Now here’s the type of project that Robert Downey Jr. should be doing more of; sticking to blockbuster franchises (Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes) is great for the wallet and all, but he’s too fine an actor to not challenge himself in new ways. And a 3D science fiction film directed by the great Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Children of Men) is certainly one way to do so. Deadline has announced that the charismatic leading man will star in the Mexican director’s Gravity, which Cuaron has developed and co-written with his son, Jonas.

Downey Jr. will play the male half of a guy-and-girl team stationed at a remote hub in space, who’s left with his female colleague to survive outside of the hub after the rest of their unit is obliterated by an exploding satellite. Another plot point that was discussed a few weeks back, when Angelina Jolie was said to be on board for the lady part (she’s since been declared a no-go), has the lead actress also playing her own daughter, though there’s no word in Deadline’s report of this still being the case.

Shooting will begin in London this summer and will end just in time for Downey Jr. to head across town to work on a Sherlock Holmes sequel with returning director Guy Ritchie and co-star Jude Law.

Source: Deadline

I’m not sure that most casual moviegoers understand the impact of a good opening credit sequence. While I’m as guilty as the next guy of wanting to get to the meaty part of a film, opening credits do many things besides credit the filmmakers. The very best credit sequences can establish a sense of tone, place or character that helps the audience to invest themselves in what they’re about to see.

Like a good appetizer before a meal, these credit sequences are the best of the best. They fully establish the worlds that their filmmakers have created, and in many cases, they’re as integral to the success of the films they precede as anything that follows them.

One thing you should know before we begin — a lot of these Youtube clips have copyright protection on them, meaning you shouldn’t be surprised if they disappear and force you to seek them out online. Or better yet, go seek out the films themselves.

10. The Thing

Our first entry on the list of best credit sequences is ironically the simplest. While old-fashioned white-text-over-black-background titles are quickly going the way of the dodo in favor of more elaborate setpieces, this is the cream of the crop of that classic look. What better way to establish the bleak tone of John Carpenter’s bleakest horror film by immersing the audience in a screen of black? The only company they get is the unnerving, thumping score by Carpenter and Ennio Morricone.

While I couldn’t track down a clip of the credits, you can use your imagination and fill in the blanks with this clip from the fantastic score.

9. Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino burst onto the scene in 1992 with this low-budget crime drama, completely character-driven and stuffed to the brim with his now-defining knack for great dialogue. The classic opening credit sequence of our protagonists strolling down the street in their slick suits (or not-so-slick, if you’re Chris Penn) not only establishes how badass our characters are supposed to be, but fits perfectly with the tone of the picture and reveals subtle character details without any dialogue whatsoever. A true classic.

Check out the clip on Youtube here.

8. Ed Wood

It’s a freaking shame that I can’t find a version of this credit sequence that hasn’t been yanked down by the studio, because it’s probably the finest in Tim Burton’s long career of good-to-great opening titles. He pays homage to the worst director of all time by executing his schlocky effects work with more finesse than he would have ever dreamed possible, gliding over miniatures and floating over stop motion creatures to a theramin-centric Danny Elfman score.

Because I can’t find any clips of the opening, check out this excerpt from an Oscar-winning performance by Martin Landau. Ed Wood really is one of Burton’s best films.

7. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

This criminally underappreciated gem from Lethal Weapon mastermind Shane Black not only reintroduced the world to Robert Downey Jr. before Iron Man was a glimmer in his eye, but also reinvigorated opening credit sequences with Saul Bass-inspired animation. It’s the perfect combination of great visuals and music to invest the audience in the pulpy fun they’re about to have with these characters.

6. Alien

It’s a shame that I can’t find the opening sequence for Ridley Scott’s Alien on Youtube, because it’s completely unique from any other. As each disjointed element of the title’s scrawl appear individually over shots of isolating space, we begin to realize that this is a film that will take its time to bury its audience in suspense and horror. Something about the presentation of these credits lends a gravity to the film from the get-go, as if we’re about to see something mythological. It’s completely unnerving.

Check out this janky old trailer for a pretty good indication of what I’m talking about.

