Category Archives: Movies

2013 Golden Globe nods are in!

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Today the nominations were announced for the Golden Globe Awards, a show that celebrates the best in television and film. Like we always do at this time, let’s talk up the crop of nominees in the major TV categories. The program with the most nods this year is the HBO miniseries Game Change with 5, followed closely by Showtime’s Homeland with 4. Best Drama Series contenders are Breaking Bad (it’s back!), Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Homeland (of course), and newbie The Newsroom. Best Drama Actors include Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), and Damian Lewis (Homeland). Hamm is the only thing representing Mad Men at this year; the fact that the show wasn’t nominated for Best Drama Series is our very first snub! Best Drama Actresses include Connie Britton (Nashville), Glenn Close (Damages), Claire Danes (Homeland), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), and Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife). Best Comedy/Musical Series contenders are The Big Bang Theory, Episodes, Girls, Modern Family, and (big pleasant surprise) Smash. Best Comedy/Musical Actors include Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Don Cheadle (House of Lies) Louis C.K. (Louis), Matt LeBlanc (Episodes), and Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory). Best Comedy/Musical Actresses include Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Lena Dunham (Girls), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), and Amy Poehler (Parks And Recreation). Best Supporting Actors include Max Greenfield (New Girl), Ed Harris (Game Change), Danny Huston (Magic City), Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), and Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family). Best Supporting Actresses include Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Sarah Paulson (Game Change) Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family).

Snubs? Mad Men, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, and Game of Thrones are absent in the Best Drama Series category. In fact, Thrones is completely shut out here; even the great Peter Dinklage isn’t recognized in the Best Supporting Actor category. AHS only managed to land a Best TV Movie/Miniseries Actress nod for Jessica Lange’s top notch performance. Though Sarah Paulson’s incredible portrayal of Lana in Asylum wasn’t recognized, she was nominated for Best TV Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actress for her role in Game Change. Sherlock should be able to break into Best Drama Series, too. But alas we’ll have to live with Benedict Cumberbatch landing a nod for Best TV Movie/Miniseries Actor. And another thorn in my side: John Noble of Fringe fame will never get an Emmy for his performance. But he knows he always deserved one, so that’s OK. On the comedy side, notable snubs include Parks And Recreation, Community, New Girl, Raising Hope, and Happy Endings not landing Best Comedy/Musical Series nods. Continue reading 2013 Golden Globe nods are in! →

Movie trailer round-up: ‘Oblivion’, ‘Pacific Rim’, ‘After Earth’, ‘Man of Steel’, ‘The Lone Ranger’ & ‘Iron Man 3’

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First up is Oblivion, the next movie in Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski’s arsenal. It’s superbly sci-fi and with stars Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, and Melissa Leo at the forefront, it’s shaping up to be an exciting must-see event.

Here’s all we get in a synopsis: “On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.” For more, sit back and mash play.

Oblivion hits theatres April 12, 2013. See a grand poster for it in the gallery below.

Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Oblivion’, ‘Pacific Rim’, ‘After Earth’, ‘Man of Steel’, ‘The Lone Ranger’ & ‘Iron Man 3’ →

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ is out this Friday, go behind-the-scenes one more time

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Though the first movie in the Hobbit trilogy hasn’t even come out yet, it already feels like we’ve been on one unexpected and wild journey. Since April 2011, director Peter Jackson periodically dropped production video blogs that brought Lord of the Rings fans behind-the-scenes on the making of his next foray into Middle Earth. Each one explores a different aspect of filmmaking–from the logistics of location shooting to lessons in shooting in 3D–that culminates in an inside look at the grueling yet rewarding post-production process. Taken as a whole, the nine vlogs show just how much effort and sheer amount of hard work went into the making of the Hobbit movies.

And with just a few days until The Hobbit lands in theatres in the States, Mr. Jackson was able to slip one more massive video into our hands. A new 13-minute featurette, embedded above, takes us behind the scenes one more time before the adventure begins. In addition to Jackson you’ll hear from many of the actors, producers, and other creatives behind the making of the film. You’ll also be introduced to new characters, get a better sense of the story, and witness colorful concept art and new footage.

