Nickel-Eye News

The New 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Trailer

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 01:29:00 -0600

The first trailer for Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy' just premiered on Jimmy Kimmel Live! As My long time readers are aware I will avoid trailers for films that I am really looking forward too, and this film is no exception. I am as excited as anybody for a sci-fi film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe made by schlockmeister James Gunn. Despite that, I will be waiting for it's August release to get a feel for the the movie that will lead into nest year's 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'.

If you don't have the same reservations as me, then by all means dive into the hot new trailer below and leave a comment with your thoughts!

2014 Academy Award Nominations

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 11:02:00 -0600

For those of you that aren't aware, I love me some Academy Awards. They are without a doubt imperfect, but they are a heck of a lot of fun. The nominations were announced this morning and as usual people want to point out the "snubs".

While a case can be made for many nominations that weren't made there is only one that is truly shocking and indefensible to me. That "snub" is not nominating Tom Hanks for Best Actor in 'Captain Phillips'. Everyone else nominated gave excellent performances and I wouldn't have put up a fuss if he didn't win against this competition. To not nominate his visceral and emotional performance seems a sin to me though. I am a huge 'Captain Phillips' fan as I said in my review last year and will soon display again in my forth-coming "Best of 2013" list. Alas we can't always get what we want.

As in years past I will be doing a very in-depth series of Oscar preview articles before the show, but in the meantime here is the complete list of nominees.

Let me know what you guys think. Any of your favorites get "snubbed"? What do you think of the strength of the field this year? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Best Picture

American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Director

Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actor

Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress, Drama

Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Adapted Screenplay

Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, Philomena
Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Billy Ray, Captain Phillips
John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay

David O. Russell and Eric Singer, American Hustle
Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine
Craig Borten and Melissa Wallack, Dallas Buyers Club
Spike Jonze, Her
Bob Nelson, Nebraska

Best Cinematography

The Grandmaster, Philippe Le Sourd
Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki
Inside Llewyn Davis, Bruno Delbonnel
Nebraska, Phedon Papamichael
Prisoners, Roger Deakins

Best Costume Design

American Hustle, Michael Wilkinson
The Grandmaster, William Chang Suk Ping
The Great Gatsby, Catherine Martin
The Invisible Woman, Michael O'Connor
12 Years a Slave, Patricia Norris

Best Film Editing

American Hustle, Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers, and Alan Baumgarten
Captain Phillips, Christopher Rouse
Dallas Buyers Club, John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
Gravity, Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger
12 Years a Slave, Joe Walker

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Dallas Buyers Club, Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, Stephen Prouty
The Lone Ranger, Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny

Best Original Score

The Book Thief, John Williams
Gravity, Stephen Price
Her, William Butler and Owen Pallett
Philomena, Alexandre Desplat
Saving Mr. Banks, Thomas Newman

Best Original Song

"Alone Yet Not Alone," Alone Yet Not Alone
"Happy," Despicable Me 2
"Let It Go," Frozen
"The Moon Song," Her
"Ordinary Love," Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Best Production Design

American Hustle, Judy Becker (Production Design); Heather Loeffler (Set Decoration)
Gravity, Andy Nicholson (Production Design); Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard (Set Decoration)
The Great Gatsby, Catherine Martin (Production Design); Beverley Dunn (Set Decoration)
Her, K. K. Barrett (Production Design); Gene Serdena (Set Decoration)
12 Years a Slave, Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Alice Baker (Set Decoration)

Best Sound Editing

All Is Lost, Steve Boeddeker and Richard Hymns
Captain Phillips, Oliver Tarney
Gravity, Glenn Freemantle
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Brent Burge
Lone Survivor, Wylie Stateman

Best Sound Mixing

Captain Phillips, Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith, and Chris Munro
Gravity, Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, and Chris Munro
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick, and Tony Johnson
Inside Llewyn Davis, Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff, and Peter F. Kurland
Lone Survivor, Andy Koyama, Beau Borders, and David Brownlow

Best Visual Effects

Gravity, Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk, and Neil Corbould
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, and Eric Reynolds
Iron Man 3, Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick
The Lone Ranger, Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams, and John Frazier
Star Trek into Darkness, Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann, and Burt Dalton

Best Animated Feature

The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Ernest & Celestine
Frozen
The Wind Rises

Best Documentary Feature

The Act of Killing
Cutie and the Boxer
Dirty Wars
The Square
20 Feet from Stardom

Best Foreign Language Film

The Broken Circle Breakdown
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Missing Picture
Omar

Best Animated Short

"Feral," Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
"Get a Horse!" Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
"Mr. Hublot," Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
"Possessions," Shuhei Morita
"Room on the Broom," Max Lang and Jan Lachauer

Best Live-Action Short

"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)," Esteban Crespo
"Avant Que de Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)," Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
"Helium," Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
"Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)," Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
"The Voorman Problem," Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

Best Documentary Short

"CaveDigger," Jeffrey Karoff
"Facing Fear," Jason Cohen
"Karama Has No Walls," Sara Ishaq
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life," Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
"Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall," Edgar Barens

Rumor: Johnny Depp Up For 'Dr Strange'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 03:05:00 -0600

It looks like the Marvel Phase 3 news machine is ramping-up . . . or at least the rumor mill is! Hours ago we had official word about the casting of Michael Douglas in 'Ant-Man', Marvel's first Phase 3 film to launch after 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron'. Now we have a brand new rumor about the lead casting for Marvel's second Phase 3 film, 'Dr Strange'. Latino Review is reporting that, "A well-connected source informed me tonight that Johnny Depp has taken a meeting with Marvel to discuss taking on the role of Dr. Strange."

This rumor makes alot of sense on some level, and almost seems too obvious. Depp has been fan favorite casting to many for awhile, Disney has a sucessful relationship with him from 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Alice in Wonderland', and Depp playing a mysterious mustachioed sorcerer doesn't seem like too much of a stretch.

