We Drink Your Milkshake!

AFI Top 100 Countdown #90 SWING TIME

noreply@blogger.com (We Drink Your Milkshake) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

#90: SWING TIME

Directed by George Stevens

Written by Allan Scott and Howard Lindsay

Starring: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

AFI Top 100 Criteria:

Critical Recognition: Formal commendation in print, television, and digital media.

*Rottentomatoes.com rating 100%

*"Of all of the places the movies have created, one of the most magical and enduring is the universe of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers." -Roger Ebert, Chicago-Sun Times

*"Tip-top Fred and Ginger delight, which is another way of saying one of the best musicals ever." -Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Major Award Winner: Recognition from competitive events including awards from peer groups, critics, guilds, and major film festivals.

*Academy: Won best Original Song; nominated for Best Dance Direction

Popularity Over Time: Includes success at the box office, television and cable airings, and DVD/VHS sales and rentals.

*Budget: $886,000

*Gross: $2,600,000

Historical Significance: A film's mark on the history of the moving image through visionary narrative devices, technical innovation or other groundbreaking achievements.

*"Astaire introduces two new elements into his approach to filmed song and dance, both of which represent the abandonment of theatrical staging conventions"

Cultural Impact: A film's mark on American society in matters of style and substance.

* In 2004, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

Jonesy: Musicals have always been a part of my life. My first memory was being obsessed with SINGIN IN THE RAIN when I was about seven, then my mom took me to see it live onstage that summer, and I was hooked. My knowledge is somewhat extensive, but I never took the time to watch the classic RKO musicals of the 30s and 40s. Thankfully, AFI countdown took care of that for me.

SWING TIME is one of the quintessential Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies. The plot itself is a tad boring and predictable, but the charm of the duo masks all of that. Their chemistry on and off the dance floor is undeniable. They’re absolutely charming. People sometimes forget how difficult dancing really is, but Rogers and Astaire make it look so effortless and fun, that their numbers could inspire almost anyone to turn to dancing.

Musicals seem to get lost among today’s films. There’s almost a stigma attached because it’s assumed that if it’s a musical, then it’s all cheese and no substance. SWING TIME plants the seed that eventually will shatter that stereotype. There are songs that actually move the plot along, which is later mastered by OKLAHOMA, and the dance sequences between Rogers and Astaire are so emotional that their characters develop through their movements.

SWING TIME is a perfect platform for the modern day musical genre. It’s sweet, charming, and memorable, and Astaire and Rogers are just sheer perfection.

Javi: Yes, I don’t like musicals, Broadway, or Glee. This is very ironic, due to my love of music. Regardless, I do try to go into musicals with a bit of a more open mind, considering how well-versed I want to be in movies and their history. Seems that I don’t need the open minded-ness. SWING TIME, starring the famous Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, is one of the more unexpectedly funny movies I’ve seen in a long time that dazzled me with its technicality.

The story and its set up are very indicative of its time. The set up is done in such an easily avoided way that it’s really frustrating, but then once we get to New York, the humor and performances liven up and just stay enjoyable the rest of the time. Astaire plays Lucky with a charm that I don’t see often with many actors nowadays; he’s witty and quick on his feet. Ginger as Penny was great as well with her standoff attitude and contempt to Lucky which transforms into affection seems more believable than most modern romantic comedies that come out today. While Victor Gardetti as Pop is a great comedic relief for some of the movie, I can say he was easily the least interesting character in a cast full of colorful characters.

The thing that makes me appreciate and enjoy the movie is the sheer technicality of the dancing. There are some impressive scenes and displays of skill shown off here and some great camera work. One of my favorite scenes is where Lucky is dancing in black-face (I know... how scandalous!) and there are three shadows of him in the background. The fact that there are very few scenes where you don’t see the dancers’ full bodies make me appreciate their sills even more. My big complaints are with the details of the story because, at one point, the final conflict is established and then completely resolved in a way that could never even be realistic. The resolution takes the phrase “turn the other cheek” to another level.

This movie is in this countdown I figure due to the technicality of its performances and to celebrate one of the best on-screen couples ever. This is something that you don’t see very often in Hollywood anymore and has a reason to be remembered and honored.

HUGO Movie Review- He said/She said

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:26:00 +0000

HUGO

Directed by: Martin Scorcese

Written by: John Logan, and Brian Selznick

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Lee,

Synopsis: A young boy sets out to finish his father's project stumbles upon a greater adventure.

Javi: So this week, I got the rare chance to go to the theaters twice in this holiday weekend, and of course, I saw the two movies which were definitely targeted towards kids. Of course, the first one was the THE MUPPETS, and now we have the latest non-gangster movie by Martin Scorcese, HUGO. Even though this was an adaptation from the children's book, I had zero context or even clue at what this movie was about. The trailer was confusing to me because it just seemed to be images of sprockets and clocks and kids. Now, to preface the review, I did not see it in 3-D, but I honestly felt nothing was lost.

Once again, not knowing much about the movie you're seeing can be a true blessing. Last time this happened to me, it was a good surprise. This time with HUGO, it was an even better surprise. I felt tension, and I kept guessing in a lot of ways of what was going to happen to the characters. HUGO was one of the best cinematic experiences I've had in a while because I left the theater smiling wider than I had even more than THE MUPPETS.

This movie much like the key in the poster; it has a lot of heart. Martin Scorcese seemed to have poured a lot of love into this project because of what the movie ultimately becomes, the beginning of movie making, special effects, and the preservation and appreciation of film. The first bit of the plot felt like it was part of a different movie, but after that section was completed, the emotional and visual impact just kept on building up to the climax.

The child actor, Asa Butterfield, played a convincing Hugo without overdoing it. He was able to balance his simple and child-like motivations with being endearing and sad. Chloe Grace Moretz was a bit of a weaker aspect of the movie because given everything that transpired, it almost felt like she was more a plot device than an actual person. Yes, she likes books and is related to Georges Méliès, but in the end she adds very little. Now, Ben Kingsley is a man that deserves some more love for this movie. I am rarely moved by actors as I was for his portrayal of Méliès, as thoroughly broken man drifting along.

