Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

"Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" tells the origins story of the war that is seen in the other "Underworld" movies. Of how Lucian, the first Lycan (a werewolf can never change back to human, a lycan can) fell in love with Sonja, a vampire and daughter to Viktor (an elder with a heavy role in the first film). The story is told in flashbacks in "Underworld," but here we have an entire film (though a short one) that tells the tragic tale.

What makes this film a worthy prequel to the other films is that it stays true to the story. I rewatched the first film and almost everything told about the beginning of the war is exactly the same. A failure is that audiences who have seen the first movie (no doubt they have) will already know what happens.

Bill Nighy returns as does Michael Sheen, and both are great British actors that can play either dramatic roles or those of immortal creatures that kill people. Rhona Mitra ("Doomsday") plays Sonja, a tough vampire chick who is in love with Lucian,a Lycan, which Viktor sees as a betrayal. This is how the war starts.




The love is real (though the sex scene was kind of weird...beyond the point that it was vampire/lycan sex). And the anger is real. It is just hard to see. There is plenty of action, but the universal 'everything is blue' tone from the previous two films returns and it is even darker now. I feel the need to bring a flashlight to this movie just to see what is going on.

What special effects that can be seen are pretty nice, though there really aren't that many. A key point of this series has been using basic effects such as real men dressing up as the werewolves except when it is impossible to do so.

Is this movie a terrible addition to the "Underworld" franchise? No.
Would I rather see a film taking place after the very non-closure ending of "Underworld: Evolution?" Yes. Who knows what will come next for this series, but for any fan of vampires and werewolves, this is a good flick to pass an hour and a half.



And just so you know, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) provides a narration for the start of the film and is then seen at the end, though it is rehashed footage and dialogue from the first film (though it cements the similarities between Sonja and Selene).

6.5/10

Zack Snyder Launches New Site

According to Entertainment Weekly, Zack Snyder launched a new web site, Cruel and Unusual Films, which is the name for his new production company.

"We just wanted to have a place where people could see what we're up to," Snyder tells EW.com exclusively about the site. "As a company, we're into a lot of cool stuff, like aesthetic and design. The movies we make, and are making, feed a lot off of pop-culture."

"Snyder also invites artists to submit versions of the Cruel and Unusual Films logo: A rough-and-tumble anime Catholic schoolgirl called Baby Doll who'll be the heroine of Snyder's in-the-works project 'Sucker Punch.'"

"I always thought it would be cool, like, 'Hey, Frank Miller, you should draw a version of Baby Doll,'" Snyder says. "[Drawing her] is kind of a fun assignment, you know, for the world."

"The rest of the site includes an eclectic collection of links to sites that have captured the company's fancy -- including the website for Violet's Cakes, a cupcake confectionery owned by Snyder's ex-wife -- and a listing of all of Cruel and Unusual Films' projects. 'Watchmen,' based on the famed graphic novel, just had a massive weight lifted from its shoulders after Warner Bros. and Fox settled a legal dispute over the rights to the film -- a dispute that had threatened to keep the finished film out of theaters indefinitely."

The settlement, Snyder says, is "a big relief to me. I'm glad that cooler heads prevailed and the fans are not going to have to resort to any criminal acts." He laughs. "I'm half-joking. I'm glad there's that kind of passion [about the movie], I guess."

Zack Snyder has a lot going for him since his earlier films such as "Dawn of the Dead" and "300."
Now he has a full template of films to be made in the next few years.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Dark Knight Script Being Written...Now?

According to IESB.net, "The IESB was tipped off this week that the script for the third Batman film is already underway.

IESB was told by an extremely reliable source that the project has already gone into the writing stage with Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer all hard at work.

When Jeff Otto, representing IESB, got the chance to talk to producer Chuck Roven today, he jumped at the chance to confirm...of course Roven wasn't going to say much and was very evasive but he did do a good song and dance performance,

IESB: We've been told that Jonathan, Chris and David are working on the new Batman script. Do you know the direction they’re going or do you wait for them to formulate something more complete before you get involved?

Chuck Roven: The creative driver of the project at this point is Chris. There’s really nothing more for me to say about that. When he feels that he’s got something to talk about, then we’ll be able to talk about it.

IESB: I know you can’t tell us who the villain or villains are, but do you personally know?

[Big smile and a laugh] CR: I really don’t want to talk about that project right now."

So what other news is there? It is really hard to find or even guess. Can this really even be counted as truth? No matter how much IESB says the source is reliable, an unnamed source is still one unwilling to give his or her identity, and thus, might not be give information that is worth an identity.
While Chris Nolan has not said anything about coming back as director, news should be coming out in the forthcoming months (especially if he has been working on a new script in secret).
More 'factual' news to come! Catch ya' later!

Puss in Boots

According to Latino Review, TV writer Tom Wheeler has been hired to write the spin-ff film from "Shrek 2" that will star Puss in Boots, the assassin cat voiced by Antonio Banderas.

Puss in Boots was meant to kill Shrek, but ended up joining his group instead and returned for "Shrek 3" and "Shrek the Halls."
Now Puss will get his own movie.

So how will "Puss in Boots" do as a spin-ff film? Will there be characters from the "Shrek" films? Will it be an origin story? Will it somehow follow the story based on the real tales of "Puss in Boots?"

A fourth "Shrek" movie, "Shrek Goes Fourth," is schedule to come out in May of 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Hellboy 3

According to MTV News, "Coming off a strong 2008 for 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army,' director Guillermo Del Toro sounds cautious regarding plans for a third installment. That doesn’t mean that he and Universal don’t have a tentative time table for 'Hellboy 3,' however.

'We’re three, four years away from anything happening—so I don’t think anyone is, you know, in a big hurry,' he revealed in an exclusive interview with MTV News.

The Oscar-nominated director, who is now attached to a pair of 'Lord of the Rings' prequel 'Hobbit' films, has already expressed interest in returning to Mike Mignola’s Hellboy franchise when his schedule clears up. His latest response sounds like a clear confirmation that he and Universal still have the big red hero on their minds."

