you’re just a grump!’"

"You put him on a wire and he turns into this evil monster," he continued, playfully poking fun at his frequent collaborator's expense. "Other actors say, ‘This is really fun,’ he’s just the opposite."

On the breakdown for his 3-D shots, wishing he could shoot more on film, not digital:
"I was able to shoot about 60% native 3-D and then you’ve got maybe 15% of all digital shots that are in 3-D, the rest is converted 3-D close-up stuff. Digital, no matter what people tell you, it’s bullsh--. They say, ‘Oh, it looks just like film.‘ It doesn’t look like film, it never will."

On filming his craziest action sequence yet:
"We did one of the craziest things I’ve ever filmed which is these wingsuit guys [extreme base jumpers]. I’m like, 'I’m writing a scene for those guys.' We have this great scene where they fly between the buildings. We had to block off a mile and a half, they made turns around the buildings, very close, but the city [of Chicago] allowed us to do that. Jumping off the Sears Tower flying through the streets. That’s just unheard of."

On how he deals with misbehaving actors:
"With actors, it’s great learning form a guy like Sean Connery who has the greatest work ethic. When I worked with him on 'The Rock,' he would always talk about the young whipper snappers in Hollywood who misbehaved. Owen Wilson, great guy, I put him in 'Armageddon,' it was my third movie. He was an hour and a half late. When he showed up I put my arm around him, 'Hey Owen, how are ya?' 'I’m excited to do this,' [Wilson said]. I said, 'You’re an hour and a half late. You know what? Sean Connery was never late.' And he was never late again.

"I’ve actually been pretty lucky, there’s really no misbehaving on set. It is a long haul, you’re a family. There are tensions, you have good days, bad days, it’s not always perfect. It is tense. You have the light going down, you have the studio up your ass."

On his editing process, evolving from quick cuts to wider shots, and being touchy about criticism there:
"You know what, you should do a study on Paul Greengrass movies and mine… I was one of the first way back when to do 'Bad Boys' in a fast cutting style. I was one of the first to do the fast cutting style… I didn’t have a lot of money, I had nine million… almost no movies did that fast cut, I got a lot of shit for it. Now you look at action movies today, then you look at Paul Greengrass, they get nominated for an Academy Award for cutting so f---ing fast. My cuts, we should analyze, we should do a math test, take the same length of movie and see who has more cuts. I‘ll have less cuts, I guarantee you. It’s a stigma that sticks with me and it’s not fair.

"I get a little hot under the collar about the editing," he said with a smile.

Teaser trailer for the new film, Dark Side of the Moon is below:

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Itty Bitty News!!!!!!!!

I think I may actually be sad with this bit of news: Ben Affleck doesn't think that the role of Tom Buchanan in the remake film The Great Gatsby is a good one, so he's declining the offer made to him. I was sincerely looking forward to seeing him tackle on the role of the sexist millionaire philanderer. Affleck was offered the role in early April and director Baz Luhrmann rallied for him BIG. Scheduling just didn't work out due to Affleck's commitment to direct the 1979 Iran hostage crisis drama Argo which is shooting in the Middle East, which sounds AWESOME. Gatsby will, of course, film in Australia, Luhrmann's stomping grounds. Leonardo DiCaprio is pegged to play the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby who still pines for his former flame Daisy Buchanan, which has me excited to see that it's going to be Carey Mulligan, whom I LOVE!!! Tobey Maguire is also set to join the production, along with fellow Aussie Isla Fisher who will play Myrtle, a married woman having an affair with the character role slated for Affleck.

Now THIS is newsworthy. City of God Director Fernando Meirelles is helming the new film, Onassis, a potentially controversial biopic of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his relationship with the Kennedys. Meirelles is teaming up with God screenwriter Bráulio Mantovani, and the story will apparently focus on Aristotle’s contentious relationship with Bobby Kennedy, the latter had Onassis' business practices investigated and barred him from trading within the United States. Evans asserts that the power struggle, which included a battle over access to Jackie O, got so heavy that Aristotle eventually allegedly helped finance the assassination of Bobby.

