Fandango's Most Anticipated Blockbusters of 2009 List

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As 2008 starts to come to a close, it's time to look ahead at 2009. Fandango recently published its annual Hot List, which includes its results for the Most Anticipated Blockbusters of 2009. Similar to the MovieTickets.com list, this features a bunch of odd choices, based on a poll of 2000 visitors. But we can't forget that this list was affected heavily by current news, for example, all the news about New Moon and Catherine Hardwicke being replaced made that a popular choice. Additionally, Fandango has divided the list up via women and men, which gives us a better look at what might be the biggest movies of 2009.

Most Anticipated Blockbusters of 2009 - According to Women:
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. New Moon
3. Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
4. Angels & Demons
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
6. Star Trek
7. Public Enemies
8. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
9. The Lovely Bones
10. Where the Wild Things Are

Most Anticipated Blockbusters of 2009 - According to Men:
1. Star Trek
2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
5. Terminator Salvation
6. Watchmen
7. Angels & Demons
8. Public Enemies
9. G.I. Joe
10. New Moon

Finally, some vindication in opposition to the claim that Star Trek is going to bomb! Although I know that this is only representative of a handful of moviegoers, I think both of these lists do present a very accurate representation of the most highly anticipated films for next year. I'm also very surprised to see both The Lovely Bones and Where the Wilds Things Are on this list, considering there are hardly any details for either of them out yet. Buzz usually skyrockets when we see a trailer or poster, and those two have neither yet. Either way, I can't wait to kick off 2009, because there definitely are some great movies coming up!

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Kenneth Branagh Finally Talks About Directing Marvel's Thor

December 13, 2008
Source: MTV
by Alex Billington

I'm going to make a confession. Back when the news first hit that Kenneth Branagh was going to direct Marvel's Thor, I pessimistically wrote that "Branagh seems like the worst choice to direct a comic book movie since Joel Schumacher." Now that I've seen Valkyrie, however, my opinion has changed. Watching Branagh act in that film has made me change my opinion about him. Maybe it was just the lingering sour taste of Sleuth that made me so opposed to Branagh, but for whatever reason, watching him in Valkyrie made me slightly more confident. Since the news first broke in September, Branagh has been keeping quiet about the project, but MTV finally got him to break down and talk about directing "The Mighty Thor."

No, the title hasn't changed, as Branagh clarifies, "I think it will be Thor." So why did he want to direct a high profile comic book movie? "To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures," he told MTV. "There's science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It's based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way." And for those, like me, who are skeptical about the scale of the project and Branagh being able to handle it, he emphasizes that, "it's a chance to tell a big story on a big scale. It's a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario." Sounds like he at least understands the monumental task that he is taking on.

As for who will play Norse God of Thunder, aka Thor, Branagh wouldn't even hint as to who it might be, but he did give us this tease: "There's been lots of talk [about casting]… but we are too early at this stage. We're getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days." Either he's really good at keeping things under wraps or they really haven't chosen anyone yet. Considering Marvel has Thor set to hit theaters on July 16th, 2010, Branagh better get to work quickly on finalizing these sort of details, as they're probably planning to shoot early next year. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to see another great Marvel movie!

Source : www.firstshowing.net

2009 Independent Spirit Awards Nominees Announced

The Independent Spirit Awards are an annual award given in the name of independent film, featuring those little indies which deserve the honor and recognition that they won't necessarily be receiving at the Oscars. The nominees for the 2009 awards have been announced today. The three films with the most nominations include Ballast, Frozen River, and Rachel Getting Married. Also rounding out the list of films nominated for Best Features are The Wrestler and Wendy and Lucy. A very interesting selection and not at all what I was expecting, but nevertheless a great selection of the finest in independent film. Read on!

You'll notice an [IMDb] link next to each one. This is so you can explore and discover great new films, because there is guaranteed to be an indie movie you've never heard of on this list.

BEST FEATURE

Ballast [IMDb]

Frozen River [IMDb]

Rachel Getting Married [IMDb]

Wendy and Lucy [IMDb]

The Wrestler [IMDb]

BEST FIRST FEATURE

Afterschool [IMDb]

Medicine for Melancholy [IMDb]

Sangre De Mi Sangre [IMDb]Sleep Dealer [IMDb]

Synecdoche, New York [IMDb]

BEST DIRECTOR

Ramin Bahrani - Chop Shop [IMDb]

Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married [IMDb]

Lance Hammer - Ballast [IMDb]

Courtney Hunt - Frozen River [IMDb]

Tom McCarthy - The Visitor [IMDb]

BEST MALE LEAD

Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona [IMDb]

Richard Jenkins - The Visitor [IMDb]

Sean Penn - Milk [IMDb]

Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker [IMDb]

Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler [IMDb]

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Summer Bishil - Towelhead [IMDb]

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married [IMDb]

Melissa Leo - Frozen River [IMDb]

Tarra Riggs - Ballast [IMDb]

Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy [IMDb]

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

James Franco - Milk [IMDb]

Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker [IMDb]

Charlie McDermott - Frozen River [IMDb]

JimMyron Ross - Ballast [IMDb]

Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor [IMDb]

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona [IMDb]

Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married [IMDb]

Rosie Perez - The Take [IMDb]

Misty Upham - Frozen River [IMDb]

Debra Winger - Rachel Getting Married [IMDb]

BEST SCREENPLAY

Woody Allen - Vicky Cristina Barcelona [IMDb]

Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck - Sugar [IMDb]

Charlie Kaufman - Synecdoche, New York [IMDb]

Howard A. Rodman - Savage Grace [IMDb]

Christopher Zalla - Sangre De Mi Sangre [IMDb]

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Maryse Alberti - The Wrestler [IMDb]

Lol Crawley - Ballast [IMDb]

James Laxton - Medicine for Melancholy [IMDb]

Harris Savides - Milk [IMDb]

Michael Simmonds - Chop Shop [IMDb]

