Jori's Entertainment Journal

Another The Dark Knight Rises Banner Released Mimics Iconic Pose

2012-05-25T18:01:00.001+08:00

Here we go. Another Banner is released featuring Batman himself. This time striking an iconic pose that all Batman fans (or even some non fans) will definitely recognize. See the banner after the jump.

New Banner with Batman striking the iconic Batman pose

iconic batman pose

Looks like Warner Bros. is picking up their momentum on releasing these marketing materials and so far they are releasing a bunch of good ones. Though to some they still look boring, but maybe this is due to the fact that The Dark Knight Rises is still being compared to The Avengers. So I just want to appeal to everyone that The Dark Knight is a different film and for me it is definitely unfair to compare it to The Avengers. I hope we can see and judge The Dark Knight on its own.

Opening in July 19 in Philippine cinemas to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

UPDATE!

Another after publishing, another banner came in featuring Batman and Bane. Not really special me thinks but worth the peek. Here's the banner.

The Dark Knight Rises Releases 4 New Banners and 2 Empire Magazine Covers

2012-05-25T02:46:00.001+08:00

Ok we asked for it and now Warner Bros. is just granting it. More Marketing materials come flowing as 4 new banners comes online and 2 stunning covers for Empire Magazine. Can't really compose myself right now so here are banners in full high resolution just in case you want them to be your new wallpapers or FB covers.

To be honest, I'm not so giddy about the Bats since it is the same suit. I'm actually more excited to see more shots for Catwoman and this new banners and cover are looking good. I think thye Avengers hype is already starting to wear off. Just give it time and we will be on The Dark knight Rises mode.

Opening in July 19 in Philippine cinemas to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The Raven Movie Review

2012-05-24T12:39:00.001+08:00

I'm not a fan of Edgar Allan Poe nor his writings. But what really caught me during all those Humanities and World Literature classes in college is his bizarre death. Ironically but I rather play Sherlock Holmes (which is a Conan Doyle creation) and solve his death. But I never really got a good answer and instead I got a lot and possibly fabricated stories. And this 2012 film The Raven is just one of those stories.

The Raven is a fictionalized account of Edgar Allan Poe's last days. On this film Poe (John Cusack) is a filthy drunkard who already lost his will to write stories that the people use to read on the morning paper. In short, he is close to being a no one. But despite that he still struggles to live his life by writing literary reviews and with a new girlfriend Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve). But as much as all the misfortune is hitting Poe, he still find this predicament of himself ordinary. But not until one day when Baltimore is struck by bizarre killings that mirrors Poe's various literary creations. Now Poe is forced to work with Inspector Fields (Luke Evans) to solve this mystery as he races with time and to save his one and only love.

For a fiction based on real events this movie is just fortunate that this part of Poe's life is almost blank. In other words, everybody can fill it up with anything, either by truth or lies. As compared to all the stories I read, this is the most far fetched but definitely a very entertaining material specially for anybody who likes watching crime mysteries. What is good about this film is, you don't really need to be a fan of Poe's works to enjoy the film because Poe himself is there to tell you the stories. The film is dark, gritty and have enough gore and violence to satisfy audience's taste for blood without being too gruesome. John Cusack once again delivered another excellent job. I'm a big an of his performance in 1408 and considered it as one of my favorites. But now that I saw The Raven, it is definitely my new favorite. But as much as I love how the movie unfolds, the ending is quite very anticlimactic because in contrast to the whole idea of being odd, the ending is too simple and too flat for my taste.

Either way overall I enjoyed the ride. After all, I believe that the journey is more important than the destination. So despite having a weak ending, the story itself is enough for my indulgence. Now showing exclusively in all Ayala cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma), The Raven is from Intrepid Pictures, distributed by Relativity Media.

The Dark Knight Rises 6 New Character Posters Released

2012-05-23T06:37:00.001+08:00

After the abomination of the last poster I posted here in my blog, 6 new character posters are released by Warner Bros. as a rebound set and yes, thise set is way lot better than the one I shared earlier. See the posters after the jump.

INTENATIONAL CHARACTER BANNERS

Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar(R) winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar(R) winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar(R) winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar(R) winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER POSTERS

At last, The Dark Knight Rises is back on the bandwagon. I believe, it is about time for them to go head to head against The Amazing Spider-man. They don't really need to worry about The Avengers because like I always say, they are not on the same boat. Opening in local cinemas on July 19, 2012, to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The Raven Feature: Spotlight on John Cusack

2012-05-23T04:51:00.000+08:00

Acclaimed actor John Cusack portrays Edgar Allan Poe, one of literature's most fascinating authors, in Intrepid Pictures' new stylish, gothic thriller “The Raven.” The film will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma) starting May 23.
When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve) becomes the next target.

