'John Carter of Mars' Adds Three More to Cast

Heat Vision has announced three more actors will be joining the cast of Andrew Stanton's "John Carter of Mars." First off, they confirm that Thomas Haden Church ("Spider-Man 3"), who already previously revealed that he was in the movie, is officially on-board. He will play Tal Hajus, an ambitious and vicious Thark warrior who is biding his time to be a ruler.

Additionally, it's been announced that British actors James Purefoy ("Rome," "Solomon Kane") and Mark Strong ("Sherlock Holmes") are also joining the project. Purefoy plays Kantos Kan, the captain of the Xavarian, the kingdom of Helium’s grand warship. Strong is Matai Shang, the ruler of the Thems with godlike status.

Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL-E") has rounded up one hell of a cast for this, that's for sure. Leading the way are young actors Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins; additionally on-board are Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Dominic West, and Polly Walker.

I'm already very excited for this, just because it's Andrew Stanton, but with this great cast I think I'm now even more excited than I was before. Sure, it will take me lots of time to remember the names for the characters in this film, but I'm excited nonetheless.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: First Showing

Character Revealed and Mishaps on Set for 'Green Hornet'

Mishap apparently is on the set of "The Green Hornet". A car chase scene went awry earlier this month when a stunt driver lost control of his car and crashed into the front of the Creative Artists Agency's headquarters. While the stuntman escaped without injury and none of the stars were involved, the film crew's construction department were seen working all day making repairs.

Now after that, the Los Angeles set of the film saw a bomb scare unraveling on September 29 as crew members found an unidentified metal object lying in the parking lot.

Following the discovery, the crew alerted the security which led to response from the LAPD bomb squad. The squad reportedly blew up the object on the spot with a robot. A police spokesman told E! News, "Everything is clear, they only found a smoke detector." It is unclear whether the stars, including Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz, were on the set during the incident.
In some positive news for the film, fans learned back in August that "Battlestar Galactica's" Edward James Olmos had joined the cast of "The Green Hornet," but his role remained unrevealed.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Olmos said he'd be playing Michael Axford, a reporter for the Daily Sentinel, the newspaper run by protagonist Britt Reid's father James.

"We’re the backbone of the paper,” said Olmos, “Things go awry, and I end up having to try to sustain what’s going on in our lives. And of course the Green Hornet doesn’t make it any easier. I don’t want to give anything away.

“I think it’s going to be very exciting. People will find that it’s different than what they expect. Seth is doing a wonderful job. There’s a lot of everything. It’s going to be action-filled, and there’s a lot of humor in the situations. It’s really a well-crafted piece of work. Hopefully people will enjoy it and we’ll have a few of these films.”

What do you think about Olmos being in "The Green Hornet"? And what do you think about some of the problems on set?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, Aceshowbiz

Production Halts on "Halloween 3-D'

Earlier this month it was announced that "My Bloody Valentine" director Patrick Lussier would be helming the fast-tracked "Halloween 3-D" for release next summer. But it looks like The Weinstein Company's Dimension Films might have bitten off more than they can chew. Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood snagged a scoop on the sudden stop of pre-production on "Halloween 3-D."

Deadline points out "the rumor mill claims TWC is out of money" and that "TWC couldn't agree on a $2.5M budget battle with Lussier." Finke then says she heard that Bob Weinstein shut down "Halloween 3-D" pre-production "because Bob just felt it was rushing too fast.'"

The film was being rushed into production because Lussier will be unavailable starting in January as he will start working on another film. Now TWC will wait until Lussier is free to again begin pre-production on the next "Halloween" film.

What do you think on halting production on "Halloween 3-D"? This movie will probably not come out until 2011 if they wait for Lussier to be free.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: First Showing

'The Green Lantern' in Mexico?

Studio heads at Warner Bros are moving production of the "Green Lantern" movie from Sydney to Mexico after costs were escalated by the rising value of the Australian dollar.

According to Inside Film, the decision hasn’t been finalized yet. But if the production were to remain in Australia, it would cost an additional $20 million to make.

The site quotes an anonymous source allegedly connected with the studio as saying, “We still haven’t given up on ‘Green Lantern,' but the way the exchange rate is going up it’s looking more and more unlikely.”

The financial problems for the film first came to light back in August, when it was revealed that Warner Brothers’ failure to secure needed tax breaks from the Australian government and the unexpectedly strong Australian dollar had exponentially driven up the cost of the film.

Additionally, “Green Lantern” director Martin Campbell has reportedly made “substantial script amendments”, which could require the film’s budget to increase.

Production of “Green Lantern” has already been pushed back from November to early next year, potentially endangering its current June 2011 release date. The movie will star Ryan Reynolds as the DC Comics superhero.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, The Geek Files

New 'Iron Man 2' Set Visit Focuses on Whiplash

Entertainment Tonight has released another video from their "Iron Man 2" set visit. Their last video focused on some of the special effects in the film as well as the Tony Stark/Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanoff love triangle. This time the focus is squarely on Mickey Rourke's role as Whiplash, the Russian inmate turned whip-clad warrior.

You'll see that while Whiplash has more than a few bones to pick with Tony Stark, actor Robert Downey Jr. and the rest of the crew have nothing but admiration for the villain's real-life counterpart.



What do you think about Rourke being in "Iron Man 2"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

'The Princess and the Frog' Clip

Here is a brand new clip from Disney's upcoming "The Princess and the Frog."



Are you begging for more?
"The Princess and the Frog" hits theaters Dec. 11.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Lynn Collins Prepares for Playing an Alien Princess in 'John Carter of Mars'

Lynn Collins, who played Kayla Silverfox in "Wolverine," says preparations are under way on the Disney adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter of Mars" books.

She will play Martian princess Dejah Thoris in the tale of a Civil War veteran mysteriously transported to the Red Planet where he finds warring races vying for control. The title role in the film is played by Taylor Kitsch, who was also in "Wolverine," portraying the Cajun mutant Gambit.