Return to Middle Earth this Friday, December 14 when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey makes its grand debut.

Movie poster: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ [Update: An “announcement trailer” has arrived!]

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Today Paramount released the first poster for the highly anticipated sequel Star Trek Into Darkness. Who is that standing in the middle of debris and destruction? Is it Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk, or can it be the film’s antagonist (rumored to be Khan) played by Benedict Cumberbatch?

Whoever it may be, there’s no denying that the poster in general evokes an eerily similar scene of gritty chaos we envisioned with the Dark Knight Rises artwork. In Christopher Nolan’s piece, the crumbling city of Gotham was shaped into the Bat symbol. In J.J. Abrams’ art, a still unknown city on Earth is wasted and its ashes form the iconic Starfleet Delta symbol. Whether or not this imitation was intended by the marketing team (it had to have been, right?!), it serves to tell audiences that Into Darkness (if the subtitle didn’t hint at this already) is going to attempt to tell a gritty, dark tale involving our Enterprise crew and a formidable foe.

In addition to the poster, the studio also released an official synopsis that shines a light on the tightly wrapped plot.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Star Trek Into Darkness is out May 17, 2013. And don’t forget that theatres will be screening the first nine minutes of the film leading into select showings of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey beginning December 14.

Update (12/6): I found something you’ll want to watch over and over again today. Paramount has dropped a teaser trailer (or what they’re calling an “announcement trailer”) for Star Trek Into Darkness. Each tantalizing glimpse is brief but there are so many of them it’s hard to shake off the sheer amount of excitement and anticipation. The best part, though, has to be what is heard, not seen. Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the still unidentified villain, narrates: “You think your world is safe. It is an illusion. A comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned…to have…my…vengeance. So, shall we begin?” Hey Trekkies, I wonder who that could be…

Watch the teaser trailer after the break. Continue reading Movie poster: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ [Update: An “announcement trailer” has arrived!] →

Viral marketing campaign begins for Guillermo Del Toro’s monsters vs. robots epic ‘Pacific Rim’

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Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) is working on a modern monster movie called Pacific Rim. It was unveiled and previewed at this year’s Comic Con to a raging audience. It’s a sci-fi epic to look forward to. Instead of construing words, learn what it’s about directly from the source, helmer Del Toro. In a 2011 interview with Wired he said:

“It’s really, it’s a very, very beautiful poem to giant monsters. Giant monsters versus giant robots. Twenty-five-story-high robots beating the crap out of 25-story-high monsters. We’re trying to create a world in which the characters are real and how it would affect our world politically, how it would affect the landscape if creatures like this really came out of the sea.”

Want more? Here’s the official synopsis:

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

To promote the film’s summer release, a viral marketing campaign has begun in the form of a shaky-cam clip uploaded to YouTube called “BREAKING NEWS: KAIJU ATTACK.” It’s embedded above and it gives viewers a glimpse of the monstrous creatures Del Toro has imagined for Pacific Rim. It comes off as very Cloverfield, but be mindful that the picture will not be presented in shaky-cam format. Interested in following the viral madness? Bookmark the movie’s official site where you’ll find a gallery of concept art and blueprints for the “Jaeger” robotic machines and more glimpses at the Kaiju.

Pacific Rim, starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Clifton Collins Jr., Max Martini, Rinko Kikuchi, and Robert Kazinsky, is out July 12. The first theatrical trailer is expected to drop December 12.

Joss Whedon’s ‘Much Ado’ due June 2013

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A little over a year ago Avengers helmer Joss Whedon revealed that he was working on his own indie project, secretly adapting and directing a modern version of Shakespeare’s classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing.  Bellwether Pictures, a “micro-studio” created by Whedon and his wife Kai Cole, backed the black-and-white project which was shot on a small budget in just twelve days inside Whedon’s Santa Monica, California-based home. The ensemble cast is comprised of many of Whedon’s past collaborators: Amy Acker (Dollhouse) and Alexis Denisof (Buffy, Angel), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), Clark Gregg (The Avengers), Fran Kranz (Dollhouse), and Sean Maher (Firefly). For more on the movie, click back to the original article.

