The To-Do List! 7/31/09

It's been one lazy ass week. I think I went through a bit of movie burnout the last few days, so it's fortunate that I saw everything I needed to the week before. This week things amp back up a little bit but again there ain't jack that I can get excited over. I think I'll be spending a bit more time at the American Diner checkin' out some classics. I'll be there tonight checkin' out Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and consuming a day's worth of calories, fat, and sugar in the process.



Would you be surprised if I told you that I'm not all that excited by Funny People? The ads portray this as Apatow's 3rd film, and that is true. This is officially his 3rd film as writer/director, although his name has been slapped across practically every successful comedy of the last couple years. Funny People stars Adam Sandler as a comedian who, when faced with a terminal illness, makes a last ditch effort to find some meaning in his life and correct past mistakes. Seth Rogen co-stars as a writer who tags alongside him. I see plenty of potential downfalls here, especially considering that the TV spots and trailers have been odd tonally. It's almost as if they aren't sure quite how to market it. Is it a comedy like Knocked Up? Or is it a dramedy? Here's hoping the film doesn't suffer from the same problem. I'll be checking this out tomorrow with the Metro/DC Movie Fans Meetup. If you'd like to tag along just let me know!



So let's say you're a robber breaking into a family's crib. You're making your way around, diggin' through drawers and maybe snatching a chicken leg out of the fridge. Then, to your shock, you discover that some psycho far crazier than you is already in the house and is holding the family hostage. What's worse, he's laid a bunch of deadly traps around the house in order to catch his prey. What do you do? Do you stay and try to help? Or do you try to escape? Either way you're risking your life. That's the brilliant premise behind The Collector, a film I should've seen last night if I wasn't busy filling my head with reality TV and pro wrestling. The Collector was originally intended to be a prequel to the Saw franchise, and it's easy to see why. I'll be seeing this today no doubt, and based off the idea alone I expect it to be my favorite film of the week. We shall see.



How many credibility points am I sacrificing by saying that I'm actually kinda lookin' forward to Aliens in the Attic? I can't explain why, it just looks like a lot of fun. Bear in mind that I always plan to see movies like this, but rarely do I ever actually attend movies like this. They end up buried on my Netflix queue, like Race to Witch Mountain is(currently 187th on my queue, wedged between I'm Reed Fish and Hounddog).



Comedies about psychiatrists with a wealth of their own problems are common in the world of indie cinema, but rarely do they come with a cast as loaded as Shrink. Kevin Spacey stars as the shrink in question, who becomes a pothead after suffering a tragedy of some sort. The film also features Keke Palmer(Akeelah and the Bee), Saffron Burrows, Dallas Roberts, Pell James, Robert Loggia. Some of my favorite actors working today. Shrink is probably getting about as wide a release as can be expected. Right now you can see it only at Landmark E Street in the DC/Metro area.

What Else is Out There?

I've pretty much knocked out everything else currently playing, but I still hope you all get out to see 3 amazing films I've mentioned a million times before on this site. Everyone owes it to themselves to see Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer. If you're in the mood for some good old fashioned classic sci-fi, Moon is the best option. You will not be disappointed. And ofcourse, The Hurt Locker is still out there continuing to garner critical acclaim. Go check it out.

Good Call! Ridley Scott to Direct Alien Prequel!

Variety is reporting that Ridley Scott has indeed signed on to direct a prequel to his legendary Alien franchise, with John Spaihts to pen the script. The word that 20th Century Fox had already agreed to revive the classic about a crew that is hunted by a race of murderous aliens, has been out there for quite some time, but initially Scott had refused to return as director. Instead, Scott protege Carl Erik Rinsch was chosen to remake the original Alien. But Fox never seemed happy with that decision, and pushed openly for Scott to return behind the camera.

With this being a prequel, it's likely that the story will cover the inhabitants of the abandoned ship found in Alien, but that's obviously not been confirmed.

For me, this is an obvious good call. I have no idea who this Carl Rinsch guy is, and although I've heard he makes great commercials do I want him tackling one of the classic movie franchises? No. My only concern is whether or not Ridley still has the talent that he so deftly employed 30 years ago. His most recent films have been good, but not necessarily in the same vein as Alien. But if anything he has shown the ability to do many types of films, so I have complete confidence that he can flex the sci-fi muscles when he needs to.

'Gamer' day! More production stills from Lionsgate

Long Live the ACTION MOVIE!!!!!

These new stills from 'Gamer' have me more excited for the flick than the clip and trailer did! I'm not gonna lie that last pic of the guy with the mounted gatling gun gives me the steamies. I'm also thinking more and more that the filmmakers took alot of cues from current games as that last picture looks like a level on Call of Duty, and Butler really does look like he would be a Gears of War character. SOOOO CISED!

Oh...and I'm giving Luda a pass on this one, his acting wasn't great in 2 Fast 2 Furious but the dude has charisma and I like seeing him on screen. He seemed to have improved his skills a bit in 'Rocknrolla'

McAvoy Confirmed for Wanted 2; Twilight Watch in Jeopardy!

Famed action director Timur Bekmambetov has confirmed that Wanted 2, the sequel to the hit 2008 film starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie, is in pre-production and set to begin shooting in a few days. After some speculation, he also confirmed that James McAvoy would be reprising his role as Wesley Gibson, a former office employee who joins the mysterious League of Assasins. Timur didn't go so far as to confirm Jolie's return, but he did have this to say...

"We will try to wake up our fox. She is in a bath of wax."

Also apparently in a bath of wax is the third chapter to Timur's Watch trilogy. The first two installments, Night Watch and Day Watch, were set to be followed up some time this year by the third film, Twilight Watch. The films are notable for their amazing special effects and large scale fight sequences that rivaled Hollywood actioners. Day Watch went on to become the highest grossing Russian film in history.

No real word has been given as to why, but Timur went on to say during the '9' panel at Comic-Con that he does not think it will happen.

I wasn't a big fan of Wanted. I thought it was dumb, unique trash. The idea of a sequel does nothing for me, unless they are going to incorporate the stuff from the comics that were actually interesting. The news about Twilight Watch actually does piss me off, though. I loved the first two Watch films, as they show exactly why Timur was chosen to direct Wanted. His style is so chaotic, frenzied, and dynamic. While they were a bit hard to follow storywise, they are a treat to look at. Here's hoping he changes his mind.

'Gamer' all the info you need!

Above is the latest clip from Lionsgates new flick 'Gamer'. In what some might call a modern day 'The Running Man', Gerard Butler plays the lead as Kable in a world where online gaming is played through real people. Here's the synopsis from Lionsgate:

GAMER is a high-concept action thriller set in a near future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people...for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall). His latest brainchild, the first-person shooter game "Slayers," allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.

Kable (300's Gerard Butler) is the superstar and cult hero of the ultraviolent "Slayers." Kable is controlled by Simon, a young gamer with rock star status who continues to defy all odds by guiding Kable to victory each week. Taken from his family, imprisoned and forced to fight against his will, the modern day gladiator must survive long enough to escape the game to free his family, regain his identity and to save mankind from Castle's ruthless technology.

Sounds like what, 'The Condemened' should have been. I refuse to belive that Gerard Butler would pick a bad action script and the rundown of the story sounds innovative and somewhat original, talk about being topical too! This story has been kinda sorta done in flicks like 'Brainscan' and the previously mentioned 'The Condemened' however never quiet like this. This is gonna hit with alot of 18-24 year old males due just to the content but I think from what I'm seeing that this movie is definatley going to be worth seeing. The action looks amazing and the "Game" overlay doesn't look cheesy which makes me immensely hopeful. Check out the theatrical trailer below and let me know what you think.

Trailer for the Coen Brothers' A SERIOUS MAN

The Coen Brothers have reached a point where the release of one of their films has turned into an event. While most of their films have dealt with the corrupting influence of money, their latest film A Serious Man seems to be something of a departure. It's the story of a regular guy in the late 1960s who's life is crumbling all around him. His wife is leaving him for a schmuck colleague; his daughter is robbing him blind so she can get a nosejob; his son is a pain; his brother sleeps on the couch; oh, and one of his students is trying to blackmail him into giving a passing grade. So what's his only course of action? He goes seeking advice from three very different rabbis.

The trailer is short, but I'm digging the premise already. The Coens excel at making movies about desperate people forced to do things they aren't accustomed to, and there seems to be an element of that here.

A Serious Man is set to release October 2, 2009.

A better look at Jackie Earle Haley's Freddy Krueger

Thanks to /Film we have this HQ brightened copy of the earlier released promo pic of the new Freddy Krueger. My initial reaction is "What'd they do to Freddy!!", but once I looked at it for a bit I think it will grow on me, or at least add to the creepiness factor. It seems that they took great steps to make Freddy look like a true burn victim with his lips gone, ears melted in, and nose fried up. It's definatley different and I can't wait to see how it actually plays on screen.

NINJA ASSASSIN!!!!!!!!

Holy Shuriken!!! I've heard bits about this flick for awhile now but man I'm blown away by this trailer, and I'll tell you why. Everyone loves ninja's, they're like gummi bears or Slurpees....who doesn't love em? However there's been a serious lack of real Ninja's in cinema well, forever. From the American Ninja series in the 80's to the Ninja Turtles, to Sub-Zero and Scorpion ninjas are all over pop culture but none seem to portray actual ninja's...it's either cartoonish or something totally off, they never use the right weapons or fighting styles or even show the correct costume. That being said there's also been a deficit in actual old school martial arts movies, since this is pretty much my main wheelhouse you can see where my excitement comes from. This looks freaking spectacular. Enjoy!

Miley Cyrus: Best of Bat Worlds??

Seriously? This rumor ain't true, is it? Gossip-monger site, Hollyscoop has a story from an insider stating that Miley Cyrus is somehow, in some way, up for the role of Batgirl in the next Batman flick. Say wha?? The buzz is that she showed up on the lot in a full Batgirl outfit, which immediately reminds me of Sean Young and her infamous, hilarious, disturbing attempts to win the role of Catwoman in Batman Returns.

Clearly, this can't be true. First of all, there isn't even a Robin. So why in the world would there be casting for Batgirl? Second, Christopher Nolan is busy working on other projects, so he's not even casting or writing or anything right now. And third, it's an awful idea that de-legitimizes the story. There's no need for any of the "child" characters to be included in the franchise at this point if ever, because I think it changes the entire tone. Don't read too much into this story, but it's funny to contemplate.

War Machine!!!!! (oh yeah...it's a bit out of focus)

So here's your first unofficial look at War Machine from the comic con footage of Iron Man 2. I know it's extremely blurry...but we movie nerds take what we can get. Here's my first and really only issue....it looks like he's gold and red! War Machine is silver and black! I really hope I'm just seeing it wrong, but in any event he looks like he's bulky and full of guns! Hopefully they release the con footage to the public, but I wouldn't count on it so until then enjoy!

In the Loop

Remember when Paul Rudd's I Love You, Man touted itself as the most quotable film of the year? Forget it. They've been stripped of the title. Your new and far more deserving quote champeen is In the Loop, which reels off scathing one-liners in a machine gun manner that would make Dillinger jealous. In the Loop is a pointed political satire based off a British sitcom, about a bunch of UK/US bureaucrats trying to create a case for war, with hilarious results.

While there are something upwards of a dozen integral characters, the chief focus is on Secretary of State for International Development Simon Foster(Tom Hollander), a sortof mid-level nobody politician. Foster is earnest, but not terribly savvy. Especially in front of a camera. During an interview, Foster makes the mistake of stating that "war is not unforseeable". Think about that for a second. What the hell does that even mean? With members of the US Pentagon visiting at the time, the words are interpreted to mean that war is indeed on the horizon, and everything explodes into one big cluster****, as Simon finds himself thrust in the middle of the political tug of war. One side begins to use his words as a rallying cry for war, while the others use him as a pawn to delay.

Simon is chastised and brutally ridiculed by Communications Director Malcom Tucker(Peter Capaldi). Tucker might be the most memorable character of any films since McLovin. He's a horrible, vulgar, mean-spirited ogre of a middle aged man who rips through any and everybody with his razor sharp insults. Nobody is immune to his wrath, be it the lowest level intern or a 4-star General. When Simon screws up for a second time on camera, stating that they were "climbing the mountain of conflict" in a poor attempt to eloquently back away from his previous comments, Malcolm screams "Climbing the mountain of conflict"? You sounded like a Nazi Julie Andrews!"

It's hard to top Peter Capaldi's performance, but everyone involved is just as hilarious and oftentimes just as vulgar. James Gandolfini dons the uniform of General George Miller, an old warhorse trying to kill the war effort alongside his friend Karen Clarke(Mimi Kennedy). The General is another of the film's long line of attack dogs, ripping everyone around him to shreds, including a classic face off between he and Malcolm Tucker that should've been held in a steel cage. Miller reveals off my favorite sequence of the movie, as he constantly refers to himself as the "Gore Vidal of the Pentagon". Unfortunately he doesn't realize the full extent of such a claim.

As previously noted, In the Loop is based off a sitcom, and often times it feels like an extended episode of a series. That's both to it's benefit and detriment. It's shot in a handheld style reminiscent of The Office, sortof like we are in the room with these people as they make these big decisions that in theory should impact the entire world. But that's the problem. There are no real consequences to anything here. There are literally no stakes. We're talking war, but it doesn't really feel like it. After awhile it just starts to look like a bunch of people sniping at eachother. It's hella funny, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't have minded if it atleast seemed as if these people cared a little bit. As it stands, the only characters who seemed to be genuinely affected by anything were Simon, his thrown into the fire assistant Toby(Chris Addison), and Liza. Liza is played by Anna Chlumsky. Remember her? From My Girl with McCauley Caulkin? Yeah, she's grown up and sorta hot. Liza is Karen Clarke's assistant, who wrote a paper denouncing war that threatens to suffocate her career, which has emboldened(term used intentionally) one of her chief rivals. Who knew being a Washington intern was so competitive? Also, keep an eye out for a hilarious cameo by Steve Coogan.

While not as funny as The Hangover, both films are similar in that they rarely give you a moment to breathe in between jokes. They fly so fast and so often that it's almost a requirement to see it twice. I'm demanding that you all get off your f***ing arses and see it right now before you find yourself in some medieval war zone in the Caucasus with your arse in the air. See, quoting it already. Love it.

8/10

Punch Drunk Podcast Episode #28: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince; The Hurt Locker

This week on the Punch Drunk Podcast...

Comic-Con? What's a Comic-Con? John and Trav dealt with enough crowds at the movie theatre alone, as they review the sixth film in the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

The dynamic duo skirt the landmines in their attempt to review Kathryn Bigelow's highly acclaimed Iraq war film, The Hurt Locker.

Who needs Comic-Con? John and Trav update you on all the news that really matters on the Nightmare on Elm Street remake, Saw VI, The Green Hornet, Boondock Saints, and much more.

It's past the mid way point, which makes it the perfect time to take a look at the Top 5 Films of the Year So Far. Will it be Star Trek? Transformers? Miss March? Ok, maybe not Miss March.

All this and much more. We hope you'll join us for what is always a fun hour(or so) of movies, movies, and a crapload more movies. You can find the Punch Drunk Podcast on Itunes or anywhere podcasts are sold....er, available. Or you can subscribe directly right.....here.

Dorian Gray Trailer

I don't know why but I've always been intrigued by the story of Dorian Gray. It's a fairly simplistic story really...a guy has a magical self portrait made which ages instead of him, as long as the painting remains intact Dorian Gray is immortal. The real story arc has to come from someone trying to get ahold of the portrait and destroy it, however I don't see where they'll go with this, as far as I know Gray is a bit of a prick but he's not some evil mastermind that people will go out of their way to kill. We'll see how they play out the first of two major victorian stories this year (the other being 'Sherlock Holmes') on 9-9-09, which happens to be the same release date for a film I've been eagerly anticipating, '9'. A final note I think the casting of Dorian Gray is perfect, the actor who plays him, who also played Prince Caspian in the second Narnia movie looks perfect for the part.

