The Playlist

Who? Brenton Thwaites Crowned Prince In 'Maleficent'

Kevin Jagernauth — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:29:39 GMT

Is Brenton Thwaites going to be the biggest Aussie sensation to hit the United States since Paul Hogan or Yahoo Serious? Only time will tell, but Disney has picked the young stud and dropped him into their brewing "Maleficent" alongside Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Juno Temple and more. Not bad for a Hollywood debut.

The young actor will play the prince in the movie that retells the story of "Sleeping Beauty" with Jolie as the evil title character and Fanning as the beautiful narcoleptic who'll wake up with a kiss or whatever. So why is this kid kind of like a big deal? In his native Australia, girls are already swooning for him thanks to his roles on the soap "Home And Away" and the teen show "SLiDE." He's also going to be showing off his ripped bod on Lifetime's upcoming "Blue Lagoon" remake, so in one fell swoop, the mouse house has notched girls and international markets with this casting. Good work dudes.

We'll have to wait and see if he's more than just a pretty face...and we'll be waiting for a while. The Robert Stromberg directed film starts shooting later this year but isn't slated to hit theaters until March 14, 2014. So until then gaze upon these pictures. Below you'll find our second option for the lead picture, which this writer sorta prefers. [Deadline]

Review: Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus' Is A Gorgeous, Fascinating Muddle Of Ideas That Can't Stick The Landing

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 30 May 2012 23:11:32 GMT

Ambition is a rare thing in movies these days, especially when it comes to summer blockbuster fare. There might be ambitions to blow up bigger things, or include more bad guys, or feature more stars, but in terms of real ambition -- telling big stories, about big subjects, on a huge canvas -- only a handful of filmmakers are really playing ball. Far more so than its predecessor "Alien," which is, after all, pretty much a haunted house designed to scare the living hell out of you, Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" has big ambitions. It wants to ask the big questions -- where do we come from? Why are we here? -- while also serving as a 3D, CGI-filled thrill ride.

And for much of the running time, it works, but eventually something has to give, and the film ends up with the two aims cancelling each other out, ending up as neither a thought-provoking "2001"-esque science-fiction epic, nor a rollicking horror-tinged tentpole. There's an awful lot to like, but it's not a film that coheres terribly well.

After a brief visually arresting prologue (which arguably answers many of the film's major questions, so we won't go into it here), we pick up on scientists Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie (Logan Marshall-Smith) making a find on the Isle of Skye of a cave painting of a tall, humanoid figure, pointing to a cluster of stars. Four years later, and they're on a spaceship on the way to them, having convinced elderly trillionaire Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) that he should fund an expedition to see if these creatures are still around, and if they're the source of life on earth.

Pulling the pursestrings is icy corporate type Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), while android David (Michael Fassbender) looks after her (and to a lesser extent, the crew). And also among the crew we've got the laidback captain, Janek (Idris Elba), prickly geologist Fifield (Sean Harris), nervy biologist Millburn (Rafe Spall), medical officer Ford (Kate Dickie), and pilots Chance (Emun Elliott) and Ravel (Benedict Wong). They land on the moon of LV-223, and soon find much, much more than they bargained for.

"Prometheus" is, for the first two-thirds of the film, very, very strong, it should be said, even if it has essentially lifted the entire structure from "Alien." Writers Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, along with a cast of mostly British character actors, have created a compelling crew who are a lot of fun to spend time, and (mostly) manage to sketch out people who are never merely archetypes. There's a genuine sense of awe -- thanks principally to some truly astonishing production design, both on the ship and off it, from Arthur Max -- and exactly the slowly creeping under-the-skin dread you'd want.

And once it really gets stuck into the meat of it, it's gloriously, admirably weird. There's imagery and themes in here that you'd never have thought would make it into a big studio tentpole in 2012 (don't expect the religious right to embrace this, for a number of reasons), and you'll be genuinely stunned at some of the twists it takes, and places it goes, culminating in a surgery scene that would give David Cronenberg a semi, and will surely rank among the most memorable movie moments of the years.

And then shortly afterwards, it derails in a fairly major way. Scott's blockbuster instincts seem to take over, and the third act is made up mostly of some pretty uninvolving action sequences or half-hearted reveals. One, for instance, heavily displayed in the trailer (think punch-ups in the hangar) seems to exist only because too much time has gone without blood being spilled; it has no real stakes, isn't terribly imaginatively executed, and is never referred to by the characters once it wraps up. It's like a scene from "Ghosts Of Mars" snuck into the print by accident. Furthermore, by trying to cram so much spectacle in at the last minute, it means that the ideas that the film touches on are never really followed up on, with most threads left dangling in a wince-inducing sequel-bait ending.

And it's a shame, because so much of the rest of it is so right. It's never less than visually stunning, with the 3D, at least in the IMAX screening we were at, very impressive if you like that kind of thing (we can take it or leave it, but it's as good as anything we've seen in the format). And Scott feels energized by his return to sci-fi; he seems more in command of the medium than with anything since "Gladiator." Across the board, every department, from costume to sound to music to effects, are turning in A-grade work.

And for the most part (Charlize Theron doesn't have many notes to play, and Guy Pearce's role is entirely extraneous, and could be removed from the film without much problem; neither is the fault of the actor), the cast are excellent. Rapace and Marshall-Green are a winning leading duo, really making you care about their characters. Elba doesn't get to stretch until quite late on, but has a lot of fun once he does, particularly in a unexpected, offbeat scene with Theron. And the smaller roles all live up to the examples set by Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton et al in "Alien," with Rafe Spall and Emun Elliot particular stand-outs.

Best of all, predictably, is Michael Fassbender. His android David is a curious creation, more Roy Batty than Ash, with a unique physicality, ever-shifting loyalties and a subtle inner life. The film's worth watching just for him, and it's another reminder, as if a reminder were needed, that Fassbender is one of the most exciting and versatile performers working today.

Those expecting "Prometheus" to reinvent the wheel will be disappointed: it's got too much on its mind, and not enough willingness to see those things through. But there are plnety of pleasures to be found in it, and if nothing else, it's a film entirely unlike anything else you'll see this summer. Just don't expect to walk out of it satisfied. [C+]

This is a review from the Playlist's UK correspondent, who saw the film this evening. The film opens there on June 1st, before hitting theaters in the U.S. on June 8th.

