Here come the Men in Black!
Men In Black 3 releases this weekend!
Movie News Monday for May 21, 2012
Welcome to this week’s edition of “Movie News Monday!” (“MNM!”)!! What is ‘MNM’all about?
In case this is your first time here, “Movie News Monday!” (MNM) is the place to visit every Monday for a quick recap of trending entertainment news! I’ve collected info, rumors, etc from all over just for you to keep you updated on movies being released, actors/actresses in roles, dvd releases to keep a lookout for, which movie won in the box office over the weekend, etc! Are you ready for your weekly update? Here it is!
This Just In!!…
#1- “The Weekend Winner.” This past weekend, The Avengers DICTATED the outcome of the box office by sinking a BATTLESHIP, but, I mean, what else were you EXPECTING? (See what I did there?) The Avengers, once again, took the #1 spot in the box office. Smashing even more records, The Avengers is now #4 on the list of the highest grossing movies of all time!! Wow. Well, in case you kind of forgot, three wide new releases did hit theaters to try to fight against The Avengers.
And here’s how they fared…
Here are the weekend’s estimated results for Fri, May 18 -Sun, May 20:
- The Avengers ~$55M
- Battleship ~$25.3M
- The Dictator ~$17.4M
- Dark Shadows ~$12.7M
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting ~$10.5M
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ~$3.5M
- The Hunger Games ~$3M
- Think Like a Man ~$2.7M
- The Lucky One ~$1.7M
- The Pirates! Band of Misfits ~$1.4M
Congrats AGAIN to The Avengers for winning the box office! If you haven’t seen it yet, you had better do so!
#2- “Bond is Back!” Last week, the new poster for 007′s Skyfall released with promise of the new trailer posting soon. Well, that day has arrived! I am SO glad that 2012 is here. This year just absolutely ROCKS with awesome movies! Here is the newly released teaser trailer for Skyfall:
Tell me that you’re not excited to see it. Go ahead. haha.
Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw, and many more, the 23rd Bond flick, Skyfall releases on November 9, 2012.
Are you ready for November’s BOND?
#3- “Robin Williams is ANGRY.” The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, actually. Williams is set to star alongside Mila Kunis, Melissa Leo, and James Earl Jones in an upcoming movie that Landscape Entertainment and Force Majeure are producing.
According to Screen Daily:
[It is] the story of a stand-in doctor who mistakenly tells an obnoxious patient he has 90 minutes to live. The medic tries desperately to locate the man after her comments sends him on a contrite tour of the city to right all the wrongs in his life.
Production is set to begin this upcoming September in Brooklyn and several of those involved in the project are very excited for it, including Cargo Entertainment CEO and, of course, Robin Williams himself…who had this to say:
“I read the script and said wow!” Williams said. “I love the fact that it’s so fun and honest. The idea of being that nasty and funny is a gift.”
Look for more news on this as developments come about.
What do you think of this film so far?
#4- ”The Darkest Tour.” The Dark Knight Rises arrives in theaters on July 20th, but prior to that The Tumbler and the Bat-Pod will be travelling cross country for fans to be able to check out the infamous rides of the caped crusader!
I am stoked because something famous will actually be rolling through MY neighborhood for once! ha. (I already have the day off requested!)
The tour has already started (May 12) and continues through ~July 7! Don’t miss your chance to see and take pictures of/with Batman’s rides in real life before the movie releases. Here is the official site with dates and locations of each stop of the tour http://www.tumblertour.com/
Is the Bat tour coming to a city near you?
#5- “This Week’s Blu-ray release.” This week, look for the following films on Blu-ray to possibly add to your collection:
Red Tails- The latest tale of the famous Tuskegee Airmen of WWII with an all-star cast hits stores this week! I very much enjoyed this high-flying film and look forward to watching it again. Check it out. (Read my REVIEW)
Several other films also release this week. Check it out!