The Secret's Out, Neil Burger to Direct NIMH

Experimental director Neil Burger, who helmed two of my favorite recent films in The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones, has been in talks with Paramount to adapt "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" for the big screen. Back in 1982, the book was adapted as The Secret of NIMH, Don Bluth's first directorial effort. Nothing as of yet on the format the film will take, but I'm willing to bet it won't be a cartoon like the original. Probably a combination of live-action and CGI.

I won't lie, The Secret of NIMH scared me as a kid. It was a particularly brutal and sad film, and they did such a good job making these mice seem human that it was too much for me at the time. Ahhh, back in the days when I was still a babyface. Anyway, as an adult I've come to appreciate NIMH for it's blend of drama and fantasy, and seeing as Neil Burger is one of my favorite directors this is a project I'm anxiously awaiting.

Kevin Feige Drops Clues on The First Avenger: Captain America

That Kevin Feige is just a fountain of information lately. It seems like he can't stop talking about all the myriad projects Marvel Studios has on their plate. In an interview with Hollywood.com, Feige lets us on the the thought process behind some of the bigger decisions made in bringing Cap's story to the big screen.

On the storyline, he had this to say...

“Captain America is really the story of Steve Rogers, like Peter Parker, like Bruce Banner, like Tony Stark. By the way, Tony Stark is about as jingoistic a guy there is. He’s always talking about America, what’s right for America, making weapons to go to war with the rest of the world with and [Iron Man] did extremely well overseas because his story was engaging. This movie is Steve Rogers’ origin story, and I think it is our burden to make Steve Rogers as appealing as any of our other characters ... he’s not just the perfect boy scout who follows order every time. He has ideals he wants to live up to.”

“Also, setting it in World War II — the Marvel version of World War II — I think is gonna open it up in another big way ... What’s funny is it will actually end up being, I think, our most diverse and our most international film, in terms of the content of the movies itself. It takes place overseas much more than any of our other films do. In terms of the cast, there’s a group that Steve works with that will have an opportunity for many more international actors than any of our other films.”

As for who Cap might be aiming his iconic shield at?

“We are gonna explore those aspects of World War II that made Cap special: the Super Soldier program, Red Skull, Hydra, all of those things that exist in the Marvel version of it. As you know if you read the comic books, the origin of Captain America is really the origin of the Marvel universe ... it’s about that time in history when the idea of the superhero began to emerge.”

I think it goes without saying that the Red Skull has to be a part of this movie. Let's just hope they don't make him Italian or whatever he was in that god-awful first Cap film.

Captain America is set to be released July 22, 2011.

Warren Ellis Re-Introduces the Knights of the Round Table

Warren Ellis is something of a pariah in the comic book world. One of the most talented writers working today, he has helmed some of the most important works in recent memory, such as Planetary; his classic run on The Authority; even venturing into the mainstream world with Astonishing X-men. His expertise, however is decidedly not mainstream. He excels and taking fresh and often dirty looks at conventional themes and ideas. Which makes this news all the more interesting to me.

On his website, Ellis revealed that he is working on a big film version of the Arthurian legend of the Knights of the Round Table. He says..

I’m writing a film treatment for Hollywood Gang, who co-produced Frank Miller’s 300. Hollywood Gang have previously optioned my graphic novel (with Chris Sprouse) OCEAN.

On my desk, the treatment is called Untitled Arthurian Project.

On their desk, the project is called EXCALIBUR.

He then goes on tell Ain't It Cool News...

'Untitled Arthurian Project,' as I call it (just so I can't feel John Boorman's EXCALIBUR looming down at me from my DVD shelf), differs from the prior 751 King Arthur movies in many ways, but perhaps most obviously in that it is very specifically about the gathering of the Knights.

I'm a sucker for anything involving King Arthur and his loyal Knights...well, I didn't really dig that King Arthur flick with Clive Owen a few years ago. That stunk. The thought of Ellis turning his evil eye towards this project gets me revved up, though, because I know it'll be unlike any King Arthur film I've seen. I used to watch Excalibur with my uncle as a kid, and I immediately fell in love with the period. I have no problem with this story focusing on the gathering of the Knights, as it's a story we've never really had a chance to see.

Roll-Call! Feige Confirms the Line Up for the Avengers Movie!

Everybody loves a good team-up, right? It doesn't matter whether it's Spider-Man and Thor, or the Hulk and Daredevil, or D-Man and Yellowjacket....well, scratch that last one. Whatever, the fact remains that we love to see the biggest, baddest superheroes joining together to take on a threat too big to handle alone. In the world of movies, superhero team ups are a rarity. What was the last one? Daredevil and Elektra? And that hardly counts. That's why it's been so cool to see the way Marvel Studios is slowly blending the film worlds of their heroes, whether it be Nick Fury appearing in The Hulk or Captain America's shield on Iron Man's desk. We've known for some time that The Avengers movie was going to happen, but now we get a bit more detail on exactly who will be included on the roster of Earth's Mightiest Heroes straight Kevin Feige, President of Production over at Marvel Studios. He says...

Kevin: I think we know. It’s going to be Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Nick Fury. I think it’s safe to assume that there will be some members of the Hulk universe in the film as well. In terms of the additional, I think Black Widow for sure. SHIELD’s organization for sure. And, again, what’s exciting to me about the Avengers movie are seeing those four characters together and interact with each other. Anywhere from the first issue of the Avengers to Civil War, the dynamic between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark is awesome and fascinating. It brings out sides of the others that won’t be brought out in their own franchises. Throwing Thor into the mix is a whole other thing and I think that will be cool. So to pile in another ten or fifteen…or frankly even four…I think will be too many.

Is the Hulk in it?

Kevin: You know Zack Penn is outlining it as we speak so we’ll see.

I like the idea of using a smaller group for the initial movie, because it really does provide a better opportunity to develop each of these characters. However I wouldn't mind one or two more, y'know? *cough*BlackPanther*cough*

Top Shelf at the Box Office 7/27/09

Talk about a lackluster week at the movies. When the biggest release features a bunch of yappin' rodents you know the outlook is bleak. Historically, this is one of the slowest in terms of box office in recent memory. In fact, it was so bad that not even the mighty boy-wizard Harry Potter stood a chance.

1. G-Force: $32.2M

Let's keep it in perspective, folks. Yes, G-Force beat out Harry Potter, but $32M by no means qualifies as a breakout hit. I couch the victory on the simple fact that most of this film's target demographic, kiddies, already went to see Harry Potter in massive numbers last week. So G-Force was the only real choice they had. There was another major release, Orphan, starring a kid but she was more interested in bashing nuns in the head with hammers. Not exactly family friendly fodder, although that didn't stop a few too many parents from bringing their kids to the screening I went to. They should have Child Services staff posted outside the doors at some of these theatres, to be honest.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince- $30M/$222M

Spiraling faster than an out of control flying broomstick, Harry Potter's sixth feature film dropped a huge 61% in it's second week. The reason for that probably centers around the rather mixed critical response this film has received, aimed primarily at it's darker tone which some say is too much for younger kids. Still, Potter continues to dominate globally, raking in over $627M worldwide to date.

3. The Ugly Truth- $27M

I'm convinced that the exact same people go to see all these generic looking romantic comedies. Why? Because they all start with the same exact opening weekend tally. All of 'em. Somewhere there are a group of poor dudes, stuck in what has to be a nighmarish relationship, knowing weeks in advance what movie they'll be dragged to on opening night. I pity them, for I have been in their shoes. Sony says that 62% of the audience was female, and 64% of them were 25 years or older, winning Sony the award for "Least Surprising News of the Day".

4. Orphan- $12.8M

I'm beginning to change my mind on Orphan. The more I think about it, the more I'm appreciating it's fun little twist. Orphan's opening weekend is pretty standard for a slasher film of this sort, just slightly below Drag Me to Hell's opening, but this film lacks the big name talents to hook in viewers. I'm predicting that relatively strong word of mouth, and continued buzz about the revelation regarding the titular killer, will push Orphan into a respectable second week.

5. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- $8.2M/$171M

Might be the only time dinosaurs get their collective asses kicked by a bunch of gerbils, but Ice Age thawed about 53% this week probably because G-Force stole it's core audience. G-Force also hijacked it's 3-D screens, adding to the humiliation. Ice Age continues be large globally, surpassing the $500M mark worldwide.

6. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- $8M/$379M

Yeah...ummm, it just past Lord of the Rings: Return of the King for 10th place all-time. That kinda pisses me off, I won't lie. But it's also set to overtake Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith for 9th place, which I'm kinda ambivalent about.

7. The Hangover- $6.46M/$247M

It won't go away. This is the longest hangover ever. Hair of the dog might be necessary.

8. The Proposal- $6.42M/$140M

Last week I said the only thing I was interested in seeing this week was how The Proposal would perform against The Ugly Truth. The answer? Pretty damn well, only dropping about 23% from last week.

9. Public Enemies- $4.17M/$88.1M

At this rate, Michael Mann's Dillinger biopic will cross the $100M threshold in about 3 weeks. Still, this has to be somewhat disappointing. Not just because of the middling box office tally, but because of the way this film completely failed to latch on with the public.

10. Bruno- $2.72M/$56.5M

Also....

As predicted, 500 Days of Summer performed mightily as it expanded to 60 more theatres. The quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zooey Deschanel charmed it's way to $1.6M for a total of $3M. I stand by the idea that this will be the highest grossing indie of the year, and considering it's high per site average I expect it will be in the Top 10 next week.

Kathryn Bigelow's highly acclaimed war film, The Hurt Locker, also did booming(no pun intended) business as it expanded this week to over 230 theatres, increasing it's total to $4M.

The best debut of the week in terms of per site average, goes to In The Loop, a British/US comedy about a botched attempt to start war in the Middle East. The film(which was brilliant, I might add. Review to come), which stars James Gandolfini and Steve Coogan amongst others, pulled in $201,000 in only 8 theatres for an average of over $25,000. Not bad. Here's hoping it expands to more sites soon.

How to improve 'Twilight' immensely!!

Thanks to The Movie Blog for posting this, I couldn't help but to repost as I was dying of laughter and full of hope after seeing it. If this is the final scene of "New Moon", then I will pay my 10 bucks happily and enjoy every second!

The Queue: Mongol(2007)

The Mongols weren't exactly the types to write stuff down. They were far too busy killing each other in a convoluted attempt to unite their tribes. But after Ghengis Khan's death, an unknown scribe took the time to write down their "secret" history, retelling the life of the great warlord from beginning to end. The film, Mongol, is a brutal epic of defiance and death. If it were an American film it'd be akin to something like Braveheart, equal parts romantic and terrifying in it's simple presentation of war as a way of everyday life.

Young Temudgin screws up pretty early on in his life. His father, Esugei, is leader of the one Mongolia's most powerful clans. The clans are all at war, and in an attempt to bring unity, Temudgin is to choose a bride from a rival clan. Instead, he chooses a bride, named Borte, from a weaker tribe. On the way home, Esugei is poisoned by one of his rivals, and Temudgin finds himself the target of both his father's enemies and his former friends looking to capitalize on the power vaccum. Temudgin escapes, vowing vengeance against those who killed his father and threatened his own life.

Temudgin's life is full of betrayals and war. His blood brother, Jamukha, who saved him from death years before turns his back on him. His wife, Borte, is kidnapped and made another man's wife. Temudgin uses these wrongs to fuel his quest for bloody vengeance.

Mongol's simple is refreshingly straight forward. Director Sergei Bodrov, crafted a masterful tale of violent retribution, based mostly on the few writings that remain of the famous leader's life. There are some serious liberties taken, as he often paints Khan with the typical heroic brush. He's a devoted, loyal family man. Strong when he must be. Soft and vulnerable when with his wife. The truth is that Khan had many wives, and was far more brutal than this film ever lets on. Still, those are minor details that don't detract from the film. Mongol lives and breathes by it's fictional flourishes, it is both a biopic and a mythological tale.

Mongol is the first installment of a proposed trilogy. The second film, titled The Great Khan, is due out some time next year. As a springboard, Mongol sets a high bar for the subsequent films to reach. Too many of these sorts of films fail to attain the scope necessary to match the greatness of their subject matter. Mongol is a sprawling, giant of a tale, exactly what Ghengis Khan deserves.

8/10


Next on the Queue: 2008's Phoebe in Wonderland

Tron Legacy test footage!

It's been 27 years since the original Tron, and in that time the computer world has gone through...well, a few changes. But how that will be reflected in the digital world of ENCOM has yet to be seen. At the San Diego Comic-Con this week, Disney unveiled footage of the sequel to their 1982 computer animated classic. Jeff Bridges is back reprising his role as Kevin Flynn. Also along for the ride are Olivia Wilde(House, Year One) and John Hurt. The film will focus on Flynn's son, Sean, who goes off in search of his missing father, eventually ending up in the same position his father was so many years ago.

I was never a big fan of Tron. I think as a kid the look of it kinda freaked me out, and as an adult it just felt dated. The look of this sequel is similar, but obviously much more advanced. The classic Light Cycle is featured prominently in the footage, but Disney says there are other more updated versions of other vehicles, including a special Cycle designed just for Kevin Flynn. Disney has stated that Tron Legacy will be presented in Digital 3-D. Forget all these damn cartoons, Tron is a movie that SHOULD be in 3-D.

Oldman Toys with People's Emotions; Batman to Begin Shooting in '10?

Gary Oldman must be crazier than an escapee from Arkham Asylum, or Warner Brothers gave him the hush hush thumbs up. The actor, who was San Diego Comic-Con promoting his upcoming film The Book of Eli alongside Denzel Washington, let slip that there might be a Dark Knight sighting sooner than people think:

"We start filming the next 'Batman' next year, which means it won't come out for another two years," he said, before adding in a sly tone, "but you didn't hear that from me."

WB decided not to comment on Oldman's coy statement, but I can't believe he let that slip without some sort of approval from upper management. Whether or not it's true is what's in question. San Diego Comic-Con is the perfect venue for keeping long gestating franchises alive. A mere mention on the big stage can keep a film's prospects alive long past it's shelf date. Not that Batman is in dire straits or anything, but there's been no public movement on the 3rd film, and last I heard Christopher Nolan was a bit unsure as to the direction it should take in the wake of Heath Ledger's death.

The To-Do List! 7/24/09

It's Friday which means it's time for the To-Do List, where I take stock of all the movies I intend to see for the week. Why do I do this? It's as much for my benefit as anybody, since it gives me the chance to structure the week's routine. I gotta find a way to wedge in enough time for video games, pro wrestling, drunken hook-ups, and the hours I spend staring blankly at my fantasy football team. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration. I don't play that many video games anymore.

With Comic-Con in full swing and most of the biggest movies left on the radar either screening there or previewing, precious little came out this week worth mentioning. The one major film I actually give a crud about, Orphan, I already saw. That leaves me with a couple also-rans, one hilarious looking Brit-com, and not much else. Hopefully I can make my way to a screening or two to fill-in the blanks.



From the first time I saw the extremely vulgar, star-laden trailer for In The Loop, I knew it was gonna be at the top of this list. Based on a British sitcom, The Thick of It, it's a satirical look at the attempts by the United States and the UK to manufacture a war with the Middle East. The trailer was full of whip smart dirty one-liners. If the film is half as brilliant, it's sure to be one of my favorites of the year. In The Loop stars James Gandolfini, Anna Chlumsky(from My Girl! She's all grown up and hot now!), Steve Coogan, and Tom Hollander. You can find In The Loop playing right now at Landmark E Street Cinema in the DC/Metro area.



Romantic comedies like this don't come around that often. I'd like to think my review of 500 Days of Summer says it all. I loved it. I will watch it again and again, and already have it pre-ordered on Amazon. I even got the soundtrack. Tomorrow I'll be hosting my first solo Meetup over at Regal Gallery Place in DC to see it again. If you're interested in joining us, you can do so by clicking right here.