5. Zombieland

Zombieland isn’t even a year old, but it has already cemented its status as having one of the most elaborate and purely awesome credit sequences of all time. Shot in a brilliantly vibrant slow-motion style to capture all the carnage of Zombieland, it manages in only a few minutes to capture all of the post-apocalyptic insanity that filmmakers have dreamed of in the decades-long existence of the genre. It also really sets the stage with all the exposition you need to get the ball rolling ASAP, and the use of Metallica works like gangbusters.

4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

In terms of sheer memorability, no opening title sequence is etched as deeply in my mind as that of James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I watched it a countless number of times as a child, but truth be told, you only need to see it once: the haunting and patriotic Brad Fiedel score lingering over shots of a firey playground completely set the stage for Cameron’s sci-fi action masterpiece.

For the best quality possible, click here to watch the sequence on Youtube.

3. Goldfinger

Perhaps no opening credit sequence is as iconic as that of the James Bond film, with its beautiful women and floating guns and spy imagery over the pop artist of choice. But as far as I’m concerned, the opening titles for Goldfinger, the third entry in the film franchise, set the standard that the succeeding 20+ films have been striving to match. It has all the right elements that would fall into place in later years and comes spiraling off the heels of a great Sean Connery line delivery.

2. North by Northwest

Alfred Hitchock essentially founded the majority of his classic films upon fantastic Saul Bass-created title sequences, and honestly, I could swap this entry out for any number of his other titles — Vertigo, The Birds, Rear Window. What wins this one over is the fantastic integration of animation and city footage, as well as a bombastic Bernard Herrmann score that is my favorite in Hitchcock’s catalog.

Years later, David Fincher paid homage to this opening with Panic Room. As a side note, Fincher is the honorable mention of honorable mentions on this list — Fight Club and Se7en are also classics. Check out the titles for North by Northwest here.

1. Watchmen

While Zach Snyder’s Watchmen is only a year old and many have reservations about their enjoyment of the film, I feel confident in saying that it’s the best credit sequence I’ve laid eyes on. Quite simply, it could function as a perfect short film if it were seperated from the rest of the picture. It establishes not only the tone of the film but also introduces the audience to every character in a way that is simple yet thorough and visually interesting. It would be difficult to show through dialogue just how much the world has changed because of these heroes; here, Snyder does it without any words except those of Bob Dylan.

Again, make sure to click this link for the best possible online version of the titles, and if you haven’t seen these films, make sure to check them out!

A 2-minute sneak peek at the work being done on the Robert Rodriguez-produced and Nimrod Antal-directed sci-fi action sequel Predators debuted at the SXSW festival yesterday and now the footage is online.

And man, does it get me excited to see the film on July 7.

A few quick bullet points on this footage (and please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments):

• My fears about Adrien Brody being attached to the film have been laid to rest. It looks like his chemistry with Laurence Fishburne is gold.

• They’re introducing a new species which basically looks like a tamed lion with dreadlocks — you can see concept art for it but you can also catch a brief glimpse of it in action toward the end of the clip.

• I appreciate that they’re keeping the Predators in the dark for the majority of this. It seems very character-driven, which is good.

• Are we on the Predators’ home planet? Because this place looks mighty threatening.

Here’s the deal; as I started recording my audio review for Green Zone, Mr. Nose (that’s that big schnoz on the front of my face) decided it wanted to bleed like Mount Vesuvius and everything in it’s path (including my clothes) were Pompeii. After cleaning up the murder scene, it was time for me to head off to another screening, totally ruining my plans for having one solo audio review and three typed reviews. Instead, you get the Super Mega Audio Review edition where I cover not only Green Zone, but Our Family Wedding and She’s Out Of My League. The results may shock you, but then again, I never expected to be writing wonderful things about Robert Pattinson when the week started. Something must be off in alignment somewhere. Anyway, enjoy, and please, leave constructive criticism:

Green Zone, Our Family Wedding, and She’s Out Of My League Reviews

************WARNING: THE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW! I REPEAT, BECAUSE THE ENDING IS A LOAD OF CRAP, THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*************************ONE AGAIN, THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOT HAVE HAPPY MEMORIES OF THE FILM, PLEASE VENTURE ELSEWHERE*****************