Overall, this is one of the best movies I've seen this year. The love put into this movie, the visuals, the technicality, and everything about it made it as much of a celebration to film as the story.

Jonesy: Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the family movie genre; the stories are all too similar, the characters are usually boring, and they always seem one B-list star away from appearing on Lifetime or as an ABC Family special. So, I went in to HUGO, as it has been marketed as a family movie, with not a lot of expectations even with Scorcese as the director. All I knew was two kids figuring out a mystery in a train station and something about films and clocks. And oh was I ever put in my place. I was completely enchanted by the whole experience, and I was brought back to the time when I fell in love with movies.

Maybe saying this film is a family movie is unfair because that's too easy of a classification. It's a history lesson, discovery of the past, and of oneself. HUGO is such a smart film. It hits all the right notes of a children's adventure movie, yet it sounds odd, but I felt as if I was listening to a story from my great-grandfather. The film has so much heart behind it; the passion and love it took to make it just radiates off the screen.

I happen to also see this movie in 3D. Now, I tend to grumble when live action movies are in 3D; however, not since AVATAR has a movie used 3D so well. There were very few instances where the 3D felt intentional like a face coming at you, but rather the 3D enhanced the depths and visuals of the world. I can take or leave the 3D in general, but this is a perfect example of how it should be used to add another layer to live action movies.

Sometimes in the midst of big budget hoopla that movie goers are subjected to or the low-budget-drag-you-through-the-mud-of-emotions indie films that come out during this time of year, it is absolutely refreshing to experience a heart-filled, smart, defying cliched film. I don't have any children, but when I do (in the far future), you best bet this is the kind of family film I will be taking them to see...none of this Alvin and Chipmunks garbage.

Netflix Instant: Cool TV and Movie Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Now that you're stuffed full of turkey and dressing, it's time to go out and brave the crowds for Black Friday deals. Or if the thought of trampling people to get 20% off doesn't wet your whistle, here are some awesome Netflix Instant titles to tide you over for the remainder of the holiday weekend.

INTO THE WOODS

One of Sondheim's classic musicals. It tells the tales of many fairytale characters, but with a dark twist and edge. This has been one of my favorite musicals to see on stage, and lucky for us, Sondheim is one of the few composers who allow his musicals to be filmed while they're still on stage. None of this conversion to movie business.

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS

A documentary fit for the whole family. It tells the story of the emperor penguins as they endure one of the harshest places on the planet, Antarctica. The film is voiced by God himself, Morgan Freeman, and is a great introduction to the documentary format for young film connoisseurs.

DEEP BLUE SEA

One of my absolute favorite cheesy action movies. Scientists have been performing experiments on sharks trying to find the cure for Alzheimer's. However, the sharks become more intelligent, and you guessed it, start fighting back. Not suitable for children, but it has my favorite death of all time. (You'll know it when you see it).

Random yet Awesome: In Which A Non-Foodie Tries To Describe A Beer Dinner: The Mikkeller/Jester King Beer Dinner At The Common Table

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:08:00 +0000

The one of a kind snifter given to us at the dinner. Filled with Farmhouse Black Metal Stout.

Javi here. I know this is not at all a beer blog of any sorts, but this was such a cool event that I wanted to write up about it. Here's just a bit of background, 11/12/11-11/19/11 was the first inaugural Dallas Beer Week. There was a great variety of events including the first public showcasing of the Deep Ellum Brewery at The Common Table, a blind beer challenge over at The Holy Grail, and the event I'm talking about today, the Mikkeller/Jester King Beer Dinner with special guest Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, Thomas Schon and various Jester King employees. They were on hand to talk a little about their beers, their collaborations, and some of the history about their process of making some of their beers. Local bar, the aforementioned Common Table, hosted the event where they closed the restaurant down from 6:15 until about 9:15. Mad props to owner Corey Pond and his chefs for accommodating my request for a vegetarian alternative to the menu so I could also partake on fun. They went above and beyond and made everything vegan for me as well.

Below is a description and (slightly hazy) thoughts about the pairings broken down by the courses.

Please pardon my amateur language as I'm not much of a foodie.

Menu:

Meet and Greet: Artisan Cheeses with Drink' in the Sunbelt (4.5% ABV).

This part I honestly participated very little in because as I got to the Common Table later than anticipated and most of the cheeses were already gone. I'll tell you that at the very least the Mikkeller/Jester King collaboration Drink' in the Sunbelt, a play on Mikkeller's Drink' in the Sun, goes well with blackberries and strawberries.

1st course- Vegan grits with cranberry and a Milkkeller Texas Ranger (6.6% ABV).

This was an interesting pairing. The Mikkeller Texas Ranger is a chill-porter. For those not familiar with this type of beer, here's a video from the Mikkeller site. But basically, it's a very spicy (and I mean hot sauce spicy, not spice-spicy) and dark that was created as a tribute to Texas culture. The pairing itself was interesting one, where the sweetness of the cranberries and the flavor of the grits contrasted with the hot flavor of the Texas Ranger.

2nd course- A Mesclun salad with toasted seeds, cherry tomatoes, and pomegranate habanera vinaigrette along with a Jester King Farmhouse Wytchmaker Rye IPA(7.3% ABV).

Where the first course had a spicy beer and a milder entree, this course had a horribly spicy entree and a slightly milder beer. This was one of my favorite dishes. The texture of the seeds with delicious, and the pomegranate habanera vinaigrette made this dish something that I couldn't stop eating, but that hurt like hell to eat. The beer is was the farmhouse version of the Wytchmaker Rye IPA. It seems that Jester King will be brewing this style exclusively with farmhouse yeast. This will allow the beer all brewed over at Hill Country to have their own distinct flavor. Here's a good post over at the Jester King site about their new process.

