This movie is packed with superstars and superheroes! It hits theaters in 2012- are you excited?
Legions of Marvel Comic fans can finally get excited. At the end of the box office hit ‘Captain America’ fans were treated to a teasing glimpse of the next huge superhero movie; The Avengers.
With all these superheroes becoming part of one team, we’ll get the chance to see favorites like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson back in action!
In the movie, the world is on the edge of disaster. Director of the super spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) pulls together this legendary group in hopes of saving the day.
The movie is set for release in May of 2012 – just in time for summer!
What do you think of the trailer teaser, HollywoodLifers?
When Jon Favreau said that the summer of 2011 was going to be like Omaha Beach, it’s unlikely he thought his own blockbuster would be one of the casualties. Yet despite mountains of advanced hype, lately the buzz seems a bit quiet on the Cowboys & Aliens front. Does that have to do with the film still being seven weeks from release, or with the somewhat still-born trailers? Whichever the case, Universal is ready to make a push: The studio debuted a new trailer for the genre mash-up during the Guy’s Choice Awards on Friday night, and — well, the results speak for themselves. Click through to watch the best Cowboys & Aliens trailer yet.
Bryan Singer's first two X-Men films were solid. They did a good job of wrangling a lot of different characters, their motivations and back-stories together. It took liberties with the details, but it made for a more realistic portrayal of superherodom. The third film? Well, erm, two out of three ain't bad. It lacked the finesse of the first two, instead falling back on forgettable action sequences and, honestly, it overdosed on superheroes and villains. It lacked storytelling grace. X-Men Origins: Wolverine? That never happened, okay? Move along.
X-Men: First Class is the best of the X-Men films, hands down. It draws on real-world conflicts to form the backbone of the threat in the story, which does wonders for context and a sense of realism. More than that though, it gets the balance of exposition and explosions just right.
After my first viewing, I felt X-Men: First Class was at first a familiar film – but an entirely different beast at heart from its predecessors. It is a mostly patient screenplay, taking its time with character development and feels balanced and compelling as a result.
That's the critical difference; as an origin story for Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto), the entire crux of the story has immense emotional weight. These are two men on opposite sides of the same coin – and Singer's story, while retreading some of Magneto's tormented childhood – does an amazing job of fleshing out his background.
For all their mutant bravado, these are human tales – very simple ones, too. Erik seeks revenge; one of the oldest motivators in drama. His tragic upbringing is given a lot of screen time, and that was the right decision. Not only does his early oppression at the hands of Nazi scientists provide a great comparison to the treatment of mutants by humans years later, but it also hints at somewhat rational motivations for his stance on the superiority of mutants.
Magneto's core story is about mutant segregation and superiority. That's the Nazi party line, in a manner. However, in Bryan Singer's first X-Men films, this is only hinted at. The parallels are drawn on thickly in First Class.
Superhero movies as a genre have advanced to the point where they can't afford to be hokey and lightweight.
Standing (well, sitting) opposed is Xavier; he is motivated to achieve peace through knowledge – and sharing that understanding with society. With First Class' Xavier, we see a totally different portrait to that of Patrick Stewart's poised and restrained interpretation. Here we see a swinging party guy; debonair and cheeky – and his charm carries the story beautifully.
There's still a team of mutants – some familiar, some new faces – to fill sequences with all kinds of eye-popping daring and effects work glory. But the balance is different. It's matured. It's better—and I think it's a sign of good things on the way.
In truth, I think superhero movies as a genre have advanced to the point where they can't afford to be hokey and lightweight. Audiences are too spoilt for quality now; they demand a lot more – and the original text deserves more too. Christopher Nolan's Batman rebirth pointed the way forward and it showed that audiences were as engaged by compelling story and artfully crafted filmmaking as spectacular stunts and dozens of characters on screen. In that way, there are two schools of approach today: the traditionalist and the modern.
The traditional approach apes the flow of a comic book arc and lifts dialogue and tone from the source. The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, X-Men 3 and Ang Lee's Hulk all subscribe to this approach. They're bubblegum, colourful and aimed squarely at fans of the series above all others. And that's cool. It is. But it's not going to win any awards or turn heads that weren't already excited to begin with.
We're as relieved as you are that this turned out to be great.
That's why the 'modern approach', on the other hand, is so vital right now. It's about breaking preconceptions about superhero films; taking clichés and breaking them down. Nolan's Batman took a costumed character tale and turned it into edgy, almost noir crime drama. Iron Man played up the humour and sex appeal – and played the stunts for laughs, making it much more digestible for non-comic book reading viewers. At the same time, it rooted its conflicts and technology within the realm of the plausible. Watchmen uses alternate-history America and wartime violence to flesh out archetypal heroes – and in doing so, makes them human beings who are very flawed and definitely not super.
In X-Men: First Class, it puts superheroics at the secret core of the Cuban missile crisis. It also touches on race relations, equal rights and, tantalizingly, government conspiracies. The link back to Nazism adds further complexity – but it's tied so nicely to the core story that it creates real empathy with the quasi-villain.
