Creepy new trailer for "Buried"

Early word on this project so far has been decent, with reviews saying that Reynolds is able to support the film throughout its run time. With this and The Green Lantern in back-to-back years, Reynolds, formerly known for bad horror remakes and even worse romantic-gross-out comedies, could be close to a career renaissance.

First look at "London Boulevard" and "Thor"

One post; two very different movies. First is London Boulevard, which as of now doesn't have have a release date. I've heard this title thrown around for a few months, and I kept confusing with Last Night, also starring Ms. Knightley. However, that film has the increasingly dull Sam Worthington, whereas Knightley's co-star here is the increasingly awesome Colin Farrell, who made a stellar come-back with 2008's In Bruges. The story, about a released convict who falls in love with a movie star, is definitely an interesting one, with the potential for plenty of strong drama. And wouldn't it be nice to see Keira Knightley give a good performance in a film that isn't a period piece? I think it's about time. The film is still in post-production and has yet to find a distributor, but if it's any good, expect someone to snatch it up and market the hell out of it come awards season. After all, it's directed by William Monahan, who wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for The Departed.

Next is Kenneth Branagh's (yes, that Kenneth Branagh) Thor. I've never been much of a comic book enthusiast, so I can't really give any insight as to whether this brief glimpse of Chris Hemsworth is promising or worrisome. As is the question with these films nowadays, we have to wonder if Branagh will go for the more serious, Dark Knight route, or take a slightly lighter tone a la Iron Man (maybe somewhere in between?). I'm also interested to see what Shakespeare-loving Branagh can bring to the table in what could otherwise be just another comic-book adaptation (albeit one with a Norse mythology angle). The film, which also stars Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, opens May 6, 2011, though I'm sure it won't be too much longer before we starting getting some teasers.

Clip from "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger"

There isn't a lot of personality in the clip, which was the opposite of when clips from Vicky Cristina Barcelona made their way to the internet, but I'm still interested in seeing this. Obviously Allen loves his neurosis-ridden protagonists, but I hope the film isn't 90 minutes of Watts and Banderas stammering awkwardly to each other. A little of that goes a llllllooooooooooooooong way. And is it wrong the the single-take-conversation shot sort of reminds me of this? Very different in tone, but something struck me as oddly similar...

"Jonah Hex" trailer arrives

And now we know why it took them so long to release a trailer: there obviously isn't a lot of good stuff to work with. Fox seems absolutely wooden, and Brolin looks like he's struggling to emote under that make-up. The only one who looks like he's having fun is Michael Fassbender, complete with wide, crazy grins. I think I'll be skipping this one. Oh, and ENOUGH with the grunge-rock soundtrack in trailers for period action films already!

New "Inception" poster

And still no Marion Cotillard. Anywhere. I know there are behind-the-scenes stills of her, and I know she plays DiCaprio's wife, but they couldn't work her in there somehow? Is her role that small? Regardless of Cotillard's exclusion, I'm not crazy about this poster. I like the city blocks folding over on themselves, but the characters' poses at the bottom seem a little too "A-Team" for me.

"Batman 3" and "The Hobbit" by 2013

2013? 2013!? That's the longest we might have to wait? Okay, maybe I should calm down. After all, Christopher Nolan isn't a super hero (ha ha), and even with his brother Jonathan working on the script for Batman 3, he'll probably need a break after the extensive work on Inception (which I'm unbelievably excited for) before he jumps back into the director's chair. Still, it's been nearly two years since The Dark Knight, and it took three years between Batman Begins and that film. It would have been nice to have a repeat of that time table, but that looks highly unlikely. Oh well, at least it's being made, and with Nolan on board (which was confirmed a while ago).

Also, how nice is it to finally hear something GOOD about Del Toro/Jackson's The Hobbit? For a while it seemed like the whole project had come to a complete standstill. It's nice to see that at least one major film franchise is getting its next installment off the ground. People can rag on Del Toro for Hellboy all they want, but it doesn't change the fact that he wrote and directed both The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth, two stunning fantasy-dramas. And with Peter Jackson simultaneously in a rut as a director (The Lovely Bones) and on a high as a producer (District 9), it's good to have the grand maestro behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy involved in a pivotal role. I, for one, am more than ready to return to Middle Earth.

