The past seven days

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Daniel Craig may be cut from Girl Who Played with Fire

It appears that Sony's disappointment with David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is starting to set in.

Rumor has it that if a second film is even released (aka, The Girl Who Played with Fire) one key character may be written out. That character being Mikael Blomkvist who was played by Daniel Craig. Seeing that the second installment of the Millennium trilogy doesn't have a whole lot to do with Blomkvist and more to do with Lisbeth Salander this could potentially work. However, it seems that Sony may want to dump Craig entirely because his post-Skyfall pay demand has become too high for them. Sony is attempting to save some money by potentially not bringing Craig back due to the fact that the first film was a box office disappointment and they just plain don't want to pay to bring him back.
However, the other reason for this may be due to the fee writer Steve Zaillan is charging to write the script for The Girl Who Played with Fire. If you add in potential re-writes if they cut out Blomkqvist that will tack on additional money for Zaillan which could go higher than the pay increase Craig is now demanding. It sounds to me that each way Sony is screwed.

But, of course, Daniel Craig's representative is denying the salary demand and claims they have not even entered negotiations for a second film. There also is question as to if David Fincher will even return. The Girl Who Played with Fire is kinda going out on a loop right now, I think.

[Spoiler] Google reveals Catching Fire arena

Google Earth has revealed a rather important sneak peek of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The popular map software has revealed an aerial view of the Quarter Quell arena.
This is kind of a bummer for those going into the movie with no knowledge, but seeing that I read the book all I have to say is... at least it looks the way it should. At least from what I can tell.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set to be released on November 22nd.

Hit the jump to see the Google Earth image of the new arena.


Iron Man 3 has a new poster

Looks like Tony Stark got more than he bargained for this time around.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

[Random] Paperman now available on YouTube

I saw this short film before Wreck-It Ralph last year and I must say that I absolutely loved it. If you haven't seen Paperman I strongly suggest checking it out.


Evil Dead release pushed to early April

The release date for the upcoming reboot of Evil Dead has been pushed forward to April 5, 2013. This is about a week earlier than the original release date the film got. This move is because The Heat, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, got pushed back to June so Evil Dead took its spot. This puts Evil Dead in direct competition with Jurassic Park 3D as they now open the same weekend.


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Girl Meets World has its star!

The casting search for Cory and Topanga's daughter for the upcoming Boy Meets World spin-off has officially come to an end. EW released that 11-year old Rowan Blanchard has secured the role for the Disney Channel role after a nationwide casting search.


Girl Meets World producer Michael Jacobs had this to say about the casting of Blanchard:

“As soon as Rowan walked into the room, I was reminded of why Ben Savage was loved as Cory Matthews. Rowan is real and accessible and I am hopeful this girl is about to meet a world that will love growing up with her as well.”

 Production on the pilot episode is set to begin in February and the show is expected to be added to the 2013-2014 Disney Channel schedule if the show is officially picked up.





Justice League depending on Man of Steel's success?

Apparently so.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. President Jeff Robinov basically said the greenlight on the 2015 Justice League release depends on the success Zack Snyder's new Superman film, Man of Steel. If the movie does well they will move forward. If not then I guess they will scrap Justice League until they can do a better lead into it and plan a little more. I personally think they should do the latter regardless, but you can't tell Hollywood anything. They just want money. It isn't about releasing quality films anymore.

This statement most likely happened mainly due to how lackluster WB's DC adaptations have been apart from the Batman trilogy Christopher Nolan gave us. Green Lantern was a huge disappointment in 2011, Superman Returns basically bombed in 2006, they haven't been able to get anything off the ground regarding Wonder Woman, we can't possibly forget how awful Catwoman was in 2004, etc.. Even Snyder's other DC film Watchmen got some pretty harsh criticism in 2009. I'm not surprised they are putting the fate of Justice League on Man of Steel, but I feel like they might be deceived. People are going to see Man of Steel regardless just because it's Superman. There are a lot of people excited for it. Even if the movie sucks it will still rake in a decent amount at the box office. That is my prediction.

Man of Steel opens in theaters on June 14, 2013.

Monday, January 28, 2013

More new Kick-Ass 2 images featuring Hit-Girl

Not the best photos as they just look like on-set photos, but we have some new ones for Kick-Ass 2. My excitement just keeps growing. The photos are thanks to Empire Magazine.




Saturday, January 26, 2013

Anna Paquin joins X-Men: Days of Future Past; Ellen Page and Shawn Ashmore also on board

Director Bryan Singer confirmed via Twitter some more casting news regarding X-Men: Days of Future Past. We already have Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, and Patrick Stewart returning for cameos, but we now have Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat), and Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake/Iceman) on board for the First Class sequel.
If you remember the previous X-Men movies, or the comics, Rogue and Bobby developed a relationship despite physical contact being a huge problem due to Rogue's mutation. The reason Pryde is returning is the simple fact that she has a pretty important part in the Days of Future Past storyline so it's kind of a given that she is returning.