Olivia Wilde Joins Spike Jonze's Untitled iPhone Romance Film With Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara & Amy Adams

Edward Davis — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:25:17 GMT

Filmmaker Spike Jonze is apparently not content to just settle for the most talented cast in Hollywood to join his next film. Evidently he wants the most beautiful one as well. In a Deadline report about Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions landing international rights from for Jonze's next untitled project, the trade drops the little nugget of info that Olivia Wilde has also joined the cast.

Already starring Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Amy Adams and Samantha Morton, the Jonze-pennd project apparently revolves around a man who falls in love with a Siri-like computer voice presumably on an iPhone device. The addition of Wilde makes the already-anticipated film all the more enticing.

Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures are producing and they struck the deal with SPWA. The picture will be Jonze's first since 2009's “Where the Wild Things Are” and his first solo-written original screenplay. Though Jonze did pen the short film “I’m Here” about two robots who fall in love with each other (starring Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory) and co-wrote ‘Wild Things.’ We recommend the short if you haven't seen it and it's easy to find online.

The trade also reports that that David O. Russell’s “American Bullshit” starring Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper is going forward as well. Annapurna is also now officially on board, and their international deal with Sony Worldwide also applies to Russell’s picture. Thank god. Russell has flirted with a dozen projects in the last two years and dropped many of them in quick succession (films like "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies," “Uncharted," plus a few more that look like they are stalled or currently idling) and it's nice to see the director not having to wait years in between movies. His next film, "The Silver Linings Playbook, also stars Cooper and opens on November 21st.

'The Killing' Star Mireille Enos Ties Up Atom Egoyan's 'The Devil's Knot' With Colin Firth & Reese Witherspoon

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:21:06 GMT

Well, we gave up on the second season of "The Killing" after being jerked around way too much by a plot that refuses to do anything, but the stars of the show don't have to worry about their Hollywood prospects. Joel Kinnaman has already popped up in a couple of movies and stars in the summer's indie rom-com "Lola Versus" and is slated to be the next "RoboCop." Meanwhile, Mirielle Enos has already bagged roles in "World War Z" with Brad Pitt and "Gangster Squad" with Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone and a zillion other people, and now she's joining another film with an equally impressive roster.

Deadline reports Enos has come on board Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan's West Memphris Three drama "The Devil's Knot." Based on the book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three,” the feature film will take a different tack than the famed "Paradise Lost" documentaries, getting out of the courtroom and taking a look at how the murder impacted the lives of those in the community. Reese Witherspoon will play Pam Hobbs, one of the mothers of the victims who eventually becomes convinced that Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr. have been wrongly convicted. And Colin Firth is slated for the role of Ron Lax, a private investigator who worked pro bono on behalf of the West Memphis Three, and who found the DNA strand that began to suggest Terry Hobbs might have been involved in the crime. As for Enos, she'll play Vicki Hutcheson, the mother of an 8 year-old who becomes an important witness in the case.

Production is gearing up to take place this summer, and there are still a number of smaller roles to be cast.

Anne Hathaway Might Tune Up 'Song One'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:31:35 GMT

Well in case you missed it, the first trailer for "Les Miserables" dropped this morning and if anything, it proved that no matter how scrappy the clothes or terrible the haircut, Anne Hathaway can carry a tune. And it looks like she's got another musical project brewing, though it's not a sure thing just yet.

Nevertheless, Variety reports that Hathaway is kicking the tires to produce and star in "Song One," a movie that will reconnect the actress with the "Rachel Getting Married" producing team of Marc Platt and Jonathan Demme, along with her fiancee Adam Shulman. Penned by Kate Barker-Froyland, who would also make her directorial debut on the project, the story will center on a woman who returns home after her brother is injured. He becomes romantically involved with his favorite musician, who in turn draws inspiration from the siblings. We presume "inspiration" means "there will be singing" because if you put Hathaway in a movie with the word "song" in the title and then not have her sing, that just seems perverse.

But a whole bunch of boring stuff needs to happen for this "maybe" project to become a sure thing, so we'll see if it comes to fruition. But until then here's a fun fact: Barker-Froyalnd was David Frankel's assistant on "The Devil Wears Prada" which just goes to show there is no job that is too low on the totem pole, and a foot in the door can lead anywhere.

So, Gary Oldman Is Going To Play A Taxidermist With Anger Issues Now

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:09:08 GMT

From George Smiley to James Gordon to....Wiggy the angry taxidermist? You can't say that Gary Oldman doesn't continue to surprise...

The actor is teaming up with Malcolm McDowell, Dominic "Matthew Fox Beats Women" Monaghan and Joanne Whalley for "Monster Butler," which either sounds like a delightful kids' movie, a weird sequel to "Monster's Ball" or a deranged genre flick. Guess which one it is? Well, if you picked the latter, you win, because according to THR the movie will tell "the true story of Roy Fontaine (aka Archibald Hall),a bisexual jewel thief/con man/serial killer who chronicles his personal descent into darkness leading up to his eventual capture."

McDowell is in the lead role, with his character teaming up with Wiggy to commit a variety of crimes. Meanwhile, Monaghan will play Fontaine's Achilles' heel, David Wright. Genre shingle Dark House are producing the pic which will be released by Warner Bros. The movie will roll in front of cameras in Scotland in June, with Doug Rath making his feature debut. But considering it's an expansion of his short film, he's really best guy for the gig.

Julianne Hough Finds 'Safe Haven' & Gemma Arterton Ready For 'Runner, Runner'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:45:21 GMT

Two lovely and talented ladies have lined up some projects, so let's get right to it....

The "Rock of Ages" star Julianne Hough has joined Josh Duhamel (seriously) for Lasse Hallström's "Safe Haven." The movie will tell the story a young woman’s struggle to find love again after she arrives in a small North Carolina town. Her reluctance to join the tight-knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex (Duhamel), a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love. Fans of the author say that this one is different because it's more of a thriller, but we presume it's still happily ever after and golden sunshine for the woman in the end.

Meanwhile, in a much more promising movie, Variety reports that Gemma Arterton has come on board the increasingly excellent cast of "Runner, Runner." Starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, Anthony Mackie and "Project X" star Oliver Cooper, the film penned by David Levien and Brian Koppelman ("Rounders") will tell the story of a Princeton student who gets cheated out of his tuition playing online poker, but winds up as the right hand man of the dude running the site. So imagine if Mark Zuckerberg met the guy who ran MySpace and then....oh wait.... Anyway, Arteron will play Timberlake's love interest, which makes us jealous. "The Lincoln Lawyer" helmer Brad Furman directs and filming kicks off in June.

