Agree to Disagree

Star Trek Into Darkness review; a worthy sequel with a worthy villain

2013-05-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people who was never into Star Trek. Not the shows, not the movies, nothing. Then in 2009, director J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise in a big way! Star Trek was a huge success at the box office. And, it got people like me, who knew nothing about the mythology, to jump on board the USS Enterprise and explore the universe. It's 4 years later, and the entire crew is back. This time, there's a mysterious villain in the dark, trying to take out Star Fleet. The sequel is Star Trek Into Darkness, let's go!

What I liked about the film:
The Entire Gang is Back
The chemistry between the actors, and the relationships between the characters is what really pulled me into the first film. Chris Pine is back to captain Jim Kirk. Zachary Quinto plays Spock, Captain Kirk's trusted commander. Let's not forget about the rest, who I'll only list: Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Anton Yelchin.

Despite having a huge cast, everyone has something to do. I will get into the story aspect of the film in a moment, but I loved watching these characters. I'm not going to say there was a ton of character development for everyone in the film; but I will say the relationships between them have matured. The dynamic between Kirk and Spock has changed. I loved seeing them go from adversaries to close friends. They are almost brothers by the end of the film. The relationship between Spock and Uhura (Saldana) has changed as well. You see Uhura demand emotion from Spock, who has difficulty showing any. There's a lot more examples as well. Kirk and Bones (Urban), Kirk and Scotty (Pegg), etc. All of these make us appreciate the already appealing characters in the film.

And my favorite, even though barely shown in the film, is the relationship between Kirk and Pike (Greenwood). Fans of the first film will remember that Pike recruited Kirk into the Star Fleet academy in the first film. Now we get to see what the two mean to each other. Awesome stuff!

The Writing

Whether it be the story, the character development or the dialogue, I loved the writing in this film... for the most part (more on that in a minute). Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman wrote the first film. This time around, their back, and Damon Lindelof also co-wrote. The story is somewhat explained in the trailers. A rogue Star Fleet member is out to kill his old colleagues. He has blown up a Star Fleet building and the USS Enterprise has been tasked with killing him. This story, coupled with quick and witty dialogue delivery by the film's stars, satisfies on multiple levels. There is definitely a twist in the film, but not the one you'd expect. I really enjoyed this film.

The Villain

Holy badass. Benedict Cumberbatch has just landed on my top actors to watch list; and he did so with this movie alone. His character is physically superior and he is incredibly intelligent. He's evil, unforgiving, menacing, manipulative and that's just in the first half of the film! There have been countless stories written online about who Cumberbatch REALLY plays in the film. And let me tell you, without spoiling anything, the name of the character is irrelevant. We must forget the original series and the original movies to truly accept this franchise. I have an advantage in that I've never seen any of the original films, so this character was new to me in every sense of the word. I loved this villain!

The Action

The movie starts off with an amazing chase scene. That's just the first 15 minutes. The action is much bigger in this film that in the first. And I love how it simply lends itself to the story. No one is shooting at someone else just for the fun of it. The writers created true consequences for the character's actions. There is something at stake for every action scene in the film. And J.J. Abrams is just getting better and better at shooting these large scale films. Hand to hand combat, flying vehicles, gun battles, last second rescues, the whole nine. There is a scene in the trailer that will have you in awe; involving a spacecraft crash landing in San Francisco. It's a sight to be seen.

What I didn't like about the film:
Again Hollywood: Pointless Characters & Suspension of Disbelief

John Cho's character, Sulu, is barely in the film. BUT, his character plays an integral part of the team. However, there are characters like that of Alice Eve which I swear were written into the movie as an afterthought. The writers needed a character to merge two situations and sort of just made her the daughter of a major character. It's like, come on! Don't worry I didn't spoil anything.

Also, I left the movie asking myself a few questions. Why this? Why did he do that? I mean, I know there is an expected level of suspension of disbelief, but some if it stretched really thin. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the script very much! But there are some aspects of the film which you just scratch your head and go, 'did anyone stop and think about this before the film was made?'

The Verdict:
J.J. Abrams is just Plain Awesome!

This is what Summer action films should strive to be like! Great characters, a great story with a great villain, and amazing eye candy. That's all we want Hollywood. This movie, as well as the first, were all because of J.J. Abrams. He has built an ensemble cast around him that just nails it. The special effects of 2013 make us believe that the USS Enterprise could be a possibility in the future. The villain in this film FAR surpasses that of Eric Bana's in the first film. And, the franchise is treated as its own, without convoluting it with details from the shows and films before it. I loved this film and look forward to the third entry in the franchise, in the not too distant future.