Other returning cast members (so far) include Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult. X-Men: Days of Future Past is set for a July 18, 2014 release.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Ant-Man confirmed for Marvel Phase 3; Doctor Strange included

Kevin Feige, Marvel's President of Production, has confirmed some early details regarding Marvel Phase Three which will begin after The Avengers 2 in 2015. The first major detail being confirmation of Edgar Wright's Ant-Man project. Feige stated in an interview with MTV that Ant-Man will launch Phase Three on November 6th, 2015.
Also mentioned was the long awaited inclusion of Doctor Strange. There was no real confirmation of exactly where Doctor Strange is going to pop up first, but Feige hinted toward Guardians of the Galaxy so it's possible he may have his first cameo there. He also could show up in The Avengers 2. At this point anything is possible.


And before getting too excited about this news don't forget we still have Phase Two which kicks off this May with Iron Man 3. Following Iron Man we have Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Avengers 2.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

J.J. Abrams to direct Star Wars Episode VII

I guess Abrams coming out and stating he had no interest in being part of the new Star Wars trilogy and would "rather be in the audience" was a farce... or a ploy for more money.

Anyway, it has been confirmed that J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Lost) will be directing Star Wars Episode VII after all. Abrams has come out on top of a rather long list of potential directors, including Zack Snyder, and is now one of the top honchos behind two of the most popular sci-fi franchises. The other, of course, being Star Trek. Abrams is the newest confirmation for this new trilogy. Other people on board are writer Michael Arndt who is writing the screenplay for Episode VII and writers Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg who are writing screenplays for future Star Wars films and/or spinoffs.
Another rumor regarding Zack Snyder is that he will be involved with a Star Wars spinoff film set to take place in the same universe as Episode VII.

[UPDATE 1/26] It is now official that Abrams is directing. Disney and Lucasfilm made the official announcement and George Lucas has released a comment about it.
"I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller.  He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands."



I am currently shaking my head as I think this has gone way too far already and we haven't even started. I would like to be excited about Abrams being involved but we all saw what happened with Lost. The guy isn't perfect. I also think Disney's involvement is going to slice Star Wars' right hand off for me. They won't do anything but milk it for all it's worth and that is a true shame. As a big Star Wars fan I should be super excited for this and should have been excited since they announced a new trilogy was coming, but I still haven't found that happy place with this. If there are more Jar Jar type characters and purple lightsabers, or God forbid Jar Jar Binks and/or the Gungans comes back... I quit.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Chloe Moretz attached to If I Stay

The film adaptation for the young adult novel If I Stay seems to have their lead female set. Chloe Moretz (Carrie, Let Me In, Kick-Ass) is said to be attached to the project for the lead character Mia. Dakota Fanning was previously attached to the role but later dropped out along with director Heitor Dahlia. Along with the addition of Moretz it seems RJ Cutler (Nashville) will now step into the director's chair.

The basic plot for If I Stay if you don't know:
"While out on a drive with her family, 17-year-old Mia is suddenly separated from her body and forced to watch the aftermath of the accident that kills her parents and gravely injures her and her younger brother. Far from supernatural, this shift in perspective will be readily accepted by readers as Mia reminisces about significant events and people in her life while her body lies in a coma.
Alternating between the past and the present, she reveals the details and complexities of her relationships with family and friends, including the unlikely romance with her punk-rock boyfriend, Adam. An accomplished musician herself, Mia is torn between pursuing her love for music at Julliard and a future with Adam in Oregon. However, she must first choose between fighting to survive and giving in to the resulting sadness and despair over all she has lost."

Adele to perform at the 2013 Academy Awards

To go along with her Golden Globe and her Oscar nomination, Adele now has locked a performance slot for the Oscars. She will perform her song "Skyfall" from the newest James Bond film of the same title. She received a nomination for the song and, hopefully, will win it.

Bring it on, Adele! I have been waiting for a good Oscar performance for a few years now.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Iron Man 3 to have international IMAX release

Iron Man 3 is set to open here in North America on May 3rd, but it will have an international opening on April 25th in the IMAX 3D format. The film will be digitally remastered for sound and picture to achieve the format. Iron Man 3 will be the fourth Marvel film to take advantage of the IMAX 3D format. Previously The Avengers, Thor, and Iron Man 2 were released in IMAX.

The reason for this? The previous three movies to be released in IMAX broke box office records. =^D

Monday, January 21, 2013

Bruce Willis to return for A Dame to Kill For

It has been rumored for a while, but Robert Rodriguez has now confirmed via an interview at Sundance 2013 that Bruce Willis will return for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
Rodriguez also talked about the usage of 3D in the sequel. He stated they are filming in 3D so the dimension and stylization created will "blow people's mind." 

