Variety is reporting that your favorite fish out of water police comedy of the 80s Beverly Hills Cop is preparing to make a comeback. And guess whose attached to star? Of course its good old Eddie Murphy :) Reportedly he approached Paramount about a long awaited sequel. And maybe thats a good move considering the mix bag his career has become in recent years.
Even more though, it seems that Paramount is courting X-Men and Rush Hour helmer, Brett Ratner to direct the film. Although Ratneris scheduled to begin work on Playboy, the Hugh Hefner biopic, if he takes on Axel Foley he might just have to put that on hold.
The studio is reportedly aiming for a 2009 production and a 2010 release. But the real question remains, will this be any good? Is it even a good idea? I don't hold the original films as works of art or anything, but they are classic comedies. For Eddie's sake, I sure hope they do this one right. -
Well, after last weeks rumor that Sony is eying up 2010 - 2011 for Spider-Man 4 and possibly 5, it seemed like things would probably lay low for a while, but that is just not the case. Latino Review has another juicy Spider-Man rumor today, and its on casting. Although no word has been made on whether Maguire and the others will return to their roles, Sony is apparently eying up some new talent to step into the role of Peter Parker.
And those people are Patrick Fugit, who you probably remember as the main guy from Almost Famous, and Michael Angarano who you may know from the trailer to Forbidden Kingdom. I hope no one actually paid to see that movie. Anyhow, that's the word on the net. And the article stressed that no offer has been made yet, these are just names being tossed around. Pretty understandable I suppose that Sony would want a back up plan. And I'm definitely interested to see where this goes.
My vote at least for now is solidly with Fugit. What do you think? More to come on this, of course, as it comes out.
UPDATE - SONY has retorted emphatically stating that they are not in the market for a new Spider-Man. Of course that's not entirely surprising; and not entirely believable. But hey, they've got to spin it as best they can. For my money I'd be fine to see Fugit step into the blue and red spandex. -
It was only a few days ago that I mentioned that a feature film was going to be made of the Witchblade comic. Well wasting no time at all, an official teaser website and poster have been launched. Sure the role hasn't been cast yet, but DAMN thats pretty effing sexy. Click to enlarge.
At the site you can sign up your email for more info as it comes out. We'll see how things develop, but if this is the angle they're going for I predict a alot of fan interest in this film :) -
With a crazy box office opening of $311.1 million worldwide and $126 domestically over the four-day Memorial Day weekend Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has taken the top spot from Iron Man as biggest summer movie of 2008, and I think most people would agree, intends to keep the title. And as expected I was one of the lucky masses who saw the film this weekend. Here are just a few of my thoughts on the movie.
First and foremost, overall I thought the film was good. solid. Nothing mind blowingly great and I don't think it lived up to the hopes of many of us, but it definitely lived up to my expectations, and that's not a bad thing. Somehow I feel bad saying it but the fact of the matter is, this movie could have been total crap, and the fact that they didn't completely fuck it up is impressive in itself with all the pressure and over the top fan expectations. Now I get why some people, like my friend Devon, didn't like it, there are some elements that haven't been seen before in an Indiana Jones film, and there's something about the pacing I think that makes it feel a bit more forced than the previous films, but for me those were minor and ultimately didn't detract from my general enjoyment of the movie.
Even if you read my Indiana Jones spoilerish post about the plot synopsis, you're still missing a few big elements of the story. I don't want to ruin anything here, but I will say this movie really goes into territory that is beyond the realm of obvious realism. For me that was fine though. Indiana Jones has always been a kind of larger than life comic book character; he's a traditional a pulp science hero from the 50s like Doc Savage or something only with big doses of religious mysticism thrown in, but strictly speaking he's never had a lot of science fiction. This film changes that trend. Some people, for really probably silly reasons find it easier to believe religious 'myths' than scifi ones; I fortunately do not. So my advice is to go into this film with an open mind; and just chill out a bit.
Enough excuses and reasoning. The film was solid in my books. I liked the action sequences a lot, and thought the actors all did a pretty decent job, including Shia LaBeouf. There are a few new classic Indy moments, and the relationships are believable, perhaps because the characters actually reference older events. There is a sense of history here, if you'll excuse the pun. While the Russians never really felt like as imposing a threat as the Nazis did, I enjoyed seeing the back and forth action between them that are a hallmark of the series now.
In terms of plotting there didn't seem to be quite as much mystery in this film, but its more of a character piece I suppose. I guess I was hoping for a bit more though. That said, I thought they did a great job on all of the practical elements of making the film work. Meaning the sets, the staging, the CG, music, and costumes, everything in those departments was absolutely flawless. It definitely looked like an Indiana Jones film, and I appreciated that.
The most important thing though is that this film still had the heart to it. And it still made me feel good. No, it wasn't the best Indy film, but it managed fine, and I have to smile to see Indy work his way into and out of all the crazy predicaments he's famous for. I'm glad I saw it, and even more glad it didn't suck.