Also releasing: The Woman in Black (Read my REVIEW), This Means War (Read my REVIEW), and The Secret World of Arrietty (Read my REVIEW)
Well, that’s it for this round of “Movie News Monday!”
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
up next: ”Time to Vote Tuesday!”
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Checking Out the “Happy-Haps!” (5/18)
What are the “Happy-Haps?!”
…as in the happy happenings that are going on in the movie blogosphere! This is the day of link-love for several movie bloggers and sites that have written articles/reviews that I have not been able to bring to your immediate attention! Today is your day to catch up on many other stories and goings on that just might make you smile…hence the name “The Happy-Haps!”
(keep in mind that every word highlighted below in gold is a clickable link!)
Happy-Hap #1- Brian at The Soap Box Office took the time to watch and review The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill. I never got to see this film (It didn’t appeal to me), but Brian did bite the bullet and posted it for us. Did you see The Sitter? What were your thoughts? Check out Brian’s and share your thoughts in this first Happy-Hap of the day!
-Check it out here: Happy-Hap#1!
Happy-Hap #2- Nostra from My Film Views shares his regular weekly segment on Fridays entitled “The Many Faces Of…” In this most recent edition, he takes a look at the many different roles of the very beautiful Julia Roberts. The Pretty Woman herself has been in many different movies over the years and this fine post, dedicated to her, asks you to share your favorite Julie Roberts role. Be sure to check it out and share your choice at this dedicated Happy-Hap.
-Say “hi” to Julia here: Happy-Hap#2
Happy-Hap #3- Join in on the awesome discussion over at Impassioned Cinema where Max asks you to share “Films You Love, but Don’t Need to Watch Again.” Do you have that movie that you truly enjoyed but can bring yourself to sit through again? Share it. Perhaps it is Black Swan, or The Passion of the Christ, or Million Dollar Baby, or Requiem for a Dream. What about Schindler’s List or Crash? Well, hurry on over and join in the discussion at this thought-intriguing Happy-Hap!
-Share your answers here: Happy-Hap#3
Happy-Hap #4- This is a special Happy-Hap because it is two-fold! Dan over at Fogs’ Movie Reviews put up a post a little while back that I was working on myself. Not only did he beat me to it, he kept me from having to do all of the work! 
Check out his list of summer movie releases and make sure that you never miss the ones you are looking forward to. On this Happy-Hap he lists the tentative release dates for the films that are coming out during the 2012 blockbuster season!
-Check out the 2012 Summer Movie Preview (Part 1) here: Happy-Hap#4a
-Check out the 2012 Summer Movie Preview (Part 2) here: Happy-Hap#4b
Happy-Hap #5- My friend, Ruth, over at Flixchatter takes a moment to share “Ten Awesome Things About The Dark Knight Rises Trailer 3.” Are you excited to see the conclusion to Nolan’s epic tale of the Dark Knight? Add to the reasons as to why with these ten awesome things. Join in the conversation as she shares an in depth look at the trailer and expectations from it in this Happy-Hap.
-Watch and discuss trailer#3 here: Happy-Hap#5
Happy-Hap#6- Ronan over at Filmplicity shares an interesting look at “Movies that survived the hype (and those that didn’t). You know them, the films that got all hyped up and, when it released, either became a blockbuster…or bombed the box office. (Anyone remember Sucker Punch?) The Lord of the Rings definitely survived the hype, but what’s your opinion of Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace? Well, read Ronan’s list and be a part of the discussion in this awesome Happy-Hap..
-Check out the hyped happy-hap here: Happy-Hap#6
Happy-Hap#7- Tim over at Tim’s Film Reviews takes time to list “The Worst of Arnold Schwarzenegger” in a fun post that looks at some of the bad movie choices that the Governator made. Don’t worry, he also made a list of “The Best” that you can check out too. At the bottom of his post, he has a poll asking you to then choose the worst of the choices. This Happy-Hap is quite fun indeed.