If you don't remember Willis' character in Sin City, he played a police detective named John Hardigan who was assigned to investigate a serial killer rapist. He discovers the suspect is the son of the most powerful man in the city, Senator Roark. Hardigan is shot after his partner frames him while attempting to rescue 11-year old Nancy Callahan. Roark frames Hardigan for the rape of Nancy and he spends 8 years in prison. Nancy is the only person to keep in contact with him over the course of his sentence and he accepts whatever comes at him as long as she remains safe.



Sin City: A Dame to Kill For will be released on October 4, 2013. The film also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Juno Temple, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Jaime King, and Josh Brolin.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

First official Kick-Ass 2 image debuts via EW

We have our first official image for Kick-Ass 2 featuring Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass and Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars . The Colonel is accompanied by his dog Stripes and he leads the superhero crime-fighters called Justice Forever.


Kick-Ass 2 also features returning actors Chloe Grace Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Newcomers include Donald Faison and Clark Duke. It is set to hit theaters on June 28, 2013.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Evil Dead Green Band Trailer Debuts; New Footage Revealed



This is quite different than the red band trailer we got a couple weeks ago, but this is the "safe" trailer for Evil Dead. I'm still pretty excited for it but I think after this trailer I'm done watching them and if any clips surface I will avoid them. I don't want to have the whole movie spoiled.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Looper - Review

Looper fast forwards us to the year 2074 where the mob uses time travel to transport people 30 years into the past where they are killed by specialized hit men called Loopers. A Looper named Joe gets more than he bargained for when his scheduled loop is the future version of himself.


I know I'm a little late to the party when it comes to Looper because I just now watched it, but I do have to say that I really enjoyed it. I thought the story was interesting and fresh and the acting was also really good. I also thought they did a pretty good job with making Joseph Gordon-Levitt look like a believable young Bruce Willis. It wasn't spot on, obviously, but it was pretty damn good.
I thought the writing was great and the dialogue was awesome. It was serious enough to keep you interested and curious, but there was also a decent mix of humor in there to keep you from getting too into it and feeling like your brain is turning into scrambled eggs.

I did like the idea of time travel being invented and then immediately outlawed. It's almost like there is a glimpse of hope that our future people would realize when too much power is too much. However, I was a little disappointed with how it wasn't really gone in depth. They didn't describe when it was invented or what exactly caused it to become illegal. A minor gripe but it is there.
I also was a bit confused with what exactly the drug was Joseph Gordon-Levitt (aka, Joe) was using. It was referred to as "dropping" but again, they never explained exactly what it was. Was it a form of cocaine or heroin or was it a brand new drug that was created between now and the year 2044?
One thing I did like is the fact that they didn't make the future too much of... the future. Like, there wasn't a lot of futuristic feeling in the sense of you felt like you were in an episode of The Jetsons, but at the same time it gives you enough to believe you are in the year 2044. There were hover bikes and futuristic cell phones and stuff.

I don't want to ruin anything even though I am pretty sure most people have seen Looper already, but I am going to stop before I get too into the movie. If I do this review will be super long and I don't want that. I will say I did like Looper. It was very well played out and I also will say Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a great job. I was also surprised with Emily Blunt.
I recommend it if you haven't seen it yet.

Mythbusters shooting a zombie episode; searching for zombie volunteers!

Jamie and Adam are finally going to do a zombie episode of Mythbusters!
There is no word on exactly which zombie myths will be tackled, but there is going to be a test on which weapon is best for killing zombies. There is also no word on if any guests will appear, but they are searching for 300 zombie volunteers! You can visit the Mythbusters Twitter page for details on how to volunteer.

The rules listed on the submission form:

Must be 18+ years of age.
Must arrive in full costume and camera ready. No logos allowed.
Costumes must have full range of motion with the head and torso clear of any impaled objects or weapons.
Your costume must allow for addition of safety equipment including helmets, torso padding, etc.. Those with impaled objects will not be considered.
States of decay are fine and encouraged.

You must fill out the submission form and email a "mug shot" to myths.volunteer@gmail.com

And most important: "Due to the expected volume of submissions, participation is not guaranteed. We will only contact you if you are selected, at which point you will be given further instructions."




Zombieland to be turned into a TV show?

It was preciously reported that rather than do a Zombieland sequel they were going to take the characters and turn it into a television show. A pilot was filmed and it was set to air on CBS, but it never quite got off the ground.

However, we now have news that the Zombieland show is back on. io9 reports that casting calls went out for the title characters this week and it seems they will try to keep the humor from the movie. It also gives more in-depth character descriptions for Tallahassee, Columbus, Little Rock, and Witchita. It also introduces new characters Fred and Ainsley.
No news on which network will carry the show if it makes it this time around.