What else is out there?



I had a lot of fun with Orphan, even though it's a fairly run-of-the-mill bad seed flick. I know a couple people who will surely dig it, and I might tag along to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Also out is Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl hamming it up in The Ugly Truth, which to me looks like everything I resent about the modern romantic comedy. And a bunch of gerbils band together to fight evil in G-Force. No word on whether said evil can be found up Richard Gere's ass.

Alice in Wonderland teaser trailer in glorious HD!

Yeah, it was leaked out a few days ago, but all those sites got it yanked. That's why we waited. Plus we didn't want that cheap print copy that everybody was gawkin' at lookin' like it was made out of vaseline.

John and I talked about the trailer a little bit while taping the show last night, and I stand by my point that the film looks spectacular in virtually every way imaginable....except for Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter. As always when it comes to Burton and Depp, they go too far with his character. The same way Burton didn't reign Depp in during Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the film suffered because of it. The Mad Hatter here looks like a friggin' zombie circus clown. Everybody else is so pitch perfect, from the part-CGI Elena Bonham Carter as the Queen to the terrifying smirk of the Cheshire Cat. Still, I can't wait for this. It looks like a ton of fun, just see for yourself.



Alice in Wonderland is set to release on March 5, 2010.

James Cameron to Take AVATAR on the Road!!

James Cameron is god amongst film directors, especially in the geeky circles we run in. The man has been the spearhead for arguably the greatest sci-fi works in history: Alien, Terminator, The Abyss...just to name a few. His upcoming 3-D adventure, Avatar, has sent the film world into a fever pitch. During the Avatar panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, Cameron screened roughly 20 minutes of the upcoming epic, featuring a mix of CGI, performance capture, and animation that apparently blew the audience away.

But that wasn't all. Cameron revealed that August 21st was a day he was calling Avatar Day. On that day, 15 minutes of Avatar will be screened across the world at various digital 3D and IMAX 3D theatres for free.

If it's not here in DC at the Air & Space Museum I'm gonna choke somebody out. Period. From what I've heard Avatar looks amazing, and the cast is phenomenal. I can't wait for this. More on when and how people can get into this event when it is revealed.

Avatar is set to be released December 18, 2009.

The Strangers nabs a Sequel!

One of the most surprising films of last year was The Strangers, starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as a young couple terrorized by a creepy gang of masked murderers. The film only cost about $9M to produce but grossed upwards of $80M based almost entirely on word of mouth. Just deserved word of mouth, I might add. It is genuinely one of the scariest movies I've ever seen, and I don't much get scared by movies anymore.

Director Bryan Bertino is bringing the bag-headed trio of killers back for a second scare when the sequel begins filming this Fall. Bertino, who wrote and directed the first film, has already completed the script, but this time around he won't be behind the camera. Laurent Briet, a commercial and music video director, is taking the helm this time around. Briet did some effects work on The Ring, a movie which I loathe but atleast got the mood right most of the time.

To say that I'm wary of this decision is an understatement. Bertino so perfectly utilized unique camera perspective to maximize each fright. One thing I know from seeing a host of other music video directors working on big screen films is that they have a tendency to cut each scene too quickly like they would in a video. The Strangers would linger, and allow you just enough time to start worrying about what might be happening off-camera. It's psychological more than anything else. I don't know if this is a smart move, but we'll see.

The Expendables Draws Near!! Still Shots Galore!

It's been awhile since we've updated you on the greatest action film ever created, The Expendables, featuring the greatest collection of screen brawlers in the history of punching guys on celluloid. For those that somehow haven't been paying attention, The Expendables is Sylvester Stallone's homage to the classic action films of the 1980's, about a team of mercenaries hired to take down an evil dictator. Do you really need more plot than that? The mercs, known as The Expendables consist of..

Sylvester Stallone
Jet Li
Dolph Lungren
Jason Statham
Terry Crews
Randy Couture
Mickey Rourke

That's just ridiculous. I'm in movie friggin' Heaven! And I haven't even mentioned the bad guys yet, led by Eric Roberts as a crooked cop. Not to mention former WWE World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin as a psychotic bodyguard. Oh, and let's not forget Charisma Carpenter. How in the world could I forget her??

The Expendables didn't have a presence at this year's Comic-Con, but that's actually a plus in my book. I don't wanna see too much of this thing until it's right on top of us. With that said, here a bunch of amazing looking still shots from the film. What I've learned from them is that: 1. Jason Statham can't not look cool, even when he's just ducking his head out the window. 2. I'd have given up a left nut to be a fly on the wall at some of the script readings. Must've been a damn riot. Anyway, enjoy the shots and as always let us know what you think!

1st Look at a Clip from SAW VI! Behold the Carousel of Death!

I'm not even gonna pretend to know how the hell this franchise keeps goin' on. Hasn't Jigsaw been dead for like three movies now? Whatever. Hot on the heels of that awesome motion poster we posted a couple of days ago, here we got our first look at an actual clip from Saw VI. Looks like ol' Jigga has his own health care solution to serve up, courtesy of a pretty sick carousel. Check it out and let us know what ya think!

Unfortunately, LionsGate asked us to take down this clip for now since it's not age appropriate, and we're essentially an all-ages site. They've promised us another, more suitable clip in the near future.

Halo Anime Series Unveiled at Comi-Con

343 Industries, which is within the Microsoft Game Studios, was created to oversee the entire Halo universe in the new Halo anime.  Microsoft unveiled a short anime series based on Halo this week at Comi-Con . In addition, a filing for 343 Industries was found at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which got a lot of buzz going as to what the connection would be between the two events. 

343 Industries will be in charge of overseeing the seven-episode Halo anime series, which is being called “Halo Legends.” The Halo anime will be available to XBox Live users this fall.  Microsoft is working with Warner Bros. to bring them to DVD in early 2010.

This is an exciting move on Microsoft’s part.  They are bringing to life one of the best video games of all time, and are doing it in a pretty savvy way. 

Related articles:

• Microsoft announces Halo anime miniseries (joystiq.com)
• Video game publishers Microsoft, Ubisoft invading Hollywood's turf (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• So, they're doing a Halo anime (destructoid.com)

A Peek at Green Hornet's Sweet Ride!

Ok, Green Hornet might end up sucking ass, but his ride The Black Beauty is a thing of...well, beauty. Now all it needs is a hotter broad than Cameron Diaz to nail in the backseat.

The Green Hornet is set to release on July 9, 2010.

JCVD Returns in The Eagle Path!

I regret not having seen JCVD yet. I tried to put it at the top of my queue, but was too late and now I'm sitting at home with Phoebe in Wonderland waiting to be watched. Jean Claude Van Damme's turn in that film has worked wonders for the Muscles from Brussels, and now he looks to cash in with his next film, The Eagle Path, which he wrote, directed, and naturally is the star of. It looks to be a typical Van Damme actioner, complete with a no-name cast of marginal talents with uncomfortably bad accents. Oh, and one hot chick ofcourse. The name of Van Damme's character in the film? Frenchy. I'm quakin' in my Chuck Taylor's already.

No firm release date has been set, but the film is set to release some time in 2009. Probably straight to your local Blockbuster or Redbox. Check out the trailer, and let us know what ya think!

Orphan

If there's one thing I've learned through years of movie watching, it's to never trust the sole surivor of any catastrophy. I don't care if it's an old dude, a chick, or in this case a little Russian girl. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens when little Esther(Isabelle Fuhrman) is adopted by John(Peter Saarsgard) and Kate(Vera Farmiga). I'm assuming it's no coincidence that this troubled pair has the same name as another more famous troubled couple with a bunch of kids. Upon thinking on it further, they bear more of a resemblance to eachother than I thought. Including John's wandering eye and obvious boredom. John and Kate recently suffered a tragedy with the death of their unborn child, and it's ripping their family apart. Deciding that they have way too much time on their hands, they decide to adopt a child rather than spending more of that time with the two young kids they already have. One of whom, the daugher, is mostly deaf. The son is a troublemaker and something of a bully.

Shopping for a kid to adopt from a shady lookin' orphanage that looks like the rundown old home from The Cider House Rules rarely pans out. John and Kate bring home the cupie doll-lookin' Esther based off a very brief conversation with her, immediately charmed by her wide smile and penchant for art. Once they get home, things begin to take a turn for the worse. Accidents keep happening when Esther is around. A girl falls and breaks her ankle, things catch on fire, cars lose control. A few people kinda get killed, too. Kate begins to get suspicious, but Esther is a well trained manipulator and begins playing the two parents against eachother. Kate has a bit of a sordid past, and she uses this to draw out John's mistrust. There's a hint of something sexual between he and little Esther, which is both gross and...well, it's really just gross. Esther's venom seems to be aimed squarely at Kate.

Orphan is actually quite a bit of devilish fun for the first half. Esther is an evil child who toys with everyone around her. The first time she gets bullied by one of the girls in school and Esther shoots her the most evil glare, it's hard not to laugh as the once tough bully nearly pees her pants. But the most delicious stuff comes from the way she manipulates poor, beaten down Kate. Vera Farmiga can play this role with her eyes closed at this point. Whenever you need a somewhat attractive, put upon housewife who's kid is either a murderer or a suspect in a shooting, she's the one you call. Plus there seems to be some strange fetish with her getting nailed in the kitchen. I swear I've seen more of her gettin' tenderized on the countertop than a steak on the Food Network.

Where Orphan falls apart is when Esther's plot goes full-tilt, and what was once a devious game of cat and mouse turns into a standard bloodletting. Too often does director Jaume Collet-Serra(House of Wax) rely on cheap booms and clangs to elicit false scares. The movie is creepy enough without all of that, and it's like he didn't trust the material or the actors to handle their share of the burden. The second half suffers mainly because it because it just takes itself far too seriously. I think they had the balance just right. It's a film about a murderous child trying to kill her way into the family. It's beyond silly. Embrace that part of it! I will say that there is a beautiful twist to be found here. One that puts the entire film into a new perspective, and is probably the best reason to see it.

I find it hard to believe that actual adoption organizations have been in an uproar over this film because they think it depicts the adoption process as shady and evil, and adopted kids as heinous villains or something. Are they serious? I guess having roving packs of celebrities scooping up kids by the armload to use as props for their photo-ops has been a boon to the adoption business. Here's hoping none of them scrounge up one like Esther. Ok, maybe Jolie deserves an Esther.

5/10

P-p-p-please Eddie!! Bring Back Roger Rabbit!!

Ain't It Cool has a surprising interview with director Robert Zemeckis discussing his new film, A Christmas Carol, based on the classic tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge. I'll be honest, I'm not all that interested in that. It looks ok, and is a definite style improvement over The Polar Express which used the same performance-capture technique.

But what is really worth noting is this little exchange between Harry Knowles and Zemeckis regarding a certain 'toon hating gumshoe...

Harry: Did you have any discussions with him about returning as Eddie Valiant?

Zemeckis: Oh yes, he always has them with me. He loves Eddie Valiant and he would love to do it. We talk about it and it’s something we are thinking about.

F'real? Even after all these years I still get suckered into watching Roger Rabbit when it comes on TV every...single....Sunday. It's just one of those movies that never ceases to entertain me, and I still marvel at how seamless the live-action and the animation meshed together. Plus it's the only time Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny ever appeared on screen together, and that's just plain cool every time. This must happen. I might even drink a gallon of The Dip to see it.

Ghost in the Shell Creator Plans his Next Assault

Mamoru Oshii, the legendary Japanese filmmaker who's Ghost in the Shell was a landmark film in the anime genre, is set to begin his first live-action film in more than eight years. The film will star Rinko Kikuchi, the future ex-Mrs. Travis Hopson, and star of both Babel and The Brothers Bloom. Assault Girls will take place in a post-apocalyptic future(don't they all?), where hunters prey on large beasts known as sand whales.

Assault Girls is tentatively scheduled to release on December 19th, and I'm sure my friend Shevonne will be there on December 20th. So will I, probably.

New Iron Man 2 image

Here's the latest pic from Iron Man 2, which just wrapped principal photography this past week. Looks like Tony has had a bit of bad luck on the race track, this is undoubtley from the scene where Downey Jr's Stark meets Mickey Rourke's character. If you remember the image from a few weeks ago (which I can't find now), it showed Rourke in a pseudo-iron man suit on a race track....I'm supposing this is the aftermath.

Sneak Peek: Jackie Earle Hayle as Freddy Krueger

Here's your first official look as Jackie Earle Hayley as Freddy Krueger. Fanboys will be happy to know that the outfit remains unchanged. As you can tell not much if any of his face can be seen but I'm sure with the advancements in makeup it will be grotesque and fulfilling to all of those like me who have been waiting patiently for this one. People forget how terrifying the first NOES was, they only remember the joking, whimsical serial killer from the sequels. Of all the recent horror remakes I think this has the potential to be the outright scariest, especially with a talent like Hayley wearing the fedora. Thoughts?

Aron Johnson Kicks Ass in this Interview about Kick-Ass!

I think I've said more than enough on the subject of Kick-Ass, the ultra-violent comic by uber scribe Mark Millar that's being brought to theatres in the coming months. So let's just listen to star Aron Johnson talk about it himself in this interview with Collider!

Humpday

I'd like to think I'm as hetero as the next guy. In fact, in my mind I'm the most masculine dude on the friggin' planet. Hell, every guy thinks that way about themselves in some fashion. But has anybody ever really put that idea to the test? Just how much of a straight, All-American red blooded dude are you? Are you so straight that you could have sex with another guy and it still not be gay somehow? Are you so confident in your hetero-ness that you're not even offended by the notion? Hopefully I'll never be asked to test the limits of my own masculinity like this, but I'm more than happy to watch somebody else struggle with it.

Humpday is the story of two best friends from very different worlds. There's the seemingly straight-laced Ben. Then there's the globetrotting bachelor, Andrew, who shows up one day at Ben's doorstep and turns everything on it's ear. Ben is a happily married man, or so it seems anyway. He and his wife, Anna, are on the verge of starting a family together, but Andrew's arrival clearly sends Ben spiraling back to his old fratboy days and the freedom it provides. Invited by Andrew to a party with what is essentially a sex commune(must look those up when I get the chance), Ben and Andrew get into a drunken discussion about Humpfest, the film festival spotlighting sex in all it's myriad forms. As with most alcohol-enhanced debates of this type, it turns into a stupid game of one-upmanship, culminating in a pledge to make the first porno film starring two straight dudes. Or as Ben so bluntly puts it, "Two straight dudes. Bonin'"

What started as a drunken dare turns into a circus far too big for these two to handle, in particular Ben who has to somehow break the news to his wife. The scene where he first attempts to do so is absolutely hilarious in it's realism. Any guy who's had to break some potentially humiliating news to a woman they care about will understand him completely as he circles the drain before finally giving up on the idea of telling her at all. When she does find out, it throws their entire world off track. Her reaction to this nonsensical idea is the one issue that is played seriously for the most part, which is exactly as it should be. If this were...I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry or some other Hollywood comedy for instance, she'd do something silly like flash her breasts and hope it snaps her husband back into reality. One of the reasons this movie works so well is that the relationship between these characters is feels so natural. Ben and Andrew are a pair of overgrown fratboys at heart, and the dynamic between the two is probably the same as it was when they were in college. Every conversation is an attempt to find out which one of them has the better life; who is the better man; who is the wildest; who has the guts to do anything. I do wish they had spent a bit more time developing Andrew's character. We get some insight into his way of thinking, but it's not nearly as involving as Ben's. Perhaps that's because Ben has a wife who also figures into the equation while Andrew is shacked up with a pair of lesbians looking for a threesome. It doesn't quite go as planned, to say the least.