What lies ahead for X-Men – specifically the 60s-era First Class? This is the opening chapter of Xavier and Magneto's loose friendship and tighter opposition. As the set-up for the main event, it was fantastic. Fans of the comics will appreciate the ending – and we'll not dare spoil that for you. But it almost doesn't matter what the overarching threat is in the inevitable sequel, because the action is still secondary to the drama between Xavier and Magneto.
This interplay, sitting above the action, is how it should be. If the sequel wants to retain the sense of quality, urgency and emotional impact, keep the drama high and central. Keep the set pieces, of course – I mean, this is an action movie above all. But never neglect that it's the characters (and the audience's feelings towards them) that drive the action. It's what keeps us coming back for more.
The much anticipated collaboration between Rodrigo y Gabriela and Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the summer Pirates of The Caribbean On Stranger Tides is out now. The soundtrack combines several brand new Rodrigo y Gabriela compositions and many of the original Pirates themes from the previous movies with the added unmistakable guitar wizardry of Rod and Gab.
The movie sailed into the Cannes film festival last week and is out now in the US.
Rod and Gab gave 'The Pirate That Should Not Be' a live outing with an orchestra on last week's Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
DisneyPirates 4: Johnny Depp, left, and Geoffry Rush return as Capt. Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa for a ride on stranger tides.
Hollywood's summer movie season officially kicks off Friday, and I don't even have my spray-on tan yet. The first Friday in May is happy time for theater owners who hope to see streams of fans pouring into potential blockbusters for the next four months. And what creative wonders have the movie wizards prepared?
What else? Sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes.
The biggest trend is not content, but format: Several films arrive in pricier 3-D. Also on the horizon, new movies from Terrence Malick, Jodie Foster, John Lasseter and Jon Favreau, who has combined two of our favorite genres for "Cowboys & Aliens." A sneak peek at the next 16 weeks of cinema:
MAY
Friday, May 13
"Bridesmaids"
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, John Hamm.
Buzz: A longtime single woman watches her best friend walk down the aisle and must find a new life. Plugged as the "female 'Hangover,' " but with more sex. "Saturday Night Live's" Wiig co-wrote and stars.
"Everything Must Go"
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Laura Dern.
Buzz: After a man loses his wife and his job on the same day, he moves into his front yard. Based on Raymond Carver's short story "Why Don't You Dance?"
"Priest"
Cast: Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, Maggie Q, Christopher Plummer.
Buzz: An angry warrior priest battles vampires in a post-apocalypticworld. And in 3-D. Homilies will never be the same.
Friday, May 20
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush.
Buzz: The third one was kind of lame, or was it the second one? Oh, well. Capt. Jack Sparrow returns to find the Fountain of Youth and battle Blackbeard (Ian McShane) in 3-D.
Thursday, May 26
"The Hangover Part II"
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis.
Buzz: The first "Hangover" was sharply made, hilarious and, refreshingly, not your typical bawdy comedy. No. 2 is already beset by semicontroversy (Mel Gibson was denied a role after some cast members objected, PETA objected to the treatment of monkeys, and Mike Tyson's tattoo artist is suing), but prospects are good for giggles. The main cast remains intact, and this time the lads are headed for trouble in Bangkok.
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
Cast: Voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan.
Buzz: Po and the Furious Five take on a new villain in the not-so-aptly named Valley of Peace.
Friday, May 27
"The Beaver"
Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin.
Buzz: A deeply depressed man communicates through a beaver hand puppet with a British accent. Gibson's various offending-everyone antics delayed the release of this film for months. The classy Foster alsodirects.
Also in May: Michelle Williams shakes things up on the rugged Oregon Trail circa 1845 in "Meek's Cutoff" . . . "Super Size Me's" Morgan Spurlock dissects branding and marketing in "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" . . . A veteran New York Times photographer is celebrated in "Bill Cunningham New York" . . . and the struggles of a 14-year-old are explored in the World War II drama "Winter in Wartime."
JUNE
Friday, June 3
"X-Men: First Class"
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, January Jones.
Buzz: McAvoy, as Charles Xavier, has a gift for turning potentially predictable roles into memorable turns, so there may be hope for the latest "X-Men," an origins story that takes us back to 1963 and the Cold War. Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") plays Mystique.
Friday, June 10
"Super 8"
Cast: Gabriel Basso, Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney.
Buzz: A hybrid of home movies and alien horrors from writer-director J.J. Abrams. Strange things start happening in a small Ohio town in 1979. (Set but not shot here.)
Buzz: Megan McDonald's book series comes to the screen with Beatty as Moody, a third-grader determined to beat the summer blahs.
Friday, June 17
"Mr. Popper's Penguins"
Cast: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury.
Buzz: In this family comedy, Mr. Popper's problem is a shipment from Antarctica that includes six slap-happy penguins. Cue the cuteness.
"Green Lantern"
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard.
Buzz: The superhero is re-imagined with Reynolds as Hal Jordan, the dude with the special ring and intergalactic responsibilities.
Friday, June 24
"Cars 2"
Cast: Voices of Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt.
Buzz: Pixar genius John Lasseter returns to put pedal to metal with LightningMcQueen and Mater traveling overseas for a big race and super spy-jinks thanks to new cars Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer).
"Bad Teacher"
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel, Lucy Punch.
Buzz: As the title suggests, Elizabeth (Diaz) is a crummy educator. She does, however, have a plan to marry a meal ticket and escape the classroom. Former love buddies Diaz and Timberlake buried the breakup hatchet and agreed to co-star.