I know this may be itty bitty baby news, but it's rich in details, and that's what matters.

2 Trailers--One I Would Go See In Theaters, The Other I'll Wait for BlueRay.



Although, I must say. It is nice to see Kirsten Dunst back in a film--I haven't seen her since How To Lose Friends and Alienate People with Simon Pegg. She was actually quite good in that....and then she went to rehab, which was kind of surprising. She didn't seem like the kind of girl to have a breakdown. But then again, she was a child actor. Some child actors almost always seem to have some sort of a minor little emotional issue or full blown chemical dependencies and overdoses, a la Corey Haim. I'm just glad she doesn't seem to be Haim-degree crazy.

The second one I'm excited because I love Emma Stone. Her performance in Easy A was one of my favorites of hers. She was light, funny, and practically carried the film, although I'm a huge Stanley Tucci fan and was delighted to see him in this, as I was delighted to see him in the Julia Child film opposite Meryl Streep again. But back to this film--her light 'suthen' accent isn't the only thing that was on spot. Viola Davis, a gorgeous woman who always seems to be in frumpy roles isn't an exception, but in this role she shines like a new penny, as she actually usually does, especially in her role as Mrs. Miller in Doubt, along with Ms. Streep (once you're in a film with her, you've made it in Hollywood). Now who I'm very excited to see in this film is Octavia Spencer--she's always had minor roles in huge films like Seven Pounds, Being John Malkovich, SWAT, Beauty Shop, Coach Carter, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!, and so on and so forth. She's had her finger in a lot of films throughout her illustrious career, and I'm glad to see she's now been given a juicy role in a solid film.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Abduction Trailer

Um....this is just one hot mess waiting to be released to the world and taint our minds for about 90 to 110 minutes. I always say, the people in the Twilight saga can't seem to act when they're in those films, but once they're in other films, they're actually really good. I was pleasantly surprised with Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett in The Runaways, and am very excited for Water for Elephants with Robert Pattinson. But this might actually be the case where Taylor Lautner was pretty good in the Twilight films, but will suck in this one. I'm not going to count his appearance in New York, I Love You. It was, if we put it together, about 15 minutes worth of film. So eh, Taylor Lautner. Eh.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Happy Birthday, Charlie Chaplin!!!







No one will be able to understand what this man did to pioneer the film industry. He, like Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, and are the real legends of film. I will be forever greatful to the likes of them for being a part of a revolutionary concept such as film, to be able to give brilliant minds the idea to make the film industry what it is today, and the capabilities of what it can be in the future.

Mr. Chaplin, Happy Birthday.

This Woman is Just Plain Awesome. I Admire HBC.


So apparently, Helena Bonham-Carter's in talks to be Ms. Havisham in the new screen adaptation of Great Expectations. Can I just say, that's absolutely awesome. She's been given beefy roles all her life and has done more than her share of kicking the role's butt and coming out of the films as a force to be reckoned with. Even the writers at Totalfilm.com agrees. I think that's just plain freaking awesome. Everything she does she gives all of herself in and is just a hurricane of sheer and pure talent. Awesome for Ms. Bonham-Carter.

.....Um.



Uh, yeah. Well, I don't discriminate against films. But this is the most ridiculous thing I've seen in a long time, let me just say.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

.....YUM.


I know this may be a little old, but I had to share it. Something this good may not need help being spread, but it's wildfire material.


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Crow Remake With Bradley Cooper. Hm.



Well, I don't know how to feel about this. Bradley Cooper's in talks to star in the remake of the Brandon Lee thriller The Crow, where Lee died a horrific death on set of a shattered spinal cord from a faulty prop bullet. I can't help but worry for Bradley--this may not be his fifth film, but I seriously think this film's cursed. If he makes it alive, then I'll watch it.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Anonymous.....man.....