Remember when I mentioned how awesome Betty White is? Yeah...this...

First look at Robert Redford's "The Conspirator," and an adjustment for Damon's "Bureau"

It's about time. One of 2010's elusive period-piece Oscar hopefuls has finally come out of the shadows; IMDb provides the following premise:

Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.

The film doesn't yet have a specific 2010 release date, though obviously it's being saved for the fall/winter to give it a bigger push for awards consideration. At this point, I'm not even sure if it's finished filming, so it could be a while before we even start to get some buzz on this project. I wasn't a big fan of Redford's Lions for Lambs (2007); I hated it to the core except for Streep and Cruise. However, this project, based on its cast (maybe McAvoy can finally score that first Oscar nomination?) and subject matter, has me intrigued. More will be posted as it arrives...and hopefully that won't be TOO long.

In other news, word has it that the Matt Damon/Emily Blunt pseudo-sci-fi thriller The Adjustment Bureau has been pushed from July 30th to September 17th. The post on Deadline Hollywood was only a list of Universal's upcoming releases and their current release dates, so there's no info as to why this delay has happened. Considering the lack of trailer, the film could either not be far enough along in post-production yet, or could be in need of a major reworking, which would be a shame considering the talent involved.

New "Jonah Hex" poster...

And it has a GATTLING GUN! And MICHAEL FASSBENDER! Why are they waiting until Friday to give us a damn trailer? I honestly don't care if this sucks or not. I want to see Josh Brolin use his (hand held?) gattling gun fight...Wild West Voodoo magic...and JOHN MALKOVICH! And as for Megan Fox...eh...

Betty White: Still awesome after all of these years

New "MacGruber" trailer

First image of Mia Wasikowska from "Jane Eyre" (2011)

Final trailer for "The Last Airbender"

Though this doesn't look half bad, I'm worried about the fact that the film has been converted into 3D in post-production. It didn't turn out well for Clash of the Titans, but who knows, maybe the studio had a longer amount of time to work on this one.

I can't believe I'm saying this...

But I was actually able to watch a trailer for one of the Twilight movies...and not roll my eyes or cringe. Having skimmed the books and read plenty on them, I'll still avoid this one because of the sheer amount of narrative BS contained in "Eclipse". That said, this trailer actually has some nice, intense shots in it. It's not the most original thing, but I kind of like that shot of the vampires emerging from the water. Who knows, maybe David Slade was the director this otherwise laughably inept film series needed all along...

First official still from "Hanna"

Clip from "Robin Hood"

Aside from the generic score, I'm impressed. Give credit to Ridley Scott for plausibly working in an explosion into an 11th Century-set film. Nice use of low frame rate to create that hectic feeling of combat as well.

"...and introducing Josh Brolin as Harvey Dent"

Josh Brolin wonders if Diane Lane finds scars sexy...

RopeofSilicon has a new image of Josh Brolin as the titular hero of this summer's fantasy-western Jonah Hex, which is a good sign. The post also mentions that a trailer is FINALLY arriving [edit]next Friday, and will be attached to the new Nightmare on Elmstreet film. I really like seeing Brolin in tough western roles like this. He was wonderfully understated in No Country for Old Men, and didn't get nearly the praise he deserved for it (to be fair, Bardem and Jones were better). Plus, if this film turns out to be a stinker, we'll get to see Brolin in western mode later this year in the Coen brothers' True Grit remake, which should be quite the film considering the cast and crew. I know in certain circles this isn't the most popular opinion, but I never saw anything special in Brolin's Oscar-nominated turn in Milk; however, I look forward to seeing what he'll deliver with two very different explorations into the Wild West mythos.

Two new "Prince of Persia" featurettes: Stunts and The Hassansins

Well, I can't believe I'm saying it, but these latest behind-the-scenes videos actually have me kind of excited. The stunts and use of Parkour could lend the movie its own unique combat feel, which would be great. I still go back and forth as to whether Gyllenhaal and Artreton will have chemistry, or be like two damp rags, though. That, and I hope the movie keeps its visual effects focused on fight scenes rather than large-scale shots of destruction/other "stuff".