In case the giant warning at the top wasn’t enough for you, I am going to spoil Remember Me. Partially because that horse manuer of an ending deserves to be spoiled, but also because it’s near impossible to not talk about the movie without discussing the ending. In this abortion the film calls a conclusion,  Robert Pattinson’s Tyler is standing in his father’s (played by a lovely Pierce Brosnan) office waiting for him to come have breakfast with him. This all sounds swell, except for this building happens to be the World Trade Center, and this is also the morning of September 11th, 2001. That’s correct, Tyler is killed in the attacks, and everyone he knew is devastated. It’s a ballsy call, no doubt, but too bad the film tries to pass it off as some form of a twist instead of some kind of accident (then again, this movie isn’t exactly subtle about anything) like they did in the beginning with Aly’s (Emilie de Ravin) mother being murdered. The director also seems to be going for shock value to evoke an emotional response, as if he didn’t trust his actors to do so.

Which leads to this shocking revalation: Robert Pattinson can act.

Yes, I’ll say it again. Robert Pattinson can act.

Now before asteroids start destroying us and chaos erupts, this isn’t some Academy Award performance or anything of the sort as Pattinson does dip into ‘Twilight-mode’ a couple of times. However, for the majority of the time the man is actually putting on a damn fine performance, and also making this film lover fall into a state of shock. It’s because of his work here we can now assume he’s just laughing at us with Twilight, as if he’s playing the role of Edward Cullen with a “do I really have to sell this material?” kind of attitude. In fact, this is the thing I’m taking away most from the picture is that Pattinson is an actual good actor and will have a decent future for himself when this Twilight nonsense is over.

He’s countered very well by a more than captivating Emilie de Ravin, who has more chemistry with him in this movie than Kristen Stewart did in all three Twilight movies combined (even the one that’s not out yet.) Her Alyssa isn’t presented as some outcast, or some super, mega-bitch, but rather as a capable college student who’s intrigued by this mystery man. She’s there to play off Tyler, yet de Ravin is able to give some dimensions to Aly that some actresses stoned all the time might’ve fumbled. Their relationship feels real, and takes a natural course. True, there are times the script tries to be boneheaded with it’s choices, but de Ravin nor Pattinson allow it to become straight drivel.

As much credit as I do give Pattinson for actually proving he’s got good acting chops, he’s only number two behind Pierce Brosnan. He’s Charles Hawkins, Tyler’s lawyer father who is too busy for his children, and coolest cat in this movie. He too also has a solid clicking with Mr. Pattinson whereas one would think the seasoned veteran would be carrying the heartthrob throughout the picture. Brosnan is suave, reserved and everything the role requires him to be as a father who doesn’t quite understand or care about his children. He also gets the best scene and line when Tyler storms in on a meeting after Charles misses a art gallery for his daughter Caroline, portrayed by Ruby Jerins (who also is on the right career path for being in a Martin Scorsese movie at her young age.) Special note should be given to her too for actually giving a convincing performance as the misunderstood and almost alone little girl who really has a brilliant mind.

Which spells bad news for the usually reliable Chris Cooper, who is a mixed bag as Sgt. Neil Craig. At times, he’s actually on par with the aforementioned actors. Other times he’s having a tough time selling his thick New York accent and being outshined by a ten year-old. Also being schooled by said third grader is Tate Ellington as Aidan Hall, Tyler’s best friend and all around douche. He excels at the latter part, but at times tends to go a little too overboard with it. We’re not really supposed to like his character, and Ellington makes sure that never happens, so I suppose mission accomplished.

For a film acted so well, one wishes it was directed better and had a more solid script. Director Allen Coutler isn’t subtle about anything in the film, and pretty much thinks his audience his so dumb that he has to emphasize the importance of Chris Cooper in the opening scene by shooting him from behind. He also needs a lesson or two when it comes to actually shooting a film as his eye for shots is pretty atrocious. For instance, in a two-shot with Aidan and Tyler, the center of focus is some random person in the background, not the two people the dialogue was written for. But again, the ending displays how poor his talents really are, as he treats it like it’s some form of big revelation the movie was leading up to. He ultimately sucks any good will the film had out with that, and not because he wants it to be a gut-punch. Had it been handled better, my reaction to it might’ve been more friendlier, but as it stands it destroys not only Pattinson, but the film.