Cusack talks about “The Raven” in the following interview:

Q: What made you want to be part of this film and play Edgar Allan Poe?

John Cusack: I really liked James McTeigue. He’s a great director and had a really good vision. People have wanted to do a story about Poe for a long time, but biopics are tough. You can only do so many things with time and have to flash forward or backward. His creative life was so vast, that we thought we could put Poe as a character in his own stories.

The conceit of the story was smart and it allowed us to explore more of his works in a piece of fiction. This is Poe’s version of going mad and other themes he had, but it is also true to the source because he was a great master writer, a master of the English language, and a master poet. He also invented the detective genre, he was the godfather of goth, he wrote satire, and he also did burlesque. The movie got to show all of his sides.

Q: What kind of research did you do to prepare for the role? Was it difficult for you to find personal information?

Cusack: There were no telephones back then, so everyone communicated with letters. The great thing about researching him was that there are so many of his letters, which were incredibly revealing. That’s where you can see that there were very human parts of him and also a side that was at war with the world. He had all of these feelings of despair and loneliness, and a lot of passion.

I read many of the biographies and really liked Peter Ackroyd’s short biography Poe: A Life Cut Short. I immersed myself in Poe’s books, reading all of his stories to really get into him. What I respond to most in his works is when he is writing about that twilight space between waking and dreaming, and life and death. He’s always exploring that twilight space, where he’s attracted to these almost godlike female figures in his life. There is this eternal love mixed with death being in the room.

Q: Was there anything you found particularly interesting or surprising while doing your research?

Cusack: I wasn’t aware that he was conscious of his fame, but he was actually very famous when he was alive. I also didn’t know that he went to West Point and held a swimming record. I didn’t know to the extent that he was at war and competitive with other writers. I knew about his melancholy and sorrow, but I didn’t know about his brittleness and spitefulness. He really did feel like the world was his stage and he must conquer it. He said once that he wouldn’t put up with anyone he could put down. It has been said that he didn’t say one good word about another English writer, living or dead.

He really liked women and liked being adored by women. I think he felt competitive and threatened by men, because he didn’t really have many male friends. Many of the women in his life had died. His mother died in his arms of tuberculosis and he sort of found a step mother in a woman that was a friend of his. She died of tuberculosis too and he married his cousin who also died of tuberculosis. So it was really like he was taking his sorrow and turning it into all of these stories and creativity. When you play someone who is like an icon like this, it can get two dimensional after a while. You think of him as the sad Halloween guy, but when you research the life, you see that he’s writing satire and burlesque and science fiction. He had such a wild and crazy imagination. He was out there.

Q: Do you think The Raven will inspire people to give Edgar Allan Poe’s stories a try after watching the movie?

Cusack: I hope so. If it makes people want to read his stories again, that would be pretty cool. If they read his stories, they will be able to see what we were trying to do.

Q: Seeing as you were friends with Hunter S. Thompson, I was wondering if you thought about Hunter when playing this role? It seemed like you kind of channeled his manic energy in this.

Cusack: I knew Hunter really well and I can see Hunter in Poe. If you read the The Imp of the Perverse, you can see how much it influenced Hunter right there. There is the confessional aspect, with the embracing of the abyss and being drawn almost magnetically to it. There is also the courage to confront your demons in some ways.

Q: What was your fascination with Poe and why do you relate to him?

Cusack: It’s an interesting headspace and he’s an interesting character. We’re all sort of attracted to the abyss. Around Halloween, doesn’t everyone get into the supernatural, ghouls, and the underworld? It’s not something I want to stay in, but it’s a fun place to visit once in a while.

There are not many writers who try to think about what their worst nightmare is. Most people want to wake up and get away from it, but some want to go deeper. He just had this interesting mind and wanted to embrace the nightmare. His romance with the abyss makes him courageous, tragic, and sympathetic. We all have a bit of that in us and I thought it was fun to do for a limited time.

First Look: Taken 2 Movie Stills

2012-05-22T17:50:00.000+08:00

20th Century Fox finally revealed first movie stills from the much awaited sequel Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson as CIA agent Bryan Mills. See the photos after the jump.