-Tell us your worst Schwarzenegger film here: Happy-Hap#7
Happy-Hap #8- And, in case you missed my new segment last week entitled “Rants of Whine & Reason,” be sure to check out the first installment of more to come. It is a segment in which I “gripe and whine about something movie-related which bothers me and then give the reason(s) as to why.” And, boy, is it a lot of fun. Join in my rant as this first edition deals with a director whose films I no longer can stand, and share your thoughts on the subject at hand.
-Check out my Rant of Whine & Reason here: Happy-Hap#8
Well, those are the “Happy-Haps” of the day! Which “Hap” made you Happiest?! Leave a note, discuss and debate! Don’t just read and leave! Share the love!
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
Are you on Facebook? Become a fan today for regular updates! Never miss a post. Stay informed. Spread the word! 
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New Posters of the Week (5/17)
Greetings! Earlier we looked at some great trailers for upcoming movies…
Today, we once again get to take a look at all of the…
Gotta love movie posters! The time and effort it takes to put some of these masterpieces together pays off! With teases of what to expect from the featured film, posters are one of my favorite things to collect. If you love movie posters like I do, then you are likely to enjoy the latest ones of the week!
There are some neat ones this week, including the first poster for 007: Skyfall, two new posters for The Amazing Spider-Man that are pretty neat, and a new “spoilerific??” poster for Prometheus.
Take a look: (To view the fullscreen slideshow, click on any one of the posters below and scroll through with the arrow keys.)
Well, what do you think? Which ones are your favorites in this week’s spotlight? I personally like The Amazing Spider-Man, 007: Skyfall, and Prometheus.
Leave a comment!
To see past editions of this post (Spotlight on New Posters of the Week), click HERE. (posters courtesy ImpAwards)
Have a great day!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
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“Trailer Time Thursday!” 5.17.12
Today is THURSDAY!!! And you know what that means!! It is officially time for another fun-filled edition of “Trailer Time Thursday!”
Finally, your weekly fix of “Triple-T” (aka: “Trailer Time Thursday!”) has arrived!!
In case this is your first visit to “Triple-T,”here’s what it’s all about:
Seeing as how everyone loves movie previews, “Trailer Time Thursday!” was created to bring all of the trending trailers that you may have missed in theaters, or just need to see, all in one convenient place! It makes Thursdays so great! Get ready! Your Preview Pandemonium awaits!
Got a pretty good group of interesting/exciting trailers for you today. ENJOY!!! 
The Campaign. Hate politics? Well, this comedy make let you enjoy them! Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis are running against each other in a political campaign unlike any other. Debates and those annoying political ads would actually be even more fun to watch if they were like this! The congressional seat of North Carolina is up for grabs and these two will stop at nothing to mudsling their way to the seat! Co-starring Jason Sudeikis, Brian Cox, John Lithgow, and more, The Campaign begins on August 10, 2012.
The Possession. Sam Raimi produces this upcoming horror of a young girl who buys an antique box at a sale, unaware that it contains an evil spirit inside. Her obsession with the box leads to her opening it and unleashing a curse upon her. Her father recruits help from several sources, including his ex-wife, in order to release her from the curse. Claimed to be based on a true story, this film is set to possess the theaters on August 31, 2012.
Madea’s Witness Protection. An unsuspecting family in need of witness protection is thrust into the home of Tyler Perry’s Madea and all but pandemonium breaks loose. Madea is back and is about to invade New York City. Look out. Starring Tyler Perry, Tyler Perry, and Tyler Perry, along with Eugene Levy and Denise Richards, Madea will be in theaters on June 29, 2012.
Won’t Back Down. Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal work together as a team of parents striving to make change in the school system so that their children can receive the level of education and attention they deserve. But, working against the broken system is never easy. Stand with them on September 28, 2012 as they fight for their children, their love, their future.
Hit and Run. From the producers of Wedding Crashers comes this high-octane adventure of a former getaway driver and his unsuspecting girlfriend who are now on the run as colleagues from a former “job” are after him for the money he owes. Witness protection may not be enough to keep him from danger. Starring Bradley Cooper, Dax Shepherd, and Kristen Bell, HIT the theaters and RUN to your seat to see this one on August 24, 2012.