My movieholic counterpart in Florida shared this with me last night, and I for one CANNOT WAIT for this film to come out.............this is just BRILLIANT. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. COMPLETELY BRILLIANT. JUST........wow. Wow. WOW!!!! I am just astounded by the originality of the screenplay, the thought of the film.....Oscar contender, right here. RIGHT HERE.

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

I actually wrote something completely awesome about this film, and Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell and all that, but for some reason, my internet stopped working, and I lost everything I typed. It was witty, lovely written and completely enjoyable. But it's gone, and I can't even remember what it was I wrote, so I'm sorry. I can't rewrite it nor do I want to. Just enjoy the trailer to Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Theseus, Perseus, Hercules, Achilles, Hector.....I LOVE GREEK MYTHS!!!


The new poster for Immortals is out, and I'm kvelling in my boots. Mr. Henry Cavill, the announced Superman is making his big screen leading man debut in this film, and it has me completely flipping out. We finally get to see what he's made of outside The Tudors, and I'm extremely excited because I have such high hopes for him. Luke Evans will play Zeus (interestingly enough he played Apollo in Clash of the Titans), King of the Gods, and widely-known philanderer. I mean, this film's got some potential. It's got Freida Pinto, John Hurt, Mickey Rourke, Stephen Dorff....and quite a few unknowns, like Joseph Morgan, Isabel Lucas, Corey Sevier, and a few more, so this is their moment to shine. They can't possibly screw this up, or else they're tanked. Another well-knowned actor in this film, and I'm extremely excited to see him out of the Twilight saga films is Kellan Lutz, who is only stuck with one-liners in the entire series. As cute as he delivers them, I'd like to see him in something with a little bit more punch, so I'm anxious to see how he delivers as the God of the seas, Poseidon. I was a bit shocked to learn that there was no Poseidon in Clash, but the best Poseidon I've seen was Kevin McKidd in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.....I love me a Scotsman. Back to the topic at hand. Immortals, out on November 11th.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Screen Legend Birthdays

I'd just like to point out that today is Bette Davis's, Gregory Peck's and the ever-so-awesome Spencer Tracy's birthday. It's a pretty awesome day for these deceased film stars!

Green Lantern Trailer Revamped

This is the creators of Green Lantern making up for their epic fail of a trailer. It's definitely a, "we screwed up, here's four minutes worth of trailer" trailer.

Well then, here's four minutes worth of trailer.



This should've been the trailer from the beginning....but nooooooo.......I mean, I watched the first trailer they put out, and they had promised all this great CGI and everything, which kind of had me wondering, are they leaving the CGI a secret so that we can be wowed on film day? But people were still highly disappointed in the watery trailer provided, though I'm not going to lie. A minute of Ryan Reynolds is worth it. Just a minute. But people don't always see things my way, so it still was panned. A panned trailer--has that ever happened?? So fail, creators of Green Lantern. Fail.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Breaking Dawn Leaked Images

I do have a copy of those leaked images, but because they were fraudulently leaked, I think it be highly unjust and completely downright horrible if I post them, and not to mention incredibly disrespectful. These weren't ready to be posted yet, and some moron goes right ahead and ruins it for the rest of us. So if they were illegally gained, you will not find it here on 5050critics. And if I do have an image that was by no means necessary properly obtained, then I will definitely remove them ASAP. I respect the film creators' rights to keep us in adequate suspense.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Just a Bit of Pictures and Posters!!!!!

New Captain America photo!!


THE ONE-MAN WOLFPACK IS BACK!!!!!!


The end is near for Harry Potter....

Cleopatra: Liz's Eyes, Angelina's Lips....


Well, here we have it. Angelina Jolie's officially signed on to play Cleopatra in the upcoming film, as well as the awesome David Fincher, Best Oscar nominee and awesome all around director of Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, Fight Club, and the upcoming Girl With a Dragon Tattoo, Se7en....and so on and so forth and we just have to admit this director's FANTASTIC.