What does seem a little odd about this rumor though is that Marvel is aiming for a Summer 2016 launch of 'Dr Strange', which also happens to be the launch window for the next installment in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise. This wouldn't be an impossible hurdle if Disney was strongly motivated enough since they own both properties, but it would take a huge commitment on Disney's part to work the logistics out juggling two huge production like that. But, if Disney is worried about losing their "A-lister" in their Marvel films with Robert Downey Jr possibly moving on; and they want to stay in the Johnny Depp business with another huge franchise after the box-office failure of 'The Lone Ranger', they may have all the motivation they need.

Personally, I won't be getting too worked about this rumor one way or the other, but it'll definitely be interesting to see how this story develops. Watch this space.

What do you guys think? Is Depp perfect casting or are you tired of his blockbuster "quirky" shtick? Is this a good idea for Disney/Marvel? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: LatinoReview

Michael Douglas Cast In Marvel's 'Ant-Man'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:50:00 -0600

It came out last month that Paul Rudd had been cast in the titular role of Edgar Wright's upcoming Marvel film, 'Ant-Man'. While that would seem fairly straight forward, there was still a bit of mystery as to whom exactly he would be playing. See there have been two different men who carried the title "Ant-Man", Hank Pym and Scott Lang. In the Marvel comics Hank Pym is a genius scientist, a founding member of The Avengers and responsible for the creation of the main villain in the next Avengers film, Ultron. Scott Lang, on the other hand, began as a thief who stole the shrinking tech from Pym in order to become Ant-Man. So the big question is which one will Paul Rudd be playing in Wright's film?

The answer was revealed by Marvel in a press release today by also announcing the casting of Michael Douglas as Hank Pym for the movie. This means that Rudd will be playing Lang and be the main hero of the film. Pym will also appear in the movie but instead of being a contemporary of The Avengers, he will be of an earlier generation. This seems to jive with what Wright has been saying for years, that he conceived of the Ant-Man movie taking place in two eras, showing the creation of the shrinking tech in the 60's and the theft and use of it in a modern setting.

I have mixed feelings about this news today. Adding a legendary actor like Douglas to the mix certainly strengthens the cast. It also seems to indicate that Pym won't be a throw-away character even though they are focusing on Lang. As a big fan of Pym I have been pretty bummed by all the talk that Lang would be our modern Ant-Man. By making Pym an older character though they may have potentially fixed something that was beginning to worry me even more about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe though. My personal preference would have been to have a young Pym, but my nerd rage would hit high gear if Hank Pym had nothing to do with the creation of Ultron.

It seem minor to non-comic fans, but Pym and Ultron are as linked in my mind as Frankenstein and his monster. Iron Man 3, with all the remote controlled suits and "retirement", seemed to indicate Stark may be on the path to the creation of Ultron which really left me with a bad taste. This worry seemed to be reinforced with word that "Ant-Man" wouldn't appear until his own movie after the next Avengers film. By casting Douglas so early though, and making him older, there is no reason he couldn't appear in the next Avengers film though simply as Dr Hank Pym of SHIELD. It might make alot of sense to show that this was the genius who carried on the baton from Howard Stark by designing the likes of the Helicarrier and more for SHIELD. I could even imagine some nice scenes with Tony designing in the workshop with Pym assiting in the creation of Ultron and playing off the unresolved daddy issues that have been set up in the previous films . . . sorry I went a little too fan-boy there!

Bottom line is that Paul Rudd is Scott Lang, Michael Douglas is Hank Pym and I am a little more consciously optimistic than I was . . . though still far from thrilled.

I want to know what you guys think. Do you think this a is a great idea? Or a complete misstep? What are you hoping for from the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let your voices be heard in the comment below!

Source: Marvel

71st Golden Globe Nominations - Television

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:50:00 -0600

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

BREAKING BAD

DOWNTON ABBEY

THE GOOD WIFE

HOUSE OF CARDS

MASTERS OF SEX

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

JULIANNA MARGULIES, THE GOOD WIFE

TATIANA MASLANY, ORPHAN BLACK

TAYLOR SCHILLING, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

KERRY WASHINGTON, SCANDAL

ROBIN WRIGHT, HOUSE OF CARDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

BRYAN CRANSTON, BREAKING BAD

LIEV SCHREIBER, RAY DONOVAN

MICHAEL SHEEN, MASTERS OF SEX

KEVIN SPACEY, HOUSE OF CARDS

JAMES SPADER, THE BLACKLIST

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

THE BIG BANG THEORY

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

GIRLS

MODERN FAMILY

PARKS AND RECREATION

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

ZOOEY DESCHANEL, NEW GIRL

LENA DUNHAM, GIRLS

EDIE FALCO, NURSE JACKIE

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, VEEP

AMY POEHLER, PARKS AND RECREATION

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

JASON BATEMAN, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

DON CHEADLE, HOUSE OF LIES

MICHAEL J. FOX, THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW

JIM PARSONS, THE BIG BANG THEORY

ANDY SAMBERG, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

DANCING ON THE EDGE

TOP OF THE LAKE

WHITE QUEEN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

HELENA BONHAM CARTER, BURTON AND TAYLOR

REBECCA FERGUSON, WHITE QUEEN

JESSICA LANGE, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

HELEN MIRREN, PHIL SPECTOR

ELISABETH MOSS, TOP OF THE LAKE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

MATT DAMON, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

MICHAEL DOUGLAS, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, DANCING ON THE EDGE

IDRIS ELBA, LUTHER

AL PACINO, PHIL SPECTOR

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

JACQUELINE BISSET, DANCING ON THE EDGE

JANET MCTEER, WHITE QUEEN

HAYDEN PANETTIERE, NASHVILLE

MONICA POTTER, PARENTHOOD

SOFIA VERGARA, MODERN FAMILY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