BEST DOCUMENTARY

The Betrayal [IMDb]

Encounters at the End of the World [IMDb]

Man on Wire [IMDb]

The Order of Myths [IMDb]

Up the Yangtze [IMDb]

BEST FOREIGN FILM

The Class (France) [IMDb]

Gomorra (Italy) [IMDb]

Hunger (U.K./Ireland) [IMDb]

Secret of the Grain (France) [IMDb]

Silent Light (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany) [IMDb]

source : www.firstshowing.net

3D Updates: Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast and Pirates of the Carribean

November 19, 2008
Source: MarketSaw, Variety
by Alex Billington

It's no coincidence that the three films mentioned in the title are all Disney films. It seems Disney, who is very well versed in the world of theme parks, believes 3D really is the future and is pushing very hard to put out nearly every film they're releasing from now on in 3D. This even includes such timeless classics as Beauty and the Beast and Tim Burton's upcoming Alice in Wonderland. We've got three updates today in regards to 3D, two of which pertain to Beauty and Wonderland, the third of which pertains to Pirates of the Caribbean. As always, I jump at any opportunity to talk about 3D and how bad it might be because this time not all this news is necessarily good news! Care to find out more?

First up, Disney is re-rendering their 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast in Digital 3D and will be re-releasing the new version in theaters sometime in 2010. The process is expected to take 9 months to complete. The original team of filmmakers, including producer Don Hahn and co-directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, will be back to oversee the process. "By going back to the original animation files, which have been carefully archived for 17 years, and using the separate background, effects and character animation elements, we're able to come up with a fun and unique 3D experience for existing and new fans of the film," Hahn said. This actually doesn't seem that bad of an idea. I'll be curious to check it out.

Second, our friends at MarketSaw have uncovered some interesting news regarding Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. While the film has always been touted as a 3D feature, blending a mix of CGI and live-action photography, apparently it's not actually being shot in 3D. "Tim Burton is NOT shooting AIW in 3D at all. Period. They intend on converting to 2D movie to 3D after the fact in post production!" It'll still be 3D in the end, it just won't look as good as if it were entirely shot in 3D (like say, James Cameron's Avatar). To me this just means that it's going to turn out a lot worse in 3D, because anything not built (or shot) from the ground up in 3D usually ends up terrible. I'll just stick with the 2D version, thank you!

Lastly, David Cohen at Variety speculates that we could end up seeing Pirates of the Caribbean 4 in 3D by the time it hits theaters in 2011. "We can't help but notice that 1) Disney is heavily invested in 3D, including live-action. 2) Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp are making an animated 3D movie together, Rango. and 3) Jerry Bruckheimer is making G-Force in 3D." He actually makes a very good point. Considering Pirates of the Caribbean is their money-making gem, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney is trying to find out ways to make even more money from the franchise, including putting the entire film out in 3D. Swashbuckling pirates in full 3D? Sounds like a theme park ride more than a movie to me.

Source : www.firstshowing.net

New Poster Film of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

After we knows Half Blood Prince Pussed Back on July 2009. I got new photos from Half Blood Prince. Thanks to movieposterdb.com for their picture. As you know I am a harry potter fan and I think this is a great poster I saw.

It was the Last day's shoot for actors Natalia Tena (Tonks), David Thewlis (Remus Lupin), Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall), Julie Walters (Molly Weasley), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid). The scene was in the school hospital and had Harry informing everyone of Dumbledore's death. And let me say what a chilling scene. I've not had goosbumps that bad in all my time on set. Julie Walters was fantastic. Ginny ran over and hugged Harry as he told everyone the grim news. Julie walters burst into tears, Maggie Smith was equally angry and devastated. I'm truly excited to see this on screen.
This is a few photos I got. Radcliffe's return and I can't wait to see Jim Broadbent's performance as Horace Slughorn as well. Enjoy !

Sound Off: Max Payne - What Did You Think?!

October 17, 2008
by Alex Billington

Now that you've seen it, what did you think? Fox is back again this October with another big video game movie - Max Payne! Fans have been excited ever since that first trailer arrived back in July. Now it's time to see if it truly lives up to all that hype. Will Max Payne finally break out of the video game mold? Will it at least be a step up from Hitman last year? Were Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis the right choices for Max Payne and Mona Sax? Did it feel like the video game or was it a cheesy action film and nothing more? Sound off below, leave your thoughts, and let us know what you thought of Max Payne.

To fuel the fire, I thoroughly enjoyed Max Payne, especially for its visual style, but wouldn't call it anything extraordinary. I think it deserves more credit than it's getting, because at the very least it was entertaining - which is exactly what the video game was, too. I thought the action scenes were the weakest part, but enjoyed director John Moore's acute sense of storytelling and visual style more than anything. It was a bit convoluted and could've used a script that actually made some sense, but I easily looked past that and just enjoyed it for what it was - mindnumbing action-filled popcorn cinematic entertainment at its finest.

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Sam Raimi Chats Spider-Man 4 and Lizard Possibility

October 16, 2008
Source: MTV
by Alex Billington

It's almost pointless to talk with Sam Raimi about Spider-Man 4 or 5 right now, because the movies are so far out that there's not much he can say. However, I do always enjoy hearing whatever Raimi has to say just because he's such a big geek and is still one of my favorite filmmakers. MTV caught up with him recently and spent some time talking about the future of Spider-Man, covering as much ground as they could, including eventually a particular villain that I know everyone wants to see. And although there isn't a script yet, it's very exciting to hear him talking about Spider-Man 4 for the very first time.

"I'm really excited about Spider-Man, and I'm hoping to direct it," Raimi said, contrary to confirmations that he was officially signed on. "I don't have a script yet, but production would start probably by March of 2010, I'm guessing. It sounds like a long time away, but we need a script first, and a lot of pre-production has to take place." And as for those rumors that they'll shoot Spider-Man 4 and 5 back-to-back, he confirms that its been mentioned. "That had been talked about… It's Amy Pascal's decision. I don't think it has been decided yet, and she's the one that's really going to make that decision; I'm really curious myself."