Also in June: Terrence Malick's long-awaited, "The Tree of Life" with Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain . . . Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts in "The Art of Getting By" (formerly titled "Homework") . . . Mike Mills' "Beginners," with Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer . . . and the adaptation of Joe Dunthorne's novel, "Submarine," about a 15-year-old trying to save his parents' marriage.
Buzz: Megan Fox was dumped for Huntington-Whiteley, but LaBeouf is back for No. 3 as the Autobots discover a lunar secret. The first "Transformers" was an absolute blast. No. 2 was a mammoth drag. Director Michael Bay, the master of excess, owes us one.
Buzz: This summer's lots-of-cute-guys movie is aimed squarely at the young-girl demographic. A romantic comedy in which a teen is mistaken for an heiress and reaps the attendant high-life benefits.
"Larry Crowne"
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts.
Buzz: It's the first feature film Hanks has directed since "That Thing You Do" in 1996, and he's in good company. He co-wrote the script -- about a recently fired guy who heads to community college -- with Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"), and cast Roberts as his love-interest teacher.
Friday, July 8
"Zookeeper"
Cast: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb.
Buzz: A romance-challenged zookeeper discovers a scary secret about his animals: They talk. A mixture of live-action and CGI, with the voices of Cher, Adam Sandler and Nick Nolte.
"Horrible Bosses"
Cast: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis.
Buzz: The universal fantasy of ousting awful employers is played out by three working stiffs who have a diabolical idea for getting rid of Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell and Kevin Spacey.
Friday, July 15
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.
Buzz: Did they really need to mess with a good thing by adding 3-D to the Hogwarts equation? There's plenty to delve into in Harry's world without added gimmicks, but Warner Bros. is going all out as it says farewell to the wildly profitable series. Hard to believe it all began in November 2001, four years after J.K. Rowling published her first Harry book in England. What a ride.
"Winnie the Pooh"
Cast: Voices of Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson, Tom Kenny.
Buzz: Disney returns to A.A. Milne's Hundred Acre Wood for new adventures with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit and the gang. Created using the old-fashioned method: hand-drawn animation.
Friday, July 22
"Captain America: The First Avenger"
Cast: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving.
Buzz: Marvel hopes for more marvelousness as Steve Rogers (Evans) is transformed into a supersoldier to take on the Red Skull (Weaving).
"Friends With Benefits"
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson.
Buzz: Didn't Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher just make this movie? They did, except it was called "No Strings Attached." Timberlake and Kunis are the new comely duo. Two friends share a bed. Issues ensue.
Friday, July 2
"Cowboys & Aliens"
Cast: Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford.
Buzz: Things get a little weird in the OldWest of 1873when outer-space interlopers arrive.
"Crazy, Stupid, Love"
Cast: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone.
Buzz: Recently separated Cal (Carell) becomes the wingman for a real player (Gosling) and learns the ways of modern romance.
"The Smurfs"
Cast: Neil Patrick Harris and the voices of Katy Perry and Jonathan Winters.
Buzz: The blue brigade lands in New York City in a blend of live action, animation and 3-D.
Also in July: Kristin Scott Thomas plays a journalist in "Sarah's Key" . . . 19th-century China is seen through the eyes of two young girls in Wayne Wang's "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" . . . "The Devil's Double" charts 1980s intrigue in Baghdad . . . and "Another Earth" ponders the discovery of a duplicate planet.
AUGUST
Friday, August 5
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Cast: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow.
Buzz: The umpteenth rendering of man and primate defying evolutionary and cultural codes. The apes are CGI and not played by Roddy McDowell.
"The Change-Up"
Cast: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Olivia Wilde.
Buzz: Bateman and Reynolds switch bodies. See: "Freaky Friday," "13 Going on 30," "Like Father Like Son," "The Hot Chick," "17 Again" et al.
Friday, August 12
"The Help"
Cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer.
Buzz: Kathryn Stockett's best seller about improbable friendships and black housekeepers in early 1960s Mississippi comes to the screen in the hands of Tate Taylor (an old friend of Stockett's). The terrific cast includes Cicely Tyson and Sissy Spacek.
"30 Minutes or Less"
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari.
Buzz: A pizza-delivery dude is kidnapped and forced to rob a bank in this action-comedy from "Zombieland" director Ruben Fleischer.
Friday, August 19
"One Day"
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Patricia Clarkson.
Buzz: Glimpsed on July 15, on and off for two decades, the friendship/love of Em and Dex evolves. Director Lone Scherfig's ("An Education") take on David Nicholls' novel.
"Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World"
Cast: Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale
Buzz: A couple of 10-year-olds (Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook) are needed to save their mom, the world or both.
"Conan the Barbarian"
Cast: Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang.
Buzz: No Arnold this time. It's Jason Momoa (from "Game of Thrones") as the Big C, fighting to save the nations of Hyboria from supernatural evil.
"Fright Night"
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Buzz: Another night, another remake. Yelchin stars as Charlie Brewster, a high school senior who has some bloodsucking suspicions about his mysterious new neighbor.