When all of this was first announced, Whedon merely mentioned that it was all put together for fun hoping that one day it would be shown in theatres. “I’ve just been enjoying the Internet response,” he shared with EW. “We’re feeling our way on this one, just like Dr. Horrible. I do mean it to be in theaters. But we haven’t gotten any real plan except [going to] film festivals because it sounded like it would be festive.”

Since then, Much Ado was screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews and shortly thereafter North American distribution rights were acquired by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Just yesterday a theatrical release date was set: June 7, 2013.

We’ve already seen what Joss can do with a huge budget and Hollywood’s hottest stars. Though Much Ado falls on the opposite spectrum of everything that was Marvel’s The Avengers, fans will flock to theatres to watch the man perform movie magic again, this time with a truly personal touch. Much like Dr. Horrible, Much Ado is a passion project for Joss and audiences will notice.

Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection gets Spring release date, added bonus material

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Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection was supposed to come out in September but it was delayed due to lawsuit involving the suitcase packaging. After months of silence, the company is finally engaging with its fanbase with new details surrounding the long-anticipated collections that includes all Marvel Phase One movies–namely  Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor (in 2D/3D), Captain America: The First Avenger (2D/3D), and The Avengers (2D/3D)–plus loads of other content including “special access to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most confidential archives, including a top-secret Bonus Disc filled with never-before-seen deleted scenes, extended scenes, featurettes and more, including “And Then Shawarma After” featurette.” The collection also includes “exclusive memorabilia (prop reproductions and artifacts) from the motion pictures,” not excluding the redesigned suitcase and the glowing Tesseract.

Marvel apologizes for the delay in the best way they can: by stuffing the Blu-ray set with new bonus material and a look at “Phase Two” material. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently spoke with EW and spilled the beans. “We went back to the editor’s assembly of each film and discovered some rare moments that dropped out of the films early on and had not been released on prior discs,” he said. The new material will allow fans “to catch the connective tissue that paved the way toward the Avengers assembling.” He added, “We spent an embarrassing amount of time compiling the ‘Shield Files’ included in the box set to be sure that each character’s file was full of great, movie-accurate props and Easter eggs, which help tie all of the Phase One films together.” And as for the sneak peek at Phase Two? Owners can expect “footage, concept art, and a few new surprises,” he teased. “Also, look for a nod to Iron Man 3 in the Tony Stark S.H.I.E.L.D. file in the box set.”

The 10-disc, limited edition collector’s set (now called Marvel’s Cinematic Universe: Phase One Collection) is now up for preorder at Amazon for $197.10 and it’s aiming for release on April 2. Additional pics below and an alternate ending to Thor after the break!

Continue reading Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection gets Spring release date, added bonus material →

‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #9

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Believe it or not but Peter Jackson is back with yet another Hobbit production vlog as the movie premiere is only four days away. Number nine focuses on the post-production process, specifically shining light on the work that goes into the special effects and sound design. Jackson leads a tour through the Park Road Post Production house in Wellington, New Zealand and we even get to travel 18,331 miles to the UK where the Hobbit soundtrack is perfected with a full orchestra in tow at Abbey Road Studios.

Jackson says that post is “due to be completed two days before the premiere, hopefully.” Though this rolls off his tongue playfully, I don’t think he is joking. It’s full speed ahead for Jackson and his talented team of animators and composers; An Unexpected Journey premieres this Wednesday, November 28 in New Zealand and then it comes to the States December 14. A tenth vlog is teased at the end, one that will take fans to the movie’s big Wellington premiere.