RED 2 poster and trailer; we're in for a retired roller coaster!

2013-05-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm actually a little late with this one. But I really wanted to share. The poster above is brand new, from moviefone. It's for RED 2 directed by Dean Parisot. It's actually the sequel to the 2010 hit, RED. And RED is an acronym for Retired and Extremely Dangerous. Of course! The characters are right out of a comic book by the same name. Again, Bruce Willis leads the pack, with Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren in tow. But there are some new players as well. The legendary Anthony Hopkins, the absolutely gorgeous Catherine Zeta-Jones, and G.I. Joe alum, Byung-hun Lee are in for the fun. Check out the trailer below and my thoughts after.

I'm going to be positive on this one. Even though, it's very cliche for an assassin to be 'retired', and then 'un-retire' and then 'retire' and then 'un-retire' for the sake of a sequel. Follow all that? Don't worry about it. The point is, we have to have a suspension of disbelief, and if we do, we're in for a great time. All the heavy hitters are back from the first film. And we know the movie is going to play on a lot of the same jokes as the first film. But this trailer lacks the element of surprise that the first film had to offer. So I'm going to wait for an additional trailer before I write off the film. Then again, I wrote off the first film and ended up absolutely loving it. So what do I know?

Quickie: First motion poster for I, Frankenstein starring Aaron Eckhart

2013-05-13T21:15:00.001-07:00

Check out the first poster (a motion poster at that), for I, Frankenstein. The monster remake stars Aaron Eckhart as the titular character. The film is directed by Stuart Beattie. I have to be honest, I don't have much else to say, because until this poster premiered, I didn't really care what was happening with this film. But this image alone has me intrigued. At this point, I am listing Eckhart, now sell me with a trailer! Stay tuned for more updates, as they come up.

First look at Paul Giamatti as Rhino, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2

2013-05-11T12:30:00.003-07:00

You gotta love Twitter! Marc Webb, director of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is very active on the social media site. And he has posted a picture of Paul Giamatti, playing Aleksei Sytsevich; who eventually becomes Rhino! This guy looks mean! Coupled with another villain, Electro played by Jaime Foxx, Spider-Man's got his work cut out for him.

Also in the film is Dane Dehaan who plays Harry Osborn. The Marc Webb franchise is definitely bringing in new characters from the Spider-Man universe, and I love that. I hate when rebooted franchises use the same characters as its predecessor. I'm pretty happy with the sneak peaks I've seen. Hope the film builds on that.

Oblivion review; a visually stunning film, with very little substance

2013-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, an up and coming director named Joseph Kosinski was awarded a coveted job. Directing a sequel to a cherished film, that was released nearly 30 years earlier. The sequel he directed? TRON Legacy. Don't get too excited. I saw the trailers and was jazzed, couldn't wait to see it. But after walking out, I realised I actually hated the film! Fast forward a few years and now Kosinski follows up his directorial debut with Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman and Olga Kurylenko. What if there was a war on Earth, a war mankind won. But the outcome of that war would force us to move to another planet? Well, this film asks that question. Let's go!

What I liked about the film:
Production Design/Special Effects

The movie takes place in the distant future. The world as we know it is gone, reduced to nothing but rubble. A war on Earth has forced humans to move to another planet. Production Designer, Darren Gilford, did an incredible job! This is actually a reteaming of sorts, as he worked with Kosinski on TRON Legacy. Another fun fact: this isn't Gilford's first dive into the future of mankind. He was also the production designer on Idocracy, a Mike Judge film that explains how dumb humans will be in the future. Anywho, back to this film. The buildings, the transportation vehicles, the various landscapes, and the CGI are among the best I've seen in a long time. Lightwave International provided the special effects, and they are something to behold. These aspects of the film may be worth the cost of admission alone.

Tom Cruise

I. Love. Tom Cruise. There I said it. I am a huge fan of the actor. I rarely see a film of his where he doesn't give it his all. Whether he's a spy (Mission Impossible), or a Civil War hero (The Last Samurai), I believe he can do it all. I will be careful not to give anything away. But I will say this... his character, Jack Harper, is a curious, and gentle man, who was taught how to be lethal. Cruise has some great scenes where he has no dialogue. His eyes and facial expressions do all the talking. That is powerful stuff and I really enjoyed those scenes in the film.