First images of Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana in "Hanna"

Hmm, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana working with Joe Wright on a spy thriller? This looks great, especially since 2009 was a Blanchett-free year. I'm excited to see how Blanchett starts off this new decade, especially since it sounds like her role is a villainous one.

Why Jane Lynch deserves that Emmy: Reason #2342783472934

Trailer for "Get Low" with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray

So that's what it's about. I remember hearing about this in October or November as a possible last minute 2009 release, but it was then pushed back to 2010. Oscar #2 for Mr. Duvall?

New snippet of (positive) buzz for "Tree of Life"

It's things like this that made me wish I'd gone to film school in Texas; how amazing would it have been to a secret screening!? This was posted on SlashFilm as a reader comment, so take it with a grain of salt. That said, Austin has had several recent high profile "secret" screenings of films before (including There Will be Blood), and seeing as Mr. Malick resides in or around the city, it's not implausible. Hmm, 97% complete? As good as Badlands? TRAILER SOON?

The blurb: He screened it to an audience of about thirty, and it's literally 97% done. Our boss was able to see it, and called it the best film of his since "Badlands". Emmanuel Lubezki was in attendance, as was some vfx gurus (one of which was my boss).

Chilling teaser trailer for "Aftershock"

When I first saw the article title, I assumed this was just another disaster flick, but the teaser, which gives no indication of the real story, tells so much more. The story itself (below) is pretty heart-wrenching, and could make for compelling (and hopefully not exploitative) drama.

First Showing gives the following synopsis:

When a mother is informed by a rescue team that, since her 7-year old twins are buried under the debris close to each other, digging one out would result in the collapse of the wreckage on the other, she is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life. Based around the devastating Tangshan Earthquake of 1976.

Read more: http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/04/16/wonderful-teaser-for-chinese-earthquake-film-aftershocks/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+firstshowing+%28FirstShowing.net%29#ixzz0lOV0rzis

"Kick Ass" - REVIEW

What if normal people put on costumes and tried to be superheroes in a superhero-free world? That's the question posed by Matthew Vaughn's Kick Ass, an adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s genre-skewering comic book. Much has been made in recent weeks of the violent content, not because of the violence itself (far, far, FAR worse has been put on screen), but because of the characters committing it: teens and pre-teens. Well, one pre-teen, Mindy Macready, AKA Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz), who may very well be in the running for Character of the Year.

But before I get ahead of myself, let me (briefly) give a rundown of the plot. Basically, it's this: ordinary guy Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) decides to put on a costume and fight crime, just because...well...for the sake of doing it. He hasn't been wronged in any way (although he is sick of being bullied for money by two local thugs), and his situation in life isn't dire in any way. He's just ordinary to the extreme. And that's part of the beauty of the source material and Vaughn's film as a result. Considering how long it takes for Dave to become Kick Ass, not to mention the gradual inclusion of Hit Girl, Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage), and Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), the film remains entertaining and engaging (albeit not as sharp as it thinks it is), and you want to root for Dave/KickAss. However, once Hit Girl and Big Daddy arrive, it's hard to not want the film to be about them. In spite of Johnson's perfectly good portrayal, the Hit Girl/Big Daddy dynamic carries so much more energy in regards to the plot, despite being relegated to supporting status. I won't spoil the first time the father/daughter team are shown together, but let's just say there's something so delightfully deranged-yet-endearing about the way Cage refers to his daughter as "child," that it's hard not to smile.

Yet while the story itself, which ultimately becomes that which it set out satirize by the end (albeit with a wink) isn't perfect (the teen comedy aspect at time is rushed), Vaughn's direction and the action are spot on. It's amazing to see Vaughn, who fumbled around haplessly with 2007's Stardust, dive into a film with such conviction, especially when the results often have you wanting to clap. In particular, the use of music is spectacular, namely two compositions from John Murphy's scores for 28 Days Later..., and Sunshine, add up to stunning effect in the fight scenes, and the use of a classic Ennio Morricone piece is practically a wicked joke of its own. Even in scenes that don't amount to much, such as when Dave first attempts to leap between buildings, the music pulls you in. What's amazing is that each fight scene, as has be noted in other reviews, has its own personality and style, with one even switching briefly into first-person vision. It's one of those rare instances where I wished every action sequence could have kept going for another five minutes, solely for the sake of reveling in the beautifully stylized and stunningly choreographed violence.