Also in August: Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce scream in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" . . . Elizabeth Banks and Paul Rudd look for laughs in "Our Idiot Brother" . . . Emma Bell and Nicholas D'Agosto go thrill-seeking in "Final Destination 5" . . .Juno Temple and Jeremy Dozier star in "Dirty Girl" . . . and the space mission saga "Apollo 18" arrives early from its previously announced 2012 release date.
The first full Hangover Part II trailer has arrived, and if it looks familiar, it’s because they seem to be using pretty much the same plot used on the first one.
Here’s what’s up according to the trailer: This time Stu is the one getting married and the boys go partying, only to wake up in a disgusting hotel room with no memory of what happened the night before. They’ve lost someone (someone different this time) and they set out to find him. That’s also the plot of the first movie, except this time it takes place in Bangkok and there’s a monkey. Good. Really isn’t that all we want out of a Hangover sequel? I’m in.
Watch the first full trailer for The Hangover Part II below.
The Hangover Part II arrives in theaters May 26th with the following tagline: "What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined." That feels about right.
For more on the movie including other Hangover Part II trailers, video, and images visit its page in our BFD.
From a distance, it might look like the summer of 2011 is going to be dominated by superheroes, but in fact, it’s a smash hit from two years ago that looks to be setting the agenda at the multiplexes. The colossal gross of “The Hangover” in 2009 revived the fading R-rated comedy genre, and between May and August this year, we won’t just see the sequel to that film, but a number of equally potty-mouthed comedies that hope to follow in its footsteps. In the space of only a few months, we’ve got “Bridesmaids,” “The Sitter,” “Friends With Benefits,” “Horrible Bosses,” “The Change-Up,” and “30 Minutes or Less.” all of which will be R-rated and proud, and jostling for a place at the marketplace.
One of the contenders that’s been flying relatively low on the radar to date is “Bad Teacher,” a Black Listed script from Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, writers of “The Office” and (whisper it) “Year One.” The film toplines Cameron Diaz, as a gold-digging teacher who sets her sights on the wealthy new substitute teacher (Justin Timberlake) who is the heir to a fortune and co-stars Jason Segal, rising star Lucy Punch, John Michael Higgins and “The Office” supporting player Phyllis Smith. It’s helmed by Jake Kasdan, veteran of TV work like “Freaks & Geeks,” as well as features “Orange County” and “Walk Hard,” among others.
Myspace, which apparently still exists, (via Empire) debuted the first look at the comedy overnight in the form of a red-band trailer, and you can watch it below. Having enjoyed the script, we were cautiously optimistic about this, but the trailer hasn’t made the film out to be a home-run quite yet. There are a few moments that raise a smile, certainly—Diaz looks to be on better form than she’s been in a while (for one thing, she has lines, and a purpose in the plot, so it’s an improvement on “The Green Hornet”), and the foul-mouthed, child-beating character seems reminiscent of the modern classic “Bad Santa” (indeed, part of us hopes it marks the start of a “Confessions of a…”-style franchise: “Bad Airline Pilot?” “Bad Surgeon?” “Bad Screenwriter?”).
But not all of the jokes land, by any means (can we please consign the ‘sexy carwash’ scene to the comedy dustbin?), and neither Stupnitsky and Eisenberg, who again, were behind the nearly unwatchable “Year One,” or Kasdan, who’s never fully followed up the promise of his precocious debut, the chronically underrated “Zero Effect,” have solid enough track records to make us feel on totally concrete ground here. We’ll find out which way it goes when the movie opens on June 17th, but for the moment, we’re still behind “Bridesmaids” as our sweary-lady-comedy pick of the summer.
There’s been almost no real movement on the eagerly anticipated, long-gestating Ghostbusters 3 for months. Because of that there’s been no reason to believe the movie, despite the best intentions of people like Ivan Reitman
and Dan Akyroyd, will ever happen at all let alone any time soon. Except now, out of nowhere, not only does the oft reliable Production Weekly believe it’s happening, they believe Sony has actually set a start date for filming.
plans to put an Ivan Reitman directed Ghostbusters 3 into production in May of 2011. If true, that could mean you’ll see a Ghostbusters 3 in theaters during the summer of 2012.
Yet even Production Weekly seems a little uncertain on this rumor and if you’ve been following the somewhat tortured production process of Ghostbusters 3 at all, you know there are a lot of road blocks they’ll need to clear out of the way before they can begin filming in earnest. The biggest road block is Bill Murray who, up till now, has shown no sign of actually being interested in doing this movie. He’s demanded they kill him off, trashed the script, loudly proclaimed that he doesn’t think it’ll ever happen, and generally sounded like he simply doesn’t want it to. And without Venkman, there is no Ghostbusterssequel.
A few weeks ago, though, he did show up at the Scream Awards in full Ghostbusters regalia. Was that a sign that he’s had a change of heart and it’s full speed ahead on Ghostbusters 3? We’ll have more on this as it develops.
Spooky exorcisms are a staple among horror movies. But the latest trailer for the new Eli Roth-produced exorcism film has us wondering: Can this shaky cam "real life" film be half as frightening as the original Exorcist?
Some of the scenes in this trailer look horrifying, while others look very shaky-cam and shticky. But it is being produced by Roth, who knows how to get the audience to jump out of its seats. Here's the official synopsis:
A troubled evangelical minister agrees to let his last exorcism be filmed by a documentary crew.
