Category Archives: Movies

Oscar winners: ‘The King’s Speech’ receives top honors

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Hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco failed to bring excitement to this year’s Academy Awards. Despite all the hype leading up to the film industry’s biggest night, the young pair did not leave up to the promise of injecting the show with a younger, hip vibe. Hathaway tried too hard (so much giddy giggling) while Franco didn’t try hard enough (was the soap actor high as a kite or what?). Most jokes fell flat, including the opening Inception-y dream sequence. The auto-tuned bit was quite enjoyable, however. But let the numbers speak for themselves: In the 18-49 demo, ratings dropped twelve percent from last year (11.7 rating vs. 13.3); this year’s ceremony attracted 37.6 million viewers compared to last year’s Alec Baldwin/Steve Martin treat which garnered 41.7 million. Since the show itself really wasn’t all that memorable, let’s just skip right past it and onto the winners.

The King’s Speech ruled the night with wins in the major categories including Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth), and Best Director (Tom Hooper), and Best Original Screenplay (David Seidler). The Social Network took home three wins; Aaron Sorkin was recognized again for Best Adapted Screenplay, as was Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Best Original Score. The film also received Best Achievement in Film Editing. Though it’s still a damn shame that Christopher Nolan was not nominated for his directing, Inception did managed to snag four awards including Best Achievement in Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland was not ignored; it won Best Achievement in Art Direction and Costume Design.

Other notable winners include Natalie Portman as Best Actress (Black Swan), Christian Bale and Melissa Leo as Best Supporting Actors in The Fighter, and Best Animated Feature was Toy Story 3. The animated flick was also recognized for Randy Newman’s “We Belong Together” original song. Sadly Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop did not receive Best Documentary. Look after the break for the rest of the Oscar winners. Continue reading Oscar winners: ‘The King’s Speech’ receives top honors →

Trailer: Apollo 18

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Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 17th, 1972, was the last manned mission to the moon. But a year later, in December of 1973, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the US Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it’s the real reason we’ve never gone back to the moon.

From Dimension Films, producer Timur Bekmambetov, and director Gonzalo López-Gallego comes the sci-fi thriller Apollo 18 and it uses “found footage” to tell the an alternate history story and reveal the real reason why we haven’t traveled back to the moon in some time. Brain-melding aliens! Or something like that. Watch the spooky trailer above and anticipate the Cloverfield-meets-Paranormal Activity flick hitting theatres April 22.

Apple is Hollywood’s product placement king

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According to Brandchannel, a division of global branding agency Interbrand, Apple products can be found in 30 percent of the top movies at the U.S. box office in 2010. Last year delivered 33 high-grossing films that made it to #1 in the box office; Apple products appeared in 10 of them, so now you can see where that percentage comes from. Of the 591 brands identified in the #1 flicks, Apple was clearly the most dominant. Its product placement leadership over the years, however, has been on the decline. After reaching its product placement peak in 2008 (when Apple products showed up in nearly 50 percent (20 of 41) of #1 films), its visibility in those top films dropped about six percent in 2009 (appearing in 19 of 44 films) and a staggering 14 percent in 2010. Hop after the break to see a handy chart put together by Brandchannel that helps visualize things. Though the numbers may be dropping year-over-year, there’s no question that Apple wears the product placement crown. I mean, their products are so pretty, what do you expect?

Other fun facts brought to you by Broadcom… Nike, Chevrolet and Ford tied for second place after Apple, each appearing in 24 percent of the top films; Sony, Dell, Land Rover, and Glock appeared in at least 15 percent of the #1 films; the single movie with the most placements was Iron Man 2 with a whopping 64 brand placements. Click here for more stats.

[Via Gizmodo; Broadchannel] Continue reading Apple is Hollywood’s product placement king →

Marc Webb’s Spidey reboot gets a name and it is ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’

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Finally; we are no longer required to refer to the new Spidey franchise as the “Marc Webb reboot.” Today Columbia Pictures announced the title of the flick: The Amazing Spider-Man. That happens to be the name of the original Spidey comic book and makes a great title for upcoming movie because we know that it will take place during Peter Parker’s youthful high school years. Inside the press release the studio attached the first image of Andrew Garfield in the famous full mask and suit; if you’ll recall the previous image we saw featured Garfield in the suit sans the mask. Looks awesome, huh? The attention to detail here is absolutely phenomenal. Take a look at the wrists–those are mechanical web shooters! (Jump after the break to download a larger, hi-res version of the image.)