George Lucashas said that he has an idea for an Indiana Jones 5 where Shia would effectively take over the franchise from Harrison Ford, and although I'm sure some would call it sacrilege, I would actually be in favor of something like that. The world of Dr. Jones is solid and likable. This is a series that should be evolved and continue. I liked Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but I don't feel another 'wow' movie coming from this series unless something different happens. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if and what develops. For now though this film is a solid entry into the Indy mythology, and that's a pretty good thing on its own. -
"In "My Own Worst Enemy," Henry Spivey (Christian Slater, "Bobby") is a middle-class efficiency expert living a humdrum life in the suburbs with a wife, two kids, a dog, and a minivan. Edward Albright is an operative who speaks 13 languages, runs a four-minute mile, and is trained to kill with his teeth. Henry and Edward are polar opposites who share only one thing in common -- the same body. When the carefully constructed wall between them breaks down, Henry and Edward are thrust into unfamiliar territory where each man is dangerously out of his element. "My Own Worst Enemy" explores the duality of a man who is literally pitted against himself. And it raises the question: who can you trust when you can't trust yourself? Mike O'Malley ("Yes, Dear") and Saffron Burrows ("Boston Legal") also star. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic ("Kidnapped") is the executive producer; David Semel (director of the "American Dreams," "Heroes" and "Life" pilots) is the director and executive producer.
The new landmark series "Crusoe" is an epic and ambitious take on Daniel Defoe's legendary tale that finds the dashing and resourceful Crusoe (Philip Winchester, "Thunderbirds") after many years of being a castaway on a desert island with his companion Friday (casting to follow). Written by Stephen Gallagher ("Eleventh Hour") and directed by Duane Clark ("CSI: NY"), "Crusoe" follows the adventures of the two island dwellers while looking in flashback at Crusoe's life before he was thrown into an isolated existence filled with danger and adventure. Among those are his tragic childhood with widower father James (Sean Bean, "The Lord of the Rings"), the blossoming relationship with the love of his life, Susannah (Anna Walton "Hell Boy: the Golden Army") and his entrepreneurial aspirations under the watchful eye of family friend, Jeremiah Blackthorn (Sam Neill, "The Tudors," 'Jurassic Park"). Overcoming marauding militias, hungry cannibals, wild cats, starvation and apocalyptic lightning storms on his seemingly idyllic island, Crusoe dreams of the day he will be reunited with his beloved family. The executive producers are Justin Bodle for Power, Michael Prupas for Muse and Genevieve Hofmeyr for Moonlighting."
My Own Worst Enemy is premiering on Monday September 29th, from 10pm - 11pm, and Crusoe is premiering on Friday September 17th from 8pm - 10pm. The network also announced some info on shows that I'm not going to mention like Knight Rider and Kath and Kim, but meh, read it if you like. From what I can tell those first two are the only new shows I really care about on NBC for this coming Fall. But of course they've still got their returning shows like Heroes, which will kick off with 3 hours on September 22nd.
More on these as we get closer to the Fall, for now relax and enjoy the summer :) -
Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, apparently a name that's going to be stuck with for a while yet, has officially begun production and there is now an official website / blog to keep us up to date on all things Terminator film. Director McG posted a nice statement peaking about how he's really stoked and intends to honor the franchise and try his hardest not to screw up. Read it here. And he also posted some concept art from the film.
Oh Shia, you've stolen my heart already. Check out this really interesting teaser trailer for Eagle Eye. You can watch it in HD here.
Eagle Eye brings Shia Labeouf back together with his Disturbia director DJ Caruso. Seems like a good team. The movie is set for release on September 27th, 2008. -
Add one more film to the Marvel plate please. Runaways has been announced as in development at Marvel Studios. Probably not a familiar a comic title with most people Runaways is a series that only began in 2002. But since that time it has gained a pretty strong following. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is being written by Y the Last Man author and Runaways creator Brian K Vaughn.
While I haven't gotten around to reading any of the series myself yet :( Now is probably the perfect time. The series itself follows a group of runaway teenagers who embarrassed by their supervillain parents have decided to become a loose band of superheroes. They are street kids and all anti-heroes is a traditional sense. Like Vaughn's other work it sounds very smart and fun. And despite not having a long standing pop culture presence I think Marvel won't have any problem getting a film like this looking good. Although if you ask me I could see it making a great tv show. but hey, what do I know, I haven't even read it.
Sounds cool regardless; and I have faith that Marvel knows what they are doing. It looks like most of the Runaways comic have been collected and released in Marvel's digest form, which are about the size of your standard Archie comic, and are usually aimed at slightly younger readers. I don't know if that makes them harder to find but it should make them cheaper at least.