Music
The music in the film is inspiring. Anthony Gonzales and Joseph Trapanese co-composed the film. Trapanese also worked with Kosinski on TRON Legacy's score. The music told a story on its own. A story about the future, man's will to survive, and so on and so on. It just had one great track after another. The music in Oblivion sounded awfully familiar though. As if Hans Zimmer's nonexistent twin, merged the scores for Inception and The Dark Knight Rises to create this. This is not a knock on the co-composers, but the similarities can not be ignored. Check it out and let me know what you think.

What I didn't like about the film:
A Very Thin Script
I'm going to be blunt. It was ALMOST a clever, original story. Karl Gaidusek and Michael Arndt wrote a very thin script. By the end of the film, it turns out it is nothing more than a stupid story that steals from many sci fi films before it. The movie has aspects of Source Code (more on that in a moment), The Matrix and I Am Legend; all rolled into one hot mess.

SPOILER ALERT: Towards the third act, we discover that there are multiple clones of the Cruise character. Well, that aspect of the film makes sense on paper, but Kosinski didn't translate it well into his story telling. There was too much left for the audience to wonder, that there was no real PUNCH to that plot twist. It just casually came and went. I didn't like this at all. END SPOILER. I was very disappointed in the script.

Characters

I really enjoy Olga Kurylenko's acting. I think she is a talented, beautiful woman. And she does well in this film. But her character has nothing to her. This is a tiny tiny spoiler; but she is the love of Cruise's life. They have a long and storied history. We BARELY get to skim the surface of that love. This is by no means Kurylenko's fault, more so the writers. Same goes for Morgan Freeman. The man is an Oscar winning actor. He can do anything! Yet we learn nothing about his character. Why not dive deeper? Who was he before 'the war'? How did he get to where he is now?

Then there is Oscar winning actress Melissa Leo. Poor Melissa Leo. This woman hit a homerun in The Fighter. And she hase barely recieved any roles since. Was it the F-bomb in her acceptance speech people? No spoiling here, but she is restricted to a desk the entire film. What the hell? Remember how I mentioned Source Code earlier? Again, no spoiler here... but she is essentially the same character as Vera Farmiga was in that. Giving orders from behind a screen, sitting a desk the entire film. Ugh, why even take this role? Let's get Melissa Leo more work people! And with all that being said... Who cares what happens to any of these characters, if after 2 hours, we still don't know anything about them. Just a terribly scripted film.

Pacing
Dear God are there some excruciatingly slow scenes in this film. The first act travels at a snail's pace. NORMALLY, a film slows down for character development; well trust me, this film does not do that. It's slow for no apparent reason. I didn't feel like it was slowing down to build suspense or tension. It was just slow to be slow. Then acts 2 and 3 rip by very quickly. Inconsistent at best.

The Verdict:
What Could Have Been...

The title to my TRON Legacy review was: "TRON Legacy review, Too Bad, Too Too Bad". I feel the same way here. The movie was good in my opinion. The production design and special effects are A+ quality. Tom Cruise is his usual great self. Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko and Melissa Leo brought some real star power. But what is the purpose of a film? To tell a story! And while Joseph Kosinski's intentions were good, he again missed the mark. I think it is a MUCH better film that TRON Legacy, and Kosinski is definitely maturing as a storyteller. But he has a ways to go before I can call him a good director. If you haven't already seen the film, wait for the Blu-Ray. You wont regret the wait!

G.I. Joe: Retaliation review; exactly what I expected (that's not a bad thing)

2013-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

G.I. Joes were of course made famous by those little action figures, comic books and animated series. Then in 2009, they were brought to the big screen... in a big way. The movie made a boat load of money, elevated Channing Tatum's star power to another level, and created a franchise. A sequel was announced and Tatum's role, as well as the original cast, was diminished. It was announced Dwayne Johnson would take over as the lead in the newly titled, G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Set to be released last year, the studio made a shocking announcement. The movie would be delayed 9 months for reshoots and post-production 3D conversion. Now the movie has been out for quite some time, but I just got around to watching it, so let's go Joe!

What I liked about the film:
The Action

I'm a very realistic movie fan. I don't walk into Summer action films expecting Oscar darlings (unless of course Christopher Nolan is involved). So I knew walking into 'Retaliation' that it was going to be pure eye candy and nothing more. And I was right. The action was much more grounded, with the occasional absurdities. Nicely choreographed hand to hand combat was solid. Then there were the impressive hillside battle between ninjas that got me excited to see the film, since the trailer was released. The scene is absurd, but so entertaining, I didn't care. Director Jon Chu really elevated the action from the previous film.