Neeson reprises the role of Bryan Mills, a father and an estranged husband who would do anything for his family in the movie. Mills’ daughter having been kidnapped the first time. But he faces a different kind of conflict in “Taken 2.” Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent with a particular set of skills who stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim from Albanian kidnappers. When the father of one of the kidnappers swears revenge, and takes Bryan and his wife hostage during their family vacation in Istanbul, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape, and uses the same advanced level of special forces tactics to get his family to safety and then systematically take out the kidnappers one by one.

Like some friends say, no one really expects a sequel for this movie. But personally speaking I don't have problem with that as long as the plot is well established. And with this plot mentioned above and first movie stills, I think it is looking good so far. So yes, I'm excited to hear and see more about this film and I will be open to say that I'm looking forward to see the film itself.

Opening on October 5 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

The Dark Knight Rises New Poster Looks Familiar

2012-05-22T07:09:00.000+08:00

Warner Bros. Pictures releases a new poster for the Dark Knight Rises. My only problem is it seems that the poster is so familiar. See the poster and judge it for yourself.

The background poster looks exactly like the first teaser poster released last year. And then on the foreground is what it seems to be a poorly photoshoped Batman photo. Ok before the purists reacts and give me some "The Dark Knight Rises has better story" b******t. Yes I agree that the story and plot is the most important aspect of a film, but a film is a visual media and this is what makes it distinct from books. So far, visually speaking The Dark Knight Rises failed to impress me and then now I will get a crappy poster. I dunno what is happening but I'm still hoping for a grand finale for this franchise. I really hope it won't disappoint.

Opening in local cinemas on July 19, 2012, to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The Untold Chapter of Edgar Allan Poe's Life: The Raven

2012-05-22T06:14:00.000+08:00

The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life – and death – in Intrepid Pictures' new stylish, gothic thriller “The Raven” starring John Cusack as the infamous author. The film will be shown soon exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma).

When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve) becomes the next target.

Also starring Brendan Gleeson and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, “The Raven” is directed by James McTeigue (“V For Vendetta”) from a screenplay by Hannah Shakespeare and Ben Livingston.

When a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore, Detective Emmett Fields makes a startling discovery: the crime resembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper—part of a collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar Allan Poe. But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, also inspired by a popular Poe story.

Realizing a serial killer is on the loose using Poe’s writings as the backdrop for his bloody rampage, Fields enlists the author’s help in stopping the attacks. But when it appears someone close to Poe may become the murderer’s next victim, the stakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his own powers of deduction to try to solve the case before it’s too late.

James McTeigue immediately gravitated towards “The Raven's” script when it was brought to him by producer Aaron Ryder who previously worked on similar psychological thrillers as “Memento,” “The Prestige” and “Donnie Darko.” “I knew a little about Edgar Allan Poe, but not massive amounts. I really dug the concept, which was a melding of fact and fiction, with Poe in the middle of his own story. The conceit of the movie is what really attracted me to it.”

The director adds, “We've always the desire to humanize Poe. You don’t want an unsympathetic lead character because then no one can get into the film. Having said that, I didn’t want him to be a choirboy either. Part of the reason to cast John Cusack in it, was because he has a great empathy with audiences. I thought we could show the less desirable aspects of Poe, but still not have the audiences turned off. You can’t really make a film about Poe and not show these demons, which ultimately created all of the great work that he did.”

Premiering exclusively on Ayala Cinemas tomorrow, May 23 from Intrepid Pictures and Relativity Media.

Agent 007 Update: Skyfall Teaser Trailer Released

2012-05-22T04:15:00.001+08:00

Here's the teaser trailer for the latest 007 installment, Skyfall. The teaser features Daniel Craig as Bond being interrogated on an unknown facility (presumably inside MI6) about something called Skyfall. Watch the video and see the early footage included on the teaser.

So far the plot is still sounds ordinary. As a matter of fact, this kind of plot where Bond is accused of something is a common device used on all bond movies and even on most spy themed movies. So what this movie need to show is the story itself and how will it be uniquely executed. Looking forward to hear more about this film on the coming weeks or months.

Opening in local cinemas on October 31, to be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Introducing Weyland Corporation's Pride: USCSS Prometehus

2012-05-22T02:46:00.002+08:00

For Arthur Max, the production designer on PROMETHEUS, visualising the world of the film meant not just creating the alien landscape of the planet the crew visit, but also the Prometheus herself, a highly-technical state-of-the-art spacecraft – the pride of the Weyland Corporation's fleet some 70 years into the future - that the film's human crew call home.