Anyhow, I think it sounds cool. We'll see what becomes of it, as its probably a ways off yet. -
Have we finally found the Prince? Well Latino Review seems to think so. They report that The title role from the upcoming anticipated planned 'tentpole' Disney film Prince of Persia has been offered to none other than Donnie Darko himself, Jake Gyllenhaal. No word on whether he's taking the part or not, and Latino Review specifically mentioned some concerns with Jake having a broken ankle and trying to fill the very physically demanding role, but I think this news is really pretty good. He is a really able actor who can definitely hold his own with action and drama. And while I've got to wonder if maybe Jake's involvement now has something to do with Day After Tomorrow scribe Jeffrey Nachmanoff taking on the script when the film fell into director Mike Newell's hands. I suppose its a moot point. Jake Gyllenhall is great and despite not being even remotely Persian looking I still think he'll make a really excellent, and commercial, Prince Dastan.
As a reminder care of wikipedia the film follows "Dastan, a young prince in 6th century Persia who must join forces with Tamina (Arterton), a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world."
The release date of June 19th, 2009 has already been claimed by the as yet unfilmed movie. -
According to the Hollywood Reporter, French director Mathieu Kassovitz, of Gothika, and Babylon A.D. fame, will be making a cool sounding sci fi film called MNP. Incidentally also the name of Kassovitz's production company, MNP also stands for the space station where the sci fi action will take place.
According to Kassovitz and the article "The technologically heavy "end of the world" project will utilize special planes that are able to simulate a zero gravity environment for 25 seconds. MNP will work closely with space stations and aeronautical organizations to prepare for the complex project that is set to start shooting in 2011." The film, which has yet to be cast will aim to be a big budget film with A list stars, including 2 Americans and 8 other actors from around the world to create an ensemble cast.
Sounds like it could be cool. End of the world as seen from a space station. I like the idea. -
In even more what's old is new news, Summit Entertainment has acquired the rights to the 80s sci fi classic Highlander. The Hollywood Reporter says that the movie, being written by two of the Iron Man scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, will "not just be a remake but will incorporate more backstory elements and prequel aspects that will be fleshed out to expand the story line in a way that is inventive yet faithful to the original story." Also it will be more than just action, instead it will deal with the romantic issues of "an immortal falling in love with a woman and knowing she's going to grow old and die in your arms."
For someone like me who is honestly a fan of the franchise, warts and all, I am VERY wary of this. I like the original movie, Endgame, but it's the live action tv series that really sucked me in. The character of Duncan McLeod is really well explored. The mythology was expanded, and I felt like it had a satisfying culmination. To me this isn't a movie that needs to be remade. Why not just tell a new story in the same universe? I know they say it'll incorporate itself into the backstory that we know, but like Highander II: The Quickening, and Highlander III, or the Highlander animated series, can we really presume that it won't totally screw around with the canon? Cause I bet you it will. That's part of the problem of a premise where 'there can be only one' you run out of bad guys...
We'll see how this develops and go from there. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes on this. -
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Pictures has acquired the big screen rights to Flash Gordon, and has designs to bring the iconic pulp hero back to the silver screen with Breck Eisner, son of Michael and director of Sahara, to direct and Neal Moritz set to produce. As of now no writers or story direction have been announced and frankly I'm a bit worried.
Even though Sci Fi has as much as admitted that they didn't treat the franchise with the respect it deserved in their recent and ultimately abysmal series, (can't find the story where I read that now of course). And I for one still have a bad taste in my mouth for Flash. Something about the character just smacks of cheesiness to me, and no matter how much I love that Queen song can this property really hold my interest? I have serious doubts.
What sort of a man will you find at the end of the world? Why John Cusack of course. According to Variety, Cusack has signed on to star in Roland Emmerich's film 2012.
Not too much is known about the film. It is said that it will start with a "cataclysmic disaster" that brings an end to life as we know it. Cusack will star as one of the survivors struggling to maintain life.
Looks like this disaster picture is shaping up well, and I sure hope so. They've only got a few years to make any money off the movie before the world goes kablooey. Maybe we'll have you know, fixed things by then ;) -
The summer tv season may have just begun and we're already getting trailer for shows coming out in the fall! Good work FOX on releasing these early enough for fans to see them. Now you've got me, just keep me until the Fall, or January as the case with Dollhouse, and then deliver on the shows; don't cancel the it just as its getting good. For you pleasure, here is Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.
FOX's little write up says "DOLLHOUSE focuses on a secret organization that employs "Actives" -- a group of operatives who have their memories and personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with new ones, allowing them to take on various missions for hire. DOLLHOUSE airs Mondays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) this January on FOX. "
The write up for this show says "When an unlikely trio uncovers a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events, they discover it may be part of a larger, disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology on FRINGE airing TUE 9/8c this fall on FOX. "
Check out the trailer for Baz Luhrmann's sweeping love story Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It still has that Luhrmann feel to it in the storytelling scene doesn't it?
