Week of « Prev | Next »
1-20 of 43 articles « Prev | Next »
Discussion with Peter Docter and Bob Peterson
13 November 2009 3:04 PM, PST
Up is still in my top three films of the year. Even now with it’s release on Blu-ray, the gut-punch still gets me and it’s still a marvelous film to watch. The Blu-ray is also no slouch in it’s pristine presentation of the film, it also features a nice batch of extras that go into great detail about how and why the film was made. In honor of this release, I was able to participate in a virtual roundtable discussion with both Docter and Peterson. Aside from being dressed in obscure outfits (Docter in a bunny suit, Peterson as Amelia Earhart,) both seemed to be very proud of the work they did. They should be as the film is incredible.
Who came up with the idea to cast Ed Asner as Carl?
Bob Peterson: Once Pete and I had arrived at the idea of doing an Old Man movie, »
- Philip Barrett
National Treasure Director Goes For Greenpeace
13 November 2009 6:29 AM, PST
Jon Turteltaub, the director behind the National Treasure films as well as the upcoming The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, is in talks to direct a film based on the origins of the Greenpeace movement in the 1970s and 1980s — specifically, its founders, Bob Hunter and Rex Weyler.
I’m actually a little surprised that no one has attempted to put this story on film before, because the rise of this organization was quite an impressive feat from an unlikely alliance of teachers, pacifists and ecologists, who “attempted — often successfully — to disrupt American and French nuclear bomb tests, Japanese and Russian whaling ships and Norwegian infant harp seal hunters. In the process, they inadvertently started a movement that is still going strong nearly four decades later.”
The film will draw source material from two books: Greenpeace: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World (written by Weyler) and Bob Hunter »
- John Cooper
Rambo 5 Loses Sci-Fi Twist
13 November 2009 6:17 AM, PST
Deep down, I think we all knew it was too weird to be true. Sylvester Stallone had been talking a while back about how the fifth entry in the Rambo franchise would feature his character hunting down a genetically engineered monster. If ever there was a shark to be jumped or a fridge to be nuked, this was the grand-daddy of them all.
But now, Sylvester himself has notified the world of a slight change of plan. You’ve got to respect the guy for being extremely communicative with his fanbase in recent years. Here’s what he had to say:
I’m letting you know that Rambo has changed course and the story about hunting the man/beast will be done using another character in the lead. Rambo himself will be heading over the border to a violent city where many young women have vanished.
- John Cooper
The Mentalist – Season 2: “Red Bulls”
13 November 2009 5:23 AM, PST
Bosco and his team raid a house where a kidnapper is allegedly holding a hostage, but when they break in, the Cbi team is who they find. On the floor is a mummified corpse wrapped in plastic. As the shock wears off, a surprised Jane asks the team to “lower the guns, please.”
Back at the Cbi headquarters, each group explains to the other why they showed up at the house. Bosco’s team was led to the house by the trail of a missing heiress. Lisbon and her team showed up after getting a call from the coroner that a body was in the house. It just so happens that this body was of a kidnapped man from a wealthy family. Putting two and two together, Jane concludes that perhaps the teams are looking for the same kidnappers. What Jane wasn’t counting on, however, was the Chief Manelli »
- Jorden Beatty
“Outer Space” to launch on Syfy, and other news.
13 November 2009 5:22 AM, PST
Syfy will air its new comedy series “Outer Space Astronauts” on Tuesday, Dec. 8 before the “Scare Tactics” season finale.
The five-episode series employs live-action, 2-D and 3-D animation techniques. “Outer Space,” from creator/executive producer Russell Barrett and executive producers David O. Russell and Scott Puckett, centers on the galactic adventures of eight misfit astronauts on board the O.S.S. Oklahoma.
In other television news:
- Creator Kari Lizer (”The New Adventures of Old Christine”) has signed a huge three-year development deal with Warner Bros. TV to create new shows. She’ll continue to be the show runner on “Christine.”
- “Farenheit 451″ author Ray Bradbury will be shopping around his six-hour miniseries to the different networks. The six-parter will feature six of his classic short stories interpreted by six different directors, yet to be determined.