Collins told MTV News last week on the New York red carpet for "The Burning Plain" that she's already seen workups of fight sequences she'll have to film and concept art for her appearance.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

The movie will be directed by Andrew Stanton, whose impressive credits in animation include writing both "Toy Story" movies; writing and executive-producing "Monsters Inc;" executive-producing "Ratatouille" and "Up;" and writing and directing the Oscar-winning hits "Finding Nemo" and "WALL-E." This would be his first live-action film project.

Plus points for this project are that it is from classic, highly-regarded source material and, better still, it has not been seen before on the big screen. For once, this is an original film project, not a prequel, sequel, remake or reimagining. Though I expect if this becomes successful we will get those in the future.

Production is due to start in November with the film set for release in 2012.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, The Geek Files (1,2)

'Lost Boys 3: The Thirst'

Bloody Disgusting is reporting that "Lost Boys 3: The Thirst" is ready to begin filming this November in South Africa with Dario Piana directing and Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander starring. The plot goes as follows:

"When veteran vampire hunter Edgar Frog finds himself destitute and almost friendless, he thinks his live has hit bottom – but wealthy vampire-romance novelist Gwen Liebling offers him a small fortune to go on the vampire hunt of a lifetime and rescue her son Peter from the Alpha Vampire D.J.Dusk. With the help of his friends Zoe, Lars and Blake, Edgar heads into a bloody battle to exterminate evil."

The first "Lost Boys" is a decent vampire flick that will always live in the 80's. I haven't seen "Lost Boys 2: The Tribe" due to hearing mixed reviews. I probably will wind up watching it someday as will I on this third film too.

The film is another Warner Premiere title, which means you will be looking for it on DVD and Blu-ray, not in theaters.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Rope of Silicon

Mutiny for 'Pirates,' Depp Leaving Franchise

I recently reported on the news that Disney Chairman Dick Cook had stepped down from his position at the company after many years. Whatever the reason forhis departure, "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp has expressed his disappointment at the news, with it putting a damper on his enthusiasm for "Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides."

Depp’s starring in "Pirates 4" was brought into question, which led to further questions asking if there will even BE a "Pirates 4" if Depp isn’t in it. Cinemablend has reported that even if Depp DOES come back for a fourth "Pirates" movie, it’ll be his last, meaning he won’t stick around for "Pirates 5 or 6" (The fourth film is supposed to kick-off a new trilogy).

If "Pirates 4" is Depp’s last time playing Captain Jack Sparrow - what would that mean for the character and the franchise? I think if Depp turned his sights elsewhere, Disney would have a serious problem on their hands. Would they recast Captain Jack? I don’t think fans of the series would have any of that, as I think you’ll agree the essence of the character is brought to the table by Depp. Will they not include Captain Jack and bring in a new character that’ll hopefully capture the hearts of the Pirates franchise’s avid fans? I really don’t think the fans would have any of THAT, either.

Will there even be a "Pirates 5 and 6" without Depp? I think Disney would have a go at trying to make it work, and I think people would still end up seeing them because, hey, it’s "Pirates of the Caribbean." Having said that, Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow is the absolute draw of the franchise, and it would be SORELY lacking without him. The last two films in the trilogy were a mess and would not have done as well as they did without Depp.

What’s your opinion on Depp’s uncertain "Pirates of the Caribbean" future? Do you think he’ll come back for "Pirates 4" and then "5" and "6" after that? If he didn’t, what do you think Disney would do with the character and the franchise?

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" is supposed to start filming next spring, and has a general release date of summer 2011.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

'Nightmare on Elm Street' Remake Teaser Trailer

The first official teaser trailer for the remake of Wes Craven's original "Nightmare on Elm Street" horror classic from 1984 has made its way online.

The remake stars Jackie Earle Haley as the notorious Freddy Krueger, taking over for Robert Englund who made the character famous in the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" movies.

A Nightmare on Elm Street in HD


The remake will not be exactly like the original because it will take a more serious tone and feature less of the comedic parody-like dialogue from Freddy. The synopsis of the film also suggests why Freddy may be acting differently.

"After being burned alive by a mob of angry parents, a pre-school gardener/caretaker named Freddy returns for revenge against the children, now 18 years old, that accused him of sexual abuse. But was Freddy a child molester or was he falsely accused? This is the central question and main addition to the film’s plot. Freddy doesn’t have many lines, but that isn’t all that surprising considering that the film’s producers have said the character doesn’t joke around."

Reading that makes you wonder whether or not he’s truely pure evil or if he’s seeking vengeance against those who committed evil upon him. I always thought that Freddy is supposed to be one of the most evil/demonic bad guys in cinema.

"A Nightmare on Elm Street" is directed by first-time filmmaker Samuel Bayer, who got his start directing commercials. New Line / Warner Brothers is bringing "A Nightmare on Elm Street" to theaters on April 30th, 2010.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Capitalism: A Love Story - Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore sets out to uncover the truth behind the current economic crisis with interviews from Wall Street and government insiders.

A Serious Man - A black comedy set in 1967 and centered on Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg), a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother (Kind) won't move out of the house.

Zombieland - In a world overrun by zombies, a guy described as "the most frightened person on Earth" (Eisenberg) musters the courage to lead a band of refugees on a cross-country pilgrimage to an amusement park where they think they'll be safe.

Whip It - In Bodeen, Texas, indie-rock loving misfit Bliss Cavendar (Page) finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

The Invention of Lying - A comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!
Monsters vs Aliens
Away We Go
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs$24.6 M

2 Surrogates$15.0 M

3 Fame $10.0 M

4 The Informant! $6.9 M

5 Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself $4.7 M

6 Pandorum $4.4 M

7 Love Happens $4.3 M

8 Jennifer's Body $3.5 M

9 9 $2.8 M

10 Inglorious Basterds $2.7 M

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" takes the weekend again, but the numbers are so low from last weekend and this one that it still isn't really raking in a profit yet. If it makes No. 1 next weekend it may have a chance.

"Surrogates" didn't do as well as many had hoped (the Kid Factor wins out again). And "Fame" just didn't have an audience. I know only one person who has an interest in seeing this movie.

"Pandorum" doesn't have many theaters but it also didn't have much of an audience. The sci-fi people went to go see "Surrogates" instead.

Other films keep petering out. "Inglourious Basterds" is hanging in there but won't make the Top Ten next weekend (neither will "9" or "Jennifer's Body").