A Cat in Paris. Already having been released around the world since 2010, this animated adventure finally finds its way to U.S. theaters this year. A mystery that unfolds throughout the course of one evening as a cat with a double life works to help a young girl in need. I’m intrigued to watch this one. Look for it soon!
The Good Doctor. Orlando Bloom may not be as good as you think in this one. He stars as a single successful doctor who becomes attracted to a particular patient. Only that attraction leads to an unhealthy obsession and even worse decisions. Co-starring Michael Peña, Riley Keough, and Taraji P. Henson, look for this thriller on August 31, 2012.
This Week’s “Special Trailer Spotlight”:
4-Minute Super Preview for The Amazing Spider-Man
See how the building patterns on the left create the spider symbol?!! SWEET!
Directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield as our webbed hero, The Amazing Spider-Man will be hitting theaters on July 3, 2012. Several people remain skeptical of this reboot. I’ve been in support of it for quite some time (Read my reasons for the Spider-Man reboot HERE). This week, a 4-min super preview launched and brings more excitement and more questions around what to expect from Marvel’s greatest superhero ever! Enjoy.
Well, that’s it for this round of ‘Triple-T’!
My favorite trailers from today: Won’t Back Down, A Cat in Paris, and The Good Doctor. Which ones are your favorites??
Are you ready for the weekend in theaters? Here’s what releases this weekend, May 18, 2012:
- Wide Release: Battleship, What to Expect when You’re Expecting, The Dictator (May 16), and Hysteria
- Limited Release: Virginia, Mansome, Lovely Molly, and more.
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
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Mini-Reviews: Dark Shadows & The Dictator
Greetings all,
Today, here are two quick mini-reviews for Dark Shadows and The Dictator.
Enjoy.
Dark Shadows
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green
Trailer:
Dark Shadows -the most recent collaborative work of Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton- is the outlandish story of an imprisoned vampire by the name of Barnabas Collins who, when he is released, returns to his familial home only to find that 2 whole centuries have passed since his incarceration. Living in his estate now are his related descendants who are highly dysfunctional and distinctly desperate for his help and protection from the witch who “imprisoned” him so many years ago.
Based on the television series from decades prior and presented in the Burton-esque manner of cinematography, this film may appeal to the fan base of both (but not much more). With an impressive cast (including Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloë Grace Moretz, even Alice Cooper) and an impressive style, the film falls short of impressing in any other capacity. The collaboration of too many stories drowns this comedic dark tale in confusion-led disinterest. From multiple characters, to numerous creatures (witches, ghosts, werewolves, and vampires), to crisscrossing plot lines, and predictable twists, Dark Shadows falls victim to a tedious weaving of many elements which do not a great story make.
Tinkering back and forth between being a gothic thriller/romance and a dark comedy, Burton’s film misses the mark It’s no Beetlejuice. Even with Johnny Depp’s now infamous (mundane/repetitive?) mannerisms, Dark Shadows still fails to rise out of its coffin of boredom to bring audiences to life. Though laced with comedy and stylistic drama, it pains me to say that Twilight is more with its psuedo-vampire lore (At least Barnabas Collins didn’t shimmer with glitter)! I would love to tell you that the Burton-Depp partnership worked well for this one, however, I cannot. Dark Shadows did nothing more than induce yawns, confusion, and frustration.
As stated before, Burton/Depp fans will find something to enjoy in this film. I tried to enjoy it, but just couldn’t. If you check it out and like it, let me know. If you’d like somewhat of a differing opinion of this film by way of a review, check out Dan’s at Fogs’MovieReviews who gave this one a much higher score than I.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars for Dark Shadows
Directed by: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley
Trailer:
“Mr. Controversial Cohen” returns to the big screen with this next film that attempts to push the boundaries of comedy through awkward, inappropriate, and racial/stereotyping antics. The Dictator is a story about the leader of the dictatorial country of Wadiya who comes to America and is naively cast into the streets of NYC. With the help of a young store manager (Faris), he attempts to regain his rule and his country from those who have taken it from him.