I can understand why some would be uncomfortable with the subject matter. Maybe it's all those years of watching Oz on HBO but it didn't bother me one bit. There were some couples who left the theatre once the plot became obvious. Some people aren't capable of dealing with gay sex in a fairly straight forward manner like this film does. They prefer it be played up as a farce like in Bruno or in the aforementioned Chuck & Larry. To be clear, there is no actual sex between these dudes on screen. The only bangin' goin' on is a hilarious scene where Ben is unexpectedly mounted like a horse by his wife. To the film's credit, the prospect of sex between these two best friends is a secondary issue and it would've been just as entertaining if the dare was to bungee jump off the Eiffel Tower or something. It's about these two very competitive friends and whether or not their friendship can survive not only their different lifestyles, but their constant need to outdo the other.

Writer/director/co-star Lynn Shelton did a masterful job evoking a sense of realism out of these pretty unknown actors. Although at a few points their inexperience did peek through. She used a form of inprovised dialogue that gave the actors the freedom to ad-lib each scene, even going so far as to let them shoot long uninterrupted sequences which were then edited down. For the most part it works, and the interchanges flow naturally and are often downright hilarious. Shelton also managed to do something I wish more directors would do, which is make the friggin' party scene look like a real party! Most parties I've been to at someone's house don't look like a scene out of House Party. It's a bunch of people sittin' around shootin' the shit while drinking. She uses the handheld cam to it's full potential, as it's best suited for a small slice-of-life film of this nature and not a big budget action romp(hello Michael Mann).

I wouldn't recommend Humpday for everyone. Clearly. But for people interested in seeing something that's as funny as any Apatow film without the benefit of big names, then this is the way to go. If you're worried about the subject matter, chill out. It ain't that damn serious. Just laugh and enjoy the show.

7/10

Terry Moore's ECHO Heads to the Big Screen!

With studios turning more and more to the world of comics for their next big cash cow, it should come as no surprise that they are starting to turn a sharper away towards the non-superhero line of comics. There's only so many capes 'n cowls to go around, afterall. Producer Lloyd Levin, who's Watchmen was a huge hit only a few short months ago, has inked a deal to bring indie scribe Terry Moore's sci-fi comic Echo to the big screen.

Echo tells the story of a girl who's life is turned upside down when she is showered with liquid metal after a botched military experiment. The metal gives her superhuman powers, but the government soon comes calling wanting their experiment back.

Terry Moore has been a fixture on the comic book scene for many years. His long running romance comic, Strangers in Paradise, ran for 14 years and is considered one of the great serial works in the modern era of comics. Lloyd Levin has been behind some of the most successful comic book adaptations, producing the aforementioned Watchmen as well as both Hellboy films. He also produced my favorite movie of all-time, Boogie Nights. Ofcourse he also produced Mystery Men, but I won't hold that against him.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

A friend told me a few days before I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the 6th feature film of the juggernaut franchise, that I might want to watch the previous film to bone up on all things Hogwarts-ian. I can see what he meant, as this film, by far the darkest of the bunch, relies heavily on your ability to remember prior events. I'm willing to bet that any noob who makes this their first foray into Potterland has been left hexed and dumbfounded, as there is virtually no attempt to explain much of....well, anything. Heck, I still don't know what a Half-Blood Prince is.

Unlike the previous films, Prince takes a headlong leap into the well-worn territory of young love. If anything is going to be the undoing of poor Harry and his crew, it ain't gonna be an evil wizard with a nose like an aardvark. It's gonna be the sly machinations of the opposite sex. In fact, this is probably the thing that is best portrayed, the relationships developing and furthering amongst all these very lovable characters. Harry has begun to explore dating while on the outside world, and when he returns to Hogwarts for the new semester, he finds that he has feelings for Ginny Weasley have increased. As for the rest of his little Scooby Gang, Ron and Hermione's long simmering romance hits a bit of a skid when he begins dating a ditzy and somewhat stalkerish blonde.

By a stroke of luck, Harry comes into posession of a text book belonging to someone named the Half-Blood Prince. The text contains vasts amounts of information that Harry uses to help breeze through his classes, but also appear to be opening him up to some of the darker arts. Harry also begins to suspect that his old nemesis, Draco Malfoy, is up to something sinister after spotting him performing some sort of ritual with a group of Death-eaters. You'd think by now, after six films, that Harry would know that the book he's carrying around is bad news. Was he not paying attention all these years? And again, you'd think everyone would listen when Harry says Draco is up to something. It's like he's Jack Bauer on 24 surrounded by people constantly questioning his thought process. All you need to do is watch the previous season, people. Ofcourse something terrible's going on!

There's a disturbing lack of focus to be found here, and no real narrative to speak of. The revelation of Malfoy's plot is haphazard and uninteresting, even if it's goal is the most devastating of all that we've seen so far. There's so little time spent on screen given to the particulars of the plan that it was hard for me to care when it finally started to play out. Considering the scope of the plan, that can't have been their intention. And since I never read the book, I have no idea if the source material is similarly structured.

To me this is the story that is clearly meant to be the "Empire Strikes Back" of the series. This is the story where things reach their lowest point. This is when things are the most bleak; the darkness before the dawn, etc. etc. But it's almost as if director David Yates couldn't bring himself to make this as dark as perhaps it needed to be. More focus should've been placed on the Death Eaters and their plot, because clearly it is the central issue of this story. I think they could've accomplished all that they wanted to in regards to the relationship building storylines in much fewer scenes. Do I really need to see Ron Weasley with Lavender Brown a dozen times? No. Don't get me wrong, the film's biggest jokes come from these kids' awkward attempts at finding love for the first time, but this was the wrong movie for it. It would have fit better during the last film. This film needed to be harder, blacker, and meaner. I wanted more of Helena Bonham Carter's wonderfully bazarre Bellatrix Lestrange and her ragtag group, including a new member named Fenrir who they teased in the beginning then we barely saw again for the rest of the film.

Director David Yates did a masterful job with Order of the Phoenix, but I got the sense that he scaled things back here. It's another instance where I think they just completely got the tone of this film wrong. This just didn't feel as magical as the previous movies. Not that I wanted it to go back to the awful Mr. Magorium-type atmosphere perpetuated by Chris Columbus in the first two movies, but I felt that they had struck the right balance subsequently. Here, there's practially none of the wonder that permeates the previous movies. Gone is the sense of wonder and amazement as pictures talk and ghosts wander the halls and stairs rotate on their own schedules. Hogwarts feels painfully bland and sterile like an old boarding school. What fun is that? I get that they are trying to get across how tough the times are at Hogwarts, but that wasn't the way to make the point. In the process we got the most boring film of the series, with the exception of first two ofcourse.

I know it sounds like I'm bashing, but I found this film more disappointing than actually bad. As with all the Potter films, it's the actors and the strength of these characters that make this enjoyable. I'm simply in love with everybody involved, no matter how minor a character he or she may be. The three main stars have grown into remarkably strong actors, and it's been a pleasure watching them melt into these roles every year. In particular I think this is Emma Watson's strongest turn as Hermione, as we get a bit further away from the snobbish teacher's pet and more into a flowering woman. I think her angle with Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley is what interested me most. I would've liked to have seen more of those two together, and less of Harry and Ginny. And Helena Bonham Carter deserves a supporting nod for her sinful portrayal of Bellatrix. I simply couldn't take my eyes off her every second she was on screen. I wanted to run alongside her as she screamed "I killed Sirius Black"! with an angry Harry in hot pursuit.

With the Potter franchise nearing it's conclusion, the last book will be split into two films, Half Blood Prince takes a step back in terms of story but it does manage to up the ante for the next chapter. In that I guess it succeeded. My only hope is that the finale brings us something a bit less disjointed, and something a bit more magical.

7/10

Green Hornet Cast Grows, not Necessarily for the Better

Maybe it's me, but I'm hating this movie more and more. No Stephen Chow? Either behind or in front of the camera? Blah. Seth Rogen as the lead guarantees we're getting a farcical comedy. Now according to Variety, Nicolas Cage is in talks to play the role of the lead baddie. That's not such a bad idea, as Cage has legit comedic skill which he doesn't get to show off often enough. But on the other hand, Cameron Diaz is also in talks to take on a role as the "love interest" of the film. Ok, I've never been a Diaz fan. What's worse, she ain't half as attractive as she was in the friggin' 90's. I don't know what happened to her. Not to mention she hasn't made me laugh since the Soul Train scene in Charlie's Angels. This does not bode well.

The Green Hornet is set to drop in July, 2010.

Saw VI and Gamer Comic Con info

For any of you LUCKY basterds (I know it's misspelled...it's in honor of the upcoming QT flick :) ), who are out in San Diego for Comic Con here is the latest information on the presentations for Saw VI and the sweet new Running Man-esque flick Gamer starring Gerard Butler. SO straight from Lionsgate to us, than to you the reader here are the details!

SAW VI



(To begin, if you haven’t already seen the spine-chillingly creepy new motion poster for SAW 6, click here to check it out and grab the embed code so that you can share it with your users: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/saw-vi-motion-poster.html)



This Thursday at Comic Con San Diego, Lionsgate will be distributing tickets at the Lionsgate booth (located at Booth 3729) – the first 100 people to hit the booth will be able to grab a ticket to a talent signing with COSTAS MANDYLOR (Detective Hoffman) and BETSY RUSSELL (Jill Kramer) at 2pm. Costas and Betsy will be autographing the never-before-seen SAW 6 Teaser Poster!



The second signing will be held at 5pm with TOBIN BELL (Jigsaw) where he will be signing an exlusive limited edition Comic Con SAW VI poster. At the beginning of this signing, Tobin Bell will be introducing the WORLD PREMIERE of the SAW VI Teaser Trailer, which will simultaneously be streamed live on FEARnet.com (http://www.fearnet.com/news/index.html) and Justin.tv (http://www.justin.tv/saw_vi) in addition to the official SAW facebook page – www.facebook.com/saw !! Make sure you become a fan of SAW on Facebook so you don’t miss anything!



If you think the game is over, it’s only just begun – utilizing Microsoft’s mobile TAG technology, fans will be tattooed with a special tag that unlocks the first exclusive clip from SAW VI on their mobile phones; Lionsgate is encouraging everyone to download the program which allows them to use this technology on their mobile phone from this site NOW: www.gettag.mobi. Once the program is downloaded, fans will be able to take a photo of the tag which will direct them to a special mobile site that will allow them to view exclusive footage from SAW VI. (Of course, fans will need to have a phone with CAMERAS and must be able to play video to experience this promotion! )



Additionally, fans will be able to visit the Lionsgate booth and get a preview of the upcoming SAW video game which will be released by Konami and Lionsgate October 6th on Playstation 3 and X Box. Not only will fans be able to grab free posters, they’ll also be encouraged to face off with JIGSAW, if they dare! Whether or not they decide to take him on, fans will be encouraged to register to win a pair of tickets (with front of the line passes) to Universal’s new Halloween Horror Nights ride.



For more information about SAW VI, check out the following:

www.facebook.com/saw

www.twitter.com/lionsgatehorror

http://saw6film.com/

http://www.justin.tv/saw_vi

http://www.fearnet.com/news/index.html







GAMER





Hip hop super star & actor LUDACRIS (Humanz Brother) and MARK NEVELDINE/BRIAN TAYLOR (Directors) will be signing an exclusive Comic Con GAMER Poster featuring LUDACRIS. This poster is a limited edition and is not available anywhere else. The signing will occur at the Lionsgate booth at 1pm on Friday. Tickets for the autograph signing will be distributed Friday morning at show opening. In addition to tickets, Lionsgate will be handing out free GAMER t-shirts



If Comic Con is taking its toll on your energy levels, make sure to drop by Lionsgate’s booth to juice up your cell phone and grab a GAMER Energy Shot! Lionsgate has created a “Get Juiced GAMER Cell Charging Station” for fans where they’ll be able to charge their cell and smart phone batteries with the GAMER charging station. Additionally Gamer Girl Booth Ambassadors will be distributing GAMER Energy Shots and posters to fans at the Lionsgate booth.



Once you’ve had a chance to recharge, make sure you check out the GAMER Augmented Reality Experience. The folks at Lionsgate have rendered the world of GAMER in 3D and they want you to check it out! Fans will be able to experience the movie poster in 3 Dimensions via the Web Cam/Computer Station at the Lionsgate booth. If you can’t make it to the booth, experience GAMER augmented reality here: www.whosplayingyou.com (including GAMER’s Red-Band augmented reality experience!!)



Lastly, Gamer Girls will be tattooing a special tag on fans which will unlock the first exclusive clip from GAMER on their mobile phones; fans need only download an easily downloadable program on their mobile phone – you can download the program ahead of time here: www.gettag.mobi. Once the program is downloaded, users will be able to take a photo of the tag which will direct them to a special mobile site that will allow them to view exclusive footage from GAMER (Of course, fans will need to have a phone with CAMERAS and must be able to play video to experience this promotion! )



For more information about GAMER, check out the following:

http://gamerthemovie.com/

http://whosplayingyou.com/

www.twitter.com/lionsgatemovies

New Theatrical trailer for MYSTERY TEAM!

Ok, if there's ever a reason to despise and loathe all you people who are actually able to get to SD Comic-Con this year it's because Mystery Team is being screened there. I hate you all. Mystery Team is the story of 3 extremely juvenile and nerdy teenage detectives, tasked with solving their biggest case. Mystery Team was a breakout hit at Sundance, and frankly it looks downright hilarious. The film stars and is directed by those YouTube sensations, Derrick Comedy. I'm expecting huge things based on this, the second trailer for the film. Even the music kicks all sorts of arse.

First pics from 'The Hobbit' set!!

Looks like they are begining to reconstruct the Shire for the new Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson produced movie, 'The Hobbit'. Not really too exciting but I'm sure it'll get you Ring junkies all up in a hustle. I'll have to be honest here and say that I really don't know much about 'The Hobbit', I vaugley remember reading it in 7th grade and have the impression in my head that it wasn't as exciting as the LOTR trilogy...if this is true I think the movie may disappoint many since the main complaint about the LOTR trilogy was that it was just a group of people walking for three movies.

First theatrical poster for 'Prince of Persia'

As our readers will know I've been torn on this whole Jake Gylennhall as the Prince of Persia thing from the begining. On one hand he does look mighty bad ass all buffed up and decked out for the role, on the other hand I didn't know Persia recruited their princes from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I'm still salty that they didn't get someone who would ethnically fit the role, whats wrong with Oded Fehr! That guys awesome and get's no love in Hollywood.

Better Prince of Persia? I think so...



Ehh..oh well, it's Disney.

'Machete' cast expands....some suprising rumors!

This news is a few days old, but I couldn't resist posting it. Machete was originally one of the fake trailers in between Planet Terror and Death Proof for the Tarantino/Rodriguez Grindhouse. The trailer got some major buzz after Grindhouse came out and ever since there were rumors that this flick was gonna get made, personally I was tented (look it up). Danny Trejo, who is one of my faviorite character actors, finally getting a starring role and in something that is totally appropriate to the roles he usually plays. Not to mention a flick so out there over the top awesome looking that there's no way it can go bad, even if this flick sucks it will be the cult classic kind of suck, not Masters of the Universe suck. Check out the trailer...
WARNING: NUDITY (I couldn't find a clean version, sorry!)


Now that the shoot date is nearing we are getting some amazing (if true), casting rumors. Check out the following from BloodyDisgusting.com:

-DANNY TREJO is returning (obviously) as "Machete", the madman bent on revenge.
-MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ ("Lost", Fast & Furious, Avatar) is said to be playing "Luz".
-JONAH HILL, the comedian who has starred in such films as Superbad and the forthcoming Adam Sandler comedy Funny People, will play "Julio".
-Lastly, a legend of our time, ROBERT DE NIRO, will take on the role of "Senator McLaughlin".

Machete (Trejo) is a Mexican ex-Federale with a gift for wielding a blade, who hides out as a day laborer, who is double-crossed by a corrupt state senator (De Niro). The film was teased as a faux trailer that was directed by Robert Rodriguez in Dimension Films' Grindhouse, which featured a full-length film from both Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.