Personally, I think they should leave Zombieland alone. It was a great movie but it has the potential to get tired and worn out if they stretch it too far. I didn't even want them to make a sequel to the movie.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

SXSW Film Festival sets screening list; Evil Dead to premiere

The screeening list has been set for the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival and Conference (aka, SXSW) in Austin, TX. Several world premieres will happen including Evil Dead and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.

The list includes:

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (opens SXSW on March 8th)
Evil Dead
Drinking Buddies
Downloaded
Gool Ol' Freda
Everyone's Going to Die
Spring Breakers

Also screening will be the pilot episode for Bates Motel, the new Psycho prequel (well, kind of) series to air on A&E.


SXSW Film runs from March 8th to March 16th.

V/H/S to be released on VHS format

Magnolia released the anthology horror film V/H/S already on DVD and Video on Demand formats. It also made its premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival last January.
They previously released limited edition VHS copies of the film in the UK and it has now been confirmed that the VHS copies are now coming to the United States. No release date has been set just yet, but this is happening.

I personally think this is pretty cool. I surprisingly enjoyed V/H/S so if I have a chance to get my hands on one of the cassette copies of the movie I just might do that. I still have a VCR.


Monday, January 14, 2013

Disney sets release dates for Pirates, Maleficent, and more

Disney made some announcements regarding upcoming release dates and which movies will be in 3D.

As far as releases go:

The Muppets 2 will be released on March 21, 2014. The film will star Ricky Gervais, Tiny Fey, and Ty Burrell.

Maleficent was originally slated for March 14, 2014 but will now be released on June 2, 2014. The film stars Angelina Jolie in the title role.

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 will be released on July 10, 2015. Jeff Nathanson has been hired to write the script for this Pirates installment. This movie joins the massive 2015 release year which will include Star Wars Episode VII, The Avengers 2, and Justice League. Two of which are fellow Disney releases.

The 3D re-release of The Little Mermaid which was slated for September 13, 2013 has been removed from Disney's release schedule.The guess as to why this happened is the fact that the 3D re-releases of Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo were basically box office failures.


Now for the inevitable... it was also confirmed that Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy will both be released in 3D. No surprise there.

Scott Gimple joins The Walking Dead as showrunner

After Glen Mazzara's sudden departure as showrunner halfway through season 3 of The Walking Dead, we now have a new showrunner. AMC announced producer Scott Gimple will step in. Gimple has been a part of the show since season 2 and has written a few episodes.

The Walking Dead will return to AMC on February 10th.


Sunday, January 13, 2013

J.J. Abrams claims Paramount would not release a non-3D movie

J.J. Abrams is now responding to the longstanding irritation with the fact that Star Trek Into Darkness, the sequel to 2009's Star Trek, will be released in 3D.
Abrams claims that in order for the movie to be made he had to agree the film would be in 3D because Paramount Pictures wouldn't release a non-3D movie. Originally Abrams said he would prefer to not do 3D but it was announced shortly after that Star Trek Into Darkness would be filmed in 2D and post-converted to 3D.

"The studio said, ‘You have to make it in 3D if you’re going to make it, for economic reasons.’ But my feeling was I didn’t like 3D. So the idea of doing Star Trek in 3D was ridiculous. But that was very helpful in some ways, because it let us work with stereographers and the 3D crew in a way that didn’t assume we just loved 3D."


Stuff like this will lead to the further spiral of Hollywood, imo. The artists don't even have the freedom to create anymore.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Jurassic Park 4 gets a release date and 3D slapped on

Just in time for the 3D/IMAX re-release of Jurassic Park this April we have news of the long awaited, and predicted, fourth installment of the franchise. Jurassic Park 4 will be released in 3D on June 13, 2014. It will be produced by Steven Spielberg and released by Universal Pictures. The last Jurassic Park movie we got was the 3rd which was released in 2001.

I will take this opportunity to say that I love Jurassic Park. It is easily one of my favorite movies. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the sequels. With that said, I will see the 4th one but I'm not terribly excited.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Devil's Carnival 2: The Librarian - Official Teaser





Yes, that is Tech N9ne.

2013 Academy Award nominations announced; Lincoln in the lead

Lincoln leads this year's Oscar nominations with 12 total while The Dark Knight Rises got snubbed completely. It didn't even get a nomination for visual effects or original score. I am also a little bummed The Avengers only got visual effects. I thought it had a decent shot at a couple other categories. Also among the snubs are Kathryn Bigelow, Tom Hooper, and Ben Affleck for Best Director and Moonrise Kingdom in just about every predicted category. John Hawkes and Leonardo DiCaprio were also left out of the Best Actor category.