Next weekend actually has a lot of movies coming out at once. Will the Kid Factor dominate once again or will another film take the top spot? Anyone willing to bet on "Zombieland" doing well (I know I am going to see it)?

Updates on 'Venom'

SCI FI Wire had an exclusive interview with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the writers behind next month’s "Zombieland" flick and they spoke about the other big project they’ve been working on: the script for the "Venom" solo film.

The last we heard on the "Venom" project from the writers was from back in April when they couldn’t comment on whether or not this incarnation of Venom would be the same as/related to the wasted version we saw in the disappointing "Spider-Man 3."

"We've written two drafts of 'Venom,' and the studio has it, and they're pushing forward in whatever ways they push forward," Wenick said.

“We’ve written two drafts of Venom, and the studio has it, and they’re pushing forward in whatever ways they push forward,”

As for when the film going move into actual production, the writers said they weren’t sure and re-iterated that they’ve submitted their latest two drafts.

With "Spider-Man 4" moving into production early next year for a summer, 2011 opening, fans are curious as to when we might expect this film - Could it come before or around the game time? Could the movies cross-over?

“We can’t really talk about that, unfortunately… Basically, the studio and Marvel and the Arads are taking our drafts and going beyond and figuring out what’s the next step.”

What we do know about the future "Spider-Man" movies are that Sony hired James Vanderbilt to pen scripts for "Spider-Man 5 and 6." The interesting part about the news was that the scripts would act as a franchise reboot should Raimi and his cast not return for more after "Spider-Man 4."

Either "Venom" ties into the existing franchise in some form, or it helps kickoff the reboot of "Spider-man" which could be happening with "Spider-Man 5 and 6" (cross-over ideas are always great for marketing and for fan hype).

What do you think about the state of the franchise, the "Venom" spinoff and potential of a reboot?

"Spider-Man 4" is scheduled to open May 6, 2011.
Source: Screen Rant

New 'Book of Eli' Trailer

I feel like the only news I ever get on "Book of Eli" are videos. Catch a featurette on the film here and watch the first trailer from July here.

But if you really want to see something cool, then watch the new trailer below. It gives more of an idea of the plot of the film while showing off how BA Denzel Washington can be. It's like his character from "Man on Fire" except with a beard and a machete.

I've got high hopes for this flick, which is odd for a mid-January movie. It's got a lot of action, I love the gritty, western style of it, and I love everything else about this, especially the cast. It should be pretty damn fun and I can't wait to kick off 2010 with a film like this.

"Book of Eli" is set to hit theaters Jan. 15, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

'Iron Man 2' Behind-the-Scenes Footage

Last night Entertainment Tonight aired a six minute segment that included new behind the scenes footage from the set of "Iron Man 2" which included some spectacular crash scenes, a little more information on the Tony Stark/Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanoff love triangle and a never before scene of Whiplash cutting a car in half.

Of course there are very little-to-no finished special effects in the footage but that is to be expected. The meat of the footage and interviews were shot during the Indy car race in Monaco where Whiplash is introduced to the story.



Did you happen to notice what Pepper Potts (Paltrow) throws out the car window towards Tony Stark during the Whiplash attack scene in the clip? Yes, it’s a fancy looking briefcase - big deal, you say? Well if you haven't read a lot of Iron Man comics than you may not be aware that for many years the armor was collapsible - and Tony Stark carried it with him everywhere in a briefcase.

Now put the aforementioned scene in the context of the above information, and take a look at the enhanced image below. It sure looks a lot like a case that could contain the foldable armor Tony Stark uses from the older comics. It would explain how Tony is able to run Whiplash off in Monaco while his armor is back in Malibu.

What do you think? Has this footage got you eve more excited for probably the most anticipated movie of 2010?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

New 'Spawn' Will be R-Rated

Much has been made of Todd McFarlane's plans for a new, live-action "Spawn" movie based on the character he created in the early 1990s. Back in late April, the first word on his plans to bring the character back to the big screen came out.

McFarlane's idea is to make the new film in a much darker, grittier tone that puts less emphasis on the supernatural side of Spawn, with McFarlane name-checking Leo DiCaprio ("The Departed") as an actor well-suited to play one of the detectives playing a lead role in the film.

MTV News had the chance to chat with McFarlane who shared a bit more insight into his plans for rebooting "Spawn."

"The reason I want to go small with it is that it's a completely R-rated movie," said McFarlane. "If I sell it up big, studios want that PG-13."

"They're a little bit gun-shy with 'Watchmen' not doing the numbers they'd like," he explained. "But I've met people who make $5 million dollar movies for a living, and they walk around with the biggest grins on their faces."

Comparing his production vision to that of the "Saw" films, McFarlane said he'd like to keep the budget small so that "doesn't have anybody's neck stuck out too far." With a smaller budget, it doesn't take as much for the film to be deemed a success—and for future installments to get the green light.

"If I take the offer of the big studios with the big budgets and big production values, that's all nice and you have a better chance of getting a big star, and it works for them commercially, but as I get older, it's sort of less interesting to me," he said.

While McFarlane said he's been approached by a variety of studios interested in the film, he said he's still working on a screenplay—a process he hasn't shied away from mentioning on Twitter.

"I have a hundred pages of notes, and what I've done is catalog all the notes, put them in order and now begin putting a little bit of dialog to them," said McFarlane. "The main concern right now is getting the scenes and the beats down. Once you get that, then putting words in their mouths is pretty easy."

What do you think: does this new "Spawn" movie sound good to you?
"Spawn" is still being scripted and no word yet on a release date.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

Movie News Mash 26

BARBIE
Girls will have something to be excited about with toy-based cinema now instead of the boys. Variety has announced that Universal will be bringing Mattel's 50 year-old Barbie toyline to the big screen.

Here's what Universal Chairman Marc Shmuger had to say about the new Barbie movie:

"Barbie is the most famous doll in history, a unique cultural icon in the world of brands. So many representations of Barbie frequent pop culture, but never before has she been brought to life in a motion picture."

Over the past 50 years, Barbie has been dressed (and undressed) millions of times in thousands of outfits and has been in 16 direct-to-video movies.

