NycMovieman

Uninspiring "Land of the Lost" Trailer #2

2009-02-05T23:14:00.004-05:00

"Land of the Lost" stars: Will Ferrell, Danny R. McBride and Anna Friel. Directed by: Brad Silberling (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events).

A disgraced paleontologist, his assistant and a macho tour guide find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks.

I'm sorry, but I saw this movie last summer, and it was called "Journey to the Center of the Earth". There was nothing funny or exciting about this trailer. I'll probably still check it out - but I'm not expecting much.

Expected Release Date: June 5th

Headlines of the Day - 2/5/09

2009-02-05T22:35:00.004-05:00

"Sex and the City 2" confirmed - "Break out the bubbly—the Sex and the City sequel is finally official! I can exclusively reveal that all four stars—Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis—and writer-director Michael Patrick King have now signed their deals for another round of Carrie Bradshaw & Co. As it is, King has yet to write a script, but shooting will reportedly begin this summer with a release date sometime in summer 2010". I'd rather get a colonoscopy by Shaq than see the original or sequel. Eonline.com.

"Green Lantern" film gets a director? - "Warner Bros. is negotiating with Martin Campbell to direct "Green Lantern," the live-action film based on the DC Comics hero. Campbell last directed "Casino Royale" and recently wrapped the Mel Gibson starrer "Edge of Darkness," based on the 1985 BBC miniseries that Campbell helmed. The emergence of Campbell, who also helmed two "Zorro" films and the 007 film "GoldenEye," puts "Green Lantern" at the top of DC properties being set for movie treatment by WB". Variety.com.

Board game Candy Land is headed to the big-screen - "Universal Pictures is sweet on "Candy Land." Studio has set Etan Cohen to write and Kevin Lima to direct a live-action feature based on the enduring Hasbro board game. The tyke-friendly board game isn't as obvious an inspiration for a movie project as those other Hasbro brands, but the studio has tapped talent adept at comedy and family fare. Lima most recently directed the Amy Adams starrer "Enchanted" after helming the animated features "Tarzan" and "102 Dalmatians." Cohen's recent script work includes "Tropic Thunder" and "Madagascar 2," and he most recently rewrote "The Fiance," the Burr Steers-directed romantic comedy that will star Anne Hathaway". I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a Connect 4 movie. Variety.com.

New but still Crappy "Dragonball Evolution" Trailer

2009-02-05T14:07:00.003-05:00

"Dragonball Evolution" stars: Justin Chatwin as Goku, James Marsters as Piccolo,Emmy Rossum as Bulma, Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi, Jamie Chung as Chi Chi and Ernie Hudson as Mutaito. Directed by: James Wong (Final Destination 1 & 3, The One).

Based on the phenomenally popular Japanese manga, "Dragonball Evolution" centers on the heroic Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name.

I'd rather have a pair of giant sweaty Dragon balls slap me on the forehead than see this flick.

Expected Release Date: April 8th

Old School Trailer of the Week - "I Come in Peace"

2009-02-05T10:34:00.002-05:00

"I Come in Peace" (1990) - Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley, Matthias Hues and David Ackroyd. Directed by: Craig R. Baxley (Action Jackson).

Two human cops track down a ruthless alien fugitive who forcibly overdoses his victims with heroin in order to siphon off the endorphins it produces in the human brain, an illegal narcotic on his own planet.

Headlines of the Day - 2/3/09

2009-02-03T22:14:00.003-05:00

Mickey Rourke is NOT Crimson Tide in "Iron Man 2"? - "Of all the recent casting rumors surrounding “Iron Man 2,” it’s clear that the one story that has fanboys praying to the Marvel Gods to come true has to be the addition of Oscar-nominee Mickey Rourke to the already powerhouse cast, possibly playing the Soviet-era villain The Crimson Dynamo. However, according to a recent exclusive sit-down with “Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr. on the set of his upcoming film “Sherlock Holmes,” that casting speculation may have been a bit premature. “That’s actually incorrect,” Downey told MTV News when asked if Rourke was being considered for the aforementioned Iron Man rogue. When pressed if, instead of Crimson Dynamo, Rourke was up for the role of Whiplash, another potential role bandied about on blogs these days, Downey had a more cryptic response. “I can neither confirm nor deny that,” said Downey. “Or maybe it’s some semblance of both. Here, I can tell you everything about the story except I won’t give away the ending. The nerd stuff is top-drawer security.” Splashpage.mtv.com.

George Clooney in court room drama "The Challenge" - "Warner Bros. has set Aaron Sorkin to write "The Challenge," a courtroom drama for George Clooney's Smokehouse shingle. Clooney is producing with Smoke House partner Grant Heslov. Clooney may direct and hopes to play Navy lawyer Charles Swift in the drama about the effort by Swift and Georgetown U. law professor Neal Katyal to ensure a fair trial for Osama bin Laden's driver, Salim Hamdan, who'd been held at Guantanamo Bay for five years. The courtroom drama wouldn't debate Hamdan's guilt or innocence but chart the dogged efforts of the two lawyers who sue the president because they feel the U.S. government has broken the law and violated the Constitution. Captured in 2001 in Afghanistan while transporting two missiles in a car, Hamdan was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 5½ years by a military commission for providing material support to Al-Qaeda. He was cleared of the terrorism conspiracy charges that would have drawn a much longer sentence". Variety.com.

New DVD Tuesday - 2/3/09

2009-02-03T10:53:00.008-05:00

"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" - Starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Mewes, Katie Morgan, Craig Robinson, Traci Lords, Justin Long, Brandon Routh and Jeff Anderson. Directed by: Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma).

Plot: Two lifelong platonic friends, strapped for cash and in debt, decide to make a porno.

Thoughts: This was a funny movie but far from hysterical. Also, it's predictable and extremely cheesy. Overall, the film is watchable just don't expect to be blown away by it. However, the best reason to see this movie is the awesome cameos of Long and Routh. It is definitely memorable. Check out my full review here.

"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" - Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Ari Graynor, Rafi Gavron and Alexis Dziena. Directed by: Pete Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas).

Plot: Nick frequents New York's indie rock scene nursing a broken heart and playing the bass with his queercore band, The Jerk Offs. Norah is questioning pretty much all of her assumptions about the world. Though they have nothing in common except for their taste in music, their chance encounter leads to an all-night quest to find a legendary band's secret show and ends up becoming a first date that could change both their lives.

Thoughts: I've been anxiously waiting for this movie to be released on DVD and now that day is finally here. The trailer for this flick was highly entertaining and funny, so I'm expecting this comedy to be really good.

"The Secret Life of Bees" - Starring: Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany. Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball).

Plot: Set in South Carolina in 1964, the tale of Lily Owens, a 14-year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.

Thoughts: I'm a fan of all the women in this drama and it looks pretty good. Sure, I wasn't going to pay to see this at the theater - but now that it's available on DVD, I'll give it a looksy.

"Bottle Shock" - Starring: Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman, Freddy Rodriguez, Dennis Farina, Eliza Dushku, and Bradley Whitford. Directed by: Randall Miller (The 6th Man, Houseguest).

Plot: The story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as "Judgment of Paris".

Thoughts: There's only one reason to watch this comedy and that reason is Eliza Dushku. I'll watch it on cable.

Headlines of the Day - 2/2/09

2009-02-02T14:17:00.004-05:00

"Taken" captures the #1 spot at the Weekend Box-Office - "Liam Neeson's CIA thriller "Taken" bumped off "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" at the weekend box office, raking in $24.6 million and helping fuel the first $1 billion January in Hollywood history. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," the Kevin James comedy about a clumsy security guard, had been No. 1 the previous two weeks. Although it dropped to second place, it earned $14 million to boost its three-week total to more than $83 million. Also opening this weekend was "The Uninvited," a remake of the 2003 South Korean thriller that pits two sisters against their potentially evil stepmother. It earned $10.5 million for third place. In fourth was "Hotel for Dogs" with $8.7 million, followed by "Gran Torino" with $8.6 million. "Gran Torino," directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as a bigot who becomes a reluctant neighborhood hero, has now earned more than $110 million, making it Eastwood's highest grossing film". AP.org.

"Slumdog Millionaire" star, Dev Patel, joins M. Night Shymalan's "The Last Airbender" - "Slumdog Millionaire" star Dev Patel has joined the cast of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender," the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films live-actioner based on a Nick TV series. Patel will be featured alongside newcomer Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Jessica Jade Andres. Production begins in mid-March in Greenland. In casting Patel and Ringer, a director accustomed to delivering plot twists to audiences got some surprises of his own. Ringer is a complete unknown who was tapped for the title role off an Internet audition. Patel, meanwhile, steps into a role that Jesse McCartney had all but locked up until the actor's second career as a musician got in the way. Tyro thesp Ringer will play Aang, the film's lead, who is the last of a race of people who can manipulate the elements of air. Ringer, a 12-year-old from Texas, landed the part after demonstrating his martial arts skills in an Internet vid that he posted to a website Shyamalan set up for open virtual auditions. Patel will play Zuko, a member of the Fire Nation. Peltz plays the Water Tribe rep Katara, while Andres is the Earth Kingdom's representative, Suki". Variety.com.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Benicio Del Toro and Gael Garcia Bernal to join Martin Scorsese's "Silence" - "Martin Scorsese is determined to make "Silence" his next movie. The helmer and Graham King's GK Films are negotiating with Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis and Benicio Del Toro to star. Gael Garcia Bernal is also circling the film, expected to begin production later this year in New Zealand. The drama is set in the 17th century as two Jesuit priests face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread the gospel of Christianity. "Silence" is based on the Shusaku Endo novel, which was adapted by Jay Cocks". Variety.com.

"Fast & Furious" Super Bowl Spot

2009-02-02T10:43:00.007-05:00

"Fast & Furious" stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by: Justin Lin (The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift).

When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

Expected Release Date: April 3rd

Action-Packed "Star Trek" Super Bowl Spot

2009-02-02T10:41:00.005-05:00

"Star Trek" stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Simon Pegg, Winona Ryder, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy. Directed by: J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III).

A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.

Expected Release Date: May 8th

Jack Black and Michael Cera's "Year One" Super Bowl Spot

2009-02-02T10:33:00.009-05:00

"Year One" also stars: Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Olivia Wilde, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Hank Azaria and Vinnie Jones. Directed by: Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day).

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers (Black and Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world.

Ok, now this is a hilarious trailer! I'm already counting down the days until this movie is released.

Expected Release Date: June 19th

Decent "Land of the Lost" Trailer

2009-02-02T10:30:00.004-05:00

"Land of the Lost" - Starring: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel and Danny R. McBride. Directed by: Brad Silberling (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events).

A disgraced paleontologist, his assistant and a macho tour guide find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks.

There were some pretty funny moments but nothing to get me overly excited to see this comedy. I think I'm getting Will Ferrell fatigue!

Expected Release Date: June 5th

AMAZING "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" Teaser Trailer

2009-02-02T10:22:00.005-05:00

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" stars: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Isabel Lucas and Rainn Wilson. Directed by: Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon).

Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. Joining the mission to protect humankind is Optimus Prime, who forms an alliance with international armies for a second epic battle.

What an awesome teaser! The ending of this trailer brought a tear to my eye because it was so f'ing cool. Seeing Devastator break through a bridge and Optimus Prime trying to take him down was the greatest eye candy I've ever seen! Well, next to Megan Fox.

Expected Release Date: June 26th

Bad Ass "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" Super Bowl Spot

2009-02-02T10:12:00.007-05:00

"G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" - Starring: Channing Tatum as Duke Hauser, Sienna Miller as The Baroness, Dennis Quaid as General Hawk, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cobra Commander, Ray Park as Snake Eyes, Marlon Wayans as Rip Cord, Rachel Nichols as Scarlett, Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Heavy Duty. Directed by: Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns).

From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos.

I'm surprised by how impressed I am by this trailer. There is plenty of hardcore, CGI action and overall it looks pretty cool. Also, gotta love the glimpse of a Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow face off. However, where the hell was Cobra Commander?!! Also, Sienna Miller is one HOT Baroness.

Expected Release Date: August 7th

Headlines of the Day - 1/30/09

2009-01-30T16:15:00.011-05:00

"Rambo 5" is going to happen - "Sylvester Stallone blasted into theatres as Vietnam vet John Rambo in 1982's "First Blood" - but will he reprise the role for another flick? That's true! Stallone broke the news to "Extra" about the latest Rambo film, saying, "Yeah, we are doing another 'Rambo,' but the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country." It's going to be called "Rambold: The Twilight Years". Extratv.warnerbros.com.

Platinum Dunes' Producer, Brad Fuller, Discusses "Friday the 13th", "Freddy vs. Jason" sequels and "Nightmare on Elm St." reboot - Bloody-Disgusting.com.

Director Michael Bay talks Super Bowl and "Transformers" Teaser Trailers - "So, The Super Bowl spot is coming Sunday in the third Quarter (few minutes into the quarter slot). The spot will be online a few minutes after that - The full length teaser trailer will only be on Friday the Thirteenth. It will not hit the internet until a week later. The Teaser really only teases stuff - I'm holding so much stuff back from the final trailers because I personally hate going to movies where you have seen it all". Shootfortheedit.com.

"Shrek" spinoff "Puss in Boots" gets a writer - "What's that about cat-scratch fever? Well, TV scribe Tom Wheeler's got it. Wheeler has been hired to write the "Shrek" spinoff "Puss in Boots" for DreamWorks Animation, a stand-alone feature foray for the feline assassin/swordsman voiced by Antonio Banderas in the two most recent "Shrek" films. Michelle Raimo is producing. A fourth feature film, "Shrek Goes Fourth," is due in theaters May 21, 2010. The Puss in Boots character, originally hired to knock off the grumpy green ogre, debuted in "Shrek 2," which is the 10th-highest-grossing movie of all time. He went on to become part of Shrek's entourage". Whew! I was worried there for a second. I thought I would see Antonio Banderas on the unemployment line. THR.com.

New Movies Out Today - 1/30/09

2009-01-30T10:03:00.005-05:00

"Taken" - Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen. Directed by: Pierre Morel (District B13).

Plot: Former government operative Bryan Mills begins the longest 96-hours of his life - and the hunt for the fearsome organization that has taken his daughter Kim.

Thoughts: Who knew Liam Neeson was such a bad ass?! "Taken" is the type of action flick you do not want to get up and go to the bathroom for once it has started. This movie is relentless, violent, and satisfying for anyone who hates drama in their action films. The hand-to-hand combat is straight out of "The Bourne Identity", but the "kill now, talk later" attitude of Liam Neeson's, Bryan Mills, is what really drives this movie to greatness! This is a must see! Critics weren't fully really Taken in by this film. I say Screw them! Check it out for yourself.

"The Uninvited" - Starring: Elizabeth Banks, David Strathairn, Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel. Directed by: Charles Guard & Thomas Guard.

Plot: Anna returns home after spending time in the hospital following the tragic death of her mother. Her recovery suffers a setback when she discovers her father has become engaged to her mother's former nurse. That night, Anna is visited by her mother's ghost, who warns her of Rachel's intentions.

Thoughts: I never thought I'd ever say this - but I think I have Elizabeth Banks fatigue. She invaded just about every movie last summer (Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Role Models, Meet Dave, W.) and now I need a vacation. Also, this movie just does not look scary. Critics wished they were never invited to this screening.

"New in Town" - Starring: Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., J.K. Simmons and Siobhan Fallo Hogan. Directed by: Jonas Elmer.

Plot: A Miami businesswoman is transferred to rural Minnesota, and while she is there she re-evaluates her big-city values.

Thoughts: I'm sure this movie will make a ton of money - but it won't be any of mine. I'll catch this on cable. Also, I can't stand Renee Zellweger! Critics really hated this new girl in town.

Matthew McConaughey's "Ghost of Girlfriends Past"

2009-01-30T09:38:00.003-05:00

"Ghost of Girlfriends Past" also stars: Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Breckin Meyer and Lacey Chabert. Directed by: Mark Waters (Mean Girls, The Spiderwick Chronicles).

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women... in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor's mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul's wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships--past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love...or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.

Matthew McConaughey sure loves romantic comedies! However, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" looks decent enough to warrant a glimpse at on DVD. Sure, it has a great cast - but this movie looks like I've seen it a thousand times before. Also, this trailer shows WAY TOO MUCH!

Expected Release Date: May 1st

Headlines of the Day - 1/29/09

2009-01-29T22:08:00.008-05:00

"Masters of the Universe" gets a director - "John Stevenson, the co-director of "Kung Fu Panda," has felt the power of Grayskull, signing on to direct "Masters of the Universe," Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures' live-action version of the popular 1980s cartoon and toy line. The show, made in partnership with toy company Mattel, was known for the image of blond-haired Prince Adam on top of a mountain uttering the magic words, "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power," and turning into the heroic He-Man. He-Man and his allies -- Battle Cat, Man-at-Arms and Orko -- defended their planet Eternia from the evil forces of Skeletor, who tried week after week to conquer a fortress known as Castle Grayskull, which imbued He-Man with his powers. Justin Marks penned the script, which skews more toward gritty fantasy and reimagines Adam as a soldier who sets off to find his destiny, happening upon magical world called Eternia. There, a being called Skeletor has raised a technological army and is bent on eradicating all traces of magic. Joel Silver is producing". Oh boy! This already sounds HORRIBLE! THR.com.

Fox picks up Disney's trash & takes on "Narnia" franchise - "One month after Disney decided to pull the plug on co-financing the third movie in Walden Media's "Chronicles of Narnia" series, Walden has found a new partner in 20th Century Fox. Fox, which was entitled to first crack at "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" after Disney dropped out because of the shared Fox Walden marketing and distribution label, has made a commitment to develop the project. The two sides are still working out budget and script issues, but the hope is to shoot the film at the end of summer for a holiday 2010 release through the Fox Walden label". Variety.com.

Robert Rodriguez working on a "Predator" Reboot? - "We've got a holy sh*t scoop for you that's going to have half of you screaming in excitement and the other throwing tomatoes. A reliable source dropped us a line revealing to us that Robert Rodriquez and his Troublemaker Studios will be producing the Predator reboot for 20th Century Fox. Now here' the kicker, the pitch being sent around town implies that the reboot will have more than one predator. "In the reboot a team of commandoes face down a mysterious race of vicious monsters." No writer has been attached yet - and there is no script. No word on whether or not Rodriquez will direct, but it seems highly unlikely considering how many projects he has in development". Bloody-Disgusting.com.

Iconic Hip-Hop Group, Run DMC, to get the Biopic Treatment - "Cheo Hodari Coker is making himself quite a morbid niche: writing biopics about slain rap stars. The "Notorious" screenwriter is attached to adapt Bill Adler's "Tougher Than Leather: The Rise of Run-DMC - The Authorized Biography" for DJ Classicz, the urban arm of Davis Entertainment. Adler, the group's former publicist, will executive produce. While Fox Searchlight's "Notorious," released two weeks ago, outlines the life and premature death of Christopher Wallace, aka the Notorious B.I.G., "Tougher" will explore the history of hip-hop's first superstars: Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, who was shot to death in his Queens studio in 2002". "Down with the Chi-Ching!/I Wanna Be...Down with the Chi-Ching!" THR.com.