So here we go:

Best Picture:
Argo
Amour
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director:
Ang Lee - Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Michael Haneke - Amour
Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Actor:
Denzel Washington - Flight
Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
Joaquin Phoenix - The Master
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actress:
Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Quevenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts - The Impossible
Emmanuelle Riva - Amour

Best Supporting Actor:
Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln
Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin - Argo
Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Helen Hunt - The Sessions
Sally Field - Lincoln
Amy Adams - The Master
Jacki Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook

Best Original Screenplay:
Mark Boal - Zero Dark Thirty
Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained
Michael Haneke - Amour
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola - Moonrise Kingdom
John Gatins - Flight

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Tony Kushner - Lincoln
Chris Terrio - Argo
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
David Magee - Life of Pi
Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Foreign Language Film:
Amour
No
A Royal Affair
Kon-Tiki
War Witch

Best Animated Feature:
Frankenweenie
Brave
ParaNorman
Wreck-It Ralph
The Pirates! A Band of Misfits

Best Documentary:
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
Searching for Sugar Man
5 Broken Cameras
The Invisible War

Best Documentary Short:
Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Best Production Design:
Lincoln
Life of Pi
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Anna Karenina
Les Miserables

Best Cinematography:
Life of Pi
Skyfall
Lincoln
Django Unchained
Anna Karenina 

Best Film Editing:
Zero Dark Thirty
Argo
Silver Linings Playbook
Lincoln
Life of Pi

Best Original Score:
Dario Marianelli - Anna Karenina
Mychael Danna - Life of Pi
Thomas Newman - Skyfall
John Williams - Lincoln
Alexandre Desplat - Argo

Best Original Song:
"Skyfall" - Skyfall
"Suddenly" - Les Miserables
"Pi's Lullaby" - Life of Pi
"Before My Time" - Chasing Ice
"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" - Ted

Best Visual Effects:
Life of Pi
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman
The Avengers

Best Costume Design:
Lincoln
Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Miserables

Best Sound Editing:
Skyfall
Argo
Zero Dark Thirty
Life of Pi
Django Unchained

Best Sound Mixing:
Skyfall
Lincoln
Life of Pi
Les Miserables
Argo

Best Animated Short:
Adam and Dog
Fresh Guacamole 
Head over Heels
The Longest Daycare
Paperman

Best Live Action Short:
Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
Henry


As far as my predictions go, I expect Lincoln to win as many as it was nominated for because that is how these awards seem to go every year. However, I am really pulling for Quevenzhane Wallis to take home Best Actress. That girl pulled me in and didn't let me go and she deserves the best recognition in the industry for that. If she doesn't win I will be disappointed. I will also be upset if Hugh Jackman doesn't take it home. He was fantastic in Les Miserables.
And for once I think I will be happy with any winner for Best Animated Feature. I would prefer Frankenweenie take the statue, but I won't be upset if Brave or Wreck-It Ralph or ParaNorman beat it out. I don't mention the Pirates flick because I don't think it has a chance of winning. I think it was a filler nomination.
I also want to say that if Adele doesn't win for "Skyfall" I am going to flip my lid. And speaking of Skyfall, how did this not get nominated for Best Picture? That is a shock to me.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

[Updated] 2013 BAFTA nominations announced

The nominations for the 2013 BAFTA's (aka, British Academy of Film and Television Arts) have been announced. Like the other award shows so far the leader is Lincoln as it landed 10 nominations.
So far I am disappointed with the lack of recognition for Quevanzhane Wallis who played Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. She was the best actress I saw all year and she was only 6-years old at the time. I'm hoping she is going to be nominated for an Oscar but at this point I guess I shouldn't hold my breath.

UPDATED [2-10-13]: The winners are highlighted in red.

BEST FILM
ARGO 
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
ZERO DARK THIRTY

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
ANNA KARENINA
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
LES MISÉRABLES
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
SKYFALL

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
AMOUR
HEADHUNTERS
THE HUNT
RUST AND BONE
UNTOUCHABLE

DOCUMENTARY
THE IMPOSTER
MARLEY
McCULLIN
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
WEST OF MEMPHIS

ANIMATED FILM
BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
PARANORMAN

DIRECTOR
AMOUR - Michael Haneke
ARGO - Ben Affleck
DJANGO UNCHAINED - Quentin Tarantino
LIFE OF PI - Ang Lee
ZERO DARK THIRTY - Kathryn Bigelow

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMOUR - Michael Haneke
DJANGO UNCHAINED - Quentin Tarantino
THE MASTER - Paul Thomas Anderson
MOONRISE KINGDOM - Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
ZERO DARK THIRTY - Mark Boal

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARGO - Chris Terrio
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
LIFE OF PI - David Magee
LINCOLN - Tony Kushner
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - David O. Russell