Ah, summer. Traditionally, it's the time of big, rousing blockbusters ... and 2010 is no different, with some notable exceptions. In anticipation of the season, we've rounded up 25 films we -- and the moviegoing public in general -- are most looking forward to (in order of release date). As expected, it's a mixed bag, style-wise -- dramas, romances, straight-up action flicks, screwball comedies and, in many cases, hybrids of those genres. In other words, there's something for everyone.
And it looks like summer is already off to a good start: According to pre-sale figures, the highly anticipated 'Sex and the City 2' sequel recently outsold current releases like 'Kick-Ass.'
As for general themes, we have the expected 3-D productions, yet more adaptations of comic/graphic novel heroes (and anti-heroes), some hotly anticipated sequels/series, and several heaping servings of action. It's safe to say that budgets were not spared in the making of most of these movies, all the better to impress us. And we're ready to be impressed. Here's why we're psyched about summer 2010:
1) We can't wait to see Mickey Rourke whip it good The prospect of Robert Downey, Jr. wisecracking and ass-kicking again is enticing enough, but the addition of a Russian-accented Mickey Rourke as supervillain Ivan Vanko/Whiplash in 'Iron Man 2' is some serious icing on the cake. Add Scarlett Johansson as undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. spy Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and Don Cheadle as Lt. Colonel James 'Rhodey' Rhodes (replacing Terrence Howard), and we have one hot sequel on our hands. (May 7)
2) We're fascinated by 'Babies' This new doc, described as a wildlife film about human babies, is appealing on many levels: multicultural, educational, inspirational, and -- not least of all -- profoundly cute. A beautifully-filmed chronicle of the first year in the life of four infants from different parts of the world (Namibia, Tokyo, Mongolia and San Francisco), 'Babies' could be the feel-good movie of the summer. Or entire year. (May 7)
3) Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe re-team for an epic action flick The last time Crowe played a fighting machine in a Scott-directed epic ('Gladiator'), the results were excellent. Let's see if they can work the same magic in this muscled-up tale of 'Robin Hood,' the legendary archer who becomes an outlaw crusader for the downtrodden. Also on board are ubiquitous dastard (-portrayer) Mark Strong as bad King John's right-hand man and Cate Blanchett as love interest Lady Marian. We're betting (hoping!) she gets to do battle, too. (May 14)
4) Amanda Seyfried perks up Vanessa Redgrave's love life What would the season be without some major romance? Not many films are capable of engaging a wide age demographic, but 'Letters to Juliet' might do just that. While visiting Verona, Italy, Seyfried's character joins a group that answers letters written to the town's most famous fictional citizen, Juliet Capulet, seeking love advice. When she tracks down the author (Redgrave) of a 1957 missive and inspires her to pursue a long-lost love, big changes occur in both their lives. (May 14)
5) We pity the fool who's not impressed with this cast The popular '80s TV series 'The A-Team' has been updated (the Vietnam vets turned soldiers for hire are now Iraqi vets) and bulked up for the big screen, with an notably charismatic cast: Liam Neeson as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Sharlto Copley ('District 9') as Capt. "Howling Mad" Murdock, and, last but not least, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson stepping into the sizable shoes of Mr. T. (With Jessica Biel as Lt. Carissa Sosa.) For nostalgia freaks and action fans alike. (May 14)
6) The first 'Saturday Night Live' skit-turned-movie since 'Wayne's World' we're actually excited about Rumor has it that 'MacGruber' may singlehandedly redeem years of 'SNL' skits stretched painfully beyond their limits. First-time film director (and 'SNL' vet) Jorma Taccone brings us the bumbling yet intrepid title sleuth (a fully-committed Will Forte), who, along with his trusty assistant Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig), must defeat deliciously evil Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer) before he destroys Washington, D.C., with a nuclear warhead. (May 21)
7) 'Shrek' is going out with a bang In 'Shrek Forever After,' the latest and final installment of the animated series, everyone's favorite ogre (Mike Myers) is duped into signing a pact with wheeler-dealer Rumpelstiltskin, resulting in an alternate universe where ogres are hunted and neither Fiona (Cameron Diaz) nor Shrek's friends recognize him. And, most shockingly, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) has allowed himself to get very fat, which should be especially impressive in 3D. (May 21)
8) Sex and the Desert There are plenty of rumors floating around about possible plot developments in 'Sex and the City 2' (Carrie pregnancy? Another wedding? Liza Minnelli appearance?) -- which is already selling out and looking to top the original's $415 million box-office take, by the way -- but a couple of things are certain, unless the trailer is completely misleading: 1) the ladies of 'SATC' travel to and traipse around Abu Dhabi, where Carrie runs into ex-fiancé Aidan (John Corbett) and 2) many fabulous outfits are worn. That's enough for us. (May 27)
9) First-time action hero Jake Gyllenhaal sports biceps and a British accent Gyllenhaal has played a lot of things in his career, but a swashbuckling sixth-century Persian prince is something else entirely. So it'll be interesting to see how he fares in 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,' a video game-inspired fantasy adventure about a young royal who must save the world from an evil villain (Ben Kingsley) with the help of a gorgeous, no-nonsense princess sidekick (Gemma Arterton). We'll say this: Jake may not look Persian, but his physical transformation is, um, remarkable. Mike Newell ('Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire') directs. (May 28)
10) We wanted more Snow, and we got it Brit comedian/renaissance man Russell Brand nearly stole 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' with his hilariously arrogant (yet sensitive) rock star Aldous Snow. So 'Marshall' writer/star (Jason Segel) and director (Nick Stoller) created spinoff 'Get Him to the Greek,' starring Jonah Hill (another 'Marshall' alum) as a music label intern whose boss (Sean Combs!) assigns him to escort the out-of-control rocker to a very important gig. Let the mishaps begin! (June 4)
