BUZZES CAFE

End of Year’s Flash Buzzes: Part Two

2009-12-31T14:00:00.003+07:00

Disney’s “Rapunzel” Exposed New Image
DisneyPixar.fr has released the first photo from Disney Animation’s “Rapunzel”, which scanned from French movie magazine Studio Cinelive. Directed by Byron Howard & Nathan Greno (the co-director and head of story on "Bolt" respectively), this new telling of the classic fairy tale, will transport audiences “to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair, lots of hair.” Rapunzel is voiced by Mandy Moore while Chuck’s Zachary Levi will play a “dashing bandit” named Flynn Ryder who hits the road with the “rebellious, teenage hair apparent.” The voice cast is also rumored to include David Schwimmer, Matthew Gary Gubler, Kristin Chenoweth, Dan Fogler, and Grey DeLisle. The animation film is scheduled to hit theaters in Christmas 2010.

James McAvoy Attached To Play Ian Fleming
According to Pajiba, the “Wanted” actor has been attached to play Ian Fleming, the man who gave us the world's most famous 007 spy. The movie itself will be based on the book, Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond, by Andrew Lycett, who has also written books on Arthur Conan Doyle, Dylan Thomas, and Rudyard Kipling.
The big news here, however, is that the movie — which has been independently financed to the tune of around $40 million — has James McAvoy attached in the lead, which sadly probably takes him out of the running to replace Daniel Craig in the future. McAvoy actually seems well suited to the role — he can do playboy (Bright Young Things), he can do period and war movie (Atonement), and he can do action (Wanted). Plus, he’s an excellent actor with a dry sense of humor befitting not just Fleming, but Bond.

Jeremy Renner Says Playing Hawkeye is only an Idea
About a month ago, Jeremy Renner, the actor who’s found his fame via “The Hurt Locker”, revealed that he had been talking with Marvel about playing the superhero character Hawkeye in the upcoming “Thor” and “Avengers” movies. Now, Renner gave an update to Movieline in a new interview, explaining what happened with Marvel.
"That was just one of those things that got blown way out of proportion. It was an idea. Those Marvel guys, I'm a big fan of them. They're so smart about how they want to do these things — they have Captain America, and Thor coming around, Iron Man 2, and then I happen to know Zak Penn, who's writing The Avengers. So they thought Hawkeye is an interesting role, and asked me if I knew anything about him. I said no, so they gave me their sort of spiel on what he was, and I thought that it was kind of interesting. The only reason it came out this early, because Avengers is two years away, is that they're thinking OK, we may throw him in Thor, we may not, as a cameo. You know what I mean? So there's truth that we talked about it, but there's no truth to me doing it."

Denzel's Fight Training Video for The Book of Eli
"The Book of Eli”, stars Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis and Gary Oldman in a post-apocalyptic tale in which a lone man, Eli (Washington), fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.

Mountain in China Inspired Avatar’s Hallelujah Mountains
Came from MonkeyPeaches, it looks like planet Pandora in James Cameron’s smash hit film, “Avatar” is not completely out of this real world. According to the source probably from Cameron's team, those floating Hallelujah Mountains were inspired by Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) in eastern China. In fact, those mountains were created based on real video footage and still photos taken in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province of southern China. Jim's team only chopped off the bottom of these rocks and made them float with digital magic. Huangshan and Zhangjiajie are at least 700 kilometers (over 400 miles) in distance and they are not in the same mountain range. Below are some of the shots.

End of Year’s Flash Buzzes: Part One

2009-12-31T09:35:00.002+07:00

It’s only a little time left in this 2009, but there is still too many news to catch. So why don’t bundles them in a hefty post of short reports like you can discover below.

Worthington and Reynolds for “Flash Gordon”
A year and a half since Neil Moritz acquired the rights to the “Flash Gordon” film and Breck Eisner was picked to direct, there is no any official developments on the superhero reboot film. But now rumors start surfaced about who is being looked at to play the lead role. Hollyscoop is reporting that an insider of theirs informed them that two hot commodities in Hollywood at the moment, Sam Worthington and Ryan Reynolds, are up for the role of Flash. While, the character is an American icon of sorts and so we can expect some friction with the fact that Worthington is Australian-born, the same friction we saw with rumors of Worthington being a possibility for the role of Captain America. However, if the role goes to Ryan Reynolds, he will be very very busy since two potential superhero franchises from DC Entertainment’s “Green Lantern” movie and Fox’s “X-Men Origins: Deadpool” flick are also officially with him.

Next June, “Captain America” Start Filming
Production on “The First Avenger: Captain America” starts in June, 2010. So, it’s reasonable to think that the casting info should follow soon. The news broke during an interview with Fangoria magazine. “The Wolfman” director, Joe Johnston dropped literally the briefest of tidbits during a promo interview for his latest horror flick. Principal photography was now less than four weeks away. “By the time I got on a plane and arrived, it was three,” recalls Johnston, speaking from the art department of “Captain America”, which he’s readying for a June start.” However. still no word on the script and there also has been plainly nothing solid on who will be dressed shield-wielding, flag-bolstering costume. Beside Sam Worthington who’s been in everything these days, many other names have come up recently including Twilight actor Kellan Lutz, Chuck star Zachary Levi, Jensen Ackles who won a poll on The Geek Files.

Wear your 3D Glasses for “Robin Hood”
AICN (via TheWrap) has reported that Ridley Scott’s “Robin Hood” film will be the next big thing to be getting the third dimension treatment. A source close to the project told the site that director Ridley Scott "is breathing down the neck of executives" at Universal Pictures to give an approval for making a 3-D version of his action adventure film. Additionally, the site claimed they have got information from a knowledgeable source who said it would cost only an additional $7 to $8 million to create a 3-D version of "Robin Hood." The extra money that will be needed for the 3-D conversion is considerably small compared to $200 million that has been spent on the epic movie.