3rd course- Purple potatoes and melted leeks with a cilantro champagne lemon grass broth with a Jester King Das Wunderkind (4.2% ABV).

This was probably one of the best pairings of the whole dinner. The Das Wunderkind has a low ABV at 4.2% with a very light and refreshing taste that complimented the lemon grass broth perfectly. The purple potatoes and the leeks went well together. This was a very strange experience, since I've never had leeks, let alone melted ones, and the potatoes were so strangely colored, I thought they were either meat or mushrooms. But this was very nice and cooling course after the fiery salad we had earlier.

4th course- Walnut Rissotto finished with cabernet whiskey apple along with a Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole (13%ABV).

This was a doozy. The thing that impressed me the most was the Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole. This was the strongest beer in the whole dinner with the aforementioned 13% ABV. The Imperial Stout was served in the snifter you saw in the heading above. It was thick and had sweet chocolatey notes that complemented the strong taste of the mushrooms and the small whiskey flavor of the apple very well. But the rissotto felt like the odd ingredient out in this pairing.

Dessert- Triple chocolate brownie and pistachio terrine with cracked black pepper strawberry coulis/mixed berries with a Mikkeller Frelser Triple Bock (11.0 % ABV).

I'd been raving about this one since I saw the menu. I have no clue what a coulis is-I'll admit-but the thought of pistachio with a triple chocolate brownie was delicious. Originally, they gave me a fruit bowl of mixed berries which were also amazing, but Jonesy was kind of enough to share some (most) of hers with me. The beer on the left was the Frelser Triple Bock, and maybe I was a little too tipsy at that point, but I liked the Black Hole a lot better than the Triple Bock as a pairing with this desert.

The dinner, being the communal thing that it was, gave us a chance to meet some other people that are just as big beer fans from around the area. We had one of the contributors from local veggie food blog Yummy Awesome, who had the coolest cassette iPhone case, and couple with the fact that the blog has a vegetarian edge to it made me pretty happy. Then we had Stephen Walden, local beer enthusiast and manager for local specialty store Kegs and Barrels in Plano. He was an especially awesome dude showing off great passion for the craft of brewing wanting to share that with people through his store. He was kind enough to give me a glass of the Jester King Farmhouse Black Metal Stout.

Overall, this was probably the best first beer dinner a guy could have. The atmosphere was amazing, the food and the beer were delicious, and it was really interesting hearing a lot of what the process was behind some of the more interesting beers that have come out in the last few years.

MATHEMATICAL! Mondo Doing An ADVENTURE TIME Print.

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:17:00 +0000

Javi here. If you guys know anything about me is that I still love cartoons, from the ultra-serious Myasaki features to the old Warner Bros. cartoons and everything in between. There's just something that can't be replicated in live action. All of this goes to say that one of my favorite shows currently on the air is Cartoon Network's ADVENTURE TIME with Finn and Jake. It's the story of two best friends living in a tree in a magical kingdom where people are made out of candy among other things and their adventures. The big news here is that Mondo, the Alamo Drafthouse boutique collectible division, has acquired the license for ADVENTURE TIME and will be doing a series of posters including one tomorrow! Hit the jump for more details.

Tomorrow, Mondo will tweet out an announcement for the sale of this poster. They will have a regular version that costs $40 with an edition of 220. Then there's a variant that costs $65 and will only have an edition of 90. Here's a mock up of the two versions!

So follow @Mondotees on Twitter and get those wallets ready. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Apparently Mondo will be doing a series of some obscure comics company.

THE MUPPETS- He said/She said

noreply@blogger.com (We Drink Your Milkshake) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:59:00 +0000

THE MUPPETS

Directed by: James Booth

Written by: Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller

Starring: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, and Chris Cooper

Synopsis: The Muppets must come together to save their beloved studio from an evil business man.

Jonesy: Yes, THE MUPPETS is everything you expect from a family movie: light-hearted with a sweet message, fun characters and of course, song and dance numbers. We're introduced to the newest character, Walter, as the self-proclaimed "biggest muppet fan". He stumbles upon a sinister plot by the evil Tex Richman (Cooper, who was born to play the melodramatic bad guy and steals most of the scenes he's in) to destroy the old muppet studio, so Walter, his brother Gary (Segel), and Gary's girlfriend, Mary (Adams), band together to tell Kermit and help the Muppets stop the destruction of their studio.

However, what was so astonishing is not how funny but rather how witty the script was. The script was full of jokes that wink and laugh with the audience, and I found laughing more than the children in the audience. The script is versatile enough to introduce newcomers to the world of the Muppets, yet it pays homage to all of our classic characters. And everyone's favorites are back, whether you're a Fozzie fella or a Gonzo gal, they're all are there. The strength of the film is watching the Muppets come back together after being separated for many years, and the film drags a bit when it shifted focus to the humans, mainly the weak subplot of Gary and Mary having relationship issues. But most of that can be forgiven because the rest of the movie is such fun.

All in all, I cannot remember the last family movie I've seen that wasn't pure cheesy cheese that may as well be an ABC Family Original movie or an animated feature. THE MUPPETS is a well-balanced mix for young newcomers and old fans. So go and take everyone you know to see it. We need more fun and witty movies like this coming out of Hollywood.

Javi: So like I was telling a few of my friends, I have very sporadic memories of the Muppets, but my biggest ones being the fact that Gonzo was my favorite, and that of the Muppet Babies cartoon. However, when I saw all of the excitement for the new Muppets movie, I couldn't help but get excited. That being said this was definitely a great movie, with the perfect mix of meta-humor and the old cheesy "jee golly" sort of humor of the years past that has been missing from mainstream movies for some time.

I was very worried that the movie would be just an excuse for Jason Segel to play with more puppets, since his love for them first seen in FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. But seeing all of the actual love that comes across in the references, and in the writing, I see he's the real deal; a true fan of a franchise that has been gone for too long.