Let's get on to some of the juicy details. Raimi doesn't have much to hint at, because there aren't finished scripts, but he did mention a few interesting things. Obviously the stories in both films would be very closely linked, but even he doesn't fully know what it they'd be about. "It just hasn't been written yet," he reiterates. And what about villains? Will we ever see Dr. Connor turn into Lizard? "He's a great actor, and I think one day The Lizard's story will be told," Raimi confirms. "I don't know if it will be this one or not. I just don't know. I'm definitely hoping to work with Dylan in the picture. I just don't know who the villain is yet."

Raimi also chats about the possibility working with Kirsten Dunst again, as well as James Franco, Willem Dafoe, and Cliff Robertson, who played Ben Parker. As I said at the start, he doesn't have much to say besides some hopes regarding the story and actors, but it's still our first word from the guy who built the modern cinematic Spider-Man from the ground up. At this point I'm getting more excited thinking about the return of Spidey than dreading it. I remember those days, before Spider-Man 3 had ever hit theaters, when I was more excited to hear from Raimi about Spider-Man than I was to hear from Nolan about Batman. Hopefully we'll get back to that level of excitement again soon enough.

Source :www.firstshowing.net

Don Cheadle Replacing Terrence Howard as Rhodey in Iron Man 2!

October 14, 2008
by Alex Billington

Very interesting bit of news today! Terrence Howard, who played Col. James Rhodes in Iron Man earlier this summer, has decided not to reprise the role for the sequel. Don Cheadle will step in to replace him in the upcoming Iron Man 2 which is currently in pre-production. Apparently Howard decided not to return due to "financial differences, among other reasons." Marvel then decided to take the role in another direction and approached Don Cheadle. Might that other direction eventually be a War Machine spin-off? Rhodes is expected to play a larger part in the sequel, which is rumored to "go beyond high-tech villains." Huh? There are some rather intriguing statements being made about Iron Man 2 tonight.

This sounds similar to what happened with Rachel Dawes' replacement in The Dark Knight. Except Cheadle doesn't seem like as smooth as a transition, especially when I was a huge fan of Howard and couldn't wait to see his version of War Machine. Interesting observation, however, is that Howard has never actually had a major leading role in any film (give or take maybe Pride?). But Cheadle on the other hand definitely has, although I don't think that necessarily makes him any more qualified. This might just mean they're leaning towards the idea of the War Machine spin-off down the line. Either way, I'm not that excited for this change, especially because I really loved Terrence Howard as Rhodes in Iron Man.

Fans will certainly remember that scene near the end when Rhodes looks at the Mark II armor in Tony Stark's lab and mutters "next time." Interestingly, Howard made a revealing statement back in May regarding War Machine: "The question is whether we will take the time to put on the Iron Man suit first and then have to fight with Iron Man to take it off me and then ultimately build a new suit for Rhodey or whether they go right into the second one of them building the suit. I would prefer to wait for the third one. I'd prefer to let it grow a little bit and then after the third one, they could go into its own franchise of War Machine later on. I don't want to introduce War Machine too early for my own monetary benefits."

All I can say right now is that I'm very weary of this switch. What do you think of this? Will Don Cheadle be able to fill Terrence Howard's shoes and eventually lead a War Machine spin-off ?

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Is Heroes Season 3 Awesome Or Ridiculous?

I was pretty excited by the Heroes Season 3 premiere and have been watching the show progress over the last few episodes. Saying that the pace has sped up compared to last season would be a wild understatement - things are happening at a rapid-fire pace.

But is it all light and no heat?

(BTW, there will be spoilers below.)

There have been so many revelations so far this season that it’ll make your head spin - it certainly keeps the “woah factor” up there (as in “woah, can you believe [insert crazy connection/item] just happened?!?!”), but has the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction?

Last season the story moved very slowly, and due to the writers’ strike cutting the season short this ended up being a bad thing. Fans complained, the producers listened, and this season the opener was jam-packed with action and plot elements unfolding.

Since then, we’ve met yet more super-powered characters (despite creator Tim Kring stating there would be no new characters this season) including a female version of The Flash, a guy who gains super-strength from people’s fear, Nikki’s (Ali Larter) twin who has a freeze power. And of course we have Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) turning into the TV version of David Cronenberg’s The Fly.

We also have two versions of Peter (well, we’re back down to one), Sylar (ok, Gabriel) partnered with HRG as well as discovering our skull-slicing pal is the brother of Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar). Then we have future Claire “saving me didn’t save the world” Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) all decked out in black leather and acting like a bad-ass assassin. Oh, and now Peter has Sylar’s power and slices skulls, too!

I’m actually not clear on what exact power Peter needed from Sylar since he (Peter) absorbs the super power of others just by being nearby.

Then there’s our friendly police officer Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg) out in the African desert on a walkabout running into yet another guy who can paint the future. Of course Hiro and Ando are still flailing about like a couple of Keystone Cops.

Geez, have I missed anything? Oh, yeah - another nuclear explosion, this time in Costa Verde, California. And everyone in the future that can afford it has super-powers.

And this is in just 4 episodes so far this season.

So my question to you is this: Is Heroes just throwing everything it can into the mix in the hope it will engage viewers, or does this seem coherent and like it’s actually moving towards a destination to you?

Source : www.screenrant.com

The First Avenger: Captain America Full Synopsis Revealed

October 5, 2008
Source: Film School Rejects
by Alex Billington

We already confirmed back in May after Marvel's announcement of The First Avenger: Captain America that the film would be set in WWII. But an actual plot synopsis beyond that hasn't ever been released. In the latest issue of Production Weekly, a new full plot synopsis for the project was published. I'm a bit hesitant to trust this magazine, since they seem to have a lot of information on a project that's very far out, but for now this is what we'll go with. It does seem accurate and it does seem like a great way to introduce us to Captain America before progressing into The Avengers movie just months later.

"Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy's earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment… Operation: Rebirth. After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the 'Super-Soldier Serum' and bombarded by 'vita-rays.' Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and leader of the Avengers."

Reading that actually makes me wonder whether they just took the standard synopsis from some sort of Marvel database and used that until the studio puts out something officially. Either way, I'm glad that they're sticking with the original Captain America story and going all the way back to WWII. That should make for the perfect introduction just months before we move into the Avengers story. No director or actors have been officially announced yet. The First Avenger: Captain America will hit theaters on May 6th, 2011 with its follow-up, The Avengers hitting theaters on July 15th, 2011. Will you be ready by 2011?

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Prince of Persia Creator Talks Up Expectations for 2010

October 2, 2008
Source: MTV
by Alex Billington

Not excited for the big screen version of Prince of Persia yet? You should be! Disney is hoping this will be the next big franchise that follows in the footsteps of Pirates of the Caribbean. And with Jerry Bruckheimer producing and Mike Newell directing, it definitely could be. MTV caught up with the creator of the video game and screenwriter on the film, Jordan Mechner, and talked with him at length about what we can expect. The movie is currently shooting in Morocco and Mechner insists it'll be epic. "The scope of this is going to be massive. It's really spectacular." And that's not all. They really expect that this will "do for Arabian Nights movies what Pirates did for pirate movies." I certainly hope hope that's true.

As skeptical as most people seem to be at the moment, it's this kind of early behind-the-scenes buzz that makes me excited. I'm a big fan of the game and I'm always looking out for any mention of the movie. This time we've got some of the best quotes yet. Mechner (seen to the right) explains that the Prince of Persia movie was pitched to Disney and Bruckheimer "as an old-fashioned swashbuckling action-adventure in a tradition going all the way back to the Doug Fairbanks movies. The modern equivalent being Pirates of the Caribbean, an example of an old movie made new again, doing a fresh take on it for a modern audience." As for what we can expect? "Tonally, I'd say it's basically Pirates of the Caribbean with maybe a half-step towards Gladiator."

Of course, Mechner says "there'll certainly be a lot of stunts, a lot of special effects. I mean it's Jerry Bruckheimer!" If there is one producer out there who could show the world what video game movies should be like, it's The Bruck. And like the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Mechner explains that the story is essentially grounded in the real world with some fantasy elements. "If you take the first Sands of Time game, that was set in basically the real world, but with this mystical element that intrudes into it. It feels like it's grounded in a very real world with historical roots, but then its got this fantasy element as well. It's not completely over the top." That balance is key for turning this into a successful franchise.

This all sounds great so far, right? If you're concerned about the story being too contrived, Mechner, who had a hand in putting together the story, claims otherwise. "Well the movie's packed with action, so there'll be swords and horses and all the things that wouldn't be Prince of Persia without. But because it's a movie, it's about the characters and character relationships. There's no fighting for fighting's sake." However, because the action in the game is such an important part of it, Mechner adds that "fighting's a part of the story but it's not a movie about swordfighting." Based on what Mechner's saying, this should easily be one of the best big budget projects coming up in the next few years.

What I'm trying to say is that there's no reason to be concerned with this production. We all know video game movies have a bad rap, but hopefully that will change with Prince of Persia. And the more I hear, the more confident I become. Bruckheimer usually does a great job and if this is indeed supposed to be the next Pirates of the Caribbean, I don't expect him to let this one become a failure. Everything about it sounds like it has the potential to be incredibly entertaining and I think that's what is going to count the most with this movie. Mechner is only the most recent one involved in this to speak highly of the project and I suspect that he's dead on with his expectations. Only time will tell, I suppose.

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Pixar's Cars 2 Pushed Up to Summer of 2011

September 25, 2008
by Alex Billington

During the Disney Showcase yesterday held at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, John Lasseter and Dick Cook presented a brief look at the upcoming animated films from Disney. Included was a quick look at Cars 2. While there wasn't any concept art or photos, Lasseter and Cook announced that the film would be hitting theaters in the summer of 2011, as opposed to 2012, as was first announced. Additionally, Lasseter mentioned that he came up with the idea for the sequel while traveling around the world doing publicity for the first film. He wondered how the characters would react in various locations all over the world. Cars 2 will follow Tow Mater getting his passport and traveling to Europe with Lightning McQueen.

Lasseter also gave us a quick look at an episode from a series of shorts called Cars Toons. These shorts will feature "Mater's Tall Tales", a series of funny stories told by Tow Mater himself, starting with how he used to be a firetruck. The more I re-watch Cars, the more I come to appreciate it. It's definitely not Pixar's best film, but I'm honestly still excited for a sequel. Why are so many people angry at this news? I honestly don't understand! Since when has Pixar done anything wrong? It's not the most beloved film, but I think the sequel to Cars will definitely be embraced by 2011. The story sounds like it could be fun and it'll be a drastic change from the first film. Hopefully there are others out there who appreciate Cars as much as I do?

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Bruce Willis's Directorial Debut Shooting in October

September 23, 2008
by Alex Billington

Bruce Willis will be making his directorial debut on an indie film titled Three Stories About Joan. The psychological drama follows a young woman at three points in her life and the family tragedies that cause her to lose her grip on reality. Apparently the story involves her "faith in a love borne out of need, destroyed by a madness, and restored by a ghost." A ghost? Yes indeed. Willis has cast the lovely Camilla Belle as the lead in the film and will also star as her father. Shooting will start in early October in Shreveport, Louisiana under the production of Willis Brothers Films, which as you can assume, is the company run by Bruce and his two brother David. The budget is expected to between $10 and $25 million.