JOSH CHARLES, THE GOOD WIFE

ROB LOWE, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

AARON PAUL, BREAKING BAD

COREY STOLL, HOUSE OF CARDS

JON VOIGHT, RAY

71st Golden Globe Nominations - Film

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:49:00 -0600

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

12 YEARS A SLAVE

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

GRAVITY

PHILOMENA

RUSH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

CATE BLANCHETT, BLUE JASMINE

SANDRA BULLOCK, GRAVITY

JUDI DENCH, PHILOMENA

EMMA THOMPSON, SAVING MR. BANKS

KATE WINSLET, LABOR DAY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

IDRIS ELBA, MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

TOM HANKS, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

ROBERT REDFORD, ALL IS LOST

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

AMERICAN HUSTLE

HER

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

NEBRASKA

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

AMY ADAMS, AMERICAN HUSTLE

JULIE DELPY, BEFORE MIDNIGHT

GRETA GERWIG, FRANCES HA

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, ENOUGH SAID

MERYL STREEP, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

CHRISTIAN BALE, AMERICAN HUSTLE

BRUCE DERN, NEBRASKA

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

OSCAR ISAAC, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

JOAQUIN PHOENIX, HER

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

THE CROODS

DESPICABLE ME 2

FROZEN

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR

THE GREAT BEAUTY

THE HUNT

THE PAST

THE WIND RISES

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

SALLY HAWKINS, BLUE JASMINE

JENNIFER LAWRENCE, AMERICAN HUSTLE

LUPITA NYONG'O, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

JULIA ROBERTS, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

JUNE SQUIBB, NEBRASKA

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

BARKHAD ABDI, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

DANIEL BRÜHL, RUSH

BRADLEY COOPER, AMERICAN HUSTLE

MICHAEL FASSBENDER, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

JARED LETO, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

ALFONSO CUARÓN, GRAVITY

PAUL GREENGRASS, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

STEVE MCQUEEN, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

ALEXANDER PAYNE, NEBRASKA

DAVID O. RUSSELL, AMERICAN HUSTLE

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

SPIKE JONZE, HER

BOB NELSON, NEBRASKA

JEFF POPE, STEVE COOGAN PHILOMENA

JOHN RIDLEY, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

ERIC WARREN SINGER, DAVID O. RUSSELL, AMERICAN HUSTLE

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

ALEX EBERT, ALL IS LOST

ALEX HEFFES, MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

STEVEN PRICE, GRAVITY

JOHN WILLIAMS, THE BOOK THIEF

HANS ZIMMER, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

“ATLAS” — THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

“LET IT GO” — FROZEN

“ORDINARY LOVE” — MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

“PLEASE MR. KENNEDY” — INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

“SWEETER THAN FICTION” — ONE CHANCE

Oliver Stone and Britney Spears Didn’t Like The ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 01:38:00 -0500

It has been almost two weeks since Breaking Bad finished it's run on AMC and people just can't stop talking about the ending, including celebrities. What makes some of these comments interesting is when they crossover from general praise to criticism. It is fascinating who is making these comments and what some of their problems are.

First up is a celeb who admits he isn't a fan and missed most of the series, but that doesn't stop him from decrying the final shootout in the finale as an example of all that is wrong with the pervasive violence in TV and movies. Maybe this wouldn't be so strange until you realize this is coming from the writer of Scarface and the director of Natural Born Killers himself, Oliver Stone.

“Nobody could park his car right then and there and could have a machine gun that could go off perfectly and kill all of the bad guys! It would be a joke . . . It’s only in the movies that you find this kind of fantasy violence. And that’s infected the American culture; you young people believe all of this shit! Batman and Superman, you’ve lost your minds, and you don‘t even know it! At least respect violence. I’m not saying don’t show violence, but show it with authenticity."

Stone reaffirms that not only would shooting a roomful of enemies with a rigged M60 be a bad idea, but if it were a movie it would be "laughed off the screen." I mean he really thinks this is stupid.

“If people think that bringing a machine gun to your last meeting is a solution to a television series that’s very popular, I think they’re insane. Something’s wrong. It’s not the world we know."

It's just reassuring to know that the director behind Savages is protecting the world from exploitative violence. Stone isn't the only celeb to recently chime in either.

Britney Spears is a self-confessed "huge" fan of Breaking Bad. And, while it's good to know that this comment comes from someone who has actually watched the whole series, that doesn't mean she isn't without some regrets from the finale. Her issue wasn't nearly as high-brow as Stone's though, she just thought it was a bummer. According to Spears, in an interview with New York radio station Z100, she was firmly in the rooting for Walter White camp.

"I didn't like it at all actually. I didn't think [Walter White] should have died."

She even goes on to say she fantasizes that she can get an alternate ending where an ambulance revives him. Let's just hope Jeffrey Katzenberg doesn't hear about this.

Katzenberg has just claimed he offered the creators $75 million dollars for three more hour long episodes. He then wanted sell them as pay-per-view 6 minute clips at a dollar a pop, for "the greatest pay-per-view (event) in scripted television ever." I am so glad that isn't happening.

It's kind of astounding when Britney Spears is the most reasonable one in the room.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Fox Narrows In On 'Fantastic Four' Casting

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 00:23:00 -0500

Fox is starting to gain momentum with their planned Fantastic Four reboot. The new film, which is being directed by Chronicle helmer Josh Trank, seems to be closing in on it's final casting decisions for the film's leads. Some of the names have been out there for awhile, but it is sounding like this is a final list.

As of right now Michael B Jordan(Fruitvale Station) is still the only name attached to Johnny Storm. It sounds like the three women competing to play his sister, Sue Storm, are Saoirse Ronan(Hanna), Kate Mara(House of Cards) and Margot Robbie(Pan Am). The final men hoping to play her love interest and team leader as Reed Richards are Jack O’Connell (Skins), Miles Teller(Project X), and Kit Harington(Game of Thrones). There is no word on who will fill the role of Ben Grimm. While it does appear these are the finalists for these parts, Fox does caution they have not yet made a final decision.

One thing is very obvious from these names that are popping up, Trank will be focusing on a much younger Fantastic Four than the previous films. Getting more of an "Ultimate" or early Kirby style team, where the FF are teens or young adults, could be really interesting as long as that doesn't equal teen angst. I know alot of people have voiced concern over casting Jordan and giving him a fair-skinned sister, but as someone who has biracial folks in my immediate family, I have no issue with this. I will say that of the women named Kate Mara is far and away my preferred choice. She has a charisma and projected intelligence I don't get off the other actresses.