And amazingly, in spite of the stunning action, we still care about these characters. Again, I won't spoil what happens, but when things turn south for our protagonists, it's hard not to feel something. Cage, who's been in something of a rut for a long time, turns in a really nice supporting turn as Big Daddy, and is actually self-consciously goofy, while also sheltering some inner demons (it would have been nice to have these front and center instead of Kick Ass' girl troubles). Mintz-Plasse, best known for his role as McLovin' in Superbad, is solid as Red Mist, never slipping into a rehash of that iconic role, but again, it would have been nice to have more of him. Then there's pint-sized Moretz. As Hit Girl she's shockingly foul-mouthed, and this charisma carries over to her normal side. The way her face lights up when she gets a special knife for a birthday present displays not only a startling maturity in the character, but in the actress portraying her as well. It's not a perfect turn, she doesn't always handle her non-Hit Girl with equal strength, but it is certainly a star-making one. The rest of the cast fill out their roles nicely, with Mark Strong adding another solid villain to his resume.

But in the end the real mastermind is Vaughn as director (he also co-wrote the screenplay), who brings all of these wild elements together and creates such visceral action on such a low budget, and makes it all look so, well, Kick Ass. It may not be a great film, but Kick Ass is certainly example of a director getting solid work from his performers, and crafting a thoroughly engaging film and exhilarating film from a screenplay that falls short in several departments.

Grade: B/B

On-set photos of Saoirse Ronan in Joe Wright's "Hanna"

2010 Cannes Lineup

Sadly, no Tree of Life, though according to the SF article, there's a chance it could slip in as a last minute addition. After that extensive preview of what was likely to make it in, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that The Tempest, Rabbit Hole, and Black Swan aren't on the list. And wait a sec, weren't The Rum Diary and The Expendables supposed to be screened at Cannes (out of competition)?

Source: SlashFilm

IN COMPETITION

“Another Year,” U.K., Mike Leigh “Biutiful,” Spain-Mexico, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu “Burnt by the Sun 2,” Germany-France-Russia, Nikita Mikhalkov “Certified Copy,” France-Italy-Iran, Abbas Kiarostami “Fair Game,” U.S., Doug Liman “Hors-la-loi,” France-Belgium-Algeria, Rachid Bouchareb “The Housemaid,” South Korea, Im Sang-soo “La nostra vita,” Italy-France, Daniele Luchetti “La Princesse de Montpensier,” France, Bertrand Tavernier “Of Gods and Men,” France, Xavier Beauvois “Outrage,” Japan, Takeshi Kitano “Poetry,” South Korea, Lee Chang-dong “A Screaming Man,” France-Belgium-Chad, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun “Tournee,” France, Mathieu Amalric “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,” Spain-Thailand-Germany-U.K.-France, Apichatpong Weerasethakul “You, My Joy,” Ukraine-Germany, Sergey Loznitsa

UN CERTAIN REGARD

“Adrienn Pal,” Hungary-Netherlands-France-Austria, Agnes Kocsis “Aurora,” Romania, Cristi Puiu “Blue Valentine,” U.S., Derek Cianfrance “Chatroom,” U.K., Hideo Nakata “Chongqing Blues,” China, Wang Xiaoshuai “The City Below,” Germany-France, Christoph Hochhausler “Film Socialisme,” Switzerland-France, Jean-Luc Godard “Ha Ha Ha,” South Korea, Hong Sang-soo “Les Amours imaginaires,” Canada, Xavier Dolan “Life Above All,” France, Oliver Schmitz “Los labios,” Argentina, Ivan Fund, Santiago Loza “Octubre,” Peru, Daniel Vega “Qu’est-il arrive a Simon Werner?,” France, Fabrice Gobert “Rebecca H.,” France, Lodge Kerrigan “R U There,” Taiwan, David Verbeek “The Strange Case of Angelica,” Portugal, Manoel de Oliveira “Tuesday, After Christmas,” Romania, Radu Muntean “Udaan,” India, Vikramaditya Motwane