Watch the trailer in HD here. The movie comes out November 14th, 2008. -
Two of the greatest movies ever are on the cusp of being brought back to life and I'm just not sure how to take it. They are seminal films of our youth and and never be replaced. Should they even be updated? I have doubts, but it definitely is exciting news. Because Red Dawn and Robocop are both in the works to be remade.
MGM has the rights to both films, and at Cannes this year they let slip their plans for these two classics. It sounds like the remakes, especially Robocop might just be in the early planning stages now because no other details were revealed.
Is this a good idea or a bad one? I'm still on the fence. I think Red Dawn is definitely due for a remake. Wolverines!!!! but who will it be about, obviously not the Russians... Can it even put put into a modern setting. And as for Robocop. Well as much as I love him, there have been a number of miniseries, made for tv movies, and even a cartoon about him; and none of them have really commercially succeeded. Can it still fly with the kids? I lean towards yes, Its just gotta be cool. Cool and badass.
More on both of these projects as it's revealed. -
Are you ready for it? A new season of Heroes... I know I'm excited! Check out this video. Remember how I thoughtBrea Grant would be a good guy? Well, at least to start she's definitely going to be a villain, and is actually referred to as Hiro's arch nemesis. But seriously?! Hiro can stop time, and his arch nemesis can run fast? That's almost as ironicly silly as the Flash's nemesis being Captain Cold with the 'cold gun' to freeze people solid. Sheesh. Hopefully they'll make it cool. I know speedsters can be done well, but seriously can that power really compare to bending the laws of physics like Hiro?
In what essentially amounts to a completion of the set. Batman on Film got a great poster this week of the Joker from The Dark Knight. Since I like and want to do what I can to support the BoF guys, click on the joker head for the full poster. It's pretty awesome.
The Dark Knight as we know comes out on July 18th here in North America. -
Last week Cinematical ran a juicy little rumor that's just too cool not to share. Apparently the word is that James Vanderbilt, screenwriter on Zodiac and upcoming comic book films X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and DCs The Losers, has just turned in a working draft script for Spider-Man 4 to Marvel and Sony. And the even better news, is that the script he turned in actually encompasses 2 films, and that now the studio is flirting with the idea of trying to make two Spider-Man films back to back! That's right we might get a Spider-Man 4 and a Spider-Man 5 together! I think that would be awesome!
Nothing of course is official, but Sony will undoubtedly have to work hard if they expect to get the stars and Sam Rami back for 2 films. My guess is that they can't. And I suggest that is a good thing. Spider-Man is bigger than any one creative team. Its even bigger than one not so great movie. The character has proven it's mettle in comics for over 40 years now and has consistently remained one of if not the most enduring title Marvel has. I think the movie franchise can survive too without the Maguires and Dunsts of the world.
I'm trying to think what a two film arc might be about for Spider-Man, but its just too much to go on. It could be anything. My hope is that we might see some version of Kraven the Hunter on the screen. Maybe Kraven's Last Hunt? Man that would be just wizard. We'll see what, if anything becomes of this. Hopefully something good. -
Also Empire Online snagged the 5 new character posters that will be showing up around movie theaters anyday now. Check them out as well. My favorite is probably that freakish bird man thing. Totally creepy. Click to enlarge any of these pics.
Like Scanners only on animals, The Men Who Stare at Goats is a book that tells the completely true story of the US government's research into paranormal experiments , such as trying to kill a goat by simply staring at it. Among other things a large portion of the book deals with the Army's research into remote viewing.
And now, into this weird and wonderful world of the super-natural comes George Clooney. As reported by Variety, Clooney will star in a film version of the book as the leader of the US Army's First Earth Battalion.
Frankly I love hearing about all the crazy shit the government's been up to when no ones watching. This should be a really fun film. -
I know how excited you all are about the new and improved 90210 tv series being put together for the Fall on CW. Well we've been getting a lot of details now as the show has started going into production. And even a little video :) Obviously based on the classic series Beverly Hills 90210, this new show seems like rip off in just about every way. I know I was expecting much closer to Gossip Girl, but frankly this seems... tame. Oh how times have changed since those innocent days. Although we won't really know what we're getting into until next fall.
In some 'you knew it had to happen' news, Jennie Garth, aka Kellyhas signed on to the show as a reoccurring role of the West Beverly High guidance counselor. And now reports are surfacing that Tori Spelling is set to have a cameo in the pilot, and Ian Ziering is now said to be expressing interest in making an appearance. Fingers crossed we'll get some Jason Priestly sometime :)
What do you think? Is this going to be utter crap or sheer brilliance? Will it reach the heights of The O.C. or are we looking at another One Tree HIll?
City of Ember is a new film coming out this October. Check out this wonderful trailer. I think it looks like a lot of fun.