What do you guys think of this list? Who would your preferences be? What do you think of making a younger team? Any suggestion for Grimm? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Source: Deadline

First Full Length Trailer For 'American Hustle'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 18:09:00 -0500

David O. Russell has been on an absolute tear lately with The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook. It looks like his newest effort American Hustle may continue that trend when it is released this December. Set in the 70's American Hustle tells the story of con men who are forced to turn on their own and help federal agents con other grifters and corrupt politicians. The film features an absolutely stacked cast with Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner , Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper. After checking out the new full length trailer that was just released, I don't know how this movie can't excite you. The vibe of the thing is just incredible.

So, check out the new trailer below and leave a comment to let me know what you think!

Source: Yahoo

'Captain Phillips' Review

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 17:36:00 -0500

Movies have given me just about every emotion imaginable. They have made me laugh, think, mourn, inspire, love, cheer out loud and so much more. Roger Ebert once said that we shouldn't go to films for "intellectual truth" but "emotional truth", because "movies are an emotional medium". In my decades as a movie-goer I thought movies had made me feel every emotion they possibly could, it turns out I was wrong. Watching Captain Phillips I experienced something that I had never felt in a film before, never knew I could feel, catharsis.

Captain Phillips tells the true story of an American captain of a civilian cargo ship, that is boarded and hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Africa. It follows a chain of events that begins as benignly as a man getting a ride to the airport, through the hijacking and the eventual violent resolution on the high seas. That's it, that's the story. If I were so compelled I could give a detailed rundown of the whole film's plot in less than a paragraph. But, this film's greatness doesn't lie in the straightforward sequence of events that serves as it's basis. The film's greatness is derived from the emotional journey director Paul Greengrass takes us on with his film.

Greengrass has shown great talent in the past, most notably with United 93, but he has never made something that approximates the experience this film. I don't know that anyone has. By exploiting the immediacy of his docudrama style to it's fullest, we are given first row seats to pure terror. There has been criticism in the past about Greengrass's use of handheld cameras, but in this instance it only heightens the film. There is never a moment in Captain Phillips where the action is unclear or we lose track of the geography of a situation. Even after the US Navy gets involved, every nuance of their strategies are crystal clear to the audience through visuals alone. If you remember the news stories from 2009, or have seen the trailers for this movie, you were already aware that eventually the US Navy SEAL's show up. What you can't have known, no matter how much previous background you have on the film, is the impact Greengrass makes in his depiction of these men.

Their presence and methodical precision in this movie is astounding. This is the film that Zero Dark Thirty wanted to be. As a member of a military family and an American, I was equally dispirited and proud at just what these professional warriors are capable of. The most accurate word to describe their representation in this film is awesome. As an audience member you literally will be in awe of their capability. But, all the superlatives in the world heaped on Greengrass's direction wouldn't mean anything, if he didn't have the right actors to connect the emotional resonance with the audience. Luckily, Captain Phillips has some of the best performances of the year.

It may seem at first glance that casting as well known a face as Tom Hanks, in a film that aims for realism, may be a misstep. But even though the Hollywood icon is in nearly every moment of the film, the movie becomes terrifyingly real in a way few movies ever have. When we watch a studio film featuring a movie-star we should never fear for his character's safety, it's a given right? And yet for nearly every moment of Captain Phillips, the mind races at how this couldn't possibly turn out ok. You are on the edge of your seat fighting your own instincts that keep telling you, this will only end in one possible, horrible and grisly way. Even though Hanks gives a tour-de-force performance, that smashes you right in the gut, there is a part of you that will always be aware that you are watching Tom Hanks. Perhaps that is part of the reason why the film is so effective. Even as he disappears into the role, some part of us never forgets who it is we are watching. We have that thirty years of affection built in as we watch him go through this terrible ordeal. So watching him in pain and danger becomes more tangible, like watching a family member we love be forced to suffer. But, even though Tom Hanks remains "Tom Hanks" the pirates have no such baggage.

As much credit has to be given to Hanks' emotionally raw performance and Paul Greengrass's expert direction, the thing that may stand out the most is the perfect casting and performances of the Somali pirates. When we look at them we see only threat and reality. There is no aesthetic distance. The pirates, especially their leader Muse played by Barkhad Abdi , become real. The situation becomes real. And, so the feelings of terror, become real. I can't remember antagonists in any recent movie that can compare to the animalistic danger that these pirates possess. Looking into their eyes is like being enclosed with a wild tiger that can violently strike you at any moment. The danger is always palpable and real.

Don't let me give you the impression that these actors are simply giving us sneering villains, far from it. Through both dialogue and subtext we get to know these captors. Even if we can't sympathize with their choices, we perhaps begin to empathize with them. I have no idea if newcomer Barkhad Abdi will build a long illustrious career from this debut, or if it was a matter of serendipitous casting for a perfect part. What I do know is that he should receive as many accolades and credit for carrying the film, and making it the experience that it was, as Hanks does.

That is truly what this film is, an experience. As a grown man who has seen thousands of movies I teared up at the end of this film. The amazing thing was that it wasn't because of any kind of emotional sentimentality. It was relief. It was relief and disbelief that this emotionally wrenching ordeal was over. This is a movie that will fray your nerves, churn your guts and leave you exhausted and overcome as an audience member. Captain Phillips is a film that demands to be seen in a theater so that you can have as intimate and expansive an experience with the film as possible, allowing you to truly feel the horror and triumph this film has to offer. There is no doubt that Captain Phillips is one of the very best movies of the year.

'Thor: The Dark World' Poster Is Re-imagined Via LEGO

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 13:47:00 -0500

It seems like everyday we get another Thor: The Dark World poster. Today is no different, but to help break up the monotony Marvel has decided to cross-promote their two big releases over the next couple months and give us something fun. Using their upcoming game LEGO Marvel Super Heroes as inspiration, Marvel has released a recreation of the main poster from that film using everyone's favorite construction toy characters.