He’s not completely to blame for the decision though, as screenwriter Will Fetters mucks up some key moments as well. He’s ultimately trying to make this another crappy teen romance flick, but somewhere along the way he messed up and actually wrote characters with struggles and some decent drama. Granted, his actors are raising most of the material, but it was pretty refreshing to not have these people come off like the common stereotypes they often would. Fetters isn’t as talentless as his director, but he could still learn a thing or two when it comes to pacing the film. At times it flows along, then it’ll hit a cliche, then continue to flow again. Perhaps that’s Coutler’s fault more than Fetters, or I’m just trying to not tear Coutler a new butthole.

It’s a shame Remember Me ends up being the film it is, because before the final moments happened the cast and crew really had something good on their hands, even with Coutler’s misgivings. The biggest thing to take away from this movie is the revelation that Robert Pattinson has talent buried beneath that drivel that is Edward Cullen. The guy is legitimately good to the point I feel bad for criticizing his skills for so long. It also helps most everyone around him is giving solid work as well. They just happen to be in a film that’s content with destroying any good will it set forth by introducing a  pure cop out of an ending. Would a different direction have helped? Absolutely, but alas this is what happens when you go for the cheap shot. Your film suffers. Take note for next time.

4/10

John Cho, who played Sulu in Star Trek, has confirmed that another Harold and Kumar movie and production should kick off this June…maybe.

Entitled A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, the third film in the series would take place during Kwanzaa. Ha! No. It’s during the Winter Solstice. Ha! No. Christmas.

“I think this could be a legit holiday movie,” Cho told Collider.

Cho did not say if his Harold and Kumar co-star and Obama pal Kal Penn will be in the sequel; however, he did announce that Neil Patrick Harris is expected to return.

No director is attached to the project, which may be in jeopardy if Penn does not return.

Awkward human being Kristen Stewart, 19, told Access Hollywood that she wasn’t allowed to “grope” Dakota Fanning during the filming of the infamous “kissing-super hot-make out scene” in The Runaways.

Why? Because Fanning was 15-years-old, perverts!

“She was 15, and I wasn’t allowed to grope her,” says Stewart. “I’m actually not kidding, there are major restrictions that I don’t remember from when I was younger.”

Younger…four years ago. Oh, what Hollywood does to our youth.

Stewart went on to say that smooching Fanning wasn’t a “big deal.”

“I don’t want to give anything way. It’s a really passionate, hardcore scene,” Stewart said jokingly. “No, it’s just a kiss. It’s not really a big deal.”

The Runaways debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It revolves around the formation of the ’70s girl-rock group by the same name with Joan Jett and Cherie Currie.

The movie hits theaters on wide release April 9.

Want more KStew? Check out the recently released trailer for the third entry in the Twilight series, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Director James Cameron may be giving the people what they want: a re-release of Avatar, you know, in case people want to see it for a sixth time.

Cameron announced that Avatar may get a re-release in theaters this summer and return to 3D screens. (FYI, summer isn’t that far away.)

When asked about a potential Blu-ray/3D release for the biggest picture in the land, Cameron said that Avatar would return to theaters with additional footage once Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland ends its run due to theater constraints over 3D auditoriums.

“We’re not officially announcing [the Blu-ray] right now but I’m hoping for fall. The wild-card is that we might be re-releasing the movie this fall. It’s kind of gotten stomped out because of Alice in Wonderland,” says Cameron. “The word we’re getting back from exhibitors is we probably left a couple of hundred million dollars on the table as a result. The question is [whether] the appetite [is] still going to be there after the summer glut of movies. We’re going to assess that. We’re talking about maybe adding in additional footage and doing something creative.”

Maybe they’ll add that “steamy sex scene” that will be released on DVD and Blu-ray?

Cameron, who came away empty-handed at the 2010 Oscars, also plans to release a 3D version of the second biggest picture in the land, Titanic, in 2012. This will mark the 100-year anniversary of the ships first and last voyage.

Cameron addressed plans for Avatar 2 and said the film will not be a prequel. It’s also expected to cost significantly less than the original.