The use of the soundtrack is a big highlight for me seeing as how it's basically a Flight Of The Conchords/Muppets collaboration, with most of the songs being written by Bret McKinzie. And the song choices throughout the movie such as "Bad To The Bone"was not sound completely cliche and uninspired. The highlight of the movie for me trying to see all of the Muppets all of the sudden appear all over the place and each getting their part in the big show. As my friend John pointed out, not all of the Muppets make it back on screen, but that's OK, there's always the sequel.

My only big gripe with the movie was that even for its very kiddie approach to comedy and story-telling, there was zero amount of tension in the plot. Every time there was an obstacle or a problem or a fight, it would get resolved within a minute, or with very little explanation, for the sake of spoilers, I won't into specifics, but trust me on this one. And finally, while I know that the former show and the movies were full of them, I was sort of annoyed by all of the celebrity cameos, if only because the big message of the movie was how important the Muppets are and how cherished they should be. I would imagine that a movie with that message could use a random scene without Sarah Silverman in it.

Overall, this was an amazing movie, it's not quite Top 10 material for me, but the joy that it brought me has not been topped by a "kid's movie" since RANGO earlier on this year. Do yourselves a favor and go see this with the whole family this weekend.

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Hell yes news for today: BEFORE SUNRISE could get a third film!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:02:00 +0000

BEFORE SUNRISE and BEFORE SUNSET are the brain child of Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and director, Richard Linklater. The movies follow a couple who, through a chance meeting on a train, spend a night talking about love and life during a memorable night in Vienna. The later movie picks up nine years later when they meet again in Paris still longing for each other, but now other obligations in the way.

Vulture broke the story today that Hawke, Delpy, and Linklater are talking about writing a third film:

"I don't know what we're going to do but I know the three of us have been talking a lot in the last six months," Hawke said. "All three of us have been having similar feelings that we're ready to revisit those characters. There's nine years between the first two movies and, if we made the film next summer, it would be nine years again so we've really started thinking that would be a good thing to do. We're going to try write it this year."

I for one adore these films and would be stoked if a third is in the works. In a world of cheesy romantic movies, both SUNRISE and SUNSET feel like a real depiction of a blossoming relationship with realistic dialogue and genuine performances. And with all the original actors and director could give this wonderful series a substantial ending.

Both BEFORE SUNRISE and BEFORE SUNSET are available on Netflix Instant.

Batman and Bane Fully Revealed In New Empire Magazine Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:45:00 +0000

So apart from being super busy, and not wanting to be complete hit-whores, we haven't been posting too much about director Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT RISES until the really juicy stuff comes up. And this weekend's reveal is relatively juicy. For the past few months we have been getting lots sneaky set pictures of Batman, Bane, and Catwoman, but this weekend after a contest held by the magazine, Empire revealed the first looks at Bane and Batman. They will appear in next month's issue. Check out the slightly larger pictures after the jump.

Christian Bale's Batman looks like Batman wielding some light weapon that will probably be speculated upon until the release of the movie. The big reveal is that of Tom Hardy as Bane, and his awesome mask as well as the ugly surprise of his nasty acne. This sure gives a lot more weight to the fact that Bane is basically a genius who is also a steroid user. Acne is one of the many symptoms of steroid use along with other less savory side effects. What I wonder is will this be the comic's Bane, who is both the intellectual and physical match for Batman, or will he be the moronic Mexican luchador-wannabe from BATMAN AND ROBIN? Only time will tell. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Full trailer for Pixar's BRAVE

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Now that we've cleansed ourselves of the abysmal CARS 2, we can now focus on Pixar's next summer animated feature, BRAVE. A gorgeous teaser trailer was released not too long ago, but now we have a full length trailer to show us more of this world

BRAVE feature our heroine, Merida, as she tries to breakaway from her family's traditions and create her own destiny. The trailer looks marvelous, and I adore Merida's fiery hair. Being part Scottish, I have a soft spot for any history of the highlands. I am stoked for this movie, and I am even more excited to be listening to their accents for 90 minutes!

Here's the full synopsis:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradtion, destiny and the fiercest of beasts

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

BRAVE will be released June 22, 2012

Cover for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO Soundtrack Revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Javi here. I'm not going to lie; a big part of the reason I was so excited about THE SOCIAL NETWORK was that Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor and his long-time collaborator Atticus Ross. When the movie came out, I couldn't believe that the guy that wrote THE FRAGILE had created something some eerily beautiful, but I guess that's what age and sobriety do to any goth kid. But this year, the two musicians have teamed up with SOCIAL NETWORK director David Fincher for his new movie THE GIRLWITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, which has me all sorts of excited again. And we just got our first look at the cover.

Man, that is one slick looking silhouette. According to NIN.com, the soundtrack will be released in Mute Records and on Reznor's own Null Records here stateside. No real release date has been announced, but Reznor did say to look for an announcement on December 2.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO comes out December 21st. It's directed by David Fincher. It stars Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig and Stellan Skarsgard.

THE IRON LADY full U.K. trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:34:00 +0000

It's not a huge secret that those of us here at WDYMS adore Meryl Streep. She's THE movie star of her generation, and apparently it's a widely regarded fact that she's super hot (or so my cohort tells me).

So, it's pretty much fact that most projects she touches turn to gold, and it appears that her latest film, THE IRON LADY, will be no different. The biopic will follow the rise of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Now, I have no doubt Meryl will be brilliant and probably nab her 17th Oscar nomination. However, it'll be interesting to see how the director, Phyllida Lloyd, who directed Streep in MAMMA MIA!, is able to pull off this story because it is tonally so different than what I'm expecting this biopic to be.

Time will tell if Lloyd can pull off a drama, but take a look at Streep, who's almost unrecognizable, in the trailer below.

THE IRON LADY starring Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent will be released in New York and Los Angeles on December 30, 2011 and wide on January 12, 2012

HARRY POTTER director David Yates to adapt all-new, independent DOCTOR WHO movie for the big screen.