LEADING ACTOR
BEN AFFLECK - Argo
BRADLEY COOPER - Silver Linings Playbook
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - Lincoln
HUGH JACKMAN - Les Misérables
JOAQUIN PHOENIX - The Master

LEADING ACTRESS
EMMANUELLE RIVA - Amour
HELEN MIRREN - Hitchcock
JENNIFER LAWRENCE - Silver Linings Playbook
JESSICA CHASTAIN - Zero Dark Thirty
MARION COTILLARD - Rust and Bone

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ALAN ARKIN - Argo
CHRISTOPH WALTZ - Django Unchained
JAVIER BARDEM - Skyfall
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN - The Master
TOMMY LEE JONES - Lincoln

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS - The Master
ANNE HATHAWAY - Les Misérables
HELEN HUNT - The Sessions
JUDI DENCH - Skyfall
SALLY FIELD - Lincoln

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ANNA KARENINA - Dario Marianelli
ARGO - Alexandre Desplat
LIFE OF PI - Mychael Danna
LINCOLN - John Williams
SKYFALL - Thomas Newman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
ANNA KARENINA
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

EDITING
ARGO
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LIFE OF PI
SKYFALL
ZERO DARK THIRT

PRODUCTION DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

COSTUME DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA - Jacqueline Durran
GREAT EXPECTATIONS - Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
LES MISÉRABLES - Paco Delgado
LINCOLN - Joanna Johnston
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN - Colleen Atwood

MAKE UP & HAIR
ANNA KARENINA
HITCHCOCK
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISÉRABLES
LINCOLN

SOUND
DJANGO UNCHAINED
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
SKYFALL

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LIFE OF PI
THE AVENGERS (aka, AVENGERS ASSEMBLE)
PROMETHEUS

SHORT ANIMATION
HERE TO FALL
I’M FINE THANKS
THE MAKING OF LONGBIRD

SHORT FILM
THE CURSE
GOOD NIGHT
SWIMMER
TUMULT
THE VOORMAN PROBLEM

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
ELIZABETH OLSEN
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH
SURAJ SHARMA
JUNO TEMPLE
ALICIA VIKANDER

First look at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Entertainment Weekly's upcoming issue has the first look of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It includes an interview with Jennifer Lawrence and, judging by the cover, some photos from the film. Check out the cover!


UPDATED: There are now more photos that have been released. =^D








Tuesday, January 8, 2013

2013 Razzie Award nominations announced

Worst Picture
Battleship
The Oogieloves in Big Balloon Adventure
That's My Boy
A Thousand Words
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II


Worst Director
Sean Anders - That's My Boy
Peter Berg - Battleship
Bill Condon - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry - Good Deeds / Madea's Witness Protection
John Putch - Atlas Shrugged: Part II

Worst Actress
Katherine Heigl - One for the Money
Milla Jovovich - Resident Evil: Retribution
Tyler Perry - Madea's Witness Protection
Kristen Stewart - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II / Snow White and the Huntsman
Barbra Streisand - The Guilt Trip

Worst Actor
Nicolas Cage - Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance / Seeking Justice
Eddie Murphy - A Thousand Words
Robert Pattinson - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry - Alex Cross / Good Deeds
Adam Sandler - That's My Boy

Worst Supporting Actress
Jessica Biel - Playing For Keeps / Total Recall
Brooklyn Decker - Battleship / What to Expect When You're Expecting
Ashley Greene - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Jennifer Lopez - What to Expect When You're Expecting
Rihanna - Battleship

Worst Supporting Actor
David Hasselhoff - Pirannha 3-DD
Taylor Lautner - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Liam Neeson - Battleship / Wrath of the Titans
Nick Swardson - That's My Boy
Vanilla Ice - That's My Boy

Worst Screen Ensemble
Battleship
The Oogieloves in Big Balloon Adventure
That's My Boy
The Twilight Saga: Eclipsed Part II
Madea's Witness Protection


Worst Screenplay
Atlas Shrugged Part II
Battleship
That's My Boy
A Thousand Words
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II


Worst Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel
Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance
Pirannha 3-DD
Red Dawn
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Madea's Witness Protection


Worst Screen Couple
Any two cast members from Jersey Shore in The Three Stooges
Mackenzie Foy and Taylor Lautner in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry and his drag in Madea's Witness Protection
Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, or Susan Sarandon in That's My Boy

The Last Exorcism Part II - First official trailer



We now have the first trailer for The Last Exorcism Part II and it is as bad as you would assume. The first movie wasn't even good, so I personally have no hopes for this one.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Joseph Gordon-Levitt joins Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

The everlonging saga of which movies Joseph Gordon-Levitt won't be in sounds like a better title for this subject.