Michael Fassbender couldn't believe the work that had gone into creating the ship's sets. “I don’t think I’m ever going to see anything as impressive as this,” he enthuses. “I remember walking onto the ship on one of the first days and it really felt like I was on the ship. No acting required. And I’m pressing all these buttons, and they all work. The bridge is almost like the heartbeat of the ship showing all the vital signs of the ship. Everything has been thought through.”

Agrees Idris Elba, who plays Captain Janek, the man responsible for flying the ship, “I couldn't fly a spaceship to save my life, but because of the detail involved I'm sat there in front of this console that actually works. You press this button and something happens, that button and something else happens... And the thing about Ridley is he knows everything about the ship. He's designed it in his head and he's designed it to work and that's what makes him so special.”

“There's a mass of visual effects going into this, but we're always trying to do as much practically as possible,” reveals Executive Producer Michael Ellenberg. “That way the VFX are informing and evolving what's already there rather than inventing it from thin air. That's the difference between allowing the future experience to feel believable and real and not. The truth is, doing things with VFX might be a little easier, but actually it's not always cheaper. And if you can build something and allow someone to feel that it's practically real – especially when you're trying to scare them – that's all the better.”

Actor Logan Marshall-Green says the design of the ship, and its layout, feeds into the character motivations that divide the Prometheus's crew. “Everybody is kind of there watching everyone else,” he shares. “And there are these really beautiful duos, if you will. You have Noomi’s character and my character, who really hold on to each other because they are surrounded by people who don’t believe in them and want to destroy them. And then you have Rafe [Spall's] and Sean [Harris's] characters, and you have Charlize [Theron's] and Idris [Elba's] characters. Each duo is kind of watching the rest. Yet it’s not a big crew. It’s a big spaceship, but it doesn’t take that many to run it.”

Summarises Michael Fassbender, who plays David: “Some people are there for the pay. Other people are there to get answers. Other people are there to hopefully attain some sort of secret. Others are there in somewhat of a spite journey. You’ve got all these collective relationships, individuals and motivations and that’s what makes quite intriguing even before the shit hits the fan.”

Production Designer Arthur Max describes the approach to the highly-technical look of the Prometheus. “The first ALIEN movie was taking place on what was basically a mining tug; the Nostromo. It was a very rough and ready rust bucket. Whereas what we’re doing now is the flagship of the Weyland Corporation fleet. It’s cutting edge. I’s got all the technology its owner can afford for space exploration. So it's the best of the fleet rather than the worst, even though it’s just a generation before.”

Costume Designer Janty Yates was responsible for building PROMETHEUS's iconic spacesuit, worn by the crew when they step onto the planet's surface. “It started off with a conversation with Arthur, who showed me all of his wealth of fantastic research,” she remembers. “He said there would be some concept design work in spacesuits, and that they'd be uniforms like in ALIEN. And then Ridley arrived!”

Scott threw out all 16 concept designs Yates had come up with, preferring that she concentrate on something much simpler. Says Yates: “Ridley went, 'Oh, no, that’s too foreign; flight suits and camouflage pants.' I had a couple of concepts that he really loved. The whole script just was screaming out for prototyping.”

Yates focussed on building a spacesuit that was both visually and practically technological. “There's an under suit and there are supposed to be the conduits to monitor the blood systems and the oxygen levels and all that running around your body.” In addition, the helmets feature their own lighting elements, as well as myriad LED screens showing telemetry and atmospheric data, built by the film's graphics department.

And many of the additions to the suit were practical considerations for the production too: “There’s a skull cap, which is wired for sound so they can not only speak, they can hear direction,” explains Yates. “Most important, it’s completely wired up for air because Ridley said that on ALIEN, panic would set in after their actors being in the helmets for more than 30 seconds, when the visors clogged with condensation.”

The importance of the film's human component can't be underestimated, thinks screenwriter Damon Lindelof. “The amazing thing that Ridley does, as a director, is ground big ideas in some sort of fundamental reality,” he says. “What’s cool about this movie is that it doesn’t take place on Earth, in any real significant way, so the way that we’re experiencing the future is really away from Earth. It’s more about what people are like now. What have they gone through? What are the things that they’re thinking about? The idea that we’re basically all going to be the same a hundred years from now, but we might be driven by different ideas, is what’s driving the movie.”

The other, and perhaps most impressive, bits of human technology developed for the film are the vehicles, which were built to run. From speedy quad bikes to giant armoured personnel carriers, Prometheus's vehicles are second to none. “We're going to take them to Iceland,” laughs Max from the film's Pinewood portion. The location the production has chosen is remote. “That's going to be a logistical challenge!”