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:39:00 +0000

This is an interesting bit of news that seemingly came out of nowhere. But thanks to Variety, we have news that 4-time HARRY POTTER director David Yates will be doing a DOCTOR WHO movie for BBC.

According to the director, this movie will be independent of the highly popular BBC series and its continuity, stating that "(Former and current showrunners)Russell T. Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic, but we have to put that aside and start from scratch." So all of the fanboys and girls hoping to see 2 hours of timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly David Tennant or Matt Smith action will be sorely disappointed.

To give non-Who fans a bit of a background, DOCTOR WHO is the long-running BBC TV show about a Time Lord, a being that can travel through time and space, called The Doctor who runs around the galaxy having adventures. One of his powers is regeneration, where in order not to die, he changes his appearance and his mannerisms, which means 11 actors have portrayed The Doctor since the show began. He usually has "companions" which range from young ladies to a married couple and even relatives. And just like any other hero, he has an iconic collection of villains such as the Daleks, Cybermen, and the Weeping Angels.

The show originally ran from 1963 to 1989 then a TV movie happened in 1996 before finally being rebooted successfully by Russell T. Davies in 2005 and continuing under Steven Moffat. The 2005 incarnation has become wildly successful and has brought a bunch of random nerds to become obsessed with the show like I have been.

In terms of the upcoming movie, I see this as both exciting and disappointing. Obviously, as a new Doctor Who fan, I'm excited for more media to come out, specially on a grander scale. I understand that David Yates probably wants to create his own version of The Doctor, but part of me feels that this continuity, the reboot that it is, has built up a lot of great history and characters in the past 6 years. To have a different Doctor is more than understandable as is the nature of the show, but to completely disregard the continuity and history seems a bit of a bummer to me.

Fans of Matt Smith should not fret, as Yates has said that they'll take two to three years to finish writing this movie because they want to create a great story. What's interesting is that if this is a complete reboot, then the 11th and possibly 12th Doctor have very limited lives. I'm curious to see how this will affect the stories and the writing of the next season. This also brings me to wonder how the budget of the show will be affected before or after the release of this movie. BBC is known for cutting costs and has directly affected the budget of DOCTOR WHO in more than one occasion. It could be that depending on the success of the movie, the budget will be greatly increased in the years to come. But that's all speculation at this point.

So what do you guys think? Is a complete reboot the way to go? Or would you rather see a big-screen version of the current Doctor?

THE HUNGER GAMES trailer drops!

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:42:00 +0000

Well, the day has come where we actually see some footage from the upcoming HUNGER GAMES adaptation, and I have to say it doesn't look completely horrible. Full disclosure, I read the books and enjoyed the first one, but highly disliked the other two books. Needless to say, my skepticism of this book coupled with the annoying marketing strategy that Lionsgate has opted for have led me to be completely apathetic towards this new movie series. Like I said though, the trailer is actually pretty cool. Check it out after the break.

I appreciate this trailer just for the sole fact that this trailer doesn't actually show any of the money shots from that battles makes me like this a bit more. Too many trailers ruin the good parts of the movie, but the buildup and the glimpses of the now-famous characters is pretty exciting. I'm hoping that the movie rises above the mediocrity that was the books. And by the looks of it, it looks like that might happen.

Jonesy: Now for my two cents. The trailer looks very promising and sets up the premise well. And I echo my cohort that it's nice the money shots from the book aren't spoiled. Hopefully Lionsgate will keep those away from future trailers, so there would be at least some element of excitement for those who haven't read the books. I also was a fan of the first installment, and it looks as if the movie is going to hit all the right beats from the book. Jennifer Lawrence looks fantastic as Katniss, even though I still think she's a tad too old for the role. However, I'm hoping that this doesn't become "the next Twilight" movie (even though it probably will). There some really fantastic elements the movie can focus on, but it seems the trailer is hinting at a focus between Team Gale and Team Peeta. (Hot Topic has probably got those shirts in production in preparation for the release).

THE HUNGER GAMES will be released on March 23, 2012 starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland.

James Bond Gets On Twitter, His New Movie Is Now Called SKYFALL, Might Be Getting OKCupid Profile Too.

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:37:00 +0000

Hey guys, Javi here. So today seems to be the day for awesome James Bond news. Reading anyone of the random movie sites, you hear news of the fact that there is now a James Bond Twitter account,( http://twitter.com/007) that was live-tweeting a lot of confirmations during a press conference of many rumors we had heard over the past year. Check the news all credited to said Twitter account after the jump

Something for the lady demographic.

So to start off the round of news, the 23rd James Bond movie will officially be called SKYFALL. This was a rumor from a while back, but it's nice to hear that it's been confirmed. I like the title, it's not as ridiculous as QUANTUM OF SOLACE.

Plus the title is totally a Transformers reference.

Next is the plot. According to the Twitter account, the plot will NOT be tied to CASINO ROYALE or QUANTUM OF SOLACE says director Sam Mendes. The official synopsis is "Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat , no matter how personal the cost."

Bond with the new ladies

Finally, the main cast has been confirmed as the following: Daniel Craig as James Bond, Javier Bardem as the unnamed villain of SKYFALL, Dame Judi Dench will be M again and apparently will take a bigger role in this installment. Bérénice Marlohe will be playing a character named Severin, and Naomie Harris will be a fellow agent named Eve. Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney will all star as well as yet-to-be revealed characters.

All of these news have me way more interested in a Bond movie than I have ever been. I've never been that great into the movie franchise apart from a Nintendo 64 capacity, and I enjoyed the previous Daniel Craig outings, but they never got me super excited like say, the Bourne movies. Seeing the cast, and hearing the brief synopsis has indeed piqued my interest, and not only because my 2nd favorite Javier is going to be a villain. But I ask of you, bigger Bond fans, what do you all think of the news? Will Sam Mendes be able to deliver a movie that makes you all forget about QUANTUM OF SOLACE, or will it be another shameful, Pierce Brosnan-esque entry into the franchise?