OUT OF COMPETITION

“Robin Hood,” U.S.-U.K., Ridley Scott “Tamara Drewe,” U.K., Stephen Frears “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps,” U.S., Oliver Stone “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,” U.K.-Spain, Woody Allen

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS

“Kaboom,” U.S.-France, Gregg Araki “L’autre monde,” France, Gilles Marchand

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

“Abel,” Mexico, Diego Luna “Chantrapas,” France, Otar Iosseliani “Draquila — L’Italia che trema,” Italy, Sabina Guzzanti “Inside Job,” U.S., Charles Ferguson “Nostalgia de la luz,” France, Patricio Guzman “Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow,” Netherlands, Sophie Fiennes

Read more: Cannes 2010 Lineup Announced; Terrence Malick’s ‘The Tree of Life’ Not on the List | /Film http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/04/15/cannes-2010-lineup-announced-terrence-malicks-the-tree-of-life-not-on-the-list/#ixzz0lBNVsOXL

I don't need a reason

Kudos to Nathaniel R from The Film Experience for digging up the most bizarre, delightfully amusing image from Cannes in recent memory. I love how Swinton is just there, unintentionally photo bombing Turner and Tarantino's embrace. Her expression is so simple, yet priceless.

A Green Mann (Collaboration)?

After checking Marion Cotillard off of his international-actresses-to-work-with list, Michael Mann might be working with another French Beauty: Eva Green (according to The Playlist). This is the first news I've heard about Mann's potential film about Spanish Civil War photographer Robert Capa, and it's nice to know that the project is moving forward. Green is quite the alluring actress, though I don't think she's had a chance to really shine in a movie since Casino Royale almost four years ago. Mann's movies tend to be pretty male-oriented, but hey, Cotillard was the shining light of Public Enemies. But of course the real question is who will play Capa. I'm not familiar with the man or his work, and this is the first time I've ever seen a picture of him, so I haven't given a lot of thought as to who could play him. As far as looks go...maybe Joaquin Phoenix? I definitely see it in the brow, although obviously make-up would be required.

"Tree of Life" NOT a Cannes certainty; "The Rum Diary" and "Expendables" are

Oh Terrence Malick...just...why...

No, it's not 100% out; People lists it as a "possible shoo-in," but after sooooo much back-and-forth, it's not boding well.

So, "Date Night"...

Is a classic case of talented performers rising waaaay above the material. What could have been a unbearable hour and a half on poorly executed comedy and gangster violence is made a mildly enjoyable, albeit far-from hilarious experience. It's a shame that Carrell and Fey couldn't have written this film too. They make such a believable "normal" couple, that it's a shame the writing couldn't have been more up to their standards. That said, they're perfectly engaging and fun to watch, even when a lot of the film is just the two of them panicking. The rest of the cast fare reasonably well, though there are plenty of missed opportunities in the segment involving James Franco and Mila Kunis. Taraji P. Henson doesn't get too much to do other than be skeptical. However, credit should go to Josh Klausner for managing to repeat the gag of Mark Wahlberg's shirtlessness THREE times and managing to get a solid laugh each time. The car chase, though hampered by the man playing the taxi driver, is surprisingly fun too. The problem is that the humor is never quite in sync with the zaniness of the story, and effect of the film is muffled. After the opening, which highlights the lackluster nature of the Fosters' life, the humor never kicks into high enough gear, preferring to stammer out plot explanation and general explanation rather than find a way to weave something clever into all of this. It's not a total waste of talent or time, but just don't expect something on the level of Carrell and Fey's stellar TV comedies.

Grade: C+

NBC? CBS? ABC? No, you need...

On the set: "The Fighter"

I have to say, I like seeing this new, darker side of Amy Adams. Nice to see that isn't letting herself get caught in the wide-eyed-innocent role.

Hell yes: Ari Folman's "Waltz with Bashir" follow up, "The Congress"

To be succinct: I f-ing love Ari Folman's animated documentary Waltz with Bashir (2008). How it lost the Foreign Language Film Oscar to Departures, I'll never understand. So to finally see something from Ari Folman's latest film (which I knew nothing about until seconds ago) has me flipping out in the best sense. Since I'm just getting wind of this project, I'll let Rope of Silicon fill you in on the rest.