- Fox has tapped newcomer Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton and “High School Musical” actress »
- Leilani Laureano
Plus 1’s “2012″ review
13 November 2009 5:18 AM, PST
The day of the screening I was joking around with some friends at my day job and came up with this snazzy catchphrase regarding the new movie 2012: “Only John Cusack can outrun disasters of massive proportions but not be able to stop the disaster that was his character’s marriage.” I knew that Amanda Peet played Kate Curtis, the separated wife of Cusack’s Jackson Curtis and I had a feeling that by the end of the movie their long lost love would be reunited by the events of the movie. Boy was I right, and I didn’t need the Mayans to predict this like they allegedly have predicted the disaster that is 2012.
Director and Screenwriter (gotta give credit where credit is due) Roland Emmerich managed to create what will be this season’s greatest comedy. I don’t think that is what he set out to do upon drafting, »
- Plus1
2012 Review — John’s Take
12 November 2009 9:25 PM, PST
There’s more human suffering on display in Roland Emmerich’s 2012 than any other film I’ve seen. Emmerich raises the stakes of his own game, creating a level of destruction that outdoes anything seen in Independence Day or The Day After Tomorrow. Where he succeeds most brilliantly is in forming a perfectly satisfying piece of coherent bubble gum B-movie, where Michael Bay, given a comparable amount of funding, will produce utter chaos.
The only well-rounded character in 2012 is the calamity itself: unprecedentedly huge solar flares are causing the core of the earth to heat up and weaken the crust of the earth. This is making the tectonic plates of the earth shift around, causing earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanoes and the bisection of the occasional grocery store. Emmerich takes about a half an hour to warm up the audience for impending doom, which makes 2012 incredibly lengthy when it doesn’t need to be. »
- John Cooper
[Exclusive] Rain talks Enter the Dragon remake
12 November 2009 6:52 PM, PST
Recently I had the chance to participate in a roundtable with the Korean pop star Rain to discuss his upcoming film Ninja Assassin. During this short time I questioned Rain about the possible remake of Enter the Dragon, which he’s been rumored to star in. While he was tight lipped for the most part, he did reveal that wasn’t attached and that the project isn’t green-lit just yet.
A lot of people think you’re attached to the Enter the Dragon remake, so you’re not signed on?
Rain: No, I haven’t decided yet.
Who would you play though? Bruce Lee’s character?
Rain: Actually… I don’t know, because I cant tell you. Yeah, I haven’t signed [on] yet.
Is there any particular reason why you haven’t signed on?
Rain: Its not green light, its red light.
If it gets green-lit will you sign on? »
- JackGiroux
“Life Unexpected” bumps two CW shows off their original time slots
12 November 2009 7:26 AM, PST
CW shows “One Tree Hill” and “Gossip Girl” will interchange time slots to make room for “Life Unexpected.”
The two Monday night shows will each take extended breaks from January through May. “Gossip Girl” breaks for much of January and February, while “One Tree Hill” pauses in March and April. “Life Unexpected,” meanwhile, will jump between two time slots. The new show does intend to run its full 13-episode order.
The flip-flopping begins on Jan. 18. “Oth” will run in its normal 8 p.m. spot, followed by the series premiere of “Life Unexpected.” “Unexpected” will stay at the 9 p.m. time slot until March 8, then moves back to 8 p.m., which allows “Gossip Girl” to come back.
After “Life Unexpected” finishes its run, “Oth” will then return to conclude its season starting April 19.
Gossip Girl Season 2 promo’s »
- Leilani Laureano
MGM Sounds a Death Rattle; Auctions Imminent
12 November 2009 5:50 AM, PST
Not long ago, we told you about MGM’s impending financial crisis which threatened the life of the company, as well as the franchises that MGM holds. It seems that the situation has only gotten more dire for the studio: Variety is reporting that they will essentially be auctioning off all of their assets within the next several weeks.
This could mean a variety of things for the 85 year old studio. One studio may grab the rights to their name and lion roar, while another may purchase some or all of the 4,000 titles in their catalog. It’s very likely, though, that we’ll see one of the big dogs like Time Warner grab much of what is at stake.