From what I hear, though, the film's producer, Scott Rudin, wants to focus less on the love affair between Cleo and Marc, still uncasted, and really portray her as the business and politically-savvy Queen of Egypt. Which I think will go well--Angelina's too much of her own woman to be a romantic character. You never see her in these films where she falls in love, then gets into all kinds of shenanigans during the film and gets married to her Charming in the end. She's not that kind of woman.

She is, however, the leading woman in Alexander, Salt, Changeling, Beowulf, Wanted, A Mighty Heart, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow--every single one of these films, and all of her other not-above mentioned films has she ever played a damsel in distress, and I think I have to respect that of her. She's her own woman. She is on scene as a powerful woman who doesn't really need a man, but has one anyway because she just so happens to enjoy the company. Even in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, she kicked serious butt, and not because she had to, but because it was who she was.


But back to the question at hand, and even People Magazine have actually mentioned it first: who will be her Marc? I mean, the focus will be on her awesomeness power to rule, right? Well, Marc Antony can't be wimpy either, or else the whole film loses momentum and we're back to Alexander, where we couldn't help but wonder if Alexander the Great really was a mama's boy (though I really don't think Colin Farrell's performance was horrendous. I give him major props for battling this strenuous role head on). They're considering Brad Pitt, which I really wouldn't mind--chemistry will be sizzling between the two. Daniel Craig would just make me melt--I do love that man. The two people I really don't see, and I hope people would agree with me, would be George Clooney, since he doesn't do period pieces well, and Colin Firth, who I just can't see it. I'm not denying Colin's incredible acting chops. He's got them to spare and feed an entire small 3rd world country. What I'm saying is if Angelina's who they picked to be Cleo, then whoever they pick for Marc's gotta have action film experience, and Colin just doesn't have it. So basically it's someone who's good at period pieces like Colin, and someone who's good at action films like George. And good looking like both. Hm.....any thoughts on who should it be?


Monday, March 28, 2011

Beautiful Boy

I love Michael Sheen. I do. I think he's one of the most versatile actors around today. He's been a vampire, a werewolf, a Prime Minister, a Nixon interviewer, a white rabbit, and a blood diamond monster mogul. He's been everything and everywhere and does it with such convincing grace that I don't know half the time whether to hate him or to love him. His brilliantness (yes, yes, made up word) is just vivacious on screen that it's hard to really tear away from him.

I love Maria Bello. I do. She happens to be one of my favorite actresses, ever since Coyote Ugly. She's also done everything and been everywhere, and one of my favorite films of hers is A History of Violence. She was just fantastic, as well as The Cooler with William H. Macy. Also brilliant.

Now, in this movie, I get to love them together. A story about what happens to the family after their only son is the gunman in a shootout at his college, how his repercussions fall upon them and how they cope and deal with the fact that they're either incredibly hated, incredibly pitied, and just thrust into a negative windstorm. How do they rebuild and move on from such a tragedy? Director Shawn Ku really has the actors open up to us as if they really were the ones to lose a child in such an atrocious way. It's hard not to cry with Bello, it's hard not to feel the pain Sheen feels. Congratulations to both for participating in an incredible Indie film.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

This Just In.....Amy Adams is Lois Lane!


Well, I couldn't be happier with the decision. I think Amy Adams is an awesome actress, and really expanded her excellent and diverse abilities in The Fighter, so I was pleasantly surprised when this announcement came through. Good for you, Amy! I think you'll do just fine opposite...rawr.....Henry Cavill. Forgive me, but every time I think of Henry it reminds me of his role as the Duke of Suffolk in The Tudors, which I remember very fondly going in being excited in watching Irish hottie Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. But I got more than I bargained for when Mr. Cavill made his debut.....and boy, did I. But I digress. Yay, Amy!


Saturday, March 26, 2011

The Three Musketeers....and Alice.