George Lucas Stepping Away From LucasFilm To Make Experimental Movies In His Garage

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:18:03 GMT

Nearing 70 years old and with more than enough money to retire for twenty lifetimes, it looks like George Lucas is ready to hang up his lightsaber and call it a day. Again. The "Star Wars" godfather has previously spoken about his desire to do more experimental films and his plans to move away from the business many times over -- most recently in January -- and now he's talking it up again.

The filmmaker recently chatted with Empire (via /Film) and once again retired, he really -- for real guys -- is going step back and pull a Terrence Malick or Francis Ford Coppola or something. "I’m moving away from the company, I’m moving away from all my businesses, I’m finishing all my obligations and I’m going to retire to my garage with my saw and hammer and build hobby movies," he said. "I’ve always wanted to make movies that were more experimental in nature, and not have to worry about them showing in movie theatres."

Now, let's bear in mind, it's not like he isn't gonna keep cashing cheques from LucasFilm, but it's probably more like he's not going to bother with those 9 a.m. Monday morning meetings set up by Dean in accounting anymore. But do we really see the man who has spent decades obsessing on his "Star Wars" franchise throwing himself into "hobby movies." Maybe, but let's remember Lucas' "garage" isn't the kind packed with Christmas decorations, an unused weight bench and lawn chairs. Dude probably could get a workable studio in what he considers a spare room, so it'll be interesting see what kind of high-tech tomfoolery he gets up to. Or even what he considers experimental. If he busts out some Stan Brakhage level shit, we'll be impressed.

Anyway, it's all talk for now and dude has been saying this forever so we'll see. Until then, you can look forward to another "Star Wars" 3D re-release in theaters next year. That's the George Lucas we know....

Watch: 'Snow White And The Huntsman' Stars Charlize Theron & Chris Hemsworth Talk Characters, Costumes & More

Drew Taylor — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:28:55 GMT

One of the big reasons that moviegoers -- all boosted by the film's killer trailers -- will be turning out in droves this weekend to see Universal's "Snow White and the Huntsman" this Friday are the stars, with the picture stocked with of-the-moment hotness. Its three leads are "Twilight" franchise star Kristen Stewart as the fairest in the land, Snow White; Chris Hemsworth, currently smashing the box office records to smithereens as Thor in Joss Whedon's superhero free-for-all "The Avengers" as the titular huntsman; and Charlize Theron, as the vainglorious evil queen Ravenna (and she's appearing in Ridley Scott's sci-fi spectacle "Prometheus" opening next week).

In a dazzling feat of technological derring-do, we got to participate in a Google+ hangout session with Theron and Hemsworth from the film's press junket in England (that's a real castle behind them), wherein they talked about their approach to the characters, what they took from the original Disney animated "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," their amazing costumes and more. We've included the full interviews below, which you can browse at your leisure. Both actors are really charming and engaging and Hemsworth in particular seems bowled over by his amazing year (he also had "Cabin in the Woods," the Whedon-produced horror flick, open this spring after eons in the vault). The interviews are fun and fizzy and if you've a coffee break to fill, they're a nice way to get primed for the movie.

"Snow White and the Huntsman" opens on June 1st.

Paul Schrader Wants To Know How You Think 'The Canyons' Should Look; Cites 'Fallen Angels' & 'Heartbeats' As Visual Look Of Indie Pics Today

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:56:27 GMT

As Paul Schrader's indie "The Canyons" continues to develop and prepare to roll in front of cameras this summer, the filmmaker and the team behind the film have taken a very active and involved online approach in making the movie. A casting call for the lead roles went out online, and earlier this month a Kickstart initiative was put in place for the last leg of financing for the film, and it has already exceeded the $100,000 goal with flying colors. And now, Schrader wants some input on how the the film should look.

The director hit the film's Facebook page yesterday and gave some pretty fascinating insight on where he sees indie filmmaking these days in terms of the visual approach, citing two very different, yet somewhat similar films. Here's what he had to say:

THE CANYONS. The material is classic BEE. Character driven, dialogue driven, explicit in word if not action. Two visual poles are emerging in the low budget world: on one side, Wong Kar Wai's Fallen Angeles [sic]. On the other Xavier Dolan's Heartbeats. Both styles mix approaches, use hand held, work economically. Both are composed as opposed to faux verite. You could distinquish them by saying Fallen Angels aspires to the characters' POV, Heartbeat to the director's. A third path? Better examples from the micro budget world? Paul S.

From what we gather from what he's saying, these days it's easier to make compositionally accomplished movies on a dime, particularly with continually decreasing costs of shooting digital (which he plans to do on "The Canyons"), and it seems he's looking to fill his Netflix queue with movies to watch to help get inspired. But the subject matter of his picture will likely also inform what kind tactic he takes behind the camera. Penned by Bret Easton Ellis, the film will follow a small group of Los Angeles twenty-somethings -- Christian, Ryan Tara, Gina and Lindsay -- trying to make it in the Hollywood biz. Needless to say, power, sex and ambition all collide as the stories unfold.

Production is slated to begin in June. Any advice for Paul? Head over to Facebook and drop him a line or let us know what movies you think he should watch to prepare. We think Steven Soderbergh's "The Girlfriend Experience" might be a good place to start.

Exclusive: Poster & Theatrical Tour Dates For 'Bindlestiffs' Presented By Kevin Smith's SModcast Pictures

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:15:00 GMT

While Kevin Smith begins to wind down his directing career, he's combining his experience in the industry, online savvy and massive following and putting that energy into his new SModcast Pictures distribution shingle. Using the template established by "Red State," Smith plans to acquire films and present them in a roadshow/touring format in theaters around the country before they get released to VOD and DVD. And for his first release, he's picked up an indie film that will certain benefit from his support.

This year's Slamdance Audience Award winner, "Bindlestiffs," will hit the road in June before landing on VOD at the end of the month, and we've got the exclusive poster for the film below, which gives a pretty good sense of the spirit it will be bringing to the big screen. Directed by Andrew Edison, the story centers on three virginal high school boys who get suspended from school and flee the city to live out the plot of "The Catcher In The Rye," and get into some trouble along the way. The SModcast presentation will include Q&As with Kevin Smith and filmmakers Andrew Edison and Luke Loftin after each screening and it will make stops on both coasts of the country and indie film-friendly Austin as well. Click here for more info on showtimes and to buy tickets.

You can check out full synopsis, poster and theatrical dates below. If it doesn't come near you, don't worry -- "Bindlestiffs" will be available on VOD on June 19th.