I have included the original poster for reference. This isn't the first time they have this, as they also recreated the Iron Man 3 and The Avengers posters. So, I threw those up for your viewing pleasure as well. I think this kinda thing is alot of fun, and hopefully you do too.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes comes out in the US on all current-gen systems on October 22, 2013 for $49.99, with next-gen and other markets to follow in November. Thor: The Dark World hits theaters November 8, 2013.

Source: USA Today

'Rush' Review

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 21:05:00 -0500

If there has been one consistent criticism of Ron Howard's career as a director, it is that he often plays it too safe. It's easy to look at his big, clean, classically structured star-vehicles and be cynical about the "art" involved. I haven't met anyone who really dislikes Howard, but he isn't sitting atop many people's favorite directors lists either. Ron Howard has traditionally been too mainstream to inspire much passion in any direction. That may change with his new film Rush, the most audacious movie of Howard's career.

Rush tells the story of two rival Formula 1 race-car drivers from the mid seventies named James Hunt and Nikki Laude. The narrative is told simultaneously from both perspectives, going so far as to actually featuring voice-over narration from each character. The focus of the film is on the central antagonistic relationship between the two drivers. By concentrating on this rivalry the film not only creates it's dramatic tension, but also uses it as a vehicle to explore much more complex ideas. The movie wants us to reflect on the motivations of the competitors and by extension what drives athletes to greatness. It examines how other people outside ourselves can push us to, or even define, our successes and failures. Unfortunately, as a character piece the film falls short. It is only through the fine performances of it's two leads that the movie doesn't completely fail as any kind of character study.

Hemsworth turns in an admirably vivacious performance as James Hunt. Hunt is a British F1 driver who likes to drive fast and live life faster. He is the prototypical playboy race-car driver. This type of part could easily have edged into caricature, but Hemsworth is able to keep the performance grounded and believable through his considerable charm. Even though Chris Hemswoth's face is all over the posters and trailers for Rush, don't let that fool you. This movie truly has dual leads. Daniel Bruhl, as Hunter's conservative and cerebral rival, Nikki Laude, is the true revelation of this film.

I had not seen Bruhl in anything aside from his supporting role in Inglorious Basterds. Also, by not coming to the movie as a fan of racing, I had no idea whom Hemsworth was playing. I had incorrectly assumed he was the hero of the film. Walking out of the theater though it was obvious that Bruhl's performance as Laude was the one that defined the movie. Laude was the one character in the film I felt like I completely understood by it's end. This understanding wasn't defined by screen time or writing, but through the determined performance of Bruhl. Like a modern day Salieri, even if we don't like Laude we understand him. His journey is one of manic obsession and control, but it is never bitter. Towards the end of the film Laude makes some defining decisions that I'm sure will divide audiences. Some may find his actions inspiring while others may find them disquieting. I do not think for a moment though that audiences will question if Laude himself would have made the decisions he does, regardless of their own personal feelings. Unfortunately, the other characters in the film aren't nearly as well developed. One of the most glaring examples of this phenomenon was the criminally underused Olivia Wilde, playing the part of Hunt's wife.

By my count Wilde had a total of three speaking scenes and two where she is simply shown. She doesn't play an insignificant role and I would normally be hesitant to recount a character's entire arc, but it is so underdeveloped and simple, I feel that it serves as a context for the failings of the film. In her first scene we see her meeting Hunt and chatting in a garage, her next scene we see their wedding and the very next time we see her, they are arguing about all their "same old issues". Aside from one additional scene where they discuss the official dissolution of their marriage, that is the extent of her character. The hope and eventual failure of this marriage is made out to be a huge defining episode in Hunt's life. While we may see the course of the marriage in the film, we never understand it. We don't know the reasons for their marriage breaking apart. We are left with questions like, "how long were things good, before they went bad?" and "why should we care if the marriage works out or not?". We don't even have enough information to decide whether we think it was a good match. The film covers a great amount of the driver's lives, but it feels more like a series highlighted moments than a connected narrative. Interspersed with these moments though is some truly jaw dropping race footage. Ron Howard gets the camera in places you have never seen before. It's just unfortunate that for the first time in Howard's career, it seems like character and story are taking a back seat to visuals.

There is a alot to admire about Howard's film. It has an unconventional narrative, gorgeous cinematography, winning performances and an interesting subject matter. The problem is that it just fails to make an emotional connection. Covering such a huge narrative swath by following two lead characters over years of their lives, led to both the film's greatest success and failure. By showing both sides of the rivalry we are able to see how outside rivalries can drive competitor's greatest achievements. By making sure we get every important event covered though it often feels like we were skimming the surface, rather than digging deep into any particular character or moment. Like a needle skipping on a record, individual moments may satisfy but the entire experience lacks cohesiveness and context.

Ron Howard has created a gorgeous film, that is a fever dream of 1970's racing. It is beautiful, exciting, loud and feels properly "epic". In a strange way if I didn't know who made this film, I would say it feels more like a matured Michael Bay film than one made by Ron Howard. Rush hurtles forward with energy and stunning photography, but the "story" becomes just a series of moments butting up against one another shown through a glossy prism. This "greatest hits" aspect of the movie's structure does thankfully wind down a bit in the third act of the film. It is only then that it feels like we are able to breath, reflect and live in some of these moments. As a result the movie improves and actually creates some emotional resonance. It is during this part of the picture that it becomes clear that the movie had the potential to be much more. It's just unfortunate that the majority of the film couldn't rise to this level and deliver something more than fortune cookie philosophy and fashion commercial depth.

Details On When George Lucas Started Writing 'Episode VII' And His Role On The New Films

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 11:33:00 -0500

Some people had assumed that George Lucas began writing the third Star Wars trilogy to serve as an additional incentive when selling his company to Disney. Sort of the way folks will do some landscaping to their house for the sole purpose of increasing the value when they sell it. According to George's son Jett, in an interview with Flicks and the City, Lucas had began writing the story a full year before the Disney deal even became a possibility.