The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field, releases in 3D on July 3, 2012. (Long wait, I know.)

[Via Deadline]

Trailer: ‘X-Men: First Class’

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This trailer is so impressively epic I’m just going to let it speak for itself. Watch it many times.

X-Men: First Class stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, and Rose Byrne. Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass). Opens June 3, 2011.

Synopsis: X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.

‘Tron: Legacy’ comes to Blu-ray April 5

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The visually splendid, perfectly scored flick Tron: Legacy is yours to own on Blu-ray Tuesday, April 5, as is “TRON: The Original Classic Special Edition.” Disney’s been holding out on releasing the original Tron so that they could give it proper state-of-the-art digital restoration and enhanced high-definition sound it rightfully deserves. In addition to Blu-ray, Legacy will be released across various platforms including Blu-ray 3D, DVD, Digital Copy, Movie Download, and On-Demand. The BD release will boast 1080p visuals and 7.1 surround sound and pack in-depth bonus features on the making of the film. Disney is going to ship three Legacy bundles ranging from $40 to $80 in price. The motherload is a “5-disc 2-movie Blu-ray combo pack” that includes flick on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, Digital Copy, and the original, remastered Tron. Bonus features include the “Derezzed” Daft Punk music video and featurettes called “The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed,” “Launching the Legacy,” and “Disc Roars.” In addition, all Blu-ray packs will include Disney Second Screen support. The Second Screen companion application can be accessed on any Internet-connected device (iPad, laptop, etc.) and it allows you to explore the story behind the film while you’re watching it. For example, you can engage with elements including 360-degree vehicle turnarounds and interactive progression reels. Look after the break to see the full breakdown of every release bundle.

Oh, and there’s one more thing. Along with Legacy and the original Tron, Disney is also releasing TRON: Legacy RECONFIGURED, an album featuring 14 remixes of the original motion picture soundtrack scored by Daft Punk. Let’s just say April 5 is going to be a wonderful day.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading ‘Tron: Legacy’ comes to Blu-ray April 5 →

Super Bowl XLV commercials

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This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but #BrandBowl was trending right next to #SuperBowl in the Twittersphere during the big game today.  While the sports-loving percentage of the country kept their minds focused on the Packers and Steelers, the rest of us admittedly didn’t care so much for the game and instead invested our time in watching the commercials placed neatly between timeouts and end of quarters.  As you know, companies spend millions of dollars for a 30-second spot during the most watched (sporting) event on TV.  So how did they fare this year?  All in all they were alright; nothing wildly spectacular caught my attention but they were definitely some stand outs worth mentioning and watching again.  From beer to cars to Doritos, tech, and movie trailers–it’s all after the break for you to peruse. Continue reading Super Bowl XLV commercials →

Captain America poses for ‘AVENGE’ poster

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As Captain America: The First Avenger inches closer to its July 22 release, Marvel plans to release content the ramp up anticipation.  First up is this war-themed poster featuring Cap, his shield, and dirt flying everywhere. The word AVENGE sits in the middle–is this a hint as to what’s to come in the movie (will he avenge Pearl Harbor?) or is it simply a nod to the upcoming superheros fest The Avengers? Time will tell, but for now I like what I see.

[Via SlashFilm]

Creator Mitch Hurtwitz aims to shoot and release ‘Arrested’ film this year

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That post title is music to your ears, isn’t it?  Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz told Digital Spy that he wants to shoot and release the long-awaited film based on the short-lived FOX series this year. But don’t take my word for it; here’s what the man behind The Bluths had to say:

Hurwitz: “We’ve started that process and it is our sincere hope to shoot it this year and get it out this year. That’s what we’re hoping, but a lot of things have to fall into place for that to happen. I want to keep whatever it is we end up with as a surprise, which kind of betrays the fact that we might not have the whole thing worked out! But I don’t like to toy with the affections of our fans. They’ve been so supportive and we’re so grateful, so I kind of hate to answer the question until I can say, ‘Yep, we’ve shot it, it opens next week’. Otherwise it feels like we’re toying with people and we do not mean to do that. It has just taken a while to get it going.”