Three underage, virgin, prep-school misfits, suspended on a bogus graffiti charge, flee to the inner city in an attempt to live the plot of The Catcher in the Rye – a book they have neither read, much less understand. This motion picture graphically portrays their noble quest to surrender their virginities (as well as shed their sobriety and sanity) to the encountered gatekeepers of “real experience”: vagrants, prostitutes, and crack fiends. Hot on their tail is Charlie, a paranoid, deranged security guard, who, convinced that they plan to stage a school shooting, aims to shut them down and save his piece of America.

THEATRICAL TOUR:
June 12th
New York City – Cinema 123

June 13th
Philadelphia – Ritz East Theatre

June 17th
San Antonio – Park North, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

June 18th Austin – South Lamar, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Early Reviews Say 'Prometheus' Impresses Visually, But Not All Agree The Movie Delivers

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:30:25 GMT

"Prometheus" has landed. The highly anticipated return to sci-fi by Ridley Scott and the quasi "Alien" prequel is opening in theaters overseas today, and the first reviews from the trades and a handful of papers have arrived. And for the most part it seems the wait has been worth it, while a few argue that while the spectacle on screen is impressive, the movie doesn't have the substance to back it up.

On the positive end of the spectrum, The Telegraph is ecstatic, saying the film is "majestic to look at in every way, and wild enough that many of the opening-night crowd -- this viewer included -- will be right back for seconds." Meanwhile, the London Evening Standard has run an early response in advance of a full review that sums up their feelings by calling it "a great ride back to 'Alien' territory as Ridley Scott triumphantly return to space." ScreenDaily is equally enthused saying that Scott hit the bullseye and "it is clear his striking sense of vision, drama and excitement fits perfectly with the genre and he has delivered a film that is already one of the most anticipated titles of the summer and should thrill, challenge and provoke audiences ready for his signature brand of intelligent and visceral film-making."

But not everyone agrees, with the trades in particular coming down a bit on the movie, wishing it had delivered even more. THR trumpets the technical achievements but says the "visually stunning return to science-fiction by Ridley Scott caters too much to audience expectations when more imaginative boldness would have taken it further." Variety is even harsher, saying the movie "remains earthbound in narrative terms, forever hinting at the existence of a higher intelligence without evincing much of its own."

But it's the Guardian that splits the difference between the positive and negative reviews, saying: "It is a muddled, intricate, spectacular film, but more or less in control of all its craziness and very watchable. It lacks the central killer punch of Alien; it doesn't have its satirical brilliance and its tough, rationalist attack on human agency and human guilt. But there's a driving narrative impulse, and, however silly, a kind of idealism, a sense that it's exciting to make contact with whatever's out there."

All this to say, we still can't wait to see it with our own eyeballs. "Prometheus" opens in the U.S. on June 8th.

Director Carl Franklin to Helm Corrupt Cop Drama 'City Of Night'

Charlie Schmidlin — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:45:00 GMT

Most recently plying his wares on TV shows such as Starz's “Magic City” and HBO's “The Pacific,” director Carl Franklin has decided to step back into the cinematic arena where he got his start, nine years after he directed the Denzel Washington actioner “Out of Time,” for a dose of shady business with the law.

Deadline reports Franklin has signed on to direct “City of Night,” an L.A.-set thriller written by David Chisholm, best known for writing the Fred Savage film “The Wizard,” peculiarly enough. 'City' follows Emmett Conlin, a rookie cop aspiring to rise through the LAPD ranks through its toughest crime units, until he faces a veteran corrupt cop eager to bring him down. Emmett then becomes the target of a psychological betrayal from within the department, and soon he doesn't know who to trust, or where to run.

The film is purported to be “in the tradition of 'LA Confidential' and 'The Departed,'” but obviously it appears the filmmakers are trying to stop the name of “Training Day” from entering the mix, since their storyline and characters basically reek of it from top to bottom. Still, Franklin has had a knack for taking well-worn premises and turning them new in the past. His underrated 1992 film “One False Move” is a simple cops and robbers narrative, but fortified with adept performances and some fantastically handled tension and racial subtext. “Devil in a Blue Dress” did similar justice to a standard private eye story as well, so look for Franklin to find some new twist to the project, as pedestrian as it may first seem.

Principal photography on “City of Night” should begin sometime this year.

Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg Say 'World's End' Is "Social Sci-Fi" And About "Revolution"; Pegg Says Khan Is Not The Villain In 'Star Trek 2'

Benjamin Wright — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:23:00 GMT

Word that “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” filmmaker Edgar Wright would be reuniting with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost to complete their “Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy” with “The World’s End” surprised many of us when the news arrived back at the beginning of May. All three creative minds have been very busy with a variety of projects since "Hot Fuzz," but with lensing set to begin in September, Wright and Pegg are beginning to tease out what fans can expect from their next collaboration.

Talking with go-to cinema periodical Empire in their native U.K., while the new film appears to be more mature than “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” Wright contends that “I would say it's darker, more personal and more silly." The movie is set to follow a pub crawl involving Gary King (Pegg) and four childhood friends (one of whom will be Nick Frost as a character named Andy Knight), while an apocalyptic event is taking place. Pegg added that the movie involves "a crawl through twelve pubs, culminating in the final one, which is ‘The World's End.’ " Though curiously enough, Pegg calls the film more “social sci-fi,” encouraging readers to “"look it up on Wikipedia and then bone up on John Christopher and John Wyndham." So while 'Shaun' was a zombie comedy, and “Hot Fuzz” was a English countryside version of a Michael Bay film, could “The World’s End” riff on “The Tripods” and “The Day Of The Triffids” to go the alien invasion route?

Adding a bit more to think about, Pegg tells The Telegraph, “We’ve said in our most lofty moments that 'Shaun Of The Dead' was about evolution – it was about Shaun becoming something more than he was. 'Hot Fuzz' was about devolution – it was about [super-cop] Nick Angel dumbing himself down to become something else. And 'World’s End' is about revolution, which will be apparent when you see it.” Intriguing....

While production waits until September, Pegg finishes up work on the highly-anticipated “Star Trek 2” where there has been a lot of talk about Benedict Cumberbatch’s villain role. He's “not just another disgruntled alien. It’s a really interesting… sort of… thing” Pegg said about the baddie. So is he Khan? Some folks just can’t let it go, with rumor once again cropping up in recent weeks, but Pegg candidly states: “It’s not Khan. That’s a myth. Everyone’s saying it is, but it’s not.” So while we’d like to hope that’s definitive enough, speculators are going to speculate until they see the final result.

Looks like plenty of science fiction is in the cards for our merry band of 'Cornetto' creatives, and frankly we can’t wait.