Anyway, it was announced today that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has signed on for a lead role for Robert Rodriguez's upcoming film Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. This film is the much anticipated sequel o the 2005 adaptation of Frank Miller's Sin City which starred Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood, Mickey Rourke, and Jessica Alba. His role will be Johnny, a gambler who disguises a mission to destroy his enemy at his best game. Rumor has it the role of Johnny was previously offered to Johnny Depp.
Filming for A Dame to Kill For began last October, but the casting has been a bit disjointed seeing that the movie is being filmed entirely on green screen. People can join whenever they want. Already confirmed for the project are Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Jamie King, and Rosario Dawson. Rumors are out that Clive Owen and Bruce Willis are also returning but it isn't confirmed.

What does this mean? There will be no Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Guardians of the Galaxy. I relayed some information the other day that he had joined the long list of potential actors for the role of Peter Quill (aka, Star-Lord) in the Marvel flick. However, with the news of him joining A Dame to Kill For it pretty much shot the Guardians of the Galaxy rumors down and buried them. Sorry guys. We will have to settle for someone like Zachary Levi or Jim Sturgess after all.

Dieter Laser to return for The Human Centipede 3

Originally it was reported that Dieter Laser, who portrays Dr. Heiter in The Human Centipede, was not going to star in the third (and hopefully final) Human Centipede movie due to a lawsuit between him and the production company. We now have confirmation that Laser will indeed be in the third movie as the lawsuit has since been resolved. Also returning is Laurence R. Harvey who was the main character, Martin, in The Human Centipede 2.

The Human Centipede 3 will begin production in the United States this May and director Tom Six has spoken of a "major American celebrity" who will star in the film. He also promised a centipede made of at least 500 people.


I'm not prepared. The second one legitimately disgusted me and that is very difficult to do with me. Tom Six needs a therapist.

Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone to announce Oscar nominees

The 2013 Academy Award nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 10th at 8:30am EST by Emma Stone and this year's host Seth MacFarlane. He is the second host in Academy history to announce the nominations. Charlton Heston is the only previous host who announced the nominations when he did so in 1974.

Here's to hoping the nominations are justified this year!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

2013: The year of the sequel?

Did you know that 29 of the film releases slated for 2013 are either a sequel or a prequel to a previous film? Believe it because it's completely true... and just a little sad. The titles highlighted in red are the ones I am actually excited for.

January:
Texas Chainsaw 3D

February:
A Good Day to Die Hard

March:
The Last Exorcism Part 2
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Oz: The Great and Powerful

April:
Scary Movie 5

May:
Iron Man 3
Fast Six
The Hangover: Part III
Star Trek Into Darkness

June:
Monsters University
Kick-Ass 2

July:
The Smurfs 2
Grown Ups 2
The Wolverine
Despicable Me 2

August:
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
300: Rise of an Empire
Insidious Chapter 2
RED 2

September:
Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers
Riddick

October:
Paranormal Activity 5
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

November:
The Best Man 2
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Thor: The Dark World

December:
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Anchorman: A Legend Continues


We also have a significant amount of remakes/reboots set for 2013:

Evil Dead (April 13; original released in 1981)
The Great Gatsby (May 10; original released in 1974)
Man of Steel (June 14; original Superman released in 1978 and another reboot released in 2006)
Lone Ranger (July 3; original television show aired in 1949)
OldBoy (October 11; original Korean film released in 2006)
Carrie (October 18; original released in 1976)


Did I miss anything? Comment and let me know so I can update.



Thursday, January 3, 2013

EVIL DEAD - Full Redband Trailer; Updated with screen shots

I take back every bad thing I have said about this remake. After watching this trailer I am super excited and I think this looks fantastic. Wow. *applause*

Click the jump to see some screenshots from the trailer!

Carrie release pushed from March to October

The release of the upcoming Carrie reboot starring Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore has been shifted. While it was originally set to be released in March of this year MGM has decided to shift it to October 18, 2013. I guess they want to capitalize on the Halloween crowds rather than the Spring Break kids.

Barnacles... I was looking forward to March.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Hayley Atwell not returning for Captain America 2

Hayley Atwell, who played Peggy Carter, confirmed she will not be returning for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Rumors of a new female lead that will likely be Peggy's younger sister Sharon have been swirling around. Names like Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick, and Felicity Jones have been thrown out there.

I personally hope Mary Elizabeth Winstead isn't cast primarily just because she annoys me, but it's whatever.

[UPDATED] Joseph Gordon-Levitt added to Star-Lord shortlist

The list of potentials for the role of Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy has grown by at least one more person. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper, The Dark Knight Rises) has been added to the mix. It is unclear if he has actually been offered the role or if he has been invited for a test, but it would be interesting to have him in the Marvel universe.