But he summarises the real challenge of the job: “I think audiences and film technology has gotten more sophisticated and there's been a lot of science fiction movies [since Ridley did BLADE RUNNER]. There's a lot of pressure on everybody here to raise the bar, and that's definitely what we've tried to do.”

Opening in Philippine cinemas on June 6, 2012, “Prometheus” is from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. (in Phil. theaters) nationwide.

Official and Exclusive Feature from 20th Century Fox

First Look: Agent 007 Skyfall Poster Plus Movie Stills

2012-05-18T04:32:00.001+08:00

It is almost sunshine here in the Philippines and I'm almost feeling very sleepy now. But before I hit the sheets, all of you just need to see this last post I'm submitting for the day. Check out Columbia Pictures as they release the very first set of movie stills from the upcoming Agent 007 movie Skyfall. And as a treat, they are also throwing us a first peek on the movie's poster featuring none other than Daniel Craig as the debonair British secret agent James Bond. See the images after the jump.

In the film, James Bond’s loyalty to M (Judi Dench) is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Joining Daniel Craig on an all-star cast are Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw and Bérénice Marlohe. To be directed by the Academy Award winning Director, Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and from the screenplay written by Neal Purvis (Quantum of Solace), Robert Wade (Quantum of Solace) and John Logan (Hugo), Skyfall is set to premiere on October 31 in all cinemas nationwide (Philippines).

I heard that the trailer will premiere next week so watch out because I will definitely release it here. Skyfall is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Warner Bros. Teases us with Rock of Ages Music Video

2012-05-17T03:02:00.000+08:00

Warner Bros. just released a new video straight from New Line Cinema's upcoming musical film Rock of Ages. The Music video features the track "Anyway you want it" as performed by Mary J. Blige and Julianne Hough. Watch the exciting preview to find out how will this musical will feel like.

Directed by “Hairspray’s” Adam Shankman, “Rock of Ages” tells the story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock ‘n’ roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake, and more.

The movie musical stars Julianne Hough (“Burlesque”), with actor/singer Diego Boneta in his feature film debut, Russell Brand (“Arthur”), Oscar® nominee Paul Giamatti (“Cinderella Man”), Academy Award® winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”), Malin Akerman (“The Proposal”) and R&B queen Mary J. Blige, with Oscar® nominees Alec Baldwin (“The Cooler”) and Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx.

Shankman directs “Rock of Ages” from a screenplay by Justin Theroux and Chris D’Arienzo and Allan Loeb, based on D’Arienzo’s musical of the same name.

As an added treat, Constantine Maroulis' (Drew Boley in Broadway version) cameo is also confirmed and in fact he is listed on the track recording as one of the performers of the song you just heard. So how's that for the Broadway junkies out there. I just hope the cameo is not that bad. I remember when Ricki Lake did appeared in Hairspray, it is quite a very long cameo appearance and I expect that Shankman will do the same with Maroulis.

Opening across the Philippines in June 14, 2012, “Rock of Ages” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

A Very Underwhelming 4 Minute Preview of The Amazing Spider-man

2012-05-15T13:54:00.000+08:00

Columbia Pictures releases a 4 minute preview of The Amazing Spider-man. Personally I'm kinda disappointed with the preview but maybe that is just me. Watch the trailer, after the jump.

I'm so disappointed of this preview because it doesn't really show new footage. If you are the one who follows the film's regular marketing materials, you will notice that most of the sequence on this preview are already included on the past trailers. The only new thing that this preview have is that scene with the kid which is for me is not really a big deal. I'm expecting more Lizard footage and all we got is Spider-man saving a kid in distress. Well at least now it is not Mary Jane.

But either way, I'm still excited to see the movie when it finally hits the local cinemas on June 29. The Amazing Spider-man is from Marvel Studios to be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International..

Recalling a Classic: Total Recall Remake

2012-05-15T12:44:00.002+08:00

Shame on me that the only Philip K. Dick movie that I saw is the Adjustment Bureau. Well I did saw Total Recall and Minority Report but never really watch it wholeheartedly and maybe I just saw it once or twice. Good thing Columbia Pictures is bringing back a classic and I will be given the chance to enjoy another great material. Watch the trailer after the jump.

Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Farrell), even though he's got a beautiful wife (Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs.

But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police – controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Cranston), the leader of the free world – Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Nighy) and stop Cohaagen.

The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.