I really want to see the conclusion of the Hellboy Trilogy (if it is a trilogy), so I guess we will all just have to wait. The ending fo the second film really left a big 'to be concluded' sign out there since it didn't really have any big closure.
The "Hobbit" films will have to do for now as well as a possible “B.P.R.D.” spinoff, the company Hellboy worked for before he quit at the end of the second film.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Resident Evil 4 (Movie, Not Game)

According to JoBlo, "We recently reported on the impending RESIDENT EVIL 4 here and now we just got a couple of nuggets of info from a VERY RELIABLE source as to the production. Here are hints as to what we're in for!

Paul Anderson wrote the screenplay but he is not coming back to direct.

The screenplay is more akin to RE2 in terms of style, but with better dialogue. The overall tone is also very dark.

There's enough hand to hand fights in the script for them to bring in a martial arts choreographer.

Patrick Tatopoulos (R3) will be in charge of the creature effects and they will have a new Special FX supervisor (in terms of the the practical effects) - Michael Lantieri (JURASSIC PARK 3)

The script is complete (they're at Draft 2)) and they're going to start casting before making any more script changes.

So far, they will be filming in Toronto and Tokyo. Toronto will actually front for Alaska.

They will be hiring a director once they have Milla officially signed back on."

I thought the first "Resident Evil" film wasn't that bad even though it really strayed from the game by creating characters and following its own storyline. In "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," at least characters from the game appeared and it loosely followed parts from the games. "Resident Evil: Extinction" was just cr*p.
A good RE movie is "Resident Evil: Degeneration," but to completely understand it you might want to play the games (and it even leads into the fifth game, which comes out in March).
If they are going to follow along with the ending that was in "Extinction" (which was cool, but for RE, it just didn't suit the series), then I will be disappointed. I love Milla Jovovich as an actress, but I think her character has become unnecessary.
Until then, more news to come! Catch ya' later!

Fox Helps Dawn Treader

According to Variety, "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."

I don't know how well "Dawn Treader" will do compared to "Prince Caspian," but I am hoping to see more "Narnia" films since I have read all the tales and found them to be enjoyable.

According to The Geek Files, "Both partners are now sorting out budget and script issues, with the aim of filming in Australia at the end of summer for a 2010 release."

Hopefully next year we will have "Dawn Treader" in movie theaters!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

The Thing Prequel

According to Bloody Disgusting, "This afternoon we got the working plot details for Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment's 'The Thing,' their supposed 'prequel' to John Carpenter's remake from 1982 that starred Kurt Russell and dealt with a shape-shifting creature from outer space that terrorizes researchers at an Antarctic facility."

The plot details go on to just describe the actual beginning of the film where a Norwegian research team flies a helicopter and tries to shoot a dog. The helicopter crashes and an American research team takes the dog in. The dog turns out to be a shape-shifting alien monster.
So apparently the prequel movie will be the story of the Norwegian group and will end with them crashing their helicopter, basically the ending of this movie will be the start of "The Thing."

Will the whole movie be in the Norwegian language then?
More news to come! catch ya' later!

Ghost Rider 2

According to Bloody Disgusting, "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."

I would not call "Ghost Rider" a smash hit. The film was panned by critics and barely made a profit. I have seen the movie twice (once in theaters and once on DVD) and felt ripped off both times. The movie is terrible and needs to be stacked with other bad hero movies.

Should there be another "Ghost Rider?" I think the franchise should be rebooted but not have to go through an origins story, kind of like "The Incredible Hulk."

Revival of the Tomb Raider

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "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.

'Tomb Raider,' which was published in 1996 by a London-based video game company called Eidos, was a wildly popular game that involved the daredevil archaeologist Lara Croft on a series of global missions. Several spinoff games have been published since, with a 10th-anniversary edition of the game released in 2006."

Paramount made two films based on the "Tomb Raider" franchise, but now the rights have gone back to Eidos, and having Time Warner having a stake in the company, movies will now be made by Warner Brothers (which is also a Time Warner company).

"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."

From an earlier post, I reported that rumors were going around that Megan Fox might be playing the part of Lara Croft, but that is still not stated as a fact.
So here we will have another videogame-to-film movie. Let's hope it stays true to the title to keep the fans happy while being able to bring in fresh audiences who have never played the games.

Green Hornet Survives

According to The Geek Files, "After HitFix's article, several other sites carried reports along the lines of 'Rogen's Green Hornet axed'. But Rogen has come forward to dismiss all those claims.

Stephen Chow had pulled out of the project back in December. It was reported that Chow would no longer direct or co-star as Kato, but that is apparently untrue. He's only stepped down as director.

Rogen, who's also producing and co-writing the film, now says the project is still very much alive.

In this bleak time of the economic crunch and massive job losses, he apparently wasn't too happy about the project being wrongly described as dead. Let's face it, the loss of a director is by no means the end of any movie, especially when filming hasn't even started."

Rogen said to HitFix, "'The Green Hornet' has many people working for it, including production designers, costume designers and many conceptual artists, office staff, etc.

"[The studio heads] have every intention on making it, and assuming we're able to hire a new director in the upcoming weeks, which seems like a distinct possibility, it should still hit the release date."

With these recent developments, it seems Chow will just be paying the role of Kato and a director should be announced in the forthcoming months. Glad everything is worked out, but a major amount of advertising should be made for this film since nothing has been done with "The Green Hornet" since the television show from the 60's.
"The Green Hornet" is scheduled for release on June 25, 2010.

Tintin

According to Rope of Silicon, "Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment issued a press release announcing the start of principal production in Los Angeles on the 3D Motion Capture Film The Adventures of 'Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn' which will be directed by Steven Spielberg and will star Jamie Bell as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham.

Bell and Craig are joined by an international cast that includes Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook.

The film was written by Steven Moffat (”Doctor Who”), Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead") and Joe Cornish penned the screenplay.

This film will be the first in a series of 3D motion capture films based on the iconic character created by Georges Remi, better known to the world by his pen name “Herge” and is due for release in 2011. The second feature in the series is scheduled to be directed by Peter Jackson, with a potential for a third film as well."

Not going to say I know much about "Tintin." I know the character is not from America (I believe it is Belgian) and I know he has been around for a long time (about 80 years). That is the limit to my knowledge, but lots of people seem excited for this film. I better jump on the ball to learn more about these classic stories.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Stan Lee Sued

According to The Geek Files, "Lee, aged 86, founded Stan Lee Media in the 1990s but it went bankrupt in 2001. The organization re-emerged in 2006 and the shareholders want cash they say they are owed for film and book profits from 'Spider-Man,' 'X-Men,' 'Iron Man' and other projects. They say all the rights were signed over to them in 1998.