The Essentials: 5 Great Howard Hawks Films

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:56:00 GMT

We love a chamelonic director here at The Playlist, and Howard Hawks was one of the first, and one of the best. Across a 55-year career that spanned silents and talkies, black-and-white and color, Hawks tackled virtually every genre under the sun, often turning out films that still stand as among the best in that style. Romantic comedy? Two of the finest ever. War? "To Have And Have Not" and "Sergeant York," the latter of which won him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination (though he did win an Honorary Award in 1975, two years before his death). Science-fiction? The much ripped-off "The Thing From Another World." Gangster movies? "Scarface," which practically invented a whole genre. From film noir and melodrama to Westerns and musicals, Hawks took them all in his stride.

The filmmaker famously said that the secret to a good movie was "three great scenes and no bad ones," and he hit that target many times. The director was born 116 years ago today, on May 30th, 1896, and to commemmorate the occasion, we've picked out five films that we consider to be the very finest that he ever made. We could have gone on and on, so we're sure you'll disagree -- let us know your own favorites in the comments section below.

"Bringing Up Baby" (1938)
Boy meets girl. Girl stalks boy in order to get him to look after her leopard. Girl falls in love with boy who's about to get married. Girl's dog steals dinosaur bone. Leopard runs away. Boy and girl sent to prison. Boy ends up in a dress. Boy falls in love with girl. Not exactly a Garry Marshall movie, as far as romantic comedies go, but so much the better. Howard Hawks' 1938 film neatly followed the template established by "It Happened One Night" in setting up a boy and a girl -- in this case soon-to-be-wed paleontologist David (Cary Grant) and prototypical Manic Pixie Dream Girl heiress Susan (Katharine Hepburn) -- to bicker and flirt across a series of adventures before falling in love at the end. But the formula was never quite as perfect as it was here, in part because Hawks retained what's so often absent in romantic comedies today. Simply, "Bringing Up Baby" is one of the funniest films ever made, riding the outstanding chemistry between Grant and Hepburn, each arguably giving the performance of their careers, through a series of uproarious set pieces. But as funny as the film is, Grant and Hepburn's courtship feels genuinely hard won, and you don't question the way that Grant's defenses gradually come down. It's also unusually subversive, especially for the era -- Grant is increasingly feminized, even to the point of ending up in a dress ("Because I just went gay all of a sudden!"), while Hepburn was always one of the more masculine starlets, and it's her that's doing the pursuing. The film was something of a failure at the box office, and Hawks was released from his contract at RKO as a a result, but history is firmly on his side on this one.

"Only Angels Have Wings" (1939)
Significantly overshadowed by some of his other films of the era, these days at least, "Only Angels Have Wings" might be one of Hawks' very finest pictures. It's a big, broad melodrama set among the men of a tiny, struggling mail air service in South America, who take risky flights over the Andes daily. As it opens, the men, including Geoff (Cary Grant) and his best friend Kid (Thomas Mitchell) are callously talking about the death of a colleague, but we soon discover it's the only way they can cope with a job that means that every flight could be their last. Things are heightened with a group of new arrivals. There's Bonnie (Jean Arthur), a singer who takes a shine to Geoff, and than there's Bat (Richard Barthelmess), along with his wife Judy (a breakthrough role for Rita Hayworth). Bat's loathed by the others after he bailed on a crashing plane, leaving Kid's brother to die, but Geoff needs pilots, and hires him, putting him only on the most dangerous routes. It's a heady dramatic mix, but Hawks gives the interplay between Arthur and Grant real spark and complexity, and when the hyper-masculine fronts of the actors slip -- from Bat's redemption, to Geoff breaking down at the death of his friend -- it's genuinely moving. The flight sequences still thrill 73 years on (it was one of the nominees for the very first Special Effects Oscars, although was beaten by "The Rains Came") and the performances across the board are terrific. A lost classic that more than deserves to have its reputation boosted, "Only Angels Have Wings" is well worth seeking out.

"His Girl Friday" (1940)
Much attention has (rightfully) been paid to the whiplash-inducing dialogue and the fizzy chemistry between leads Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in Hawks' version of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s oft-adapted stage play “The Front Page” (which had already been made once before, and would be remade by Billy Wilder in 1974, and bastardized in 1988's "Switching Channels"). Breezing past the page-a-minute average of most screenplays, the adaptation by Charles Lederer, follows editor Walter Burns (Grant), who hopes to stop ex-wife and star reporter Hildy Johnson (Russell) from leaving town to get remarried by getting her to cover the story of an upcoming execution. Hawks' film got an injection of energy from switching the two main characters from a pair of male journalists to feuding exes played by Grant and Russell, a pairing that matches Grant's work with both Hepburns and Irene Dunne for sheer fire. The romance is as fast-paced as the dialogue, but viewers shouldn’t overlook the contributions of the Greek chorus of journalists, including Porter Hall, Cliff Edwards and Roscoe Karns, who add character and a bit of authenticity (there's also great support by Helen Mack, as the girlfriend of the soon-to-be-executed man). But it is the Grant & Russell show, and the gags fly so fast between them that you couldn't possibly hope to catch them all the first time around. That, and the fact that its satire of the journalism trade remains entirely bang-on today, explains why it's a comedy that's only grown in stature over the years.

"The Big Sleep" (1946)
Having already played one of the great screen P.I.'s, Sam Spade, in 1941's "The Maltese Falcon," Humphrey Bogart took a swing at another five years later, by taking on the mantle of Philip Marlowe in an adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep." And you couldn't ask for a better group of collaborators, with a script by William Faulkner and Leigh Brackett, and a reunion with both his director and co-star from "To Have And Have Not," Howard Hawks and Lauren Bacall. Even today, the plot remains terrifyingly complex (to the extent that when the filmmakers contacted Chandler to ask who killed the chauffeur, they were told that the writer didn't know either), but essentially, it follows Marlowe, as he is hired by the wealthy General Sternwood (Charles Waldron) to resolve some family gambling debts, only to become emtangled with blackmail, murder and the General's femme fatale daughter Vivian (Bacall). While the film doesn't make a ton of sense (it was partially gutted by a need to adhere to the Production Code), it's also a glorious puzzle box to dig into. The seedy world that Hawks creates, thanks to great character actors like Elisha Cook Jr., is also a deeply weird one -- there's something almost Lynchian in the way that Marlowe has to trawl deeper and deeper into the mire. It's beautifully paced too, with some of the greatest black & white photography ever (courtesy of the great Sidney Hickox). But above and beyond anything else, the thing you'll never forget is Bogart and Bacall. The two were only recently married when they shot the picture, and even more so than on "To Have Or Have Not," you're looking at two people who can't wait for the director to call cut so they can go home and fuck each other's brains out. In fact, the studio asked for reshoots to add more provocative scenes of the pair, and as one can see from the original version (which was restored and re-released in 1997), it's one case where the studio was absolutely right to interfere.