According to Variety, “some specialists in film libraries consider its list of titles to be geriatric.” This seems to be hogwash; there is plenty of value and enticing properties within MGM. »
- John Cooper
‘Mad Men’ Writer to Have a ‘Fright Night’
12 November 2009 5:33 AM, PST
As much as critics and movie fans seem to hate on remakes and reboots, you have to admit that a lot can be done with a remake in talented hands. Examples of this extend back to John Carpenter’s work on The Thing to David Cronenberg’s The Fly. It’s possible. It can be done right.
Which is why the news of Mad Men writer/producer Marti Noxon being attached to write a remake of Fright Night is pretty superb news: Noxon is a talented guy who helped shape Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a successful series. His knowledge of the source material and the fact that Mad Men is widely considered to be one of the best pieces of entertainment on television makes me excited to see what he does with a remake.
Remember: the original Fright Night came out in 1985, starred Jack Skellington himself, Chris Sarandon, and »
- John Cooper
Jason Priestley Has a Death Wish
12 November 2009 5:19 AM, PST
Remember 90210’s Jason Priestley? The TV heartthrob has seemed to fade of the face of the earth, but it looks like he’s aiming for a comeback to the big screen by setting his sights on Death of a Freerider.
Freerider is based on a work that Jesse Hyde wrote for Rolling Stone about Sam Brown, “a 22-year-old Canadian mountain biker who took his quest for adventure into the multi-million dollar business of cross-border drug smuggling, which ultimately lead to his death.”
It’s unknown if Priestly wants to involve himself in an acting capacity, but he’ll stick around for producing and directing duties as they begin production with producers Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev at the close of next year.
More details on Death of a Freerider as they arrive here on AtomicPopcorn.net!
Most Commented PostsKnowing Movie ReviewFree 2012 screening in Baltimore! Nov. 10thFree Pirate Radio screening in Baltimore! »
- John Cooper
“Dollhouse” and “Hank” Get the Boot
11 November 2009 6:01 PM, PST
It’s the season to make it or break it. Even though the news isn’t a surprise, Fox cut ties with the Joss Whedon-created series, “Dollhouse.” ABC also decided to drop “Hank.”
The sci-fi series, which is filming episode 11, is expected to finish its 13-episode order. The 13th episode will serve as the series finale, and Whedon plans to end the show “in a significant way.” The Friday night show barely came back for a second season this fall.
Fox pulled “Dollhouse” from its November sweeps schedule after its opening four episodes drew an average of only 3.08 million viewers. The next episode will run on Dec. 4, and the series finale is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 22.
“Hank” was ABC’s weakest link in its block of new Wednesday-night comedies. The freshman comedy starring Kelsey Grammer is filming its 10th episode but will stop production after wrapping that episode. Five »
- Leilani Laureano
Secrets of Area 51 Leaked
11 November 2009 5:10 PM, PST
Not too long ago, we brought you the news that Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli had started moving forward with his next project, Area 51, with the casting of three virtually unknown actors.
At the time, Peli was trying to keep the plot of the movie tightly under wraps. Well, Peli continues to want to keep the plot secret, but as so often happens in Hollywood, details have been leaked.
A first draft of the script of Area 51 tells the story of an alien-intrigued teenager and his two buddies who take a trek to Las Vegas to meet up with a former worker from Area 51. He tells the guys about supposed government involvement with human/alien experiments in order to gain alien technology. The one thing he doesn’t have? Proof that such experiments took place.
Luckily, the former worker has extensive knowledge of security around Area 51, »
- Carly
Oscars Possibly to Have Full Ballot for Best Animated Feature
11 November 2009 5:08 PM, PST
Having only been introduced in 2001,”Best Animated Feature” is a fairly new category for the Oscars. Since then, the Academy has only had three nominees in the category every year. This year, however, it’s looking like that might change.
The number of nominees is determined by a set of rules that bases nominations based on how many eligible films come out during that awards year. This year has been a hotbed for animated films, which has resulted in the Academy having a list of 20 films that could be nominated for Best Animated Feature.