The last time Arrested Development news hit, Hurwitz admitted he was “about halfway through” writing the script, and that was back in August 2010.  He continued, “We will make this movie.  The only stumbling blocks will be scheduling.  Everybody wants to play together.”  And, “It’s not going to be a big money maker.  It’s going to be fun, like a family reunion.”

If you’re not shaking with excitement, there’s something terribly wrong with you.  Not familiar with the show?  All three seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, so you’ve got no reason not to watch arguably the smartest comedy ever produced.  Five times over.

[Via Digital Spy]

Trailer: Bridesmaids

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Hey ladies, Judd Apatow has made a comedy tailor-made specifically for you.  From the man who brought you The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up comes Bridesmaids, a movie that follows a maid of honor (Kristin Wiig, who also serves as co-writer) preparing to celebrate the wedding of her best friend (Maya Rudolph) while at the same time having to deal with her fellow bridesmaids.  In addition to the SNL alum, the ensemble cast includes Rose Byrne (Damages), Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly), Wendi McLendon-Covey (Reno 911!), and Ellie Kemper (The Office…it’s great to see Erin stepping into the big screen!).  The IT Crowd‘s Chris O’Dowd and Mad Men hunk Jon Hamm also make brief appearances in the trailer.

Apatow’s on board as producer and Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks, The Office) is the helmer.  “The whole goal of making this movie was to make a very funny, very honest movie about women in a way that they’re not normally made,” Feig tells EW. “Both Judd and I feel women are very much underserved by modern comedy, because it’s all so guy-centric. It was important for us to do that so when women come to see the movie, they would go, like, ‘Oh god, that’s just like my friends – maybe a funnier version of my friends.’ He adds, “It’s a hard movie to sum up in a trailer because it’s also very emotionally honest. There’s tons of comedy but there’s also very relatable honest moments that are real and not always reaching for a laugh.”

I really think Bridesmaids is going to hit a chord with audiences and I can’t wait for it to hit theatres May 13, 2011.

[Via EW]

Snyder’s Superman is Henry Cavill

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Say hello to the new Superman.  27-year-old British actor Henry Cavill, who is best known in the States for playing Charles Brandon on Showtime’s The Tudors, has been cast to play the Man of Steel in Zack Snyder’s reboot of the franchise.  Said Snyder in a press release: “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen. I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”  Interestingly enough, Cavill was tapped for the lead role in 2006’s Superman Returns, but as we all know the role went to Brandon Routh and now they’re rebooting it.  Cavill’s certainly got the looks to play the part, and we’ll soon find out if he’s got the silver screen talent to captivate audiences when he stars in the fantasy-action film Immortals later this year.

Superman was written by David S. Goyer and its producing team includes talents Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Deborah Snyder.  The movie’s on track for a 2012 holiday release.

[Via EW]

A brand new Angry Birds game based on ‘Rio’ animated flick coming soon [Update: Super Bowl embedded code]

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App developer Rovio has teamed up with 20th Century Fox to put together a new Angry Birds game for iOS and Android.  Following the original Angry Birds and Seasons games, this new installment is inspired by the upcoming Fox animated feature Rio (watch a trailer for it here).  Angry Birds Rio will pack 45 new levels, increased graphics performance, and “a few new twists.”  Future updates will add more levels.  Look out for the app to hit iOS, Android, and Symbian app stores this March, ahead of Rio‘s April 15 theatrical release.

And if you you didn’t know, Team Rovio is currently developing an animated TV series based on the Angry Birds universe.  After watching this trailer for the Rio-inspired game I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the show.  Who needs dialogue when you’ve got furious birds yelling and slimy green pigs snorting?

Update: It’s been revealed that during the Super Bowl 20th Century Fox will air a 30-second commercial promoting Rio that features an embedded code, the first of its kind.  The secret code will be inserted into a single frame of the ad.  When it’s entered into the Angry Birds app a new level will be unlocked and it will enter players into a Rio sweepstakes.  Winners will attend the animated flick’s world premiere in Rio de Janeiro on March 22. That also happens to be the day Angry Birds Rio hits the App Store, in case you were wondering.

[Via Nerdist; UnwiredView; Reuters]