I've always like Michelle Rodriguez, the chick can't act and she's not especially attractive but there's always something I've liked about seeing her on screen. Jonah Hill I can deal with as long as he fills a role similar to Steve Buscemi in 'Desperado', and lastly Robert DE FUCKING NIRO?!?!?.....I was amazed at this since the movie will be of the campy B movie sort (not a negative, just doesnt seem his style), but then again...the guy did do Rocky and Bullwinkle.

The Flash and DC make a Run at the Big Screen!

Marvel better watch out. DC is about to step their game up. The Hollywood Reporter broke the story last night that famed comic book scribe, Geoff Johns, has been hired by Warner Brothers to produce and co-write a feature film based on The Flash. The Flash, the fastest superhero on the planet, is one of the most popular superheroes in comics and is a stalwart member of the Justice League. Johns, who has been the central figure in reinvigorating the DC universe, is currently at the helm as writer of the Flash:Rebirth and Green Lantern comics. As of right now no director has been attatched to the film.

In related news, Warner Brothers has also hired on Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman, two comics legends, to work alongside Johns in shepherding their upcoming slate of supehero films. On the table is a possible Adam Strange sci-fi film, a possible Aquaman film(hopefully not starring Adrien Grenier!), and a slew of other new projects on top of the ones that have already been announced.

There is little doubt that if Warners ever got off their asses and really put their library of characters out there they would slaughter Marvel in the world of film. DC has the most iconic characters in the game, recognizable by people who wouldn't know a funny book from a funnybone. Bringin in Johns, Morrison, and Wolfman, three proven greats at wielding a pen only lends more credibility and solidifies their desire to make these films both for the hardcore fan and the average filmgoer. Brilliant stroke by DC and WB.

Now the question for me becomes: What is Grant Morrison going to be writing? He's proven that he has a knack for Batman as solid as anybody else. Could he possibly be coming on board to aid that franchise, now in a bit of disarray? The superhero film world just got a lot more interesting.

Top Shelf at the Box Office!

Looking at this week's top 10 is sorta depressing. It always gets this way in the summer. Not that I have any beef with Harry Potter. I love the film franchise and respect the storytelling technique, not to mention I love the way each film gets darker as they go along. But there is so much else out there that it's depressing to see pretty much the exact same movies as last week here in the chart, with only one exception. That makes for a dull column for me to write, and a severe indictment of the American filmgoer, who would rather see Transformers a 3rd time than go see something brilliant like 500 Days of Summer or The Hurt Locker. Just something I was thinking about while I'm listening to Glen Beck scream like a little girl for some lady to get off the phone. That guy is a loon.

1. Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince- $79.5M/$160M

As far as the series goes, the sixth film in the Harry Potter franchise fell a bit short of the lofty expectations I had for it, but what do I know? The fact remains The Half Blood Prince charmed it's way to the highest opening for a Potter film, raking in $160M in only 5 days and a gargantuan $397M worldwide. Holy crap. Although it should be said that this pales in comparison to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen's opening last month, the fact that any franchise can be this consistent six movies deep is phenomenal.

2. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- $17.7M/$152M

With that Potter kid hoggin' all the cash, that left precious little loot left for anybody else. However, Ice Age still managed it's smallest drop in the third week by comparison to it's predecessors. Also, Ice Age has now surpassed Transformers in the foreign market at $429M.

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- $13.8M/$364M

Is there anything left to say about this other than that it's now the 13th highest grossing film ever? Whether it's good or bad ceases to matter when we start getting into those kinds of numbers.

4. Brüno- $8.37M/$49.6M

Bruno really took one in the sh*tter in it's second week, and not in the way he typically enjoys. Collapsing a devastating 73% from last week, Bruno proves that basing a comedy on shock value alone is good for initial business but word of mouth will sink ya in the long run. Unlike Borat, Bruno had little beyond what was immediately apparent through it's many trailers and TV spots. It was Borat, minus the social relevance. Oh, and it wasn't as funny. If anybody remembers, it was in the 2nd week that Borat really took off. Bruno is headed in the dead opposite direction.

5. The Hangover- $8.31M/$236M

It won't go away. Nor should it. A friend of mine just went to see this for the first time this past weekend. The fact that it only dropped 16% just goes to show that people can't get enough of this off-the-wall comedy featuring a cast of virtual unknowns.

6. The Proposal- $8.29M/$128M

I'm actually curious to see what the release of The Ugly Truth starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler does to this movie's business. They look like the same damn movie.

7. Public Enemies- $7.59M/$79.5M

Not to belabor the point, but Michael Mann needs to take a cue from Kathryn Bigelow on how to use a digital camera. Just sayin'. How sad is it that this film, which was expected to be one of the biggest hits of the summer, has dipped below two films that have been out since the season's beginning?

8. Up- $3.15M/$280M

9. My Sister's Keeper- $2.83M/$41.5M

10. I Love You, Beth Cooper- $2.67M/$10.3M

I'm not gonna lie, that's better than I expected it would do in it's second week.

Stuff to Keep An Eye On...

500 Days of Summer debuted to the largest opening for indie releases, raking in approximately $838,000 in only 27 sites and finishing at #12 for the week. The quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zoe Deschanel, goes wide release next week and I'm going to predict that it will surpass Sunshine Cleaning as the top grossing indie of the summer season.

Few films have garnered the critical praise that The Hurt Locker has received, and it looks like that positive buzz is having an effect. The Iraq War film about an EOD unit on it's final days of rotation blew up this week(pun intended), pulling in $764,000 for a total of $2.2M.

The To-Do List!

Yeah, it's late. So sue me. You ought to know by now that I'm amazingly unreliable on my days off. Wait until I start doing this full-time. I'll probably procrastinate myself right out of a job.

BTW, before I get goin' I wanna be sure to thank our over 30 new Twitter followers this week for keepin' an eye on us. Thanks! Not to mention the fact that our site traffic has doubled in the past couple weeks. We appreciate you perusing our humble site, even when we're too lazy to post. Anyway...not a lot to get revved up for this week. Supposedly there's some super huge blockbuster that came out, pushing it's weight around and scaring any other potential releases away.



So one of the reasons this is out so late is because I went to the very first showing of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince this morning. This after about 4 hours of sleep, no food, and a mild headache. Turns out popcorn, a caramel frap, and the latest Potter flick were a pretty effective cure. Obviously this was the big film of the week and has already gone on to gross over $100M on opening day. I started out as disinterested in the Potter franchise, especially after the first two films turned out to be a bit bland(thanks again Chris Columbus!), but with Prisoner of Azkaban and the darker tone I've become completely engrossed. This one is by far the most bleak of all the films and could be considered the Empire Strikes Back of the over-arching story. Enjoyable. I should've seen it Monday but I effed up my pre-screening passes. A common occurance now, since I did the same thing last night with my Adam screening passes. Totally blew my chance to hook up with Rose Byrne, too. Anyway, Harry Potter? Playing everywhere. Expect a review soon.



Yes, I've already seen 500 Days of Summer about a week ago, but now that it's finally in limited release I expect to see it a couple more times. In fact, I'm hosting a Meetup to see it next weekend if anyone's interested in hangin' with a bunch of film geeks. The film is a unique, fresh take on the romantic comedy headlined by two of my favorite actors working today, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zoe Deschanel. Typically I see maybe one movie multiple times in a year. So far this year I've seen three(Star Trek, The Hurt Locker, The Brothers Bloom). 500 Days will be number four, and might be better than all of them. Right now it's only playing at AMC Georgetown in the DC/Metro area but will expand starting next week.



I feel like I've been raving about this movie forever, but now that it's out in wide release everyone needs to get off their ass and check out The Hurt Locker. Period. I saw it again last night and it's even better the 2nd time around. The most intense roller coaster ride of a war film in a very long time. It's playing pretty much everywhere here in the DC/Metro area(except stupid ol' Kingstowne) so you got no excuse.

Also...



On Monday I'll be hittin' up the screening for Humpday, a comedy about two completely straight dudes who decide to make a gay porno for the Hump! Film Festival. Sounds like the plot of a Kevin Smith film, doesn't it? The trailers look brilliant, and the film has won tons of praise since it debuted at Sundance. Doesn't look like there's any actual dude-on-dude hay rollin'. I think Bruno has the market cornered in that regard.

New '9' clip!

Straight from the good folks over at Focus Features we have this awesome new clip from '9'. It's an out there story with what looks to be real action and suspense in an animated movie, I dunno, it just looks like something different and innovative...which as we all know is a rarity nowadays. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Here's the official synopsis:
Official 9 Film Synopsis:

A new era in animated storytelling begins on 9.9.09. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton (The Corpse Bride, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch) join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker's distinctively original and thrilling tale. 9 stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and Crispin Glover and features the music of Danny Elfman. When 9 (The Lord of the Ring's Elijah Wood) first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they'll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them.

Ryan Reynolds as The Green Lantern--Fan Art

Thanks to /film for putting this up. I was excited about the casting of Ryan Reynolds as soon as I heard but this has me really hyped. Mostly because it just looks freaking cool. What do you guys think? Now that you see what Reynolds will look like possibly in the upcoming film are you more or less excited?

Comic Con schedule for "9"

For any of you lucky enough to be attending the San Diego Comic Con this year Focus Features has released the full schedule for the new animated film "9". This movie looks pretty amazing and I for one can't wait to see it.

Focus Features is pleased to announce the presence of its upcoming animated film 9 at

Comic-Con International 2009:



ALL COMIC-CON LONG





ALL DAY- Take a ride on the 9 San Diego Pedicabs and be the first to see exclusive videos and content for 9 when you unlock the QR code. Make sure you find all of them, there are different codes which will unveil unique content, not to be missed! To prep for a QR sighting, text READER to 4FOCUS for instructions on downloading our preferred reader so your phone is QR-ready.



Special Edition Collectible Cards from 9 will be distributed daily throughout the San Diego Gaslamp District. The first 100 people to find the 8 character cards plus 1 exclusive machine card and bring their completed set (9 cards total) to NECA (booth # 4345) will win a guaranteed place in line to receive an autograph by Timur Bekmambetov, Shane Acker, and Elijah Wood.



Check out NECA (booth #4345) for the latest 9 news.





FRIDAY, JULY 24TH



2:30PM- 9 Panel in Hall H with filmmakers Shane Acker, Tim Burton,

3:30PM Timur Bekmambetov and stars Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly.

EW releases Iron Man 2 cover and ScarJo as the Black Widow!

Here are some new pics to get you amped for Iron Man 2 a year in advance...not to worry if this doesn't satisfy your hunger with Comic Con a week away I'm sure well have PLENTY more soon.

The cover featuring the big three.




And Scarlett ready to pounce as The Black Widow...I don't know how I feel about the red hair...she's definitely best as a blond but I'm kinda digging this red look.

Moon

It's the not too distant future by all appearances, and Earth is in dire need of new energy sources. Looking towards the moon, a company known as LUNAR has set up bases there to mine Helium-3, the precious resource to solve all of our problems. Aboard one of these bases is Sam Bell(Sam Rockwell). Sam's nearing the end of a 3-year contract and is anxious to get home. He's all alone on the very cold, sterile appearing base. Well, not alone exactly. He's got a mobile robot buddy named Gerty(voiced by Kevin Spacey), who tends to most of the ship's functions and Sam's needs as well.

Sam's going a bit crazy with little to do and nobody real to talk to. He gets the occasional communication from his wife on Earth, always pre-taped so nothing's live. Live communication is impossible that far out. He also gets the occasional football game but who the hell wants to watch taped football? Oh wait, I would(and do. Thank you NFL Replay). While out on a routine task, Sam gets distracted and crashes his rover. He wakes up in the medical bay tended to by Gerty, and that's when the ish hits the fan.

Directed by first-timer Duncan Jones(son of David Bowie), Moon takes a decidedly retro look reminiscent of films like 2001: The Space Odyssey and Silent Running. The moon scenes bear the eery silence of the old moon landing footage. The moon is a dark and forboding place full of secrets and mysterious beyond every sightline. What this has made me realize is how much I miss sci-fi films just like this. Not that I have anything against current sci-fi, but they've taken more of a hard action approach rather than any sort of exploration of man vs. space or man vs. the unknown. Moon is very much a story about people, or one man in particular, and if he has what it takes to transcend his own limitations. I miss the deceptively simple look of the old school spaceship interiors with their plain white walls that look like the inside of a penitentiary. It evokes a sense of paranoia that the clunky, wirey ships represented nowadays just can't duplicate. And let's face it, robot sidekicks are cool, too. Even if they are a little ominous(as all robot sidekicks are!).

Without giving anything away about the story, I gotta praise Sam Rockwell who was simply brilliant in his portrayal of Sam. He's always had the good as an actor(check out his multi-layered performance in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), but here he takes it to another level as Sam's mental and emotional state gets put through the wringer. It's arguably the best of his career.

If I have one complaint, and it's a minor one, it's that things are a little slow in the beginning. Thankfully it doesn't take long for everything to go all pear shaped. If you're a fan of science fiction, and I mean real science fiction, then Moon is a movie you should drive the extra mile or two to check out.

8/10

Top Ten Anime Songs That I Pump on My iPod

I love music, and I especially love the music that comes from the anime that I watch.  These are the top ten anime songs that I am not ashamed to say that I have played out on my iPod:

1.  Season’s Call – Hyde – Blood+

2.  The World – Nightmare – Death Note

3. Inner Universe – Origa –Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

4. Duvet – Boa – Lain: Serial Experiments

5. Gravity – Yoko Kanno – Wolf’s Rain

6. Fukai Mori – Dai – Inuyasha

7. The Light Before We Land – The Delgados – Gunslinger Girl

8. Colors of the Heart – uverWorld - Blood+

9. Lithium Flower – Scott Matthew – Ghost in the Shell: SOC

10. Wonderland – SONIA – Tenchi Muyo

Honorable Mentions:

D-technolife – Uverworld (Bleach); Kataritsugu Koto – Hajime Chitose (Blood+); Every Heart – BOA (Inuyasha); Alumina – Nightmare (Death Note); Danzai no Hana – Riyu Kosaka (Claymore); Remember – FLOW (Naruto); Moonlight Densetsu – DALI (Sailor Moon); What’s Up People – Maximum the Hormone (Death Note); Coppelia no Hitsugi – Ali Project (Noir)

The Invincible Iron Paltrow!

Looks like Pepper Potts ain't gonna just by carrying the clipboard and taking meeing minutes in the upcoming Iron Man sequel. Atleast not if this image, courtesy of Comics Alliance is to be believed. It shows Gwyneth Paltrow looking like she's undergoing a cybernetic enhancement of some sort. Perhaps taking a queue from the Invincible Iron Man comic written by Matt Fraction(overRATED!!) in which...well, the same thing happens.



Whether or not this is real and not a feint of some sort is the question. If so, it could be pretty cool if done right. C

On the Set of PAUL with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

Space aliens. Area 51. Simon Pegg. Nick Frost. It already sounds like a match made in comedy heaven, doesn't it? I admit to being behind the 8-ball when it comes to Paul, but that all changes now after seeing this brief bit of publicity for the film starring the dynamic duo from Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

It's unfortunate that the third member of the crew, Edgar Wright, couldn't be on board to direct since he's knee deep in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, but I think in Greg Mottola(Superbad, Adventureland) they've found a director who has some of the same comedic strengths. Just check out this cast and see if it gets you excited.

Nick Frost
Simon Pegg
Seth Rogen
Jason Bateman
Sigourney Weaver
Jeffrey Tambor
Jane Lynch
Kristen Wiig
Bill Hader

And that's just part of it. Check out the video and let us know what you think.