I can't see this film becoming anything more than a lighthearted romantic comedy akin to dozens of other films we've seen like it before. Unless something extremely creative is done with Barbie, I can't imagine it being more than just a brand name slapped onto a dramatic story.
(Screen Rant, First Showing)

GRAYSKULL
Sony's Columbia Pictures is set to feel the power of Grayskull by taking on the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" film that was scrapped by Warner Bros.

Sony is finalizing a deal with toymakers Mattel and producers Escape Artiststo acquire the rights to the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" film that was scrapped by Warner Bros., reports Variety. Mattel owns the He-Man rights, having launched the franchise in the 80s with a range of toys which was adapted into the popular animated series.

A He-Man film had been in development at Warner Bros since 2007, with John Stevenson ("Kung Fu Panda") attached to direct. However, Mattel was unable to agree on the creative direction with the studio and producer Joel Silver and the project was dropped earlier this month.

The earlier script, written by Justin Marks ("Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li") , belongs to Warner Bros so a new writer will need to be hired. Stevenson is still in line to direct.
(The Geek Files)

GHOST RIDER 2
David Goyer, who was a writer on the "Blade" movies and both of Christopher Nolan's "Batman" films, is reportedly in early talks to develop a second "Ghost Rider" film for Sony's Columbia Pictures.

Variety says the director is in discussions to create the story and supervise writers for a "Ghost Rider" sequel, which is set to once again star Nicolas Cage.

Goyer hasn't yet signed on but plans are already under way to base the sequel on a "Ghost Rider" script he had written years ago.

Interestingly, Variety's report also confirms several other Marvel projects currently in active development, including "Fantastic Four," "Silver Surfer" and "Daredevil" at Fox, the upcoming "Spider-Man" sequels at Sony and "Sub-Mariner" at Universal. Putting these films on the fast-track is a no-brainer for the studios—should they slack on their respective comic book franchises, the rights to the characters could revert back to Marvel.
(The Geek Files, MTV News)

'Dr. Horrible' Emmy Video Skit

The evil Dr. Horrible actually interrupted the Primetime Emmy Awards. I am sad that I missed it (yeah, didn't watch it), but with the power of the Internet I was able to see it. After all, television is dead.



The "Dr. Horrible" skit had the ensemble of the cast from the popular web series which included Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felica Day and Simon Helberg.

For those who haven’t seen the web series, "Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog" is about Dr. Horrible, who is a wannabe bad guy. He’s not a real bad guy - he just can’t quite seem to get bad right. It is worth watching if you have never seen it before. Click here to see it! Do it now!

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

'Thor' Cast Adds New Love Interest and New Villain

The world of Asgard just got a little bigger in the form of actors Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore signing up for the big screen adaptation of "Thor" from Marvel Studios.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Feore and Alexander are joining the likes of Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Natalie Portman (Thor's human love interest Jane Foster) in "Thor."

Jaimie, 25, who's been in the TV shows "Bones," "CSI: Miami" and "Kyle XY," will play the warrior goddess Sif, a "skilled Asgardian warrior who can hold her own against any man" and also a lover of Thor's.

Feore, 51, whose credits include TV show "24" and last year's "Changeling" movie, will play an unspecified villain. It's worth pondering who Feore could play as there are plenty of villains that he could assume, but given the secrecy of his character, one might guess that he'll have a connective role between "Thor" and the other Marvel Studios films.

The movie's story centers on Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior on Asgard - home of the gods - whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war.

As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans.

Once there, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Just by the synopsis given above, we can extrapolate that Alexander’s Sif will be Thor’s lover at the start of the film (while The God of Thunder is still happily at home in Asgard). Once Thor is cast down to Earth, we already know his heart will wander toward human nurse Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman. Cat-fight to ensue.

The movie, based on Marvel's comic book version of the Norse thunder god and being directed by Kenneth Branagh, is set for release on May 20, 2011.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News, The Geek Files, First Showing

Edward Norton Likes The Idea Of Hulk As 'Avengers' Villain

Ever since the moment "The Avengers" movie became official, there's been speculation about what the plot will entail—specifically, what force could be so great that it would need the combined efforts of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor. The most obvious answer has always been Hulk, the green-skinned behemoth that first forced the group of heroes to team up in the comic book world.

MTV News caught up with Edward Norton in Toronto to promote his film "Leaves of Grass" at the International Film Festival. Norton, the actor who brought Hulk (or rather, his alter ego Bruce Banner) to the big screen in 2008's "Incredible Hulk," was asked whether he could see the character return to the screen for a brawl with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Norton said he could definitely see the Hulk character becoming something that the rest of Marvel's superheroes joined forces to battle. After all, Hulk's never been shy about telling the world he's "the strongest there is."

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Should Hulk be the villain in "The Avengers"? Do you want to see Norton return as Bruce Banner?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

'Deadpool' Creator Gives Positive Updates on Solo Film

Rob Liefeld, creator of Marvel Comics masked mercenary Deadpool, revealed he has met "X-Men" producer Lauren Shuler Donner to discuss the planned movie featuring the character.

Ryan Reynolds played the wisecracking vigilante in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and is set to reprise the role in Fox's solo spin-off, which will develop "Deadpool" into the version more familiar to comic book readers.

The costumed character is known for quips, pop-culture references and breaking the fourth wall (addressing the reader directly).

Reynolds is keen to reprise the role, despite landing the lead in the Warner Bros superhero movie "Green Lantern."

Liefeld posted several updates about the "Deadpool" film on his Twitter account after meeting the "X-Men" producer.

He said: "Great 'Deadpool' movie meeting! Lauren Shuler Donner and her team are headed in the right direction!"

And then: "'Deadpool' movie checklist : DP in costume - check! Breaking 4th wall - check! Loads of killing - double check!

"'Deadpool' movie - YES! Ryan Reynolds is on board!!!

"Donner Company is on top of making the 'Deadpool' movie that fans want. They get it. He's funny, tortured, clever, a bastard and mucho action!"

He added: "Also excited to discuss possibilities of Cable in future X-films!!! Clarification, Cable definitely NOT in 'Deadpool' movie, but possible role in future X-films....not 'First Class.'"