PS: Please, please, PLEASE tell me that Max Richter is scoring this. PLEASE.

Matt and Emily, together at last...or not

The first two official stills from this year's The Adjustment Bureau have finally arrived. The film, based on a Philip K. Dick story (haven't we run out of work by him to adapt yet?), is about a politician and a ballerina, and the mysterious agency trying to keep them from falling in love at all costs. No, it's not a bad romantic comedy; it's sci-fi, which adds a lot of intrigue. The more subtle presence of the sci-fi element actually calls to mind Chris Nolan's upcoming Inception (which is shaping up to be an "existential heist thriller"...I like), also due in July, which incorporates intriguing, veiled sci-fi plot elements into an otherwise "normal" present-day setting. There's still no word of when a trailer might appear, although with the onslaught of blockbuster hopefuls of May right around the corner, expect to see it soon; I don't think a lot of people really know about this film yet. Hopefully there isn't a bad reason for that.

Crazy Europeans and Journalistic Poppycock

Thanks, Auto Tune The News.

Gwyneth Paltrow jumps ship on "The Danish Girl"

Maybe Ms. Theron can jump back on? Ugh, I really don't know what's going on with this film. I was always skeptical that it would be filmed and finished with post in time for a 2010 release. Come on Chris Martin, why did you need to support her? Tell her to get back in there so this can get made and Nicole Kidman can have something interesting to follow up...a movie co-starring Heidi Montag...

Source: Yahoo News/Reuters

Gwyneth recently parted ways with "The Danish Girl," a film project she was previously attached to that will star Nicole Kidman, due to a location change, and the blonde told Harper's that Chris [Martin] said something about that decision that made her appreciate him more.

"When I pulled out [of 'The Danish Girl], he said, 'I think you'll be happy with your decision.' I really lucked out with him. He's deeply lovely and special," she said.

Trailer for "The Kids Are All Right"

AKA, Julianne and Annette trying once again for an Oscar.

"Tree of Life" confirmed for Cannes!! [EDIT] May not be from reliable source

EDIT Part II: Thanks to The Playlist for the heads up about my possibly sketchy source material (can I blame it on the guy who posted it on IMDb?).

And by "Cannes," I mean Cannes 2010, not 2011, 2012, 2050, etc...Mr. Malick has another film that he needs to take years and years on. This is great. Maybe some of (but not too much) of the mystery around this film can finally be lifted. Although, as frustrating as it would be, I'd rather have the film not play at Cannes so long as it definitely is released THIS year. I'm not even the biggest Malick fan. I think Badlands is very good and think The Thin Red Line is a poetic piece of brilliance. However, Days of Heaven and The New World have always felt too vague, too poetic, and too "empty," plot and character-wise, even though Days of Heaven is one of the most gorgeous achievements ever committed to film (the video in the link doesn't do it justice). Even so, I'm still excited for this one, because when Malick's films soar, they're quite remarkable. And even when they feel a little empty, they're always beautiful in sight and sound. And sometimes you need a little poetic eye candy.

Source: purepeople.com (foreign site/magazine)

In a few weeks, the 63th Cannes Film Festival will open its doors to an audience of stars is expected. Last year the arrival highly glamorous PittPresenting Inglourious BasterdsAnd Jolie caused a sensation. It is very pregnant with her twins, Angie was also present in May 2008 with her lover. For the third time, the Hollywood Duo again face the courthouse steps on the second day of the festival after the screening of Opening Movie, Robin Hood of Ridley ScottWith Crowe and Cate Blanchett. Brad Pitt will present the latest feature film by Terrence Malick (The Red Line, The New World) Entitled The Tree of LifeWhich the star shares the bill with Penn. The beautiful Angelina and Brad should accompany her could stay in their property in the Var with their six children, but what will happen to Sean Penn, who won the 1997 Best Actress Award at Cannes She's So Lovely and was Chairman of the Board 2008? Last year Robin Wright - Which is now separate - Had lit up the festival as juror. Sean will there solo or with a particular person?
Other works, which will be officially announced on April 15, the festival will panic during those few days. The American conquest should take place with a strong presence overseas. The arrival of Terrence Malick is a huge event for this great director is as talented as miserly achievements: The Tree of Life is his fifth feature film since 1973.