The Hurt Locker

War can be as addictive as any drug. That's the premise behind Kathryn Bigelow's(Point Break) equally gripping Iraq War film, The Hurt Locker. This isn't your typical war film with hills to take and bridges to cross, although there is plenty of action to be sure. The tension here is literally around every corner. Every person on the street could be an enemy. And every step potentially your last. And every object potentially lethal. THe film follows an elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit on the cusp of the end of their rotation. When their experienced team leader, played by Guy Pearce in a cameo role, is suddenly killed in action, the team receives a new commander in Staff Sergeant William James(Jeremy Renner). Unfortunately for the men under his command, James is a reckless, cocky hothead with a penchant for ignoring protocol especially in the midst of an explosive situation. To say that there's tension between he and his squadmates who are just trying to get through their rotation unscathed? A bit of an understatement.

James immediately is at odds with Sergeant JT Sanborn(Anthony Mackie), a soldier used to doing things the safe way, by the book. A no nonsense take no crap guy, Sanborn sees right through James's act and knows they could be in real trouble with him at the helm and conspires to do something about it. The relationship between these two is the heart of the film, as the two toe the line between bitter enemy and a brotherhood that can only be forged in the heat of battle.

Let's be honest, the glut of Iraq War films that have come out recently have been less than inspiring. Whether it be Lions to Lambs, or Rendition, or Stop-Loss. They all have some agenda that seemed to take precedent over the story. The Hurt Locker pushes all that aside, bringing us an authentic take on what's really happening to the soldiers on the ground. This isn't just some game. It feels deadly real, and I defy you to not be sitting on the edge of your seat throughout. It feels like something is about to explode literally every moment of this film, and not just the IED's around every street corner but also in the powder keg between James and Sanborn.

I've been a reluctant fan of Anthony Mackie since he began as Papa Doc in Eminem's 8 Mile. He always seemed like someone on the brink, performing well in some decent to mediocre films like Haven, Half Nelson, and Eagle Eye. But here he finally makes that jump and puts on a performance that I'm sure will garner him some nominations in the supporting category at the end of the year. But the real stand out is Jeremy Renner, an actor I've just barely noticed in the past but will be keeping an eye on from here on out. He carries and steals every single scene, whether it's defusing a bomb in the midst of a firefight or playing soccer with a young Iraqi child.

I remember when I saw Jarhead a couple of years ago, and I loved it(at first) because it wasn't your typical war film, but focused on the people inside the uniform. But for me it was too slow and plodding, and frankly boring. The Hurt Locker is the perfect combination of character and pulse pounding action that is exactly what I want any future films about the current wars to be. Kathryn Bigelow clearly spared no expense in making this movie as authentic as possible(Renner worked with an EOD unit and film was shot in the Middle East), and it shows in every single shot. In every shard of shrapnel and every grain of sand, the attention to detail shows.

For those who have been turned off the other Iraq war films, do yourself a favor and run to your nearest theater to check this out. Even if you gotta drive a bit further, do it. I promise it will change your mind and you will not be disappointed.

9/10

Stephen Chow Hustled off Green Hornet Film

Kinda saw this coming, but Stephen Chow is officially off the upcoming Green Hornet film. Chow, who was initially attatched to both star as Kato and direct the film, left the directing post due to creative differences. Michel Gondry was brought in to take over with aims to still hit the July 2010 release date.

As for who's gonna take over the role? Hell, it could be YOU! Check out the open casting call for the role right......here.

Maybe it's me, but this movie's got the stink of "fail" all over it. With the wealth of creative problems, Seth Rogen as the Green Hornet, and now this I'm just not feeling this at all. If the Green Hornet is going to be made, I'd prefer it be played straight and not as yet another TV remake comedy. No thank you.

Statham, Oldman, Rourke Team to Take Down Al Capone!

Gary Oldman, Ian McShane, Mickey Rourke, and Jason Statham are set make the Depression era cool again, and hopefully they'll do a better job of it than Public Enemies did. The four are set to star in Pretty, Baby, Machine, an adaptation of the 2008 Image comic book of the same name by Clark Westerman and Kody Chamberlain. The story involves Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, and Machine Gun Kelly teaming up to take down their mutual enemy, Al Capone. The film rights were acquired by Landscape Entertainment last year. No word yet on a release date.

I've never read Pretty, Baby, Machine but the concept alone has me intrigued.

Natalie Portman Confirmed for Thor Film

She ain't no "Plain Jane", but Natalie Portman will be taking on the role of Jane Foster in the upcoming Thor film according to Marvel Studios. Jane Foster is a mortal female who the Thunder God falls in love with. She joins Star Trek's Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as the only actors confirmed for the film, although this does leave Jessica Biel's rumored participation up in the air somewhat. If Biel does sign on this would be one helluva all-star cast.

500 Days of Summer

There comes a point in every great movie where I kinda stop and take stock of everything I've seen up to that moment. It happens quickly and without plan, and I know from that point that I'm watching something special to me. It happened while watching 500 Days of Summer atleast twice. The only film to equal that? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie I still watch atleast once a month as a matter of principle. Traditional romantic comedies usually push me to the edge of ritual suicide, mainly because they always have so much potential. The few rom-coms that have really hit home with me have dared to be different. I don't mean by being quirky or trendy, but by truly taking an honest look at the many different ways love manifests itself and bevy of other emotions that come along with it. If anything, 500Days of Summer fits that bill perfectly.

The bassy voice of the narrator says it all: This is the story of boy meets girl. Tom, played by my favorite actor going today(atleast until GI Joe) Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, is a hopeless romantic working for a greeting card company. Tom would be one of those guys who actually wants to cuddle and believes in all that chivalry nonsense. He seems to be under the impression that there are no women out there for him and his eclectic tastes. No woman could possibly understand him. That is until he meets Summer, played by the wonderfully reliable Zoe Deschanel. After a meet cute in an elevator where Summer reveals her love for the same rock band as Tom, he knows he's met "The One". The problem? Summer doesn't believe in "The One". She believes love is a faery tale notion and that all relationships end in disaster so what's the point?

Despite this huge obstacle, the two become fast friends, eventually taking their relationship to the next level. Tom is at the top of the world, exemplified by a raucous dance number as he parades through the park followed by cartoon birds and marching band. Not to mention the best Han Solo appearance ever. Period. Summer, for her part, appears equally happy. But soon, cracks begin to show just beneath the surface, culminating in a short, brutal break up that catches Tom by surprise.

500 Days of Summer unfolds in a non-linear fashion, jumping forward in time so that we see some of the darker days ahead for the couple. Then, just as quickly leaping back to when they were at their happiest. Some might not get into the format, but I think it's one of the film's strongest aspects. By using this style, we get to see the subtle changes in body and verbal language that can occur over time. The way something is said at a time of pure bliss can be so devastating if said just slightly different later on. The film blurs by using a number of effects including split screens, and is framed by breaking each scene as another Day. It gives the impression that the film is broken up into chapters of a story, or since first-time director Marc Webb cut his teeth making music videos perhaps that is a better comparison. The film's soundtrack is delightfully eclectic and catchy, much like most indie films of this sort. But it's never distracting and every song utilized fits perfectly.

Much has been said about this movie's similarity to the aforementioned Eternal Sunshine, and it's both way off and on-point. Both films play with the idea of memory, and the way we romantize our memories during the good times and are quick to overlook the warning signs that are right in front of our face. This film isn't nearly as far out as Charlie Kaufman's film, and it never delves into the dark areas that Eternal Sunshine does, but when the narrator tells you that this is not a love story, he's not kidding.

Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zoe Deschanel are two actors I've admired for awhile now, and here they provide all the likeable traits you'd expect from this sort of movie. He can't seem to affect anything less than an understated coolness, even when he's not trying to. Tom's personality zips from enthusiastic highs to depressing lows with little middle ground. You can't help but want to see him win the girl he imagines is out there for him. For her part, Deschanel's Summer is the type of woman that would ruin me as well. She's irresistable, both mysterious and charming. The two have good chemistry on screen, but it's not perfect. Part of me thinks that was kindof the point, though.

It didn't take me long to fall in love with this movie, and I'll probably see it a couple more times atleast. I've recognized that I seem to have a love for a lot of these very "trendy" films(Garden State, Nick & Norah), and this certainly falls into that category, but these movies hit all the right notes. Yeah, they are "hip" and perhaps a bit too cool for their own good, but they get the emotions right. That's what makes them cool to me. There's an emotional payoff that's earned that your typical romantic comedy fails to deliver, and that's what I get invested in.

9/10

Top Shelf at the Box Office! 7/13/09

I can be honest with you people, right? You know I don't really care anything about this week's box office for the most part. There's only one thing that mattered to me this week and that was how much money I Love You, Beth Cooper would make. Why? Because if it doesn't break the $20M barrier, John owes me lunch at Firehouse Subs. Considering it's opening this week, I think I'm well on my way to victory. Now, the show...

1. Bruno- $30.4M

Somewhat surprisingly, Bruno takes the top spot despite a HUGE dropoff from Friday to Saturday. The follow-up to Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat dipped a whopping 39% during that period, which usually spells doom for a film's long term success. If we compare Bruno to it's predecessor, Bruno brought in roughly $4M more in it's first week, but the difference is that Borat was at nearly 1,700 fewer sites. Borat then expanded in it's second week and continued a run that made it a smash hit. The prospects for this film aren't nearly as promising. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that word of mouth spread about all the wagging weiner in this film and dudes suddenly stopped going.

2. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- $28.5M/$121M

Considering I know next to zero about Ice Age, I have precious little to say about it, other than that it's doing about as well as the other films and is kicking much arse globally, bringing in another $98M foreign for a total of $327M. This is the only way a movie with Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, and John Leguizamo as the headliners can succeed. Make them all look like fat wooly mammoths.

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- $24.2M/$339M

The only thing proceeding along as steadily as Transformers box office is the amount of hate being lobbied against this movie. I get it, it's not that good. But the worst thing ever? Hardly. After only 19 days it already has reached #16 on the all-time highest grossing films list. For a movie that sucks that's pretty damn impressive.

4. Public Enemies- $14.1M/$66.5M

Maybe I spoke too soon last week insisting that Public Enemies was a disappointment financially because to me this doesn't seem like such a bad total for 2 weeks. I think maybe I focused a bit too much on the wealth of star power and translated that into higher expectations, but honestly a film about 1930's gangsters can't be expected to break the bank regardless of the cast. Assuming PE manages a standard drop each week, it could conceivably hang on for a respectable run.

5. The Proposal- $10.5M/$114M

I'm sticking by my guns and not seeing this thing, but apparently I'm one of the few making that pledge. Sandra Bullock's 4th $100M film dropped only 18% from last week, proving that despite all the load of comedies out there right now people still want to invest there time to see it. Can't argue with success, especially this late in the game.

6. The Hangover- $9.93M/$222M

The same as above applies here. The Hangover dropped only 12%, the lowest of all the returning films. I think all those people who stopped going to see Bruno on Saturday probably spent their time seeing this and The Proposal for their comedy fix, because...

7. I Love You, Beth Cooper- $5M

...clearly they didn't go see this. Hayden Panettiere, as hot as she is, just isn't enough of a draw to push sex comedy past the rest of the sex comedies that came out this past year. And John now owes me lunch, because there ain't no way in hell it's breakin' $20M. Kindof a shame, really. It's not that bad of a movie. Plenty to look at, too.

8. Up- $4.66M/$274M

9. My Sister's Keeper- $4.18M/$35.8M

That's a lot of tears flowing in the aisles. Wear galoshes.

10. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian- $1.52M/$171M

Go away!!

ALSO...

The 2nd highest per site average of the week of the Top 20 films went to Kathryn Bigelow's amazing Iraq War film, The Hurt Locker. Bringing in $623,000 at only 60 sites, the critically acclaimed film has a total of $1,084,000 to date. Hopefully it will be expanding in the coming weeks.

Snap Judgements: BRUNO

The biggest release of the week without question is BRUNO,Sasha Baron Cohen's follow-up to Borat. We just stepped out of the show a few minutes ago, and to say we were surprised by our reaction to it is an understatement. Here's John with his snap judgement!

Ryan Reynolds Confirmed for Green Lantern

Updating a report released just yesterday morning, Reuters is confirming that Ryan Reynolds has been chosen to take on the role of Green Lantern in the upcoming superhero film based on the DC Comics character. After a months of searching and speculation that encompassed many of Hollywood's biggest names, Reynolds won out in a final round of screen tests against the likes of Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake, and...Jared Leto? Why was he even allowed in the room?

Reynolds has quickly become the go-to guy for headlinging superhero franchises and is now the first actor to play both a DC and a Marvel superhero. He started out taking on the role of Hannibal King in Blade:Trinity. Earlier this year he was Deadpool in Wolverine: Origins and has already begun work on a spin-off of that film. Now the question becomes which of the many Green Lanterns will Reynolds be playing? One would expect it to be Hal Jordan, but Reynolds age and appearance bear a closer resemblance to Kyle Rayner, the youngest of all the GLs.

The most important question now is: What happens to his relationship with Scarlett Johannson? Green Lantern and the Black Widow can't date. That's like...crossing the streams or something in terms of comic book continuity, ain't it?

The To-Do List! 7/10/09

So between dinner engagements, and an unnatural addiction to 1vs100 on Xbox Live I actually had precious little time for movies this week. Being the forward thinker that I am, I crammed everything into last weekend. This week, not so much. There are roughly 5 movies on the docket this week that I'm amped up over. Typically this means I'll be at the movies nearly every damn day for the next week, but I might have to pull a little double duty, as I have a Harry Potter screening to attend on Monday and I'm locked in to go to a screening of Focus Features' Adam on Thursday.

Also, I hope you guys had a chance to check out Snap Judgements, a new feature in which John and I will be giving our instant take on a film fresh from an event, normally days before the film hits theatres. The first edition featured my take on the upcoming rom-com, 500 Days of Summer starring Zoe Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Leavitt. So check it out! And ignore how fat I look. The camera adds...50 pounds.



I was not a huge fan of Borat. I found some of the clearly scripted stuff to be a bit boring, but the impromptu antics were downright hilarious. A bit mean spirited, but who cares. On the face of it, Bruno appears to be more of the same, although I'll admit that I rarely take humor from over-the-top homosexual characters. However, I also recognize that sex is a helluva lot funnier than ignorance(Borat capitalized on people's stupidity mostly), so I have some high hopes for this one. The only thing that bugs me is that they cut out the Michael Jackson bit featuring his sister Latoya. If you're going to make a biting commentary that supposedly pulls no punches, I expect no punches to be pulled. Regardless of current events. Whatever. I'll get over it.



If I knew all it took to get the hot chick in school to like me was play the role of a nerd for four years(not that I was playing) and then proclaim my love on the dead last day, my head would still be swimming with memories of my wild night out with Keesha Lawrence. And ofcourse I would've scored with her. But apparently it works, othewise there would be no I Love You, Beth Cooper to talk about. Hayden Panettiere, looking hotter than she's looked since season 1 of Heroes, plays the object of nerd desire. Unfortunately it's directed by that uber-hack, Christopher Columbus, but I imagine this thing will sink or swim despite his bland direction.



Just look at the theatrical poster for Blood: The Last Vampire and you know it's a movie I'm practically dying to see. Let's see....hot chick....schoolgirl outfit...Asian...vampire....copious amounts of blood. Based on the horror anime of the same name, it's the story of a human/vampire hybrid who works alongside humans to kill vampires. Her ultimate goal is to find and destroy the strongest vampire there is, Onigen. In the DC Metro area this is only playing at Landmark E Street, and probably won't go beyond that unfortunately.



Science fiction has experienced a rebirth of sorts over the last few years, much to my delight. But the majority of those films have been sci-fi/action popcorn variety. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but every now and then I want to get to the down and dirty man vs. the unknown type. Moon fits the bill perfectly. Starring Sam Rockwell in a role that was written expressly for him, Moon is about a man stationed on a moonbase tasked with extracting Helium-3 by a company known as LUNAR. A few weeks shy of completing his assignment, he begins to hallucinate, and soon discovers that he has no memory of how he got where he is. Moon is directed by Duncan Jones, son of legendary rocker David Bowie, who has given the film a sortof retro 1970's look. Simple but effective. Of all the movies coming out this week I think I'm looking forward to this most. Surprisingly playing at both AMC Hoffman and AMC Shirlington, which bodes well for expansion in the coming weeks.