Editor’s note: In the craze known as Comic Con I must have missed vlog #8 and never posted it. I made sure to embed it after the break in case you missed it, too. In it Jackson takes us to San Diego and presents the Hobbit footage he screened in front of a packed panel. Continue reading ‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #9 →

Movie trailer round-up: ‘Now You See Me’, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ & ‘Oz: The Great and the Powerful’

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If you’ve seen Christopher Nolan’s The Illusionist, this new magic flick should inspire you to visit theatres soon. Now You See Me tells an intriguing story about a group of magicians who perform seemingly impossible tricks on the road. In this first trailer for the movie, we see them performing on stage in Vegas and somehow they are able to magically rob a bank in France and teleport and shower the money all across their astonished audience. A large ensemble cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Common, Michael Kelly, and Elias Koteas; rounding out the cast are Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, giving this even more of a Chris Nolan feel. But he is not at the helm; Louis Leterrier (Transporter, The Incredible Hulk) is.

So how do they do it? Is it magic? Is it technology from the future? Morgan Freeman opens the trailer with this:  “Come in close, because the more you think you see, the easier it’ll be to fool you.” And he ends it like this: “Look closely, because the closer you think you are, the less you’ll actually see.” You figure it out when Now You See Me hits theatres on June 7.

Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Now You See Me’, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ & ‘Oz: The Great and the Powerful’ →

Preview first nine minutes of ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ in IMAX 3D on December 14

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Was that split-second footage from Star Trek Into Darkness presented by director J.J. Abrams at Conan not enough for you? Starting December 14, select IMAX 3D theatres (approx. 500 of them) playing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will screen the first nine minutes from the Star Trek sequel.

Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment: “Our longtime partners J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and the Bad Robot team have really hit it out of the park – the footage is absolutely incredible. Their use of the IMAX Camera and canvas is sure to impress current and future Star Trek fans alike, and we’re thrilled to once again work with our friends at Paramount Pictures to offer this extended ‘first look’ at this highly anticipated summer blockbuster.”

Like Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and some movies before it, Into Darkness includes scenes shot with IMAX rigs. According to Deadline, “sequences filmed with the extremely high-resolution cameras will expand to fill more of the screen with unprecedented crispness and clarity, putting moviegoers right into the explosive action and vast scope of the film.”

So if you want a taste of Abrams’ next vision in the Star Trek franchise, run (don’t walk) to your IMAX 3D theatre to experience never-before-seen footage from Into Darkness. The highly anticipated sequel is out May 17, 2013.

Michael Arndt to write ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

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Star Wars is making a comeback after Disney’s recent acquisition of Lucasfilm; that we know. Who will direct? Who will write the coveted screenplay? Today we have a definitive answer to the latter question. Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will pen the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode VII. He is best known for writing Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3; he also wrote the screenplay for the upcoming Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire. According to a news brief directly from the official Star Wars website, Star Wars creator George Lucas (who is serving as creative consultant on the project), newly appointed head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy (the film’s executive producer), and Arndt have commenced story conferences and Episode VII is slated to release in 2015.

The Star Wars fanbase is a rabid one, so the pressure is on for Arndt to deliver.

[Via Star Wars]

Movie trailer round-up: ‘World War Z’, ‘Jurassic Park 3D’ & ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’

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After reports of numerous setbacks including reshoots and rewrites, the film adaptation of Max Brooks’ popular novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is on track to release June 21, 2013. Directed by Marc Forster (Quantam of Solace, Finding Neverland) and written by Matthew Michael Carnahan (State of Play) with help from Damon Lindelof (Prometheus) and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield), World War Z stars Brad Pitt as a United Nations worker attempting to stop widespread zombie outbreak. Despite the public setbacks, the material stitched together in this first-look trailer is exciting and intriguing to say the least. Unlike the walkers Rick Grimes has to face in AMC’s The Walking Dead, the zombies here are mighty fast and travel in extremely large hordes. The plan is to expand Brooks’ novels (“Z” is preceded by two “Zombie Survival Guides”) into a trilogy of movies, all depending on how the first one performs at the box office. With a trailer as suspenseful and intense as this, anticipating World War Z‘s release won’t be hard to do.

Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘World War Z’, ‘Jurassic Park 3D’ & ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’ →