"Ghost Rider 2" May be Coming to a Theater Near You - "It's pretty shocking that it has taken this long for a sequel to get a move on, but finally Columbia Pictures is gearing up for GHOST RIDER 2, the sequel to the smash-hit comic book adaptation from 2007 that saw Nicolas Cage as a stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze who gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself. What we learned this evening is that Columbia Pictures is officially out to writers to pen the sequel and that Nicolas Cage is in fact attached and signed on to return". The only good thing about "Ghost Rider" was seeing a very buxom Eva Mendes. Everything else pretty much SUCKED! Bloody-Disgusting.com.

Jason Segel and Emily Blunt join Jack Black in "Gulliver's Travels" - "Jason Segel is in negotiations and Emily Blunt has been offered to sign up for "Gulliver's Travels," Fox's Jack Black-starring modern re-imagining of Jonathan Swift's classic tale. Rob Letterman is directing the story of free-spirited travel writer Lemuel Gulliver (Black), who on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious yet tiny people. Blunt would play the island's princess and the love interest of Horatio, Segel's character, a Lilliputian who befriends Gulliver. Nicholas Stoller, who directed Segel in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," wrote the screenplay with Joe Stillman". Any opportunity to post a picture of Emily Blunt will always be taken advantage of. THR.com.

"The Thing" is Officially Heading Back to the Big Screen - "Universal will add a new chapter to "The Thing," lining up another take on the paranoid horror classic most recently brought to the screen by John Carpenter in 1982. Studio has set "Battlestar Galactica" exec producer Ron Moore to write the script and commercials director Matthijs Van Heijningen to direct the re-imagining. It is set in a Norwegian camp and chronicles how the shape-shifting alien was first discovered and overcame the inhabitants of that camp. Strike Entertainment's Eric Newman and Marc Abraham are producing. David Foster will be exec producer". Variety.com.

Stuntman in Latest "Harry Potter" Flick Seriously Injured - "Harry Potter's stunt double has been seriously injured during a flying scene for the series' last movie, newspapers reported on Thursday. The 25-year-old double for actor Daniel Radcliffe was rehearsing at the Leavesden Studios near Watford northwest of London on Wednesday when he crashed to the ground". Expecto LawSuitious! UK.Reuters.com.

Interesting "Sugar" Trailer

2009-01-29T10:07:00.003-05:00

"Sugar" starring: Algenis Perez Soto, Alina Vargas, Andre Holland, Ann Whitney, Ellary Porterfield, Michael Gaston and Richard Bull. Directed by: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson).

Sugar follows the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro de Macoris, struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States' minor league system; but when his play on the mound falters, he begins to question the single-mindedness of his life's ambition.

I'm a huge baseball fan and I'm Latino, so you can only imagine how intrigued I am to see this flick. It looks pretty good - but it also seems to take a turn into the familiar with him falling in love with someone he shouldn't be falling in love with. It's because of this subplot you can tell exactly where this movie is headed. I could be wrong (I hope I am) but this is the only thing that made me cringe during this trailer. I'm looking forward to checking it out. By the way, LETS GO METS!!

Opens in NY & LA on April 3rd

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Adventures in Babysitting"

2009-01-29T09:39:00.003-05:00

"Adventures in Babysitting" (1987) - Starring: Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Maia Brewton, Bradley Whitford, Penelope Ann Miller and Anthony Rapp. Directed by: Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire).

Plot: Chris Parker agrees to babysit for a neighbor after her "dream" date stands her up. Expecting a dull evening with three kids and the TV, the hair-raising adventure soon explodes when her friend Brenda calls and begs to be rescued from the bus station in downtown Chicago.

Headlines of the Day - 1/28/09

2009-01-28T22:30:00.005-05:00

"Tomb Raider" films to get a reboot. Yeah, that means no more Angelina Jolie - "Tomb Raider"Lara Croft could soon be going on a new big-screen mission. Warners Bros. and producer Dan Lin are in early development on a a reboot of "Tomb Raider," the popular video game action franchise. Lin will produce the project via his Lin Pictures banner while Stephen Gilchrist will co-produce; Ian Livingstone of Eidos will exec produce. Matt Reilly is overseeing for Warners. Lin is the producer behind Warners' upcoming Guy Ritchie-directed update of "Sherlock Holmes" and the adventure film "Jonny Quest."The new project, however, is expected to revamp the character and her mission and bear little resemblance to the original pictures. It will reimagine the origins of the character, her love interest and the main villain. As an open-writing assignment, the project is still in its nascent stages. An actress who could play the role Angelina Jolie made famous would likely come on after a writer and director are attached". I think the awesome and sexy bad-ass, Rhona Mitra, should play the curvaceous Lara Croft. THR.com.

Adam Sandler joins Seth Rogen's "Green Hornet"? - "Two different people in the industry told me that Adam Sandler has a brief but key role in the movie as a certain surprise superhero...I heard which one, too, but I don't want to ruin it". Is Sandler's character, "Zohan", considered a superhero? Latimesblog.latimes.com.

Director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin' Aces) joins the "A-Team" - "Twentieth Century Fox has assembled a creative team to transform 1980s TV series "The A-Team" into a summer 2010 film. Studio has set Joe Carnahan to direct and Ridley Scott to produce, with Tony Scott exec producing through their Scott Free banner. Also producing are Jules Daly and Stephen J. Cannell, the latter of whom created the original TV series. Carnahan will team with Brian Bloom to polish a script by Skip Woods ("G.I. Joe"). The intention is to start production by June for a June 11, 2010, release. Carnahan and the Scott brothers say they will use the original premise of the series as the template for an action film. In the original, four Vietnam vets convicted of armed robbery escape from military prison and became do-gooder mercenaries. The Middle East will replace Vietnam as the place the four did their tour of duty, but Carnahan said the origin story is the jumping-off point". I feel like this movie has been in development since the show ended in 1987! Variety.com.

New Movies Out Today - 1/23/09

2009-01-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

"Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" - Starring: Rhona Mitra, Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy. Directed by: Patrick Tatopoulos.

Plot: Explores the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans.

Thoughts: I have never been a fan of the "Underworld" movies - but I'm going to watch this prequel for only one reason and that reason is Rhona Mitra. She was awesome as a kick-ass babe in "Doomsday" and also because she's HOT! Critics enjoyed this werewolf movie.

"Inkheart" - Starring: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren and Andy Serkis. Directed by: Iain Softley (Hackers, The Skeleton Key).

Plot: Mo Folchart possesses a secret ability to bring characters from books to life when he reads them aloud. But when Mo accidentally brings a power-hungry villain from a rare children's fable to life, the villain kidnaps Mo's daughter and demands Mo bring other evil fictional characters to life. In an attempt to rescue his daughter, Mo assembles a disparate group of friends - both real and magic- and embarks on a journey to save her and set things right.

Thoughts: Brendan Fraser has sure found his niche, huh? I don't blame him at all. There's money to be had in family films and I'm sure he has made a pretty penny out of all his PG movies. Personally, this looks like something that would premiere on the ABC Family Channel. I'll pass...unless Helen Mirren is going to wear this in the movie. Then maybe I'll pay $12 to see it. Ok, not really....Critics wanted someone to stab their heart with a pen while watching this flick.

Also Out in Wide Release Today:

"The Dark Knight: IMAX" (RE-Release) - Or as I like to call it. "The Dark Knight: And the Search for a Billion Dollar Box-Office.

"Revolutionary Road" - Or as I like to call it. The story of what would have happened if Jack and Rose survived the "Titanic".

"Frost/Nixon" - Or as I like to call it. The Been There, Done That movie of the year.

In Limited Release:

"Donkey Punch" - Plot: Three hot girls, four guys, and one mega-swanky yacht collide for a serious night of drugs and sexual deviancy. One debauchery's act goes too far though, turning this teen joy ride into a weekend of bloody bedlam. Quick Thought: The Trailer was boring until the last few seconds and by then I was already half asleep. I'll watch it on DVD. 54% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"Killshot" - Starring: Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson and Johnny Knoxville. Directed by: John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, Proof). Plot: When a husband and wife witness a shakedown, they discover that the Witness Protection Program is no match for a pair of ruthless killers who want them dead. Quick Thought: "Killshot" looks like a decent enough movie...but it also looks like something that was made for TV. Therefore, I'll watch on TV. Trailer. N/A Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"Outlander" - Starring: James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Ron Perlman, John Hurt and Jack Huston. Directed by: Howard McCain.

Plot: During the reign of the Vikings, Kainan (Caviezel), a man from a far-off world, crash lands on Earth, bringing with him an alien predator known as the Moorwen. Though both man and monster are seeking revenge for violence committed against them, Kainan leads the alliance to kill the Moorwen by fusing his advanced technology with the Viking's Iron Age weaponry. Quick Thought: I'll watch this on the Sci-Fi channel. Trailer. 32% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

Headlines of the Day - 1/22/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-22T13:18:00.005-05:00

Classic Cartoon Rivals "Tom & Jerry" Hitting the Big-Screen as a prequel -"Warner Bros. is turning to Tom and Jerry to create its own "Alvin and the Chipmunks"-like family franchise. Plans are to bring the constantly warring cat and mouse to life as CG characters that run around in live-action settings. Studio-based Dan Lin, currently producing the upcoming "Sherlock Holmes" and exec producer on "Terminator: Salvation," will adapt the classic Hanna-Barbera property as an origin story that reveals how Tom and Jerry first meet and form their rivalry before getting lost in Chicago and reluctantly working together during an arduous journey home. Eric Gravning is penning the script". Variety.com.

Dakota Fanning joining "New Moon"? - "Dakota Fanning...with fangs? It's possible. I can exclusively report that the 14-year-old child star—she turns 15 on Feb. 23—is in talks to play Jane opposite Robert Pattinson & Co. in New Moon, the upcoming sequel to box office megahit Twilight. “There were no auditions,” a source reveals. “They just offered it to her outright, and now they’re in negotiations. They’ve been going back and forth.” Jane is a member of Italy’s Volturi, the most deadly group of bloodsucking killers in author Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling series. Director Chris Weisz is expected to start shooting New Moon in March in the U.S. and Italy. If all goes as planned, the movie will hit theaters on Nov. 20". Eonline.com.

Abigail Breslin is ready to kick some Zombie ass in "ZombieLand" - "Breslin is in negotiations to join Columbia's horror comedy "Zombieland" opposite Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone. Film is set in a world overrun by zombies, where two men (Harrelson, Eisenberg) join forces and cross paths with a pair of con-artist sisters (Stone, Breslin)". Variety.com.

Old School Trailer of the Week - "American Ninja"

2009-01-22T11:37:00.003-05:00

"American Ninja" (1985) - Starring: Michael Dudikoff, Steve James and Judie Aronson. Directed by: Sam Firstenberg (Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo).

An American soldier, stationed in the Philippines and well-versed in the martial arts, goes up against the ninja-trained army of a vicious arms dealer.

Your 2009 Oscar Nominations

2009-01-22T10:30:00.005-05:00

Let the Oscar campaigning begin! "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" leads with 13 Oscar nominations but this year's award show will belong to "Slumdog Millionaire" and Heath Ledger. Overall, there were a few surprises (Michael Shannon, Melissa Leo) but nothing too surprising, however, this is the year of the "Slumdog". The Oscars will be given away Live on February 22nd. I'll be watching...will you?

Best Picture: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire".

Thoughts: "Slumdog Milliionaire" is guaranteed to win.

Best Actor: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler).

Thoughts: I'm 98.9876% sure Mickey Rourke will win. However, look out for Richard Jenkins to pull out an Alan Arkin type of upset.

Best Actress: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt) and Kate Winslet (The Reader).

Thoughts: I'm rooting for and I'm sure Kate Winslet will win. But, look out for Melissa Leo.

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, (Milk) Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road).

Thoughts: Great to see Robert Downey Jr. get nominated - but I'm even more excited to see Michael Shannon (8 Mile, Bug) in this list of nominees. Shannon is one of those actors that will never be a leading man but he always provides memorable supporting roles. And oh yeah....Heath Ledger is definitely getting this award.

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis, (Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler).

Thoughts: I love Taraji P. Henson, but she wasn't that great in "Benjamin Button". This award will go to Viola Davis.

Best Director: David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Gus Van Sant (Milk), Stephen Daldry (The Reader) and Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire).

Thoughts: Just give it to Danny Boyle already. Well-deserved!

Best Adapted Screenplay: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Doubt", "Frost/Nixon", "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire".

Thoughts: This award has to go to "Slumdog Millionaire".

Best Original Screenplay: "Frozen River", "Happy-Go-Lucky", "In Bruges", "Milk" and "WALL-E."

Thoughts: "WAll*E"?! Really?

Best Animated Feature Film: "Bolt" "Kung Fu Panda" and "WALL-E".

Thoughts: I'm sure "Wall*E" is already engraved on the Oscar plaque.

Headlines of the Day - 1/21/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: "The Love Guru" is loved by The Razzies - Voters for 2008's worst movies love Mike Myers. They really love him. Myers' comedy flop "The Love Guru" led the field Wednesday for the Razzies with seven nominations, among them worst picture and worst-acting slots for Myers, Jessica Alba, Verne Troyer and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. The number of nominations for "Love Guru" was appropriate given what a personal project it was for Myers, who not only starred but also co-wrote and produced the movie, said John Wilson, founder of the Razzies, an Oscar spoof that dishes out "dis-honors" for the lousiest stuff Hollywood dredged up the previous year. "This is one of those auteur-of-the-awful situations," Wilson said. "I think people are tired of him in general. He hasn't really made a good movie in quite some time." The other worst-picture contenders were "Disaster Movie" and "Meet the Spartans," Hollywood spoofs that shared a nomination for a "badly beaten dead horse of a concept"; the fright flick "The Happening"; Paris Hilton's romantic comedy bomb "The Hottie & the Nottie"; and the sword-and-sorcery fantasy "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale." Razzie "winners" will be announced Feb. 21, the day before the Oscars. For a list of even more nominees, including Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Paris Hilton check out Ap.org.

Brandon Routh and Others join "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" cast - "Yet more casting news for Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, as Brandon Routh and Brie Larson join a cast that already includes Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Chris Evans. The story sees the titular Scott Pilgrim (Cera), slacker and band member, have to fight his dream girl Ramona Flowers' (Winstead) seven evil exes. The action then abruptly switches from a sort of Canadian Reality Bites narrative into full-on manga mode, as fantastic fight scenes erupt when one of the exes approaches. Evans is set to play evil ex #2, a pro-skater turned movie star, while Routh is #3, a rocker whose veganism gives him especially tricky superpowers. Brie Larson plays Scott's ex, Envy Adams, lead singer in a band. Also joining the cast is Mae Whitman as Roxy Richter, the fourth ex, a female half-ninja; Ellen Wong as Knives Chau, the slightly obsessive teen Scott is dating when he meets Ramona; and Anna Kendrick as Scott's sister. Kieran Culkin has also been cast as Scott's gay former roommate, Wallace Wells". Awesome cast in what is sounding like an terrific movie. Also, you can't go wrong with Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead).

Judd Apatow teaming up with Bill Hader for a horror/comedy? - "...he [Bill Hader] and Saturday Night Live writer Simon Rich have written a slasher movie for Judd Apatow. Says Bill: 'It's partially Straw Dogs meets Halloween meets Home Alone meets Monster Squad.' 'I don't know if it's even going to get made,' Hader told me. 'Judd met with us and said "I want to do a horror movie with you. I want to see you in a slasher movie."'The film will be a horror comedy, and while Hader danced around giving away too much, he did describe it to me like this: 'It is definitely about guys nowadays, that idea that you watch fucked up shit on TV, how violence in our culture - this sounds really hoity toity - you watch fucked up reality shows, I love true crime shows. The idea of that thing coming to your house, and what do you do? I would shit my pants. That's basically what the movie is about. What if that guy decided to come to your house? What would you and your dipshit friends do about it?" Sounds good to me! Hader is one funny dude and totally underused on SNL. Make him a movie star! CHUD.com.

Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford join writer Drew Goodard's (Cloverfield) "The Cabin in the Woods" - "Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford are moving to "The Cabin in the Woods."Jenkins is on board and Whitford is in final negotiations to star in the mystery-shrouded MGM/UA horror project written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, who also is directing. Whedon is producing. Much like "Cloverfield," which Goddard scripted, the "Cabin" story line provides a new twist on a classic scenario - in this case the young-people-stranded-in-the-woods horror trope."It's really just your basic typecasting: When you need two actors to run through the woods in low-cut nighties, you immediately think of Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford," Goddard joked. Whedon said the casting signals what kind of movie they are hoping to make. "They're the first proof that though 'The Cabin in the Woods' is a classic horror film, it isn't one you've seen before."While the studio and filmmakers were loath to provide character details, it is understood that Jenkins and Whitford will play white-collar co-workers with a mysterious connection to the cabin". I'm loving all the horror news that's going on today. THR.com.

Kick Ass "9" Trailer

2009-01-21T14:49:00.003-05:00

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.

"9" Features the voices of: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau and Crispin Glover. Directed by: Shane Acker.

I don't usually get excited over animated films - but holy crap did I get goose bumps watching this trailer! Maybe it's the Coheed & Cambria song "Welcome Home" that gets my blood flowing. Overall, it looks pretty awesome!

Expected Release Date: 9-9-09 (Yeah, I know...)

Tony Jaa IS BACK (!) "Ong Bak 2" International Trailer!!!

2009-01-21T14:02:00.003-05:00

"Ong Bak 2" stars: Tony Jaa and Elephants. Directed by: Tony Jaa.

A young Thai boxer learns the skills and inner meaning of martial arts.

Anyone not familiar with Tony Jaa is seriously missing out on one of the most talented Martial Artists in the world today. If you can imagine someone having the combination of speed and charisma of Bruce Lee, the "he does his own stunts" of Jackie Chan and the exceptional skills of Jet Li, then you have Tony Jaa. "Ong Bak" and "The Protector" are two movies with silly plots (stolen statue head and the kidnapping of elephants, respectively) but the action scenes are worth watching and drooling over.