However, no one really cares about any of that. The film’s main focus is to show just how much Cohen can upstage his previous films (Borat, Bruno) with jabs at different races, genders, celebrities, politicians, etc. It’s no surprise that he is a polarizing actor, and that is exactly what people go to see his movies for.
The film very flippantly attempts to create a sense of attachment to the character through a “blossoming” romance between two of the characters, but there is very little substance to the 2-dimensional characters in the film. This movie continues to be a film all about “fun” with the possible “politically incorrect.” At one point in time, I remember asking myself, “Why is Oscar-Winner Ben Kingsley (Ghandi, Schindler’s List, Shutter Island) even IN this movie?” I mean, I can understand John C. Reilly and even Anna Faris, but Ben Kingsley? Meh, oh well.
Between comedy, drama, political statements, and more, this film doesn’t quite find it’s niche and therefore carries no substance. With very little substance, all that’s left to enjoy in a film such as this is the laughs that you may get out of it. Unfortunately, those laughs are few and far between.There is little to no reason to go see The Dictator. Not even for Megan Fox (for those of you who for some strange reason think she is worth watching). This raunchy and annoyingly boring film is not at all worth seeing. Save your money.
I wonder if Ryan Seacrest will go see it?
My Score: 0.5 out of 5 stars for The Dictator
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
up next: “Trailer Time Thursday!”
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It’s “Time to Vote Tuesday!” 99
Today is Tuesday! and if you’ve been coming here for any length of time, you know that, for most people Tuesday is just the day after Monday, but for you it means that “Time to Vote Tuesday” is here!! YES!!!
What is “Time to Vote Tuesday”?:
“Time to Vote Tuesday” is the session of fun weekly polls which spark thought, debate, and intrigue! Each poll closes in a week with results posted on the following ‘TVT’!
Last week’s poll, “The Best of the Bad“ has now closed with 69 votes. Be sure to visit and see which villains were voted as the best movie villains of all time! Click HERE.
I wish to thank you everyone that voted in last week’s polls, shared it with others, and made it fun with your comments!
In this edition of ‘TVT’ this week’s poll, entitled “Wondrous Women”, takes a look at proposing starlets for the ever-evasive Wonder Woman movie.
Comic book superhero films are ever popular. Batman, Spider-Man, The Avengers, Superman, etc., etc. Of course, D.C. Comics has had their successes with Superman and Batman, but not with too many others of their superhero icons (Green Lantern. Jonah Hex. Steel, anyone??).
One superhero that has always been brought up to make a movie for is Wonder Woman. Yet no one as been able to produce a Wonder Woman movie unfortunately.
Remember when the hoaxed film starring Megan Fox was the “weekly rave”?
Please…NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Well, whether or not a Wonder Woman movie ever gets made (there’s been so much back and forth over the years for numerous reasons), CinemaBlend presented an interesting article last week entitled “5 Reasons Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johansson should do Wonder Woman next.” and I really liked the article (not that I’m biased or anything with my love for Ms. Scarlett!)
After contemplating it, I compiled a list of actresses whom I think would be great considerations for the role of the Amazonian princess. Below you will find some quick info about each of the considerations followed by today’s poll asking you to choose from the list. You can make your decision for any reason you wish and include it in a comment to add to the debate. But be warned…petty reasons such as “she’s too short” or “she’s too old” will be quickly shot down in flames. Why? Because anything is possible in this day and age. Observe:
- Chris Evans played both muscular Cpt. America and skinny Steve Rogers.
- Elijah Wood is only 5 inches shorter than Sir Ian McKellan in real life. He is not really Hobbit-sized
- Robert Pattinson (age 26) plays a teenage vampire in highschool.
So…come up with some REAL reasons!