The Actors

Dwayne Johnson was seriously born to be an action star. He is so believable as the leader of this mini-army, I'd probably line up in formation if he ever yelled at me. He does a solid job with the VERY little character development in the film. D.J. Cotrona, Elodie Yung and Adrianne Palicki and nice additions to the main cast of characters. Familiar favorites return as well. Jonathan Pryce returns as the President of the United States. He actually plays dual roles, and I was impresed. Byung-hun Lee, Ray Stevenson, Ray Park and Arnold Vosloo all return to reprise their roles. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's role has been recast for Luke Bracey. I thought it was a nice mix of actors all working cohesively. For the most part.

The Pace/Cinemotography/Music
Not that these categories should be clumped together, but they all come down to one man... Jon Chu. His directing really did it for me. The pacing of the film is terrific. Nice and swift, easy to follow. The cinematography was nicely done, by Stephen Windon. It was a nice looking film that kept me wanting more. And finally, Henry Jackman put together a hell of a score. It was big, bold, exciting, sympathetic and more. I really enjoyed it.

What I didn't like about the film:
The Writing/Story

This is a tough one to describe. Only because one has to wonder what the movie would have been like without the delay and reshoots. I read over and over that reshoots were to include more of Channing Tatum's character. And after seeing the film, I know exactly where the reshots took place. It's that obvious. A scene depicted in the trailer, was that of all the G.I. Joes being terminated. I am willing to bet money that, that was originally the opening of the film. They added a few additional scenes between Tatum and Dwayne Johnson to dive deeper into their relationship. Ultimately, it did nothing for me.

The movie felt a bit choppy, unorganized and didn't feel cohesive. While the pace was nice and quick, the story stumbled. It tried to be too much and ended up hurting the film. For the entire second act, we're trying to follow two smaller groups of Joes, on different sides of the planet. And my final eye roll came at the hands of one character who makes a complete 180 degree turn from one side of the fight to the other. Whatever. Again, it's a Summer action film!

Bruce Willis
I'm still trying to figure out why Bruce Willis was in this movie. You all know by now that I don't spoil anything in my reviews, and I'm not going to start now. But after leaving the theater, I came up with a consclusion. The writers (Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick) just needed a way to explain where the name G.I. Joes came from, so they created Willis' character. Again, I'm not spoiling anything that wasn't in the trailer; but watch the movie and tell me he serves a purpose.

The Verdict:
Summer Fun For Everyone!

I enjoyed the first film, a lot. So I went to see this film. I probably could have waited until it was released on Blu-Ray. But that being said, I wanted to see Dwayne Johnson, guns blazing on the big screen. So I forked over some money and was thoroughly entertained for 90 minutes or so. With plans for a third enstallment to the franchise, I'm sure I'll be blogging about that film after I watch it as well. So go see it, don't expect much depth and you'll be entertained.

Quickie: Latest Man of Steel and R.I.P.D. movie posters

2013-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

What do you think of the latest Man of Steel movie posters above? Pretty sick huh? Well, this is just a quickie post to share the latest movie posters that have caught my eye. Check out the two Man of Steel banners below, as well as new poster for R.I.P.D. Enjoy!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles production stills and logos revealed

2013-05-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

The guys over at comicbookmovie.com posted the logos for two highly anticipated films; Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I realize I haven't posted much about either of these movies, but I have a good reason. Because both have had so much drama behind the scenes, it felt like they were never going to happen! So here are a few, brief, updates.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is on track. Even though the director and cast of the first film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes will not be along for the ride. The picture to the left is actually the first production still of the film. The film is being directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield). It stars Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) and of course, Andy Serkis (King Kong) as Caesar the ape. I loved the first film and look forward to this addition.

Now onto a film that holds a special place in my heart... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! The movie is being directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath of the Titans). The 'human' characters will be played by Megan Fox, Will Arnett and William Fichtner. Fox plays the Ninja Turtles' news reporter friend, April O'Neil. That might come as a shocker to some people, considering she had a VERY public spat with producer Michael Bay a few years ago. Nonetheless, she's in. And check out the first production photo of her. Looks a lot like her cartoon character huh? Not really, but it will work.