This trailer for "Ong Bak 2" is chock full of action and one scene involves fighting on top of elephants!!! I can't wait to see this sequel on the big screen! Also, don't forget to rent "Ong Bak" and "The Protector". Check it out the videos belows:

"Ong Bak 2" Expected Release Date: TBD

"Ong Bak 2" Trailer:

Promo Reel for "Ong Bak 2":

Scene from "The Protector" (Notice the one-shot take):

Scene from "Ong Bak":

Headlines of the Day - 1/19/08

2009-01-19T10:18:00.005-05:00

"Paul Blart: Mall Cop" aprehends the #1 spot at the box-office - "Kevin James bumbles and stumbles to take down the bad guys, but his "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" had no trouble nabbing the top spot at the box office this weekend. The PG-rated comedy, starring James as a portly shopping center security guard who tries to foil a bank heist, made $33.8 million in its first three days and is expected to reach $40 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. Last week's No. 1 movie, "Gran Torino," dropped to second place but only by 25 percent. The Warner Bros. drama, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as a bigot who becomes a reluctant neighborhood hero, made $22.2 million this weekend for a cumulative gross of $73.2 million. Among other new releases, the Lionsgate horror flick "My Bloody Valentine 3-D" opened at the No. 3 spot with $21.9 million. Fourth was "Notorious," about slain rapper Notorious B.I.G., which made $21.5 million. The week's other new wide release, the Paramount family comedy "Hotel for Dogs," opened at No. 5 with $17.7 million. Over at Paramount Vantage, "Defiance," based on the true story of Jews who survived the Holocaust by forming a community in the forests of Belarus, did well in its nationwide expansion. The movie starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber made $9.8 million to reach the No. 8 spot". Ap.org.

Chris Evans (The Fantastic Four) joins the cast of "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" - "Just this week, we learned (via HitFix's Gregory Ellwood) that Kieran Culkin will be joining Michael Cera (Scott) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona) as the title character's gay roommate, Wallace. Now, we can confirm one of Ramona's Evil Exes. How does Chris Evans as skateboarder/movie star Lucas Lee strike you? I spoke with Evans the other day (for the upcoming PUSH), and he was incredibly enthusiastic about joining Edgar and the gang up in Toronto". Aintitcool.com.

"Spider-Man 4" to begin shooting in 2010? - "The fourth film in the blockbuster “Spider-Man” franchise will begin shooting in 2010, actor J.K. Simmons told MTV News at Sundance, revealing that he’ll continue in the role of Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. “I saw Sam [Raimi] at his Christmas party.” The news appears to confirm earlier reports that Sony was looking towards a May 2011 release. Both Sam Raimi and Tobey Mcguire are expected to return, but have yet to formally commit. Kirsten Dunst is also up in the air, although the actress has voiced her willingness to continue as Peter Parker’s love interest". If J. Jonah Jameson says its true...than it MUST BE true! Yup, sarcasm... Splashpage.mtv.com.

Awesome "Crank 2: High Voltage" Trailer

2009-01-16T12:25:00.003-05:00

Chev Chelios faces a Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart and replaced it with a battery-powered ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working.

"Crank 2: High Voltage" - Stars: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins Jr, Bai Ling, Dwight Yoakam and Corey Haim. Directed by: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor (Original Directors of Crank).

Freaking SWEET! That's all I can say about this trailer. First, we were treated to a kick-ass poster and Red Band Trailer (explicit language and nudity) and now this official sneak peek. April 17th can not come soon enough. If you have not seen "Crank", I say do yourself a favor and rent it this weekend. It's amazingly fun and highly entertaining!

Expected Release Date: April 17th

Headlines of the Day - 1/16/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-16T11:29:00.008-05:00

"Watchmen" lawsuit is FINALLY settled! - "Geeks can rejoice.Warner Bros. and Fox have resolved their dispute over "Watchmen," with the studios scheduled to present a settlement to Judge Gary Feess this morning and request that the case be dismissed.Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal is said to involve a sizable cash payment to Fox and a percentage of the film's boxoffice grosses; Fox will not be a co-distributor on the film, nor will it co-own the "Watchmen" property, but it will share in revenue derived from it. The studios released a joint statement last night". FINALLY! THR.com.

Emma Stone joins Woody Harrelson in "Zombieland" - "Emma Stone is in final negotiations to star alongside Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg in the horror/comedy "Zombieland" for Columbia Pictures. Ruben Fleischer will direct the pic, which centers on a band of survivors who team to fight the living dead in the post-apocalyptic Southwest after a zombie plague ravages America. Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese penned the screenplay". Variety.com.

Keanu Reeves to star in Live-Action "Cowboy Bebop" - "Keanu Reeves is taking on another sci-fi mission for 20th Century Fox. The "Day the Earth Stood Still" star is attached to topline a live-action bigscreen adaptation of the Japanese anime TV series "Cowboy Bebop" for the studio. Reeves will take on the role of Spike Spiegel, an adventurous bounty hunter traveling through space in 2071. Story follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop. Peter Craig has been tapped to write the screenplay". Variety.com.

Ready for a Documentary based on Joaquin Phoenix's future Rap career? - "Casey Affleck will track the musical career of Joaquin Phoenix behind the lens of a camera. Affleck is directing a documentary feature on Phoenix, his friend and fellow actor who last spring decided to swap the thespian business for a musical one. Phoenix is embarking on a new path as a rapper, with an album to be produced by Sean Combs. He is scheduled to make his first public performance Friday at a Las Vegas club, which will officially kick off Affleck's shoot". Are we being Punk'd? Is Sacha Baron Cohen behind this prank? THR.com.

New Movies Out Today - 12/16/09

2009-01-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

"My Bloody Valentine 3-D" - Starring: Jensen Ackles and Jamie King. Directed by: Patrick Lussier (Dracula 2000).

Plot: Tom returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine's night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people. Instead of a homecoming, however, Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders, and it seems like his old flame is the only one will believes he's innocent.

Thoughts: Oh man, am I excited to see this movie! I can't wait to see decapitated heads, extremely bloody kills and all sorts of weapons flying towards me in glorious 3-D! Also, I'm a fan of Jensen Ackles. He's great on CW's Supernatural and he's going to add the right amount of machismo and humor into this flick. Personally, all I want to do is have fun trying to dodge objects that are thisclose to slamming into my face. Critics had a Bloody good time.

"Notorious" - Starring: Jamal Woolard, Angela Bassett, Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie. Directed by: George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food, Men of Honor).

Plot: In just a few short years, Notorious B.I.G. rose from the streets of Brooklyn to become one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time. B.I.G. was a gifted storyteller; his narratives about violent life on the streets were told with a gritty, objective realism that won him enormous respect and credibility. His stories were universal and gave a voice to his generation.

Thoughts: "Notorious" looks like a good movie. I'm sure the music will be amazing but the performance of Jamal Woolard (Notorious B.I.G.) will be under scrutiny. Also, as with any biopic, I'm hoping I'll learn something new about the very talented but deceased rapper. Critics were close to liking this film.

"Defiance" - Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell. Directed by: Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond).

Plot: Four Jewish brothers living in Nazi occupied Poland escape into the forest where they join up with Russian resistance fighters in battling the Nazis. Throughout the war they built a village inside the forest and saved the lives of more than 1200 other Jews. Based on a true story.

Thoughts: Awesome actors in an amazing story. Edward Zwick, is a fantastic director as well, so I'm sure this movie will be great. 55% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"Paul Blart: Mall Cop" - Starring: Kevin James. Directed by: Steve Carr (Next Friday, Daddy Day Care).

Plot: A single, suburban dad tries to make ends meet as a security officer at a New Jersey mall. It's a job he takes very seriously, though no one else does. When Santa's helpers at the mall stage a coup, shutting down the megaplex and taking hostages (Paul's daughter and sweetheart among them), Jersey's most formidable mall cop will have to become a real cop to save the day.

Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this flick. There are times it looks hilarious (in a stupid way) and there are times where it just looks utterly ridiculous. Either way, there is no way I'm paying good money to see this at the theater. I'll wait for it to premiere on my DVD player. Plus, it looks like a children's version of "Die Hard". Critics wished they had stayed home and watched The King of Queens instead.

"Hotel for Dogs" - Starring: Don Cheadle, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and dogs. Directed by: Thor Freudenthal.

Plot: Two kids secretly take in nine stray dogs at a vacant house.

Thoughts: Why Don Cheadle? Why? Did you do this movie for your kids? Do you even have kids? Because if you do, then I understand. But, if you don't, then why? Besides that, what time does "My Bloody Valentine 3-D" start? Critics say this movie belongs in a Pooper Scooper.

Eddie Murphy's Horrible "Imagine That" Trailer

2009-01-15T22:30:00.003-05:00

Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi). When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter's imaginary world.

"Imagine That" also stars: Thomas Haden Church, Vanessa A. Williams, Nicole Ari Parker and Ronny Cox. Directed by: Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge).

This movie looks bad...real bad! I can't see any reason why kids or their parents would want to see this. "Imagine That" looks like a "Bedtime Stories" rip-off. My wish for this new year is an Eddie Murphy comedy that's funny and that doesn't involve kids or a PG-Rating.

Expected Release Date: June 12th

Headlines of the Day - 1/15/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-15T10:16:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: "The Thing" prequel gets a director? - "Bloody-Disgusting has learned this morning that Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. is in talks to direct THE THING prequel for Strike and Universal Pictures, although we don't have official confirmation. Heijningen has already been attached to direct ARMY OF THE DEAD for Zack Snyder's Strike Entertainment.Something else we found interesting is that we're told that van Heijningen is pushing to make the lead character none other than R.J. Macready's brother! As you all know, R.J. Macready was played by the awesome Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's remake from 1982". For a plot synopsis and even more on this story check out Bloody-Disgusting.com.

Emily Blunt is The Black Widow in "Iron Man 2"? - "So who will be the next big-name actor to join the cast of Iron Man 2? Marvel Studios remains mum on details, but sources say Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) could play a lead character named Natasha, who goes by several aliases, including the Black Widow. Blunt is apparently one of many actresses the fillmmakers are considering, though she's believed to be the front-runner. In other Iron Man 2 news, comeback kid Mickey Rourke is in discussions to play a villain, but he's also negotiating a part in Sylvester Stallone's actioner The Expendables, which is scheduled to shoot at the same time. While Rourke is hoping to be in both, scheduling conflicts may force him to make some tough decisions". I love me some Emily Blunt, so YES, PLEASE! EW.com.

Kieran Culkin joins Edgar Wright's adaptation of "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" - "HitFix has confirmed that Kieran Culkin has been cast as Wallace Wells in Edgar Wright's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's popular series of "Scott Pilgrim" graphic novels, the new movie finds the title character (played by Michael Cera) having to defeat his girlfriend's seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to win her heart. In the books, Wells is Pilgrim's gay roommate (they share a bed even though Pilgrim is heterosexual). As of now Cera and Kieran join Mary Elizabeth Winstead (playing the object of Pilgrim's affections, Ramona V. Flowers) as the only confirmed cast members of "vs. the World." The next literary chapter of O'Malley's continuing slacker opus, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe," is set for release in comic book stores on Feb. 4. Two more graphic novels are still expected to be released". Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) always makes great flicks, so I can't see how this movie can go wrong. Especially, with a plot as intriguing as this... Hitfix.com.

More "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" casting news: Aburey Plaza (who?) also joins the cast - "Upright Citizens Brigade player Aubrey Plaza has been cast in the Universal comedy feature "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" opposite Michael Cera. In "Pilgrim," she will play Julie, a record store employee. The actress, who is shooting Judd Apatow's "Funny People," will next be seen in "Mystery Team," which premieres at Sundance". THR.com.

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Disorderlies"

2009-01-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

"Disorderlies" (1987) starring: The Fat Boys, Ralph Bellamy and Tony Plana. Directed by: Michael Schultz.

The Fat Boys, star as indescribably incompetent orderlies hired to care for an irascible, bedridden Palm Beach millionaire. The ailing man's nephew hopes the Boys ineptitude spells curtains for the old codger, leaving him the bucks.

Ricardo Montalban Dead at 88 Years Old

2009-01-14T17:18:00.004-05:00

"Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday morning at his home, a city councilman said. He was 88.

Montalban's death was announced at a meeting of the city council by president Eric Garcetti, who represents the district where the actor lived. Garcetti did not give a cause of death.

Montalban had been a star in Mexican movies when MGM brought him to Hollywood in 1946. He was cast in the leading role opposite Esther Williams in "Fiesta." He also starred with the swimming beauty in "On an Island With You" and "Neptune's Daughter."

A later generation knew Montalban as the faintly mysterious, white-suited Mr. Roarke, who presided over an island resort where visitors were able to fulfill their lifelong dreams. "Fantasy Island" received high ratings for most of its 1978-1984 span on ABC television and still appears in reruns". THR.com.

Cool Looking "Fast & Furious" Official Trailer

2009-01-14T15:43:00.003-05:00

When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

"Fast & Furious" stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by: Justin Lin (The Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, Better Luck Tomorrow).

It's great to see the original cast back together again in what seems to be a pretty decent looking movie. Sure, the ending of this trailer is kind of cheesy - but for some reason it was also kind of cool. The first "Fast & Furious" movie was an entertaining and fun flick and "2 Fast 2 Furious" was average at best. However, Director Justin Lin did a good job with "Tokyo Drift" and he's back to helm this latest installment - so I'm looking forward seeing it.

Expected Release Date: April 3rd

"Crank 2: High Voltage" Teaser Poster & Red Band Trailer

2009-01-14T14:22:00.005-05:00

Image brought to you by: LatinoReview.com

"Crank 2: High Voltage" stars: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins Jr., Bai Ling, Dwight Yoakam and Cory Haim. Directed by: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor (Original Directors of Crank).

Plot: Chev Chelios faces a Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart and replaced it with a battery-powered ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working.

I absolutely love "Crank". It was like watching a live action version of the blockbuster videogame Grand Theft Auto. It was fun, violent and action-packed from the first scene to the very last. "Crank" was the type of movie you never want to end because it is so much fun and thoroughly entertaining.

I love the kick ass teaser poster and check out the RED BAND trailer below for all the wackiness and hardcore violence this sequel is sure to possess. I can't wait! WARNING: THE TRAILER CONTAINS NUDITY AND EXTREME LANGUAGE! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

Expected Release Date: April 17th

Headlines of the Day - 1/14/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-14T10:03:00.006-05:00

Jackie Chan is the new Mr. Miyagi in "Karate Kid" remake - "Jackie Chan is in final negotiations to join the Columbia Pictures remake of "The Karate Kid." Harald Zwart (Agent Cody Banks) will helm the pic, which has been revamped as a starring vehicle for Jaden Smith. Set in an exotic Asian locale, the new film will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth (Smith) learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor (Chan). Chris Murphy penned the screenplay. "Karate Kid" will shoot early this summer in Beijing. Jerry Weintraub, who launched the original 1984 pic, is producing alongside Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz". Jackie Chan? Was Jet Li too busy? My interest in this movie has now gone from, "I could careless" to "I wouldn't watch this if Will Smith paid me". Then again, maybe that's what people said when they found out Arnold from Happy Days was cast in a "Karate Kid" movie. Variety.com.

"Watchmen" court case is almost over? - "A scheduled Tuesday court conference between Fox and Warner Bros. attorneys has been canceled, fueling talk that a settlement in the contentious "Watchmen" case is imminent.Fox sued Warners last February, saying the Burbank-based studio infringed on its rights to make the comic book adaptation. In December, when federal judge Gary A. Feess ruled that Fox has distribution rights to the film, Warners faced the prospect of having the film's March 6 release blocked.Settlement talks between the two sides became serious over the weekend and continued to heat up yesterday. A settlement could cost Warners tens of millions of dollars. According to sources, Fox is asking for upfront fees as well as a percentage of the back-end". Damn!! Fox is looking to rake in the dough! THR.com.

Samuel L. Jackson is no longer Nick Fury? - "Samuel L. Jackson, clearly bristling, said today that negotiations to put him in the role of Nick Fury have broken down because "there seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world." Jackson told me today that despite his cameo as the hard-bitten military man at the end of "Iron Man," it now appears that "somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won't be in it". Jackson might just have been taking a public position that could lead to a bigger payday (it certainly wouldn't be the first time a Hollywood star used an interview as a negotiating tactic) but he seemed especially sour on the whole the topic of working with Marvel ..."There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don't know. Maybe I won't be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won't be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], 'We're not making that deal.'" Someone call Will Smith! Latimesblog.latimes.com.

Steve McQueen biopic is in the works - "Producers Michael Cerenzie and Christine Peters are bringing a Steve McQueen biopic to the bigscreen. The pair have acquired the rights to Marshall Terrill's biography "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel." Project will primarily chronicle McQueen's Hollywood career, which began in 1956 when the Indiana native got his break in the pic "Somebody Up There Likes Me." Tome, which was published in paperback in October, also delves into McQueen's offscreen penchant for motorcycles, fast cars and drugs. Project will examine his three marriages, including his stormy relationship with Ali McGraw, as well as his battle against lung cancer. Cerenzie and Peters are close to attaching a director to the project". I can see Daniel Craig playing Steve McQueen. Variety.com.

The absolutely gorgeous, Emmanuelle Chriqui, joins "13 Tzameti" remake - "Emmanuelle Chriqui, who plays Sloan on HBO's "Entourage," is joining the cast of Gela Babluani's "13," a remake of the French thriller "13 Tzameti."Michael Shannon, Ben Gazzara and Alex Skarsgard also recently have been added to the cast, which includes Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, 50 Cent, Ray Winstone and Sam Riley."13" concerns a young man who is forced to participate in a high-stakes game of Russian Roulette where wealthy gamblers bet on human lives". I would write something of substance here, but I'm too busy gawking at her picture. THR.com.

Headlines of the Day - 1/13/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-13T10:55:00.004-05:00

Just maybe...everyone will be watching the "Watchmen" - "Warner Bros. and Fox are "close" to reaching a settlement regarding the "Watchmen" lawsuit, according to those familiar with the dealmaking. A federal judge has ruled that Fox has distribution rights to the film, which is scheduled to be released by Warners on March 6. Talks between the two sides got serious during the weekend, and the parties met behind closed doors Monday in Los Angeles federal court to discuss details. Warners has not pressed its earlier request to move up the Jan. 20 injunction hearing, suggesting a settlement is near. Also, the weekend saw a small but meaningful rollout of a "Watchmen" TV campaign, with spots airing on multiple networks, including on Fox's season premiere of "24." Show Fox the MONEY!!! THR.com.

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson and Director Wes Craven returning for "Scream 4"? - "While SCREAM 4 is still very much in the early stages of development, we have a few exclusive facts to kick start the hype. Fact #1: Kevin Williamson (writer of two of the SCREAM films (character credit on third)) is going to start writing a draft, although it may or may not become the shooting script (which is typical). Fact #2: Wes Craven may or may not direct, but there is a very good possibility that he will return. Fact #3: They are making financial offers to David Arquette, Courtney Cox Arquette and Neve Campbell to play cameos. Fact #4: This will be a younger version of the SCREAM movies". Bloody-Disgusting.com.

New DVD Tuesday - 1/13/09

2009-01-13T10:54:00.001-05:00

"Appaloosa" - Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Jeremy Irons and Renee Zellweger. Directed by: Ed Harris (Pollock).

Plot: Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.

Thoughts: I'm really not into Westerns - but I'm going to make an exception for this flick. "Appaloosa" has a great cast and I'm excited to see it. The only thing that turns me off is the casting of Renee Zellweger. Zellweger gets on my nerves with all the squinting and that annoying voice. The most over-rated actress in the industry.

"Swing Vote" - Starring: Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammer, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez, Judge Reinhold and Madeline Carroll. Directed by: Joshua Michael Stern.

Plot: In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote.