I need to see "Kick-Ass"

As in, RIGHT NOW.

I'm sorry, I must have misheard you, Nicholas Sparks

Because there's no way you could be this insane. More on this tomorrow or Friday. I have to get up early for course registration tomorrow, and I don't think I can handle this supreme idiocy right now. This isn't just wrong, it's a literally jaw-droppingly statement of arrogance.

"Prince of Persia" featurette: Story

There's probably no rhyme or reason to it, but this latest video makes me slightly more enthusiastic about the film. I...I'm not sure what it is, maybe the presentation, maybe the glimpses of new footage...somehow the VFX shots seems like they might be put to better use here than in Clash of the Titans (ie: VFX either for backdrops or having characters actually interact with CGI surroundings, instead of just having them as backdrops).

The perfect Easter blessing

Happy Easter, everyone!

And your heart starts melting in three...two...one...

New theatrical "I am Love" trailer

Yep, I think "ravishing" about sums it up. The images, the music, the color, the food, the people...it's all gloriously operatic in the best sense. I just don't want to have to wait until July (when it will finally expand to Texas) for this!

Side note: Tilda Swinton really ought to keep her hair long; it's incredibly flattering on her (especially compared to her preferred androgynous-elf short cut).

Trailer for Olivier Dahan's "My Own Love Song"

Well, the last half is fine, but did we really need almost 40 seconds of Renee and Forest bickering like, well, lunatics? This is yet another Zellweger-Oscar-comeback film to the core, and I really don't know what to make of it based on the trailer. Affecting character drama? Shameless Oscar bait? Both?

Three Colors: Marion

The Lady from Shanghai

A while ago Marion Cotillard, the new Queen of Awesome, became the newest celebrity headliner for Christian Dior. She took part in a music video for the Annie Liebovitz helmed "Lady Rouge" extended ad, and sang a song written by Franz Ferdinand. Little did I know that this was just the tip of the iceberg. It's a three part ad campaign, with each segment centered on a color. The first was Olivier Dahan's "Lady Noire", a gorgeous six-minute short. Second is the aforementioned "Lady Rouge". Third, and perhaps most intriguing, is the project mentioned in the iceberg link, a blue themed, Shanghai-set 12 minute short directed by the master of weirdness, David Lynch. The reason this excites me so much is that it reminds of my favorite overly-theatrical celebrity commerical ever. I really hope Lynch's involvement is just the start of their collaboration. The thought of Lynch working his weirdness on someone so beautiful and dramatically compelling as Cotillard gives me chills. Perhaps he can come up with something akin to Mulholland Dr., but with Cotillard as the heart and soul of the project? We know that the woman can carry a movie, so it's really just a matter of the two having enough actor-director chemistry to pull it off. I know I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

Italian teaser trailer for "I am Love (Io Sono L'Amore)"

First, I looooove this new footage, and how it manages to intrigue without giving away a shred of plot. I do wish I could understand those critics' blurbs, although the fact that there are so many of them should be encouraging enough. The only problem? I kind of want to fly to Italy just to see this as soon as possible; it's been out there since March 19!!!

3 New "Iron Man 2" stills

New "Robin Hood" behind the scenes video

EDIT: okay, so apparently the video embed code is acting weird. To view the video, visit FirstShowing.

This just amps up my excitement even further. Ridley Scott knows how to make fully immersive period films, and this one looks no different. After the letdown of Clash of the Titans and it's CGI shenanigans, the promise of realistic action sequences with only a handful of CGI shots (most of which will only be wide shots of the French navy) is so damn exciting.

The Titans, they are a'clashiiiiiiiiiiing... [REVIEW]

I had a chance to see Clash of the Titans a night early, and quite earlier than expected. There were actually screenings earlier than just your typical "midnight opening" at 12:01. This was actually at 9:15 PM, and that wasn't even the earliest one. This isn't something that happens often (right?), so I took advantage, because sometimes by the time I get to a midnight showing my mind is too sluggish, and movies that are probably paced perfectly fine seem to drag on. Well, enough of that useless little anecdote; this post is about the movie. So, how was it?