Let me be the first to say, I have a feeling this movie's going to suck. Although Milla Jovovich will be playing Lady DeWinter, the role previously played by Rebecca DeMornay in the Disney version with Chris O'Donnell, Charlie Sheen, Oliver Platt and Keifer Sutherland, she seems to be channeling Alice from her Resident Evil films. Just pointing that out ahead of time so no one will be surprised she's not killing flesh eating zombies with machine guns.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

NEWS!!!

They're making a new Narnia film! Yay! Not too thrilled about it, but instead of the new film being The Silver Chair, which was next in the novels by Lewis, the powers that be decided to skip ahead a few books and do the prequel story, The Magician's Nephew, which I think happens to be the best one out of all of the books. I LOVE it. Nothing else has really been announced on it, but I'm looking forward to it.

Now I'm all for second chances, so if they screw up the new Clash film, I will be VERY angry. Confirmed returning cast members include Sam Worthington as Perseus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, Liam Neeson as Zeus, Danny Huston as Poseidon. Also confirmed newcomers for this outing are Bill Nighy as fallen god Hephaestus, Toby Kebbell as Poseidon’s demigod son Argenor, Edgar Ramírez as Ares, and Rosamund Pike who will replace Alexandra Davalos as Andromeda, which kind of blows because I always thought that Alex Davalos was kind of paying homage to her culture by playing a greek. Just pointing it out there. RUMORS have it that:

"A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus—the demigod son of Zeus—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity’s lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus’ godly son, Ares (Edgar Ramírez), switch loyalty and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. The Titans’ strength grows stronger as Zeus’ remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth.Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Poseidon’s demigod son, Argenor (Toby Kebbell), and fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), Perseus bravely embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind."

Shooting on the film hasn't started yet, but there's a big maybe on if it will be released this time next year. But it sounds fairly promising. Again, I thought they couldn't possibly screw the first Clash since they had a STELLAR cast, but they managed to. Here's me on my knees praying that the powers that be on this movie have more common sense than the last one.




Posters for the new Pixar film sequel Cars 2 from the US, Russia and Japan. STOKED!!!!! Disney can never really make sequels, unless they're from Pixar, the company that's basically bankrolling Disney films.








Benicio Del Toro is playinga deadly drug cartel enforcer in Oliver Stone's Savages. I LOVE OLIVER STONE. Brilliant BRILLIANT man. Just listen to this plot:
The story follows two best friend pot growers in Laguna who share a trippy girl named 'O'. The duo are so good at their job that an enforcer (that's Del Toro, people) demands they work for his boss, a Mexican drug cartel matriarch (I LOVE that Salma Hayek is being considered for this role. It's just BRILLIANT. FREAKING BRILLIANT, OLIVER STONE!!!).

When they refuse, 'O' is kidnapped and they're forced to come up with a fortune in ransom. They set out to hijack the cartel's drug supply, right under the nose of Del Toro's highly suspicious character. HOW INSANE DOES THIS SOUND!?!?

That's basically it for now, peoples. Deuces!!

New Captain America Trailer!!!



I'm a fan of Chris Evans. Even when he's scrawny, he's still sexy. The fact that he's so patriotic by saying, "Just give me a chance" when he was about to be rejected just....I LOVE patriotic men.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Elizabeth Taylor, It's Been an Honor to Watch You Onscreen.


What can I say in regards to this LEGENDARY screen icon and diehard AIDS crusader/activist. I can't really say much about the last great screen star, just about her insanely illustrious career, her enormous capacity to love, and her killer violet eyes. Hollywood's stars dimmed a little less today after such a tremendous loss. A cat's greatest victory staying on a hot tin roof is staying on it for as long as she can. And she stayed on. Thank you for giving me Maggie the Cat, Ms. Taylor. It was a privilege.

Monday, March 21, 2011

I've Learned a Lesson....Don't Post Everything You Read.




SO APPARENTLY, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's role as Alberto Falcone in The Dark Knight Rises is a fallacy. So back to speculating as to who he's gonna be!!! People have him lined up to be the Riddler, which I think it's highly unlikely. I just don't see it, and I think I'll be really mad if Chris Nolan does that. I mean, the first thing I said when Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight was well, at least his mouth doesn't need to be stretched out like Nicholson's in Burton's Batman. His makeup, however, was just way awesomer.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Man....