Now I have a slight faint of recollection of the first Total Recall movie. Other than being advance on special effects, one biggest difference is the strong political theme of this new one. With the bad reputation of remakes, I'm definitely expecting so much for this film and I really don't want to be disappointed. Well at least I have good reasons to see this -- Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale, hehe. Well maybe it is also a good idea to see the original Total Recall and Minority Report just to refresh my memory.

Opening in August 22, 2012 on local cinemas, “Total Recall” is to be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

The Amazing Spider-man Good News: More Lizard and New Release Date

2012-05-13T11:58:00.000+08:00

Just like what we are expecting, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures is on its way to further releasing more marketing materials for the upcoming reboot The Amazing Spider-man. And since we are asking for it, Sony releases more materials showing the Villain, Dr. Curt Connors aka The Lizard. Below is a featurette that premieres the first footage of Connors' transformation to Lizard.

And below is promotional shot of the Lizard. I admit that the face still looks a bit odd for me but like Spidey's new costume, it slowly syncs in to me and I'm getting use to it.

Now let's go to the next good news. To all of my avid readers, you may have marked your calendars on July 4 for the movie's release on local cinemas. But guess what, Columbia Pictures Philippines just announced that The Amazing Spider-man will be bumped 5 days earlier. So instead of July 4, the film will be hitting the cinemas on June 29. The reason is not really stated but I guess it is done to preempt The Dark Knight Rises' release in July. I guess for me that is a good move and Spidey fans are already excited anyway. So why delay. What do you think about the date change? Hit the comments for your insights.

Frank Miller Update: New Poster for Sin City 2 and 300 Prequel Gets Eva Green

2012-05-13T11:10:00.000+08:00

So currently Warner Bros. is enjoying a good return for Tim Burton's Dark Shadows. Though not as much like The Avengers, the dark comedy fantasy flick had gained enough praise (and backlash) for its daring take of classic soap opera. Now one of the star in the film is set to be taking another big shoes next year as she is set to star on the Frank Miller prequel, 300: Battle of Artemisia.

The hot seductress Eva Green is now officially attached to Warner bros. upcoming prequel to the 2007 Frank Miller masterpiece. She will be playing Artemisia, a warrior Queen of Caria that became Xerxes' ally on many battles including the famous Battle of Salamis. According to reports and early press releases, this movie will eventually explain how Xerxes become the God King we all know on the first film and Artemisia will play a big role on this back story.

Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo in 300 and Eve Green as Morgan from Camelot TV series

Like what I said earlier, this is a big shoes since Eve Green will be filling the shoes of Lena Headey who plays a strong female character on the first film as King Leonidas' (Gerard Butler) wife Queen Gorgo. But unlike Queen Gorgo, Artemisia will have a lot of action scenes and we will expect Eva Green to be more buff compared to her usual physique.

Meanwhile on other news, Sin City 2 film releases its first poster. Not really that much, but it is a Frank Miller art so it is really good. Simple and catchy.

Both slated for a 2013 release, 300: Battle of Artemisia is to be distributed by Warner Bros. and Sin City 2 to be distributed by The Weinstein Company.

The Avengers Retrospect: Iron Man's Armory [UPDATED]

2012-05-11T12:43:00.000+08:00

It is the second week of The Avengers in US (3 weeks international) and it is still doing great on the box office. One thing that really appeals to the moviegoers is the familiarity of characters on both geeks and regular audiences. Now if we will be talking about popularity, Tony Stark aka Iron man played by Robert Downey Jr. is probably the most well known on the ensemble of cast. But as much as Tony's character is loved by many, I believe his Armors gets all the attention on the movies.

But did you know that Tony Stark has already collected a lot of version of his armor? In tribute to Tony Stark's armors, we will be having a tour on his armory on both comic book and movie universe.

ARMORY EARTH 616*

Bleeding Edge Armor

ARMORY MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

MK 7 - The Avengers Movie

Now that Iron Man 3 is on the way, I'm really excited to see what the new armor will look like. I've heard they are doing Extremis so to everybody who don't read the comic, w'eve already saw Tony's armor become a suit case, then a moving wardrobe, and now on The Avengers a *SPOILERS!!!*, Extremis is a little bit on a next level because once in Tony's life it almost drive him insane. I'm really looking forward to that.

Still showing in all cinemas nationwide from Marvel Studios distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures

*Earth 616 - Comic Main Universe

UPDATE!!!