11) Josh Brolin and John Malkovich duke it out in the Wild, Weird West A supernatural Western based on the '70s-era DC comic antihero of the same name, 'Jonah Hex' stars the excellent Brolin as the scarred gunslinger/bounty hunter who's asked by the U.S. military to track down notorious criminal and personal archnemesis Quentin Turnbull (Malkovich, who will no doubt be bad-ass). Megan Fox, playing Hex's love interest, offers eye candy. (June 18)
12) Long time no see, Buzz and Woody It's been over a decade since 'Toy Story 2' (1999), and Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the gang have been sorely missed. Now, with Andy heading off to college (college!), the toys are understandably worried about their future. In the latest installment, they get ravaged by pre-schoolers at a daycare center, Buzz is reset so that he speaks Spanish and a love-struck Ken doll (Michael Keaton) joins the ensemble. Will the 3-D 'Toy Story 3' be as awesome as its 2-D predecessors? Very likely. (June 18)
13) Why Can't We All Be Friends? Seattle is beset by mysterious mass murders, which is bad enough -- but tensions continue to mount between Edward (Robert Pattinson), the love of Bella's (Kristen Stewart) life, and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), her extra-special friend. Must she finally choose between them, knowing that the ramifications of her decision will inflame the whole vampire vs. werewolf situation? How much can one 18-year-old take? We'll find out in 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,' the third installment of the mega-successful series. (June 30)
14) M. Night Shyamalan tries on fantasy adventure Despite his less-than-stellar recent projects, Shyamalan might be onto something really good with 'The Last Airbender,' his adaptation of the much-loved TV series. The family fantasy/adventure about a 12-year-old boy (Noah Ringer) who is the only hope for restoring balance to a world beset by chaos marks Shyamalan's first foray into this genre, but judging from the visually arresting trailer, he may have found the key to his cinematic redemption. (July 2)
15) Tom Cruise can be very, very funny Say what you will about Cruise, but he has a real knack for comedy ('Tropic Thunder'). That's why we're looking forward to action-comedy 'Knight and Day,' in which he and Cameron Diaz (no slouch in the laughs department herself) play a fugitive couple who travel the globe to escape capture by a federal agent (Peter Sarsgaard, another big plus). (July 2)
16) Julianne Moore and Annette Bening, together for the first time Most of the hype about 'The Kids are All Right' understandably surrounds the fact that Moore and Bening, two of America's most acclaimed actresses, play a romantic couple. But Lisa Cholodenko's ('High Art,''Laurel Canyon') movie, in which the duo's children (Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson) seek out their biological father (Mark Ruffalo), promises to be as perceptive as it is funny. The director's known to get extraordinary performances out of her actors, and this should be no exception. (July 2)
18) Good news: New York City has a sorcerer. Better news: It's Nicolas Cage Cage has made some questionable film choices, but he's also one of the most charismatic actors alive. The folks responsible for 'National Treasure' have returned with the comedy-adventure 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice,' starring Cage as modern-day sorcerer Balthazar Blake and Jay Baruchel as his reluctant protege. The duo must use magic to stop the forces of darkness and save New York City. Maybe it's the excellent setting or the insane gleam in Cage's eye, but this looks like a ton o' fun. (July 16)
19) Enough Carell for the entire family Rejoice, Steve Carell fans, for he appears this summer in two very different incarnations. In 3-D animated 'Despicable Me' (July 9), he voices the wicked Gru, whose plot to steal the moon is derailed by three orphans who decide that he should adopt them. In 'Dinner for Schmucks' (a remake of French farce 'The Dinner Game'), he plays a buffoonish IRS employee invited by a rising executive (Paul Rudd) to attend a dinner given by his boss. The attendee with the most idiotic guest wins. You know he'll just kill in both roles. (July 23)
20) Robert Duvall plans his own funeral with undertaker Bill Murray Three screen veterans grace the low-key drama 'Get Low'(Sissy Spacek also stars) based on the true story of a man in Depression-era Tennessee who holds his own funeral while he's still alive. The actors give amazing performances in a movie that covers a spectrum of themes (love, guilt, forgiveness) and does it very well. (Plus we can never get enough of Murray's deadpan sarcasm.) (July 30)
22) How many action heroes does it take to topple a dictator? ... Judging by the Sylvester Stallone-directed 'The Expendables,' about a dozen, give or take. The plot of this ensemble action flick -- a group of mercenaries undertake a near-impossible operation to overthrow a South American dictator -- is almost beside the point. We're figuring some of the all-star cast are probably just cameo roles, but still: Stallone himself, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, plus Bruce Willis and an appearance by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger! Enough said! (August 13)
23) Michael Cera tackles seven sinister ex-boyfriends The highly anticipated adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's Oni Press graphic novel, 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' features Cera as the title rocker who battles a formidable assortment of his new love's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) jealous ex-boyfriends for her hand (and his life). Edgar Wright ('Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz') directs -- a very good sign. (August 13)
24) The Three Js could be the charm Even those who weren't completely smitten by the best-selling memoir must be a mite curious about the film adaptation of 'Eat, Pray, Love.' For one, Julia Roberts stars as Liz Gilbert, the woman who gives up a life of domesticity to travel to Italy, India and Bali to engage in the three title verbs. That Javier Bardem and James Franco are on board bodes well for this journey of self-exploration. (August 13)
25) Chris Brown, T.I. and Hayden Christensen, notorious badasses 'Takers' features a rather unusual cast (Idris Elba, Paul Walker and Michael Ealy in addition to the above-mentioned three) playing a gang of infamous, unbeatable criminals, which makes us very curious about this stylish-looking action/crime flick. The plot concerns (yep) one last high-stakes job and a hardened detective (Matt Dillon) who tries to intercept it. (August 20) For more, check out Indiewire's summer preview of 25 films you need to see this season.