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE Review: She said

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

Directed by: Sean Durkin

Written by: Sean Durkin

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson, and Hugh Dancy

Synopsis: A young woman escapes from a cult and tries to regain her old life.

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE is a haunting tale of a fractured life and lost identity. The story weaves between the past and the present all the while questioning what was real and what was just a dream. It explores the aftermath of a woman, Martha (Olsen), who has left her cult-like commune after a couple years as she tries to reintegrate herself back to "normal" life with her sister (Paulson) and her sister's new husband (Dancy). As Martha tries to integrate herself back to her old life, the story interjects with flashes of memories from her time at the commune.

Martha hasn't been in contact with her sister in two years. She was living in a hippie-esque commune of young adults where everyone finds their own role within the family, shares clothing, and the women eat after the men have finished their meal. Their enigmatic leader, Patrick (played phenomenally by Hawkes), preaches about letting go of past pain and finding their full potential as a human being. All Martha has to do is let them in. Martha's journey to integrate into the commune life and her old life is blended together on screen where, just like Martha, sometimes we can't tell where one story begins or ends. The brilliance of Durkin's screenplay is showing us just glimpses of her past; enough to piece some parts together, but never gives us complete answers. Thus, we are left with our own projections and to fill in some of the gaps. Even though she made the decision to leave her "family", Martha cannot tell her sister about the commune. Maybe she's ashamed, or maybe she's has culture shock. As she tries to regain her world, the mood becomes more and more tense as she believes her former family will find her.

Elizabeth Olsen is absolutely mesmerizing as Martha. She brings a somber yet stoic edge to her character. Martha has lived a lot of life over the past few years from turning to a cult to feel complete, gaining the courage to leave, and trying to move on. Olsen subtle performance juxtaposed with the ever increasing tension was flawless. She treads the line of insanity and desperation, and she is just wonderful.

In the era of slasher films and things that go bump in the night cheap trills, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE is a genuine psychological thriller that has frightened me more than any other movie this year. First time director and writer, Durkin, has made a name for himself with this film.

Netflix Instant Cool TV and Movie Picks!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday everyone! Here are my picks for this week with a little bit for everyone:

The Last Exorcism

Since we're in the Halloween-y season, this was one I really enjoyed last year. I'm a sucker for the found footage genre, and THE LAST EXORCISM is a solid entry. It's creepy and subtle with some dark humor that builds some great tension.

Biutiful

Tough, gritty and raw, but features an absolute amazing performance by Javier Bardem. I wouldn't watch this when you've had a rough day, but whenever you're in a mood for some badass, old fashioned acting, this is your movie.

The Wonder Years

One of my (and I know a lot of people's) favorite TV series growing up. I was a tad young to fully understand all the nuances of growing up in the 60s, but the characters and relationships are all universal.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 review: He said/She said/She said

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:01:00 +0000

PARANORMAL ACTIVTY 3

Directed by: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman

Written by: Christopher B. Landon and Oren Peli

Starring: Jessica Tyler Brown, Chloe Csengery, Lauren Bittner, and Christopher Nicholas Smith

Synopsis: A prequel where we visit Katie and Kristi as young girls and the entity that torments them.

Javi: To preface my experience with the franchise, I saw the second one first because by the time I could have gone to see the first one, the hype was so big, and I didn't know if I could enjoy to the degree of the hype. However, I enjoyed it. I saw the first one the same night, and I found the law of diminishing returns to applied to this series. With the third installment, I found myself completely bored and really felt like this franchise could have ended with the second one.

My big problem was these movies have to adhere to a very special formula (cameras installed in the home, subtle changes, lots of silence) that made the first movie unique. With this third outing, the scares seemed to be bigger, but they just weren't worth the 30-40 minute set-up that one has to sit through. What could be considered the most interesting part of the movie, the last 10-15 minutes, are also very jarring compared to the rest of the franchise and just add unnecessary mythology to it. Overall, this movie could have been OK just existing as a supplemental to the second movie because the amount of set up and scares don't justify the existence of this movie.

Jonesy: If a formula works, then use it to its fullest degree. Hollywood takes this notion to heart, and horror movies are no exception. You know exactly what you're going to experience when you walk into PA3: jump scares, creepy noises, and things that go bump in the night. I have an unabashed love for found footage film, so I have completely eaten up this whole series...until now.

For most of the movie, the tension is slow building with a few bumps and scares sprinkled throughout until the last act when all hell breaks lose. There are some new innovative scares that were very effective that I really enjoyed. The two young actresses as young Kristi and Katie held their own on screen against the demon. And even though we know they survive because we've seen the first two movies, the movie was able to build enough tension to worry about their well-being. However, the story arc told in PA3 feels more out of place with the other two. PA3, even though it's suppose to be a prequel, was too convoluted with trying to explain/add to the mythology. Overall, I enjoyed two-thirds of the movie, but the last act lost me.

Jessica: I didn't go in to PA3 expecting much to be different than the first two, and I was right. It follows the same formula of the first two, and somehow I feel like it fails at the formula the most of the three. While it has the same success in getting you to jump out of your seat with loud noises and inanimate objects moving around, the set up of the premise of the film just did not work for me. It was the least believable, and I feel like a found footage film should hold some sort of roots in reality, even if it is a horror movie.

That being said, after thinking about my discontent with the movie, I realized how much one particular section had stuck with me. This particular section is incredibly effective and possibly one of the scariest scenes I have seen in a horror movie in a long time. While PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 is not ground-breaking, and maybe not even as good as the first two, I don't feel like it was a complete failure. I thought it had more humor than the first two, and more of a fun tone to it. The acting, particularly by the two young actresses playing Kristi and Katie, was great. I enjoyed watching it, but I just don't think it added anything to the mythology of the franchise.