Here are your choices for the poll!
1. Gina Carano
-Age: 30; MMA fighting champion; made her first full-length feature debut in the movie Haywire; Able to deliver amazing fighting action on the screen and looks great doing so.
2. Lynn Collins
-Age: 35; Warrior princess in John Carter; Kayla Silverfox in X-Men Origins: Wolverine; Already familiar with being a princess from another planet; Can wield a weapon; Tough and gorgeous.
3. Scarlett Johansson
-Age: 27; Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers; Able to blend comedy, drama, and action together; Can put a serious hurting on her enemies; Already wears some great bracelets in The Avengers; Familiar with playing a character from the comic book universe.
4. Gemma Arterton
-Age: 26; Starred in Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Clash of the Titans, and Quantum of Solace; Able to put up a fight and still look amazing simultaneously; Exercises witty banter; Can be seen in the upcoming adventure Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters alongside Jeremy Renner.
5. Adrianne Palicki
-Age: 29; Starred in Friday Night Lights; Already cast as Wonder Woman in the tv series that didn’t take off; Looks great in the outfit and portrays Diana astoundingly. Can be seen as Lady Jaye in the upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
6. Rachel Nichols
-Age: 32; Scarlett in G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra; Tough Detroit cop in upcoming Alex Cross; Also played the redhead green alien Starfleet Academy cadet in Star Trek; Fought alongside Jason Momoa in Conan the Barbarian; Kicked butt in the tv show Alias.
Today I ask you to join in the debate and discuss:
So, who did you choose to be Wonder Woman? I can’t wait to see the results next week!
The poll closes on 5-22-12 and the results will post on next week’s “Time to Vote Tuesday!” Please be sure to share it with your friends!
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
This post is dedicated to my friend, Hibster…the greatest Wonder Woman fan I know!
***Don’t forget: For additional polls, updates, trailers, news, and more, become a fan/follower on Facebook and Twitter.
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Movie News Monday for May 14, 2012
Welcome to this week’s edition of “Movie News Monday!” (“MNM!”)!! What is ‘MNM’all about?
In case this is your first time here, “Movie News Monday!” (MNM) is the place to visit every Monday for a quick recap of trending entertainment news! I’ve collected info, rumors, etc from all over just for you to keep you updated on movies being released, actors/actresses in roles, dvd releases to keep a lookout for, which movie won in the box office over the weekend, etc! Are you ready for your weekly update? Here it is!
This Just In!!…
#1- “The Weekend Winner.” This past weekend, The Avengers took the #1 spot in the box office once again. Smashing more records, The Avengers has now entered the BILLION DOLLAR club in just under 2 weeks of worldwide release! Wow. Two other wide new releases, hit theaters this past weekend (Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows being one of them), but they couldn’t compete with the massive overpowering of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!
Here are the weekend’s estimated results for Fri, May 11 -Sun, May 13:
- The Avengers ~$103.2M
- Dark Shadows ~$28.8M
- Think Like a Man ~$6.3M
- The Hunger Games ~$4.4M
- The Lucky One ~$4.05M
- The Pirates! Band of Misfits ~$3.2M
- The Five-Year Engagement ~$3.1M
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ~$2.65M
- Chimpanzee ~$1.6M
- Girl in Progress ~$1.4M
Congrats to The Avengers for winning the box office! If you haven’t seen it yet, you had better do so!
One by one, several films are bowing down to The Avengers! (Now #11 in worldwide grossing of all-time with approx $1.002 BILLION so far!) Avatar, at #1, has $2.7 Billion!
#2- “A Web of Campaigning Material” Even though The Avengers is dominating much of the movie news lately (especially superhero movie news), there is a lot going on with the other two that still have yet to be released in July (The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man). Both have been marketing their films throughout and recently, some new material has launched for July 3rd’s The Amazing Spider-Man.