The Turtles will be played by real actors wearing motion capture suits; much like the filming of Green Lantern. The honor goes to Pete Ploszek playing Leonardo. Jeremy Howard as Donatello. Noel Fisher as Michelangelo. And Alan Ritchson as Raphael. Superherohype even caught a glimpse of the actors in their suits. Crazy huh? And how about the first look at Shredder's Foot Clan? Only my fellow nerds will understand the references there.

I loved the 1990's live-action films. In fact, I just re-purchased them all on Blu-Ray no more than a month ago. The first film was a great action-comedy film that struck a chord with fans of the characters. I can only hope that this film will have the same wit and charm as that movie did. But only time will tell. Both films will be released in 2014.

Iron Man 3 review; a nice addition to a wildly popular franchise

2013-05-06T23:23:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting a long time for Iron Man 3. And I don't mean since The Avengers last year. I mean, since that hot mess of a sequel, Iron Man 2. The first film in the franchise, starring Robert Downey Jr. as our ironclad hero (Tony Stark), was great. It featured a relatively unknown character, a rehabilitated actor and a tone all its own. The sequel was a stinker, for the most part. And now, Iron Man makes his triumphant return. Let's go!

What I liked about the film:
The Cast

Robert Downey Jr. is such an incredible actor. In this film, he gets to play his usual, funny parts; but with much more of a dramatic spin. Tony Stark just hasn't been the same since the events that took place in The Avengers. He knows there is more at stake now a days, and must do everything in his power to protect the ones he loves. So it's an interesting thing to see such an arrogant man worry about such fundamental things. And RDJ does a fine job of not 'overacting' it. Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful as Tony's girlfriend, Pepper Potts. She is a much bigger part of the action this go around, and really sells it. Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau do well in their limited time onscreen. Guy Pearce plays a mystery character, and we don't know which side he's on. Pearce played this delicately and definitely had me guessing which side he was on.

The Writing

The writing is probably the most effective of the franchise. Director/co-writer Shane Black and Drew Pearce wrote a good script that has so much of what we love about the Iron Man character. I'll tell you what you've probably already heard... the movie is hilarious. It is so well written, and so witty, you can't help but love these characters. Now the story is something else entirely, and I'll get to that in a moment.

The Villains
Ben Kingsley is a legend. And he plays one hell of a villain in this film. The Mandarin is a Middle Eastern terrorist. He is out to show the world that Tony Stark and Iron Man, are not enough to protect them. Kingsley's costume, hair, make-up, voice, accent and general demeanor are terrific. He is a terrifying presence onscreen.

The Action

There are some great new action sequences in this film. It's no wonder the Super Bowl trailer simply featured a clip of the action in the film. The scene I'm referring to is a daring mid-air rescue of people falling out of Air Force One. Awesome! The climax will remind of Iron Man 2 with all the drones, as well as the harbor climax in The A-Team. But don't worry, it's much much better than both of those films! And I must say that the music which coincides with this climax, is great. Shane Black just hit it out of the ballpark with so much in this film.

What I didn't like about the film:
Certain Character

I enjoy Rebecca Hall's acting, I really do. But she served no purpose to this film. Without spoiling anything; I understand WHY she was in the film, but still think they could have done without her character. I don't know much about the Iron Man comics, but I really didn't see the need for her character. I will tiptoe around this one because of huge twist in the film. But I didn't like the way a certain character was portrayed in the film. The character just isn't supposed to be like that. If you know what I'm talking to, let's keep it spoiler free here; but I must say I was really disappointed with the way it was handled.

The Story

It. Is. So. Dumb. I don't nitpick films, that's not what I like to do when I leave the theater. But when I left; I couldn't help but ask myself question after question. Why did that character do that? Why didn't Tony Stark just do that, instead of that? I'll give you a minor spoiler that is actually in the trailer. In the climax of the film, described above, Tony Stark calls on 30+ suits to help him in saving the day. Well, that's awesome. It's incredible eye candy! Except for the fact that he spent an hour of the film trying to get a broken suit back up and running! Why not just call 1 of your 30+ suits to begin with!!! Silly things like that make me just check out and watch the movie as nothing more than eye candy. Oh and one last thing; the 'suspenseful moment' involving a main character, is not so suspenseful when they gave it away in the trailer. Just saying.