I love stories like this. A culture lost in time, being forced to face a new, or forgotten reality. It reminds me of this great Arthur Clarke novel I read once, whose name is escaping me, where the characters were all like 20th generation descendants of seed ship colonists who had reverted to hunter / gathers and never realizing that they were still on the space ship heading for a new planet. City of Ember looks like a fun film. It's the kind of thing I would love as a teenager. It's young adult sci fi, and we need more of that. The movie will be released on October 10th, 2008.
Have you been wondering exactly when and with what the summer tv season is beginning? I sure know I have, but there really isn't a good place to track down a simple list. Sure you can find specific previews of new shows at places like TV Guide, but even the usually reliable Metacritic has been slow to the gate this season. In fact I'd wager its easier to find run downs for this coming Fall's schedule than it is for the summer. So what gives? I know the summer season isn't as interesting overall, but man, without some direction, how am I gonna get my fix?!
Well no more fear people, I've found it, and from a very unlikely source, AOL. Yes, the cursed America Online. Any reasonable person hates them, but I have to honestly give them props for their early coverage of the summer shows. They got features on New Shows, Returning Show, and even a pretty comprehensive Calendar. And seeing as it's finale week (the American Idol finale is on as I type this) I thought now would be the perfect time to remind you of some of the cooler shows coming to the small screen this summer. Check the links above for AOL's full list.
American Gladiators - already started, airs Mondays at 8pm on NBC - official - Kicking off season 2 this week American Gladiators looks better than ever. They've got new events like Rocketball, Skytrack, and the Altrasphere, and new gladiators like the super hot Phoenix, and last season's winners on the other side of the area now. I can't help but love this show, and if you've missed it, NBC has just this week started featuring full episodes online. So catch the two you've missed so far and jump in for an awesome summer. btw, Wolf rulz.
Last Comic Standing - premiere's Thurs May 22nd at 9:30pm on NBC - official - Could the fact that they're actually searching outside of the US make a difference? I hope so...
Million Dollar Password - premieres Sun June 1st at 8pm on CBS - official site - It's the gameshow Password just like you remember, this time hosted by none other than Regis Philbin, and guest starring celebrities as Rosie O'Donnell and Neil Patrick Harris!! This is such a classic game show I'm surprised it hasn't been revived it the modern primetime gameshow era before, I expect this to be a lot of fun.
In Plain Sight - premieres on Sun June 1st at 10pm on USA - official - Mary McCormack stars as a US Marshall who works to place people in the witness protection program. Something about the look of the series makes me think it'll be sweet and fun, and fit perfectly into the USA networks kind of shows. Could this be the next Psych? I hope so.
Swingtown - premieres Thurs June 5th at 10pm on CBS - official - 1970s American suburbia, sexual revolution fallout, drug experimentation, rock and roll, a crazy time to be sure. This show if it really sticks to its guns could be great. It sounds like The Ice Storm, only hopefully funnier. I have high hopes for this new show. But if its not edgy, if it can't keep to the boundaries it will fail miserably. We'll have to see what happens.
Charlie Jade - premieres Fri June 6th at 8pm on SciFi - official - I have never even heard of this show before now. Its Canadian apparently. And it follows a Private Investigator through three ecologically minded parallel universes. The show features the present day, and then two possible futures, one a ruined shell of the world we know, racked by the fallout of global warming, and the other a Utopian green friendly world where we took Al Gore's advice. Sounds like it could be heavy handed, but screw it, its still kinda a cool idea.
Weeds - premieres Mon June 16th at 10pm on Showtime - official - Man I wish I got Showtime :( If you haven't seen this show, you must. Go rent the dvds!
I Survived a Japanese Game Show - premieres Tues June 24th at 9pm on ABC - official - Don't ask me why, but I think this might be fun. It takes 10 American contestants to Japan for a series of grueling and wacky competitions. Hooray for cultural differences!
Burn Notice - premieres Thurs July 10th at 10pm on USA - official - I got a bit behind about midway through last season and haven't caught up yet, but from what I heard the show really started kicking into high gear for the season 1 finale, I'm interested to see what they do for season 2. If you don't know this show I recommend just randomly watching any episode. It's really fun, lazy Sunday afternoon sort of fare when a Bond movie isn't on. Besides... it's got Bruce Campbell.
Flashpoint - premieres Fri July 11th on CBS - official - Another Canadian show imported to the states, how could you not be interested to see what as far as I can tell amounts to a Canadian version of 24. I'm stoked to see what this show is really all about.
Big Brother - premieres Sun July 13th at 8pm on CBS - official - My personal guilty pleasure. By now you should know either you love it, or you hate it. For me, this is the best reality tv.
Psych - premieres Fri July 18th at 10pm on USA - official - I challenge you to not like this show. It is utterly charming in every way. Check out old episodes online, to prepare yourself for the imminent glory of season 3. I promise it'll make you smile :)
Jingles - premieres Sun July 27th at 9pm on CBS - Mark Burnett's latest reality game show finds contestants making up and performing jingles. It'll be judged live and voted on by the viewers a la American Idol. How can this possibly fail?!