"Ghostbusters 3" Will Shoot in the Summer
Director Harold Ramis has revealed to Heeb magazine currently that "Ghostbusters 3" will begin filming during the summer and will hit theaters in 2011.
"Something's going to happen," he said. "Dan [Aykroyd] did write a spec GB3 screenplay a few years ago, but no one was motivated to pursue it. Now, 25 years after the original, there seems to be some willingness to proceed and apparently a substantial public appetite for a sequel. We'll introduce some new young Ghostbusters, and all the old guys will be in it, too. Think Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future ... GB3 is progressing with plans to shoot next summer and release in 2011."

An Award-Winning Crew for “Green Lantern”
SuperHeroHype has reported that “Green Lantern” – the first movie being produced under the new DC Entertainment banner – will be shot by award-winning cinematographer Dion Beebe, who won an Oscar for his work on “Memoirs of a Geisha” in 2006; for the look of the movie, director Martin Campbell also has managed to get production designer Grant Major and costume designer Ngila Dickson, both of whom won Oscars for their work on the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy (Major was also nominated for his work on Peter Jackson’s “King Kong”). If all those still not enough, art director François Audouy, who may not have won any Oscars but has an impressive resume which includes (in various different capacities) such fare as the “Spider-Man” trilogy, “Zodiac”, “I Am Legend” and perhaps most significantly, James Cameron’s recent f/x extravaganza, “Avatar” also rumored has been attached to the project.

"Star Trek 2" to Begin Pre-Production in a Year
It looks like Abrams is following the same schedule as the one used for the first "Star Trek." If pre-production begins in a year, then filming will likely get going in November of 2011 and be released in March of 2013. Currently, actress Zoe Saldana has revealed the plan to MTV, "I spoke to JJ [Abrams] and Bryan Burk, his producing partner at Bad Robot, and they are still in the middle of building the script with Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci," she revealed. "And we'll probably be going into pre-production around this time next year."

”Night and Fog” Turn to Film
A little-known horror comic from publisher Studio 407, “Night and Fog”, may be headed to the big screen. It has been optioned by producer Gil Adler who is familiar enough with the genre since has previously produced “Constantine” and the “Tales From the Crypt” series. Shane McCarthy and Studio 407’s Alex Leung will also serve as a producer on the project. “Night and Fog” is a WWII-era story about an infectious mist released on a military base that transforms its victims into creatures of the night. The human survivors attempt to destroy the creatures, but they adapt and transform again, becoming even more horrific and unstoppable.

For “EL MAL AJENO”, Amenabar Moves To The Producer's Chair
After directed a big budgeted “Agora” which already a smash hit at the Spanish box office but yet to be seen if it will perform well enough internationally to make back its monstrous budget, Alejandro Amenabar now moves to his producer’s chair again to conceives what looks to be a slick little thriller called “El Mal Ajeno”. In the film’s plot, Diego is a doctor so used to dealing with extreme situations that he has become immune to the pain of others. When one of his patients, Sara, tries to kill herself, her partner points an accusing finger at Diego, holding him directly responsible for what has happened. During a tense confrontation between the two, a gun is held at Diego. Hours later, he only remembers the sound of something being fired, and the strange sensation of having been on the receiving end of more than a gunshot. Oskar Santos is directing while two reliable Spanish stars, Eduardo Noriega and Belen Rueda (The Orphanage), are in the cast.

Gladly Present These Our Version of 2009 Best Posters

2009-12-30T23:43:00.000+07:00

As a brief introduction of what the movie all about, poster is one most important thing in the show business. Cause No matter how great a film is, no-one's going to see it if they don't get the marketing right. So, for the publicity and marketing purpose, everyday we’ve continuously seen many posters and DVD covers continuing to evolved over time and used artistic interpretations of a scene or even the theme of the film, represented in a wide variety of artistic styles. Since this is the end of the year and recaps are everywhere, here I try to conceives some that I think were the best posters of 2009. However, you can also let me know your picks in the comments section below.

WATCHMEN (US)

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (US)

UP (US)

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (US)

ANGELS AND DEMONS (US)

WHISPERING CORRIDORS 5 (South Korea)

DISTRICT 13 ULTIMATUM (France)

THIRST (South Korea)

TERMINATOR SALVATION (US)

FORBIDDEN DOOR (Indonesia)

PHOBIA 2 (Thailand)

AGORA (Spain)

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER (US)

THE BROKEN (US)

Second Playful Trailer for “How To Train Your Dragon”

2009-12-30T22:31:00.001+07:00

The dragon is flying in the new trailer for Dreamworks Animation’s latest animated family adventure, “How To Train You Dragon”. This one looks pretty decent while I’m still not sure with the form of the dragon. Will this be genuinely funny and enjoyable like “Kung Fu Panda” last year? However, for now, just check the trailer, which shows Hiccup's ups and downs in training with the injured dragon, that has embedded after the jump below.

Based on the book by Cressida Cowell of the same title, “How to Train Your Dragon” is set in a mythical world where Vikings and dragons have been at odds with one another for thousands of years, and killing dragons is an everyday occurrence for Vikings. It centers on a young Viking boy named Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) who one day befriends an injured dragon instead of killing it as he’s supposed to, much to the embarrassment of his father (voiced by Gerard Butler). The film comes to us from “Lilo & Stitch” directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, and is written by DeBlois. The movie will hit both conventional and 3-D theaters across the U.S. on March 26, 2010.