Posted by Rob Hunter (rob@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 3, 2009
The summer’s almost over, and so far it’s been an incredibly mixed bag movie-wise. Star Trek, The Hangover, and Harry Potter are some of the few deserving wins on the box-office side while most of the supposed summer blockbusters including X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Terminator: Salvation, Bruno, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen all failed to make a financial mark (yeah, that last one was just wishful thinking because the movie sucked so much ass). Quality-wise, many of the summer’s best films have actually been of the decidedly smaller variety including 500 Days of Summer, The Hurt Locker, Moon, and Away We Go.
Which brings us to the final month of summer 2009…
What is it? Hasbro’s most popular toy line for boys comes to life with an advance military team of real American heroes fighting against an evil organization with cool gadgets, deadly weapons, and kung-fu grips.
What about it? Has there ever been a film that received more negative pre-release buzz than GI Joe? The past few months have seen random bits of criticism about the movie get amplified across the web by just about every movie site (including this one). The reports were based on anonymous sources, advance screening reviews, and pure speculation, and were legitimate news items for the most part… but if a select group of web journalists are to be believed all that negativity was pure bullshit. Director Stephen Sommers has never made a great movie, but the new advance buzz says that may be about to change. At least for ten year old boys.
What is it? Writer/director Nora Ephron turns two books into a single movie. One is an autobiography from Julia Child and the other is by a blogger who cooked her way through Child’s most popular French cookbook over the course of a year.
What about it? Ephron’s name on the director chair doesn’t exactly instill confidence. Her last worthwhile movie was 1993’s Sleepless In Seattle (shut it haters, it was a good movie), and having seen Julie & Julia I can say that while it’s her best work since 1993 it’s still a pretty average film. Amy Adams is at her most delightful though and Meryl Streep has an absolute blast mimicking Child’s vocal stylings.
What is it? Newlyweds honeymooning in Hawaii cross paths with two other couples… and at least one of them is a killer. Although I’m betting that by film’s end they’ll all turn out to be killers.
What about it? Writer/director David Twohy is fairly reliable in his genre work… he’s written and/or directed Pitch Black, Below, The Fugitive, Waterworld, and more. The trailer looks cool (even if it does appear to give away a bit too much), and the cast including Timothy Olyphant, Steve Zahn, Chris Hemsworth, and Milla Jovovich is pretty solid.
Watch the Trailer:
In Limited Release:
Cold Souls- Paul Giamatti channels John Malkovich and plays himself in this meta comedy. He pays a company to remove his soul temporarily only to see it get stolen and trafficked abroad. The question is will he want to wait for the soul mule to poop out the balloon? [More: Watch the Trailer; Read Neil Miller's Review]
Paper Heart- The oddly adorable Charlyne Yi wrote and stars in this documentary/romantic comedy that finds her on a quest to understand love. Who knew that journey would lead her to Michael Cera? [More: Watch the Trailer; Read Neil Miller's Review]
What is it? A group of teen outcasts with music in their hearts and crotches form a band. The scrappy group enters the biggest music competition in town… can they pull it together enough to pull it off and win?
What about it? Didn’t star Vanessa Hudgens already cover this ground in High School Musical?
What is it? Alien ships appear above South Africa and the visitors are forced to live in refugee-like slums behind fences and armed guards. They just want to go home but the humans won’t let them leave… a decision they’ll regret when a federal agent is accidentally exposed to an alien gas and all hell breaks loose.
What about it? Regardless of Neil’s claim that Iron Man 2 was the big winner out of Comic Con this year, District 9 is the one that wowed me the most. (And no, I wasn’t there.) The movie’s first half reportedly lays down a not-so-subtle message about racism and apartheid before kicking things into high gear with giant robots, fierce action sequences, and gobs of blood. This may just be the sci-fi blockbuster that puts all the others to shame this year.
What is it? A remake of Used Cars apparently… Jeremy Piven and a bunch of other funny guys race to sell out a used car lot in a short amount of time.