Liefeld was also the creator of Cable, a mutant mercenary from the X-Men comics with a complex backstory.

Cable is the son of Cyclops and a Jean Grey clone called Madelyne Pryor and was raised in the future. He has combat skills and psychic powers and was paired with Deadpool in one comic book team-up series.
I don’t know if Reynolds was in attendance for the meeting, but it sounds so far that everything he’s hoped for about the project is coming to fruition and the film could follow the Deadpool comics closely as Ryan suggested and wished for publicly ever since being involved with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

Right after "Wolverine" came out earlier in the summer and the "Deadpool" spin-off was confirmed, former Fox exec Jeff Katz promised that it would "be classic Deadpool." And now Liefeld also confirms that he'll be breaking the fourth wall and killing lots of people - definitely classic Deadpool. And that comment about the iconic costume looking good means quite a bit coming from the actual artist who came up with that iconic costume. If he approves of it, then I'm definitely in, and that's what it sounds like from his meeting.

Sure, this is all a bit vague right now, but it's great to hear this kind of stuff so early in the development process, especially for a character as beloved as Deadpool. Oh and that last quote, about the character Cable, is pretty damn cool, too. Cable is another character from the X-Men/Marvel Universe that is a fan favorite - maybe he'll finally get his big screen debut. And hopefully Reynolds does this right after "Green Lantern."

Are you excited about this news? How about the possibility of Cable being introduced in the "X-Men" film franchise?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, The Geek Files, First Showing

'Cowboy Bebop' Live-Action Film Getting A Rewrite

We haven't heard anything from the live-action "Cowboy Bebop" movie front in a while, so when MTV News had the chance to interview Keanu Reeves during a press event for "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" (his recent film with Robin Wright Penn), they made sure to ask about the adaptation of the popular anime.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

"Cowboy Bebop" is the successful 1998 anime directed by Shinichiro Watanabe. Telling the stories of four space cowboys of dubious backgrounds and motivations, the anime made a killing on American television with its stylish take-offs of classic films, music, and film noir. Reeves will be playing the main character Spike Spiegel in the film.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, Latino Review

Director for 'Highlander' Remake

Summit Entertainment announced today that they're bringing the "Fast & Furious" team over to their boat to reboot and re-imagine "Highlander." Neal H. Moritz is producing and Justin Lin, who also directed "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," is set to direct. The good news is that Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, who together wrote "Iron Man" and "Punisher: War Zone," are attached to write the screenplay. Summit's film will expand on the original Highlander's core mythology of immortals battling amongst us.

The original "Highlander" told the tale of a 16th Century Scotsman - a highlander - who is immortal. He and other “immortals” fight through the ages in order to win “The Prize.” The only way that they can be killed is to be decapitated. Highlander starred Christopher Lambert and screen legend Sean Connery.

Patrick Wachsberger, co-chairman of Summit Entertainment had this to say :

“We are privileged to have this amazing opportunity to reinvent one of the great franchises. Neal and Justin have proven more than once that they can deliver an entertaining and exciting blockbuster.”

Peter Davis, the producer of the original film (and it’s three sequels) will also produce the reboot. With regards to Lin’s and Moritz’s attachment Davis said:

“Justin and Neal are an exciting directing/producing team and I am confident that they will deliver a truly dynamic film while being totally respectful of Highlander Legend.”

There is no word on when the production is to get underway, but expectation is to turn this into a brand new franchise. Now that the behind the camera talent is set for this new "Highlander" tale, all eyes can turn to casting.

Perhaps this will be Summit's fanboy franchise counter to their fangirl "Twilight"-dominated slate.

"There can only be one!"
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Rope of Silicon, First Showing

Kirby's Kids Try to Claim 'Spider-Man'

When I read the news that Jack Kirby’s kids were seeking copyrights to all their father’s Marvel creations, I found it curious that Sony is one of the studios sent termination notices.

Why? Because Sony’s only Marvel-based movies that might have anything to do with Kirby’s legacy are those in the “Spider-Man” franchise—and he’s never had official credit for co-creating Spider-Man or the other major characters in the superhero’s mythology.

The Hollywood Reporter was also intrigued by the claims of the Sony/Spider-Man part of the case, especially after getting two of the notices, which respectively seek to recapture rights to most of the original characters from the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics.

The former makes sense, as Kirby is known to have co-created the team with Stan Lee. The majority of initial Spider-Man characters, however, are either solely credited to Lee or to both Lee and artist Steve Ditko (and sometimes others, such as John Romita, Sr.).

Apparently Kirby was unofficially instrumental in the creation of Spider-Man, possibly even before Lee was on board. Kirby and Joe Simon were responsible for a character called the Silver Spider that may have evolved into what eventually became Spider-Man. Regardless, although Kirby didn’t draw any of the early Spider-Man comics, he is known to have been involved in their development.

Kirby’s kids, however, are claiming partial rights to “Amazing Fantasy” #15, famously known as Spider-Man’s first appearance. They also name the following characters as being Kirby co-creations: Aunt May; Uncle Ben; J. Jonah Jameson; Flash Thompson; the Chameleon; the Vulture; the Tinkerer; and the Lizard. Also, the Daily Bugle and specific storylines are included in the notice.

The Hollywood Reporter points out that such a complicated claim will cause the Kirby-Marvel case to feature a lot more back-and-forth than it would otherwise with just the concrete credits included. And it may just be one of those extras that plaintiffs throw in to barter with—knowing that the Spider-Man claims will be thrown out, the Kirbys may hope to be granted the more legitimate copyrights as part of a bartered compromise.

Either way, given how long this case could take, and seeing as how the rights to Spider-Man wouldn’t be available to the Kirbys until 2018, we at least shouldn’t see any threat to the “Spider-Man” movies until the sixth or seventh installments.

Do you believe the Kirby family has some claim to the Spider-Man characters and mythology? Are they biting off more than they can chew?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

'X-Men 4' and 'New Mutants' Films?

The "X-Men" franchise has a bright future on the silver screen. With multiple projects in their early stages of development and several given the greenlight after the financial success of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," there seems to be no end in sight for what the future may hold of Fox Studio’s hot property.