So much for keeping it under wraps. Joseph Gordon Levitt will play Alberto Falcone, son of crime boss Carmine Falcone, played by Tom Wilkinson in the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises. It excites me to see talented actors like JGL be brought to the spotlight. He reminds me of Steve Buscemi, for some reason. Incredibly well-rounded, but always underrated.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Only Thing I Liked About This Movie


I actually really like this movie poster. Simple yet speaks of film history 30 years in the making.

He's In!!!!!!! Plus a Whole Bunch of News




It's a lock! Joseph Gordon Levitt will be in the new Chris Nolan Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. I am truly stoked, because no one will know what role he will play!! Nolan plans to keep this under wrap as long as possible, which will work for us, because as I'm sometimes willing to admit, surprises are good!

NO!!!! Darren Aronofsky, whose twisted and sick-awesome mind brought us the Academy lauded Black Swan, has pulled out of the film, The Wolverine due to scheduling conflicts. That makes me SO SAD!!!! Whomever they pick now to replace him will only be second best.

Meh....they're doing a sequel to Bad Santa, which really doesn't excite me because I always though Billy Bob Thornton was a little weird. The only film I do like him in is one of my favorite films, Love Actually, where he plays the President of the United States, and of course his character's a jerk. Befitting. He actually gets a verbal bum-kicking from one of the heroes of the film, Hugh Grant, in his successful attempt to regain the hearts of women all over the world with this film...as he did mine. But Thornton's stint as Angelina's husband didn't really help his cause on the weirdness chart.....it actually went through the roof, to be honest. But nothing comes as close to him penning a song for her that goes, "Oh Angelina, what's come between us?" It was this song.




You know, to be honest, I'm not that really excited for Thor. Sure, it's going to be a great summer blockbuster, but I'm really going to go see it for Natalie Portman. And Sir Anthony Hopkins. But that's really it. I'm not even that interested in seeing Chris Hemsworth.....I think something may be wrong with me.




If you're not a man excited for this movie just by seeing this movie poster, I think something may be psychologically wrong with you.

So previously I had stated that Diane Lane will be playing Henry Cavill's mother Martha Kent in the upcoming Zack Snyder-directed Superman. Well, I bring you Jonathan Kent, ladies and gentlemen: Kevin Costner. Me like.

So Matthew Fox is going to be in a film. WHO CARES WHICH ONE???????? DR. JACK SHEPARD IS BACK, LADIES!!!!!!! But seriously. He's going to be assassin Alex Cross in a film based on the James Patterson books. Again, WHO CARES WHICH ONE????? I WILL STAND IN LINE TO SEE DR. SHEPARD!!!!

Liam Neeson is just awesome. Taken's getting a sequel!!! Filming's probably going to begin later this year or very early next year. I wonder who's going to be taken next, since his daughter Maggie Grace can't be stupid enough to fall for the same line twice. But hey, I never really put anything past Maggie Grace. There's just something about her I really REALLY don't like. Maybe it's because she sold out Boone. Who knows.

American Pie's main cast are a lock for a reunion, aptly entitled American Reunion. How much more can they beat a dead horse with this stick??????

And last but not least (well, it's last for this post anyway) my sources tell me that they're rebooting Daredevil. Which is exciting for me because I love Ben Affleck. What gets my undies in a knot is that they're thinking of not even bringing him back. Can I just say that the person making that decision is directing one of the Twilight Saga films? David Slade, as soon as you took the position of directing one of the films, 30 Days of Night just went down a few numbers on the awesomeness chart. I mean, come on! You brought us the mind-messing thriller Hard Candy!!!!!!! Give us a break and do good with this film! Offer Affleck the role. If he says no, then by all means, do what you want with it!!

And that's that, folks!

Happy Birthday, Honey Rider!