WHEN HARRY LEFT HOGWARTS: a documentary special attached to DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 Blu-Ray

noreply@blogger.com (Jonesy) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Yes, it's true. I cannot let this series go. It's sad sometimes to think that there isn't another movie or book coming out from this world anytime soon. Plus! I have still not been to Harry Potter World in Orlando (hoping to remedy that in the Spring).

However, to tide us Potter-nerds over, Target is offering an exclusive 4-disc set of PART 2 that will include a 48 minute documentary about the making of the final films.

Check it out after the break:

From a totally biased fangirl perspective, the documentary looks quite wonderful and will probably bring back all the sentiments I experienced when book 7 and PART 2 ended.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on November 11, 2011.

TRANSFORMES 4 & 5 Might Shoot Back-To-Back, Might Star Jason Statham And Be 2 Hours of Explosions

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:44:00 +0000

Well, just like everyone feared, there will be new movies starring everyone's favorite transforming robots. Earlier yesterday, there was news that Hasbro wanted to keep director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg on board for at least two more potential sequels. Then, later on that day, we got even more specific news, according to Variety, that we could potentially get two more movies filmed back-to-back in order to save costs and time. To add to the insanity, Jason Statham's name was once again thrown around as a potential lead.

This is distressing news, but unfortunately, it makes sense. As much as I don't like the movies in general, as a movie "critic" and a fanboy, there was a lot to like such as the amazing forest fight from REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, but overall, they were pretty badly written all around. Then there were some very disturbing undertones of extreme violence, sexism, and just questionable actions by the "heroic" Autobots that made me scratch my head during all three of the movies and what sort of message they were sending the young audience they targeted. The thing that I was hoping for at the end of DARK OF THE MOON was that, even if we had to wait three to four more years, there would be a different vision of the Transformers that hopefully would give prominent roles to the robots themselves instead of just have them be insanely violent towards each other at the end of every movie.

I'm not naive; I know that the movies have made Transformers a household name when before it was just relegated to being a kid's show and being talked about just on the Internet. Now every little boy loves Bumblebee, there's a new ride being developed over at Universal Studios in California, and DARK OF THE MOON was the 4th best selling movie of all time. Obviously, Hasbro and Dreamworks don't want this relationship to end, which is understandable. I just really wish that some other director would have been able to take hold of this franchise and maybe change the tone of it.

Adding to this, Jason Statham being added to the franchise interests me and worries me. His movies have always been frantic and high-energy and I honestly think that these are two of the things that this movie needs less of. As always, this is just speculation until we receive the press release. We can only hope that if they make new movies, that maybe Bay will actually keep his word about wanting to stay off the franchise and focus on other things for a while. Stay tuned for more information as it comes out.

Because You Can Always Use More Robotic Dinosaurs In Your Life: TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON Teaser Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Javi here. So this might not be related to movies, but this was cool enough for me to want to share. Last year, High Moon Studios released what might very well be the first decent Transformes game with War For Cybertron. Now, we have confirmation that the sequel, Fall of Cybertron, is indeed coming next year and will feature many characters left out of the first game, such as Grimlock, the Insecticons, and the Stunticons. And now thanks to TFW2005, we have a nice teaser trailer and pictures featuring everyone's angry robotic dinosaur. Check it out after the jump!\

A Non-Parody Trailer For THE MUPPETS!

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:29:00 +0000

With some of the most clever and nerdy marketing behind the movie, Disney has finally decided to show us a more traditional trailer for the upcoming THE MUPPETS movie starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams. There's not much to say about this one, I'm just glad that we're now getting a glimpse into the plot of the movie and a seemingly endless string of minor celebrity cameos. Now, just watch it and let it brighten your day.

THE MUPPETS comes out November 23, 2011 and it's directed by James Bobin. It stars Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fonzie, and Animal.

THE THING review: He said/She said

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:59:00 +0000

THE THING

Directed by: Matthjs van Heijningen Jr.

Written by: Eric Heisserer, John W. Campbell Jr. (based on his story "WHO GOES THERE?")

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen

Synopsis: John Carpenter's THE THING remade as a prequel to his own movie

Jonesy: I figured the movie was going to be scarier and that it would have a lot more tension. Most of the characters were nameless to me, so when trouble started, I just didn't care. They obviously spent most of their budget on the monster effects, and they forgot that they set their movie in Antarctica because there were parts where the characters were outside and their breath didn't even show. Overall, the movie felt very lazy.

Javi: I enjoyed seeing Mary Elizabeth Winstead in something else apart from SCOTT PILGRIM, and I liked Joel Edgerton because he's dreamy. But here's my thing, the movie has no reason to exist. Thinking about the John Carpenter version and how iconic and beloved it is for movie nerds and horror fans in general, I'm sure if we ask Jessica about it that movie, she could write us a 12 page paper about it. But okay, let's say that the purpose of this movie is to appeal to the younger audience that has not seen the original and not to appease fans of Carpenter's version, then either way it feels like a lazy movie. If they wanted to appeal to the people that saw the original, then why make it almost beat-for-beat identical to the '82 movie? The protagonists burned the "thing" for the first time at around the same time as the '82 version! I'm just curious who they thought the audience would be, and why they did such a half-ass job. In terms of the story, like you mentioned, there was no tension. A thing that bugs me is that this movie had the potential to be an allegory for communism or terrorism and what have you, but they complete skew that for a bad sci-fi horror movie.

Jonesy: Like I said, it just felt lazy, like a lot of random scenes slapped together. And I'm really confused as to what the creature was trying to accomplished, because it crashed its ship... did it just want to raise hell?

Javi: I wonder if the story could have been more interesting if we had seen this movie from the point of view of the thing. What if it was just a completely scared that has a messed up defense mechanism, and all it wants to do is to go home.

Jonesy: I thought they might go that route. Like the Sam character said, "Why would the creature go from the safety of its ship to a big old block of ice?" But that point is never touched upon or explained again. There were a lot of holes that just were never patched together. Moving on to characters....there were too many of them. Having watched any type of horror movie, you figure that there are ten people there that most of them won't survive.