Thoughts: I'm voting no. Sure, I have not seen this movie - but nothing about it grabs my attention. I'll catch it on TNT.

"Mirrors" - Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton and Amy Smart. Directed by: Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes - 2006).

Plot: An ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

Thoughts: "Mirrors" was a very disappointing horror flick. Director Aja is usually great and I'm a fan of all his movies - but this one totally missed the mark. Imagine if Jack Bauer were to take on a mission concerning supernatural mirrors and you have this silly horror flick. There are some frights and creepiness during the first-half of the film but after that it's just an episode of 24. Limited gore and an unoriginal plot is a good reason to stay away from this flick. However, there is one redeeming factor to this film and that is Paula Patton. She's hot!

"Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys" - Starring: Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, Taraji P. Henson, Cole Hauser, Sanaa Lathan, Tyler Perry and Robin Givens. Directed by: Tyler Perry.

Plot: Two families from different walks of life learn to work together.

Thoughts: I still have not seen a Tyler Perry movie - but this may be the first. It's got beautiful women (as does every Perry movie) and an interesting plot. It's a definite rental for me.

"My Best Friend's Girl" - Starring: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs and Alec Baldwin. Directed by: Howard Deutch (The Whole Ten Yards, The Replacements).

Plot: Tank faces the ultimate test of friendship when his best friend hires him to take his ex-girlfriend out on a lousy date in order to make her realize how great her former boyfriend is.

Thoughts: This comedy lost me at Dane Cook, Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs. Kate Hudson has not made a good movie since "Almost Famous" and that was nine years ago! A great actress that's stuck in bad movie hell! May I recommend a new agent Ms. Hudson?

"Next Day Air" Trailer

2009-01-12T15:10:00.003-05:00

When a misguided UPS driver inadvertently delivers a package containing concealed bricks of cocaine to the wrong address, it sets in motion a desperate search and battle for the coke between the furious dealer that sent it, the fearful intended recipients that missed it, and the conniving accidental recipients that plan to flip it. Time is running out and everyone's trying to get their hands on the package that's been sent...Next Day Air!

"Next Day Air" stars: Donald Faison, Mos Def, Lauren London, Mike Epps, Debbie Allen, Wood Harris and Yasmin Deliz. Directed by: Benny Boom.

Why is it that this film looks like a "Pineapple Express" wannabe that went straight to DVD? Donald Faison and Mos Def are good and Lauren London is off the charts HOT - but "Next Day Air" seems formulaic and unoriginal. Also, I'm not a fan of Yasmin Deliz. Yasmin's voice annoys the hell out of me. She's good to look at, but I wish she would keep the talking to a minimum.

Expected Release Date: May 8th

Headlines of the Day - 1/12/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-12T10:37:00.005-05:00

Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" makes a huge dent at the box-office - "Clint Eastwood has had the best movie opening of his long and esteemed career. His "Gran Torino" revved up the winter box office with $29 million in ticket sales in its first weekend of wide release, according to studio estimates Sunday. It's Eastwood's best opening ever, topping the $18 million his "Space Cowboys" made in 2000. Eastwood stole the box-office bouquet from Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. Their wedding comedy "Bride Wars," released by 20th Century Fox, came in second with $21.5 million. The horror film "The Unborn" from Universal Pictures followed with $21.1 million in its debut. "Marley & Me," the Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson's family dog tale that topped the box office the last two weekends, fell to fourth with $11.4 million and a cumulative total of $124 million for the 20th Century Fox film". You can read my review for "Gran Torino" here. AP.org.

"Slumdog Millionaire", Heath Ledger, Mickey Rourke and Kate Winslet are all winners in last night Golden Globes Awards - For a list of winners, click here. For a look at my live blog of the Golden Globes Awards just take a peek at the post below.

Radha Mitchell signs up for George Romero's remake of "The Crazies" - "Radha Mitchell has signed up to star opposite Timothy Olyphant in Overture Films' remake of The Crazies. The Crazies, based on the George Romero film of the same name, is directed by Breck Eisner and is due in theaters September 25th". Yeah, it's a slow news day. Shocktillyoudrop.com.

Golden Globes Live Blog!

2009-01-11T19:46:00.020-05:00

7:57 pm: Welcome to NycMovieman's Live blog of 2009's Golden Globe Awards! This award show is always great because all the guest seem relaxed, are sometimes drunk and I always feel like I'm part of the party as well. I hope this show is awesome and I'm rooting for "Slumdog Millionaire", Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet and Mickey Rourke.

8:01 pm: The show begins with Jennifer Lopez. The night has started off crappy but J. Lo looks like a female version of an Oscar Statue only half-naked. She's presenting Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. And the winner is: Kate Winslet for The Reader! Woo Hoo! Winslet finally gets a well-deserved award. Uh-oh! She's bringing an index card with her!! She looks amazing! She's giving a long and boring speech, it's times like these I pray for musical interruptions. I think she just thanked the doctor that helped her come into this world as a baby.

8:06 pm: Sting is now on the stage looking like a skinny version of Robin Williams and presenting Best Original Song. I'm rooting for Clint Eastwood or Bruce Springsteen. And the winner is: Bruce Springsteen for the Wrestler. Great song for a good movie. Wow, they cut to Mickey Rourke and he looks like a Vampire on Steroids!

8:11 pm: I'm loving this show already! There was no unnecessary Opening Monologue and they just got right on with the presentation of the awards. That's what I'm talking about!

8:14 pm: Wow, Eva Longoria looks gorgeous and now they fucked it up by showing Rumer Willis as The Golden Globes Spokesmodel. It's like a before and after shot between her and Eva. Longoria is joined by the always funny looking Simon Baker and they are presenting for Best Actor in a Mini-Series. And the Winner is Tom Wilkinson for Recount. Also, a phenomenal actor and well-deserved. I think Tom is drunk! He's giving a very incoherent acceptance speech. LOL. Screw it! He's a great actor so he can do whatever he wants. Eva and Simon are also presenting Best Supporting Actress in a TV movie. And the Winner is: Laura Dern for Recount.

8:25 pm: Did the annoucer just say Don Cheadle and star of "Hotel for Dogs" in the same sentence? Why, Cheadle? Why? He's showing clips of "Burn After Reading" and jokingly calls Brad Pitt dumb.

8:27 pm: OMG! I love Eva Mendes and she says the Golden Globes is being shown for the first time in China and introduces the President of the Golden Globe awards. Time to change the channel. Wait....Luckily, he's off the stage in 30 seconds! I love this President!

8:28 pm: Now, it's Hayden Panitierre and Zac Efron Presenting for Best Actor in a Television Series. C'mon, Dexter!!!! And the winner is: Gabriel Byrne for In Treatment. Byrne has ditched the award show and was not there to accept.

8:30 pm: Now it's Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine stars of "Star Trek". Wow! Two Heroes stars in a row. It's like this show is being shown on NBC. Oh wait... They are presenting Best Actress in a TV Drama. And the winner is: Anna Paquin for True Blood. Great Series! She's looks great too.

8:36 pm: Next up is the always hilarious Ricky Gervais. He scolds the crowd for talking and now jokingly states he's not in charge and says there's never a gag reel in movies about the Holocaust as he talks about Kate Winslet in The Reader. I think he's drinking beer on stage. Ricky is awesome! And he presents a clip of "Happy-Go-Lucky" for Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.

8:39 pm: YAY!!! It's the Jonas Brothers!! And they're presenting for Best Animated Feature. Just give it to Wall-E already. And the winner is: Wall-E. What a surprise! Yes, this whole paragraph has been nothing but sarcasm from me.

8:42 pm: Finally! Some real talent has hit the stage! It's Johnny Depp Presenting for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical. And the Winner is: Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky. Sally walks around the dinner area aimlessly and can't find the stage. She's crying and looks naturally happy and nervous. I love genuine happiness from the actors and actresses that win. Good for her.

8:51 pm: Jake Gyllenhaal is up and showing a clip of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

8:53 pm: Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore hit the stage and Barrymore looks like she came out of wind tunnel. What's up with her hair?! They are Presenting Best Mini-Series or TV Movie. And the Winner is: John Adams. Tom Hanks will accept as Executive Producer. It's always good to see Tom Hanks!

8:57 pm: Demi Moore takes the stage and looks amazing and jokes with Rumer Willis, her daughter. And now...Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. C'mon Heath!! And the winner is: Heath Ledger! Christopher Nolan is accepting on his behalf. And now they're showing a clip of Heath as the Joker. Great job by the Hollywood Foreign Press. Nolan gives a great speech and there are many watery eyes in the audience. Go Heath!!

9:05 pm: Why is Tom Brokaw is at the Golden Globes? But then he discusses "Frost/Nixon" and everything now begins to make sense. He's there to show a clip from "Frost/Nixon". Love Brokaw's voice.

9:06 pm: Colin Ferell is up and Presenting for Best Foreign Language Film. Colin's hair looks like he's one of the Gotti Boys. He's sniffiling and blames a cold and "not the other stuff. It used to be..." Funny stuff and Great line. And the Winner is: Waltz With Bashir.

9:09 pm: It's Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart. They are presenting for Best Actress in a TV Movie. And the winner is: Laura Linney for John Adams. I'm a huge Linney fan so I'm happy for her.

9:17 pm: It's Gerard Butler. The man that had the world in the palm of his hands after "300" and ruined it by doing following it up with romantic comedies. He's here to show a clip of "In Bruges".

9:18 pm: It's Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. Seth has lost a lot of weight and looks very dapper. He makes a joke about doing coke with Mickey Rourke. Hilarious! They're here to present for Best Screenplay Motion Picture. And the winner is: "Slumdog Millionaire". Yes!!! Awesome movie!

9:21 pm: Amy Poehler and Patrick Dempsey are here to present for Best Actor TV Comedy. Poehler looks fantastic. And the Winner is Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock. David Duchovney looks like he's ready to bang the dinner table. Hide your wives!! And your pets.

9:28 pm: It's Renee Zellweger's turn to present and she looks like a wet baby chick in an ugly black dress. She's showing a clip of "The Reader".

9:29 pm: It's MEGAN FOX!!! Oh man she's so hot!!!! I just realized she's with Terrence Howard as well. They're presenting for Best Actor TV Drama. And the winner is: Paul Giamatti for John Adams. Who cares? Megan Fox is soooo f'n HOT!!! I need a moment.

9:33 pm: It's Glenn Close and Laurence Fishburne presenting for Best TV Series Musical/ Comedy. And the winner is: 30 Rock. Go Tina Fey!! Tracy Morgan is giving the acceptance speech and says he's the "face of Post-Racial America" and thanks everyone from his neighborhood. Funny stuff.

9:42 pm: Pierce Brosnan is up and presents a clip of "Mamma Mia".

9:44 pm: Sean Combs and the always beautiful Kate Beckinsale are here to present for Best Original Score. And the winner is: Slumdog Millionaire. Another well-deserved award for Slumdog Millionaire. Awesome!

9:46 pm: David Duchvony and Jane Krokowski (sic) are presenting for Best Actress TV series Comedy/Musical. And the winner is: Tina Fey. Woo Hoo! She gives a great speech on Hollywood Foreign Press Action figures and telling her internet critics to "suck it".

9:54 pm: It's time for the Cecil B. DeMille award to be given to Steven Spielberg. Martin Scorcese is given the honor of showing clips of the alien-lover Spielberg. It's time to count all the movies that had aliens in them.

10:12 pm: Emma Thomson and Dustin Hoffman are next and Emma looks like she's wearing her winter coat. Also, she's like a foot taller than Hoffman. They are here to present for Best Director. C'mon, Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire"! And the winner is: Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire! Yes! The director of "28 Days Later" gets the Golden Globe for "Slumdog Millionaire". Too cool! Mr. Boyle almost breaks down in tears while he thanks his kids and wife.

10:16 pm: Sigourney Weaver is up to present a clip from "Revolutionary Road".

10:18 pm: Sandra Bullock looks like she's going shopping for milk with her hair do. She's up to present Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. And the Winner is: Colin Farrell for In Bruges. Wow, that's the first surprise of the night. Colin is a great actor, so congrats!

10:26 pm: Ah! It's good to see Salma Hayek brought the twins. And by twins I mean her boobies! HUBBA, HUBBA! She's presenting a clip from Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

10:28 pm: Yay! It's Sacha Baron Cohen! He makes a joke about the economy affecting Victoria Beckham (not eating in 3 weeks), Madonna losing a personal assistant and that assistant's name is Guy Ritchie (the crownd moans, I laugh) and Charlie Sheen getting his sex for free. LOL! He's presenting for Best Comedy/Musical. And the winner is: Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

10:36 pm: Oh man, Freida Pinto is HOT! She's with some dude from India. Pinto is absolutely gorgeous. They are there to present a clip from Slumdog Millionaire.

10:38 pm: It's Cameron Diaz and Mark Wahlberg. Cameron looks ok and Mark Wahlberg wants us to say hello to your mother from him. They are here to present Best Actress in a Drama. And the Winner is: Kate Winslet!! Holy Sweet Jesus! She's gone from winning no awards to winning two in one night. Amazing! Oh, and she has more index cards for her speech. The telepromter tells her to wrap that shit up and she says, "you have no idea how I'm not going to wrap it up". Don't be a time hog Winslet! People have to work tomorrow. Oh man, now she's thanking everybody and their mother again. She declares her love for Leo DiCaprio and NOW she thanks her husband Director Sam Mendes.

10:43 pm: Next up is Rainn Wilson and Blake Lively. Lively is a cutie. They are here to present for Best Drama TV. And the winner is: Mad Men. I love. I mean I REALLY REALLY LOVE the red head from Mad Men. I can't pay attention to the speech because I'm staring at the red head. Oh lordy!

10:50 pm: Susan Sarandon comes out in what looks like one of Tim Robbin's suits. She's there to present Best Actor in a Drama. C'mon Mickey Rourke! And the Winner is Mickey Rourke and the place goes Wild! He gets a standing ovation and he almost falls going up the stairs! Hollywood loves former addicts and child rapists like Roman Polanski. Rourke really looks like crap but he did a great job on "The Wrestler". He thanks Brooklyn's own Director Darren Aronofsky. Rourke says "balls, son of a bitch" and Darren gives him the finger in jest. Rourke says balls again thanking his producers and thanks his dogs. The music plays Rourke away.

10:59 pm: It's Tom Cruise for the final award of the night. Best Picture Drama. I think Slumdog is a shoe-in. And the winner is: Slumdog Millionaire. Slumdog Millionaire. Yes! Slumdog winners get a standing ovation. Double Yes! Fredia is on the screen again! It's time for Slumdog Millionaire to ride this wave to the Oscars! I think the producer just said fuck because the music is cutting him off. Cool!

What a great night! Thanks for all the people joining me on this Live Blog. Have a great night and go see "Slumdog Millionaire"!

The Best Movies (And Everything In-Between) of 2008

2009-01-09T13:29:00.004-05:00

Here we go folks! A list of films from last year that brought a smile to my face. Overall, it was a great year for fun flicks and especially comic book movies so, enjoy!

Best Movie of 2008: "The Dark Knight"

Sure this movie had a few flaws in it - but "The Dark Knight" played less like a comic book movie and more like a crime thriller and that's what made it great. Personally, I would have preferred if the film was 30-minutes shorter and focused less on Two-Face at the end - but this film is purely fantastic and amazing. Great performances from Heath Ledger, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman drove this film into a class of its own and arguably the best comic book movie ever made.

Best Drama of 2008: "Slumdog Millionaire"

"Slumdog Millionaire" is that rare movie where you literally cry from happiness and joy. I'm a sap when it comes to movies so I'm man enough to admit that I cry in plenty of films. However, it has never happened where I teared up from a movie because I was fulled with so much happiness. This story is original, heart-breaking, funny and the direction of Danny Boyle is pure excellence. I was thisclose to naming "Slumdog Millionaire" movie of the year, but after much debating (with myself in a mirror) I've decided that I'll probably watch "The Dark Knight" a lot more than this film - but it's still very close. In addition, the soundtrack is pure gold!

Honorable Mention: "Gran Torino" & "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Best Action Film of 2008: "Wanted"

It was a slow year for action films but "Wanted" was the only film that added that great mix of action, CGI and Angelina Jolie. The last action scene in "Wanted" was one of the best action scenes I've seen in an American film in a long time. It was furious, fast-paced and bloody as hell. Did I mention Angeline Jolie was in this pic and looking better than ever? Especially, handling a sawed-off shotgun!

Honorable Mention: "Transporter 3" & "Doomsday"

Best Comedy of 2008: "Tropic Thunder"

This was another close category. I was stuck between "Tropic Thunder" and "Role Models" but in the end "Tropic Thunder" had the best surprise performances (Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr.) and overall entertainment value. If I wanted to cop out I could have gone with a tie between "Role Models" and the winner - but, I maned up and went with "Tropic Thunder", either way you're guaranteed to laugh hysterically at any one of these comedies.

Honorable Mention: "Step Brothers" & of course "Role Models"

Best Horror Film of 2008: "Cloverfield"

Has it really been a year since "Cloverfield" first made headlines with its out of nowhere trailer playing in front of "Transformers"? Yup. This horror flick was intense and visually gratifying. Also, it re-started the First-Person P.O.V. genre that was first made famous by "The Blair With Project". The monster was enormous and scary and the film lived up to all the hype leading to its opening night. Great film!

Honorable Mention: "The Midnight Meat Train" & "The Ruins"

And now to the fun categories:

Best Kills in a Horror Flick: "The Midnight Meat Train"

Head decapitations, eyeballs popping out of their sockets and people hanging from meat hooks will do the job. Great performance by Vinnie Jones, playing a maniac killing anyone taking the last train to their destination. Which just happened to be death!

Best Action Scene: The last action scene of "Punisher: War Zone". Just great stuff! Legs getting shot-off, heads blowing up and bullets flying everywhere. An action fans wet dream!

Honorable Mention: James McAvoy taking on everybody at the end of "Wanted"

Best Comedic Sequence: The last 20-minutes of "Role Models". Comedy genius!

Best Guilty Pleasure: "Punisher: War Zone". Perhaps the most violent American Movie I have ever seen. Finally, director Lexi Alexander made a Punisher movie for Punisher fans!

Honorable Mention: "Doomsday"

Best Eye Candy: The ladies of "Hell Ride". What? You've never heard of "Hell Ride"? Well, not many people have - but any fella alone on a Friday night will surely find joy in looking at EVERY single lady in this biker film. I nearly dehydrated myself from drooling while watching this flick! Movie was OK, but the women were F.I.N.E. FINE!!!

Honorable Mention: Angelina Jolie in "Wanted"

Most Fun Movie of 2008: "Iron Man"

Honorable Mention: "Hellboy 2", "Doomsday" and "Kung Fu Panda"

Most Disappointing Movie of 2008: "Righteous Kill"

Why did De Niro and Pacino agree to make a rare appearance acting opposite each other in this utterly horrible movie? "The saddest thing in the world is wasted talent".

Best Music in a Film: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Every song and musical score is memorable and beautiful!

Honorable Mention: "Gran Torino" & "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

There you have it movie-lovers! I hope you enjoy this list as much as I had fun making it. Here's to a great New Year at the movies!