“We knew probably a year prior (to the purchase) he had started writing and researching, starting his whole little process . . .about a year later was when the idea of selling to Disney came up…It’s nice because he’s happiest when he’s writing and doing something with his time.”

Jett goes on in the interview to share how his father feels about handing over control of his life's work to a new group of people, and specifically JJ Abrams.

“ . . . yeah, as any parent watching their kid going to college would. He’s constantly talking to JJ. Obviously JJ was handpicked. He [Lucas] is there to guide, whenever, he’ll help where he can. At the same time, he wants to let it go and become its new generation.”

As far as what exactly that "talking" and "guiding" of JJ involves, George Lucas himself downplays any active role in the production and likens it to a historical consultant for the Star Wars universe.

“[If the filmmakers ask],‘Who’s this guy?’ I can tell them. I mean, they have a hundred encyclopedias and things, but I actually know a lot. I can say, ‘This is this and this is that.’ Basically I’m not — I don’t really have much to do.”

I know alot of people loathe Lucas and blame him for ruining his own legacy. I always thought that was a little unfair. I believe he never lost his amazing imagination and vision for his creation, but he needs others to help realize it. I freely admit that Lucas can't write dialogue to save his life and goes on some strange tangents as a director, but as a visionary laying the groundwork for everyone else I continue to think he is a perfect fit.

I may be sounding naive here, but I will take these quotes and imagine that Lucas began writing a third trilogy not to make money or sell off, but because he wanted to revisit his creation from over 40 yrs ago. I really like the idea that he stared making this story with the idea he was the only one who would ever see it. I wish I could be cynical and protect myself from potential disappointment like it appears many of you have, but I can't help myself. It's Star Wars and I'm excited!

So what do you guys think? Is this just more spin? Would you want Lucas more or less involved in the production than it appears he is? Can you allow yourself to still be excited for Star Wars? You can watch the entire Jett Lucas interview in the video below and then let your voices be heard in the comments!

Via: Collider

New 'The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty' Trailer

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 7 Oct 2013 19:52:00 -0500

The new Ben Stiller directed film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has just received a new trailer. The movie is based on a short story by James Thurber and tells the story a man who escapes his hum-drum life through day-dreaming of fantastic adventures. Beyond Stiller, the cast of the remake is filled out by likable people like Kristen Wiig, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt, Shirley MacLaine and Sean Penn. The movie is set to release on December 25, 2013.

This is the most interested I have been in a Ben Stiller project since Greenberg, but I won't be getting my hopes up until I actually see the film. The trailer doesn't come off as completely cohesive and it is a little tough to see what tone they want out of the movie. From the trailer below I get the distinct impression this could end up being anything from a train-wreck to amazing to dull. If we can get a movie that rises to the level of say Stranger Than Fiction, I'll be a happy guy.

So, let me know what you guys think. Do you like the trailer? Are you a fan of Stiller when he directs himself? Does this look promising or horrible? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: Yahoo

Quentin Tarantino's Top Ten Films Of 2013(So Far)

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 7 Oct 2013 08:51:00 -0500

We are still a couple of months out from the end of the year, but that hasn't stopped Quentin Tarantino from getting a jump on everyone by releasing his Top Ten Films of 2013(so far). Released by his website, The Quentin Tarantino Archives, the choices are presented in alphabetical order and are sure to spark some conversation.

1. Afternoon Delight (Jill Soloway)

2. Before Midnight (Richard Linklater)

3. Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen)

4. The Conjuring (James Wan)

5. Drinking Buddies (Joe Swanberg)

6. Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach)

7. Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón)

8. Kick Ass 2 (Jeff Wadlow)

9. The Lone Ranger (Gore Verbinski)

10. This Is The End (Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg)

I'm sure the two movies that will jump out at most people are The Lone Ranger and Kick-Ass 2. I thought The Lone Ranger was a better movie than it was given credit for, but certainly not a top ten film. But, should we really be surprised that a genre film junkie like Tarantino would be drawn to these movies? If they were released in the mid-seventies aren't these exactly the kinds of movies that a young Tarantino would fall in love with? One thing you have to give QT credit for, even if you don't understand his choices, he is never afraid of calling it like he sees it.

What do you guys think? Does Tarantino have horrible taste? Do any of his choices make you reconsider your feelings for some of these films? Which of these films are your favorites? What movies would be on your list? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Via: Empire

Rumor: First Plot Synopsis For 'Avengers:Age Of Ultron'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:24:00 -0500

We know that the Avengers will face off against Ultron in the next film, Avengers: Age of Ultron. What has been unknown up to this point is just who creates Ultron in the film. The character from the comics was originally created by Hank Pym, but since we have been told he won't show up until Ant-Man, that won't be a possibility. Many people, like myself, have assumed that the remote control suits in Iron Man 3 could serve as the basis for Tony Stark to create Ultron. Well, now we are hearing there is a different possible explanation of the character's origin.

Earlier tonight Collider posted a "synopsis" for Avengers: Age of Ultron that was sent to them by a "plausible" "source". Even though they caution that it should be taken with extreme care, should be considered a rumor and have even taken down the page, I felt you guys should get to see it for yourself. The very brief plot outline is as follows.

"As the US Government create a force, known as Ultron, The Avengers are told they are not needed any longer. But when Ultron turns against humanity, it’s time for The Avengers to assemble yet again for their most dangerous challenge ever."

Obviously, I have no idea how valid this rumor is, but it does create an intriguing possibility. If the government is responsible for the creation of Ultron, it could certainly lead to some interesting dramatic tension as they finally have to turn for help to those they tried to replace. If nothing else it will be a fun possibility to chat about over the next few days!

What do you guys think? Does this log-line sound legit? Who would you like to see create Ultron? Does it matter? Voice off in the comments below!

Source: Collider

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Quicksilver In 'Avengers:Age Of Ultron'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Fri, 4 Oct 2013 01:26:00 -0500

According to Latino Review Aaron Taylor-Johnson has officially been cast as Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that he was up for the part, but this is the first time that we are hearing the deal is done. Obviously Taylor-Johnson is most well known for playing the titular character in Kick-Ass, so this won't be his first time in a comic book adaptation. In an interview with Total Film he is already discussing his view of the character.