We've all been wondering which project will follow and it seemed for a moment that "X-Men: First Class" might be up next.

But a Twitter message from actor Tim Pocock (the young Cyclops in the "Wolverine" film) hinting at a start date for "First Class" in spring 2010 was said to be a hoax.

Producer Lauren Shuler Donner has reportedly given some further clues at a Los Angeles press event for the "Wolverine" Blu-ray and DVD release.

Slashfilm reports: "Shuler Donner revealed that she has been cooking up plans for several other mutant films. The two she named? An 'X4,' reuniting the X-Men, and a big screen outing for 'The New Mutants.'' X4,' she said, had yet to be pitched to the studio, however."

An "X4" must mean a sequel to 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand," as well as (or instead of) the other planned prequels. "The New Mutants" is an X-Men spin-off comic featuring a new teenage team with members such as Cannonball, Wolfsbane and Magma.

The producer also clarified there was no scheduled start date for "X-Men: First Class" and no actors had signed contracts to appear in the film. But she said those actors who played the young mutants rescued by Xavier in "Wolverine" were all under option to return in future films.

Noticeably absent from the conversation were mentions of either the Ryan Reynolds "Deadpool" spinoff or a potential "X-Men Origins: Magneto" film, but the projects certainly weren't denied either, meaning fans still have plenty to keep an eye on.

"X-Men 4" will be major if it happens, but when would they film it? Jackman’s got "Wolverine 2" in development and won't be out for a few years. How much can he push his body physically 4-5 years down the road for the part? Plus he probably will carry a hefty paycheck as will Halle Berry (if she returns).

When could all these new films realistically be made and in what order would they go into production? There’s "Deadpool," "X-Men Origins: Magneto," "Wolverine 2," "X-Men First: Class," a possible "Gambit" movie down the road, and now two more!
As for "New Mutants" - that’s an idea that would work easily. It’s a great way to bring in entirely new unseen characters from the comics and cast a new set of actors, tied into an existing brand name. It would also work perfectly alongside "X-Men 4" since they could all be at the school at the same time, meaning both films would feature both sets of characters in at least some form. That cross-over capability is what makes these comic films so exciting as we’ll be seeing a lot of in the upcoming slate of films by Marvel Studios ("Iron Man 2," "Thor," "Captain America," "Avengers.")

Do you want to see an "X4" or "New Mutants" film? Or would you prefer that Marvel/Disney get the rights back and then integrate the X-men into the universe they are creating with "The Avengers"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, MTV News, Screen Rant

'Surrogates' Clip

To be honest, this isn't really a clip from the film, more like an introduction to the premise. But I just couldn't think of a better way to describe it.

Watch it below!


"The Surrogates" hits theaters Sept. 25, this Friday, and I am super excited because this film looks BA.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!

'Resident Evil 4' Adds to the Cast

"Resident Evil: Afterlife" is next on the directorial slate for Paul W.S. Anderson, who wrote the other two "Resident Evil" films that comprise the existing trilogy.

I can't say I was the biggest fan of the original movie. Something about an underground lab run by the Red Queen rubbed me the wrong way. "Apocalypse" was fun for fans of "Resident Evil 2," the game, and "Extinction" brought Ali Larter as Claire Redfield and little else for video game fans as a greater Resident Evil conspiracy was teased.

An educated guess would be that "Resident Evil: Afterlife" will try to explain that greater mythology. We're getting our first hints as to what that will entail from Boris Kodjoe, an actor who can soon be caught on screen in "The Surrogates."

Kodjoe, who revealed via Twitter that he was in the fourth installment has spoken about his role, the storyline and the other cast members in the film.

Kodjoe told Blackfilm: "It's gonna be Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, I'm the new one, and Wentworth Miller ['Prison Break'] is also in the movie.

"I play the leader of the survivors in LA. Milla Jovovich's character, Alice, is roaming the world looking for survivors and she's wound up in LA, which has been burning for three years. She comes across an LA jail surrounded be these half-dead [zombies].

"There's a couple of survivors and she lands on top of the roof and partners up with me to fight the guys that are coming after them. We're trying to get all of the survivors out of the jail to safety."

He said filming will begin next week in Toronto, and said he was a fan of the franchise and Anderson's directorial style: "He's a tremendous visionary, he's got all these great ideas. What I like most about him is that he's so excited about what he does.

"He's got it all worked out. He's working with them making new cameras that James Cameron's partner developed for 'Avatar.' All this stuff plays into this movie making it an experience I'm looking forward to."

So what about the Alice clones? Where is Wesker and will he be awesome? So many questions. But seriously, after the last movie I am kind of done with this franchise. They have moved so far away for the game plot that the films now bear little resemblance to what is Resident Evil. Besides, there's no Jill Valentine.

"Resident Evil: Afterlife" is set to be in 3-D and will be released on September 17, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Latino Review, The Geek Files

A Sequel to 'Sherlock Holmes' is Elementary, My Dear Readers

Warner Brothers has already decided to move forward on the development on a sequel to Guy Ritchie's "Sherock Holmes." The movie won't hit theaters until Christmas Day, three months from now, but WB has hired writers Kieran and Michele Mulroney to start drafting a script for the sequel. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are expected to return as Holmes and Dr. Watson as well.

The THR article claims that "Brad Pitt has had discussions with producers to star as Holmes' nemesis Moriarty" though no deal is in place yet. During the summer it was rumored that Pitt had flown to Great Britain for the specific purpose of shooting scenes as Moriarty for the first Sherlock Holmes film.

Though representatives shot down the notion, Guy Ritchie later told MTV News that there would indeed be a Moriarty cameo of sorts in his picture, however he would not reveal the actor portraying him. Pitt's involvement as Moriarty in the first film has been discussed often, but word is the character only shows up in the shadows in the script.

The Mulroney's broke out with their indie superhero script "Paper Man" and apparently were the lead writers on "Justice League: Mortal," which is no longer in active development. As for "Sherlock Holmes," the upcoming movie was co-written by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham ("5ive Days to Midnight," "Invictus"), and Simon Kinberg ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Jumper"), based on an idea first developed by Lionel Wigram.