I'd just like to make an honorable mention to Ms. Ursula Andress whose birthday is today. She gave us that iconic rise from the water wearing a white bikini in Dr. No, as Honey Ryder, in Sir Sean Connery's first Bond film. This one scene became so iconic, it was copied 40 years later by Jinx Johnson in Die Another Day, played by Halle Berry. You tell me which one was better.



I Have Not Laughed So Hard at a Movie Trailer in a Long Time!



Although, it could be that the creators of this trailer only picked the best scenes from the movie to create the trailer and the rest of the movie sucks. It has happened. I choose to be optimistic, however.

Friday, March 18, 2011

FIRST LOOK AT HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2!!!



THE BEGINNING OF THE END!!!

Ewan McGregor, Where Have You Been??

No, I'm not saying that he's stopped making movies. He's been making them. But since The Man Who Stare at Goats where he was Bob Wilton and the Narrator, he's been kind of eh, lately. I mean, I know he was in I Love You, Philip Morris with Jim Carrey, and it was an interesting movie. And he was in Nanny McPhee Returns--my point is, these movies haven't been really substantial to an actor of his high caliber. Until now.

Beginners unites McGregor, Christopher Plummer (Who will ALWAYS be Cpt. Von Trapp to me), Goran Visnjic of ER fame, and Mélanie Laurent of the AWESOMEST Inglorious Basterds. I have to say. It promises, and it promises well.




Perfect Sense brings together the two Ewan's. Ewen Bremner and McGregor first partnered in the film Trainspotting, which was highly successful for McGregor, putting him in the light of Hollywood. It also introduced us to a Scottish fanbase which includes director Danny Boyle, Kelly McDonald, Kevin McKidd, Peter Mullen, and though he's British, Johnny Lee Miller. Now, Perfect Sense has Eva Green, a scientist, and McGregor as a chef. In this ficticious world, an epidemic starts affecting the people's sensory perceptions. And again, it promises.


Thursday, March 17, 2011

So Long, Alfred.....


Actor Michael Gough has passed today. Born in Kuala Lumpur, the Brit thespian appeared in Hollywood films such as The Boys From Brazil, Out of Africa, The Fourth Protocol, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and The Age of Innocence. His most noted character is of Alfred Pennyworth, the loyal manservant/valet/butler of Mr. Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton's Batman films, as well as the two movies that followed. His final big-screen role came in 1999's Sleepy Hollow, which reunited him with Burton, but he also lent his voice to 2005's Corpse Bride, which the filmmaker produced, as well as the voice of the Dodo bird in Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Successful Remakes

Let's face it. Disappointment is in our faces when we leave the theater after watching a remake of our favorite classic film. The fact that they have ruined it forever by making a sub-par remake just makes it hard to swallow the original anymore. It's shameful to take a classic film--a film that didn't need to be remade and remake it and ruin it for everyone who enjoyed it.

However, there are the exceptions. The films that, when remade, happens to be better than the original. Those occurrences are VERY rare indeed, but they do happen once in a blue moon. I've comprised a list of those blue moon films.




1. The Departed. (2006) Let's face it. There really isn't that much originality in Hollywood anymore. So when Martin Scorcese decided to make this film, I'm guessing he just looked to the Chinese hit, Internal Affairs. Granted, The Departed did win Scorcese an Oscar for best director and best film, as well as Mark Wahlberg's first Oscar nod. Leo and Matt didn't do so bad themselves, as also this is actually the second pairing for Wahlberg and DiCaprio--Basketball Diaries, anyone? Matt, coming from the success of Jason Bourne and Linus Caldwell, goes on to earn his Actor Oscar nod (his first Oscar was for screenwriting Good Will Hunting) in the inspirational Invictus with Morgan Freeman, who costarred with Jack Nicholson in The Bucket List. I much rather have Nicholson starring in movies like The Departed than The Bucket List. He doesn't do sweet very well, but he does thrive in action thrillers.