“The Hobbit” Casting Call

2009-12-30T22:27:00.001+07:00

With the production set to start sometime in mid-2010, producer Peter Jackson said they were casting the net wide to find actors and actresses for the various different roles in “The Hobbit”, including the key one of the titular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. In TheOneRing.net and The Noldor Blog, you can find an application for anybody who interested to be an extra in the project. Below are a few rules you need to know:

# You need to be able to work in New Zealand, meaning you need to have an NZ tax number. Now you can either be a registered citizen of the country, or have a temporary visa to work there which lasts through the entire shoot of The Hobbit. Also, NZ law states that local actors from within the country must be hired before oversees people are brought in unless the latter can perform some sort of task locals can’t (i.e. principal actors etc). Basically that means you’ve got a much better shot if you’re reading this as a citizen of New Zealand.

# Only physical mail is accepted, i.e. no fax or e-mail.

# You have to provide a full headshot as well as a full body shot, both with you facing forward.

# You must include your return address with your application so that if they choose you they can send a followup application asking for more specifics e.g. height, weight, clothes size etc.

# Lastly, they do NOT want to hear which roles you think you would be best for or which one you’d like to play (e.g. an elf, dwarf, hobbit). If you follow the previous steps, they will have your photo and bodyshot and THEY will decide which extra role they want you for.

And here is the physical mail where you need to send your application:
Hobbit Extras Application
3 Foot 7 Limited
PO Box 15104
Miramar
Wellington 6243

Are you interested to breaking out the hobbit or dwarf soul within your body?

"Avatar" is the Reigning Champ over The Huge Christmas Weekend

2009-12-29T22:43:00.002+07:00

The biggest weekend box office record has been marked last Sunday when four very big stars: James Cameron, Robert Downey Jr., Alvin the Chipmunk and Meryl Streep races to collect Christmas jackpot. The $278 million in weekend box-office revenue easily broke the previous record of roughly $253 million set in July 2008, the weekend "The Dark Knight" was released. The numbers weren't just the largest ever recorded, according to Box Office at Hollywood.com, it also the highest number of tickets ever sold in a three-day period. "People say it's the recession," Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "It's the movies — it's really the movies. It seems like when people aren't at home, they're at the movies." Christmas is traditionally a big movie day, but it packed a particular wallop this year since it fell on a Friday, boosting weekend totals.

Earning only slightly less during its second week of release, the 3-D epic "Avatar," once again topped everything and hauling $75,6 million for 20th Century Fox. Remarkably, that was only a 1,8 percent drop from its opening weekend total of $77.4 million. (Blockbusters typically drop 30-50 percent in the second weekend.) It also broke the record for the biggest second weekend ever belongs to the one and only “Dark Knight”, which took in $75.2 million in its second frame in July 2008 (The venues for “Avatar” itself is only 3,456 compare to “The Dark Knight” that was shown in 4,366 venues). Overall 10 release days, "Avatar" has made $212,7 million domestically and a total of $615 million dollars worldwide in just two weeks. An incredible number considering its 2:45 run time and it could be on its way to a worldwide gross of over $1 billion. IMAX also sent out a press release stating that Avatar is breaking more and more IMAX records, which is impressive because The Dark Knight set the bar quite last year. "To have reached $39 million from 249 screens in just 10 days demonstrates that moviegoers clearly understand the value of experiencing Avatar in IMAX," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX.

Robert Downey Jr.'s turn as “Sherlock Holmes” banked a solid $62.3 million, coming in second place and became the closest competitor for the blue aliens flick. As Christmas Day has notoriously been the busiest movie-going day of the year, the Warner Bros. film opened a record Christmas Day debut of $24.9 million which beaten up “Avatar”. Failed to keep up, but the solid opening number still a start that seemed sure to pave the way for sequels. Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., called the result "sensational." as a dashing superhero. Pictures. Industry observers had predicted an opening of at least $50 million for the film which is British director Guy Ritchie's reinvention to the ascetic Victorian sleuth.

Came in third spot, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which opened Wednesday, took in $48.8 million on the weekend and $75.5 million in its five days of release, far exceeding the studio's forecasts. The film, also from Fox, earned an impressive $18.8 million on Wednesday alone. The strong start suggested that "Squeakquel" was likely to surpass its 2007 original, which made $217 million. Meanwhile, Nancy Meyer's "It's Complicated," the counter-programming choice romantic comedy starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, took in a not bad $22.1 million opening with a 72 percent female audience. "We all know what next week means to the industry. This is ... huge," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. "Christmas is past us. No more shopping, no more returning. College kids are home. ... I'm so optimistic about what the next weekend holds for us."

For the full weekend totals (12/25/09-12/27/09), check out the list below:

Rank – Film Title – Weekend Gross – Running Total
1 – Avatar – $75,617,133 – $212,711,184
2 – Sherlock Holmes – $62,390,000 – $62,390,000
3 – Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel – $48,875,415 – $75,589,048
4 – It’s Complicated – $22,100,820 – $22,100,820
5 – The Blind Side – $11,470,000 – $184,127,000
6 – Up in the Air – $11,275,000 – $24,038,000
7 – The Princess and the Frog – $9,004,610 – $63,679,289
8 – Nine – $5,452,513 – $5,830,605
9 – Did You Hear About the Morgans? – $5,000,143 – $15,600,328
10 – Invictus – $4,045,000 – $23,020,000

Sources: AP, Box Office Prophets

Cool International “Inception” Trailer Arrives Online (UPDATED)

2009-12-29T22:40:00.000+07:00

UPDATE: Warner Bros has finally put out the second teaser trailer for Christopher Nolan's "Inception" in its friendly English version. This previously hit theaters last Friday in front of "Sherlock Holmes", so probably some of you have already seen it. Check it out now after the jump.