MISCELLANEOUS ARMORS

This update is for a special request by a friend. Personally speaking the Iron Tech Suit of Ultimate universe is the least of my favorite together with the Sapien Deathmatch suit from House of M. I don't like them simply because they don't embody the Iron Man I use to know. Though they are creatively done, aesthetically they are too much for an Iron Man suit. Good thing they are just alternate universe and we will not be seeing them for long. Last time I checked, Ultimate universe already updated Iron Man's armor and make it look more closely to the design of Mk. 3 from Iron Man movie. The other two suit above is the Iron Patriot and Rescue Armor. The only thing that these two have in common is they are not armors used by Tony Stark. Iron Patriot is an armor Norman Osborn created for himself when he took over Stark Industry in Marvel's Dark Reign Saga. The Rescue armor on the other hand is an armor piloted by none other than Pepper Potts when she used it during the Dark Reign Saga as a temporary replacement for the fugitive Tony Stark.

Faith in Vampire Movies Restored: Dark Shadows Movie Review

2012-05-09T03:46:00.000+08:00

Just got home from a quick visit to a friend for the wake of his grandmother. But earlier this evening, I was invited to view Warner Bros. latest offering -- Dark Shadows. I went to the cinema expecting the usual Tim Burton formula. His last movie Alice in Wonderland did pretty good on my taste but it left this lasting impression of Burton creating synthetic worlds that are hard to relate not to mention not quite so relaxing for the mind. Good thing Dark Shadows departed from that execution and created a straight forward movie that any average joe can actually understand.

If I will give everyone a tip, don't over analyze Dark Shadows. It is a what you see is what you get movie. All the answers you need are spoon fed by the characters themselves. This enables the viewers to enjoy the movie without worrying about the complexity of the plot. Though obviously the plot's simplicity is not the film's main strength, it is Tim Burton's execution and the actor's brilliant performances that make the film worth enjoying. I also like the superhero vibe of that final fight scene. That scene when they are all fighting the villain gave me this weird feeling of nostalgia of Burton's old superhero movies such as Batman and Batman Returns. We all know that we just came from The Avengers high and this scene somehow gave the same goosebumps in terms of toughness and swagger.

Dark Shadows absolutely revived my dying interest on vampire themed entertainment. This film is definitely highly recommended specially if you are already tired of pseudo vampire flicks. Opening in cinemas on May 10, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

An Open Invitation: Prometheus International Trailer

2012-05-08T16:59:00.003+08:00

20th Century Fox Philippines releases the official international trailer for Prometheus. The trailer is morethan 3 minutes long and contains never before seen footage from the film. Watch the trailer after the jump.

Ridley Scott brings us PROMETHEUS, set in a future where two superpowers control Earth and fight each other to gain control of all the solar system's natural resources. Starring Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Noomi Rapace, "Prometheus" brings together a team of scientists, 'The Company' representatives and robot synthetics to investigate and search for keys to unlock man's ultimate mystery.

PROMETHEUS (in 3D) opens June 7 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Whoa that's quite interesting. It looks like Ridley Scott will not disappoint us. Though it appears that this trailer shows too much with 3 minutes of footage almost showing the whole plot, I'm still convinced that there is more to see than what we already witnessed on this trailer. Let's just say, Scott just need to show what is the movie in a nutshell that is why he released this version of trailer. Personally speaking they got my attention and I'm loving what I'm seeing so far.

Coming in Philippine cinemas on June 6, 2012, “Prometheus” is from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. (in Phil. theaters) nationwide.

Dark Shadows Featurette: Man Behind the Shadows, Tim Burton

2012-05-08T15:51:00.000+08:00

Dark Shadows is finally coming to cinemas in 2 days and I can't wait to have a good old fashioned vampire flick as my movie fix for this week. But before the premiere here's a featurette released by Warner Bros. pictures featuring the genius behind the film--Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland).

From visionary director Tim Burton comes the big-screen adaptation of the TV vampire classic “Dark Shadows” featuring an all-star cast, led by perennial collaborator Johnny Depp.

“Dark Shadows” begins in the year 1752, when Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Depp) has the world at his feet—or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive.

Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets. Matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Pfeiffer) has called upon live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Bonham Carter), to help with her family troubles.

Opening across the Philippines on May 10, “Dark Shadows” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Snow White and the Huntsman Featurette: Queen Ravenna

2012-05-08T14:02:00.000+08:00

Universal pictures releases this new featurette for Snow White and the Huntsman with commentaries of the director and actors regarding the movie's main antagonist, Queen Ravenna played by the gorgeous Charlize Theron. Watch the video after the jump.

In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar(r) winner Charlize Theron) out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power. The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland, producer Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders.