Agree, Disagree? Let me know.

The Top 5 Worst Movies of 2008

2009-01-09T11:59:00.007-05:00

Overall, 2008 wasn't a bad year at the movies - but there were a few bad apples out there that need to be pointed out. So, without further delay, here are the top 5 movies of 2008 that should be avoided at all cost:

1) "The Spirit" - Folks, this movie was not only the worst movie of last year - but, perhaps the worst movie of the decade! The dialog and campiness of this graphic novel turned movie was absolutely horrible! Frank Miller, creator of "300" and "Sin City", should stick to writing graphic novels and leave the writing and directing of films to others. The acting was atrocious (Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes and Gabriel Macht) and the cool factor was totally absent. "The Spirit" should only be watched by film students wanting to learn how to avoid making bad movies.

2) "Redbelt" - Any movie fan would know that a film written by the genius David Mamet should at least be respectable. Well, this movie was disrespectful to my brain and my time! I can't remember the last time I was so bored watching a flick. "Redbelt" stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Alice Braga and Emily Mortimer and was directed by David Mamet. While "Redbelt" had plenty of plot twist and interesting plot developments, the payoff at the end was unsatisfactory and utterly ridiculous! I'm surprised I'm going to say this - but, if you're looking for a decent MMA film, check out "Never Back Down" with Djimon Hounsou instead.

3) "10,000 B.C." - Director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) took what should have been an adventurous and fun movie and turned it into a big disaster. The CGI was uninspiring and I've seen better acting at a Pre-Kindergarten Christmas show. I rolled my eyes so many times they were still rotating 25 minutes after the movie had finished. "10,000 B.C." is nothing but an "Apocalypto" rip-off.

4) "The Happening" - You know a movie is bad when John Leguizamo is the best actor in it. Director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) should start looking for another job. Who's responsible for the plot of this film? A 5th Grader? Sorry, I meant no disrespect to all the 10-year olds out there. The only thing happening in this movie is Mark Wahlberg performing badly and a spot at #4 on my Worst Movies of 2008.

5) "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" - Anyone walking out of this movie saying, "This flick was worth the 19-year wait!" should really go see a doctor. The CGI was something out of 1983 and Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett's talents were wasted in this dull and absurd sequel. Steven Spielberg must have a pet alien running around in his basement because he keeps making movies about them. Plus, if you really want to know why I have this movie on my list. All I have to say is...refrigerator and nuclear blast.

There you have it folks! My list of the Top 5 movies you should avoid like an STD. However, before I go, here are some movies that deserve Honorable Mention: "Prom Night", "Max Payne" (Two Mark Wahlberg movies on my list), "Babylon A.D" and "Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor".

"Fighting" Trailer

2009-01-08T14:40:00.004-05:00

Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) goes to New York City with nothing, but his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting.

"Fighting" also stars: Luis Guzman, Brian J. White and Zulay Henao. Directed by: Dito Montiel (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints).

Hm...what do you name a movie about street fighting? "Street Fighter"? Nope, that's been done. "Fight Club"? Nope, that has been done as well. I GOT IT!! How about we name a movie about fighting..."Fighting"?! Genius! This flick might be a guitly pleasure or a movie that is as uninspiring as its title. Personally, I think it looks pretty good. If I'm bore enough I'll check it out.

Expected Release Date: April 24th

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Clash of the Titans"

2009-01-08T13:59:00.003-05:00

"Clash of the Titans" (1981) - Starring: Harry (Mr. Lisa Rinna) Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith, Claire Bloom and Ursula Andress. Directed by: Desmond Davis.

Full of pride, Cassiopeia compares her daughter's beauty to that of Hera. Angered, the queen of the gods has Poseidon unleash the monstrous beast Craken to destroy their village unless Cassiopeia's daughter, Andromeda, is sacrificed. Perseus, the son of Zeus, becomes enchanted with the breathtaking beauty and is determined to save her from this fate. The young hero, armed with a magical shield, a winged stallion and a mechanical owl, discovers the only way to defeat the monster is with the head of Medusa. The gods watch and intervene on Perseus' quest to save his beloved.

Headlines of the Day - 1/8/09 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2009-01-08T13:10:00.006-05:00

Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell join the cast of "Iron Man 2" - "Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell are in talks to star as the villains in "Iron Man 2," being directed by Jon Favreau. Marvel has been keeping a very tight lid on the script for the sequel, being written by Justin Theroux, but it is known that Rourke would play a tattooed Russian heavy named Ivan who becomes Whiplash, a man with deadly, technologically enhanced coils. Rockwell would play Justin Hammer, a multibillionaire businessman and a rival of industrialist Anthony Stark, AKA Iron Man, being played by a returning Robert Downey Jr. Rourke and Rockwell would be joining a cast that also includes the returning Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, who is replacing Terrence Howard. The project is eyeing a spring start in Manhattan Beach. Paramount will release the movie May 7, 2010". THR.com.

Who will be watching the "Watchmen"? Maybe no one! - "Warner Bros. has asked a federal judge to speed up his decision on whether to grant Fox's request to block the release of "Watchmen" on March 6. Warner made the request Tuesday in a filing with U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess, who found last month that Fox controlled distribution rights to "Watchmen." Fox filed the suit in February, contending it retains distribution rights to the graphic novel penned by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. The suit asserts that producer Lawrence Gordon's option to acquire Fox's remaining interest in "Watchmen" was never exercised, thereby leaving Fox with its rights under a 1994 turnaround agreement. Warner Bros. has denied Fox's assertions and contends Fox doesn't hold the copyright. Fox originally acquired the rights to "Watchmen" in the late 1980s and spent more than $1 million developing the project, which later went to Universal and then Paramount before landing at Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures". GOD BLESS AMERICA! Variety.com.

"Tron 2.0" gets a Leading Actor - "Disney has picked up-and-comer Garrett Hedlund to star in "Tron," the studio's sequel to the 1982 cult classic by the same name being directed by Joseph Kosinski. Hedlund, who made his debut in 2004's "Troy," has until now acted in larger ensemble pieces. He was one of the football players in Peter Berg's "Friday Night Lights," one of the foursome in the ensemble thriller "Four Brothers," a supporting player in the fantasy film "Eragon," and he appeared opposite Lindsay Lohan, Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman in "Georgia Rule." Hedlund will play the lead, a man who finds himself pulled into the world of a computer and retracing the steps of a character from the original movie named Kevin Flynn. Jeff Bridges is reprising the role of Flynn, who was a computer programr but ended up as the CEO of a software corporation. Olivia Wilde and Beau Garrett have also been cast in the project, which was known as "Tron 2" and "Tr2n" but it now going with the simple "Tron." THR.com.

Taylor Lautner is STILL Jacob Black in "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" - "Despite rumors that he would be replaced, Taylor Lautner will reprise his role as Jacob Black in "New Moon," Summit Entertainment's sequel to its hit "Twilight." Summit and director Chris Weitz made the announcement Wednesday. In "New Moon," the Jacob Black character becomes a central figure in the plot as Bella Swan is drawn into the world of the werewolves, the ancestral enemies of vampires. Lautner joins castmates Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "New Moon," set to begin production soon for a Nov. 20 release". Whew! The unemployment rate was going to increase by 1% if Lautner was out of a job. Another job is safe in America! Variety.com.

IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE BACK!!!

2009-01-08T13:01:00.003-05:00

Hello, movie-lovers! It's been a while! A long while, if you ask me. Anyway, I'm back and ready catch everyone up on what's going on in Movieland. My hopes are to FINALLY get my Worst and Best Movies of 2008 within the next two days.

Also, I would like invite everyone to join me on Sundays' Golden Globes Live Blog. It should be a lot of fun!

So, with out further delay....Lets begin!

Hello All!

2008-12-30T17:40:00.003-05:00

Due to an overactive and an extremely busy holiday schedule, this site will be on a temporary hiatus. I will be back in full force on January 8th.

John Travolta's "From Paris With Love" Trailer

2008-12-23T11:43:00.002-05:00

A young embassy worker and an American secret agent cross paths while working on a high-risk mission in Paris.

"From Paris with Love" also stars: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Directed by: Pierre Morel (District B13, Taken). Written and Produced by: Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Professional).

I'm a fan of Producer/Screenwriter/Director Luc Besson, his movies are always entertaining and ridiculous and that's why I enjoy his films. "From Paris With Love" looks like an over-the-top action flick with comical but fun performances from Travolta and Rhys-Meyers. Looks good to me...

Expected Release Date: TBD 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/23/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-23T11:18:00.004-05:00

Platinum Dunes' Producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are no longer remaking "Rosemary's Baby" - "Andrew: We are not doing “Rosemary’s Baby”. Brad: No, no. I mean… “Rosemary’s Baby” was announced and it’s like a little bit like we’re taking about with Freddy. We went down that road and we even talked to the best writers in town and it feels like it might not be do-able. We couldn’t’ come up with something where it felt like it was relevant and we could add something to it other than what it was so we’re now not going to be doing that film". Collider.com.

Clive Owen is headed to Columbia for "Cartagena" - "Clive Owen and Mark Cuban are heading to Colombia.The "Children of Men" star is attached to "Cartagena," a story about an undercover agent amid Colombian drug cartels, for Cuban's 2929 Prods. Michael Ross, who penned the Fox Atomic horror pic "Turistas" and recently was signed to Overture's remake of Icelandic thriller "Jar City," has been attached to write the screenplay."Cartagena" centers on an undercover agent who gets caught in a complex plot and must elude drug dealers and international agents if he hopes to survive. The project is named for a city on Colombia's northern coast that has a colorful history featuring wars, robust economic activity and tourist development.Colombia, a hotbed of political intrigue and violent drug wars, has become fertile cinematic ground. Warner Bros. and Sony this year acquired projects about the rescue of 15 hostages from the rebel FARC group, a controversial Marxist organization that U.S. authorities have said has ties to drug cartels". THR.com.

New DVD Tuesday - 12/23/08

2008-12-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

"Death Race" - Starring: Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie Martinez, Ian McShane and Joan Allen. Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson (Residen Evil, Alien Vs. Predator).

Plot: Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world's most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory.

Thoughts: Jason Statham is the man! "Death Race" is a fun action flick with plenty of blood and gore. Sure, the plot is ridiculous - but this movie is all about car racing and hot women. "Death Race" should not be taken seriously and should be viewed as an absurd rollercoaster ride with phenomenal car chases and heavy action.

"Burn After Reading" - Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins and J.K. Simmons. Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men).

Plot: A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it.

Thoughts: I was not a fan of the Coen brother's "No Country for Old Men" - but I'm willing to give this comedy a chance. Brad Pitt is always good when he's having fun with his character and he seems to be having a great time in this flick. "Burn After Reading" has been nominated for a Golden Globe and now everyone will have their opportunity to see if it deserves a win.

"The Women" - Starring: Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Jada Pinkett Smith, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Bette Midler and Candice Bergen. Directed by: Diane English.

Plot: A wealthy New Yorker leaves her cheating husband and bonds with other society women at a resort.

Thoughts: There's only one reason to watch this flick and that's Eva Mendes. Besides that, I could care less about this movie.

"Hamlet 2" - Starring: Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Skylar Astin, Elisabeth Shue, David Arquette, Amy Poehler and Melonie Diaz. Directed by: Andrew Fleming (The Craft, Nancy Drew).

Plot: In this irreverent comedy, a failed actor-turned-worse-high-school-drama-teacher rallies his Tucson, AZ students as he conceives and stages politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Thoughts: The trailer to this comedy is hilarious and I'm looking forward to seeing it on DVD. Also, it's got a terrific cast, so I'm expecting big things from this flick.

"Savage Grace" - Starring: Julianne Moore, Hugh Dancy and Stephen Dillane. Directed by: Tom Kalin.

Plot: The true story of the beautiful and charismatic Barbara Daly, who married above her class to Brooks Baekeland, heir to the Bakelite plastics fortune. Their only child is a failure in his father's eyes, and as he matures and becomes increasingly close to his lonely mother, the seeds for tragedy are sown.

Thoughts: Julianne Moore is one of my favorite actresses and "Savage Grace" looks like a really good drama. I wasn't going to pay $12 to see it and I won't see it on DVD either. I'll catch this on the IFC Channel.

Headlines of the Day - 12/22/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-22T14:09:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: John Cho is The Mandarin in "Iron Man 2"? Also, Tommy Chong joining the sequel cast? - "EW scoop-hounds nowhere near the development of Iron Man 2 have learned that John Cho has been cast as the Mandarin in Jon Favreau's follow-up to the gold-plated blockbuster. Cho, having appeared as both Harold and Sulu, will make the Asian geek trifecta with this role as the power-ring-wearing, power-mad villain. Other horribly placed sources tell us that Tommy Chong is being eyed to play the Mandarin's father, who claims to be the real genius responsible for the weaponeering success of Howard Stark, Tony's beloved dad". This should be taken as rumor and personally I won't believe it until Cho and Chong sign on the dotted line. At least, this is a more credible rumor than Eddie Murphy playing The Riddler in "Batman 3". EW.com.

"Yes Man" takes a bite out of Will Smith's "Seven Pounds" and takes the #1 spot at the box-office - "Movie audiences greeted Jim Carrey and Will Smith with a lukewarm "yes' as snowstorms undermined weekend debuts from both stars. Carrey's comedy "Yes Man" opened at No. 1 with $18.2 million in ticket sales, while Smith's drama "Seven Pounds" came in second with $16 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Debuting at No. 3 with $10.5 million was Matthew Broderick's animated family flick "The Tale of Despereaux." In limited release, Mickey Rourke's acclaimed drama "The Wrestler" had a heavyweight debut, taking in $209,474 in just four theaters for a whopping average of $52,369. The film released by Fox Searchlight stars Rourke as a former wrestling champion struggling for one last taste of past glory". I don't blame the weather for weak numbers. I blame sucky movies. Ap.org.

You know what the world needs? Another attempt at a "Judge Dredd" movie...and another devastating Plague: "Rebellion and 2000 AD are proud to announce that Judge Dredd is coming to a cinema near you soon! Together with DNA Films, the movie production company behind such great sci-fi movies such as Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later, Judge Dredd will go into production in 2009.Jason Kingsley, CEO and Creative Director said, ‘We can’t give away too many details at this point, but we’re looking forward to working with DNA Films to bring Judge Dredd back to the big screen.’ 2000adonline.com via Aintitcool.com.

Stephen Chow no longer directing "Green Hornet" but he's still Kato - "There's been another change in the "Hornet" nest: Stephen Chow has dropped out as director of "The Green Hornet" but will still play Kato in Columbia Pictures' latest bid to get the crimefighter to the bigscreen. The character began on radio in the 1930s and is best known from the '60s TV version. Chow, who directed and starred in "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer," signed in September to direct the film and play the role originated in the TV series by Bruce Lee. He stepped out as director over creative differences. The film was scripted by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and Rogen is starring as the masked crime fighter. The script will likely be polished, and a director could be in place by year's end". Variety.com.

Frank Miller to direct "Buck Rogers" film - "Frank Miller and Odd Lot Entertainment, the creator and production company behind the upcoming comic-book adventure "The Spirit," are close to teaming again on the classic sci-fi property "Buck Rogers." Miller will write and direct his own big-screen take on the comic serial; while the creator has only begun to sketch ideas, it's expected to be a darker take, with many of Miller's signature visual elements and themes, such as corruption and redemption. It's likely to be a priority project for Miller, though he has been mulling a "Sin City" sequel.One of the first pop-culture vehicles to tackle the issue of space exploration, the story of Buck Rogers began life as a comic serial in the late 1920's and early '30's and has seen numerous film and television versions over the years. Miller is the acclaimed writer and illustrator behind the graphic novel franchise "Sin City," which became a hit for the Weinstein Co. in 2004. He also is behind Warners breakout "300." "The Spirit," which Lionsgate releases next week, examines the pulpy hero created by Miller mentor Will Eisner". THR.com.

Megan Fox's horror/comedy "Jennifer's Body" gets a September 18th release date -"Fox Atomic announced today a September 18th, 2009 release for Jennifer's Body, which stars Johnny Simmons, Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons and Amy Sedaris. The film written by Diablo Cody tells story of a cheerleader who is possessed by a demon and starts feeding off the boys in a Minnesota farming town. Her "plain Jane" best friend must kill her, then escape from a correctional facility to go after the Satan-worshiping rock band responsible for the transformation". The words Megan Fox and Body always make me drool. Plus, I can look at that movie poster all day long! Bloody-disgusting.com.

A 'New and Younger' Jack Ryan film gets a writer - "Screenwriter Hossein Amini has been hired to tackle a new Jack Ryan movie for Paramount Pictures. The erstwhile intelligence analyst and all-American do-gooder created by novelist Tom Clancy has not appeared onscreen since 2002's "The Sum of All Fears." Mace Neufeld and Lorenzo Di Bonaventura are producing the project for Paramount. "Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi was on the hook to direct and produce a new Ryan installment, but his packed schedule made his involvement unworkable. Amini is best known for his literary adaptations of Henry James, Thomas Hardy and Elmore Leonard. His new Ryan film is planned as an origin story, not derived from Clancy's novels and ultimately featuring a new, younger star". I wonder how long it will take for rumors to develop of Shia LaBeouf taking this role. You know...because he's the only one that can play ANY 'new and young' character. THR.com.

Funny "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian"

2008-12-22T11:23:00.003-05:00

Security guard Larry Daley (Stiller) infiltrates the Smithsonian Institute in order to rescue Jedediah (Wilson) and Octavius (Coogan), who have been shipped to the museum by mistake.

"Night of the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian" stars: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Jonah Hill Hank Azaria, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Eugene Levy, Ricky Gervais, Dick Van Dyke, Ed Helms and Bill Hader. Directed by: Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum).

I really enjoyed "Night at the Museum" and this sequel looks to be just as funny and entertaining as its predecessor. I don't know about the talking Lincoln statue at the end - but the scene is hilarious nonetheless. Also, they've added some great additions to the cast. Looks good...

Expected Release Date: May 22, 2009

New Movies Out Today - 12/19/08

2008-12-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

"Seven Pounds" - Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy and Barry Pepper. Directed by: Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness).

Plot: Ben Thomas is an IRS agent with a fateful secret who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Thoughts: It's the movie that's shrouded in secrecy! This flick better be good because I'm tired of seeing Will Smith and Rosario Dawson promoting this thing like it has the secret code to our Nuclear Weapons. I'm interested in seeing "Seven Pounds", I just hope it's less sappy than "The Pursuit of Happyness". Something tells me it's going to be even more sappy. Critics want to give this movie 7 Lashings!

"Yes Man" - Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Danny Masterson, Terence Stamp, John Michael Higgins and Bradley Cooper. Directed by: Peyton Reed (The Break Up, Bring it On).

Plot: A man signs up for a self-help program based on one simple principle: say yes to everything... and anything. At first, unleashing the power of "yes" transforms his life in amazing and unexpected ways, but he soon discovers that opening up his life to endless possibilities can have its drawbacks.