Trailer Addict has posted a pretty damn fantastic French trailer for Christopher Nolan's new sci-fi thriller "Inception" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ellen Page. There are quite a few echoes from the teaser trailer, and we see the filmed versions of some scenes between DiCaprio and Page that has described by previous reports. In addition to the imagery and concepts that are absolutely fantastic, we can also see glimpses of Gordon-Levitt and a handful of other recognizable faces. It looks freaking awesome even though its in French, expect the English version to pop up soon and maybe this new trailer will be in front of "Sherlock Holmes". Just go below the jump and I've got the trailer embedded for you.

The film is a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind that follows a CEO-type guy who becomes involved in a blackmailing scandal. "Inception" stars DiCaprio as 'Cobb', described as a CEO-type, Ken Watanabe as 'Saito', the villain who blackmails Cobb, Gordon-Levitt as 'Arthur', an associate to Cobb, Marion Cotillard as 'Lisa', Cobb's wife, Ellen "Juno" Page as 'Ariadne', a college grad student and Cobb's sidekick, Tom Hardy as 'Eames', a member of Cobb's team, Cillian Murphy as 'Fischer', Tom Berenger as 'Browning' and Michael Caine as a science professor. Due to the impressive box office performance of Nolan's "The Dark Knight", earning $533,345,358 domestic and $468,576,467 foreign for a worldwide total of $1,001,921,825, Warners purchased Nolan's "Inception" spec script February 2009, quickly greenlighting a production start last summer.

The Electrifying Extended Trailer for "14 Blades"

2009-12-28T21:21:00.004+07:00

A more than three minutes trailer which is an extended version of the previous "14 Blades" trailer has been released via DonnieYen.net YouTube Channel. You can also watch the video which has embedded after the break below. Hong Kong director Daniel Lee's kung fu thriller revolves around the Chinese emperor's secret service in the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644).

Plot: In "14 Blades", the Imperial Guards are raised and trained to be ruthless killing machines since childhood, to execute whatever questionable orders from the Imperial Court or Emperor without questions, and Green Dragon (Donnie Yen), being the most highly skilled of them all, is no exception. Each of them possesses a chest containing 14 blades, and the Imperial Guards would use different weapons under different situations, with 8 being used for all forms of tortures, and another 5 for killings, and the last one for hara kiri. And they are also experts at psychological warfare, negotiating or weakening the enemies' minds in order to accomplish their missions. But deep within his heart, there's still an iota of conscience left in Green Dragon, who begins to question its motives and runs away from the organisation while being hunted down, when he discovers a big conspiracy as an evil eunuch gains control of the Imperial Court and Imperial Guards. While on the run, Green Dragon becomes acquainted with Qiao Hua (Vicki Zhao), daughter of the chief of an Armed Escort Agency. Initially, like all Imperial Guards do, he's merely making use of her. However, he gradually falls for her while she finds out that she's being made use of.

"Sherlock Holmes" sets Christmas Day record and Beats Out "Avatar"

2009-12-27T12:13:00.006+07:00

According to Reuters, Guy Ritchie's fresh interpretation for "Sherlock Holmes" story successfully took advantage of Christmas' falling on a Friday this year and set a single-day record for the holiday with a $24.9 million domestic haul. "Sherlock Holmes," in which Robert Downey Jr. reinvents the ascetic Victorian sleuth as a dashing superhero, taking a narrow lead over last weekend's champ, "Avatar," that earned $23.5 million on Friday, taking the eight-day total for director James Cameron's costly 3-D extravaganza to $160.8 million, said 20th Century Fox. "Avatar" is currently tracking to smash $200 million in just 10 days of release (on Sunday) and should hit $250 million by Wednesday (in only 13 days of release). The numbers proven that even though it's a time of recession but still the Christmas Day ticket sales have easily destroyed previous years records. Both top box office films easily surpassed the record for the holiday that was set last year when "Marley and Me" launched with $14.4 million.

Trailing the top two heavyweights is "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" which opened at No. 3 with $14.5 million. The family-oriented sequel got an early start on the holiday by opening on Wednesday, and its total stands at $41.3 million. Another new release, director Nancy Meyers' "It's Complicated," followed at No. 4 after earning $7.1 million during its first day on Friday. The Universal Pictures comedy stars Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
"Up in the Air" rose three places to No. 5 in its first weekend of national release, with Friday sales of $3.7 million. Director Jason Reitman's meditation on love and loneliness in corporate America has earned $16.4 million since Paramount Pictures released it in 15 theaters on December 4.

"True Legend" 3D Descriptions and New Stills

2009-12-27T00:04:00.005+07:00

Previously it has been reported that the martial arts sequences of Yuen Woo-ping’s upcoming action film "True legend" were filmed in 3D. And currently, the 3D montage from the film whereby the main character challenges his imagined opponent in order to elevate his martial arts skill was shown for the first time at a press conference in Beijing on December 20, attended by director Yuen Wo Ping and some of the cast. At the moment, the filmmaker has indicated that the post-production of "True legend" which took over 10 months is in order to create the fight scenes in 3D. They were done painstakingly layer by layer, frame by frame by Menfond Electronic Art and over 100 digital artists. Yuen also added that to shoot the 3D action scenes, two cameras had to be set up, and he tried to devise moves that aren't too fanciful, such that the action could be seen distinctly, for maximum 3D visual impact.