The company's lawyer, Martin Garbus, believes Lee entered into an agreement that deprived them of profits from films and merchandise. "That money should have gone to the corporation," he said.

The lawsuit was filed against Stan Lee, his partner Arthur Lieberman, Marvel Entertainment Inc and its chairman Isaac Perlmutter and former Marvel Studios president Avi Arad.

Lee's legal representative Mark Williams said: 'We look forward to a positive resolution for Stan Lee and his family.'"

The lawsuit is for a sum total of $750 million. That is a large amount of money, a good fraction of the total amount from the gross profits from Marvel films.

So just after getting out of the big "Watchmen" lawsuit, another superhero debacle is in the courts, except this one is just huge.
What will happen in this case?
More news to come! catch ya' later!

Batman 7 (or 3..)

Not even going to start on how people keep calling the next "Batman" film Batman 3, which totally disregards the previous four "Batman" films before "Batman Begins" (I have made this error in judgement myself a few months ago).

But more news has come out from the man I met, Michael Uslan (yes, I will plug it that I met him every time I talk about him).

From the Courier Post (the link doesn't seem to be active now), Uslan spoke up about returning as the executive producer for the next film and gave a possible release date for the film.

"Uslan will be onboard as executive producer for the 'Dark Knight' sequel, which he estimates will be theaters by 2011. As for the identity of the next round of Batman’s supervillains and love interests, Uslan remains tight-lipped. 'It’s one of those deals where if I told you, I’d have to kill you,' he says with a chuckle."

Hopefully they will wait to get a confirmation that Chris Nolan will be returning (he has done an excellent job so far) and if 2011 is the expected year of release, more news should be coming out in the forthcoming months.

Uslan is also working on the upcoming "The Shadow" and "Captain Marvel" films.

Now here is an awesome picture from JoshWMC with Heath Ledger as the Joker from "The Dark Knight" and Kristen Bell as Harley Quinn!

Astro Boy Troubles

"Astro Boy," a film, based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka, tells the story of boy robot built to replace a scientist’s lost son.
Now the film is having problems with casting and financing.

First of, there were rumors that Scarlett Johansson would be playing a voice of a character in the film.

MTV News caught up with Johansson at the junket for “He’s Just Not That Into You” and asked her about the “Astro Boy” rumors.

“I had kind of sort of met on it and stuff, but I don’t know where that came from,” Johansson told MTV. “I had never been committed to it. I don’t know what happened to it.”

So she is not in the film then. Hopefully this will put an end to the rumors. But does this mean someone else will have to take her place? How will this affect the film?

Clearly Imagi Entertainment, the company making the film, has to get its priorities straight because it is believed that the film might be delayed due to financial problems.

A RUMOR from First Showing said, "Apparently Imagi Animation Studios is running out of money and may be temporarily shutting down operations. The official news will supposedly hit the wire tomorrow, but employees are being told not to show up to work starting on Monday. Imagi, based out of Hong Kong, is the animation company behind 2007's 'TMNT' as well as the upcoming 'Astro Boy' movie and also 'Gatchaman.'"

But i09 had the chance to interview Imagi U.S. president Erin Corbett, who set the record straight on the company's finances and the fate of "Astro Boy."

"Corbett says Imagi definitely has the money to finish making 'Astro Boy,' which already has distribution with Summit Entertainment and a release date of Oct. 23, 2009. She says the film remains on course to make that release date.

"Our number one objective is to get back on the rails," says Corbett. "We want to do everything to get Astro Boy out the door."

"The film is entirely storyboarded and planned out. The animation is about 50 percent rendered and completed at this point, and almost all of the film's vocal talent has already been recorded. Most importantly, the company already has enough money coming in, in February, to finish off work on 'Astro Boy.'

Meanwhile, the company is continuing to raise money for upcoming projects. Corbett wants to put out a CG 'Gatchaman' movie in November 2010."

Glad to have everything cleared up then. "Astro Boy" will indeed be hitting theaters this October, so be sure to check it out!

Coraline

Henry Selick, director of the upcoming film "Coraline" (and also director of "A Nightmare Before Christmas"), had an interview with MTV News discussing scaring children.

I don't think he does it for fun...

“Some would say it’s too scary for kids, or it’s not scary enough for adults,” Selick said of “Coraline” in an exclusive interview with MTV News. “Doing it as a stop-motion film would sort of bridge those two audiences in some respects. Stop-motion has its own creeky feel to it. It has a charm, in a sense. You don’t know how big that thing is you’re looking at, but you know it exists.”

MTV News asked if the degree of fright in the "Coraline" film would be too harsh for children compared to the still pages of Neil Gaiman's book (which the film is based on), Selick shrugged it off.

“Everyone is afraid to scare the children, but children love to be scared,” he insisted. “You don’t want to scar them for life, but I have some kids who are growing up fast and I see what they see on TV and elsewhere. ‘Robot Chicken’ and ‘South Park’ are out there, and ‘Batman’ is on TV and it’s dark and twisted and wonderful.”

The thing is, "Robot Chicken" and "South Park" aren't scary. I don't think so at least (wait...they can be). It just contains mature material.
So should a children's film meant to be scary for children?
Check out this trailer and think on whether it is too frightening. Also, an exclusive clip below!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Casting Rumors!

Besides the casting rumors of Megan Fox being "Tomb Raider," there are other floating across the Internet that bear interest to me! And to you as well dear reader, to you as well!



"Charlie's Angels"

The Geek Files hit on a rumor that Drew Barrymore is talking about making a third "Charlie's Angels" film and that it might star singer Rihanna.

In an interview with Sci Fi Wire, Nancy Juvonen, producer of the previous 'Charlie's Angels' movies, said: "About eight months ago, I started actually pitching in my head sort of what I'd do [with a third Charlie's Angels film] but we don't want to go back in without story. I want [one] from start to finish, all the way to the third-act ending, a great document.

"I'm really into that when the show had the four Angels for a while, and Farrah [Fawcett]'s little sister, Cheryl Ladd, came in. There was something fun with that, I think, that's very iconic of the show. So I'm a little [keen] on that."