I'm looking forward to seeing the first one before getting excited about a sequel.
How about you?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Rope of Silicon, Latino Review, First Showing, Risky Biz Blog

Indy's Sidekick for 'Indiana Jones 5': Mutt, Henry or Shortround?

Studio bosses are reportedly hoping that Sean Connery will return to the "Indiana Jones" franchise for the next film.

Steven Spielberg said that he has been working with George Lucas on the script and they are looking to bring back Connery for "Indian Jones 5."

I wouldn’t really say that’s too surprising considering Connery has been one of the favorite additions to the Indiana Jones franchise. Second only to Shortround (“No time for love, Dr. Jones!”). They should seriously bring him back as an adult.

Connery reportedly declined the opportunity to reprise his role in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." I’d like to think that his decision not to return in that latest installment changed the script entirely and that Spielberg and Lucas didn’t try to tempt Connery out of retirement with a movie that has a five minute vine-swinging monkey chase with Shia LaBeouf.

This news comes after Harrison Ford recently said that his intentions of doing another Indiana Jones were, “If the script is good, I’ll be very happy to put the costume on again.”

In this case, I guess that means the script has to have psychics, aliens and the best insulated refrigerator ever. (Who knew that nuclear blasts could be easily defeated by a fridge? Someone tell Sarah Conner.)
Not only would I look forward to seeing Henry Jones again, but I’ll completely ignore the fact that they pretty much said he was dead in the last film. In fact… let’s just pretend that the whole “Crystal Skull” thing never happened.

How did you feel about "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"? Is anyone up for another "Indiana Jones" film? Would Sean Connery’s return sway you one way or another?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Digital Spy, Contact Music

Jack Kirby's Family Seeks Rights To Marvel Characters

When Disney announced its acquisition of Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion last month, there was talk of the studio eventually reigning in all film rights to Marvel characters.

But now there’s a potential obstacle in the way of that plan, as the children of legendary comic artist Jack Kirby are looking to regain the copyrights on 45 of their father’s Marvel creations over the next decade.

The family of the late comic book artist Jack Kirby are seeking to terminate copyright claims on the many Marvel Comics heroes he co-created with writer Stan Lee.

Kirby died in 1994 and now four of his children have served 45 notices of termination to regain the rights to several characters.

The notices have been served on Marvel, Disney, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures.

Surprisingly, this legal action has nothing to do with the Disney acquisition and was in the works before that deal was announced.

Marvel is making movies featuring such heroes as "Iron Man," "Hulk," "Thor," "Captain America," "Avengers" and "Ant-Man" but it doesn't own the rights to all of its comic book characters. During tough times in the 90s, Marvel had sold off "Spider-Man" and "Ghost Rider" to Sony; "X-Men," "Fantastic Four" and "Daredevil" to Fox; and "Namor the Sub-Mariner" to Universal. Paramount and Universal also have distribution rights for some Marvel-produced films.
The Kirby estate is being represented by Los Angeles law firm Toberoff & Associates, which has represented the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel in a similar claim against Warner Bros and DC Comics.

The Los Angles Times says that under copyright law, creators can seek to regain copyrights they previously assigned to a company 56 years after first publication and can give notice of their intentions up to 10 years before that.

Kirby's children would be eligible to claim their father's portion of the copyright of the "Fantastic Four" in 2017; the "Hulk" would come up in 2018 and "X-Men" in 2019. The copyrights would then run for 39 more years.

A representative for Marvel declined to comment. A Disney spokesperson said: "The notices involved are an attempt to terminate rights seven to 10 years from now and involve claims that were fully considered in the acquisition."

If the Kirby family is successful, the current rights holders would have to pay them a licensing fee to continue making films with the characters. Alternatively, the heirs could sell the rights to another studio.

Jack Kirby battled Marvel for years over the return of the physical artwork to his comics, and was asked to sign documents that would have irrevocable and specifically signed away rights to the characters, something he refused to do.

Born Jacob Kurtzberg, Jack Kirby is considered the most influential superhero comic artist in the world, though he also worked for decades in romance, war and science-fiction comics. His DC work also provided much of the backbone for the recent blockbuster series Final Crisis from DC.
This news is big and will be updated as more is known about the case.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, LA Times, NY Times, MTV News, BleedingCool

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Surrogates - Set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and interact through surrogate robots, a cop (Willis) is forced to leave his home for the first time in years in order to investigate the murders of others' surrogates

Fame - A remake of the 1980s musical centered on the teachers and students at the prestigious New York City High School of Performing Arts.

Pandorum - A pair of crew members aboard a spaceship wake up with no knowledge of their mission or their identities.

Coco Before Chanel - The story of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (Tautou) and her rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.

Paranormal Activity - While settling into her new home, Katie (Featherston) is disturbed in her sleep by a mysterious presence. Her husband, Micah (Sloat), tries to ease her fear by installing video cameras in an attempt to capture the strange behavior on tape. Bad idea.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!


Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs$30.1 M

2 The Informant!$10.5 M

3 Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself $10.0 M

4 Love Happens$8.4 M

5 Jennifer's Body $6.8 M

6 9 $5.4 M

7 Inglorious Basterds $3.6 M

8 All About Steve$3.4 M

9 Sorority Row $2.4 M

10 The Final Destination $2.3 M

The Kid Factor wins again! Also the extra bucks from being 3-D probably helped as well. But seriously, "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" is the only movie people went to see this past weekend. All other films choked on those balls.

Why? Well "The Informant" had terrible marketing (I still have seen no trailers on it), "Love Happens" is a romantic comedy showing at the end of summer (worst time for that genre) and "Jennifer's Body" was a hot topic to discuss but not to see (Megan Fox, you are not a leading lady, go back to the robots, Tyler Perry did better than you).

Other films are getting pushed down the list (notice "Whiteout" is already gone), and I love how "9" is actually doing well despite its low amount of theaters (just saw it this past weekend.

Next weekend...I'm going with "Surrogates" just because it looks awesome. But the 'artistic' people will flock to "Fame." And don't forget the Kid Factor still remains.

Disney Chariman Retires, Problems Arise for 'POTC 4'

For those not familiar with him, Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook was one of the best executives to run Disney in recent years. He established numerous beneficial connections and was a friend to many powerful people.