Thoughts: Nah, man...I think I'll pass. I used to be a big Jim Carrey fan but now his usual shtick has grown old on me. Also, for some reason I want to drink a whole case of Red Bull now. Seriously, Red Bull must have financed this movie with some heavy duty cash because every trailer and TV spot had the same tiring Red Bull scene in it. I'm not hating this movie. I just think there are other movies out there that are more worthy of watching than this comedy. If I'm bored enough this weekend I'll check it out. Critics say "Just say No!"

"The Tale of Despereaux" - Featuring the voices of: Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Frank Langella, William H. Macy, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman and Richard Jenkins. Directed by: Sam Fell (Flused Away) and Rob Stevenhagen.

Plot: The tale of three unlikely heroes - a misfit mouse who prefers reading books to eating them, an unhappy rat who schemes to leave the darkness of the dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears - whose fates are intertwined with that of the castle's princess.

Thoughts: I'm sooo tired with animated movies about rodents. I'm done with them! I'll watch an "American Tail" instead. Critics wanted to kill these vermin with rat poisoning.

In Limited Release:

"The Wrestler" - Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. Directed by: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Pi) Plot: A drama centered on retired professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson as he makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival. Quick Thought: Mickey Rourke has already received nominations from the Golden Globes and SAG so I'm looking forward to seeing this flick. Sure, it looks like a "Rocky" remake - but it still looks great! Trailer. 97% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"Nothing But the Truth" - Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, Vera Farmiga, Noah Wyle, David Schwimmer and Alan Alda. Directed by: Rod Lurie (The Contender). Plot: In Washington, D.C., a female reporter faces a possible jail sentence for outing a CIA agent and refusing to reveal her source. Quick Thought: Looks like a suspenseful and edge-of-your seat thriller - but I'll see it on DVD. Maybe... Trailer. 72% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

See you at the movies!

New DVD's Out Today - 12/19/08

2008-12-19T11:59:00.000-05:00

It's the Christmas season, so DVD's are being released today to help consumers spend the money they don't have this holiday season. God Bless America!

"Traitor" - Starring: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Neal McDonough and Jeff Daniels. Directed by: Jeffrey Nachmanoff.

Plot: When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn.

Thoughts: Don Cheadle is a phenomenal actor and now he's kicking ass! This action/thriller looks rather smart and exciting. I can't wait to check it out.

"The House Bunny" - Starring: Anna Faris, Emma Stone, Colin Hanks, Kat Dennings, Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis. Directed by: Fred Wolf (Strange Wilderness).

Plot: Shelley Darlington has lived at the Playboy mansion for the last nine years. She is Hef's favorite and acts like a den mother to the other girls. On her birthday, she is unceremoniously evicted from Hef's pad for 'being too old.' Homeless and without essential skills, Shelley wanders around L.A. until she finds a new job--the housemother at the most unpopular sorority on campus.

Thoughts: I love Anna Faris! She is one of the funniest women in movies today. She can do more with one facial expression than anyone in the business right now. Plus, I crack up eveytime I see that movie poster. It reminds me of Steve Carell's "The 40-Year Old Virgin" poster which was equally as awesome. "The House Bunny" comes to us from the writers of Reese Witherspoon's "Legally Blonde" so this movie can't be too bad, right? I hope not.

Horrible looking "Obsessed" Trailer

2008-12-18T16:56:00.003-05:00

"Obsessed" - Starring: Beyonce Knowles, Idris Elba, Ali Larter and Jerry O Connell. Directed by: Steve Shill.

Derek Charles, a successful asset manager who has just received a huge promotion, is blissfully happy in his career and in his marriage to the beautiful Beth. But when Lisa, a temp worker, starts stalking Derek, everything he's worked so hard for, are placed in jeopardy.

Idris Elba is one lucky dude! He has two of the hottest and sexiest stars in the entertainment industry fighting over him! However, this looks like a direct rip-off of "Fatal Attraction" and the producers of that film should start filing a law suit real soon. "Obsessed" looks cheesy and something that should play on the Lifetime Channel and not on the big-screen. I really wish Beyonce and Ali Larter would just kiss and makeup and then film it and play it in slow motion. Also, once again, ET reporters can not SHUT THE HELL UP during a trailer premiere. Someone find a muzzle!

Expected Release Date: April 24, 2009

2009 SAG Nominations

2008-12-18T15:07:00.003-05:00

The SAG Awards will be televised live on Sunday, Jaunary 25th on TBS and TNT (check your local listings).

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler).

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt) and Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road).

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) and Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire).

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Curious Button) and Kate Winslet (The Reader).

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: "Doubt", "Frost/Nixon", "Milk", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

Headlines of the Day - 12/18/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-18T14:02:00.000-05:00

Tim Robbins joining "Iron Man 2"? - Tim Robbins is going to be playing Howard Stark in an important flashback sequence that is going to set up the Avengers and Captain America films. Jon [Favreau] wanted to get a good actor because he didn't think the guy who played Howard in the last film could carry such an important scene. That is not all, check this out... I'm [LatinoReview] also told that HAWKEYE and BLACK WIDOW are definitely in Iron Man 2 and they wont be cameos either. You guys want to take this as a rumor due to the timing then it's all good with me till further notice. I hope this is less rumor and more truth. Tim Robbins is great and I can always do with more superheroes on the big-screen. LatinoReview.com.

"Tron 2.0" to be shot entirely in 3-D? - "Tron 2.0 is going to be shot ENTIRELY in 3-D. They are really excited about what they are going to be doing with the Tron world in 3-D". Aintitcool.com.

Director Adam Shankman is ready for "The 8th Voyage of Sinbad" - "Shankman is in negotiations to develop and direct "The 8th Voyage of Sinbad," Columbia's retelling of the classic myth, which it envisions as a bid-budget tentpole. Neal Moritz is producing through his Original Film banner. The story centers on sailor Sinbad and his crew, who are marooned off the coast of China and embark on a quest to find the Aladdin's lamp. Along the way they meet a beautiful empress and do battle with fantastic creatures and a rebellious Chinese general who threatens the kingdom. Cormac and Marianne Sellek Wibberley wrote the most recent script draft". THR.com.

Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams are ready for some "Morning Glory" - "The billion-dollar action star (Ford) has been cast as one of the personalities of "Morning Glory," a Paramount comedy that takes place in and around a morning talk show. Rachel McAdams is in final negotiations to join the cast as well. Roger Michell ("Venus") is attached to direct, and J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing through their Bad Robot banner. Aline Brosh McKenna ("The Devil Wears Prada") wrote the script about a grizzled old-school anchor in the Ted Koppel mold (Ford) who quits in disgust with the gossip-heavy direction of the evening newscast. He is then recruited by a hot up-and-coming producer (McAdams) to help revive a morning talk show, only to be paired with his rival". THR.com.

Barry Sonnenfeld to direct Action/Comedy "The How-to-Guide for Saving the World" - "Barry Sonnenfeld will direct and produce action comedy "The How-To Guide for Saving the World" from BenDavid Grabinski's script. Story's centered on an instruction manual for saving the world left behind by a secret group that protects the Earth from alien invaders but is wiped out. "Unfortunately, a non-action-hero guy not unlike me, in terms of manliness, and a woman who hates him find the book and have to save the planet from an impending attack," Sonnenfeld said. Helming credits include both "Men in Black" and "Addams Family" pics, while Sonnenfeld's most recent feature producing gig was "Enchanted." I thought "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was already done. Variety.com.

Tyler Mane returning as Michael Myers in Rob Zombie's "Halloween 2" - "And the new Michael Myers is? There ain't no new Michael Myers. It's Tyler Mane again fuckers! Yes, Tyler has signed back on for Halloween Two". Source: Rob Zombie's Myspace page.

Awesome and Hilarious "I Love You, Man" Trailer

2008-12-18T11:16:00.007-05:00

"I Love You, Man" - Starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Jaime Pressly and J.K. Simmons. Directed by: John Hamburg (Along Came Polly).

A newly engaged guy sets out to find the perfect "Best Man" for his wedding.

It's rare for a comedy trailer to make my laugh hysterically - but "I Love You, Man" is that type of trailer. It's a shame Seth Rogen gets all the hype on being a talented comedic actor because Paul Rudd deserves the same recognition. This film has a tremendous cast and I'm sure it's going to be a big hit. I can't wait!

Expected Release Date: March 20, 2009

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Gymkata"

2008-12-18T10:38:00.002-05:00

"Gymkata" (1985) - Starring: Kurt Thomas. Directed by: Robert Clouse (Enter the Dragon, Game of Death).

Johnathan Cabot is a champion gymnast. In the tiny, yet savage, country of Parmistan, there is a perfect spot for a "star wars" site. For the US to get this site, they must compete in the brutal "Game". The government calls on Cabot, the son of a former operative, to win the game. Cabot must combine his gymnastics skills of the west with fighting secrets of the east and form GYMKATA!

Ryan Reynolds' and Sandra Bullock's "The Proposal" Trailer

2008-12-16T16:21:00.003-05:00

A book editor is forced to marry her male assistant in order to stay in the country. When they travel to Alaska to meet his family, the new couple has to fake their way through a surprise wedding thrown by his parents.

"The Proposal" also stars: Mary Steenburgen, Betty White, Malin Akerman and Craig T. Nelson. Directed by: Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses, Step Up).

"The Proposal" is now #3 on my Must Watch Film of Summer 2009. First, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", Second is "Terminator Salvation" and now this romantic comedy! I really need to stop sniffing glue for lunch. While I basically despise romantic comedies because they never bring anything new to the genre, this actually looks pretty decent. I'm a fan of Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock, so maybe that's why I'm not totally disgusted by this film.

Expected Release Date: June 12th, 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/16/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-16T13:21:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Bono discusses "Spider-Man: The Musical" - Hot on the heels of reports that Evan Rachel Wood had joined the cast to play Mary Jane Watson in the production, the U.K.’s Times Online published an extensive piece on “Spider-Man: The Musical”. According to the Times piece, Bono says that the show will be “something the likes of which no one has seen or heard,” and says the music will be “part punk rock and part opera.” “It should be a hallucinogenic experience for theatregoers,” he said in the report. “You have the visual energy brings. The myth of the arachnid and the elasticity of these characters — you can turn theatre upside down.” As we’ve already mentioned here on Splash Page, “Spider-Man: The Musical” is set to move into the Hilton Theater on January 4 (once the current production of “Young Frankenstein” ends) and is expected to begin performances sometime in 2009. Julie Traymor will direct the show, and rumored to be joining Wood will be her “Across the Universe” co-star, Jim Sturgess, who will take on the role of Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man)". Splashpage.mtv.com.

UPDATE: Kristin Kreuk and Chris Klein discusses "Street Fighter: The Leged of Chun-Li" - "Kreuk plays the title character and said Chun-Li's origin story is drawn from the game. "It's about the character Chun-Li," she said in an interview on the red carpet for the Video Game Awards in Los Angeles over the weekend. "It's her origin story from when she was a little girl. She loses both of her parents. Her father is taken away. She doesn't know that, and she goes on a revenge journey and then eventually finds a teacher, a master to help her overcome her emotional attachments to getting her revenge so that she can actually see a greater good, and then go forth and fight from there." For his part, Klein plays Charlie Nash, a rogue Interpol agent. "[He's] an American," Klein said. "Chasing after the villain in our movie, Bison, played by Neal McDonough. Kristin's character, Chun-Li, and I discover we're after the same bad guy. So we team up a little bit, and heroic adventures ensue." Yup, still sounds crappy. Scifi.com.

Not you too Zombie! - Director Rob Zombie to Write and Direct "Halloween 2" - "Dimension Films and Rob Zombie are teaming for another chapter of "Halloween," and he's racing to scare up the pic for release in October. Zombie will write and direct "H2," the sequel to his 2007 reinvention of the John Carpenter horror classic. Production will begin in March. The new film picks up right as the first remake ended, following the aftermath of Michael Myers' murderous rampage through the eyes of the sister he hunted. Zombie said it won't resemble the original second installment, as the "House of 1000 Corpses" helmer continues to take the franchise in different directions". I'm a fan of Rob Zombie and I liked his version of "Halloween" - but I was really hoping there would be no sequel. Variety.com.

"The Phantom" is getting a sequel (Wait. There was a "Phantom" movie?) - "Fans of the skintight purple suit rejoice: the Phantom is back. An Australian production company on Monday announced it had secured the rights to "The Phantom Legacy," a follow-up to the 1996 film, "The Phantom," which starred Billy Zane as the masked hero who fights evil from his jungle headquarters. The latest adaptation, which is expected to cost $87 million, will focus on "the Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom," scriptwriter Tim Boyle said in a statement. "The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny." Producer Bruce Sherlock, who also served as executive producer of the first Phantom movie, said the new film will be a marked improvement over its predecessor, which received mixed reviews. The Phantom began as a daily newspaper comic strip by Lee Falk in 1936. The protagonist — alter ego Kit Walker — is the 21st in a family of men who have passed the task of fighting injustice onto their sons. The first Phantom took the job to avenge his father's death at the hands of pirates". Ap.org.

You hear that? That's millions of young girls screaming at this piece of news: "Twilight" sequel, "New Moon", gets a release date - "November is for vampires. That seems to be the thinking at Summit Entertainment, which Monday slotted the film "New Moon" - the sequel to vampire romance "Twilight" - for Friday, Nov. 20 [2009]. Execs at Summit - which announced plans for a sequel on just the second day of release for "Twilight" - just confirmed that Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") will direct "New Moon." The minimajor recently parted ways on the project with Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the original. THR.com.

Actor/Director Kenneth Branagh discusses "Thor" - “I am directing “Thor” or “The Mighty Thor’ as you might like to call it,” he [Branagh] said with a smile before clarifying what the title of the film will be. “I think it will be ‘Thor.’” So what’s the appeal of “Thor,” Kenneth? “To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures,” he enthused. He continued excitedly, “There’s science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It’s based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way. So who will play Branagh’s hero? “There’s been lots of talk [about casting] — I sound like a politician — but we are too early at this stage. We’re getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days.” “Thor” promises to be as large as the character would seem to call out for. “It’s a chance to tell a big story on a big scale,” said Branagh. “It’s a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario.” I'm very skeptical about this film. Splashpage.mtv.com.

"Tron 2.0" is slowly gaining a cast - "Olivia Wilde and Beau Garrett are the first to sign on for "Tron 2.0," the sequel to the 1982 Disney cult classic being directed by Joseph Kosinski. The original, about a programmer thrust into a computer and forced to fight in games he helped create, is remembered for its sci-fi gladiator-style battles and groundbreaking special effects.The new movie is acting as a "next chapter." Plot details are being guarded closely, but Wilde will play a worker in the virtual world who tries to help fight Master Control Program, the villainous intelligence protocol that was the nemesis in the original film. Garrett will play a siren in the virtual world. The male lead has not been cast, but the studio and filmmakers are screen-testing actors as it brings on other leads and supporting players. Kosinski shot reels to test technology and showcase his vision for the film; the footage screened at Comic-Con in July and was one of the most buzzed-about films coming out of the geekfest. Wilde, can be seen on the Fox series "House." She next appears in "The Year One" with Jack Black and Michael Cera. Garrett, appeared in "Made of Honor" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." The two appeared together in "Turistas." THR.com.

New DVD Tuesday - 12/16/08

2008-12-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" - Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh, John Hannah, Russell Wong and Luke Ford. Directed by: Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, xXx, Stealth).

Plot: In the Far East, trouble-seeking father-and-son duo Rick and Alex O'Connell unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a shape-shifting entity who was cursed by a wizard centuries ago.

Thoughts: Here is a film that ranks high on my Worst Movie of the Year list. I enjoyed "Mummy 1 & 2" but this flick was horrible. The CG monsters were a joke, the acting was atrocious and the action scenes were a bore. I guess Rachel Weisz was smart to leave her character behind in "The Mummy 2". She's a smart one that Weisz. This third installment felt rushed and the fighting talents of Jet Li were wasted. Avoid at all cost!

"Mamma Mia" - Starring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard. Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd.

Plot: The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told by using hit songs by the popular '70s group ABBA.

Thoughts: This musical was a tremendous box-office success and has been nominated for a Golden Globe. I'll give this flick a chance to form my own opinion. I hope my torture is quick and painless.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" Full Trailer

2008-12-15T16:12:00.002-05:00

Leading up to the events of "X-Men," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" stars: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Taylor Kitsch as Gambit, Kevin Durand as Blob, Lynn Collins as Silver Fox, Danny Huston as William Stryker, Will.i.am as John Wraith and Dominic Monaghan as Beck. Directed by: Gavin Hood (Tstosi, Rendition).

This trailer is full of action and it gives us a glimpse into all the Mutants that have made it into this prequel - but for some reason, I was not very impressed. There are a lot of scenes that look rather cheesy and it's full of stunts we have seen before. My favorite part is kid Wolverine kicking ass! At least Ryan Reynolds and Liev Schreiber can supersede any bad acting Will.i.am is sure to give us.

Expected Release Date: May 1, 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/15/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-15T16:03:00.001-05:00

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" captures the #1 spot at the Box-Office - "Audiences sat still for Keanu Reeves' sci-fi remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still," making it the weekend's top movie with a $31 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Warner Bros. holiday romp "Four Christmases" slipped to second place with $13.3 million. The Reese Witherspoon-Vince Vaughn comedy raised its three-week total to $88 million. Another seasonal tale, Overture Films' "Nothing Like the Holidays," opened a weak No. 7 with $3.5 million. The movie features John Leguizamo, Debra Messing and Alfred Molina in the story of a Chicago family's holiday reunion". Ap.org.

Forest Whitaker and MMA star Randy Couture joins Stallone's "The Expendables" - "He [Sylvester Stallone] told Harry that UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture has been added to the movie's cast, joining the already announced Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren. Sly's hoping he'll be able to give Couture an excellent boost towards big screen action stardom. Forest Whittaker has also been cast in the film, which rolls this March in Brazil. Oh, and look for Jet Li to fight Dolph Lundgren in THE EXPENDABLES". This is starting to sound like the worst Best movie ever made! All we need now is "American Ninja" Michael Dudikoff and we're set! Aintitcool.com.

SAY IT AIN'T SO!! - "The Crow" is getting the remake treatment - "Stephen Norrington has signed on to write and direct a reinvention of “The Crow,” based on the comic created by James O’Barr. Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media is negotiating with producer Ed Pressman to acquire the film franchise and finance the film. Pressman produced the 1994 Alex Proyas-directed screen transfer, in which rock musician Eric Draven is murdered trying to rescue his girlfriend from thugs, and returns from the dead one year later to exact vengeance. Though the original became a gothic-style hit that grossed nearly $100 million worldwide, it is primarily remembered for a tragic accident in which star Brandon Lee was killed during filming. For Norrington, “The Crow” deal marks the end of a long screen sabbatical. After making his breakthrough with the Marvel Comics hero “Blade,” Norrington took on a big-budget comic transfer with “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” Neither the director nor his star, Sean Connery, has made a film since. “Whereas Proyas’ original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style,” Norrington told Daily Variety". Ladies and gentlemen, I love "The Crow". It's one of my favorite movies and now it's about to get manhandled! Why not remake "The Shadow" or "Darkman"? I think I'm going to be sick! Leave it alone Norrington! LEAVE IT ALONE!! Variety.com.