The Verdict:
Better Than Part 2, But Still Not The Best

Iron Man 3 is good, real good. It is a hilarious film that is packed with some serious action. That being said, it's not better than the first film of the franchise. And saying its better than part 2 is like saying Superman Returns was better than Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. I mean come on. Still, it was a very entertaining film, with so many talented people involved. As you probably would expect out of a Marvel film; stick around until after the credits for a great little clip with a surprise guest. That's all for now folks, I'm off.

Quickie: New Hangover 3 poster... a familiar character returns!

2013-05-01T22:55:00.001-07:00

I just had to post this! Check out the latest poster for The Hangover 3... featuring an all grown up baby Carlos from the first film. How clever is that!? Looking forward to this film and seeing the Wolfpack one last time.

Thor: The Dark World poster and trailer

2013-04-23T19:55:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed the first Thor film back in 2011. It was a pleasant surprise, that I didn't really see coming. Director, Alan Taylor, takes over the franchise starring Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman. This one is titled Thor: The Dark World. Check out the trailer below and read my thoughts after.

I think it's interesting. I like the darker tone. I know I say that all the time, but it's true. The darker toned films are bringing out the best (and worst) in our caped heroes. I don't know if showing Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) was really necessary. Afterall, he was the primary villain in The Avengers, just last Summer. And did anyone else notice Thor's female friend on Asgard, Lady Sif, giving Natalie Portman a dirty look?! This is right out of the pages of the comics, and I love the brief, yet effective, nod to the comics. Listen, Marvel hasn't let us down yet, except for Iron Man 2. I have no reason to believe this wasn't a great script, telling a great story. The actors are all top notch, and the world they inhabit is fascinating. I'm in!

Justin Theroux as Dr. Strange?

2013-04-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

Oh how the internet is a-buzzing. The rumor is picking up steam; that Justin Theroux (Wanderlust), is being sought after by Marvel, to play Dr. Strange. A few months ago, Stan Lee confirmed that Dr. Strange was coming to the big screen, as a part of Marvels 'Phase 3' films.

I really enjoy Theroux as an actor. And he may be an even better writer (Tropic Thunder). He's diverse enough. He damn well looks the part. I think I'm ok with this. He may not seem the immediate choice, but which superhero acting choice ever is? You're going to tell me, you KNEW Robert Downey Jr. would kill it as Iron Man? Or Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury? Yeah, ok, that's a bad example because there is no one else that could have played Nick Fury, but you get my drift.

I am ok with this casting choice. It's still really early, but it's cool to see that the studio has SOME movement on this, albeit very slow.

Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider?

2013-04-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

It's funny how something as simple as a 're-tweet' on Twitter can create internet buzz. Let me back up a moment. Lara Croft, of Tomb Raider fame, is a video game icon. The character first premiered in 1996, and was completely rebooted this year. I actually own the game, and tell you first hand... it's incredible. Easily one of the best games of the year, if not ever. You may remember the character was portrayed by Angelina Jolie in two films for Paramount. That being said, MGM has picked up the film rights.

It seems as though fans are excited about Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger), possibly playing the part. Atwell is excited too. She re-tweeted several comments about herself possibly playing the part. Now I'm not here to write an entire post about her Twitter account. My question is, could she do it? She's obviously beautiful, but can she play vulnerable? The game is about 20 hours from start to finish; and the game creators took a lot of time to get it right. There was so much emotion and character developement to go along with the all out action. After finishing the game, I don't see Atwell in it. But it's still so early in the process, and it's just fun to speculate sometimes.

Quickie: First photo of Jamie Foxx as Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2

2013-04-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

I was really psyched about Jamie Foxx playing a villain in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. I think he's a terrific actor in the right role. The Daily Mail revealed the first photo of Foxx in costume on set. And he... looks... awesome! I love the makeup and the color used on Foxx. Hit the link to see a few more photos. What are your thoughts on the first photo?

R.I.P.D. poster and trailer premiere, no thanks

2013-04-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Another Summer, another comic book adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds. This year comes, R.I.P.D., which of course stands for Rest In Peace Department. It's about cops dealing with the dead. The movie is directed by Robert Schwentke (R.E.D.), and co-stars Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon and Mary-Louise Parker. Check out the trailer and my thoughts after.

Well, I'm not interested. The look and tone of the film are almost identical to Men In Black. Hell, Jeff Bridges' character is basically the Tommy Lee Jones character in a trench coat. The creatures look like the giants in Jack the Giant Slayer; and that is definitely NOT a compliment. And last but not least, the fact that the characters appear to look different than they really do, is a pretty lame attempt at humor. I'm not interested at all. Unless a new trailer comes out contradicting everything in this one, I'm skipping this film. I'll call it right now, the movie doesn't open Domestically to a penny over 30 million dollars. We'll have to wait and see.