The shortlist aside from Gordon-Levitt, so far, consists of:

Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty)
Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas)
Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire)
Lee Pace (The Hobbit, Lincoln)
Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables, My Week with Marilyn)
Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, On the Road)
James Marsden (X-Men, Bachelorette)


The low down on Peter Quill if you don't know... basically Peter Quill (aka, Star-Lord) is the child of an alien father and a human mother who acts as an interplanetary police man. He eventually became the leader of the space-based superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy and aids The Avengers in the fight against Thanos.


EDIT (01/03): Michael Rosenbaum, best known for his role as Lex Luthor in Smallville, has also been added to the Peter Quill shortlist. Rosenbaum previously worked with Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn on PG Porn, so it is possible he is a director favorite which could ultimately land him the role.

EDIT (02/05): Chris Pratt (Moneyball, Zero Dark Thirty) has beat out the whole long list and landed the role of Star-Lord.

New Justice League rumors; line-up and cameos

With the new year we have new Justice League rumors. These rumors include possible villains, an actual Justice League line-up, and possible cameos.

First of all, the line-up (according to Cosmic Book News):

Superman will be the same character from Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.

Batman apparently doesn't want to be thrown into the mix because he deems everyone too powerful.

Wonder Woman is new to the man's world. Whatever Wonder Woman script they are working on will be set prior to Justice League.

Green Lantern will be Ryan Reynolds' character but will be re-written to be more serious.

Flash is popular and loves the attention he gets from the media.

Martian Manhunter is an alien who has secretly lived on Earth and knows about Darkseid.

Aquaman is the King of Atlantis and will have a major role.

CBN also insists the movie will have a strong military presence and will take after Man of Steel (and coincidentally The Avengers) in that light. They also claim that Alfred Pennyworth (Bruce Wayne's loyal butler) will have a small role in the film as will Lois Lane (Superman's primary love interest).


As for villains they are still claiming they will go for Darkseid who is pretty much the baddest villain in the DC universe. Way to go big or go home. It will no doubt have me laughing all the way out of the theater.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Les Misérables - Review

Les Misérables follows Jean Valjean after he is released from prison on parole in 19th century France. After breaking parole and disappearing he vows to care for a poor factory worker's daughter despite constantly hiding from the law and running to avoid his old fate at the hands of Inspector Javert.


I was excited to see Les Misérables because I knew the story and had seen a school version of the musical years ago when my sister was in high school. That and the cast intrigued me. I have to say that I don't think it was perfect and it wasn't as good as it could have been, but it was pretty damn good. 
The pacing was a bit odd for me at first and it took me a while to fully get into the movie, but I think they rushed through the beginning a bit so they had more time to focus on the end. Given that the movie is like 2 and a half hours long they definitely needed to condense. It worked for the most part. 
As far as the singing goes, I thought most of the cast was quote good. Hugh Jackman nailed it, Russell Crowe surprised me, and Eddie Redmayne was a pleasant surprise. I also thought Samantha Barks was really good. But, of course, the vocal cake must go to Anne Hathaway. I am not the biggest fan of Hathaway as an actress but she really killed it here in both singing and in acting. When she sang "I Dreamed a Dream" I was in tears by the end of the song. Very moving and she was by far the best singer in the whole cast. The worst for me was Amanda Seyfried. Something about her voice was just painful to listen to. I also want to point out that I really liked Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. They were a perfect pair and they were the perfect actors for those characters. 
I also find it funny that Adam Lambert went out there this week and trashed everyone in the cast for their vocals. If he had such a big problem why doesn't he go back to Broadway and stop acting a hot mess in the music scene. No one likes his music anyway. Either that or he should have tried to get a role himself.

Aside from that I liked the set design, the costumes, and the overall tone of the film. An important aspect of this story is desperation and I think Tom Hooper helped every actor truly bring that out and the emotion was very raw. I have no doubt Les Misérables has some awards coming its way and I hope a few of them are Oscars. It deserves them.

Jay-Z to compose score for The Great Gatsby

Let's ring in 2013 with some... interesting news.

It was announced that Jay-Z is currently composing an original score for the upcoming adaptation of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio. As you might know we originally were supposed to get The Great Gatsby last week for a Christmas release, but they delayed it until May 10th. Jay-Z is working with an artist known as Bullitts to complete the score.

Personally, I think Hollywood is taking the hint after Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross earned Oscars and Golden Globes (along with a SAG award and Critic's Choice) for their original score to The Social Network in 2010. They also got repeat nominations for the score to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011, but they lost hard to The Artist at just about every single awards show. More directors are trying to get current artists to take the plunge and do the music for their films. However, that doesn't mean it will work every single time. We will just have to see how this one plays out. I'm not the biggest Jay-Z fan but I'm curious.