It's official: "Nightmare on Elm Street" is also getting the remake treatment - "[Bloody-Disgusting] just got off the phone with Dunes Producer Brad Fuller who explains that they are now finally involved. "We ARE doing the movie [Nightmare remake]," Fuller tells Bloody-Disgusting. "We just closed the studio deal and we want to be filming by summer 2009. The script is being worked on now. We just came onto it so we are still figuring out what to do with the story." Who will play Freddy? How about Christian Bale? He has played Batman and John Connor - so why not tackle another iconic character? Yes, I'm only joking. Relax! Bloody-disgusting.com.

Another "Terminator" movie is already in the works - Don't worry you, didn't wake up from a year long coma and miss out on "Terminator Salvation". This is just Hollywood getting WAY ahead of themselves...again - "The Terminator will be back. Halcyon Co. toppers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek are developing a fifth instalment of the man-vs.-machine franchise. Helmer McG, who directed the upcoming fourth pic, "Terminator Salvation," is working with the Halcyon duo on the latest project". Variety.com.

Director Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass, About a Boy) is ready to take on vampires and rabid teenage girls for "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" - "Chris Weitz has been tapped to helm "New Moon," the sequel to Summit Entertainment's vampire breakout "Twilight."Weitz comes on board to helm the second installment in Stephenie Meyer's four-book series after Summit and "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke failed to reach a deal on the new movie". THR.com.

Wolverine takes on his biggest foe yet: Oscar Host! - "He sings, dances, acts on stage and screen, and he's the "Sexiest Man Alive." Hugh Jackman does everything but standup comedy _ and that's why the first-time Oscars host fulfills the academy's promise to shake up the show in a way that's as tough to predict as the winners. Jackman was announced Friday as the host of the 81st Academy Awards, a marked departure from the academy's standard of big-name comedians". This is a bad idea. Just bad... Huffingtonpost.com.

Movie Review: "Gran Torino"

2008-12-15T13:11:00.006-05:00

New York Minute Review: "Gran Torino"

Usually, when an old man is screaming at you to "get off his lawn" it's a sad but funny sight. However, when that old man is Clint Eastwood and he's pointing a huge rifle in your face, you're guaranteed to pee your pants and run home to your mommy. If you're smart. If you're not...you have yourself "Gran Torino".

Clint Eastwood is Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran and recent widower living in the wrong part of a Detroit town. Walt's neighborhood is a mix of different races but his house is the only one with an American flag on his porch and a vintage 1972 Gran Torino in his garage. When a young Asian boy named Thao (Bee Vang) is caught trying to steal Walt's beloved car as an initiation into his cousin's gang, Walt begins to develop an unlikely relationship with the boy, his sister Sue (Ahney Her) and her very traditional family.

"Gran Torino" is a fine film with a great performance by the aged but still looking good Clint Eastwood. Walt is a bigot and a man full of inner demons. He's not afraid to tell you how he feels and is quick to call an Asian and African-American any racist word in front of their face. Walt is an American that buys only American cars and American beer. He is the type of man that hates the evolution of modern America and it's melting pot of diversity. Lets just say, Walt is in need of a hug and Sue is just the person to help him get it.

Sue, is Thao's older sister and father figure in a home where they are raised by their mother and grandmother. Sue is tough and also not afraid to speak her mind. She stands up to bullies, she's carefree and not afraid of anyone or anything. Newcomer Ahney Her, does a respectable job with her character and is forgiven if her lack of acting talent does not translate well onto the big screen. Ahney is not horrible but there were times you can see a novice actress doing her best with awesome material. But, she does match up well with Clint Eastwood and does a fantastic job getting you to believe in the genuine bond developing between the unusual pair.

Ben Vang is also a newbie and his acting skills are decent but he is in need of some more acting classes. However, his character calls for Thao to walk around with slouch shoulders and talk in whispers because he has no self-confidence and leads a life where his sister tells him what to do - so maybe that's why Vang was a little overshadowed by Ahney's performance. Walt teaches Thao to talk like a man, work with his hands and to gain the type of confidence that gets him to ask a girl out for the first time.

"Gran Torino" is a fantastic movie because of the relationship Walt develops with the Hmong family. They accept him and his anti-social behavior after he successfully helps Sue and Thao get out of some violent situations. Walt begins to grow into the type of accepting and loving relationship he has never had with his two sons and grandchildren.

Eastwood directed this film and he takes his time to tell this story. "Gran Torino" is never boring and there are enough comedic elements to keep everyone entertained. The character development makes you care about everyone in this heart-warming, yet heart-breaking film. Clint is terrific as the aging hero and when he growls at his enemies and walks around with his guns you can't help to say, "you don't want to mess with Clint". It's never unbelievable to think Walt can inflict some serious pain on anyone crossing his path. Walt is able to scare the hell out of you with the squint of his eyes and his cigarette-smoking voice. This is a man that has seen everything and done some despicable things - so, it would behoove the dumbest of criminals to stay out of his way. Of course, they don't...

My only complaint about "Gran Torino" is that it is very predictable. You know what is going to happen and when it's going to happen - but luckily the acting, the script and the awesome direction of Eastwood keeps you enthralled from the very beginning. Think of "Gran Torino" as a retirement film for "Dirty Harry". Now honestly, is that such a bad thing? Trust me...it isn't.

Three Out of Four Subway Cars

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Like Father, Like Son"

2008-12-11T14:13:00.002-05:00

Typical high school senior Chris Hammond (Kirk Cameron) and his father (Dudley Moore), Jack, are about as close as they can get--but they're about to become even closer. When a freak accident causes them to switch bodies, they will learn more about each others lives than they ever expected!

"Like Father, Like Son" (1987) also stars: Sean Astin, Margaret Colin and Patrick O'Neal. Directed by: Rod Daniel (The Super).

Extremely Crappy "Dragonball Evolution" Trailer

2008-12-11T13:47:00.003-05:00

Based on the phenomenally popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama, whose work spawned best selling graphic novels, video games and a phenomenally successful television series, "Dragonball Evolution" centers on the heroic Goku (Justin Chatwin), a powerful warrior who protects the earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name.

"Dragonball Evolution" also stars: James Marsters as Piccolo, Emmy Rossum as Bulma, Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi and Jamie Chung as Chi Chi. Directed by: James Wong (Final Destination 1 & 3).

Awful...just awful. Sure, there's tons of action - but the acting, the setting and the fight scenes look like something out of 1987's "Masters of the Universe" and 1994's "Double Dragon". I would rather juggle a pair of real Dragon's balls than see this at a theater near me.

Expected Release Date: April 8, 2009

Golden Globe Nominations 2009

2008-12-11T09:48:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again movie-lovers. It's awards season, where everyone gets excited or extremely angry when their favorite movies of 2008 does not show up on the nomination list. This year's nods are already getting my blood to a boil! No "Dark Knight" appreciation for Best Picture of the Year? Instead, the Hollywood Foreign Press nominates films I don't plan to watch on the big-screen, with the exception of "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Say bye-bye to high ratings Golden Globes. At least, Heath Ledger was recognized and I'm sure he'll win all the awards given out next year.

The Golden Globes will air on January 11th. Of course, there will be a live blog on that night and I'll post my opinions on all nominations on Friday, January 9th. I hope you'll join me.

Here are your nominations:

BEST PICTURE - DRAMA: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Frost/Nixon", "The Reader", "Revolutionary Road" and "Slumdog Millionaire".

BEST PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL: "Burn After Reading", "Happy-Go-Lucky", "In Bruges", "Mamma Mia" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: "Bolt", "Kung Fu Panda" and "WALL-E".

BEST DIRECTOR - Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), Stephen Daldry ("The Reader"), David Fincher ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Ron Howard ("Frost/Nixon") and Sam Mendes "Revolutionary Road".

BEST ACTOR -DRAMA: Leonardo DiCaprio ("Revolutionary Road"), Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon", Sean Penn ("Milk"), Brad Pitt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler".

BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA: Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Angelina Jolie ("Changeling"), Meryl Streep ("Doubt"), Kristin Scott Thomas ("I've Loved You So Long") and Kate Winslet ("Revolutionary Road").

BEST ACTRESS - COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Rebecca Hall ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"), Sally Hawkins ("Happy-Go-Lucky"), Frances McDormand ("Burn After Reading"), Meryl Streep ("Mamma Mia") and Emma Thompson ("Last Chance Harvey").

BEST ACTOR - COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Javier Bardem ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"), Colin Farrell ("In Bruges"), James Franco ("Pineapple Express"), Brendan Gleeseon, ("In Bruges") and Dustin Hoffman "Last Chance Harvey".

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams ("Doubt"), Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barecelona"), Viola Davis ("Doubt"), Marisa Tomei ("The Wrestler") and Kate Winslet ("The Reader").

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Tom Cruise ("Tropic Thunder"), Robert Downey Jr., ("Tropic Thunder") Ralph Fiennes ("The Duchess"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt") and Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight").

BEST SCREENPLAY: Simon Beaufoy ("Slumdog Millionaire"), David Hare ("The Reader"), Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon"), Eric Roth ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt").

Action-Packed International "Terminator Salvation" Trailer

2008-12-09T13:46:00.003-05:00

In the highly anticipated new installment of "The Terminator" film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

"Terminator Salvation" also stars: Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Common, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham Carter and Roland Kickinger. Directed by: McG (Charlie's Angels).

Well, this trailer is full of explosions, motorcycle chases and a glimpse at the machines and so far it looks great. However, unlike movies that are not dependant on plot as long as there's action galore (e.g. Transformers, Transporter, Bond films) The "Terminator" franchise is different. A fascinating story is what made "Terminator" and especially its sequel "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" amazing and not your typical action flick. "Terminator Salvation" has got to have a good balance of story and action to truly become a success like its predecessors (excluding Terminator 3). Only time will tell....However, this trailer gets an A+ for extreme action.

Expected Release Date: May 22, 2009

Thanks to reader Chris for the trailer heads up

Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor's "I Love You Phillip Morris" Promo Trailer

2008-12-08T10:59:00.003-05:00

Based on a book by Houston Chronicle crime reporter Steve McVicker, the fact-based film casts Carrey as Steven Russell, a married father whose exploits landed him in the Texas criminal justice system. He fell madly in love with his cellmate, who eventually was set free, which led Russell to escape from Texas prisons four times.

"I Love You Phillip Morris" also stars: Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro and Jessica Heap. Directed by: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

This is probably the weirdest trailer I have ever seen. It starts off like a comedy and then out of nowhere Carrey is gay and falling in love with Ewan McGregor. The tone is quickly changed from a comedy to a dramedy love story. I'm surprised to say this - but this actually looks like a good movie.

Expected Release Date: TBD 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/8/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-08T09:43:00.004-05:00

"Four Christmases" holds on to the #1 spot at this weekend's box-office - "Movie crowds kept up their holiday spirit as Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn's comedy "Four Christmases" rang up $18.2 million to lead the box office for a second-straight weekend. Despite the economic downturn, Hollywood continued to outperform last year's holiday season, with revenues up for the fifth weekend in a row. Only one new movie opened in full wide release, Lionsgate's action tale "Punisher: War Zone," which delivered a weak No. 8 debut with $4 million. Based on Marvel Comics' "The Punisher," the movie stars Ray Stevenson in the title role as a vigilante hero going up against a crime boss. In narrower release, Sony's music saga "Cadillac Records" opened solidly with $3.5 million to come in at No. 9. The film features Adrien Brody, Beyonce Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Cedric the Entertainer and Mos Def in the story of legendary blues label Chess Records. Ron Howard's drama "Frost/Nixon" had a huge debut in limited release, taking in $180,147 in just three theaters, averaging a whopping $60,049 a cinema. Sony's James Bond sequel "Quantum of Solace" took in $6.6 million to raise its domestic total to $151.5 million. The film topped the $500 million mark worldwide". Ap.org.

"Twilight" Director Catherine Hardwicke not returning for sequel "New Moon" - "Summit Entertainment and director Catherine Hardwicke jointly announced today that the filmmaker will not be directing the next installment in the newly minted TWILIGHT film franchise. Summit’s targeted end of 2009 or early 2010 release of the film, NEW MOON, does not work with Ms. Hardwicke’s required prep time to bring her vision of the film to the big screen. Thus as has been done before with many successful film franchises, the studio will employ a new director for NEW MOON". Aintitcoolnews.com.

Will Smith discusses "I Am Legend" Prequel and sequels to "Hancock" and "Independence Day" - On "I Am Legend": "Will Smith, who starred as Robert Neville in I Am Legend, told reporters that a proposed prequel film will be set in the final days before human life is wiped out in New York. "It would be the fall of Manhattan, the last American city to fall," Smith said in a group interview on Dec. 5 in Beverly Hills, Calif., where he was promoting Seven Pounds. The prequel film would feature an ensemble of characters dealing with the viral outbreak consuming the world. "The feeling of it that we've been talking about would be essentially Saving Private Ryan," Smith said". On "Hancock 2": "Smith added that he is also mulling sequel ideas to this past summer's Hancock, though development is not as far along as the Legend prequel. Smith proposed that there could be a larger world to Hancock than the first film addressed. "We are currently building out an entire world," he said. "I think people are going to be very surprised at the new world of Hancock." On possible "Independence Day" sequel: "Smith even offered to continue his starmaking role in Independence Day should the filmmakers ever decide to revisit that UFO invasion story. "There was an idea," Smith acknowledged. "[Director] Roland [Emmerich] never loved it, so I'm here if he loves it. I'll consider all ideas." I'm not looking forward to any of these future projects! Scifi.com.

Headlines of the Day - 12/5/08

2008-12-05T14:29:00.005-05:00

Will Smith says there will definitely be a "Hancock 2" - "We [Joblo] just got done talking to Will Smith, who's promoting SEVEN POUNDS, and he told us that we'll "definitely" be seeing a sequel. When we asked Will if he'd ever be up for playing another superhero he replied that there were a lot of unexplored characters in the HANCOCK universe that would be ripe for a sequel and confirmed that we'll definitely see the rumored HANCOCK 2 in a few years". I'd rather see "Wild, Wild West 2". Joblo.com.

The Re-release of "The Dark Knight" gets a January 23rd opening - "Warner Bros. will re-release "The Dark Knight" on Jan. 23 in a nationwide launch, guaranteeing that it will become the fourth film to take in more than $1 billion in worldwide box office. "Knight" has cumed $530.3 million domestically and $465.9 million internationally, leaving it less than $4 million short of the billion-dollar milestone. Only "Titanic," "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" have topped that mark. "Knight" also is the second-highest domestic grosser of all time, trailing only "Titanic." The DVD/Blu-Ray will be released on Tuesday. Variety.com.

Director Len Wiseman (Underworld) is headed to "Atlantis" - "Len Wiseman has signed on to direct a bigscreen adaptation of the apocalyptic sci-fi comicbook "Atlantis Rising" for DreamWorks. Wiseman, who directed the "Underworld" series and "Live Free or Die Hard," also recently signed on to helm another DreamWorks project: the thriller "Motorcade." Created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, "Atlantis Rising" is a five-part miniseries published by Platinum Studios. Story kicks off when seismic disturbances at sea force world militaries to investigate the deepest part of the ocean, where an underground civilization emerges to engage in war with planet Earth". Variety.com.

New Movies Out Today - 12/5/08

2008-12-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

"Punisher: War Zone" - Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz, Wayne Knight and Doug Hutchison. Directed by: Lexi Alexander (Green Street Hooligans).

Plot: Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss, Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.

Thoughts: Here we go folks! Another attempt at making a "Punisher" movie. This time female director Lexi Alexander takes a stab at turning this Marvel "superhero" into a successful big-screen hit. The trailer is filled with loads of action and violent deaths and honestly, that's all the Punisher is...anger, violence and rage! Sure some plot would be nice, but all I want is "oh's and ah's" from some hardcore action and death scenes. Did Lexi finally make a "Punisher" movie that will satisfy Punisher fans? Lets see what happens. Critics felt like they were being Punished for a crime they didn't commit.

"Cadillac Records" - Starring: Adrien Brody, Beyonce Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, Gabrielle Union, Cedric the Entertainer, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Columbus Short and Eamonn Walker. Directed by: Darnell Martin (I Like it Like That).

Plot: The rise and fall of Chess Records, which launched the careers of Muddy Waters, Etta James and Chuck Berry. Leonard Chess scoured the South, checking out the various blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.

Thoughts: Honestly, do we really need another music industry movie? It'll be interesting to see how this flick does at the box-office. I wouldn't be surprised if it bombed, but I wouldn't be surprised if the name Beyonce doesn't get her fans to the theaters. It looks like an intriguing story that I'll watch on DVD. However, it's difficult not wanting to see a movie with really hot women in it! Critics like the combination of cars and music.

In Limited Release:

"Frost/Nixon" - Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon and Oliver Platt. Directed by: Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Willow). Plot: A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. Quick Thought: Fascinating plot, great director and phenomenal actors. Sure, it looks and sounds great - but for some reason I'd rather watch this on DVD. Trailer. 90% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"Nobel Son" - Starring: Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Mary Steenburgen, Eliza Dushku, Shawn Hatosy, Bill Pullman, Dan DeVito and Ted Danson. Directed by: Randall Miller (Class Act, Houseguest). Plot: Barkley Michaelson is in a deep life rut. He's struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his father, the learned Eli Michaelson, wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Barkley and his mother, Sarah, a renowned forensic psychiatrist, now have the ill-fortune of living with a man-eating monster whose philandering ways have gotten less and less discrete. As if Barkley's world is not bad enough, on the eve of his father receiving the Nobel, Barkley is kidnapped and the requested ransom is the $2,000,000 in Nobel prize money. Needless to say, Eli refuses to pay it and so starts a venomous tale of familial dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge. Quick Thought: Eh...looks interesting and Alan Rickman is a cool actor - but this looks like something worth watching on cable. I still love you Eliza Dushku! Trailer. 21% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

See you at the movies!

Full "Friday the 13th" Trailer

2008-12-05T10:52:00.003-05:00

"Friday the 13th" stars: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Willa Ford, Amanda Righetti and Derek Mears as Jason Voorhees. Directed by: Marcus Nispel (Texas Chanisaw Massacre - 2003).

Returning to the story that started it all, this retelling of the original "Friday the 13th" heads back to summer camp where a mysterious killer is systematically slaughtering the teenage camp counselors.

I think fans of "Friday the 13th" will be impressed with this trailer. I know I am! However, this sneak peak suffers from too much information. They may have shown every kill in the movie! Either way, it looks like a heart-pumper with plenty of chills.

Expected Release Date: February 13, 2009

Final "Friday the 13th" Poster

2008-12-04T15:12:00.005-05:00

I literally wet my pants in both fear and excitement when I saw this poster. It looks great! Check out the equally satisfying trailer, here.