Movies about the Iraq War have generally been met with subpar reviews and even worse box office. But acclaimed director Kathryn Bigelow(Point Break!!) is looking to change all that with her new film, The Hurt Locker. Starring Jeremy Renner as the enigmatic leader of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit who gets his team mixed up in a game of urban warfare just shy of their release back home, the film has already been praised by many as the best film about the Iraq War yet. It is currently playing in the DC area at AMC Georgetown, AMC Shirlington, and Landmark E Street Cinema.

What else is out there?

Frankly, I don't even care. I've got enough on my plate with no room for dessert.

Ryan Reynolds Up for Green Lantern role?

Doesn't it seem like Ryan Reynolds is up for every major property that comes down the line lately? I like the guy, Van Wilder aside, and he's got a unique combination of looks(not that I like like the guy or anything) and comedic timing that is rare nowadays. Plus the guy's an avid comic book fan, which just makes him cool. At the rate he's going I wouldn't be surprised to see him play Superman whenever that sequel comes 'round.

Now, thanks to the Hollywood Reporter, we're discovering that Reynolds is one of 3 contenders up for the role of Hal Jordan, the most well known of the Green Lanterns in the upcoming superhero flick. The other two contenders are The Hangover's Bradley Cooper and.....Justin Timberlake. Oy. Nothin' against JT. He was pretty good in Alpha Dog, but as the stoic, stone faced, grizzled Hal Jordan?

No. Just....no.

Out of this bunch I think Cooper has the look down, but for some reason I don't get excited for him as Hal. Reynolds is the safe, sure bet. I think in the end he'll be claiming the power ring as his own.

Snap Judgements: 500 Days of Summer

Here's a new feature we are going to be running here at the PDC that we are calling 'Snap Judgements'. We, The Punch Drunk Critics, give you a video review of a film as soon as we walk out of the theater. Leading off, here is Trav with a quick 1 minute review of '500 Days of Summer'! Enjoy and tell us what you think!

Remo Williams: The Adventure Reboots!

The nostalgia kick just won't stop, will it? Pretty soon Remote Control will be back on TV and MTV will start showing music videos again. Nah, never happen. The 80's were really the decade of the big, brawny action hero. One of the most memorable(atleast for me) of this bunch was Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins starring grizzled veteran actor Fred Ward. The film was a strange mix of gritty cop/martial arts/fantasy that was...well, weird even for it's time. But I dug it, and apparently somebody else did as well.

Two of the producers behind The Dark Knight and The Transporter, Charles Roven and Steve Chasman, are aiming to bring the hero back to the big screen in "The Destroyer". The pair are hoping the relaunch will be the start of a franchise vehicle under the Columbia Pictures banner. No word on who will star or a release date at this point.

You can read the full story right.....here.

You Knew It was Coming: The SMURFS Finally Hit the Big Screen

Perhaps now we'll finally learn the dirty little secret behind that rapidly growing Smurf population considering there was only one "adult" aged female in the entire camp. Raja Gosnell, the director behind both live action Scooby Doo films has signed on to helm a big screen take on the classic Smurfs cartoon from the 1980's. The cartoon, which everyone remembers was about a clan of little blue creatures with names they should've been insulted by like Vanity Smurf or Handy Smurf(implying the rest were NOT handy), and Lazy Smurf was arguably the most popular cartoon of the 80's, running from 1981-1990. The film is expected to be a trilogy, set to be released in 3-D on December 17, 2010. No doubt the Smurfs arch-nemesis Gargamel will be the chief villain of the series.

Little known fact, the Smurfs have actually been around since 1958, begun as a Belgian comic strip. For some reason, I'm really into this idea. The Smurfs was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid, and I continue to obsess over the finer details of this existence to this day. Such as, why does Gargamel continually try to capture the Smurfs to use in his potions, when he's already proven he can create his own Smurfs? He did afterall create Smurfette. Whatever. THe fact remains, I'm excited for this and the people working on the film are all very experienced with live-action/animated hybrid films.

The Next Five Anime Series in My Netflix Queue

1. Witch Hunter Robin

Set in a fantasy world overrun with abusive, power-mad witches, this supernatural anime series follows the group known as STN, a team of craft-users formed to combat these rogue witches. Robin, the newest member of STN's Japanese branch, arrives at her new post and jumps right into the complicated process of using technology, forensics and her own still-raw powers to track down the enemy.

2. Texhnoloyze



Alone and grieving in a grim city where crime syndicates rule the underworld, Ichise's only outlet for his pain is to throw himself into the melee of the fighting pits. But when he loses two limbs at the hands of a gang, he has to turn to the Orugano group, experts in the field of cybernetic technology. That, plus the arrival of a mysterious stranger and a psychic girl whose destiny is connected to his, means Ichise is in for a lot of changes...

3. Sherlock Hound



When a case is stalled and the perpetrators need to be sniffed out of hiding, there's no better detective to put in charge of the investigation than Sherlock Hound, the dapper dog who stars as the canine version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous gumshoe in this animated series directed by the talented Hayao Miyazaki. Watch as the magnificent mutt takes on disappearing images, strange goings-on in Dover and much more.

4. Berserk



A new king reigns supreme throughout Midland, but he achieved his power through heinous means. His men terrorize the town, and nothing stands in their way -- until the arrival of the mysterious Black Swordsman. Meanwhile, a young fighter named Guts meets up with the charismatic Captain Griffith and his band of mercenaries. Their combined strength means interesting things for Midland...

5. Samurai X



In 19th century Japan, the land is torn by warfare and rebellion. As a result, small bands of soldiers rise up and find the courage to attempt an overthrow the tyrannical Tokugawa Shogunate. Enter Kenshin, a young orphan whose fighting skills were honed by the great swordsman Hiko. His world is thrown into confusion by the arrival of a mysterious woman named Tomoe -- can she help the assassin become a real man?

Which anime series should I add to my queue? *Summaries are from Netflix

The Talent Show: Lauren Storm

I first caught a glimpse of this beauty while watching the formerly great Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson body slam his credibility in The Gameplan. Lauren hails from the city with the greatest football team evah, Chicago, and got her big break on the Disovery Channel series, Flight 29 Down. I think that show was basically Lost with kids instead of adults and polar bears. Lauren is actually a good samaritan to boot, serving on the board of Kids with a Cause. You're not supposed to be hot and charitable. It's a commandment, I'm sure. Lauren can next be seen in the comedy, I Love You, Beth Cooper starring that other hot chick from Heroes. Hayden something. The PETA chick.

Because SNL Skits Always Make Great Movies! MACGRUBER!!

Saturday Night Live's Will Forte is set to send his bumbling MacGyver wanna MacGruber to the big screen. The film, based on a series of skits written by Forte and SNL writers Jorma Taccone and John Solomon, is also looking to add big name stars Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe to the cast. SNL vet Kristen Wiig is also set to co-star. No word on whether or not Richard Dean Anderson will make an appearance, given that he's already been revealed as MacGruber's father in the skits it's almost a certainty.

There's a saying that goes: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result". Sure, SNL skits have produced a couple of classics, namely The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World, the vast majority have been worthless junk. Why? Because they take one-joke skits best suited to 2-minute spots and try to expand them to 90 minutes. Remember how The Ladies Man died out after the hilarious opening sequence? Coneheads? It's Pat? That godforsaken Night at the Roxbury? Oy! I feel the same way about MacGruber. It's funny sometimes but not enough for a feature length film.

Whatever Works

Woody Allen's latest film, Whatever Works, will seem very familiar to fans of the legendary writer/director's work. Why? Because it's the same as 90% of everything he's ever done. The difference this time around is that Woody is no longer casting himself in the role of neurotic, cynical, middle aged, balding pseudo-intellectual who scores hot chicks half his age. This time the torch is passed to Larry David, creator of Seinfeld and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I like Larry David. He's funny. And sometimes he's funny even in this, but more often than not he's just annoying.

David stars as Boris, a slob of a supposed genius who works as a chess teacher to little kids. He's everything David is in Curb Your Enthusiasm, only not funny. So he's just mean, basically. He meets a homeless girl named Melodie, played by Evan Rachel Wood. Melodie is young, naive, but optimistic and hopeful. That is until she meets Boris and quickly takes on his negative personality. Eventually they get married, despite the nearly 40 year age difference. This causes conflicts, mostly because of Boris but also due to Melodie's scheming mother, played by the wasted Patricia Clarkson.

It's been revealed by Allen that the script for Whatever Works was actually written in the 70's, and y'know I believe it. It feels old and dated. The New York imagined in this story no longer exists. It's faster, meaner, crueler, and a guy like Boris would be eaten alive in it. What's worse though is that Woody Allen's ruminations no longer sound particularly insightful. They sound like they're coming from a guy who hasn't lived in America in quite some time. Oh wait...that's exactly who he is.

But the worst offense is that this just isn't a funny movie. Boris isn't lovable enough to be anything more than just a really mean guy, to the point where he's pretty much unlikeable. His occasional anxiety attack doesn't make you feel sorry for him, it kinda just makes you want him to keel over and be done with it. I can say that Evan Rachel Wood was actually pretty good, mainly as a counter-balance to David. She's perky and cheerful, honestly a departure from some of her usual roles.

Back in 2005 I thought that the Master had found his stroke with the release of the wonderful Match Point. It felt like Allen had broken his creative roadblock and was stepping into unfamiliar territory. He backslid a bit with the awful Scoop and Cassandra's Dream, but Vicky Christina Barcelona was another positive step. Now we're re-hashing 30 year old material and frankly I'm done with it. I'm moving along because there's nothing left to see here.

--4/10

2012: It's Disasterific!!!

Just watch the trailer and enjoy.

The Stoning of Soraya M.

It'd be easy to condemn the entire Islamic religion for the brutal practice of stoning, but to it's credit this controversial film by Cyrus Nowrasteh never takes that step. The Stoning of Soraya M. is a gut wrenching tale, of a young woman named Soraya, living in a small Iranian village in 1986. Her husband, a ruthless pitbull of a man, has grown tired of her and wishes to marry a 14 year old girl, but he can't afford two wives or the strain of child support. So he along with a group of willing conspirators manufacture a tale of adultery against her, the ultimate price of which is death by stoning.

Only one woman has the courage to stand up for the truth, and that is Zahra, played beautifully by Shohreh Aghdashloo. Zahra is from another age, unwilling to quietly play the subservient role or blindly follow the orders of fallen men. She speaks up to the power players in her village often, seemingly without fear of consequence. When a journalist's(Jim Caviezel) car breaks down in her village, Zahra fills his ears with a tale of murderous deeds undertaken as the supposed will of God, praying that he will take her message and broadcast it to the world since she herself can not do so.

This film will stick with you long after the final credits have rolled and the lights have gone up. It will open your eyes to the sheer cruelty of the barbaric practice of stoning, a terrible reality for too many women even in today's world. Bear in mind that the stoning sequence is particularly long, almost unbearably so, and it doesn't flinch even a little. It will unsettle some, but that is exactly the point. This film has been banned in Iran for a reason. Shohreh Aghdashloo, who most will remember from House of Sand and Fog and is an Iran ex-pat herself, shoud earn an Oscar nom for her brave performance. Don't go into this expecting to leave happy, but you will have something to talk about after.

8/10

Who's up for a Blade prequel? Without Blade?

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, actor Stephen Dorff confirmed that a spin-off of the hit Blade trilogy is in the works. It will be a new trilogy, a prequel, starring the Deacon Frost character, portrayed by Dorff in the first Blade film. The kicker is that Stephen Norrington, who directed the first film, is on board to helm the series. Stephen Dorff certainly sounds amped for the project:

"It will be a prequel to the Blade movies, Deacon's story. It's a new trilogy the director has created. It will cool."

"We hope to shoot the first film next year. Frost is a character I have never been able to shake."

I loved the Blade trilogy. I even loved the Blade TV series which I think got a raw deal from Spike and should still be airing to this day. I'm not such a big fan of Norrington, who really sh*t the bed with League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Say what you want, he bears much responsibility for that turd.

But this idea doesn't sound good to me. It reaks of straight-to-DVD status. Not only because Stephen Dorff isn't a big name draw, but because nobody's exactly clamoring for a Blade revival sans Blade. If this project actually comes to fruition I will be shocked, but I'm definitely keeping my eyes on it from here on out.

Public Enemies

For 13 months in 1933-34, John Dillinger was the name on everybody's lips. Simultaneously the most dangerous man in America and the most popular, Dillinger and his gang ran roughshod throughout the country taking anything and everything they wanted. Throughout that time, Dillinger the man still remained something of a mystery. Only the legend and the persona were brought to the forefront, and that's exactly what Michael Mann decides to run with here. And the film's all the better for it.

Johnny Depp stars as the enigmatic Dillinger. All quiet charm and muted energy. Depp is perfect for capturing Dillinger's charisma, and it's easy to see why people would follow him. I've not been a big fan of Depp's recent work, but I applaud him for doing something rarely seen when it comes to gangster flicks and that's to create an entirely new character. He's not talking like he's straight out of Dick Tracy or sneering at the camera. In that way Depp's Dillinger is a refreshing change. I wish I could say the same for Billy Crudup's J. Edgar Hoover, sounding more like he should be standing in the middle ring at a circus. It's annoying, to say the least but atleast he's wearing pants this movie. Oscar nominee Marion Cotillard, an actress I've really been diggin' lately, doesn't have much to do playing Billy Freschette, the supposed love of Dillinger's life. Supposed, because in truth Dillinger had tons of girlfriends and never focused on any one except for the brief time he was married, and that was before he became the icon he later became.

For the second time I find myself disappointed in a Christian Bale performance. Again, it feels like his part is too sparse and not particularly deep. Perhaps it's not his fault and it's a script issue, but I found his Melvin Purvis completely devoid of the motivation that must've driven him. He seems sorta aloof and understated, not in a cool way. The performance isn't bad, but I think I expect Bale to be a bigger part of the show. As it stands I was more interested in the hard nosed tough as nails Texas Rangers who really seemed to be running the operation. They kicked much ass.

At no point does Mann take the time to glorify any aspect of Dillinger's life. It's straight forward and to the point. Dillinger says early on "I rob banks". And that's it. That's all he's about. The actual robberies are less than exciting and seem almost to be an afterthought. One can imagine most of Dillinger's heists probably went smoothly and according to plan given his reputation. The shootouts, however, are where Mann really let's it all hang out. The melodic sound of tommy gun fire is probably what you'll remember most, and it's certainly the most prevalent sound emanating from this picture. The firefights are intense, brief bursts of violence that never feel gratuitous. Mann plays loose with some of the details regarding these fights(particularly one near the end involving Babyface Nelson), but it's not distracting.

I wish they had spent just a little bit more time on the public reaction to Dillinger's crime spree. As it stands we only get a couple of minutes of people cheering him in the streets, and a little bit of press coverage making him look like a hero. We never really get a taste of the circumstances that would make people root for a killer. Normally I wouldn't care, but that problem extends to his relationship with Billy as well. In real life she was just another girlfriend, but the film tries to expand their relationship to something it simply wasn't, and it doesn't quite work. There's no real reason given as to why she would follow a man like Dillinger. Perhaps this is all part of the idea that nobody really knew him, and so neither should we. I can run with that to a certain degree, but when trying to establish a believable love story on screen it doesn't really work.

On the other hand I do think they did a good job pushing the idea that the FBI was a bunch of buffoons, and perhaps Melvin Purvis wasn't the man Hoover tried to paint him to be. In fact a very good case can be made that perhaps Dillinger wasn't truly Public Enemy #1, but that Purvis and his crew was. Their tactics were equally brutal to the men they were after, up to and including torture of suspects. They were always a step behind despite their supposed technology. Purvis is painted out to be a man living off a single action, being the man who took down Pretty Boy Floyd(which he didn't actually do singlehandedly), and elevated to a job he probably wasn't qualified for. That proved to be just as dangerous as any bank job Dillinger ever pulled.