The screenplay for Three Stories About Joan was written by newcomers Christopher Alexander and Sam Applebaum. In addition to Belle and Willis, both Owen Wilson and Kieran Culkin will star in the film as well. It sounds like too much of a quirky story to actually turn out any good, but I don't know enough about all the details to really say. I'm more concerned about Willis' directing abilities than I am about the script. I'm sure this is going to be a big festival film next year, but I'm already worried that Willis won't be as good at directing as he is at acting. For some odd reason he doesn't feel like the kind of guy who knows how to work great behind-the-scenes, but then again, I haven't ever met him. I surely hope I'm wrong!

Source : www.firstshowing.net

Check This Out: Awesome Fan Made Dark Knight Sequel Poster!

August 14, 2008
by Alex Billington

I just got an e-mail with an interesting attachment - a poster for the sequel to The Dark Knight called The Dark Knight Returns. I'm pretty damn sure its fake, but it looks impressive, so I thought I'd put it up anyway. Not only is the Riddler not the official villain for the third movie, but a third movie hasn't even been announced! If indeed Warner Brothers has put out a poster for a movie three years out that hasn't been officially announced - that might be groundbreaking in and of itself. However, I'm guessing this is just a brilliant fan creation that deserves to be mentioned simply for the aesthetic and design fundamentals. Bravo to whoever created this. And if I'm wrong and this is real, then even I'll be shocked!

No need for any further introduction, let's just get down to it. Thanks to reader "Hilander" for send this.

I think it's an interesting idea and I would be all for the appearance of the Riddler in a third movie, I just want to actually give the writers time to write the movie first. This might have all stemmed from our contest for the best story for a Dark Knight sequel. Most of the winners featured the Riddler in some fashion, which I quite enjoyed. The reason why I think the Riddler could be an amazing choice for a villain comes from Christopher Nolan's background. Imagine the intricate story full of twists and turns in The Prestige implemented into the dark and visceral world of The Dark Knight. The Riddler starts asking riddles throughout the movie and it takes the story to an even deeper level. Thoughts?

Source : www.firstshowing.net

This is What Halo: Fall of Reach Will Hopefully Look Like

September 2, 2008
Source: Latino Review
by Alex Billington

Over the last month, our friends at Latino Review have been debuting concept art for Halo: Fall of Reach. As was explained originally, this isn't concept art for a movie that's actually in production, instead it's concept art that was attached to a spec script written by Stuart Beattie in order to try and sell it to studios. They were drawn by concept artist Kasra Farahani and are from various scenes in the script. These have been hitting individually every week, but now we've got a comprehensive final look at all of them together in order to show you what Halo: Fall of Reach will hopefully look like, if it ever gets made. Definitely check these out - they look pretty damn good and should make you excited if you're a Halo fan.

The script by Beattie is based on the book of the same name, Halo: Fall of Reach. Latino Review say they put these out because they "figured the fans would get a kick out of it and appreciate the fact that there is a filmmaker out there refusing to give up and see a Halo film come to fruition." I'm on the supportive side and really hope this gets made - just look at these photos, wouldn't it be incredible to see them actually in a film? We've featured all five below, where they can be viewed in full by clicking each one.

Clockwise from top left: a scene that takes place halfway through the film (in space); a scene showing Spartan children in training (fences); the ending of the film where the first Halo game begins (purple planet); a scene showing Spartans fighting the Covenant (wide photo); the climax of the film where Master Chief is fighting on Reach to get Cortana (on the planet). The story in the book follows the introduction of the Spartan soldiers and their fight on the planet Reach against the invading Covenant.

The reason why I'm featuring these is because they look great and are exciting for Halo fans to see. I've been a supporter of the Halo movie all-along, even claiming that Neill Blomkamp's District 9 is being made as a way to prove to Microsoft that Blomkamp can make a big-budget sci-fi movie - or more specifically, the Halo movie. I'm expecting the buzz that these images will create might cause some Hollywood studios to take an interest again. Some have said that the Halo movie and even this script is dead in the water, but I just don't believe it. I'm sure it'll happen, it may just take some time, maybe even a few years. Do you think this concept art is good inspiration for a Halo movie?

Source : http://www.firstshowing.net

Fresh Assortment of New Quantum of Solace Photos

September 1, 2008
Source: DVD-Forum.at
by Alex Billington

Although we're in the thick of the film fest season where indies get more coverage than mainstream flicks, we can't forget some of the better looking fall films coming up, including specifically Quantum of Solace. Thanks to the guys over at DVD-Forum.at, we've got an exciting assortment of new photos from the upcoming James Bond film. A lot of these look fantastic, which is why I mentioned that I've been reminded of Quantum of Solace. Earlier today I couldn't think of anything that I was really looking forward to by the end of the year, since Harry Potter was moved. Now I'm reminded that Quantum of Solace, amongst others, looks great and will be one of the most highly anticipated films left to see this year.

There are quite a few more photos over on their website, but we've decided to feature the better looking ones below. I'm a huge Bond fan and these look great. Craig's return will definitely be heralded and I can't wait to see Mathieu Amalric's performance as the villain as well. Enjoy!

Quantum of Solace is directed by Marc Forster, of Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, and The Kite Runner previously. The screenplay was penned by both Robert Wade (Die Another Day, Johnny English, Casino Royale) and Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Casino Royale). This is the 22nd Bond film in the series that first began back in 1962 with Dr. No. Sony Pictures will be releasing Quantum of Solace in theaters on November 14th this year.

Source : http://www.firstshowing.net

Vadim Perelman Directing Poltergeist Remake?!