"Rio Bravo" (1959)
The ever-diverse Hawks went to the Western well several times, and while his excellent (though perhaps overly indebted to John Ford) "Red River" has many fans, it says something that in the last years of his life, he loosely remade his 1959 film "Rio Bravo" not once (1966's "El Dorado"), but twice (1970's "Rio Lobo"). The original (which also inspired John Carpenter's "Assault On Precinct 13") might be relatively frothy, but it's also as fine, and purely entertaining, an action Western as was ever made. The set-up is simple: Sheriff John T. Chance (a seminal turn by John Wayne) and his drunken deputy Dude (Dean Martin) arrest Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) for murder, and find themselves under siege by the killer's brother, rancher Nathan, and his men, with only gunslinger Colorado (Ricky Nelson, in a part originally intended for Elvis Presley) to help. The action is positively crackling, still holding up today, but it's the character interplay and atmosphere that are really worth watching. Among the highlights is Wayne's stiffness and pride being worn down as he falls for Feathers (Angie Dickinson), while gradually accepting that he can be helped by the motley group around him, and Martin (in his best screen role by about a million miles) facing up to the responsibility he long since abandoned. It's funny too (perhaps one of the reasons some find the more po-faced "Red River" superior), and includes a couple of songs that never feel extraneous. There are issues here, mainly in the shape of Nelson, who's flat and uncharismatic, clearly cast in order to appeal to a younger generation, and sticking out like a sore thumb. But for the most part, Hawks is on top form with his compositions -- which hardly ever include close-ups, really amping up the claustrophobia -- and his handling of the action showing a master at the top of his game. If we'd made "Rio Bravo," we might have made it twice more too.

Watch: Dazzling 2-Minute Behind The Scenes Steadicam Shot From ‘Hugo’

Charlie Schmidlin — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:39:00 GMT

Although Martin Scorsese’s ode to the wonders of cinema, “Hugo,” was seen as something of a financial failure, there’s no denying the absolute artistry on display in every frame. Scorsese took the medium of 3D and surpassed every other film in its use, while also using the format to comment on the way movies transport us from our daily lives. However, a behind-the-scenes clip has recently surfaced which shows exactly how much effort it took to provide that transportation, and it is truly astounding. Spoilers for those who haven’t seen the film!

Taken from a GoPro camera atop the actual camera during the film’s final shot, the clip winds its way through the celebration for George Melies’ (Ben Kingsley) career encore, and also stands as an expert showcase for every cast and crew member in the process. Boom mics sway in and out of conversations, pieces of sets are detached to make room for crew, and of course there are the actors, such as Chloe Moretz, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Emily Mortimer, all hitting their marks impeccably.

Special distinction must be also given to Steadicam operator Larry McConkey, who attached the GoPro in the first place, and lets out a truly exhausted sigh when the shot ends. Scorsese can be heard commenting on the tiny camera as well, questioning McConkey about it too, but eventually he lets out his signature laugh once he finds out what the situation is. Good on him though, because otherwise this indispensable look into the filmmaking process wouldn’t have been possible, as well as this glimpse back on a fantastic film. [via Reddit]

David Goyer Teases "Lump In My Throat" Ending For 'The Dark Knight Rises'; Christopher Nolan Talks Con-woman, Grifter Catwoman

Benjamin Wright — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:18:37 GMT

It may be foggy now, but if memory serves us right, people reacted pretty kindly to helmer Christopher Nolan’s introduction to his own Batman world with 2005’s “Batman Begins.” While director Tim Burton delivered the comic book goods in 1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s marvelously underrated “Batman Returns” – with Joel Schumacher ratcheting up the comic book excess to an unnecessary degree with “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin” – Nolan introduced a darker tint to the superhero than we'd had before, and would later lead “The Dark Knight” to become a box office sensation in 2008.

So it’s strange to think that Nolan might be self-conscious about any of the choices he has made during his lucrative run at the series so far, but as he recently told Empire (who have also unveiled a few new images), the inclusion of one feline-loving baddie had him second guessing himself. Though it was brother and “The Dark Knight Rises” co-writer Jonathan Nolan who insisted that "what we're endeavoring to do here is tell a complete take on the Batman mythos. And a complete take of the Batman mythos without the character for me was sacrilegious." He continued, "You've gotta have her, because she has a delicious greyness to her that helps define who Batman is. She keeps wavering on this line of, 'Is she a good guy or a bad guy?' Well, she's kind of neither. And that's why, to me, that relationship and that character only enhances the universe — and the Batman character."

Well everything we’ve seen so far in the numerous trailers for 'Rises' continues to assure us that Ms. Selina Kyle certainly makes for a morally ambiguous character in the form of Catwoman – as fans of the comics or “Batman Returns” will certainly recall. "Catwoman is a very iconic figure in the Batman pantheon," Christopher Nolan added. "I was nervous about how she would fit into our world. But [Jonathan] was very much convinced that there would be a great way to do it and eventually turned me around. Once I got my head around the idea of looking at that character through the prism of our films, saying, 'Who could that person be in real life?' we figured it out. She's a bit of a con-woman, something of a grifter. A hard-edged kind of criminal."

Seeming as he’s interpreted his saga in a vision that’s been deeply rooted in realism, and while they certainly didn’t start on such a serious-minded villain run with Liam Neeson’s not-quite-real-world Henry Ducard (aka Ra’s al Ghul), Nolan certainly got things on track with his Joker character in “The Dark Knight” which leaned more towards international terrorist than the laugh-a-minute prankster of yore. Also, since female characters are generally relegated to minor parts in this sort of comic book fare (i.e. Black Widow in “The Avengers,” Rachel Dawes in Nolan’s first Batman films) perhaps Nolan wasn’t sure about how such a dominant female character would fit into the world of his Batman movies.