Source: USA Today

Fanboy favorite Hugo Weaving is reportedly in talks with Marvel Studios to play Captain America’s arch-nemesis, The Red Skull, in the upcoming Captain America movie.

Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision Blog has revealed that the talks between Weaving and the studio are at a “delicate stage that will be resolved within the next few days.”

The former Nazi officer known as the Red Skull first appeared in Captain America #1 in 1941.

From Wikipedia:

The Red Skull, Johann Schmidt (sometimes spelled Shmidt), was a former Nazi general officer and confidant of Adolf Hitler. He has been closely affiliated with HYDRA and is an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Avengers, and the interests of the United States and the free world in general. He was physically augmented by having his mind placed into the body of a clone of Captain America, the pinnacle of human perfection. He has been seemingly killed in the past, only to return time and time again to plague the world with schemes of world domination and genocide.

Weaving is known for his roles in V For Vendetta, The Matrix trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He’s also rumored to reprise his Rings role in The Hobbit.

Robert Pattinson’s face has been so associated with the schmaltzy popular teen vampire hysteria known as Twilight, that many have wondered if the young actor could possibly do anything else than look so forlorn. Could he possibly act? Would Pattinson be able to do anything more than be in a perpetual state of need of a bucket of Prozac and look like, OMG, so pained and stuff? The answer may lie in Allen Coulter’s over-the-top drama Remember Me (Hollywoodland). Or it might just be more of the same.

Pattinson plays Tyler Hawkins, a 21-year-old kinda’, sorta’ student at NYU who is awkwardness personified. Fidgety, always uneasy and a lover of the written word, this glum introvert spends his time working in a campus bookstore and arranging novels based on authors deaths and infidelities along with drinking with his party-animal buddy and roommate Aidan (Tate Ellington).

Hawkins spends his days learning on campus through an audit program thanks to his gig at the store. No degree planned. He just loves the books and, yes, the ladies. But don’t judge Tyler too harshly; his heart is a giant beach ball. The son of Charles (Pierce Brosnan), a successful lawyer and a non-existent father, young Hawkins is also the pseudo-father and best friend to his grade-school-aged younger sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins, great here). Caroline attends a posh private school in the city and is branded a “weirdo” by her equally posh and bratty schoolmates. Like her brother Tyler, she’s a deep thinker, a lover of books and –unlike her brother– she’s a talented artist.

Convinced to come out drinking with his pal Aidan, Tyler, drunk off his keister (a common sight in the film), tries to stop a street fight. After the cops arrive along with Sgt. Neil Craig (Chris Cooper), a bloodied Tyler gets even more bruised when he sasses the veteran cop and receives a face-full of car hood.

After a stint in the slammer, Aidan and Tyler learn that Sgt. Craig’s daughter Ally (Emilie de Ravin) also attends NYU. Aidan hatches a plan to get back at the out-of-line cop by talking Tyler into asking the girl out, date her, make her fall in love with him then dump her on her bum. Take that, Officer Meany!

Generally when plans like this occur in romantic dramas, one of the rules is that if a guy starts to date a girl under false pretenses, but actually falls in love with her, the truth will eventually come out and a mammoth, late second-act fight will ensue. Remember Me doesn’t deviate from that plan.

What is striking about this movie is Robert Pattinson. Now with a script that doesn’t merely force the Brit to mope around –though there’s much of that here also– the actor actually showcases his chops quite well, making Remember Me his best yet. Of course, when looking at his previous work, that may not be saying much. Honest, deft and engaging, Pattinson is near brilliant here and should have audiences look forward to more non-Twilight projects in the future.

Along with Pattinson, Tate Ellington (Red Hook) is exceptional as the film’s only source of relief from an unending barrage of sad-sack drama. Ellington’s performance is a ray of blissful sunshine in this bleak and morose film.

From the first scene of this movie, Remember Me uses every trick in the book to force audiences to shed a tear. From a parade of dead loved ones to one of the most emotionally manipulative endings seen in theaters for quite some time, Remember Me is the perfect example of a movie that tries too hard to connect…and never does. But that shouldn’t stop the swooning.