Given that number, it’s quite likely that five films could be pulled as nominees, rather than the three that the category has seen in previous years. It’s not guaranteed that the category will see five nominees, but given how well animated films did this year, the potential is definitely there.
The list of eligible »
- Carly
Zemickis to Continue Run of Animated Christmas Films
11 November 2009 5:07 PM, PST
First there was The Polar Express in 2004. This year saw the release of A Christmas Carol. Next on Robert Zemickis’s list for animated Christmas tales? The Nutcracker.
Zemickis’s adaptation of the story of the nutcracker prince will be taken from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original novel The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, rather than Tchaikovsky’s balletic interpretation (the form with which most people are more closely acquainted).
The film will focus on the war between the mice and the dolls, but will also seek to answer the question of the Nutcracker’s origin and explain the curse that turned him into a toy. The Nutcracker will also be made as a period piece, taking place in 19th century Russia, as in the original story.
The Nutcracker will, of course, be shot in the motion-capture animation style that Zemickis is turning into his trademark.
No production details have yet been released. »
- Carly
Second of 3 Alice in Wonderland Posters!
11 November 2009 5:04 PM, PST
Tim Burton fans, rejoice! A second poster of his upcoming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland has been released, and looks stunning.
The image features Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Michael Sheen’s White Rabbit, and Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter lurking at the table in the background.
Hopefully this will help to sate your appetite for the film and all things Burton until its release on March 5th, 2010.
New Alice in Wonderland Poster!Nightmare Time: New Alice PicturesMirror/Mirror – “There Is a Place Like No Place on Earth”Frankenweenie Feature Film Rolls Forward »
- Carly
New Blurays to Have iPhone and iPod Touch Interactivity
11 November 2009 6:09 AM, PST
This is a cool little bit of news.
Universal (and probably all the big guns will follow suit, with the exception of Sony, perhaps) is pairing some of its upcoming Bluray releases with iPhone and iPod Touch apps that will allow for handheld interaction with the film while you are watching it on the screen.
Namely, for Bruno, Funny People, 9, American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, Public Enemies and Inglourious Basterds (which one of these doesn’t seem to fit in?) you’ll be able to access a bunch of features using the new “pocket Blu.” Pocket Blu will access your iPhone’s wifi connection and seamlessly link that to the network connection in the Bluray player itself.
According to the official press release, some of the features available through the pocket Blu app are:
Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. »
- John Cooper
First Kick-Ass Trailer Bursts Onto the Scene
11 November 2009 5:51 AM, PST
There was an immensely positive buzz going on about Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic Kick-Ass at San Diego Comic Con this year. Some who saw footage from the film are saying it is the most phenomenal comic book movie of all time, which is high praise indeed.
I don’t quite get that from this trailer, but I see the potential. I think the film will obviously venture into gritty territory that this green-band trailer can’t explore, so I’m definitely going to withhold judgment until I can see the final product.
That said, this movie has a great young cast: Chloe Moretz (from 500 Days of Summer), Aaron Johnson from the upcoming Nowhere Boy, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse from Superbad.
Check out the trailer below, and make sure to catch the film when it’s released on April 16 of next year.
Kick-Ass to Self-Confirm SequelLionsgate »
- John Cooper
Clash of the Titans Trailer Rocks Out
11 November 2009 5:42 AM, PST
The first trailer for Clash of the Titans, directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk) has arrived on the scene. And boy is it engineered for a post-mtv generation. This looks like a CGI-fest through and through, and its flashy editing is all bulked up by the rock soundtrack its paired with.
In other words: this looks nothing like the original film. That’s not to say it will be bad though — all I want out of the film is a solid little bit of fun action, and I know that Sam Worthington can deliver. There’s also a brief glimpse or two at Liam Neeson’s Zeus, amongst the giant scorpions and stuff.
Check out the trailer below! Clash of the Titans will be released on March 26, 2010.
Empire gets some TitansTwo New Pics From ‘Clash of the Titans’First Cool Look: ‘Clash of the Titans’Clashing New Photos »
- John Cooper
1-20 of 43 articles « Prev | Next »