Man of Steel full length trailer... absolutely incredible

2013-04-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

The second full length trailer to Man of Steel has arrived. And it is easily the best trailer of 2013. It is absolutely incredible. Stop reading and start watching. Read my thoughts after.

Where do I begin? How about the incredible score by one of the best musical talents of our generation? Hans Zimmer has been tasked with creating a score for the ages. If the trailer is any indication, we're in for one hell of a treat. How about Lois Lane (Amy Adams) trekking across the country, in search of this mysterious man? Something we've never seen before in a Superman film. Or the wonderful additions of Clark Kent's loving fathers. Played perfectly by Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner. What about the perfectly scary Michael Shannon as General Zod? He's obviously hell bent on getting Kal-el (Superman), back in his grips. And last, but not least, this generation's Superman, Henry Cavill? He's speaking of hope, and not just truth and justice? He was a fragile boy, wanting a normal life. Then a reclusive young man, wanting to be left alone; only to come out from the darkness as "the answer", as Kevin Costner puts it.

Perhaps Director Zack Snyder, and producer Christopher Nolan were the answer. The answer to the age old question... 'how do you make a great Superman film'?

First official trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

2013-04-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's here everyone! The first official trailer to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and it... is... a... doozy. Check it out below and my thoughts after.

You can see that new director, Francis Lawrence, has stepped it up a notch. I absolutely love the tension building up in this trailer. And how about the evil Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman plotting the demise of Katniss (Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence)? You also see Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson return to battle for Katniss' love. But none of this is the reason I love the trailer. It's because 'Every Revolution Begins With A Spark'.

The reason I love this trailer is because of hope. The notion of hope in the first movie was something that intrgued me, and made me (pun intended), hungry for more! In my review of the first film, I wrote about it, and it looks like it's coming full circle in the sequel. I can't wait to see this film. For me, I'm anticipating it much more than I did the first film. How about you? Are you feeling the tone and tension created in the trailer? Will you be there at midnight Thursday to watch it? Chime in!

Now You See Me trailer 2

2013-04-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

When the first trailer for Now You See Me premiered, I was pumped. Check out trailer 2 with a bunch of new footage, and my thoughts after.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I'm a sucker for magic! I love magic and the notion that something greater than 'normal' could be reality. Something about the magic mixed with the heist aspect of the film is really doing it for me. Add Morgan Freemans hypnotic voice and amazing actors such as Michael Caine and I am in. I am there opening day if I can help it. What are your thoughts on trailer 2? See anything different from the first trailer that caught your eye?

Elysium trailer and poster

2013-04-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Elysium is director Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to his epic debut, District 9. The film stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner and Diego Luna. Check out the trailer below and my thoughts after.

I love the cast in this film. All gifted actors with incredible range. I also love the premise of this film. To think that there is a Utopian place called Elysium, and the rest of humanity must suffer on Earth, is an intriguing study in Sociology. Reminds me a lot of the sociological side of District 9, to tell you the truth. That's not a bad thing either. The beginning of the trailer grabbed my attention, the end lost it. By the end of the trailer, there are no more interesting concepts being presented to the audience. In fact, I compare the ending of the trailer to that of Battle: Los Angeles. Not exactly a thought provoking film. I love the cast, love the premise, hate the trailer. Anyone else feel this way? I'll reserve judgement until I see the film, but I'm not interested as of right now.

Kick-Ass 2 poster and red band trailer

2013-03-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely loved the first Kick-Ass movie. It had just the right mix of comedy and action. Now comes the first trailer to the sequel, Kick-Ass 2. While the director of the first film, Matthew Vaughn, has been replaced by Jeff Wadlow, the cast is all back. There are also a few new comers to the party. Check out the trailer below and my thoughts after.

What do you think of Jim Carrey joining the party? Pretty cool huh? A little bit different from what I've ever seen him in and I'm OK with that! I like the action and premise, but I have to admit, the tone feels different. And tone is very important in these genre films. Remember, Kick-Ass is just a normal kid who decided to dress up like a superhero. There's nothing really all that 'super' about him. So it can't be TOO crazy. It has to stay grounded. I hope the movie doesn't veer too far off the path that Vaughn started. For now, I like it. But I need another trailer to decide if I love it. Check back for updates.