“There’s years – over 50 years – of backstory on him all there to use, and I like doing that. Him and his sister [Scarlet Witch] have been abandoned by their parents and their father, and they grew up in Eastern Europe defending and looking out for themselves and each other. His sister really is his guidance – emotionally she’s the one who looks after him, and vice versa. He’s very overprotective physically – he doesn’t want anyone touching her. He has real anger frustration – I like that. I always thought it’d be quite funny if you saw him eating loads and people asked him why and he’d explain it’s because he’s burning so much energy all the time. Or ideas that you’d see him come back round – but he’s already nipped out and got his lunch somewhere else. He just got bored – his attention span is so fucking quick.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson also goes on to talk about bringing the iconic comic character to life, and treading that line of being faithful to the source material without falling into camp.

“That’s what we’re in talks about really, right now – how I could become that character and not feel forced. I might not look right with white hair, and the accent may be wrong… it just doesn’t work like that.”

I have every faith in Joss Whedon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a decent enough actor that I have no objections to this casting. I am extremely intrigued about just how Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe though.

Since we can't use the words "mutant" or "Magneto" it seems like it could be a bit of a dance to firmly establish their backgrounds without being maddeningly vague. Perhaps even more interesting to me though, is the relative youth they seem to be aiming for with Taylor-Johnson and the reports of Elizabeth Olsen as his twin sister. Spider-man and the X-Men films have given us numerous young heroes, but I don't think we have had an Avenger under the age of thirty. How are such young characters going to be incorporated into this universe, and why was the decision made to make them so young?

What do you guys think? Are you happy with this casting? How should they handle the back-story? Do you think it is a good thing the characters seem so much younger than the rest of the cast? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Two Of, The Warriors Three Get Posters For 'Thor: The Dark World'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 3 Oct 2013 13:50:00 -0500

We have been getting alot of new Thor: The Dark World posters lately and today is no different. Hot off the presses are two new character posters featuring Fandral and Volstagg respectively. With two of the three members of The Warriors Three being represented, I can only assume a Hogun poster is on it's way.

I am really enjoying these character posters because it feels like they are looking to expand the world of Asgard and spread the limelight around a little more than on just Loki and Thor. Or, maybe the studio just likes to make as many marketing materials as possible. We'll find out when Thor: The Dark World is released on November 8, 2013.

Source: Marvel, Empire

‘The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’ Trailer

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Tue, 1 Oct 2013 08:33:00 -0500

As promised yesterday, the new trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug(as well as a fourth banner poster) was just released via The Hobbit Facebook page. It looks perfectly passable and the brief glimpses of Smaug toward the end are the definite high point. So, watch the trailer and sound off below. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens December 13, 2013.

Three New Banners For ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 19:26:00 -0500

I have made no secret of the fact that I am not a big fan of Peter Jackson's Tolkien films. They are fine as big-budget fantasy, of which there is often a great dearth. I simply cannot get excited for them. The whole idea of splitting The Hobbit into three separate movies strikes me as being primarily ego and money driven. That being said, like most of you I will end up buying my ticket.

To help us all get hyped up for the December 13 release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug we got three new banners for the film today. It was also announced that a new trailer will hit tomorrow evening. So check out the new images below and let me know what you think.

Do you think I'm nuts for not being excited for these movies? Are these Hobbit films satisfying you if you were a big fan of Jackson's Lord of The Rings? What are you hoping to get out of the next film? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Source: Facebook

James Spader On Preparing For 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 12:00:00 -0500

Aside from Ben Affleck being cast as Batman, James Spader being selected to play the titular villain Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron has been the biggest casting news of the year. We have previously heard Joss Whedon's explanation of why he feels Spader is the right choice to take on The Avengers. Thanks to Spader doing tons of press for his new show, The Blacklist, we finally get to hear from the man himself about his preparations for the role.

"I have spoken to Joss Whedon about it . . . and yes, actually, just this weekend I went in for them to take very extensive photographs, head scans, body scans, and all kinds of things in preparation for figuring out how the hell I'm gonna fit in this Ultron character!"

Spader went on to express his personal joy at becoming a part of this comic-book universe.

"I think it'll be a lot of fun and it's incredibly nostalgic for me. When I was a kid my best friend had trunks of comics and I didn't have any so I used to love going for sleepovers at his house. Also I have three sons and two of them have a great interest in comics so they're excited I'm playing the role."

The one thing that jumped out me are the comments about the extensive scans and photos. Obviously, that means Spader won't be soley doing voice-over work, but how exactly will the character be realized? Will it be a suit/CGI combo as they have done with Iron Man? Or a performance capture driven CGI character like Hulk? Could we be seeing a dramatic redesign that gives Ultron more human like features that are based of Spader's own? Alot of fun hypotheticals for us, as fans, to all mull over in the coming months. I can't imagine better casting for Ultron than Spader, now let's just see what they do with him!

What do you guys think? Am I taking too much out of context? Would you like to see a practical suit, performance capture or something else? How would you feel about a more human featured Ultron? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Source: The Independent, Inquirer

Two New Character Posters For 'Thor: The Dark World' Featuring Heimdall And Malekith

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 12:27:00 -0500

Marvel Studios has just released two striking new posters for Thor: The Dark World, featuring Malekith and Heimdall, through their Facebook page and EW. I hate trailers and haven't seen any for Thor: The Dark World yet, by design. But, I am really digging all these individual posters Marvel has been putting out. As long as Alan Taylor can deliver on this tone and live up to his TV work, we should be in for something really special(or at least it won't be as bad as Iron Man 3 right?).

