Release: December 25, 2011 Director: Stephen Daldry Writer: Eric Roth Cast: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, James Gandolfini, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Max von Sydow
Synopsis: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close tells the story of one young boy's journey from heartbreaking loss to the healing power of self-discovery, set against the backdrop of the tragicevents of September 11. Eleven-year-old Oskar Schell is an exceptional child: amateur inventor, Francophile, pacifist. And after finding a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11, he embarks on an exceptional journey--an urgent, secret search through the five boroughs of New York. As Oskar roams the city, he encounters a motley assortment of humanity, who are all survivors in their own ways. Ultimately, Oskar's journey ends where it began, but with the solace of that most human experience: love.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Release: December 23, 2011
Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish Cast: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook
Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Present a 3D Motion Capture Film The Adventures of Tintin directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish. Starring Jamie Bell as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Trailer
Director: David Fincher Writer: Steve Zaillian, Stieg Larsson (novel) Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff, David Dencik, Alexandra Daddario, Goran Visnjic
Synopsis: Based on Stieg Larsson's posthumously published crime thriller trilogy, "The Millennium Series." The book describes the mystery surrounding the long-unsolved disappearance of an heiress. A journalist recently dinged by a libel case and a young female hacker try to resolve it, stirring up bundles of personal and industrial corruption along the way.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Robert Downey JR.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Noomi Rapace
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Jude Law
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Jared Harris
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Holmes
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Watson
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Simza
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Moriarty
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Release: December 16, 2011
Director: Guy Ritchie Writer: Kieran Mulroney, Michele Mulroney Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Fry, Gilles Lellouche
Synopsis: Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law returns as his formidable colleague, Dr. Watson, in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room...until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large--Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)--and not only is he Holmes' intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder--a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by one Professor Moriarty. Mixing business with pleasure, Holmes tracks the clues to an underground gentlemen's club, where he and his brother, Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) are toasting Dr. Watson on his last night of bachelorhood. It is there that Holmes encounters Sim (Noomi Rapace), a Gypsy fortune teller, who sees more than she is telling and whose unwitting involvement in the prince's murder makes her the killer's next target. Holmes barely manages to save her life and, in return, she reluctantly agrees to help him. The investigation becomes ever more dangerous as it leads Holmes, Watson and Sim across the continent, from England to France to Germany and finally to Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead as he spins a web of death and destruction--all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.
Director: Roman Polanski Writer: Roman Polanski, Yasmina Reza Cast: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
Synopsis: Set in contemporary Brooklyn, New York, Carnage centers on two pairs of parents one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park, who meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos.
It's Sunday! That means it's time for a new episode of U62: The Targ!
In Episode 5.03: Bigger on the Inside, we offer on update on the Royal Alberta Museum, we bring back What's Wrong with Society, and we discuss the rumors of a Doctor Who movie!
Director: Mike Mitchell Writer: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate
Synopsis: Playing around while aboard a cruise ship, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard and end up marooned in a tropical paradise. They discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.
Director: Taylor Chien Writer: Hunter G. Williams, Scott Michael Campbell Cast: Hunter G. Williams, Heather McComb, Scott Michael Campbell
Synopsis: A Los Angeles Homicide detective must stop a government trained Serial killer before the agency that trained him can cover it up and, before the killer finds a new victim.
Director: Lakisha R. Lemons Writer: Lakisha R. Lemons, Kari Gillespie Cast: Christian Gallegos, Denise Williamson, Cory Hart, George Cisneros, LeMarc Johnson, Tyler McElroy, Frank White, Kari Gillespie
Synopsis: Susan Taylor hires a film crew to find answers regarding the disappearance of her daughter Janet. Documenting all the evidence and testimonies from key people in the case, the film crew develops a re-enactment of Janet�s departure to Mexico and the events that occurred shortly afterwards.
As we all know, Hollywood seems to have run out of ideas. And this become blatantly obvious every couple of years when two movies of shockingly similar theme come out very close to each other. The popular examples are still 1997, when we got two volcano movies (Volcano and Dante's Peak) and 1998, when we got two asteroid movies (Deep Impact and Armageddon). Well, those times have come again, because in 2012, we're getting two gritty reboots of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The first one to get a trailer is Snow White and the Huntsman. I will admit, I kind of find the premise of this one intriguing. As we all know, in the original tale, the Evil Queen orders the Royal Huntsman to take Snow White deep into the woods and kill her. But, the Huntsman is a good guy, and cannot kill in cold blood, so he tells Snow White to just run and hide in the woods. But, in Snow White and the Huntsman, the Huntsman takes Snow White into the woods and says, "Look, the Queen has obviously gone insane, so here's what we're going to do. I'm going to hide you in the woods and train you to be a badass warrior woman, so one day you can take your vengeance and rightfully claim your throne." And much fantasy film action ensues.
Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame is Snow White, Charlize Theron is Ravena the Evil Queen, Thor himself Chris Hemsworth is the Eric the Huntsman, British actor Sam Clafin is Prince William (nee Charming), and the Seven Dwarfs consist of such esteemed British character actors as Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost. Behind the camera is rookie director Rupert Sanders.
This definitely looks like the darker of the two...the electronic score in the trailer has people likening it to the gritty fantasy films of the 1980s. And don't worry, it doesn't get too gritty...the filmmakers assure us that Snow White still ends up with Prince Charming, and Snow White and the Huntsman's relationship is strictly teacher/mentor.
Snow White and the Huntsman hits theatres on June 1.
The second Snow White reboot we're getting is Mirror Mirror. This one is definitely more comical and I'm really getting a Princess Bride vibe from this trailer.
Julia Roberts plays Clementia the Evil Queen, Lily Collins, star of the new 90210, is Snow White, Armie Hammer, the Winkelvos Twins in The Social Network, is Prince Andrew Alcott (nee Charming), and Nathan Lane is Brighton, the Queen's aide. The talent behind the camera is Tarsem, directed of Jennifer Lopez classic The Cell and the recent blockbuster Immortals. Given that, I was expecting this to be grim and gritty, too, but this trailer is decidedly campy.
Mirror Mirror hits theatres on March 16.
I like that the one thing these re-tellings seem to have in common is Snow White picking up a sword and claiming vengeance herself, rather than, you know, just laying comatose waiting for Prince Charming to come along and fix things.
For historical completeness, I feel as though I need to remind you we were originally going to get a third Snow White reboot next year, and damn it, it's the one I was most looking forward to. It was to be done in the style of a classic kung fu movie. The action was to be moved to 19th century Hong Kong, with Snow White re-imagined as a British aristocrat and the Seven Dwarfs transformed into seven Shaolin warrior monks. Natalie Portman was all signed on to play Snow White in that one, but she left the project and the whole shelved when she got pregnant.
Director: Cameron McCasland Writer: Cameron McCasland Cast: Stacey Dixon, Shawn C. Phillips, David Vaughn, Jeremy Jones, Kaylee Williams, Tim Emery, David Chattam, Larry Underwood, Todd Bush
"Diane Kruger is a German actress and former fashion model. She is known for roles such as Helen in Troy, Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure and its sequel, Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds, Anna in Mr. Nobody, and Gina in Unknown."
Director: Michael Feifer Writer: Michael Feifer Cast: Greg Evigan, Cynthia Gibb, Ashley Leggat, Kendall Ryan Sanders
Synopsis: University professor Madeline Walters isn�t doing too well in the dating game. Good men are hard to find, so she�s happy spending time with her Maltese puppy Cinnamon, and her precocious teenage daughter Chloe. But when she meets Kevin, a widower, the attraction is fast and mutual. The trouble is both Kevin�s son, thirteen year-old Jordan, and Madeline�s pooch Cinnamon are dead set against losing their parents in a romance. Little Cinnamon takes the lead and does her best to ruin the budding relationship between Madeline and Kevin, spoiling dates whenever she can. Until one day she is kidnapped by Sam, the boy who was bullying Jordan.
Director: Adam Green, Joe Lynch Writer: Adam Rifkin, Tim Sullivan Cast: Adam Rifkin, Sarah Mutch, Owen Benjamin, Ray Wise, Sean Paul Lockhart, Anton Troy, Gabby West, Lin Shaye, Joel David Moore, Kristina Klebe, Kane Hodder, Corey Jones, Kaili Thorne, Miles Dougal, Brendan McCreary, Richard Riehle
Synopsis: It's the closing night at the last drive-in theater in America and Cecil B. Kaufman (Richard Riehle) has planned the ultimate marathon of lost film prints to unleash upon his faithful cinephile patrons. Four films so rare that they have never been exhibited publicly on American soil until this very night! What could possibly go wrong?
In the spirit of classic anthology films like Creepshow and Twilight Zone: The Movie and containing films that not only celebrate the golden age of drive-in B horror shlock but also span over four decades of cinema, Chillerama offers something for every bad taste.
Director: James Bobin Writer: Jason Segel, Nicholas Stolle Cast: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Billy Crystal, Zach Galifianakis, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt
Synopsis: On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
Director: Martin Scorsese Writer: John Logan Cast: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour
Synopsis: Hugo tells the story of an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. With the help of an eccentric girl, he searches for the answer to a mystery linking the father he recently lost, the ill-tempered toy shop owner living below him and a heart shaped lock, seemingly without a key.