Asked if actresses should start pitching themselves for the fourth Angel, Juvonen added: "They should. I'm having a Rihanna fixation myself."

She said: "We'd have to do it with McG. I don't think we could do it without McG, and I think that the Angels all at least need to be there."

Would I see a third "Charlie's Angels" movie? Probably. I have my reasons. Acting and plot aren't really up there for these kinds of movies.

McG is also busy with his next big movie, "Terminator Salvation."



"Alice in Wonderland"



/film got a hold of some rumors about who will be playing the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat for Tim Burton's version of "Alice in Wonderland."

It reports that Micahel Sheen ("Underworld") will play the White Rabbit while Stepehn Fry ("V for Vendetta") will play the Cheshire Cat.

I like both actors and wouldn't mind seeing them all CGIed up into some sort of mix of animal and...themselves. The least i can say about this movie is that it shall look interesting.



"Nottingham"

And the Geek Files has another casting rumor, this time regarding Ridley Scott's adaptation of the classic tale of Robin Hood.

Sienna Miller was originally supposed to play the role of Maid Marian, but she left with various reasons. Scott has now asked Cate Blanchett if she wishes to play the role.

I still have no idea what to think of this film since Russell Crowe will be playing both Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham (did they become twins?).

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

The Uninvited - After her mother's death and her subsequent hospital stay, Anna Rydell (Browning) returns home to be with her sister (Krebbel) and her father (Strathairn), who has become engaged to Rachel (Banks), her mother's former nurse. During her first night back, Anna is visited by her mother's ghost, who reveals that the new woman in her father's life is not who she pretends to be, leading to a fateful confrontation between the women of the house.

Taken - A former spy (Neeson) relies on his old skills to save his daughter (Grace), who was kidnapped by slave traders during her vacation in Paris.

New in Town - A Miami-based consultant (Zellweger) is shipped out to small-town Minnesota for her newest project: supervising the restructuring of a local manufacturing plant. After a frosty reception, she warms to the townspeople (and vice versa), though a tough business mandate causes her to reconsider her personal and professional objectives.

Movies coming out on DVD!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Pride and Glory
RocknRolla
Lakeview Terrace

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Paul Blart: Mall Cop$21.5 M

2 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans$20.7 M

3 Gran Torino$16.0 M

4 Hotel For Dogs$12.3 M

5 Slumdog Millionaire$10.5 M

6 My Bloody Valentine 3D $10.0 M

7 Inkheart $7.7 M

8 Bride Wars $7.0 M

9 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button$6.0 M

10 Notorious$5.7 M


Oscar nominations brought "Slumdog Millionare" up the rankings while keeping "Benjamin Button" alive. Silly comedy movies seem to do well as "Mall Cop" becomes #1 movie in America twice in a row, beating out the "Underworld" prequel. "Gran Torino" still stays up near the top despite the lack of any Oscar nominations (which it deserved). And I am pretty sure only one-third of the people I know even knew a movie called "Inkheart" came out. Not a lot of advertising for that one...
In the end, a slow weekend.

A Dark Knight Thanks

The 81st Annual Academy Award nominations have been given out and "The Dark Knight" received eight of them, including: art direction, cinematography, film editing, make-up, sound editing, sound mixing, visual effects and best supporting actor (Heath Ledger).

Noticeable absent nominations include Best Picture and Best Director nominations.
Lead screenwriter for "The Dark Knight," Jonah Nolan (and brother to Chris Nolan, the director), has spoken out about his disappointment and thanked those who are fighting for the film to get more recognition by sending a letter via email to Dark Campaign, a fan site dedicated to getting the film a Best Picture nomination.

"It’s truly humbling that you guys would take the time and effort to try to get the film recognized. I, like you, was disappointed that Chris didn’t get some recognition this morning, but for Heath and so many of the people who worked so hard on this thing to get nominated is thrilling.

Any nominations for a comic book movie is a thing of beauty no matter how you slice it, and that takes the sting out a bit. Besides, I’ve been to the big show before, and, like any of these things, it’s a little disappointing. Did you know it’s not even an open bar once the show starts? At least this time I would have remembered to bring a little cash so I could buy myself a drink after losing.

The best part of this experience is seeing other people getting passionate about the film the way that we did. It has been a truly incredible experience. So thank you again.

Best,

Jonah Nolan"

Do you think "Dark Knight" deserved nominations for Best Picture and Best Director?

Megan Fox as Lara Croft?

Latino Review found an article from Spain (in spanish) talking about how another "Tomb Raider" movie is in the works and how Megan Fox ("Transformers") may take up the role of Lara Croft, previously played by Angelina Jolie.

According to Latino Review, "Europa Press from Spain ran a story about Megan Fox being looked at to replace Angelina Jolie in a third Tomb Raider film.

There's no director attached and I'm not even sure if a third has been greenlit, but Fox does look the part and her success from the 'Transformers' movies means she could finally have her own big name character that could lead to future sequels.

The article says that they're looking to shoot in 2010 with a release date of 2011."

I don't even know what to really say about this new development. I think a new "Tomb Raider" will have to have a great director and script to make up for the previous two films based on the hit videogame. Megan Fox is getting a lot of attraction based on her attractions, but more will be needed to become a lead star (mainly acting, which was only okay in "Transformers" since the camera was mainly focused somewhere around her belly button).
So far this is only a rumor, and a rumor it shall stay until I hear some hard facts!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Green Hornet Defeated

Seth Rogen and Stephen Chow have been preparing for their upcoming roles in the film "Green Hornet," based off the 60's television show.

But when Chow stepped down from his position as director and then contemplated leaving the film all together, rumors started running that the film will never be made.

According to HitFix, "I spoke this afternoon with a source close to the film, and while they didn't call it completely dead, they did say it is 'highly unlikely' that the film will shoot in 2009 at all. For now, it looks like "The Green Hornet" has gone onto life-support at Sony, with a good chance the studio's going to kick the plug out any moment now."

The "Green Hornet" isn't a well known hero (like "The Spirit") and a movie might not do well. So maybe this is best for the "Green Hornet" legacy.

Gears of War Trilogy

Not talking about the games here (which there are two), but of forthcoming movies.

Bloody Disgusting had the chance to catch up with Len Wiseman on the Re Carpet premiere of "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" and they discussed his next project, "Gears of War."