Mad Men - July on AMC - official - Such a truly special show, this is one that almost everyone missed, but man it was phenomenal. I REALLY recommend you check it out. The dvds for season 1 go on sale July 1st. This is a show about advertising men in the 50s and it absolutely blew me away. Seriously, watch this, its just fantastic. Watch this clip and you'll see. The writing, acting, and overall production value of this show are truly amazing.
And I have to say... that's really about all. For a bigger preview list as I said, drop by AOL, and look through their pretty nice Calendar. Or as I search around more I see that Metacritic has in fact put up their summer list since a few days ago. Check them out as well. Mix all these shows in with specials like A&Es Andromeda Strain, airing this coming Monday the 26th, at 9pm, and of course the Olympics, to be shown on NBC and like 27 of the various NBC affiliate networks, and you end up with a jam packed summer of television! Thank goodness you don't have to go outdoors anymore, or like you know, socialize.
What television are you planning on watching this summer? Anything? everything? what big shows did I miss in my haste, let me know before I miss them myself! Thank you everyone, and until next time good night. -
Earning a solid $56 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian definitely deserves some recognition. It has dethroned Iron Man, as the next big blockbuster of Summer '08, and I thought it high time I share my two cents on the film.
Simply put I really enjoyed this film, but let's take that in the proper context. It is pretty much impossible not to compare this film to it's predecessor The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is actually a very good thing. Because while I enjoyed the first film overall, I had some serious gripes with the mixed bag of CG, and sometimes melodramatic acting. This film work hard from the start to set straight everything fans picked at in the first film, and honestly, it completely succeeds.
Where Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has mixed CG ranging from grand and sweeping to utter crap, Prince Caspian uses less noticeable CG backgrounds (probably more characters though), and executes them leagues better than the last time. It is amazing how much more I enjoyed a 'creatures' performance when I'm not looking for aliasing, and poor lip syncing. Of course some of the more elaborate characters, like Trufflehunter are still patently computer generated, it is a whole other world from what we got with the beaver family. I was able to let myself fall into the story more because the technology didn't pull me out of it. Now I'm not sure that is really praise for Caspian or more of a negative on TLTWATW, but I look at it as a good thing no matter what. Also it should definitely be noted that there wasn't as much call for sweeping CG shots in this film. Unlike the first film, this one takes place for the most part, in one central location, leading to a refinement in the overall look of that primary sets practical and CG elements.
Ahh the story. The story is the key. Why didn't I talk about the story first? Well, I suppose its because I expect most of you to know it, or at least the basics of it. The story here does not disappoint. It is more mature than the first film, darker and more nuanced. It's a more adult story that takes a more pointed and honest look at faith and sacrifice. Erica walked out of the theater and proclaimed that the film reminded her of the crusades, 'violent and very Gody'. And it was both. The first film had a a great battle sequence at the end, but this one is kind of nuts. It is really full of dramatic and physical action throughout. The battle is amped up from the first film, more fierce and ruthless. One review I read, was really taken by how Disney removed all traced of blood. But that said, this film has a lot of death in it, a lot of sad moments where heroes die or are lost. It is, as I said a very mature story that definitely treads that fine ratings line between PG and PG-13. The tale itself is great though, it is heartfelt and deals with real emotions, and the actors pulled it off, especially Ben Barnes as Caspian, excellently.
The themes and religious overtones are all still there, and in fact, more on the nose in this film than the previous one but I don't fault the film for that. It remains true to what it is and while it could just be the the WASP in me, I thought it was kind of refreshing to see a family movie deal with faith, especially kids and young adults take on faith in such an honest way. This is definitely a Christian film, but its not trying to hide it for the masses and trick them into watching something preachy. I can respect that.
Prince Caspian is a very charged movie. It resonated with me and I hope will with you. There was strong acting, well written dialogue, excellently choreographed action, a much more developed take on the technology bringing the world to life, and I think a much steadier hand at the direction by Andrew Adamson.
Back in December we learned that John Singleton is set to direct the A-Team movie. And while we've had rumors for a while that Ice Cube was up for the infamous role of BA Baracus, it looks like we can add a new more confirmed name to the list. Transformers fourth banana, and model turned actor, Tyresse Gibson has said that he in fact is the man set to sport the mohawk and pity the fools.
While not set totally in stone yet, Tyrese seems pretty secure on landing the role, and since he was previously in 2 Fast 2 Furious which Singleton directed a few years ago, he probably has a right to be. That said, Tyrese is a busy man. He says hes back in line for the Transformers sequel, as well as something called Desert Eagle. And besides that he is also rumored to be up for Luke Cage.