Variety reports that Cook stepped down on Friday after 38 years with Disney - seven as chairman - which he began as a ride operator. Deadline Hollywood claims Cook was fired.

It was a shocking and surprising announcement and no one knows who will replace him yet (which is a big concern). However, his sudden departure may have quite an impact, as it seems there might already be a backlash in the industry that may hurt the studio in big ways.

Producers and filmmakers have already started expressing their sadness. "Indiana Jones" producer Frank Marshall said on Twitter: "Woke up to find Dick Cook has resigned from Disney. One of the most respected and classy executives in town. I will miss our breakfasts." Nikki Finke got an update from Disney insiders saying: "I hear that Steven Spielberg is devastated by the news of Dick Cook's ouster. Dick was a major reason why Spielberg and Stacey Snider brought the new DreamWorks to Disney. 'Steven worships Dick,' an insider told me tonight." But one of the most upset individuals is not a producer or a director, but rather an actor, and a very big one at Disney - Johnny Depp.

Depp, star of the studio's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, said he has a potential deal in place for "Pirates 4" that depends on how good the script is, but adds that his passion has been severely dampened by Cook's abrupt departure.

"There's a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment," Depp said. "It was all born in that office."
The actor was "shocked and very sad" about the loss of Cook, who had wooed him to Disney, offered him the Captain Jack Sparrow role and supported his eccentric portrayal of the character when other executives were "opposed to my body language."

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Depp said: "He's instantly trustworthy. And you generally don't meet people at the studios you trust. He's a rare beast.

"When things went a little sideways on the first 'Pirates' movie and others at the studio were less than enthusiastic about my interpretation of the character, Dick was there from the first moment. He trusted me".

Cook's departure comes after Disney CEO Bob Iger publicly expressed unhappiness with recent film releases "Race to Witch Mountain," "Bedtime Stories" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic," all of which were box office disappointments.

Upcoming releases might help to end the run of duds. They include "Prince of Persia," "Sorcerer's Apprentice," "A Christmas Carol," "Tron Legacy" and Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland."
Word is that producer Jerry Bruckheimer is going to reestablish his relationship at Disney without Cook (and with whomever they get to replace him) and in the meantime somehow attempt to convince Depp to stay onboard. Everyone knows there really can't be a "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie without Johnny Depp.

What do you think will happen next?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, First Showing

Summer Movies of '09

This is a follow-up to my very first post from last year and to review most of the films I saw this past summer. Also, coincidentally, this is post No. 1,000. Sweet.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - This is the third film in the "Ice Age" franchise and another film thrown into the 3-D mix. I enjoyed the first film and can honestly say the I don't remember much of the second (I just remember it not being that great). This film, while taking the plot straight from "Journey to the Center of the Earth" with some "Moby Dick," is actually entertaining at some points (I chalk all the real humor to the new character Buck, voiced by Simon Pegg). Also noticed there was a lot more Scrat (the squirrel creature who loves nuts) in this film than in the others. Guess the filmmakers realized he was a popular character.
6.8/10

District 9 - This is one good film. It is unique and amazingly made for its low budget. Even the documentary style of the film isn't too bad because the perspective switches from that to narrative cinema several times throughout the movie (especially during the awesome gunfight at the climax). If you are any kind of sci fi fan this is a must see.
8.8/10

(500) Days of Summer - This is not a romantic comedy. This is not a chick flick. It is a story about life, love and relationships. The film jumps around a lot over the course of the 500 days, but first time director Marc Webb is able to make the story understandable to the audience. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are just great actors and have very good chemistry in this film. If you're tired of those giant Hollywood blockbuster films and just want to relax, this is the perfect movie for you. There is even a song and dance number (I loved it even though I am not a fan of musicals).
8.5/10

Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino is a fantastic director and his newest film fits in perfect with all his others. Why? Because of the amazing dialogue. Though "Death Proof" is not high on my list of Tarantino films (besides the car chase scene it was all dialogue), "Basterds" has a good enough blend between dialogue and action to satisfy the audience. Not to mention that almost all the dialogue is used to create tension in many of the scenes so you can't look away. A story well told in Nazi occupied France.
8.3/10

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - I did not like the first "Transformers" film because I thought it could have been a lot better than it was. I did not have much hope for this next film and that is a good thing because now I am just pissed off at Hollywood. I'm sorry, but special effects do not make a movie. Yes, the effects in the film are phenomenal. But the plot, acting and pretty much everything else was like nails on a chalkboard. Right now I can still not even explain what happened in the film. Again, this movie could have been so great (giant freaking robots, c'mon), but everything just fell through. Doesn't matter though because it has made tones of money and I know a third film will be coming out. If they can get rid of the stupid humor in the next one, so many people will like it (and parents will actually want to bring their kids to see it too).
5.3/10

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Holy cow, they are getting older. Things are finally coming to a head in the Harry Potter franchise as the next two films will deliver the final book of the series. As for this sixth installment, it mixes the ever-present darkness with lots of light humor about relationships. A fine addition to the franchise but it is merely a stepping stone to the grand finale that will be the "Deathly Hollows."
7.3/10

G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra - I was expecting this film to be along the line of "Transformers" and suck, but it actually turned out to be an entertaining popcorn flick. The acting and plot (though still not the best) were way better in "G.I. Joe" than "Transformers" (but the latter film wins with tons better special effects). The constant action will keep you entertained instead of having a few action scenes spread out with a bunch of stupidity. Yo' Joe!
6.5/10

Angels and Demons - I thought this book was better than "The Da Vinci Code" and I came up with the same result with the films. While I believe the movie would have been better if it had stuck more to the book (the villain was entirely changed), it still had a better story and more action than "Da Vinci Code."
6.3/10

Gamer - A film with an interesting concept but failed to really deliver. The movie is more like a really geeky teenager's dream of the future. The concept seemed really cool and I was hoping to see how the interactions worked between the people being controlled and the people doing the controlling, but sadly that was left out to capitalize on the crazy action and sexuality. Too bad since the film is pretty short and the payoff at the end isn't that great.
6.0/10