We're not off to a good start...just two episodes into the new season, and already we missed a week! Oh, well, let's get back on track with Episode 5.02: Tube of Sunblock.
In this episode, we rant about the saga of the Royal Alberta Museum, share the news on the next James Bond film, and I obsess over Star Wars on Blu-ray
Director: David Cronenberg Writer: Christopher Hampton (Play) Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightly, Vincent Cassell
Synopsis: Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Jung (Michael Fassbender) takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) as his patient in A Dangerous Method. Jung's weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud. Both men fall under Sabina's spell.
Director: Sarah Smith, Barry Cook Writer: Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith Cast: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen
Synopsis: On Christmas night at the North Pole, Santa's youngest son looks to use his father's high-tech operation for an urgent mission.
Director: John Bonito Writer: Sherry Compton, Michael Compton Cast: Maria Bello, Stephen Dorff, Joanna Cassidy, Catherine Dent, Tim Griffin, Kristen Kerr, Gary Grubbs, Connor Hill
Synopsis: Two-time Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello stars as Lorraine, a stressed out single mom harassed by an abusive ex-husband and struggling to raise her 8-year-old son. Her world changes in an instant when she and her child are carjacked by a fugitive bank robber (Stephen Dorff) and taken on a desperate drive to retrieve his loot. But Lorraine refuses to be a victim. She is about to take control and fight back. And tonight, what she will do to survive may lead to the most shocking crimes of all.
Well, you know me, I love my cartoons, and a couple of trailers for new animated films just came my way that I need to pass along.
First up, we have The Lorax. Based on the classic Dr. Seuss book of the same name, this tells the tale of an industrialist who comes to a magical land to start logging and making stuff, but the Lorax appears to speak for the trees and try to save the environment.
I like the criticisms of this trailer that have branded it "hippie environmentalist bullplop," to which I have to say, "Umm, have you not read the Dr. Seuss original?"
This was produced for the big screen by relatively new animation studio Illumination Entertainment, which exploded onto the scene a couple years ago with the critically beloved blockbuster Despicable Me. Chris Renaud, the director of Despicable Me, is also directing this one.
For voices, we have Danny DeVito as the Lorax, Ed Helms (Andy on The Office) as the Once-ler, the industrialist who starts logging, and Zac Efron as the boy the Once-ler tells the legend of the Lorax too. Taylor Swift and Betty White also pop up.
I've got to say, the track record for Dr. Seuss adaptations has been spotty at best, but at the very least, this trailer looks like candy-coated goodness. The Lorax hits theatres on March 2.
And now, we head across the Pacific to the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. Their latest animated blockbuster has finally been dubbed and is getting a major North American release. The original Japanese title...The Borrower Arrietty. The English name...The Secret World of Arrietty.
Inspired by the world-famous series of British children's novels The Borrowers, the film tells the tale of Arrietty, a young Borrower who develops a friendship with a human named Sho. Sho's grandmother, however, glimpsed a Borrower in her youth, and suspects something's up with Sho, and soon goes on a mission to find the Borrower's living in her house. Can Sho save his new friend from his ruthless Grandmother?
Arrietty hit theatres in Japan in the summer of 2010, and as is the Studio Ghibli way, it kicked ass at the box office and cleaned up at all the major awards. It was directed by veteran Ghibli animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who made his directorial debut with this. And Studio Ghibli's resident living legend, Hayao Miyazaki, wrote the screenplay.
The North American distribution is being handled by Disney, and like the past decade's worth of Ghibli films, the dub is being supervised by Pixar folks, because being a Ghibli otaku is pretty much a prerequisite to work at Pixar. The English-language dub was directed by veteran Pixar sound designer Gary Rydstrom, who also directed the Pixar short Lifted. The English dub voice cast includes Disney kids Bridget Mendler and David Henrie as Arrietty and Sho, Carol Burnett as Sho's grandmother, and Will Arnet and and Amy Poehler as Arrietty's parents.
I watched this trailer and it gave me goosebumps. I love Studio Ghibli, particularily the films of Miyazaki. I'll definitely be going to check this out because of his involvement.
The Secret World of Arrietty hits theatres in North America on February 17.
Iron Man 2: Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow Character photo 1
Iron Man 2: Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow Character photo 2
Iron Man 2: Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow Character photo 3
Iron Man 2: Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow Character poster
Iron Man 2
Iron Man 2 is a 2010 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the sequel to 2008's Iron Man, the second film in a planned trilogy and is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey Jr., who reprises his role as Tony Stark.
Stark has revealed his identity as Iron Man and is resisting calls by the United States government to hand over the technology. Ivan Vanko has duplicated the technology and built weapons of his own, creating new challenges for Stark.