In a recent interview with Superherohype, Tyrese talked about all of these films and unfortunately revealed that Singleton has plans to re-vamp the A-Team with the new film. Saying of the character popularized by Mr T that "He's going to be a little different. We might keep the Mohawk, but we're not going into no forty thousand chains. We're going to 2009 Mr. BA. "
Well, I guess we couldn't have expected much less. I still definitely think it could be a cool film. More on all of these projects though as they develop. -
It's everything I wanted, plus a yeti! Check it out in HD through the official site. I think this'll definitely be a fun film. Look for it in theaters August 1st, 2008. -
Care of Superherohype, and the official Comic-Con magazine, check out the first picture of Sam Jackson as The Octopus in Frank Miller's upcoming Spirit film. Pretty cool stuff.
The release date was recently changed, so The Spirit is now set to come out on Xmas day, December 25th, 2008. -
According to wikipedia, the story follows 15 year old Dave, who decides after his mother dies to try to become a superhero, even though he lives in the 'real world'. He has no powers, and is a regular teen, he's just kinda screwed up, has a love for comic books, and wants to do something real. So he puts on a costume, starts working out, and tries to go out to fight crime. On his first time out though he gets almost beaten to death. Despite this, Dave keeps at it, making small but significant headway.
Well here's some more good news from the 'awesome' director that brought us Transformers. As the sequel gears into production, we've been getting the slow trickle of news and non-news. Oh sure there was that news that Superbad's Jonah Hill was in talks to play Shia's new buddy in the flick, but apparently the deal fell through. And there's also the semi-official word that Transformers 2 might be coming to us next year in Imax 3-D. But any final decision on that will reportedly be based on market availability of 3-D projectors and technology. Since Ice Age 3 is set to come out the next weekend and take charge of many 3-D screens across the country, things are still a bit iffy for our robot buddies.
The important stuff, the REALLY important news is that Michael Bay has once again decided to cast a super hottie in the leading lady role. Good job Bay. I mean I know Megan Fox had a "career" before, but Transformers has firmly solidified her in the fantasies of teenage boys everywhere. And fingers crossed, the same will be said about Australian actress Isabel Lucas.
Whether you like him or not, Michael Bay shoots the hell out of his films. The cinematography and lighting are absolutely amazing everytime. I suspect Isabel will be very thankful for this shot, I know I'm sure as heck looking forward to seeing more of her. -
I definitely missed seeing this from the Iron Man movie. But Comicbookmovie.com points out this juicy little piece of cross-promotional geek gold that is just too cool not to mention.
In the Iron Man movie at about the 1hr 30min mark, during the scene where Tony is having his robots pull the suit off him and Pepper walks in and he says "Let's face it this is not the worsts thing you've caught me doing" you can see in the background on a table none other than the very red white and blue shield of Captain America! very cool
CBM also mentions how it appears that the Super Soldier program will be mentioned in the Hulk movie. Nice :) It sure looks like Marvel is leading up to the big crossover in The Avengers by planting the seeds early. I definitely approve.
Probably the sexiest comic book out there, besides maybe Fathom, Witchblade is finally coming to the big screen. As reported by Variety Top Cow Productions, along with Platinum Films and Arclight Films are coming together to bring the property to the theaters in a live action film. Previous incarnations include the comic book, a manga, anime and television series, but this will be the first live action feature.
If you're unfamiliar with the property, it tells the story of "an ornate jewel-encrusted gauntlet that gives extraordinary powers to the wearer, a specially chosen female from each generation." It's kind of like how every generation there is always a Slayer in the Buffyverse. Also the women who wear the Witchblade a seem to be ubiquitously hot and scantily clad, which for me a big selling feature. The comic series specifically follows modern day NYPD homicide detective Sara Pezzini as she bonds with the sentient artifact and uses its power to fight evil. Other people throughout history have worn the blade for a time though, including the likes of Joan of Arc and Cleopatra.
Really there's not much to say that a picture can't explain. This is why Witchblade is popular...
Production is slated to begin this year, although there is no word on casting, for a 2009 release. -
You knew it had to happen, Buck Rogers is coming back to the big screen. According to Variety the pulp hero will be making his most recent jump to the silver screen care of Nu Image and Millennium Films who recently acquired the rights. Whether this will be another Battlestar Galactica update (good) or Bionic Woman (bad) has yet to be seen.
I am pretty interested in this though, I have to say I don't think I ever watched the 70s tv series, but from what people tell me it was pretty cheesy and awesome in the classic BSG kind of way. Also the story it itself is interesting. A man out of time, trying to make his way in the strange new future. its very Andromeda (well probably reverse that to be more accurate ;) ) And other than the awful sounding robot companion, I could see this being a fun romp. But the question remains, should this really be a movie, or would a tv series work better. I know the recent Flash Gordon show didn't fare too well, but Buck Rogers sounds like it might have something going for it a bit more than Flash does. Besides any property that can survive as long as Buck Rogers has, in so many different incarnations, must be doing something right. Not that FG hasn't been around for a long time too...