What about it?The Goods is from the writers behind Balls Out and I’m hoping they’ve stepped up their comedic skills since then (so I don’t get another passive aggressive email from one half of the writing team). The trailer looks kind of flat, but I find it hard to believe having a cast this talented hasn’t resulted in a funny movie.
What is it? A woman falls in love with a man who travels uncontrollably through time. He appears to her in her childhood (but after he’s already met and loved her adult self in the future) and plants the seed reserves a space for his future love in her heart. Sounds more perverted and unethical than romantic doesn’t it?
What about it? Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams star as the couple and both of them are solid actors, but the love story at play here has a huge hurdle to overcome with the whole time travel without purpose shtick.
Watch the Trailer:
In Limited Release
It Might Get Loud- Jimmy Page. The Edge. Jack White. One of these things is not like the others… but that doesn’t stop the three axemen from getting together for a rocking documentary about the electric guitar. [More: Watch the Trailer]
Ponyo- Hayao Miyazaki’s first animated feature since his last one follows the adventures of a sea slug that becomes a boy on a quest to save the planet. Or something. [More: Watch the Trailer]
Spread- Ashton Kutcher has lots of casual sex and learns valuable lessons along the way. I can only assume one of them involves teaching old dogs new tricks. [More: Watch the Trailer]
What is it? Quentin Tarantino’s World War II opus about a squad of soldiers romping around Europe scalping Nazis. The question is would they still do it if Ticketmaster didn’t charge those damn extra fees?
What about it? Advance word is exactly what we should expect from Tarantino… lots of talking, very little action.Is that a bad thing? Probably not since Tarantino’s strength is definitely with dialogue. And Brad Pitt’s accent aside, early footage has looked fairly promising as well.
What about it? It’s release is three weeks away, but the movie has had little to no advance publicity. So according to IMDB, Alexis Bledel stars as a young woman trying to get her life together. Sounds pretty generic but the supporting cast looks interesting… Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Carol Burnett, Craig Robinson, Fred Armisen…
What is it? A little nerd finds a stone that makes technicolor wishes come true. Sadly, all of his wishes involve CGI (and none of them involve hot, naked women).
What about it? This looks like a slight step up from Robert Rodriguez’ previous movies for rugrats with ADD, but that’s not saying much. The premise and the constant projectile CGI should keep the target audience happy.
World’s Greatest Dad – Bobcat Goldthwait wrote and directed this dark comedy that stars Robin Williams as father to the worst son ever. The ads are doing a fantastic job of concealing a major plot point so I’m going to go masturbate in the closet with a necktie instead of ruining it for you here. [More: Watch the Trailer; Read Neil Miller's Review]
What is it? Death comes calling for a fourth time as the franchise embraces the third dimension with gusto.
What about it? The Final Destination series has followed the law of diminishing returns, but the intricate deaths have continued to entertain. The gory and precise set-pieces are extremely well-suited to 3-D and almost guarantee the movie will be a blast to watch in theaters.
What about it? I’m no fan of Of Rob Zombie’s films, but the Halloween remake is the best of his three. And that’s even with that annoying as hell little girl playing a young Michael Myers. The sequel apparently still includes some flashbacks to the pre-teen serial killer, but most of the film should focus on the towering adult cutting a swathe through town.
What is it?Ang Lee takes a comedic look at the true story behind the original Woodstock music festival.
What about it? Demitri Martin takes the lead role and is joined by a muddy Emile Hirsch and a dress-wearing Liev Schreiber. Lee makes consistently good and occasionally great movies, and he knows no bounds when it comes to genres. This is his first comedy since Eat Drink Man Woman so there’s that.
Watch the Trailer:
In Limited Release
The September Issue – A documentary about fashion and magazine publishing that focuses on Anna Wintour and the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue. Will it be as powerful and emotionally devastating as Dear Zachary? It is Vogue’s most important issue of the year after all. [More: Watch the Trailer]
Which movies are you excited about in August? Which ones will you avoid?
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
Ah, summer. Traditionally, it's the time of big, rousing blockbusters ... and 2010 is no different, with some notable exceptions. In anticipation of the season, we've rounded up 25 films we -- and the moviegoing public in general -- are most looking forward to (in order of release date). As expected, it's a mixed bag, style-wise -- dramas, romances, straight-up action flicks, screwball comedies and, in many cases, hybrids of those genres. In other words, there's something for everyone.
1) We can't wait to see 
2) We're fascinated by 
3) 
4) 
5) We pity the fool who's not impressed with this cast
6) The first 
7) 
8) Sex and the Desert
9) First-time action hero 
10) We wanted more Snow, and we got it 
11) 
12) Long time no see, Buzz and Woody
13) Why Can't We All Be Friends? 
14) 
15) 
16) 
17) We like it when 
18) Good news: New York City has a sorcerer. Better news: It's 
19) Enough Carell for the entire family 
20) 
21) 
22) How many action heroes does it take to topple a dictator?
23) 
24) The Three Js could be the charm
25) 
Julie & Julia
A Perfect Getaway
Bandslam
District 9
The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Inglourious Basterds
Post Grad
Shorts
The Final Destination 3D
Halloween 2
Taking Woodstock
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