Also according to Yuen, "True legend" is a plot-oriented, "Only when you really can't avoid it would there be a fight. This is what that separates the wheat from the chaff. So, True Legend's martial arts and drama scenes are distributed evenly, with drama outweighing action by 6:4. I think that this is handled pretty well, it's the drama that determines the action, and the kind of action.
The film recently also exposed a bunch of new stills which you can check after the jump below. Some of them features complicated battle scenes that have spent a lot of effort from every actor and crew involved.

"True Legend" is based on the life of real Martial Arts master Su Qi Er or Beggar Su (The King of Beggars) who lost all his fortune and reputation as a result of a conspiracy aginst him. After being forced onto the streets, Su decides to dedicate his lifeto martial arts practise and reemerges as a patriotic hero. The films cast include Michelle Yeoh, Jay Chou, Vincent Zhou (formerely Chiu Man-cheuk) and features appearances by Gordon Liu and the late David Carradine. Beggar Su has been portayed a number of times over the years in movies courtesy of Donnie Yen, Stephen Chow and Yuen Woo-pings late father, Yuen Siu-tim (Simon Yuen).

A Couple of "Cop Out" Released First Trailer

2009-12-24T13:17:00.004+07:00

Kevin Smith’s latest film that finally settled with "Cop Out" title, after played around with another controversial tag A Couple of Dicks, now has its first trailer. Features the odd pairing Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan that was a pretty bold but also a smart move, this film is Smith’s first directorial effort which he did not also script. "Cop Out" which is set for release in theatres on February 26, 2010, is about two cops who get involved in locating a stolen baseball card, rescuing a woman, and dealing with gangsters and their laundered money. It also stars Michelle Trachtenberg, Jason Lee, Seann William Scott, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Fred Armisen, and Guillermo Díaz. Have a look at the preview trailer after the break below.

The official synopsis: Two longtime NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. Jimmy (Bruce Willis) is the veteran detective whose missing collectible is his only hope to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding, and Paul (Tracy Morgan) is his "partner-against-crime" whose preoccupation with his wife's alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball.

A Festive "Alice in Wonderland" New Poster and Others

2009-12-24T12:15:00.007+07:00

The new banner of "Alice in Wonderland" has just released by Walt Disney Pictures. Give a good look at some of the film's characters, it features Alice, the Mad Hatter, Red Queen, White Queen along with some creatures from the fantasy world are all seen sitting down to tea. Just click on the image above to view the nice hi-res version poster. "Alice in Wonderland" is an epic 3-D fantasy adventure which gives a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. The story follows 19-year-old Alice who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends. This time, she embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror.

After the jump, you can also find two other new posters from epic action "Robin Hood" and comedy "Grown Ups". The international posters for director Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated "Robin Hood" feature pissing off Crowe in close-up, pointing a ready-to-fire bow and arrow right at your face. In the film, the Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the titular character, alongside Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as the lovely Maid Marion and co-stars Vanessa Redgrave, William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk, Mr. Brooks), Mark Strong (Kick-Ass, Sherlock Holmes), Kevin Durand, Saoirse Ronan and Scott Grimes. Crowe plays the expert archer Robin Hood who leads a band of marauders to confront corruption and lead an uprising against the English crown. In an effort to save the village of Nottingham and win the hand of the spirited widow Lady Marion (Blanchett), this hero rises from humble beginnings to become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people. Also check the newly released international poster for the film below.

Meanwhile, Columbia Pictures also has launched the official poster/banner for director Dennis Dugan’s (I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan) "Grown Ups" showing five actors in their junior year photos.
"Grown Ups" stars comedy heavyweights Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and David Spade, and centers on five friends and former teammates who reunite years later to honor the passing of their childhood basketball coach. With their wives (including Salma Hayek, Maria Bello and Maya Rudolph) and kids in tow, they spend Fourth of July weekend together at the lake house where they celebrated their championship as youths. Picking up where they left off, they discover why growing older doesn’t mean growing up. Grown Ups hits theaters on June 25, 2010.

The Fun and First Official Trailer for “Karate Kid”

2009-12-23T22:36:00.001+07:00

The first official trailer for “The Karate Kid” remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan has been debuted by Sony. The sneak peek begins with Smith’s character, Dre, unenthusiastically moving to China with his mother, played by Taraji P. Henson. Dre meets a girl, there’s a schoolyard brawl, and then Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, the Mr. Miyagi like mentor, comes in to save the day. Later, you will find an absolutely familiar plot which features Chan coaches Dre in martial arts, and the kid must eventually face his bully in a tournament. Have a look at the trailer after the jump.

Directed by Harald Zwart (Agent Cody Banks, The Pink Panther 2), this is a remake of 1984 film of the same title, "The Karate Kid", while Jaden Smith uses nothing but Kung-Fu and not Karate. Story will follow 12-year-old Dre, whose life is turned upside down after he moves from Detroit to China. Being the most popular kid in his homeland, he is now bullied by Cheng due to his feelings to his classmate Mei Ying. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. Columbia Pictures' action drama has scheduled to open wide in U.S. theaters on June 11, 2010.

No Deal in Place for Hathaway To Be In “Spider-Man 4”

2009-12-23T22:27:00.003+07:00

Actress Anne Hathaway has been rumored to be cast for the next installment of “Spider-Man” film franchise. The "Alice in Wonderland" star was reported being wanted to be one of the villains in the follow-up to "Spider-Man 3" and was said to be the top choice for Felicia Hardy, who will transform into a brand new superpowered figure called the Vulturess. However, both Columbia Pictures and the actress have not released any statement regarding the news. Words in Hollywood also considered Hathaway to be the new Spidey's love interest and according to some sites, the publication reported that Dunst, who has signed to reprise her role as Mary Jane Watson, will be written out in the "Spider-Man 4" film.