August 30, 2008
Source: Bloody Disgusting
by Alex Billington

The last gig that Ukrainian filmmaker Vadim Perelman was attached to was an adaptation of Ayn Ran's Atlas Shrugged. While that book does deserve a film, Perelman previously expressed his lack of interest and has now moved on. Instead, he's supposedly directing a remake of the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist. Is anyone else tired of these ridiculous remakes of iconic classics always popping up every day?! Our friends at Bloody Disgusting via SlashFilm recently picked up this scoop on Perelman and are reporting that he "is in heavy talks", but not officially confirmed, to direct the remake being developed at MGM. Maybe it's just me, but I would've thought Poltergeist would never ended up being remade…

Just last week, Juliet Snowden and Stiles White were officially hired to write the remake. The two previously wrote the 2005 horror flick Boogeyman as well as the upcoming Knowing with Nic Cage and The Birds remake. I'd like to find out why these two are so adament on writing rehashes of great horror classics, especially if they admire those horror films to begin with. As for Perelman, whose filmography only includes House of Sand and Fog and The Life Before Her Eyes, I don't know enough about him to say whether he's a good choice or not. However, I do know enough to say that a remake of Poltergeist is entirely unnecessary to begin with. Horror remakes seem to be the hottest thing in Hollywood at the moment.

I can accept remakes of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, those can be done somewhat successfully. But remakes of films like Poltergeist or The Shinning - that's a bit ridiculous. There isn't much that sounds too exciting about this remake so far. Is there any one who is hopeful for this remake?

Source : http://www.firstshowing.net

Disaster Movie Review

A "comedy" so bad it demands creation of a negative-star rating system.
by Todd Gilchrist

August 29, 2008 - IGN can't give less than zero stars for a movie, but Disaster Movie deserves it. The latest "effort" from Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the guys responsible for Date Movie, Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans, is yet another bottom-feeding cash-grab that exploits current events, ridicules pop culture icons and compromises the integrity of the zeitgeist itself in order to create, oh, one-quarter to one-half of a funny joke within the shortest possible time frame that qualifies as a theatrical release. And while Friedberg and Seltzer will be spared (for a few paragraphs at least) from shouldering the blame for this movie's crass, stupid and insulting existence, suffice it to say that I honestly believe that people who actively want to see garbage like Disaster Movie are directly responsible for the deterioration of American society as we know it.

Matt Lanter, who provides the poor impersonation of Hayden Christensen that serves as the voice of Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars, plays Will, a white guy who can't commit to his uber-hottie girlfriend Amy (Vanessa Minnillo) because he suffers from nightmares that the world will end. His worst fears are soon realized when his Super Sweet 16 birthday party is interrupted by meteors crashing down from the sky, but when he and Amy are stranded on opposite sides of town he charges into the city to rescue her. Soon, he and his friend Calvin (Gary "G-Thang" Johnson) cross paths with Calvin's comely girlfriend Lisa (Kim Kardashian), a pregnant, pop culture-charged teenager named Juney (Crista Flanagan), and an Enchanted Princess (Nicole Parker) as they race to save Amy from impending disaster.

I actually stopped documenting the movie's deluge of references after about 30 minutes, but here's a shortlist of some of the stuff that the Friedberg and Seltzer send up: 10,000 B.C., American Gladiators, Amy Winehouse, Facebook, Flava Flav, My Super Sweet 16, Dr. Phil, No Country For Old Men, Superbad/ McLovin, Angelina Jolie in Wanted, WWE Divas, Juno, High School Musical, Kanye West, the Jonas Brothers, the "Souljah Boy" dance, Justin Timberlake, Hannah Montana, Hancock, Sex and the City, Jumper, Step Up 2: The Streets, Twister (notice - the first actual disaster movie of the bunch), Hellboy, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Cloverfield. Except for a five-minute belch from Amy Winehouse and an attack by metal-singing Alvin and co., I didn't laugh at any of this - and quite frankly, I'm fairly certain I was laughing at the film, not with it.

All of which actually brings up an important question: what exactly are we supposed to be laughing at? How badly done are the various impersonations and references? The desperation with which jokes are used to combine the backlot locations into a mock-up of an actual movie? Or even the simple recognition of some prominent person or event in recent history that the filmmakers deemed a noteworthy pop culture icon? Having a person dress up like Hannah Montana and then act like them is not funny, even if they are under a massive meteor, or projecting gaseous emissions for an extended period of time.

Perhaps the people I should pose these questions to are the filmmakers, as much as it pains me to credit them as "makers" of anything or mention them and any iteration of the word "film" in the same sentence. There is undeniable value in crafting smartly-executed (even if not actually smart) entertainment for a wide mainstream audience, but Disaster Movie is the kind of comedy where laughs go to die. I suppose I should credit them for at least not targeting the two most ubiquitous media whores in mainstream pop culture - Britney Spears and Paris Hilton - but how is it possible that self-proclaimed purveyors of genre parodies like Friedberg and Selzter are so uninformed about actual disaster movies that they couldn't put together a movie that actually makes fun of them?

Hm, let's see - The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, Airport (ok, already done), Twister, Independence Day, Deep Impact, Armageddon, Dante's Peak, Volcano, The Day After Tomorrow, and the Poseidon remake are the first dozen I can think of that they could have used, and without counting Cloverfield, which I think this film uses for its core story (but that could be a fortunate coincidence). It's quite frankly stultifying that Friedberg are Seltzer are ever let anywhere near a studio boardroom after having defecated out their previous movies, much less this one, but I suppose it's a small comfort that even Fox, who distributed the last three of their opuses, passed on this so that Lionsgate could get in on the mediocrity. (Although, seriously, this you put your marketing muscle behind, but you dump Midnight Meat Train and Repo?)

There's a part of me that wonders if Friedberg and Seltzer - much less the studio executives who reap the real profits - ever read reviews, or actually think that what they are doing is funny or remotely artistic. The very fact that these movies succeed is a reflection of the fact that audiences definitely do not read them or care about the longevity of the entertainment they support, even if their patronage is instrumental in lowering the bar for everyone and reducing the intellectual level of "mainstream" entertainment with each successive blockbuster. In which case, one more negative review probably isn't going to make much of a difference to the people who want to see it, or to the folks responsible for cranking these 90-minute punches in the face.