Outside of these snippets, there’s no shortage of “The Dark Knight Rises” talk in Empire, with screenwriter David Goyer also addressing the rumors about the possible ending of Nolan's series of Batman movies. “The final scene of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is exactly [the] scene we talked about [when Christopher Nolan and I started the trilogy with 'Batman Begins']. It remained completely unchanged. We both knew in our hearts that we were onto something special. I have to tell you, having finally seen everything strung together a little while ago and seeing that scene, I got a complete lump in my throat,” he teased. While many have speculated as to how “The Dark Knight Rises” will end – some even predicting the death of our hero – when Empire pushed Goyer for comment on whether it would be “commercial sacrilege” he simply replied “Yup! That’s why it’s ****ing exciting!”

As a key creative mind in helping Nolan string together the first two films and 'Rises,' is Goyer perhaps speaking out of a turn and a little too soon? After all, we still have a long haul to make it to the July release date, but then again we assume we’d be pretty excited -- and tearful -- if a ten-year vision of ours was being brought to a conclusion as well. We’ll see how it all plays out on July 20th, when all our questions will be answered. [via MTV/ScreenRant]

Exclusive: Clip From Jean-Marc Barr & Pascal Arnold's 'Sexual Chronicles Of A French Family'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:05:00 GMT

For most parents, finding out their child has been caught not only masturbating in class but filming it as well, would be the beginning and end of the conversation as they decide what kind of punishment would fit the crime. But for filmmaking team Jean-Marc Barr (who plays Jack Kerouac in the upcoming "Big Sur") and Pascal Arnold, the incident sparks a much different outcome.

"Sexual Chronicles Of A French Family" is exactly what the title implies, and in the exclusive clip below, we see the sequence that kicks off what turns out to be an erotic awakening for three generations of relatives, who begin to (re)discover their sexual desires. Sounds like charged, yet fascinating stuff and the film is certainly arriving right on time, just as the summer heat is beginning to get turned up. If you like what you seee, IFC Midnight will release the film for viewing in the comfort of your own home on VOD starting Friday, June 1st or if you're in New York City, you can see it at the IFC Center. Check out the full synopsis and clip below:

After getting caught filming himself masturbating in biology class, Romain unwittingly breaks through his family’s treatment of sex as a taboo subject matter. The incident triggers his mother, Claire, to open a dialogue with the family, encouraging them to explore their sexuality more freely and openly. As each of these family members push the boundaries of their sensuality, SEXUAL CHRONICLES OF A FRENCH FAMILY paints a portrait of three generations taking their next steps in life.

'Braveheart' Writer Randall Wallace To Direct 'The Conscientious Objector'

Joe Cunningham — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:43:01 GMT

Oscar nominated back in 1996 for his "Braveheart" script, but Razzie nominated six years later for writing "Pearl Harbor," it's probably fair to say that Randall Wallace writes a particular type of Hollywood script with varying levels of success. In the role of director, however, his films are much more reliably mediocre. His three efforts behind the camera -- "The Man in the Iron Mask," "We Were Soldiers" and "Secretariat" -- are all fairly competent, if far from thrilling films, so it's kinda hard to get excited about a new Randall Wallace picture.

Wallace has signed to direct the awfully titled "The Conscientious Objector" for Walden Media. The film will again see Wallace mine the second World War for the big screen, and will tell the story of Desmond Doss who was a medic and the first conscientious objector (he became a medic because he refused to carry a weapon in combat) to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"Get Low" director Aaron Schneider had originally been attached to the project, but Wallace seems like a much more natural fit to us. The script was written by a Pulitzer Prize winner in the form of Robert Schenkkan, but hey, so was "John Carter," and we all know how that turned out. He also penned episodes of "The Pacific" and "The Quiet American." It all sounds fairly average to us, but we're totally willing to be won over by it when it makes its way to theatres. You won't find many people excited about it until then though. [The Wrap]

Back From The Dead? 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' Reshoots Add More Channing Tatum

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:22:00 GMT

Man, you gotta kind of be feeling for Paramount and their seemingly cursed "G.I. Joe" franchise. The first film by Stephen Sommers was a disappointment, to say the least, taking in a modest $300 million worldwide (not a great figure when the budget not including P&A was $175 million) but worst of all, it failed to capture the imagination of the fanboys in the first place. Nevertheless, a brand is a brand is a brand, and the studio forged ahead with a sequel, upping the ante with stars like Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis, but in what will be regarded as one of the worst decisions to be made in recent memory, they decided to kill off Channing Tatum early on in the movie. But with the late-stage decision to push the flick to 2013 under the cover of converting it to 3D, the studio is hoping to put some Tatum sauce back on their blockbuster steak.

Deadline reports that according to their insiders, test screenings for the movie found that audiences wanted more bro-time between The Rock and The Tatum and they were asking for 3D (though the latter request sounds like something the studio made up). So what's the plan? More Tatum. And it's hardly a surprise. The actor has two big hits under his belt in 2012 with "The Vow" and "21 Jump Street" and will likely score another big opening with "Magic Mike" in the next few weeks. Apparently, a week of reshoots has already happened adding more Captain Duke Hauser, but you have to imagine the studio is kicking themselves for tossing a young rising box office star out of their tentpole. Oops. Deadline suggests that "the movie is being reworked" with implication that Tatum won't necessarily be killed off. Maybe he'll get an ambiguous death to keep the door open for a return later on?

The studio's nerves are apparently also frayed after watching "Battleship" and "John Carter" run aground domestically, but they are hoping that 3D job can help boost international ticket sales, which is where they think the movie will make some big coin. However, we're not sure how that thinking makes sense considering "G.I. Joe: Rise Of The Cobra" made pretty much the same both at home and abroad. But with a smaller budget -- said to be around $130 million after 3D conversion, though lord knows they're going to have market this thing all over again -- the task of making a profit might be slightly easier. But at least this whole thing has been a boon for eBay hounds. Savvy buyers who have snapped up movie tie-in toys that were out early on shelves at Walmart, Toys R Us and Target are expected to make a mint selling them online to collectors who just can't wait. Hooray for the economy.

Either way, it all seems a bit sad/desperate but abandoning a prime summer release date is not a decision taken lightly. We'll see if Paramount can right the ship when the movie lands next spring on March 29, 2013.

Lifetime Developing 'Silence Of The Lambs' Spinoff Series 'Clarice'

Cain Rodriguez — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:01:00 GMT

TV shows based on films are nothing new, and although many are cynical cash grabs that disappear after a few seasons, a few have transcended their material and become great shows in their own right (see: "M*A*S*H*"). But that ratio hasn't stopped Hollywood from continuing to try, and with shows coming up based on "The Transporter," "Taken" and "The Kids Are All Right" you can now throw one more onto the pile.