-3 new international character posters:
-Director Marc Webb recently joined twitter (Follow him HERE), and tweeted these 2 photos this past week:
- A new video featurette that focuses on Rhys Ifans’ character, Dr. Curt Connors (a.k.a. The Lizard).
-Tonight (May 14th) during AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, there will be a 4-minute super preview for The Amazing Spider-Man.
What are your thoughts on The Amazing Spider-Man? Do you like promo materials that show up before a movie?
#3- “Zeta-Jones and others seeing RED.” The upcoming sequel to the all-star action film R.E.D. is starting to form up and other cast members are being added to the ranks! I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed R.E.D. starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren Morgan Freeman, Mary-Louise Parker, Brian Cox, and Karl Urban (See my review HERE). I can’t wait for the sequel. Several will be reprising their roles along with Catherine Zeta-Jones who looks to be making a comeback from her acting hiatus.
Check out who is already on board from this quote within a quote! Courtesy Cinemablend:
THR says that Zeta-Jones has signed on for a part in Red 2. The film is a sequel to Robert Schwentke’s action film from 2010 and Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker will all be reprising their roles. Taking over in the director’s chair will Dean Parisot and he is working from a script by Erich and Jon Hoeber (who wrote the first movie). Also joining the cast is Byun-Hun Lee, who is best known for his work in G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, in which he played the role of Storm Shadow. He will be returning to the part this summer in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Red 2 currently has a release date scheduled for August 2, 2013, but that may change pending on competition and production schedules.
Sounds like we are in for a lot more fun. I can’t wait to see what crazy antics they employ in the sequel.
Are you ready for more RED? What are your thoughts on Zeta-Jones joining the crew?
#4- ”Pinocchio to be a ‘Real Boy’! Well, sort of.” Director Guillermo Del Toro (according to Variety) will be co-directing a a 3D stop-motion animated production of Pinocchio.
Here are some excerpts from Variety and Collider about the project:
Del Toro told Variety that he plans to begin shooting in the summer of 2013. It’s the first time he’s directed an animated feature.
Story will be set in Italy between WWI and WWII. “It was when everyone was behaving like a puppet, except for puppets,” Del Toro said.
“Little by little, I realized that I should direct,” he added, noting that the story has had a profound influence on him — to the point of collecting puppets along with original art from Disney’s 1940 “Pinocchio.”
The story is by Del Toro, frequent collaborator Matthew Robbins and Grimly with Pinocchio embarking on a series of adventures and proving himself to be as indestructible as his love for his father. Robbins wrote the screenplay.
“The Blue Fairy is really a dead girl’s spirit. Pinocchio has strange moments of lucid dreaming bordering on hallucinations, with black rabbits. The sperm whale that swallows Pinocchio was actually a giant dogfish, which allows for more classical scale and design. The many mishaps Pinocchio goes through include several near-death close calls, a lot more harrowing moments. The key with this is not making any of it feel gratuitous, because the story is integrated with moments of comedy and beauty. He’s one of the great characters, whose purity and innocence allows him to survive in this bleak landscape of robbers and thugs, emerging from the darkness with his soul intact.”
Concept art courtesy Collider
Apparently, Del Toro has been thinking about this for some time. He is currently working on the redesign for the character and hopes to begin shooting the project by Summer 2013.
What do you think of a stop-motion Pinocchio feature film?
#5- “This Week’s Blu-ray release.” This week, look for the following films on Blu-ray to possibly add to your collection:
Chronicle- The “found-footage” film featuring 3 unlikely high school friends who unexpectedly inhering superhuman abilities. The chronicled events of their journey are shown in a rather believable manner of what you’d expect from high school students, should something like this ever happen. Pretty intense and yet quite enjoyable. Check it out. (Read my REVIEW)
Several other films also release this week. Check it out!
Also releasing: The Grey (Read my REVIEW), One for the Money (Read my REVIEW), Albert Nobbs, and Rampart
Well, that’s it for this round of “Movie News Monday!”
Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!
-T, The Focused Filmographer
up next: ”Time to Vote Tuesday!”