Javi: And if you've seen the John Carpenter version, you know who will survives which killed a lot of the tension for me. The way they accommodated the '82 version by having certain clues like the axe and the radio control guy just felt very cheesy. So I guess in terms of characters, I think it's interesting to see that maybe the screenwriters were making fun of the fact that you really don't know anything about the Winstead character, Kate, because all of the sudden she is in charge and you're thinking, okay...so where did this courage come from?

Jonesy: It would have been better if there were only five or six people so that when shit goes down, we would actually care about them and their well being, but there were so many of the characters that I just didn't care.

Javi: I wanted to mention that there was one particular death where it was graphic and gruesome, and if I had actually known who the person was, I would have felt something. And going along what you were saying, and I know Gwen will love this, the only way that I could tell half of these dudes apart was their beards . You had Big Beard, Little Beard, Black Beard, Red Beard and so on.

Jonesy: One actual positive aspect were the monster effects. They seemed to have used a lot more practical effects, and they weren't as cheesy as I was expecting. And since most movies just use CGI nowadays, you almost expect horror movies to have bad cheesy effects. However, with that said, a big problem I had was the fact that it never really felt like they were in Antarctica. There were people with no hats on just hanging out in the day? There is no way people are just hanging out outside because, I'm sorry, but it's really cold in there. I never got the sense of atmosphere. It was very inconsistent.

Javi: And for me, a big problem was just trying to figure out what the purpose of this movie. I think that the first two movies that came out about this story had something allegorical to say that pertained to their time period. But this movie spends 5 minutes talking about the shape shifting alien, and then it goes into cheap sci-fi horror-mode.

Jonesy: For a prequel, it really didn't answer a lot of questions. Do you ever notice how most horror movies never have anybody famous?

Javi: I think it's to not make it obvious who will live and what will become of them.

Jonesy: The biggest problem though... I was just extremely bored. It was a short movie, but it felt like it was 2.5 hours. I would be really mad if I had to pay money to see this. And unfortunately, this movie really makes me not want to see the John Carpenter movie because of this.

Javi: My recommendation? Skip it and go see something else like REAL STEEL or DRIVE, which is actually more messed up than this movie was.

Netflix Instant: Getting You in the Halloween Mood Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:42:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again...the time when fake spiderwebs are being strung above doorways with care, low budget haunted house commercials litter the radio airwaves, and horror movies are being watched by all. Some people (mainly, me) live every month like October, but for those who feel like indulging in some extra terror this month, I've got some great Netflix Instant picks for you this week!

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON

An 80's classic that I will never tire of, and I'm not even a fan of werewolf movies. You can't go wrong with this John Landis directed, gore filled werewolf classic.

THEM (ILS)

A great French horror movie that creeps me out every time. It will definitely get to you if your idea of horror is the kind that could plausibly happen in your neighborhood.

BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON

A must watch if you consider yourself well versed in the classic horror movie slasher world. It's a mockumentary that follows an up and coming slasher in a world where all the greats (Freddy, Jason, Michael) actually co-existed, and are his main influences. The movie has a couple flaws, but all in all it's very enjoyable and a great watch for the Halloween season.

Fear Itself

Fear Itself is a horror anthology television show that was on network TV in Canada. Each hour long episode is directed by a different horror director. There are a couple dud episodes (you may want to skip New Years Day) but there are some great ones too that will leave you wanting more. I recommend Community, The Circle, and Skin and Bones in particular.

TRICK 'R TREAT

Since its straight-to-dvd release in 2008, this has been an immediate all time favorite of mine. It is everything I want in a Halloween centered horror movie. It's a fun anthology, while still preserving the truly horrific moments and twists. It's become my ultimate Halloween movie and I guarantee it is bound to get you in the Halloween spirit if nothing else does.

Javier Bardem To Make Other Javiers Look Awesome By Proxy By Being The Villain In New James Bond Movie, SKYFALL

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Fuentes) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:30:00 +0000

Javi here. After all of the nonsense of the MGM bankruptcy, the Sam Mendes-helmed 23rd JAMES BOND movie is starting to take shape with its cast. Daniel Craig is coming back as the rather angsty secret agent, Ralph Fiennes is on board as an unnamed character, and now thanks to ABC by way of Comingsoon.net, we have confirmation that my second favorite Javier, Javier Bardem, will star as a villain in the next BOND movie, called SKYFALL.

This is great news in terms of exposure for the Spanish actor who, up until now, has been well known within movie nerd circles for his performances in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, BIUTIFUL, and THE SEA INSIDE. He will be getting more mainstream exposure in movie that doesn't include Julia Roberts playing a shallow and selfish woman. He is a great actor who has shown so much range in the relatively few movies that he has starred in. I remember being so emotionally drained after watching BIUTIFUL, that I had no energy left to review it. Not much else is know about the role itself, but here's the quote from the ABC interview:

"I am very excited, my parents took me to watch the movies, and I saw all of them, so to play that is going to be fun, they chose me to play this man, but I cannot give you many details."

Trailer for THE RAVEN starring John Cusack

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Ask me who my favorite actor is and it will always be the same answer, John Cusack. Sometimes regrettably because I will see any movie he is in, which is why I'm always delighted when something he is working on looks promising! Being the horror fan I am, it's also a given that I have a soft spot for Edgar Allen Poe. The sheer fact that Cusack will be starring as the dark poet himself has my heart pounding from under the floorboards for THE RAVEN.

THE RAVEN, directed by James McTeigue (V FOR VENDETTA), creates a fictional account of Poe's last days in which he is after a serial killer who happens to be using Poe's own stories for his murders. It also stars Luke Evans, Alice Eve, and Brendan Gleeson alongside Cusack. The trailer has hit the web and if you're into Poe, dark thrillers, and maybe goatees, you'll be as pleased as I am. It will be in theaters sometime in 2012 and you can watch the trailer below.