“I’m writing 'Gears Of War' with Chris Morgan, who wrote 'Wanted,'” Wiseman said to BD before explaining that he wasn’t much of a gamer until he saw GOW in his movie Live Free Or Die Hard.

“I suck at video games, it just takes me too long and I can’t get the coordination of ‘em. When I was on '[Live Free Or] Die Hard,' I had to choose some video game for the background in a scene with Kevin Smith. I was shown about a dozen games and told to ‘Choose one to be in the background’ and I said ‘this one looks really, really cool whatever it is,’ and it was Gears Of War. I just really connected with it; the design of it the world, the whole thing. So I actually brought an Xbox 360 to start researching what it was.”

For the first time ever, Wiseman talked about his plans for adapting the franchise.

“It’s going to be much more [on the] science fiction side of it than the creature side of it. I’ve always been much more of a sci-fi action fan than a horror fan,” he reveals also explaining that he wants the scope of the film to be told over the course of three films! “The hope is that were wanting to do a three movies and really cover the bases on everything. Basically a harder edged 'Lord Of The Rings.'”

While Wiseman doesn’t say the films will be in 3-D, he does admit that he’s interesting in the new technology. “Yeah, I think about [3D technology] quite a bit,” he continues, “the more and more I get involved with these movies and the bigger they are the more you rely on CG effects to help you out. And you can do it properly; I’ve been a big fan of practical work and still am, it’s finding a way to incorporate them together.”

While I think "Gears of War" will make a great movie (if done like the game), a trilogy might not work out. There are only two games, so where are they going to get the material? Are they going to make stuff up? Turns out that doesn't work well when it comes to game adaptations.
Also, I believe 3-D would be a bad idea. Right now the technology is only a gimmick. Wait until December and see how well "Avatar" does, then we will talk.

We will have to wait and see with more news to come! Catch ya' later!

Emmy Rossum on Bulma

MTV News had the chance to speak with Emmy Rossum, who will be playing the techno-genius girl Bulma in the upcoming live-adaption of the widely popular manga and anime "Dragonball" titled "Dragonball Evolution" (where did they get that name?).

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

I want to see the Kamehameha too!

Wolverine Reshoots Feature Deadpool

IESB.net has heard rumors (oh, please be truth) about how the "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" reshoots currently taking place in Vancouver have Ryan Reynolds, who plays the ninja mutant Deadpool, has been playing a major part in these reshoots alongside Hugh Jackman himself.

Does this mean Deadpool will play a more prominent figure in the film now?

"We are told Ryan Reynolds was busy a guy in Vancouver during the extra time the production spent there shooting some added footage for his Deadpool character! Apparently most of the footage shot included Reynolds and Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman.

This isn't your mother's cameo...Deadpool is full on! Reynolds will appear in the film even more than originally planned!"

If Deadpool is in this film more and builds a wide fanbase (which he already does), then that means the rumored "Deadpool" spin-off may come some years in the future.
How exciting!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Underworld on TV?

New from Bloody Disgusting!

"While on the red carpet for Sony Screen Gems' 'Underworld: Rise of the Lycans', we caught up with 'Underworld' creator Len Wiseman who reveals that the franchise might not be done yet. 'There's a lot of talk about a television series, Im looking into that,' he tells B-D exclusively, 'if I could be very involved and can be a certain way, I'd be very interested in that.' He continues, 'We had always hoped to do a trilogy, now that we completed that trilogy it's kind of open, if people can join us and go back in time - and then leap forward, I'd like to go jump all across the time line.' There you have it, a possible 'Underworld' TV series in the works that could take us all across the timeline of Death Dealers vs Lycans."

In my opinion this is a bad idea. First, not everyone from the movies would be involved with the television show (people on and off the screen). Second, the storyline for the films are already pretty campy (the whole vampire/werewolf thing is getting old). Third, sure, some fans would like to see more "Underworld," but the rest fo the television audience probably wouldn't Unless they came up with some really good material to keep viewers coming back for more every week (And I mean more than just "Oh my god, we're related!" or some dumb idea like that), then the show is probably gonna bomb after one season.

What are your thoughts on a possible "Underworld" television show?

2009 Oscar Nominations

Here are the Academy Award Nominations for 2009!

Best motion picture of the year

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* Frost/Nixon
* Milk
* The Reader
* Slumdog Millionaire

Performance by an actor in a leading role

* Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
* Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
* Sean Penn (Milk)
* Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
* Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

* Josh Brolin (Milk)
* Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)
* Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
* Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

* Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
* Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
* Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
* Meryl Streep (Doubt)
* Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

* Amy Adams (Doubt)
* Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
* Viola Davis (Doubt)
* Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
* Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

Best animated feature film of the year

* Bolt
* Kung Fu Panda
* WALL•E

Best Documentary Short Subject

* The Conscience of Nhem En
* The Final Inch
* Smile Pinki
* The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

Best Short Film (Animated)

* La Maison de Petits Cubes
* Lavatory - Lovestory
* Oktapodi
* Presto
* This Way Up

Best Short Film (Live Action)

* Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
* Manon on the Asphault
* New Boy
* The Pig
* Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Achievement in art direction

* Changeling
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* The Dark Knight
* The Duchess
* Revolutionary Road

Achievement in cinematography

* Changeling, Tom Stern
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Claudio Miranda
* The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister
* The Reader, Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design

* Australia, Catherine Martin
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Jacqueline West
* The Duchess, Michael O’Connor
* Milk, Danny Glicker
* Revolutionary Road, Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing

* David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
* Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
* Gus Van Sant (Milk)
* Stephen Daldry (The Reader)
* Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best documentary feature

* The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
* Encounters at the End of the World
* The Garden
* Man on Wire
* Trouble the Water

Achievement in makeup

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Greg Cannom
* The Dark Knight, John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
* Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in film editing

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
* The Dark Knight, Lee Smith
* Frost/Nixon, Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* Milk, Elliot Graham
* Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year

* The Baader Meinhof Complex
* The Class
* Departures
* Revanche
* Waltz With Bashir

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
* Defiance, James Newton Howard
* Milk, Danny Elfman
* Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
* WALL•E, Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

* “Down to Earth” from WALL-E (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* “O Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam

Achievement in sound editing

* The Dark Knight, Richard King
* Iron Man, Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
* Slumdog Millionaire, Tom Sayers
* WALL•E, Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* Wanted, Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* The Dark Knight, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
* Slumdog Millionaire, Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
* WALL•E,Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* Wanted, Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects

* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* The Dark Knight, Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
* Iron Man, John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay

* Eric Roth & Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
* John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
* Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)
* David Hare (The Reader)
* Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Original screenplay

* Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
* Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)
* Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)
* Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
* Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon (WALL•E)


Broken down, here is the list of films nominated and how many nominations each film earned.

1. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (13)
2. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (10)
3. THE DARK KNIGHT (8)
4. MILK (8)
5. WALL-E (6)
6. DOUBT (5)
7. FROST/NIXON (5)
8. THE READER (5)
9. CHANGELING (3)
10. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (3)
11. THE DUCHESS (2)
12. FROZEN RIVER (2)
13. IRON MAN (2)
14. WANTED (2)
15. THE WRESTLER (2)
16. AUF DER STRECKE (ON THE LINE) (1)
17. AUSTRALIA (1)
18. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (1)
19. THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON) (1)
20. BOLT (1)
21. THE CLASS (1)
22. THE CONSCIENCE OF NHEM EN (1)
23. DEFIANCE (1)
24. DEPARTURES (1)
25. ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD (1)
26. THE FINAL INCH (1)
27. THE GARDEN (1)
28. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (1)
29. HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (1)
30. IN BRUGES (1)
31. KUNG FU PANDA (1)
32. LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES (1)
33. LAVATORY - LOVESTORY (1)
34. MAN ON WIRE (1)
35. MANON ON THE ASPHALT (1)
36. NEW BOY (1)
37. OKTAPODI (1)
38. THE PIG (1)
39. PRESTO (1)
40. RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (1)
41. REVANCHE (1)
42. SMILE PINKI (1)
43. SPIELZEUGLAND (TOYLAND) (1)
44. THIS WAY UP (1)
45. TROPIC THUNDER (1)
46. TROUBLE THE WATER (1)
47. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (1)
48. THE VISITOR (1)
49. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (1)
50. THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306 (1)

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" earned the most nominations while "Slumdog Millionare" will most likely be taking home the most actual wins.
Some people seem upset that "The Dark Knight" didn't earn a Best Picture or Best Director nomination (others are upset about Kate Winslet getting the Best Actress nomination for "The Reader"). And might I add how "Gran Torino" is the biggest upset. That film was completely shafted by the nomination process. It should have gotten something!
But the Best Supporting Actor nomination for Heath Ledger is great news, especially since today is the one year anniversary of his death.
Jan. 22, 2008, news broke that Heath Ledger had tragically died of what would later be deemed as an accidental prescription-drug overdose.

"It was an exhausting process," Ledger explained to MTV News in November 2007. "I actually had quite a bit of time off between scenes — weeks sometimes. But it was required because whenever I was working, it exhausted me to the bone. At the end of the day, I couldn't move. I couldn't talk. I was absolutely wrecked. If I had to do that every day, I couldn't have done what I did."

"Granted, all of the Oscar nominees deserve praise for their efforts in their given categories, but it's clear that Hollywood — and the film world in general — will be buzzing about Ledger in the weeks leading up to the February 22 ceremony. Win or lose — a gifted actor with years of potential still ahead of him was taken from us far too early."

So for all you fans out there who are celebrating the awards today, do not forget the ones we lost.

Tom and Jerry Get CGI

The show is about a cat and mouse that continually try to thwart each other. The cat just wants to eat the mouse and the mouse just wants to eat the cheese. Yet for over 60 years this simple scenario has entertained audiences.

"Tom and Jerry" have been around for ages and aren't disappearing yet. According to Variety, the two of them shall be in created with CGI in a live-action film.

"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."

Taking famous cartoons and turning them into CGI characters has worked out very well before with such franchises as "Scooby-Doo" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks."

"The studio [Warner Brothers] successfully turned 'Scooby-Doo' into a live-action franchise with two films that earned a combined $457 million theatrically and a direct-to-DVD feature in the works.

Interest in the new projects certainly ramped up after 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' earned a whopping $360 million worldwide, besting even Fox's predictions for the pic, which was budgeted at $60 million. A sequel was quickly greenlit, with the singing rodents skedded to hit the screen again in 2010."

Since the characters of "Tom and Jerry" are familiar to kids (I believe more familiar than "Alvin and the Chipmunks"), it shouldn't be too hard to market the film. It will sure to be a family favorite with probably a sequel or two coming in the next few years.

I wonder if they can work this out well since I have already seen the cartoon "Tom and Jerry" movie, and seeing the two of them talk (which they don't do in the cartoon) and sing (which they definitely don't do in the cartoon) was kind of weird. I'm pretty sure on the packaging for that film the tagline was "See the most famous cat and mouse in their first movie and hear them talk!"
Yeah...a lot of work is going to be have to be put in this.

"Tom and Jerry" freak out that they can talk.


Until then, watch some classic "Tom and Jerry" here!

The Shadow Returns

Back when I met Michael Uslan, he gave one bit of news to the audience.
He said he was teaming up with Sam Raimi to make a new "Shadow" film.

Now Uslan, in an interview with MTV News, spoke more in length about the small tidbit he threw to me and others a few months ago.

“I think the one thing going in is we all see 'The Shadow' as more of a force of nature than a specific person in a secret identity,” Uslan told MTV in an exclusive interview. “'The Shadow' may actually be many people.

“We’ve gone back to the pulp roots, the comic book roots of 'The Shadow,' with a dash of the radio roots,” added Uslan. “But we’ve deeply ensconced ourselves in the world of pulps and comics.

“Sam [Raimi] and Josh Donen are my partners and we have it set up Sony, and a wonderful writer named Siavash Farahani who has worked for me before is writing the screenplay,” Uslan said. “It’s coming along great, we’re very excited about it. You know, it takes time to nurture these things. You probably know all the stories. The first ‘Batman’ film took me 10 years to get made.”

For those of you not familiar with Michael Uslan, check out my post of when I had the chance to meet him.

Sam Raimi, director of the "Spider-Man" franchise, makes an interesting choice as a partner (is he gonna direct). And from what I remember of what Uslan said, the two of them were going to make a "Shadow" film that would put the 1994 Alec Baldwin "Shadow" to shame.