I'm really glad that this movie have somebody like Charlize Theron to look forward to. I will be quite vocal that I really never liked Kristen Stewart so if it is only her, I may not be so excited to see this film. Charlize Theron as the Queen is spot on. Her charm and wicked persona plays exactly what we really expect from her role and that is what I'm so excited to see.

Opening in June 1, 2012, in cinemas nationwide from Universal Pictures to be distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entartainment.

The Amazing Spider-man Unleashes New Trailer

2012-05-04T13:21:00.002+08:00

Sony Pictures releases the new trailer for The Amazing Spider-man boasting with more new footage and more hints about the plot. Watch the trailer after the jump.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

This movie is slowly getting better and better. And now that the Avengers is already running in the cinemas, Marvel Studio is finally putting all of the marketing effort to The Amazing Spider-man by giving us more good stuff like this trailer. It looks like the dark execution is working pretty well with Spidey without compromising the humor and youthful mythos of our friendly neighborhood. I also like how the cgi is executed with small imperfections making the sequences more realistic as compared to the cgi scenes of the original Trilogy. Looking forward for this film.

Opening across all cinemas nationwide on ~~July 4, 2012~~ June 29, 2012 from Marvel Studios to be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International..

The Avengers Second Extra Scene Confirmed!

2012-05-03T02:03:00.000+08:00

It seems that US audience will be getting an extra treat when The Avengers finally opens this May 4. The rumor about the end credits scene is indeed true. But it is reported that the said scene will not be released in the earlier screenings who are mostly outside the US.

The only weird thing about the scene is the timeline. If they said that it is shown after credits, it will be a little bit inconsistent to the events of the film. I won't giveaway the 2nd extra scene and I will not post the bootleg screenshot here (for spoilers and copyright reasons). But if you are really curious you can click here to take a peek.

The Avengers is still showing on all cinemas nationwide from Marvel Studios, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Who will I Cast for a Pinoy Adaptation of The Avengers

2012-05-02T11:18:00.001+08:00

I know how pinoys like doing local adaptaions of foreign movies or TV series so since The Avengers is currently making waves on the box office and recently reported that it just hit P281M sales in the Philippines, there is a possibility that it can be bought by a Filipino mogul, preferable somebody who can afford Marvel's price tag to adapt the movie or series. And of course they will hire top names in local entertainment industry to play the roles. And they just got the perfect ensemble.

Nick Fury - Bembol Roco - Veteran Action Star, has a commanding persona and well he is bald and he looks good with an eye patch.

Tony Stark/Iron Man - Vic Sotto - Uh... genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist... nuff said

Steve Rogers/Capatain America - Robin Padilla - Famous for being the super soldier of 80's action movies but wind up being caught on a illegal possession case. After being frozen inside the jail for 21 years. He came back better than ever.

Thor - Bong Revilla Jr. - Thinks he is a God. Nuff said.

Clint Barrton/Haweye - Lito Lapid - just somebody who don't speak too much and just do all the shooting.

Bruce Banner/Hulk - Manny Pacquiao - Gentle out of the ring but a rampaging monster inside. Don't make him angry, you won't like him when he is angry.

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - Angel Locsin - She has an ass like Scarlett Johansson and she can actually kick butts, I would cast other hot Pinoy female stars but if I will think like a pino producer, I need somebody that people really know. I need my movie/TV earn money.

art by Michico Oranga

How about you? Who would you cast for the pinoy Avengers? XD

The Avengers is still showing on theaters, from Marvel Studios distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

New The Amazing Spider-man International Poster Released

2012-05-01T03:41:00.000+08:00

New International Poster for The Amazing Spider-man poster is released by Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. It looks familiar but I think it deserves the spotlight. See the poster after the jump.

This poster is an updated shot of the previous poster revealed released in US but this time this one features a whole body shot. Again we have a good view of the new design. When in action poses we don't really notice it but when Spidey is just on a standing position like this, we can really see what is awfully missing on this design -- a belt. Now there is a theory that This costume is still not complete and possibly a utility belt will be added on the later part of the film. The theory become more closer to possibility when The Amazing Spider-man game tie-in shows Spidey wearing the theorized utility belt.

We know that game tie-ins are not necessarily connected to the movie but there is a big possibility that this will be true. Since Marc Webb is aiming for a more realistic Spider-man movie, a utility belt will be very practical as a storage accessory for the friendly neighborhood vigilante. What about you? What do you think about this design? Opening in local cinemas on ~~July 4, 2012~~ June 29, 2012 from Marvel Studios to be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International..