Every scene looks authentic, right down to the double breasted suits and cooper colors. Mann's camera swoops in and out of each battle in stunning clarity. It's almost like we're in the gang side by side with Dillinger. We're always right there along for the ride, swept up in this exciting and unpreditable time. That is the film's biggest credit, making me feel as if I was there.

Public Enemies isn't perfect, but who cares? It's not historically dead on accurate, but so what? It never feels like a documentary or a simple retelling of easily researched facts. There were enough dramatic flourishes to keep me on my toes. So the question is never really answered: Who is John Dillinger? And that's just fine with me. The legend will just have to suffice.

7/10

Top Shelf at the Box Office: 7/6/09

If this were a horse race it'd be a photo finish and I'd be clutching onto my claim ticket. Rarely do we get an actual tie in terms of final box office receipts, especially when it comes to the top spot, but that's exactly what we've got this week in the matchup between Transformers 2 and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Ofcourse, it probably won't end up being a tie in the end. These are all estimates, and eventually a real winner will step forth. But for now, the dinos and 'bots are at a stalemate. Maybe they oughta make a movie where the Transformers battle dinosaurs? Or what if the Transformers could turn into dinosaurs? They could call 'em Dinobots! Oh yeah, they already have that concept but Michael Bay doesn't seem to know it. Or care.

1. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- $42.5M/$67.5M

I don't know much about Ice Age, to be honest. I saw the first one, and it was tolerable but not enough to make me come back for seconds or thirds. But apparently people around the world love it, because Ice Age was clearly the #1 movie across the globe this week. On top of it's mammoth(no pun intended) 5 day domestic haul, it also was the #1 film globally pulling in $148M. Still, the domestic take is less than the previous Ice Age film brought in on it's first week, which was $75.6M.

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- $42.5M/$293M

Dropping 61% doesn't mean squat when you've pretty much already bested the total of the previous hit film's entire run; already captured the top spot for yearly box office; and after two weeks are already in the Top 30 highest grossers of all-time. But that's just financial crap. Dropping 61% does mean that perhaps the lackluster word of mouth has started to have an impact. Transformers had the #1 IMAX debut ever last weekend, but as far as 2nd weeks go it was third behind Star Trek and The Dark Knight. With Harry Potter on the horizon, it's gonna start getting real crowded near the top of these charts, and it's a wonder how long the robots in disguise can hold on to a share of the top spot. The answer: Not Long.

3. Public Enemies- $26.2M/$41M

Compared to most gangster flicks of this type, Public Enemies' debut stands as one of the best. And considering the intense competition it had to face, $41M seems like a surefire success. However, taking the long view of this I can't help but see this as a bit of a disappointment. This film would've done better debuting in the fall season, where it would have many weeks of uninterrupted success. But with Bruno and Harry Potter right around the corner, the chances of this very adult-themed drama gaining any sortof a foothold are slim. A shame too, because it's quite the enjoyable ride.

4. The Proposal- $12.8M/$94.2M

I can't believe this movie is going to break $100M. By the look of it, it should've gone the way of the dodo by now, but here it is and suffering the smallest decline of the week at only 31%.

5. The Hangover- $10.4M/$204M

$200M is no small feat for a non-Apatow comedy. Actually, an Apatow film has never reached that landmark, so maybe I should stop the comparisons until one actually does. Seriously, though, it does feel like there have been no hit comedies other than an Apatow for the last few years, so The Hangover's phenomenal success feels new. It's actually surpassed the total of Wedding Crashers and There's Something About Mary, two vastly inferior films in my opinion.

6. Up- $6.58M/$265M

The Ed Asner-led Up is now Pixar's 2nd highest grossing film, surpassing The Incredibles. Boooooooooooo. The Incredibles still rules.

7. My Sister's Keeper- $5.25M/$26M

8. The Taking of Pelham 123- $2.5M/$58.5M

Who woulda thought the day would come when Denzel Washington and John Travolta would get their heads handed to 'em by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The mind reels!

9. Year One- $2.1M/$38.1M

It might be worse than Bedazzled, but atleast now it can say it's made more money than Bedazzled. Only by a few hundred thousand, but still. It's somethin'.

9. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian- $2.1M/$168M

Hopefully now it'll go away so that I don't have to type out that long ass title anymore.

Gerard Butler to Return in '300' Sequel?

So...I know what you're thinking: "Didn't Leonidas die like everybody else at the end of 300"? Uh, yeah. But apparently not even death can keep the legendary leader of the Spartan army from cashing in on a sequel, as producer Mark Canton had this to say on the idea of Gerard Butler reprising the role:


"Never assume anything; never assume anything,” he repeated when I asked if the original cast were gone for good. “It’ll be what it’ll be. But if we really do it, in this case, we have a visionary creator and a visionary filmmaker.”

300 is one of those movies I have the most difficulty talking about. Everyone I know loves it. Literally everyone. Me? I fell asleep during the damn thing. Which was sad because I enjoyed the graphic novel, and have read many books on the battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans. I found the fight scenes cool at first, but they quickly got repetitive. And don't even get me started on the boring chatter in between, which felt like it was thrown in because they simply couldn't have 100 minutes of straight fighting(although that would've been a better movie). I've seen 300 a couple of times since, and while I still don't think it's particularly good I can appreciate the action a little more.

The To-Do List!

It's the 4th of July weekend, a time when most people are out watching the same ol' fireworks they've seen for the past 20 years. It also happens to be my sister's birthday, which is convenient because I have no possible way to forget it the way I do everybody else's. I have a friggin' calandar reminder in my phone for my own birthday, otherwise it's just another day of movies and video games. As is typically the case on this weekend, one big "blockbuster" comes out paired with a high end kiddie flick that I will ignore. Although in this case I actually think Ice Age 3(it is 3, right?) will make more of a splash than Public Enemies. Call it a hunch, but I don't see the box office potential in a film about a bunch of 1930's gangsters.

On a quick side note: That guy who does the movie reviews on the Today Show is fucking terrible. Not only his old white man afro(which looks like it was gathered from the sweepings off a barbershop floor) and Dudley Boy glasses, but his voice invokes images of a deranged Mr. Rogers. Anyway...



I'll be leaving in about an hour to check out Michael Mann's latest, Public Enemies, starring everybody's favorite weirdo Johnny Depp. I'm actually not all that hyped for this. I've never been much of a Depp fan, and I find his choices in roles more interesting than the performances themselves. When left to play fairly conventional characters he's less than inspiring. But I can't deny the wealth of talent in this thing including the fantastic Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. The presence of Stephen Dorff scares me, as it's a rare thing when he's part of a good film that doesn't involve vampires, but hopefully this will be different. This is playing pretty much everywhere, although it's shocking how few screens it's getting in comparison to Transformers.



Apparently, the Resistance won! We've been fighting for months, trying to smuggle illegal independent film into the corrupt Multiplex framework with little to no success. Even works by one of the most acclaimed creators of all-time, Woody Allen, failed to break through for fear of indie cinema gaining a foothold in the public consciousness. With the help of a mole that we helped plant inside the Multiplex Hierarchy, Allen's latest film, Whatever Works, about a neurotic middle aged(Larry David) who marries an equally absent-minded woman(Evan Rachel Wood) 40 years his junior can finally be absorbed by the teeming masses.

What else?



I gotta take a sec to urge everyone to check out The Stoning of Soraya M., a powerful film about an Iranian woman unjustly convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning. Starring Shoreh Aghdashloo(24, House of Sand and Fog), it is an unflinching tale that puts a fine point on the lack of rights for Iranian women and the helplessness of their lives. Since I saw it yesterday it shouldn't be on my list but I might actually see it again it was so good. It's not a fun movie, obviously, but it's a movie with a message. It's currently playing at Landmark E Street Cinema and AMC Shirlington.



I'm a little intrigued by the trailer for Unmistaken Child, a documentary about a Tibetan monk sent on a lifequest by the Dalai Lama to find the reincarnation of his dead master. Apparently they followed this guy for nearly 5 years, and only a few weeks ago completed editing on the film. For that reason alone I'm interested, and if I find a couple spare hours will squeeze this in. As usual a film like this only playing at Landmark E Street.

I'm hoping to catch a screening of Bruno this week, although I admit to not being the biggest supporter of Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat. I don't buy for a second that any of his stunts are legit, which kinda puts a damper on the whole thing. Frankly I've never found guy caricatures all that funny. It looks and feels sorta outdated, but we shall see.

Jessica Biel to Join Cast of 'Thor' Film?

Nuke The Fridge is reporting that unfairly hot Jessica Biel is in talks to either seduce or kill the Asgardian God of Thunder in the upcoming Thor film. Nobody seems to have any idea who she'll be playing, but the likeliest suspects are the evil Enchantress or as Sif. The Enchantress has a thing for the Thunder God but her advances are always spurned. Sif is an Asgardian warrior-woman that Thor falls in love with. Biel would join Star Trek's Chris Hemsworth in the superhero film slated for release on May 20, 2011.

Kick-Ass Footage to Premier at San Diego Con; New Photo

It was with a heavy heart that I realized that I wasn't going to be able to hit up the San Diego Convention this year. I guess Baltimore will have to do. One of the reasons I wanted to go to SD was that I knew there would be a buttload of material on the upcoming Matthew Vaughn helmed Kick-Ass. For those that don't know, Kick-Ass is the extremely violent indie comic from superstar writer, Mark Millar, about a regular kid who takes on the superhero persona of Kick-Ass and starts cleaning up the city streets. He has no powers or nothin', and he ain't exactly Charles Atlas, so the results tend to not go as planned. Along the way he runs into a number of other costumed heroes inspired by his actions, including a sword wielding little girl and her psychotic father.

The comic has been a smash hit, and the shots we've been getting from on set look awesome, especially the re-creation of Kick-Ass's suit. Well, now it's been revealed that the first actual footage of the movie will be premiering during the Kick-Ass panel at SD Con on July 23rd. Dammit! Looks like I'll have to follow this on G4, no doubt hosted by that annoying Kevin Pereira.

Anyway, Matthew Vaughn was nice enough to release another photo, this time showing Hit Girl ready to bust a cap in someone's arse. Check it out.



No release date has been set. Kick-Ass stars Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, and the triumphant return of Yancy Butler.

The Queue: Powder Blue

I'm going to quote my lovely online buddy Shae with her opinion of what I could expect from Powder Blue: "Even Biel's breasts won't help it." No kidding. It takes a truly putrid film where two of the most perfect headlights in Hollywood don't even merit my full attention, but by the time it was time for her to flash 'em I had long since lost interest.

Powder Blue is one of those annoying indie films still stuck on rehashing the old Crash/Amores Perros model of interlocking loosely connected stories with one central theme. The theme this time around is loneliness and despair. Apparently they felt the need to make the viewer despair, also. Misery loves company, I guess. It features a handful of marginal talents sleepwalking their way through poorly defined roles with that indie film twist. Jessica Biel plays a lonely, love starved stripper. And if that wasn't indie enough for you, her son happens to be in a coma. Forest Whittaker is a suicidal ex-priest. He forms an unusual relationship with both a lonely waitress played by a rapidly aging Lisa Kudrow, and a transvestite prostitute. Ray Liotta is a mafia hitman who just got out of jail after 25 years. He just happens to be dying of cancer. Fun stuff, huh? Well try this on for size: The other main character is a friggin' mortician. Who's in debt. For Pete's sake, a dog even gets run over in this dreary thing.

Written and directed by Timothy Lin Bui, who previously teamed up with Whittaker on the overly dramatic and bland Green Dragon, Powder Blue aspires to be deeper than it actually is. Even though I despise Crash now, I can appreciate the earnestness with which it covers it's main theme. I got the idea as I was watching Biel attempt to seduce a bloated and haggard looking Liotta that this film has no idea where it wants to go. None of the relationships that are formed go anywhere interesting. Characters appear and then are forgotten for long stretches of time, only to suddenly re-emerge and we are expected to care. Even though there are only a handful of characters to deal with, it seems as if the writer had trouble managing. He would've been better served focusing solely on Biel's character and her multitude of issues. It might not have made for a much better film, but atleast it would've been more focused.

Turns out Shae was right. Biel's breasts couldn't save it, but I will admit that I rewound a couple of those scenes back once or twice. That's gotta count for something I guess.

3/10

Next on The Queue: 2007's Mongol

Ninja Turtles go Back to their Roots!

If I had to rank my all-time favorite 80's cartoons/toys, it'd go something like this:

1. Transformers
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
3. M.A.S.K.

We've already seen the Transformers, and M.A.S.K. ain't happenin'. The Turtles had their shot already. The first film is one of my faves, featuring a bunch of dudes in big turtle costumes(one voice by Corey Feldman!!) but it was still tons of fun and full of action. It stuck to the origin pretty faithfully, as far as I was concerned. The next two Turtles films were awful, featuring Vanilla Ice and a trip back through time. The last film was a computer animated departure, but I felt still captured the feel of the original. Plus we finally got Raphael vs. Leonardo, which was pretty vicious.

So when the news dropped that they were looking to reboot the Turtles franchise, I was excited. However, I didn't know what it would entail. Would it be animated? Would it be dudes in suits again? Well, turns out it's a little bit of both. Producer Scott Mednick says that the Turtles will use the same technology featured in the amazing looking Where the Wild Things Are film. This involves a process known as face-replacement technology, which combines Jim Henson's Creature Shop and animated facial features for more emotive expression. Anyone who's seen the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are knows how awesome it looks. Well, apply that look to the Ninja Turtles and imagine the possibilities!

As for his ideas on how the story should go, Mednick had this to say...

"We are intent on re-telling the origin, as it was in Batman, as it was in Superman, frankly as it was in Spider-Man, to tell the origin story. We have an entire new generation of fans who really don't know the full back story,"

"You also have a much more sophisticated audience. Even the younger kids are more sophisticated by the information they receive. Thinks have become a little darker and a little edgier, just in general," Mednick told us. "Certainly as filmmakers the technology has come so far. It really gives us an opportunity to revisit the material and come at it, hopefully, in a new dramatic way, from a film making standpoint, and honor the old, and bring in the new."

He's certainly saying all the right things. I think it's long past time that the Turtles are brought back into the limelight with a dark, violent take reminiscent of the original graphic novel.

Behold ROBO GEISHA!! The Greatest Trailer Ever!!

I'm not going to spoil this by talking too much. Robo Geisha is from the director of Machine Girl, which is about a smokin' hot Japanese schoolgirl with a machine gun for an arm. Yeah. That's right. It's over-the-top balls out awesome! Robo Geisha looks exactly the same, only freakier. Just check it out and see for yourself. It's wild.

John Favreau & Vince Vaughn Reunite for a little 'Couples Retreat'!

There was a time when the idea of Vince Vaughn and John Favreau teaming up on screen was enough to get me super hyped. But that was 1996 some time after Swingers. Then Made was a complete flop. And then there was The Break Up, and y'know the luster kinda faded. But Couples Retreat actually has me pretty amped up. I dig Favreau as a writer more than a director, and this time around he's passing the reigns over to Peter Bilingsley. Yes, that Peter Billingsley. A Christmas Story Peter Billingsley. Red Rider BB Gun Peter Billingsley. He's actually become quite the successful producer but this is his first crack at a big time directing gig. Just check out the talent he's gathered up for this thing.

Vaughn
Favreau
Kristen Bell
Kristin Davis
Malin Ackerman
Jean Reno
Faizon Love
Jason Bateman
Ken Jeong

Pretty vicious, right? The trailer looks pretty good, and while not hysterically funny I see tons of potential in it. Check it out and let me know what you all think.

Couples Retreat is set to be released on October 9th, 2009.