Now, the representative of the actress has told Gossip Cop that the news is not true, saying "It's not accurate - there is no deal in place for her to be in ['Spider-Man 4']." Moreover, the site claimed there won't be any negotiations with Hathaway because the film's script has not been completed. So, it’s likely Spider-Man will not be seen hooking up with a new girl in the next film, despite report that Anne Hathaway doing a lot of meetings on the movie, because filming is right around the corner.

Sam Raimi will return to the helmer position in "Spider-Man 4", which is targeted for May 6, 2011 release date in the U.S. Tobey Maguire is set to reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and he has previously informed that the principal photography is scheduled to be kicked off in February or March 2010.

“Avatar” Storming Box Office This Weekend

2009-12-22T21:08:00.005+07:00

Though storms in the East Coast America likely will frost any movie's prospects to gather big box office result, but the glowingly reviewed “Avatar” lived up to its epic expectations by securing a very decent $27 million on its Friday opening. The number was good enough to give it second place in terms of films that have opened on a Friday in December, behind only Will Smith's “I Am Legend”, which opened with $30.1 million back in 2007. Meanwhile, Peter Jackson's “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” still holds the all-time record for opening day in December with $34.5 million, but it was opened on Wednesday, not Friday. Cameron's previous “Titanic”, however, gain 40% on its second Friday and 24% in its second weekend after opening with only $28 million right out of the gate. So expect a slow and steady gain from "Avatar", especially as the people who saw it in 3D convince the people who saw it in 2D.

Considered one of the most expensive movies ever made, Fox has said it spent $237 million to make the movie, but some newspaper reports have estimated it cost at least $300 million, “Avatar” saw its initial weekend ticket sales raised to $77 million in the States Monday. "What they spent on this movie was totally justified, and they're going to more than earn it back," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. It's a strong start for a film opening in December, though it fell very short of the $77.2 million record debut for the month set two years ago again by Will Smith's "I Am Legend.” On the other hand, ticket sales for "Avatar" were inflated by premium pricing for screenings in venues equipped with 3-D technology. Such venues accounted for 59 percent of the total cinema count and 71 percent of sales, Fox said. Internationally, the expensive movie posted an approximately $159.2 million bow. Thus, it took in a worldwide gross total of $232.2 million, which was the "highest-grossing nonfranchise, nonsequel opening ever."

In addition news, with all the talk of Cameron turning the “Avatar” story into a trilogy, the popular director has noted that the next rumored installment will not be a prequel. Furthermore, he talked about the proposed follow-ups to “Avatar” and commented on what the cost might look at for the production. “…in terms of the pitch it was: OK, you’ve spent a lot of money on the first one; on the second one we’ll be able to amortize it [the CG assets] and focus on the story and all that … and they bought that,” says Cameron regarding the assets and technology that has already been produced for the first film. Having these in place would make follow-ups cheaper to make and could increase profit margins for the studio. Cameron also stated that the next two movies would pick-up from where the first one left off. “We’ll follow Worthington's Jake and Neytiri [Zoe Saldana],” says Cameron. “I have a trilogy-scaled arc of story right now, but I haven’t really put any serious work into writing a script.”

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Disney's animated musical "The Princess and the Frog," slipped to second place with $12.1 million, raising its total to $44.7 million. Third spot goes to “The Blind Side”, which is now not only a critical and commercial success, but also a Golden Globe nominee too. Raked in an additional $10 million, the sport drama now has a running total of $164.7 million, and a very strong shot at $200 million. Meanwhile in fourth place, the new film that got badly struck by storm is Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant’s rom-com, "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", opened a weak $6.6 million while Sony had expected the movie to debut at about $8 million. Paramount's recession story "Up in the Air," which led last Tuesday's Golden Globes announcement with six nominations, broke into the top 10 as it widened to more theaters ahead of its nationwide expansion Wednesday. "Up in the Air" came in at No. 8 with $3.2 million. The film stars George Clooney as a man addicted to the frequent-flyer life as he travels the country firing people at downsizing companies.

Two music-themed films had strong starts in limited release as they position themselves for Academy Awards attention. The Weinstein Co. musical "Nine" opened big with $257,232 in four theaters, for an average of $64,308 a cinema, compared to an average of $21,147 in 3,452 theaters for "Avatar." Fox Searchlight's "Crazy Heart," starring Jeff Bridges as a boozy country singer trying to turn his life around, pulled in $82,664 at four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, averaging $20,666 a cinema. The film expands to four more markets on Christmas Day.

Rank – Film Title – Weekend Gross – Running Total
1 – Avatar – $77,025,481 – $77,025,481
2 – The Princess and the Frog – $12,185,949 – $44,717,721
3 – The Blind Side – $10,021,280 – $164,725,525
4 – Did You Hear About the Morgans? – $6,616,571 – $6,616,571
5 – The Twilight Saga: New Moon – $4,407,598 – $274,598,319
6 – Invictus – $4,203,171 – $15,877,956
7 – A Christmas Carol – $3,443,464 – $130,813,354
8 – Up in the Air – $3,210,132 – $8,216,051
9 – Brothers – $2,889,121 – $22,349,862
10 – Old Dogs – $2,340,575 – $43,625,471

The First Misadventures Trailer for "Knight & Day"

2009-12-22T20:51:00.005+07:00

The very first trailer from action-comedy "Knight & Day" starring Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise has debuted at E! Online. The sneak peek unravels how Diaz's world is turned upside down after she accidentally bumps into Cruise when she is making her way through an airport. Then it follows the mismatched couple as they travel the world, engaging in hijinks and various misadventures. Let's check the trailer after the break below.