Returning to the story that started it all, this retelling of the original "Friday the 13th" heads back to summer camp where a mysterious killer is systematically slaughtering the teenage camp counselors.

"Friday the 13th" stars: Jared Padalecki, Amanda Righetti, Aaron Yoo, Danielle Panabaker, Willa Ford and Derek Mears as Jason Voorhees. Directed by: Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 2003, Pathfinder).

Expected Release Date: February 13, 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/4/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-04T14:35:00.005-05:00

It's Remake Central!!:

Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is the new "Arthur" - "The British comedian [Russell Brand] is developing a remake of "Arthur," the 1981 comedy that starred Dudley Moore, for Warner Bros. as a potential starring vehicle. Brand is meeting with scribes to write the screenplay. The original movie followed a boozy playboy rascal who is set to inherit a fortune if he marries an heiress his family thinks will make something out of him. However, he falls in love with a working-class woman and turns to his valet for help when his family makes him choose between money and love". THR.com.

"Romancing the Stone" getting the remake treatment - "Fox is bringing "Romancing the Stone" to the big screen again, swinging into development a remake of the 1984 adventure movie and tapping Daniel McDermott to write it.The original movie helped launch Robert Zemeckis as a director, turned Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito -- then best known for their TV work -- into film stars and established Kathleen Turner as a romantic lead. "Romancing" told the story of a repressed romance novelist who travels to Colombia to find her missing sister only to meet up with an American soldier of fortune. The two embark on a cross-country adventure involving a map, a jewel and a private police force. Thomas wrote the script while working as a waitress in Malibu. It turned out to be her only produced screenplay; she died in a car crash the year after the film's release". THR.com.

John Carpenter's "They Live" Lives Again - "They Live" is finding life again.John Carpenter's cult 1988 film is getting the remake treatment from Universal and studio-based Strike Entertainment, which are in negotiations to acquire the film rights with rights holder Les Mougins. The original film, part sci-fi thriller and part social satire, told the story of a down-on-his-luck construction worker (Roddy Piper) who discovers glasses that let him see aliens walking among us and controlling humanity. The man races against the clock to find a way to stop them. The movie is known for a fight scene that lasts 5 1/2 minutes and for the line, "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass ... and I'm all out of bubblegum." No writer is on board". THR.com.

Great Looking "Che - Part One" Trailer

2008-12-04T10:24:00.005-05:00

On November 26, 1956, Fidel Castro (Demian Bichir) sails to Cuba with eighty rebels. One of those rebels is Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro), an Argentine doctor who shares a common goal with Fidel Castro - to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Che proves indispensable as a fighter, and quickly grasps the art of guerrilla warfare. As he throws himself into the struggle, Che is embraced by his comrades and the Cuban people. The film tracks Che's rise in the Cuban Revolution, from doctor to commander to revolutionary hero.

"Che - Part I" also stars: Rodrigo Santoro, Franka Potente, Santiago Cabrera, Elvira Minguez and Jorge Perugorria. Directed By: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's 11).

Expected Release Date: December 12th

IFC Films will release the two-part, four hour long picture in New York and Los Angeles on January 9th, with a simultaneous video-on-demand release around the country.

New "Terminator Salvation" Footage

2008-12-04T10:12:00.004-05:00

In the highly anticipated new installment of "The Terminator" film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

"Terminator Salvation" also stars: Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham Carter, Common and Roland Kickinger. Directed by: McG.

Leave it to Entertainment Tonight to ruin a great sneak peak by talking over the damn footage! Can't ET shut the hell up for 35 seconds while the clip is playing? Jeez! Overall, I'm pretty impressed and the robot baddie at the end was pretty cool. So far...so good.

Expected Release Date: May 22, 2009

Old School Trailer of the Week - "Beverly Hills Cop"

2008-12-04T09:58:00.004-05:00

"Beverly Hills Cop" (1984) - Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton and Ronny Cox. Directed by: Martin Brest (Scent of a Woman, Meet Joe Black).

A freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder investigation finds himself dealing with the very different culture of Beverly Hills.

Headlines of the Day - 12/3/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-03T11:34:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: Writer J. Michael Straczynski discusses "World War Z" - Straczynski: “We talk about it as a thriller, the closest comparison being ‘The Bourne Identity,’” explained Straczynski, who’s also penning a “Forbidden Planet” revisiting. “Most zombie movies to this point have been small, focusing on a few people in a house. And this has got real scare. You’re in India with hundreds of boats trying to get out of there with a tidal wave of zombies. The scale of what we’re doing here is phenomenal.” “The fictional concept of the book is that its written by someone with the UN, so let’s tell that story,” he explained. “Let’s show the book being written. We follow this guy all over the world as he goes on these interviews, and he has his own personal story as well. You’re cutting between the past and the present, how he got to this point.” “It has that international feel to it, and because it goes backward and forward in time, we can cherry-pick our favorite moments in the book,” continued Straczynski. “Some of it is crazy in scale. It’s huge. It’s as political as the book was. And it ends with that book being completed.” Great book, great screenwriter and great director. How can this movie go wrong? Moviesblog.mtv.com.

George Miller (Happy Feet) is still on as "Justice League" director - "A representative from Kennedy Miller Mitchell has categorically denied Monday's scoop that Dr. George Miller is off the 'Justice League' project. They have confirmed that Miler did not appear on the ‘Sunrise Morning Show’ let alone discuss anything to do with "Justice League" or "Mad Max". Rumors began months ago that Miller was leaving "Justice League" but were never confirmed and have now been officially shot down by his reps". You can't believe anything you read on the internet these days. Especially, on blogs! Hold up...something seems seriously wrong with that last statement. Darkhorizons.com.

"Punisher: War Zone" Director Lexi Alexander would like to put a "Hex" on us - "At today's press junket for The Punisher, director Lexi Alexander talked about being sent other comic book movie scripts. Not one to settle for that simple of a statement, I asked which scripts she had been sent. She mentioned that she was sent the script for Jonah Hex, and really liked it". Lexi: "Ya. I would change some things in the script, but you know. It's not there yet. I'm sure there's many, many directors up for the same thing". LatinoReview.com.

Kristen Stewart (Twilight) is Joan Jett - "Fresh from the success of "Twilight," Kristen Stewart is set to portray Joan Jett in "The Runaways," the rock 'n' roll biopic of the 1970s all-girl band. Video director Floria Sigismondi wrote the screenplay and is directing. Jett will act as an executive producer. The film will revolve around Jett and [singer-keyboardist Cherie] Currie and follow them from the band's meteoric rise as teenagers to their dissolution and disillusionment. The movie is eyeing a 2009 start and will work around Stewart's commitments to the two "Twilight" sequels. The first one, "New Moon," is expected to shoot sometime in first-quarter 2009, with Stewart reprising her role as Bella, the human who falls for a vampire". THR.com.

Healines of the Day - 12/2/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-02T14:20:00.006-05:00

Rob Zombie returning for "Halloween 2"? - "Too good to let slide until we get some hard facts, a morsel of info has come our way regarding a sequel to Rob Zombie's Halloween. It's been widely reported at this point that Inside helmers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo have parted ways with Dimension Films and Trancas International's proposed Halloween 2, leaving the door open to anyone. An insider phoned in this afternoon exclusively informing ShockTillYouDrop.com that Rob Zombie is going to reprise his duties as director and carry on the new Myers legacy that he forged with Tyler Mane behind the mask". Shocktillyoudrop.com.

New "Twilight Zone" movie heading to the big-screen? - "We [Bloody-disgusting] learned this afternoon from a reliable source that writer-director Joel Anderson is in final talks (meaning he isn't signed on just yet) to pen the screenplay for Warner Bros. Pictures' newest Twilight Zone feature film. In the initial announcement it was revealed that they not seeking to remake an episodic movie, as the only big-screen version of the show did 25 years ago, but rather hope to build one continuing story line based on one or more episodes". Bloody-disgusting.com.

"Punisher" actor ready to take on Denzel Washington - "Ray Stevenson, who opens Friday in the title role of "The Punisher: War Zone," has joined Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis in "Book of Eli," the Alcon-financed drama that Warner Bros. will distribute. Allen and Albert Hughes will direct the pic, which begins shooting in February.
Stevenson will play an enforcer dispatched to kill Eli (Washington) as he fights his way across the American wasteland, protecting a sacred book that may hold the key to saving humanity". Variety.com.

Ray Winstone (Beowulf) is Caesar in Soderbergh's 3-D musical - "We [Mtv] knew about Catherine Zeta-Jones playing Cleopatra and Hugh Jackman as Mark Antony (Soderbergh said he’s waiting by the phone for the official yes from the sexiest man alive). So who is the singing Julius Caesar? It’s Beowulf himself, Ray Winstone, MTV can report straight from Soderbergh’s lips. The director also refured reports that the film is set in the 1920s, saying it’s a period story all the way. So does that mean a trip to Egypt is in order? Nope, it’s all going to be done on backlots, he told me". For more on this interesting but absolutely weird project, check out Moviesblog.mtv.com.

Shia LaBeouf becomes John Grisham's "Associate" - "Paramount Pictures has set Shia LaBeouf to play the title role in the bigscreen version of John Grisham's upcoming legal thriller "The Associate," which the studio has just acquired rights to. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing. LaBeouf will play a student who's about to graduate from Yale Law School when he's manipulated into accepting a job at a prestige law firm and given privileged information about a multibillion-dollar lawsuit. The novel, Grisham's first legal thriller since 2005's "The Broker," will be published in January by Random House". Variety.com.

New DVD Tuesday - 12/2/08

2008-12-02T12:02:00.010-05:00

"Wanted" - Starring: Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Common and Terence Stamp. Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov (Nightwatch).

Plot: A frustrated office worker learns that he is the son of a professional assassin, and that he shares his father's superhuman killing abilities.

Thoughts: "Wanted" is an excellent action movie with fantastic shoot-outs, car chases and eye-popping CGI. Angelina Jolie is absolutely gorgeous and James McAvoy makes a credible action hero. It's also very cool seeing Morgan Freeman curse like he was possessed by the spirit of Samuel L. Jackson. This cool and thrilling ride is a must buy for action lovers and men that can't get enough of Jolie holding a shotgun. Check out my full review, here.

"Step Brothers" - Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins. Directed by: Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights).

Plot: Two spoiled guys become competitive stepbrothers after their single parents get hitched.

Thoughts: Shake and Bake are back and better than ever. "Step Brothers" is a hilarious movie and a must see for Ferrell fans. It's just good to see Will in a movie that doesn't require him to play a sport. The banter between Ferrell and Reilly is the main reason to see this flick. Also, a drum set gets violated, kids bully adults and the supporting cast hold their own next to these movie siblings. See my review, here.

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe" - Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Xzibit and Billy Connolly. Directed by: Chris Carter (Creator of X-Files).

Plot: Mulder and Scully are called back to duty by the FBI when a former priest claims to be receiving psychic visions pertaining to a kidnapped agent.

Thoughts: I was never a fan of the "X-Files" but I enjoyed the movie. Am I excited about this sequel? Nope. Will I watch it anyway? Sure. It's not like I have anything better too do.

"Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" - Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Peter Dinklage and Warwick Davis. Directed by: Andrew Adamson (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe).

Plot: The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian.

Thoughts: "Prince Caspian" was a joy to watch. It's great to see the Pevensie kids all grown up and kicking some serious ass. This sequel to "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" is more action-packed than its predecessor and more dark. There is some great comedy relief provided by Peter Dinklage and the battle scenes are formulaic but still fun to see. It should look great on Blu-Ray.

Julia Robert's and Clive Owen's "Duplicity" Trailer

2008-12-01T15:18:00.003-05:00

A pair of corporate spies who share a steamy past hook up to pull off the ultimate con job on their respective bosses.

"Duplicity" also stars: Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti. Directed by: Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton).

Looks like a fun movie and it's good to see Julia Roberts back on the big-screen. Sure, there are many people out that can't stand her - but I'm not one of those sickies. Also, Clive Owen is a bad ass! As of right now, I'm intrigued...

Expected Release Date: March 20, 2009

Lame "The Ugly Truth" Trailer

2008-12-01T15:00:00.004-05:00

"The Ugly Truth" stars: Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl. Directed by: Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, 21).

A romantically challenged morning show producer (Heigl) is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent (Butler) to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.

Gerard Butler needs to fire his agent! He had the world in the palm of his hands after the extremely successful "300" and he has done nothing but romantic comedy crap since then (excluding RocknRolla)...WTF?!

Expected Release Date: April 3, 2009

Headlines of the Day - 12/1/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-12-01T13:53:00.006-05:00

"Four Christmases" tells "Twilight"..."SUCK IT, YOU VAMPIRE FREAKS"! and grabs the #1 spot at the box-office - "Thanksgiving weekend movie crowds gobbled up the Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn holiday comedy "Four Christmases," which debuted at No. 1 with $31.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Summit Entertainment's vampire romance "Twilight," which had a huge No. 1 opening the previous weekend, took a steep 62 percent decline from its $69.6 million debut and was neck-and-neck for second place with Disney's animated family flick "Bolt." Based on Sunday's estimates, "Bolt" had a slight lead with $26.6 million for the weekend, compared to $26.4 million for "Twilight." Their rankings could change once final numbers are released Monday. The weekend's other new wide release, the Nicole Kidman-Hugh Jackman epic "Australia," opened at No. 5 with $14.8 million for the weekend and $20 million since debuting Wednesday". AP.org.

HBO's cancelled series Rome to hit the big-screen? - "[Rome Creator] Bruno Heller says he wants to produce a theatrical wrap-up to his critically beloved and prematurely canceled HBO drama "Rome." "There is talk of doing a movie version," he said. "It's moving along. It's not there until it is there. I would love to round that show off." The lavish period drama ran for two seasons on HBO, which co-produced the series with the BBC. HBO executives have since admitted that axing the show probably was a mistake. One seeming drawback to revisiting the show after its wrap was the demise of a key lead character, Lucius (Kevin McKidd). Yet Heller reveals that the character's off-camera fate was far from fatal. "It was very deliberate that we saw him drifting away but didn't see him atop a funeral pyre," Heller said". THR.com.

"Beverly Hills Cop IV" Plot Revealed! - "It's been 15 years since Axel Foley was last in Beverly Hills, and screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas needed a good reason to bring him back. That reason comes just a couple of pages into the latest script for Beverly Hills Cop IV (which calls itself Beverly Hills Cop 2009) - Judge Reinhold's Billy Rosewood takes a leap out the 20th story of the Los Angeles Police HQ. When Axel hears that his former partner and best buddy became sidewalk salad he knows it wasn't a suicide and he flies to Beverly Hills to get all the facts for himself". Wow, sounds very original! I mean, this sounds like a plot that was 14 years in the making! Yup, that's my sarcasm acting up again. For more "exciting" details check out the exclusive at Latinoreview.com.

Director George Miller (Happy Feet) is no longer involved with "Justice League of America" - "Appearing on Sydney-based morning talk show "Sunrise" this morning, Aussie filmmaker George Miller confirmed he's no longer involved in the "Justice League" in any capacity. Miller [also] indicated that if the project does get going again, he expects that it'll be recast as "the studios seem to want bigger stars in their superhero movies now." There has been nothing but disappointing news concerning this movie that I no longer care. At this point, I'll be 60-years old and telling my grand kids about the "JL" movie that never was. Then they'll kick my ass in Grand Theft Auto: VIII. Darkhorizons.com.

"Fame" remake gains more cast members and it looks more and more like it'll Premiere on the ABC Family Channel - "Lakeshore and MGM have tapped Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally and Bebe Neuwirth for the roles of instructors and supervisors in the upcoming "Fame" remake. Production begins Wednesday, with Kevin Tancharoen directing. As with the 1980 original, the remake follows dancers, singers, actors and artists from auditions to graduation at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. "Fame" has been set for release Sept. 25". Variety.com.

New Movies Out Today - 11/26/08

2008-11-26T10:14:00.000-05:00

"Australia" - Starring: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Directed by: Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!).

Plot: Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.

Thoughts: I have no interest in this movie at all. I like Kidman and Jackman - but I'm not getting a good vibe from this flick. It looks absolutely beautiful and I'm sure the locales are best viewed on the big-screen - but at a running time of 2 Hours and 45 minutes I'll pass! I'll watch BBC's Planet Earth on Blu-Ray instead. Critics would rather watch a "Crocodile Dundee" marathon.

"Transporter 3" - Starring: Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Francois Berleand and Robert Knepper. Directed by: Olivier Megaton.

Plot: Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another.

Thoughts: I'm a huge fan of the "Transporter" films so I'm looking forward to seeing this action flick. The fighting scenes are always cartoonish and outlandish but that is what is so entertaining about this franchise. Also, Statham is one of the coolest actors around and is the only male alive that makes balding look cool. An added bonus: How can a director named Megaton go wrong? Critics were unimpressed with this Transporter's skills.

"Four Christmases" - Starring: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Kristin Chenoweth, Mary Steenburgen and Jon Favreau. Directed by: Seth Gordon (The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters).

Plot: When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation -and unable to escape -they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened... and their very future together uncertain.

Thoughts: Vaughn is usually very dependable to bring the funny and this holiday comedy looks like it might be pretty decent. "Four Chrsitmases" has a great cast and might be a good film to sit back, relax and have a good time with after spending time cooking or visiting your family for Thanksgiving. Critics say "Bah, Humbug"!

In Limited Release:

"Milk" - Starring: Sean Penn, Allison Pill, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco and Diego Luna. Directed by: Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting). Plot: The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White. Quick Thought: "Milk" looks quite fascinating and Sean Penn may get another Oscar Nomination. I'm really looking forward to some fantastic acting and an intriguing story. It should be good. Trailer. 93% Rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

See you at the movies!

Headlines of the Day - 11/25/08 - UPDATED REGULARLY

2008-11-25T14:01:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Sylvester Stallone ready to make Dolph Lundgren "Expendable" - Stallone reveals he is close to adding his "Rocky IV" rival Drago, to "The Expendables". The project written and directed by Stallone stars international action heroes Jason Statham and Jet Li as mercenary soliders overthrowing a South American dictator. Youtube.com via CHUD.com.

ABC Family Channel to give a "first look" into "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" - "Okay all you aspiring young wizards and Harry Potter fans, in general. We’re certain you were disappointed when Warner Bros. delayed the release of the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” until July, from its previously scheduled roll-out date earlier this month. But never fear, cable network ABC Family is hosting a weekend of four of the “Harry Potter” films PLUS a “first look” at portions of “Half-Blood Prince.” The “Harry Potter” weekend will run on ABC Family December 5-7". Blogs.Reuters.com.

Director Russell Mulcahy to helm "Grimm" tales - "Resident Evil: Extinction" director Russell Mulcahy has signed on to helm Grimm, a new horror film shooting in January that will focus on the tales as opposed to the [Grimm] brothers. In the movie, the Quinn family moves to Marburg, Massachusetts - a town that turns out to be haunted by the most horrific nightmares spawned by the imagination of the Brothers Grimm...." Bloody-disgusting.com.