Here's to hoping!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Watchmen Viral Video

A video from a news station has appeared online and it chronicles the powers and accomplishments of the only hero from "Watchmen" that has real superpowers.



“This excerpt from a 1970 edition of NBS Nightly News (anchored by NBS stalwart Ted Philips) features a special report from co-anchor Jim Sizemore looking back at ten years of Dr Manhattan.”

"Watchmen" is increasing its viral sites (a trick that worked out well for "The Dark Knight," and before that, "Cloverfield").

Check out the latest viral site for "Watchmen!"
THE NEW FRONTIERSMAN
It is chock full of awesome goodies for any "Watchmen" fan.

So what viral bit of news will we get next?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Bad Economy Creates Lost Jobs

Duh!
Well, in this case, the lost jobs deal with movies and is coming straight from one of the major studios, Warner Brothers.

Warner Brothers will be laying off 800 employees (a lot are going to be outsourced). This accounts for 10 percent of the workforce of WB (which totals 8,000).

The official memo from WB states, "This was a very difficult decision to make, and one that was not made easily. Despite the fact that the company performed solidly in 2008, this decision reflects changes necessary for stability and growth going forward. The changing entertainment business landscape, shifting consumer demand and the overall state of the economy have affected companies around the world, and Warner Bros. is not immune to these factors.

We have examined every aspect of our business in order to cut costs responsibly and to keep staff reductions to a minimum. One way to achieve these objectives is to outsource certain job functions to a third-party company. To that end, we will be outsourcing the U.S.-based components of certain parts of MIS and accounts payable. This initiative, as well as the ongoing analysis of our global MIS and finance and accounting structures, will be explained in more detail to those business groups directly impacted."

So what exactly will happen to these 800 jobs?
Nikki Finke from Deadline Hollywood Daily reports, "The 800 positions break down as follows: 200 open positions around the world; 300 outsourced (with a third being offered employment opportunities with Capgemini and continue to be based in Burbank), and 300 lay-offs."

WB had a huge success with "The Dark Knight" (about $1 billion) and they will probably do very well with "Watchmen" (despite the lawsuit setbacks). So can it be that the economy is just making it hard for the studio? I think one way to make things easier is to let it be known that all actors and actresses will not be paid millions of dollars anymore. Are they good at what they do? Yes. Do they really deserve all the money and attention we give them? No.

Screen Rant just reported that Mickey Rourke was offered $250,000 to play in "Iron Man 2." That is a good amount of money, but apparently actors want more. The same problems go with Sam Jackson being Nick Fury (he costs too much) and Terrence Howard (he also cost too much). So will studio's start resorting to less known actors since they cost less?

If you had to choose between two machines that work the same but one costs 10 times as more than the other, which one would you choose?

The economy is bad, but the amount of attention and payment we give our celebrities is ridiculous.

Spider-Man 4 to Begin Shotting in 2010

J. K. Simmons, who plays the role of J. Jonah Jameson in the "Spider-Man" franchise, said to MTV News in an exclusive interview that filming for "Spider-Man 4" will begin in 2010 and the studio will be aiming for a May 2011 release.

J. K. Simmons said he saw Sam Raimi (director of the "Spider-Man" films) at a Christmas party and they discussed the films and the character of J. Jonah Jameson.

“We’ve definitely brainstormed ideas for Triple-J, but I have no desire to make Triple-J more of the focus of those movies,” Simmons said. “The amount that I did in 1, 2 and 3, is just exactly right. Like be the wolf. Come in, blow in, do a week, blow out, be the comic relief, and hit the road. And let Tobey and everybody else do the heavy lifting.”

According to MTV News, "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."

"Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2" came out only two years a part and "Spider-Man 3" cam out three years after 2. This would make a four year delay between the last film and it is because it has taken a year and a half to finally get talks about making the next "Spider-Man" film made. Right after the third film, Sony should have gotten talks started to try and bring back all the actors and creators of the original trilogy. But maybe this delay will create a better film with new villains (and a possible back-to-back shooting of a fifth movie as well).

What are your thoughts on having "Spider-Man 4" in 2011 (same year as "Avengers")?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Watchmen Lawsuit Details

News from Variety about the settlement on the "Watchmen" lawsuit.

"Warner Bros. gets the right to open its superhero pic on March 6 as planned, and Fox's logo will not be on the film, sources said.

Fox, on the other hand, will emerge with an upfront cash payment that sources pegged between $5 million and $10 million, covering reimbursement of $1.4 million the studio invested in development fees, and also millions of dollars in legal fees incurred during the case.

More importantly, Fox will get a gross participation in 'Watchmen' that scales between 5% and 8.5%, depending on the film’s worldwide revenues. Fox also participates as a gross player in any sequels and spinoffs, sources said.

A joint statement said,'Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox have resolved their dispute regarding the rights to the upcoming motion picture 'Watchmen' in a confidential settlement. Warner Bros. acknowledges that Fox acted in good faith in bringing its claims, which were asserted prior to the start of principal photography.

Fox acknowledges that Warner Brothers acted in good faith in defending against those claims. Warner Bros. and Fox, like all "Watchmen" fans, look forward with great anticipation to this film’s March 6 release in theatres.'"

Other areas that are not confirmed that might be affected by this settlement are that the release date of "Terminator Salvation" might be changed (though I doubt that because "Terminator Salvation" rights owner Halcyon has that May 22 release date stipulated in its contract, which cannot be changed suddenly) and "Get Smart 2" will be delayed so that Steve Carrell can make a movie with Tina Fey called "Date Night."

So hopefully this is the end all, be all for the "Watchmen" case. We'll just see the movie when it comes out in March.

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this Friday!

Inkheart - A little girl (Bennett) rallies her friends -- both real and imaginary -- to rescue her father (Fraser), a bookbinder who can bring characters to life by reading aloud, from the clutches of an evil-doer (Serkis).

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans - An origins story which reveals the cause of the centuries-old blood feud between the Death Dealers and the Lycans. Lucian (Sheen), a powerful and influential Lycan, rallies his race in an uprising against the vampire king Viktor (Nighy). Joining Lucian is his secret lover, Sonja (Mitra), a vampire who empathizes with the Lycans and looks to help free them from slavery.