But make no mistake: Disaster Movie is godawful. Not because it's not deep or profound or lasting, or because it caters to the lowest common denominator. No, it's because this is what passes for entertainment, and what the moviemaking industry spends its money on in lieu of smarter, more meaningful, or hell, just funny ideas. Although, to be fair, if its existence leads to IGN creating a rating scale that allows us to give a movie a perfect, negative five-star review, then it just might be worth it.

Source : http://movies.ign.com

X-Men Origins: Franchise Players

Wolverine, Magneto lead the "Mutant Begins" charge.
by Daniel Phillips

August 27, 2008 - If one has ever wondered just how popular the X-Men franchise truly is, consider this: Even the hugely disappointing X-Men: The Last StandX-Men Origins: Wolverine film shown at this year's Comic-Con, it is clear that fans want more X-Men films, and they want them now.

With Hugh Jackman currently hard at work reprising the role of Wolverine, alongside such beloved mutant characters as Sabretooth, Deadpool, Gambit and the Blob, we here at IGN Stars sat down to come up with a list of other X-characters worthy of their own film treatment.

Compiling such a list was no small feat, considering how interwoven the entire X-Universe is. For the most part, we stuck with the approach seemingly taken by the upcoming Wolverine film, with one or two strong central characters receiving the main focus, and a team of intriguing supporting players pitching in to grant the dream project that cohesive X-Universe feel found in the comics. In the cases of certain characters who already have film projects in the works, we simply state why and how such a character or characters would make for a great flick.

Source : http://stars.ign.com/articles

Superman Reboot To Have Darker Tone, Thanks To Batman's Success

Aug 22 2008 6:21 PM EDT

Along with another caped crusader sequel, Warner Bros. readying flicks for at least two more DC Comics heroes.
By Shawn Adler

In over 70 years of shared comic history they've existed mostly as reluctant friends, memorably coming to blows on several occasions. The bottom line is that Superman doesn't really like Batman at all, so it's worth wondering how he'd feel now that he's been saved by him.

Flush with the success of "The Dark Knight," Warner Bros. has announced an ambitious slate of upcoming movies based on its DC Comics properties to be released within the next three years — notably a third Batman movie and a Superman reboot, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Announcement of the reboot — a complete reimagining along the lines of this year's "The Incredible Hulk" — comes two years after director Bryan Singer failed to capture public imagination with a conflicted take on the Big Blue Boy Scout, and nearly two months after the gritty, nihilistic "The Dark Knight" opened to record-breaking numbers.

So how will Warner Bros. turn Superman around? By making him even darker, Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov told the newspaper.

" 'Superman' didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to," Robinov said of Singer's movie, which made just $215 million domestically. "It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned," he continued. "Had 'Superman' worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009, but now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman. We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the character allows it."

In addition to a "Batman 3" and a new "Superman," Warner Bros. also plans to release two other comic book movies (not including "Watchmen") by 2012. Among the likely candidates for the big-screen treatment are the Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and, of course, the Green Arrow, whose film, "Super Max" takes place in a high-security prison for meta-humans.

Like rival Marvel Studios — who this year released the mega-successful "Iron Man" as well as "The Incredible Hulk" — Warner Bros. plans to release standalone films for all of its heroes with the ultimate goal of creating a super team-up, Robinov told the Journal. "The Avengers," a superhero consortium of Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Ant-Man and Thor, will get a release in 2011.

DC's analogue, "Justice League of America," which had been slated to open next year, will instead wait until after the next four films.

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

Source : http://www.mtv.com/movies/

The Villains of Batman 3

IGN wonders who might terrorize Gotham City in the next movie.
by Jim Vejvoda

July 22, 2008 -With The Dark Knight now in theaters, IGN Movies is already looking ahead to a third Christopher Nolan-directed Batman movie and pondering what it might be about. Just as the ending of Batman Begins introduced the theme of escalation that its sequel explored, The Dark Knight established that things were going to get much worse for Batman and for Gotham City before they will get better. (PLEASE BE ADVISED OF SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT.)

TDK ends with Batman a wanted man, falsely accused of murdering five people including police officers. Batman sacrificed his own reputation in order to protect the memory of fallen district attorney Harvey Dent, who had transformed into the vengeful Two-Face. Gotham needed a hero, a figure of hope to believe in so that it could remain inspired to save itself from crime and corruption. In the end, Batman finds himself alone, hunted by his former police allies, and mourning the loss of his beloved Rachel Dawes.

A third Batman film would likely focus on the redemption of the Caped Crusader in the eyes of the public. What better or more obvious way for that to happen than for Batman to save the city (once again) from a villain bent on its destruction. The trick is to select villains that can be adapted to a real world environment AND fit in thematically with the storyline and stakes established in the first two films. That's a rather tall order and would seem to narrow down the list of potential villains quite a bit.

Why not just recast the Joker and bring back Two-Face, you ask? With Heath Ledger dead and his portrayal of the Joker now indelibly etched into filmgoers' minds, we think it highly unlikely that the filmmakers would recast the role to bring the Clown Prince back. It would also be tough for that character to top what he did to Batman and Gotham in TDK so perhaps once is enough. Likewise, the ending of TDK seemed to suggest that Harvey Dent/Two-Face was dead, although producer Emma Thomas told IGN after an early press screening that Dent's last scene was ambiguous enough to suggest that perhaps he was still alive.

If Dent is still alive, did Gordon have him covertly locked away in Arkham? Given TDK's overt political overtones, the idea of a secret prisoner hidden from the world would be in line with the ethical questions raised in the second film. Having Dent escape and show the city what he'd really become would at least get Batman off the hook for the murders that he didn't commit, but we don't see the filmmakers bringing Dent back either. Story-wise, what more could be done with Joker or Two-Face that TDK didn't accomplish? We suggest the filmmakers bring in new villains for the third movie, but that doesn't mean they can't be tied to the events of the first two films.