When this story broke it looks like IGN was reporting that Frank Miller of Sin City fame was attached to the project, but that appears to be totally false for now. That said, a director of his level is probably what this kind of an update needs.
Well have to see where this one goes in times to come. For now, lets just enjoy a piece of history...
One of the funny things that slipped by after last weeks earnings call from Marvel was a side note on the upcoming Thor movie. We all know that Matthew Vaughn has been attached to direct the film for some time now... Well apparently that time is through.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Vaughn's holding deal on the project expired this past December, and he is now off the film. As we know, Mark Protosevich of I Am Legend fame is working on a new draft of the film. And Thor is expected to turn up in Iron Man 2. But with all this fast and furious development underway prepping for a speedy-ish production (considering the probably effects) and July 4th, 2010 release, can it be that Marvel really doesn't have a director in place?!
Ok, undoubtedly Marvel has some plans in the works for this, and most likely already have a new director in hand for the project, but I have to say its a real shame Vaughn has moved on. He would have been a good choice stylistically. And while I had serious problems with his Stardust film, I wonder how much that had to do with the script (obviously no offense meant to Mr Gaiman).
We'll have to wait and see what becomes of this. Thor has all the potential to be a massively popular character if they can just get an A-list star, like Brad Pitt, to step into the role, and have a kick-ass script. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and just waiting for some news now. -
Well, I just don't know about this one. It probably won't be too bad, and definitely good for the kiddies, but I think Kung Fu Panda might just be a rental for me. I mean it looks funny; but not that funny...
What do you think? The movie hits theaters on June 6th. -
TV Guide has another pretty exciting scoop on some Heroes casting with word that non other than Babylon 5 (and of course Tron) veteran Bruce Boxlietner will be joining the cast in a reoccurring role next season! According to Michael Ausiello, this is "a top-secret recurring role that was originally going to be modeled after Sen. John McCain. The character has since been reconceived, and now all I know for sure is that he'll be sharing scenes with a female series regular."
Nice work Heroes. I am already getting pretty interested. I know they are going to try to not make the mistakes of season 2 and I have every faith that they can do it. This kind of casting is exactly what the series needs. I would definitely put this on par with snagging Eric Roberts last season, and Bruce can actually act ;)
Just to give you a taste of things, check out this teaser trailer for the new season:
Too bad that doesn't you know, actually tell us anything.... But TV Guide has a great more in-depth article on the upcoming season. The new season will have 25 episodes and pick up with a "bang" right where season 2 left off with Nathan Patrelli being shot. There will apparently be lots of surprises, and although a few new faces like Boxlietner and Brea Grant will will be introduced the season will be focused on the core characters we know and love. The season is titled, and will focus on Villains. So Sylar, but as you saw from the teaser above, they are definitely going to be throwing a few other "good guys" into the mix of villains. In the TVG article it suggest that one of those people may be Matt Parkman.
Allan Arkush, one of the series' exec producers and directors also said that "One of the things that we're going to explore is the very nature of these powers — where they come from, who has them, what the different aspects are of how they each got their powers and how it affects them. That's going to be a major storyline this year — the actual genetic essence of the power." and Finally they mention that we should all take note that this is a multiverse were dealing with. Multiple possible futures and versions of events. Hiro from the future proved that even a small change can have major consequences. Basically its the butterfly effect, and it will pretty much screw with everything we think we might know or learn.
Sylar will be eating our brains this fall and I really couldn't be more excited. Screw all the haters who were pissed about season two, I think it was necessary, and I bet it'll only fuel a fantastic season three! -
Paramount and Hasbro have been pretty good about keeping fans as happy as can be with regards to the new G.I. Joe movie. Other than a few changes like the costumes, I think the film sounds like its shaping up to be a real winner. Then again I'm a pretty big fan to begin with. :)
Last week though, Paramount went on a one day media blitz across the web, releasing new pictures of a number of characters as single pic exclusives to various sites. The pictures gave us some more insight into especially what some of the maybe more minor characters will look like. That said its a bit of a bitch tracking them all down.
All are really awesome. I am honestly getting more and more excited about this film. But I can't deal with these multiple sites. I have to say my absolute favorite blog for info on the movie is still HissTank.com. I endorse them to the fullest as you know the members there are the most hardcore of fans. That's how I just read about the story that reportedly says Shipwreck will NOT be appearing in the film... what happened?! I thought they had The Rock basically locked in... sigh. I guess we'll have to wait for the sequel.
Anyhow, G.I. Joe is filming now, and will be released on Aug 7th, 2009. -
I'm Geoff Chapman. at Canadian whose been living in the San Francisco for the past few years, I love all things pop culture. I especially love films, comics, kitties, lazers, video games, tv, robots, and kool-aid. I've got a great wife, and two amazing little boys. This is what I call, livin' the dream...
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