Well, the biggest problem with the whole thing is probably that it can never overcome its origins. I don't think it's impossible to make a compelling film revolving around Greek mythology, but it sure as hell isn't easy. That the story doesn't stray too far from the 1981 original is the film's greatest bane. The whole thing is just silly, and Louis Leterrier's film struggles to find a proper tone. Characters get beat up, scratched, and injured, yet it's hard to be even remotely invested in the whole thing, even on a purely superficial level. A good deal of it is thanks to the silliness of the dialogue. Pete Postlethwaite (you were in In the Name of the Father, for God's sake...what happened?), who's barely in the movie, gets some of the worst, in the form of a condensed speech that feels too much like a greatest hits version of "call to action" speeches. Then there's Sam Worthington, whose performance and facial expressions reminds of something 30Rock's Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) said to ex-boyfriend Drew (Jon Hamm) in a recent episode: "Soooo handsome....so, so stupid." For all of Worthington's attempts at Russell Crowe-esque brooding, not to mention his anachronistic haircut, he's a blank slate. Particularly bad are the scenes when he isn't speaking. His reaction shots when he isn't speaking are just so damn blank, and it's a problem right from the get-go. Then there's Gemma Artreton as Io, Perseus' guardian, who has been watching him since his birth, despite some hints at romantic tension (wait a minute, significantly older, ageless being who creepily teases a younger person? Could this be Reverse Twilight?). Io's main purpose is to guide Perseus, all while modeling off-the shoulder dresses for Calvin Klein. But best (worst?) of all are our two prestige actors: Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as Zeus and Hades, respectively. Neeson, who's dressed in the world's shiniest armor, is predictably credible as Zeus, as is Fiennes as the pale Hades (even if he does hoarsely whisper every damn line). They're fun enough that I actually wanted to see more of them, and less of those pesky humans and their lame comic relief. A real "clash" movie would be one revolving around a battle between the gods themselves, not just Zeus and Hades. Even the action scenes and special effects (by the way, skip the 3D if you see it) don't really engage, although the drawn-out reveal of the kraken is nicely done. However, my friend made an interesting comment as we were leaving the theaters, about how she was so excited to see Ridley Scott's Robin Hood because "it has real people fighting real people, not real people fighting green screens and props." While I don't have a problem with CGI violence, she has a point. If you're going to do CGI battles, they need to be part of a story that keeps you engaged in the action, which Clash of the Titans doesn't. The Medusa in particular is cartoonish, and the giant scorpions are in a strange middle ground. The only thing that is consistent are the rich (albeit campy) production values and the lively score. But in the end it comes down to tone, character development, and writing, and sadly, Leterrier's film fails in all three departments. It's inconsistent in tone, poorly developed character wise, and filled with either dull or silly dialogue ("calm your storm" might be one of the funniest euphemisms for "stop getting aroused") that leads to an identity crisis. You might have some fun with it on the big screen, but overall, this is the sort of film you enjoy ironically with your friends, making jokes about it RiffTrax/MST3K style.

Grade: C

Yet ANOTHER trailer on this foolish day in April: "Iron Man 2" in IMAX

Nice job advertising the IMAX....by putting "IMAX" in super small print at the very end...

New red-band "MacGruber" trailer

Rumor has it that this will be the rare film that successfully turns an SNL sketch into a decent feature film. Despite some funny bits, I'm still not entirely convinced, even with the general awesomeness of Kristen Wiig.

New trailer for "Salt"

Now THIS is the trailer I've been waiting for. I'm still not super excited, but at least this time my interest is piqued. That first trailer just bored me.

I am very glad, indeed, I am linking home...

What is this I can't I don't even...

Why use April Fool's Day to post some obnoxious, fake SUPER GOOD/BAD movie or celebrity news, when I can just show you a cat "singing"? If you're lost as to the reference, go here.

2nd trailer for "The A-Team"

I definitely like this one better than the first, but the scene with the tank falling through the sky (is that supposed to be the BIG VFX set piece?) looks really cartoonish. Also, why has Liam Neeson given up on doing really strong serious work as of late? Sure, Taken was enjoyable but it was mindless and action-driven. When is he going to do another character-driven drama again (and no, sexual thrillers that rip off Fatal Attraction by Atom Egoyan don't count)?