Quickie: The Hangover 3 trailer

2013-03-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Here it is... The Hangover 3 trailer premiered today. And its... interesting. Check it out below and my thoughts after.

Interesting! I don't know if I like it yet. The director, Todd Phillips, promised a different format than that of the first two films; but this trailer doesn't really give us any insight into the plot or the shenanigans of the Wolfpack. It appear as though the Jeffrey Tambor character has died, as the trailer begins with his funeral. Also making a cameo is Melissa McCarthy. It was rumored she would be in the film, the trailer spoils a potentially hilarious scene with Zach Galifianakis. I don't know how to feel about this. I am a big fan of the first two films and will more than likely see this film. But as a trailer, it's pretty weak. Any thoughts?

Sadly, Sam Mendes will not return for another James Bond film

2013-03-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sad news today. Sam Mendes will not be directing another James Bond film. Mendes was tentatively scheduled to return to the follow-up to the highest grossing film of the franchise, Skyfall. I absolutely loved Skyfall, and most of it due to Mendes' decisions on the film. Much like other great filmmakers, Mendes doesn't want to be tied down to one 'world' for too long. In a statement today to Empire magazine today, he explained why he's leaving the 007 world:

It has been a very difficult decision not to accept Michael [G. Wilson] and Barbara [Broccoli]’s very generous offer to direct the next Bond movie,” Mendes said. “Directing Skyfall was one of the best experiences of my professional life, but I have theatre and other commitments, including productions of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and King Lear, that need my complete focus over the next year and beyond.

So there you have it. Mendes is going to work in the theater, where I'm sure he is going to kill it. Sad news for all of us that enjoyed Skyfall. But let's look at the bright side... The franchise's directing gig just opened up for another Bond fan. Can you guess who? I'll give you a hint. He's one of the most innovative filmmakers of our generations, and has already expressed interest in directing a Bond film. If you don't know yet, click here for the answer. Here's hoping my hunch comes true!

Latest poster and trailer for Iron Man 3

2013-03-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

If you couldn't already tell, I'm getting really excited about the release of Iron Man 3. The movie is due out May 3. Check out the latest trailer below, and my thoughts after.

Tony Stark looks like he may be in over his head, huh? I love the darker tone in this trailer. And I mentioned this when the first trailer was released, I wonder how they're going to balance this film. On one hand, you've got the dark and brooding Batman, on the other, a campy do-gooder in Spider-Man. Iron Man had a tone all its in the first two films, somewhere in between. The trailer is very effective though.

It shows much more of the primary villain, The Mandarin; played by Sir Ben Kingsley. You also get a few glimpses of Don Cheadle playing War Machine (Iron Patriot). And most of all, you see Robert downey Jr.'s acting chops. It's obvious that Tony Stark isn't in a very good place, mentally. The events that took place in The Avengers, have taken it's toll on the billionaire. It is going to be interesting to see Downey play the character against the grain. As I mentioned to start this post, I can't wait to see this film. Who's with me?!

Quickie: New Harry Potter, I mean The Hangover 3 poster

2013-03-06T20:22:00.002-08:00

Check out the first official poster to The Hangover Part III. It looks awfully familiar to another Warner Brothers film. Can you guess? Oh hell, the answer is below. The Hangover is directed by Todd Phillips; and again stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong. Check it out on Memorial Day weekend.

Emma Watson could play Cinderella in Disney's live-action adaptation

2013-03-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Emma Watson is in talks to star as the famous princess, Cinderealla, in a live-action adaptation for Disney. Watson became an overnight sensation back in 2001 when the first Harry Potter film was released. She was cast as Hermoine; Harry's brilliant, and loyal friend. Watson has actually put together a respectable resume away from the Harry Potter series.

I think she will nail it if she signs the deal! She's beautiful, and is a tremendous actress. Her eyes alone can tell a story, and I think that's important for Cinderella. The character is an abused, and neglected young woman who finds beauty in the simple things in life. Want to hear who the perfect casting choice is for the evil stepmother?.... Cate Blanchett is attached to star.

The movie is going to be directed by Kenneth Branagh (Thor). I think he is a great choice to create the world of Cinderella. He did a wonderful job with Thor; and helped to create interesting characters in an interesting world. Branagh wasn't the studio's first choice. Originally the movie was going to be directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo). But he was let go after his 'extremely dark' take on the film, didn't align with Disney's vision. What do you think about Watson as Cinderella?