Source : http://movies.ign.com/articles

Favreau Mans Up

Director already working on sequel.
by Todd Gilchrist

August 21, 2008 - On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that Jon Favreau is already hard at work on Iron Man 2, the sequel to this summer's first comic book blockbuster. Speaking to Times blogger Geoff Boucher, Favreau said "we're working on it now, which hasn't been officially announced. It will be released in 2010.

"The film's 2010 release date was previously announced by Marvel Studios, who intends to include the sequel in their forthcoming slate of films. But even though the time crunch will challenge Favreau to finish the film on time and budget – a goal he has met with every previous film he shot – the limitation may mean an unexpected opportunity for sites like IGN, and ultimately, the fans themselves: Favreau will likely be shooting a lot of the film in California. Currently Favreau is partnering with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to set up tax breaks and incentives for filmmakers who elect to shoot in the state, and that may mean that Iron Man 2 will make its home there as well – which might make it easier for journalists to attend set visits and see shooting as the production gets in full swing.

Stay tuned to IGN for more news and updates from this and all of your favorite movie, TV and gaming properties!

Source : http://movies.ign.com/articles

Harry Potter Delay Evokes Angry Outbursts Amongst Fans

August 15, 2008
by Alex Billington

This month's most shocking and surprising news arrived just yesterday: Warner Brothers announced that they were pushing back the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from November 21st, 2008 to July 17th, 2009, a full 8 months later. Release date changes are always expected in Hollywood, especially when films encounter production troubles or other snags, but the reaction to this date change has been tremendous, and not in a good way. In fact, the reaction has been incredibly negative, with fans lashing out in anger and calling for boycotts and petitions. Even I was taken aback by the news, but I never expected the fans to be so angry at a change that in theory was supposed to be for the betterment of the movie. Could a fan backlash this negative actually cause Warner Brothers to rescind the date change?

I know I was frustrated when I realized I wouldn't be able to look forward to another Harry Potter this year. However, there is a difference between being temporarily upset that you will have to wait 8 more months and being furious and angry at Warner Brothers, who has generally treated Harry Potter fans very well over the years. If they mess with something this precious to millions of fans and it causes such a negative reaction, it's not something they can ignore. Fans are essential to the success of a movie as long as they're happy and excited - The Dark Knight proved that. Comments on our article range from peaceful protests like (#13): "This is a huge disappointment for WB and for Harry Potter." To loquacious outbursts like this one (#17): "All its doing is pissing off its fan base. That includes me, so fuck off Warner Bros, you ruined my day." With 48 comments written so far, nearly none of them have anything positive to say.

There are two important things to note. First, that Warner Brothers should have made this announcement much earlier instead of within 3 months of the initial release (and right after debuting a fantastic teaser trailer). And second, that one trend I'm noticing amongst moviegoers is that they're losing hope for the film, claiming that it will be just as bad as Order of the Phoenix (which actually still ended up performing quite well). As I said earlier, this kind of decision is something that is actually hurting Warner Brothers, not helping them. We don't even see people getting this angry at Lionsgate for butchering Punisher: War Zone (see this article). I'm honestly worried that Warner Brothers has broken their trust with countless fans and has undoubtedly caused their box office earnings to probably change for the worst.

I'm very curious to see if Warner Brothers will be smart enough to watch this reaction and potentially change the date back. Unfortunately no one knows the real details behind why it was moved. If they need more time to edit and finish visual effects (which seems to be the case for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and its one year delay), then it wouldn't help to force the film back to its earlier date. No one wants a rushed film with rushed visual effects and editing. However, if the decision was made based on marketing strategy or their overflow of films, it would certainly be in their best interest to put Harry Potter back where he belongs - on the big screen at Thanksgiving. This time, the fans do truly control the success of the movie. Is this negative fan reaction powerful enough to potentially cause Warner Brothers to move Half-Blood Prince back to its original November date?

Note: The planned split release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows features both a November and May date. The first part will hit theaters on November 19th, 2010 and the second part will tentatively hit theaters in May, 2011. This change, if it remains, leaves less waiting time between Half-Blood Prince and Part I of Deathly Hallows, which might cause the production schedule to shift.

Source : www.ign.com

Lara Croft, I Presume?

Meet the newest Tomb Raider.
by IGN Stars

August 15, 2008 - The hottest videogame character to ever make archaeology sexy is back, this time with a whole new look to go with her brand new game.Yahoo! recently blessed the internets with pics of the newest girl to sport Lara Croft's guns. British model and gymnist Alison Carroll takes over for the Eidosheroine's live-action duties, just as Lara's latest adventure amps up for a release later this year. All fans need to know is that Carroll is 23, limber and more than ready to match her console-self in the acrobatics department. To prepare for her tour of duty as the Tomb Raider, Carroll continues to undergo a strict training regime involving weapons training, survival techniques and, yeah, archaeology.

Source : www.ign.com

Twilight Comes Earlier

Vampire romance takes Potter's place.
by Jim Vejvoda

August 15, 2008 -Summit Entertainment's feature film adaptation See More Twilight (fantasy film) Publicity Still at IGN.comof the bestseller Twilight will open a month earlier than expected. The Catherine Hardwicke-directed vampire romance will now bow November 21, taking the slot vacated by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Twilight will now open against the Disney CG-animated Bolt, which also moved up from its original November 26 release.Twilight had been slated for release December 12, but yesterday's news that Potter has been pushed to summer 2009 opened up a space for another teen-oriented fantasy.In a statement to Variety, Summit Entertainment co-chairman and CEO Rob Friedman said, "With a giant franchise like Harry Potter in the market, we had to stay clear of it. ... Their move created an opportunity to bring the movie to fans three weeks earlier, who have continued to show their enthusiasm, from Comic-Con to the giant Breaking Dawn book sales. We felt we had to take that opportunity."

Source : www.ign.com