TV Guide is reporting that Lifetime is rolling the dice on a drama based on the Clarice Starling character that was made famous by Jodie Foster’s Academy Award-winning turn in the 1991 adaptation of “The Silence Of The Lambs” (which itself is based on the book by Thomas Harris). The show will follow the titular character right after she graduates from the FBI academy.

But Lifetime’s isn’t the only TV show being adapted from Thomas Harris’ series of Hannibal Lecter novels. It’s been previously reported that NBC took the unusual step of skipping the pilot stage and ordering thirteen episodes of “Hannibal,” a one-hour drama series that will follow both Lecter and his FBI agent counterpart Will Graham (previously played by William Petersen and Edward Norton in “Manhunter” and “Red Dragon,” respectively). The NBC show will reportedly not include the Clarice Starling character, instead focusing on the origin of the serial killer. Currently, there’s no word on when the shows will appear on the airwaves, but one would assume that they could arrive as early as next year. Let's just hope at least one of these is worth tuning in for.

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' Director Tomas Alfredson Planning 'The Brothers Lionheart'

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:39:00 GMT

Despite the critical acclaim and modest box office success of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," director Tomas Alfredson hasn't been attached to many -- or any -- movies in the way you might expect. His name was briefly on the shortlist for "Catching Fire" and his adaptation of Philip Reeves' "Larklight" is still brewing, though when we spoke with him at the end of last year, he wasn't sure where on his schedule that might be. But it seems another project has caught his attention, one based on a book, and the helmer quietly hit Cannes earlier in the month to drum up interest.

Alfredson has snapped up the rights to Astrid Lindgren's "The Brothers Lionheart" and together with producer Peter Pjodor Gustafsson, is pulling the pieces together for the $30 million dollar movie. The story follows two brothers -- the heroic, brave and strong Karl and his polar opposite Jon -- who both die, but are reunited in the afterworld Nangijala that is under threat from cruel tyrant. The beloved book has been made into a movie before, in 1977 by Olle Hellborn, but as you can see from the trailer below, there's room for it to updated to the 21st century. John Ajvide Lindqvist, who adapted "Let The Right One In," is penning the screenplay.

There's no word yet on if Alfredson will solely produce or direct the film as well, but we assume if he's snapping up the rights he plans to get behind the camera. It's an interesting gear change for the director who certainly push his way into meetings for higher profile Hollywood pics if he wanted. But with "Larklight," he's shown a keen interest in telling a fantasy story with children, and something like "The Brothers Lionheart" should at least allow him the total creative control he might not get elsewhere. But all this will depend on financing, so we'll see if he can raise the funds he needs to get it off the ground. [ScreenDaily/DN]

Watch: Anne Hathaway Dreams A Dream In First Trailer For 'Les Miserables'

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:47:12 GMT

Anne Hathaway is about to have a pretty good few months. The actress has been consistently charming, diverse and impressive on screen, but of late her showcases, from hosting a botched Oscars to films like "Love And Other Drugs" and "One Day," haven't quite worked, even if she's been pretty good in them. But in a couple of months, she's got the plum role of Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises," which is likely to win over the hearts and loins of the geek community.

And when Christmas comes, she has a key supporting role in one of the big Oscar hopefuls, musical "Les Miserables," from "The King's Speech" director Tom Hooper. And while her part is smaller than some of her co-stars, like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks, she's front-and-center in the first trailer, which debuted this morning over at Bing, suggesting that an awards campaign is certainly in the works for the actress.

The clip is scored by Hathaway, as Fantine, singing one of the film's signature tunes, "I Dreamed A Dream" (as made famous of late by Susan Boyle), over footage showing most of the cast. And it looks very handsome, certainly, with impressive scope and performances that look like they could be heading in the right direction. We're glad that Hooper doesn't seem to be taking the Rob Marshall let's-just-do-the-musical-numbers-on-a-stage approach, but he's still bringing his signature style to the film, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether you found the extreme close-ups and look-at-me camera angles of "The King's Speech" fresh or distracting.

Still, this could have been much less promising: the brief snippets here are cinematic and powerful. We'll find out if the film works out when it hits theaters on December 7th.

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Watch: Video For Jay-Z & Kanye West's 'No Church In The Wild' Directed By Romain Gavras

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 30 May 2012 00:46:40 GMT

Director Romain Gavras is no stranger to helming provocative material, being the man behind M.I.A.'s redhead killing "Born Free" and the helmer of "Notre Jour Viendre" but he's upping the stakes for "No Church In The Wild," the latest single from the team up of Jay-Z and Kanye West.

After soundtracking trailers for "Safe House" and "The Great Gatsby" you'd think this song already had a spot, but alas it hasn't, so the creative team has looked back over the events of the the year or so and decided to appropriate the revolutionary spirit and imagery that rose up in the Middle East, dawned on Occupy Wall Street and is currently being felt in the month long plus protests in Montreal to sell hip hop records for millionaire musicians. Hooray. There is something a bit galling and even a bit lazy about all of this, with Yeezy and Hova dropping their smooth flow over some pretty violent imagery that isn't directed with much flair to begin with, unless slo-motion is your bag. But then again, this isn't the first time Jay-Z has tried to make a buck off a grassroots movement. Anyway, give it a whirl below.

Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch & Garrett Hedlund In The Mix For Finnick Odair In 'Catching Fire'

Kevin Jagernauth — Tue, 29 May 2012 23:27:55 GMT

Well, with Robert Pattinson putting paid to rumors that he was in the race for the role of Finnick Odair in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," let the shortlist stories commence!

The folks over at E! have heard that Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch and Garrett Hedlund are "the top three names being bantered about" at the studio as they hope to lock down a casting decision this week. Whether that means formal overturns have been made or if it's all wishlist at this point remains to be seen, but it's an interesting bunch to be sure. Hammer is already a co-lead in next year's "The Lone Ranger" opposite Johnny Depp so joining the second installment of a franchise would be...odd. As for Kitsch, he's already seen two big movies with his name attached run aground -- "John Carter" and "Battlehship." So perhaps chalk this one up to the power of his agents for keeping his name being talked about, but if the offer comes his way, he might want to consider accepting it. Finally, Hedlund led "Tron: Legacy" without much fanfare but did show he has chops to spare in "On The Road" and of the three seems to make the most sense. But here's the thing...

...E! is also hearing that the studio might go with a total unknown. So what does this all mean? Nobody really knows anything. Lionsgate is staying typically mum as are the reps, so who knows? But what do the fans think? Are any of these guys a good fit for Finnick? Who would you like to see in the role?