Killshot - A botched scam sends an old-school hitman (Rourke) and a young stick-up kid (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission to find and kill an innocent couple (Jane and Lane) in order to protect their identities.

Movies coming out on DVD!

Saw V
The Express
Max Payne
Repo! The Genetic Opera

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Paul Blart: Mall Cop$33.8 M

2 Gran Torino $22.2 M

3 My Bloody Valentine 3D$21.9 M

4 Notorious$21.5 M

5 Hotel For Dogs$17.7 M

6 Bride Wars$11.7 M

7 The Unborn $9.8 M

8 Defiance $9.2 M

9 Marley and Me $6.3 M

10 Slumdog Millionaire$5.9 M

Yes Man

"Yes Man" lets Jim Carrey return to his funny routes and gives off laughs, but is questionable on its rating and same premise as "Liar, Liar."

The film is about Carl Allen, a man who says no to everything since his divorce so he doesn't get hurt. But he doesn't enjoy life and winds up at a seminar where people learn to say 'Yes!'

The premise is almost the same as one of Carrey's earlier films, "Liar, Liar," but instead of not being able to lie, he is not able to say no. And the film does this actually well, but the philosophy that if you say yes to everything good things will happen to you is kind of cheesy (especially in some of the situations that happen).



If someone were to say yes to everything, I do not believe you will find a girlfriend or save someones life, but this film goes with that flow and it works. The unbelievability of it is what makes thing funny. But some jokes are skimming on the borders of the film's PG-13 rating. The use of the f word and a almost graphic 'fellatio' scene make this film not very family friendly (but neither was "Liar, Liar" with it sex scene).

Other characters, such as Carl's friends Rooney Danny Masterson (Hyde from "That 70's Show") and Bradley Cooper (the jerk fiance from "Wedding Crashers"), and the romantic interest, Zooey Deschanel (Trillian from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), don't really add much depth to the story. They are just there to bring more silly 'yes' antics from Allen. Besides, the love story takes the movie from a pure comedy to a romantic comedy, and changing genres mid-movie doesn't work well often.



What I believe is one of the major downfalls of the movie is the relationship between Carl and his boss Norman. There are many scenes between these two and I found none of them really funny (not even the "Harry Potter" or "300" costume parties).

The film still is worth lots of laughs, but it fails to be memorable. I can still quote "Liar, Liar" to this day ("The pen is rrrrrrrrroyal blue!"), but "Yes Man" is one of those films that you watch and then immediately forget the next day.

It is still entertaining to watch and is a good way to spend an evening.
6.5/10

Wolverine Reshoots

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is currently under extensive reshoots. I am wondering whether this is to fix things up and try to save this film or what. The "X-Men" franchise has had some ups and downs and "Wolverine" is anhighly anticipated movie and 20th Centruy Fox's only real big blockbuster since its past several movies haven't done very well at the box office.

According to Screen Rant, "The film is currently under going 'extensive' reshoots. Not only that but Richard Donner, director of 'Superman' and 'Lethal Weapon' is apparently on hand while this filming is taking place.

20th Century Fox says that the reason for the reshoots is because they needed specific weather conditions for shooting. And apparently they have even considered having journalists on set to see what is going down. A shot at damage control perhaps?

The trouble on the set of the Hugh Jackman starrer has been well documented with Donner on standby throughout the shoot (his wife Lauren Shuler Donner produces the film) and Fox head honcho Tom Rothman overriding many of director Gavin Hood’s choices - right down to the color of paint on set!

Now Hood hasn’t been fired - he is directing the reshoots, so there does appear to be some sort of unity going on here, but we know how careless Fox are with genre material. They’ve shown a lack of love to the X-Men franchise before when they rushed 'X-Men The Last Stand' into production as a one fingered salute to Bryan Singer when he left the franchise to helm 'Superman Returns.'"

Even Hugh Jackman himself had to cover for the reshoots and sent out an email to Ain't It Cool News explaining things.

"Hey everyone -
It's Hugh Jackman, sending this note from freezing Vancouver. I have read a lot of your online comments regarding the footage that we are currently shooting and I share your passion for the Wolverine character and the movie - I owe it all to you guys!

I wanted to reach out and let you know that due to scheduling conflicts with certain cast members and location/weather considerations, we had to wait until now to shoot a couple of scenes. Please rest assured that WOLVERINE will be badass and hopefully meet all of your expectations. I am stoked by the positive response to the teaser, which clearly reflects the tone and scope of the film. If you like that, we've got much more in store!

Cheers,
Hugh"

Along with the email came the image shown at the top.
What are your thoughts on these reshoots? Do you believe "Wolverine" will be good or a catastrophe?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

The Spirit

A bad marketing campaign plus very campy acting creates the film "The Spirit," a story of a nearly indestructible hero who is also a womanizer.

What I expect out of s superhero film is the conflict between the identities of the person and the hero he or she tries to be. This is no hero film because the identity of The Spirit, Denny Colt, is dead. Instead the question of the hero is not really who is he, but what is he. A ghost or a phantom? He likes to call himself the Spirit of his city (he really loves his city, and one of my friends referred to the Spirit not being the spirit of the city, but the b*tch of it). So the story is set-up, but it just goes in wrong directions.



The marketing campaign for this film made it look like a hero movie, or something that might be in the style of "Sin City." Now I know the whole back story about Frank Miller, his writing, his work on "Sin City" and how he became involved with "The Spirit." So what I was expecting was not at all what I saw.

"The Spirit" is visually great and lots of eye candy, but that ends the decent package of the film. The story runs very thin (Sam Jackson wants to become immortal by drinking an ancient Greek hero's blood) and the characters aren't really that interesting. I never felt for anyone when they were sad or happy. A good film should make characters have a range of emotions, a great film has the audience have a range of emotions for the characters.



There are many flaws to this film, and it could have been made very differently. I will not claim to know much about the Spirit (a character from the WWII era), so maybe making a movie of an unknown wasn't such a great idea (though Marvel has banked on B-list characters from the comics). I am not going to say it is worth a watch or don't see it. It is a judgement that you should make on whether you like really campy stories (that have everything but the kitchen sink, which this film does have) or whether you prefer the other kind of hero tales.

4.6/10 "I'm gonna kill you all kinds of dead."