2. The Fly. (1986) Sci-Fi thriller remade from the 1958 classic directed by Kurt Neumann. But director David Cronenberg had something else in mind for Jeff Goldblum when he directed this version, and to date, happens to be one of the best makeup designs and prosthesis in its time. To be honest, in 2011, too. It did win Oscar for best makeup. With movies like this, if the makeup isn't top notch, then the movie in itself will suck.

3. Heat (1995) In The Godfather series, they worked together, but in different settings of the film, so you never saw them on screen at the same time. This director, Michael Mann, thought, "Hey. Two incredible screen legends. What would it be like to have them working together?". And bam. Heat was created and it just is a piece of art. Re-created from the TV show, LA Takedown, this film focuses on a cop, Al Pacino, and a thief, Robert DeNiro. Brief mention--recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman is in this film.


4. The Magnificent Seven (1960) Akiro Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai is legend. Kurosawa's legend. This whole genre created by Kurosawa's freaking legend. Now the remake in and of itself is legend. Yul Brynner is just brilliant, Steve McQueen is awesome and Eli Wallach is just fist-pumping good. My God, CHARLES BRONSON. The sheer magnitude of this movie's just electrifying.




5. Ocean's Eleven (2001) Clooney. Pitt. Damon. Roberts. Garcia. Really? I mean, do I need to say more? It's like, Sinatra. Martin. Davis, Jr. Lawford. That's it. There's nothing more I need to say about this movie.





6. The Manchurian Candidate (2004) How machiavellic is Meryl Streep?!?! I LOVE her. She's hateful in this movie, and she doesn't really do hateful movies because we all want to love her. But I just want to beat the crap out of her character for brainwashing!!!! But it's Meryl Streep so of course we love to hate her!!! Plus, not to mention the original role of Eleanor Shaw played by Meryl was Angela Lansbury, but her character's name was Mrs. Iselin. Can you believe it? Brilliant.



7. The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) Now this is a controversial one--this really kind of has you asking, which version really is better? Because if you've seen one, you're not going to like the other, but they're equally as good. That's how confusing it gets. Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen will always be the it couple for me. Dunaway looked exquisite in every single one of her outfits, and McQueen is just silky smooth. But I watched the remake, and it's a really big toss-up. Renee Russo's fiery temper matched her luscious red hair, and this is Pierce Brosnan here. There's no describing the level of smooth this man can bring. So that's why it's up in the air with this one.




8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Ok. The Invasion was a weak remake of the remake. We all can agree to that. But seriously, this movie still gives me the willies just remembering it. I mean, I watched the first version because it's iconic, but the second one just creeped the heck out of me. I mean, the credits have no music, no score. It's just silence, and that is just scary creepy. I mean, Leonard Nemoy is the spokesperson for the alien invaders. That's just brilliant to do that. Special effects in this version completely rocked, and so did Donald Sutherland rocking out a curly haired 'fro.




9. Casino Royale (2006) I respect all the original films, except this one. I hated this original film, playing light on Sir Ian Fleming's creation of 007. I couldn't possibly believe what I was watching. And then, just then, Martin Campbell rescued this film and introduced to us an incredibly sexy blonde James Bond in Mr. Daniel Craig. His voice is dark velvet, his body is rock hard, and his drinks are always shaken, not stirred. He's a lady's man, a man's man, a man about town, and he just rescued this movie from the abyss of movie-dom and gifted us with the joy of Bond again after the way the studio fired poor Pierce Brosnan. Rawr, Mr. Craig. Rawr....



10. Scarface (1983). Brian DePalma, the FREAKY GENIUS that he is, graced us with this gem of a movie, this icon of an actor in Pacino, and this brilliant writer in Oliver Stone. We can NEVER have a combination of this trio of incandescent masterminds ever again. It's too much for the human brain to even comprehend the astounding idea of creating an Al Capone gangster movie into modern day Cuban gangster. There are no words for me to describe the role this movie plays in modern society. It's brilliant. There's really no way around it. No words to pretty it up. Brilliant pretty much sums it all.