I want to know what you guys think! Are you excited about Thor: The Dark World? Do you have faith in Alan Taylor? Do any of these rumors of trouble behind the camera trouble concern you? Check out the posters and let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Source: Marvel, EW

First Full Length 'Frozen' Trailer

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 12:04:00 -0500

I have really been looking forward to Frozen, despite my reservations that the marketing has been focusing on the "wacky" sidekicks up until this point. I felt like my good faith was well earned because the two directors, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, were involved with Wreck-It Ralph and Tarzan, two fantastic animated movies. With today's release of a full length trailer it looks like that goodwill wasn't completely misplaced.

The new trailer gives a much more comprehensive view of the entire film. From what we are shown it looks like the movie will carry on the torch from Tangled, in bringing the classic Disney Princess style to a CG film. Part of me still wishes that this film was a cell animated, as it was originally announced. But, it is impossible to argue with the art direction or beautiful computer animation on display in this trailer. Frozen stars Kristen Bell, Alan Tudyk, Idina Menzel with Josh Gad and opens on Nov 27, 2013 in the US.

I want to know what you guys think. Does this look better than the "wacky" stuff we have already seen? Do Disney animated films excite you anymore? Are you okay with the move to CG? Let your voices be heard in the comments below!

Source: Yahoo

'Don Jon' Review

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 13:51:00 -0500

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Don Jon is a movie that I fear will be successful for all the wrong reasons. If you look at the marketing campaign, this is a movie being sold as a sex comedy. Even though there is a great deal of effective humor and a whole lotta sex, this is a movie with much more on it's mind. Folks may focus on the superficial of this film; like the visual gags, the in your face sexuality and of course the "Jersey" trappings. Don't be surprised when you hear lots of "Jersey Shore" jokes being made about this film. Just because a movie may seem to be about superficial characters, doesn't mean that the movie itself is content to survive in that obvious zone.

For a film coming from a first time feature director, Don Jon is a surprisingly cinematic film. Filled with clever musical cues, smash cuts, focused lighting and thoughtful camera angles, this is a movie that truly tells it's story in a visual way. The movie is not the "filmed play" you may expect from an actor moving behind the camera. Levitt allows us to understand and see into the mind of Jon more honestly than Jon sees himself, even though he is our constant companion in voice-over. It is important that this connection with the audience is made because we must be more clearly aware of Jon's true desires than even he is, or the film would lose it's impact.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's confident film can easily be seen as the spiritual successor to Saturday Night Fever. Like that seminal film, Don Jon is a movie about a young man trying to create satisfaction and transient success over his blue collar existence, with what many would consider "shallow" pursuits. If you bring up Saturday Night Fever to most people they will remember the disco, the leisure suits and Tony's obsession with his hair. While all of these things inform Tony's character, it is important to remember this is a movie that dealt with themes as serious as rape, abortion. racism and faith. You don't become Gene Siskel's favorite film of all time on the back of a single memorable and parodyable dance scene. I worry that Don Jon may suffer a similar fate, with people associating it solely with porn, weight-lifting and anonymous sex with club girls. That would be an injustice because this movie is actually a deconstruction of modern american values and an examination of love as it is experienced, and presented, to young people in the 21st century.

Jon is a young man in New Jersey who's main concern is attaining the superficial trappings of success, as viewed by the modern american male. He loves working on his body, taking care of his apartment, driving his car fast and porn. Porn most of all. It is this aspect of the film that sets it apart and makes it truly fascinating. It explores Jon's porn addition in depth, and it serves as a metaphor and comment on the character and much of modern society. It also touches on the psychological issues a porn addition can create. It isn't just that Jon enjoys looking at porn, porn is the most important thing in Jon's life. Jon would literally rather sit alone in front of a computer with clip after clip, than be in bed with a real live person. Sure, he goes to the clubs to try and take "dimes" home. As soon as they fall asleep though, he is booting back up. Jon rationalizes this by explaining that women in real life never give him the type of sexual attention he craves, while he can be completely in control of his porn fantasies.

Another way to view this is that the girls Jon picks up in clubs validate him to his friends and the outside world, while the porn serves to validate his internal need to be satisfied. Jon is always looking for validation and of the appearance of success. He lifts weights so he will look good with his shirt off, he tells people he is in the "hospitality industry" because that sounds better than bartender and he loves to look at porn because it looks like the ultimate expression of sexual desire. The problem is that none of these things bring him internal satisfaction and contentment. The paradox of Jon is that he thinks he is happy. He is living up to what he believes happiness looks like. Unfortunately, he doesn't know what true happiness feels like, let alone how to attain it. Don Jon is a coming of age film not about a young man falling in love, but learning what falling in love actually means.

The cast is filled out with true stars like Scarlett Johansson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Julianne Moore. Unsurprisingly, they all turn in solid performances. The one who will make you grin when he shows up on screen is Tony Danza. I don't know where he has been hiding all these years, but this is a role he was seemingly born to play. Danza's persona reinforces his performance as Jon Sr, instead of fighting against it. Don't be surprised if Danza starts getting more work after this.

Don Jon is the kind of unexpected surprise that makes going to movies such a treat. Countless coming of age films are about the right guy falling in love with the right girl. It is a refreshing new take to see a movie about guy who comes of age by reassessing who the right girl is. This is a movie about changing your value structure and finding the true worth in others and the world. It never comes off as maudlin or unearned in it's earnestness, but actually hides it under a smooth veneer of gelled hair, muscle tees and porn. It will be interesting to see if the film ends up resonating with the public or if they laugh it off. There are a whole bunch of Jons out there after all.

New UK 'Ender's Game' Poster

nickeleyenews@gmail.com (Nikali Starkovich) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 10:17:00 -0500

Some of the previous marketing materials for the upcoming Ender's Game, have left me a little flat. I have no idea what to expect from this film(I haven't and won't see any trailers) and Gavin Hood's involvement makes me weary. He has made some good movies before, but his last foray into big budget genre film-making was a complete disaster.

Today we are getting a brand-new UK poster. While it may not be the greatest Photoshop work in the world, I am digging the almost-Star Wars motif it is presenting. I enjoyed the original books so hopefully we will get at least a competent adaptation. Ender's Game opens in the US on November 1, 2013.

Source: Empire