In "Knight & Day", Cruise plays Milner, a secret agent who goes on a blind date with unlucky-in-love Diaz's June. Trapped in a journey to protect a powerful battery that holds the key to an infinite power source, they become fugitives and they must figure out whether to be guided by truth or trust. Also starring in the movie that formerly known as “Wichita” or “Trouble Man” is Maggie Grace, Peter Sarsgaard, Marc Blucas, Paul Dano, and Viola Davis.

The production for the film was kicked off in September in Boston and Bridgewater, Massachusetts and has just been wrapped in Sevilla, Spain on Thursday, December 17. Directed by James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Walk The Line, Identity), 20th Century Fox eyes a July 2, 2010 release date in the U.S.

A Second Trailer for Darwin Bio-Pic "Creation"

2009-12-21T10:45:00.007+07:00

Stars British actor Paul Bettany as Charles Darwin, originator of the Theory of Evolution, here is the second preview to the biopic called "Creation". The film is the controversial take that focusing on the scientist's relationship with his eldest daughter 'Annie', as the author struggled to document his radical theories in the book "On the Origin of Species", published in 1859. Considered the foundation of evolutionary biology, the book introduces the theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of 'natural selection' and that the diversity of life arose by common descent through a branching pattern of evolution. Darwin backed up his theories with evidence gathered on his 'Beagle' sea voyage expedition during the 1830's and subsequent findings from research, correspondence and experimentation. Find the trailer that has embedded after the jump.

"Creation" which premiered last September at the Toronto International Film Festival, was directed by Jon "The Core" Amie and starring husband and wife team, Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as 'Charles' and 'Emma Darwin'. Screenplay is by John Collee, adapting author Randal Keynes's Darwin biography "Annie's Box". According to the producer, U.S. was one of the last countries to find a distributor due to the prominence of the ongoing 'creation' vs. 'evolution' controversy. Newmarket Films (The Passion Of Christ), eventually acquired distribution rights to the Icon film with plans to release it December 2009.

Trailer for J-Lo "Back-Up Plan" Rom Com

2009-12-21T06:26:00.003+07:00

CBS Films has released the first trailer for comedy romance return of J-Lo "The Back-Up Plan". This is Lopez comeback to the big screen since she gave birth to her child, and guess what, she's back in this new film to portraying a pregnant woman again. I guess she's enjoyed to have a big belly better than a big booty now. Debuted by Yahoo! Movies, the video provides a preview to how Lopez's Zoe gets to know Alex O'Loughlin's Stan, and the comic errors the two are dealing with due to her pregnancy. You can definitely check the video right after the read more break below. "The Back-Up Plan" opens on April 16th, 2010 and is helmed by Alan Poul from the writing by Kate Angelo.

Plot: After years of dating, Zoe has decided waiting for the right one is taking too long. Determined to become a mother, she decides to go for it alone and has an artificial insemination. But everything does not happen as she plans after she meets Stan, a man with real possibilities. After hiding her pregnancy from Stan in the beginning of their friendship, Zoe finally reveals her secret and Stan commits fully and says he is in. After having dates which are full of pregnancy matters, they will face a real pregnancy test when both of them realize they really don't know each other outside of hormonal chaos and birth preparations.

Thailand and Tiger Woods for "The Hangover 2"

2009-12-19T21:57:00.003+07:00

According to CHUD, Todd Phillips currently plan to film the sequel of his successful bachelor-party comedy, "The Hangover 2", in Thailand. Though the site also noted that things could still change because the script is being worked and has not been finalized yet, this is somewhat answered Phillips' previous statement which revealed that the sequel movie will not take place in Las Vegas anymore. At that time, the helmer said the follow-up to "The Hangover" is expected to start production in October 2010 with May 26, 2011 has been set as the day when the film hits U.S. theaters. Beside being hired to serve behind the camera, Phillips is also slated to write the script alongside Scot Armstrong. The three lead actors, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms, are all expected to reprise their roles in the sequel. Cooper, in the meantime, has expressed his willingness to make "The Hangover 2", saying "I'd like to find out. We're actually really excited about the second one."

In another occasion, Phillips also has revealed that he wants the golf player Tiger Woods to star in "The Hangover 2" for the sake of rebuilding his image. "We are going to try and get Tiger Woods for the second one...Yeah help him regain his image," the helmer told Hollyscoop while promoting "The Hangover" DVD release in Las Vegas. Claiming comedy is the best cure for anything, even scandals, Todd noted how Mike Tyson loved to be involved in the first movie. "Mike loved doing 'The Hangover' because he loved f***ing with the image people had of him. He knew we were not making fun of him but of the image people projected on him," he said.

During the interview, Todd also told Hollyscoop that he is currently writing the script for the sequel and the production is planned to be kicked off in summer 2010. "We are writing it right now, it's not coming out for a bit. We want to shoot it over the summer," he explained.

Badass New Poster and Images for "Bodyguards and Assassins"

2009-12-18T16:45:00.005+07:00

The epic kung fu actioner "BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS" will makes its debut in theaters across Chinese territories in Asia and parts of Oceania this week. And from korean movie site Daum, here are the latest poster and images from the Teddy Chan’s directed film. Produced by Peter Chan, the veteran of Hong Kong cinema (the award winning director helmed the successful "Comrades", "Almost a Love Story", "Perhaps Love" and "The Warlords"), "Assassins" brings Donnie Yen, now the highest paid actor in China, together with an all-star cast in a thrilling story of how a band of kung fu fighters band together to protect revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat-sen from an elaborate assassination attempt in the heart of Hong Kong at the turn of the 20th century. Check the badass set of image after the jump and just click on them to view the glory hi-res version.

Plot: 1905, City of Victoria (British Colony of Hong Kong) In the distance of thirteen blocks, the one man who holds a nation’s fate must survive relentless attempts on his life with only five bodyguards to protect him. Against hundreds of assassins, these men must put their courage to the test in order to protect the hopes of millions in this perilous night even if it means fighting to the death…

A Teaser and Poster Revealed for "Shrek Forever After"

2009-12-18T14:02:00.003+07:00

Dreamworks Animation had just released the first official movie poster and teaser trailer for their upcoming animated film “Shrek Forever After”. Declares as the final chapter in Shrek movie, since DreamWorks may be moving on with sequels to the successful "Kung Fu Panda", the clip gives the first preview to Shrek who is stuck in a "Far Far Away" world, where everyone he knows is different from the real life. Directed by Mike Mitchell (Sky High, Surviving Christmas), the sequel sees Mike Myers returns to voice the lovable ogre, along with Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas, who is getting his own spin-off when "Puss in Boots" comes out in 2011. Now, let's check the teaser trailer that has embedded after the break.

Plot: Just when he thought he and Fiona are going to live happily forever after they got hitched, Shrek gets new trouble as he "has lost his roar". Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, the grown-reluctant ogre agrees to autograph pitch forks. Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is tricked into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. The pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumplestiltskin is king, and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it's up to Shrek to undo all of Rumpelstiltskin's mischief in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world, and reclaiming his one true love and family.

"Shrek Forever After" will come out in 3-D and is slated to hit theaters in U.S. on May 21, 2010. Also lending their voices for the movie are Kathy Griffin, Kristin Schaal and Jon Hamm.

Bryan Singer said He's On Board for "X-Men: First Class"

2009-12-18T05:53:00.003+07:00

During "Avatar" premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 16, director Bryan Singer has announced that he will indeed be directing "X-Men: First Class." The filmmaker who has directed the first two "X-Men" movies revealed to reporters "I'm ramping up to do a movie called 'Jack the Giant Killer' at Warner Bros., and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class Origins' picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited." His interview during the event can also be seen at Avatar Movie Official MySpace Profile.

20th Century Fox has several "X-Men" movies in the works, including this "X-Men: First Class" which focuses on certain X-Men characters like Cyclops, Jean and Beast during the first class at professor Xavier's mutant school. The studio and producer Lauren Shuller Donner have been trying to get Singer to return to the franchise after helming the first two "X-Men" films. But he passed on "X-Men: The Last Stand" to make "Superman Returns". Josh Schwartz has been hired by 20th Century Fox to pen the script for "X-Men: First Class." Though no actors have been tapped to star in the film, Tim Pocock, who played the young Cyclops in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," has already confirmed that he will reprise his role. Anna Paquin also has previously stated that she will return as Rogue.

Get your first look at the First 'Iron Man 2' Trailer

2009-12-17T09:38:00.005+07:00

The first trailer for "Iron Man 2" has hit the web, so let's get moving and watch the first ever trailer here, absolutely right after the break below. Started off by playing up Tony Stark's celebrity lifestyle once again, the trailer shows extended shots of War Machine fighting side by side with Iron Man. We also see the scene from the Indy race with Whiplash and a nice moment between Tony and Pepper. You might have noticed that Iron Man has a round chest piece for most of the trailer, but when he teams with War Machine, the piece is triangular. This trailer is mostly comprised of the same footage that Jon Favreau showed at Comic-Con, but it's polished and packaged much more nicely. What have shown in this definitely will pumps you up for the anticipated sequel starring some of the big names in Hollywood like Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Don Cheadle.

Plot: On one side is Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a fast-talking weapons manufacturer who fancies himself the next Tony Stark; on the other, Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who, while incarcerated in a Russian prison, creates his own battle-suit, which shoots devastating, whip-like beams. Hammer and Whiplash join forces to take Downey's character Tony Stark down.
Adding more flesh and blood to the new movie is Stark's mysterious new assistant, Natasha, who has an alter ego of her own, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). That introduction inevitably sparks romantic tension between Stark and former assistant Pepper Potts, who's been promoted to CEO of Stark Industries.

More Monsters in "Clash of the Titans" Trailer (UPDATED)

2009-12-17T09:00:00.000+07:00

Update: The full-length trailer for "Clash of the Titans" that has been taken down by Warner Bros a few days ago has now been officially released. Check it now for sure right after the break below.

A new trailer for Louis Leterrier’s remake of "Clash of the Titans" that basically is an extended version of the previous teaser and offers more footage, more story and impressive visual effects is now online. Features your first full body look at Medusa, alongside the monstrous Kraken, this is really a trailer you should watch, so just press read more button below to open the trailer.

In "Clash of the Titans," the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

Wonderful Second Trailer for Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”

2009-12-17T03:34:00.002+07:00

Disney had just released the brand new trailer for Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”. The new trailer that was meant to be seen in 3-D before the screenings of James Cameron's "Avatar", gives a preview to Alice who embarks on a new adventure as she returns to Wonderland, but instead of going home, this Wonderland has her strapping on armor and going to war. There’s still plenty of Mad Hatter but, for a change, there’s also a relief preview for many other wonderful characters in the fairytale. Burton’s new version to the classic story invented by Lewis Carroll boasts a cast which includes Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and a whole host of other names and is released 5th March 2010. Watch the trailer that filled with such amazing visuals now by clicking on read more button below.

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure “Alice in Wonderland”, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER. The screenplay is by Linda Woolverton. Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.