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This has been an amazing outlet for me to talk about, criticize and make fun of everything related to film and television, but I have received a higher calling. No, I'm not talking about Jesus, or Xenu or Steve Guttenberg. But rather, I have been hired as an intern for a production/talent management company in Los Angeles and will be leaving in less than 3 weeks.
While there's a chance that I may have the time to maintain the blog, it would surely be less frequent (which isn't saying much since we've been slacking lately...but that's mostly been due to my upcoming graduation from college and preparation for this gig in LA) and I also have to keep my nose clean, since I will have to sign confidentiality agreements, and don't really want to be bashing and criticizing films so publicly if I'm going to be working for any other film production companies.
Let me just say that it's been fun while it lasted. I loved getting any feedback on our stories, and I've gotten in touch with other great film bloggers as well.
You can still follow me on Twitter (@ScreenRider) as well as the other contributing writers Harry Nelson (@hcnelson), Phil Wrighthouse (@philwrighthouse) and Wes Cummins (@Wes_Cummins). Once again, thanks for reading, and if we make a comeback, you guys will be the first to know. Smoke'em if you got'em.
Two of my favorite character actors have joined Iron Man 2, according to /Film.
Clark Gregg, who recently directed the Chuck Palahniuk adaptation Choke, and can be seen in the comedic goldmine that is The New Adventures of Old Christine is thankfully back as Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the first film, Coulson was used to introduce the concept of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is expected to be a very big part of any subsequent Iron Man film. Gregg is so good at this type of role (see In Good Company) and played really well off of Gwenyth Paltrow's Pepper Potts.
And speaking of extremely attractive ladies, Kate Mara (We Are Marshall) is going to play a role that, as of right now, is being kept secret. Paltrow is coming back and the eye candy factor is going to go off the charts with Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, so it should be interesting to see where Mara fits in. Even though Shooter was kind of horrible, We Are Marshall is in my top three sports movies of all time, and Mara was a big part of that in a smaller role.
Iron Man has been my favorite superhero since I was a kid. It was the character that got me into comic books, an obsession that continues to this day. The first Iron Man film was everything I could have hoped for and, from what I've heard so far, the second installment just will add to the awesome hybrid director Jon Favreau has established of comedy, drama, and action film, except without all of the origin story to plow through this time. I will say, though, that I'm extremely saddened by the rumors that the Demon in a Bottle storyline won't be addressed in this film. The story arc, which explores Tony Stark's alcoholism, is one of the best comic arcs I've ever read and should definitely be checked out by anyone interested in Iron Man as a character.
The release date for Iron Man 2 is May 7, 2010 and is shooting right now.
The book isn't set to be published until September 15, but since Sony has the rights to the Robert Langdon character, they are acting fast to finalize a deal. Since negotiations have just began, there's no official word on the return of Tom Hanks, or series director Ron Howard returning, but since this franchise is such a huge investment and payoff for Columbia Pictures, I imagine they will do everything in their power to get them back for a third go-round.
Seriously though, how much trouble can a symbologist get into? I mean it's the same damn problem with something like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. You're investigating a crime scene. How dangerous can that be? Robert Langdon needs to calm down or he's going to get into some Mr. Bean type of trouble here before too long. Oh, he's so wacky!
Angels & Demons releases this summer on May 15. Check out the trailer right here.
[Catch-Up] Final Trailer for 'Harry Potter' Is Explosive
The trailer speaks for itself having more spectacular shots of the Death Eaters' attack on London, some dueling between Harry and Draco Malfoy, more dueling between Harry and Snape, and just some all around great shots of what looks to be the most action-packed Potter film yet.
There's also plenty of room for teen angst and hormones as we get an inkling of romance between Harry and Ron Weasley's younger sister Ginny as well as some problematic tension between Hermione and Ron. I've heard some rumblings that there's a lot more of the relationship content film in this one than in the series past. I think we'll be fine as long as the film doesn't come off like a Judy Blume book. Seriously though, if J.K Rowling came out with Are You There God? It's Me, Harry Potter you know it would fly off the shelves.
Anyway, check out the trailer below and get excited when this film gets released two days earlier than previously announced on July 15. You guys think this could be the best Potter yet?
In all seriousness, my graduating college is upon me and there has been plenty to do to make sure that all my loose ends are tied up.
But, now we are back with a vengeance, and will be posting regularly once again. We'll catch-up on some old stories as well as stay up to date with the most recent news.
Thanks to everyone who has stuck around, and will continue to check the site regularly, and for those of you who vocalized your dissatisfaction with our infrequent posting recently, we thank you for your feedback. We now return you to your regularly scheduled movie and TV news.
But seriously, the title says it all. Just do us a favor and check out this ScreenRider original short film written and directed by our occasional contributor Harry Nelson. As you can see it's called I Think I Fucked a Vampire and it's probably NSFW just to be safe (the language is rocking the f-bombs and more).
The film was shot in one 10-hour day, and will be premiering at a local theater right here in West Lafayette, Indiana this month. If you like it, feel free to toss it around to your friends, on your Facebook, or Twitter or even MySpace. You can watch it embedded below, in HD over at YouTube, or on Harry's official film site for I Think I Fucked a Vampire
I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to leave your comments below or contact Harry Nelson through his Facebook page, or his personal Twitter account.
In this trailer we get a shot of the groom-to-be, Justin Bartha (who you may remember as the comic relief sidekick Riley Poole in the National Treasure films) and the lead-up to what will be one chaotic bachelor party. The groomsmen, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, trace their steps and get more than they bargained for as they find themselves in possession of a baby, a tiger, a police car, but not the groom. Zach Galifianakis is going to blow up after this movie, and I hope everyone gets a chance to discover his comedic genius. The film comes out on June 5, but until then, enjoy the trailer below.
The trailer plays off of his now famous antics for 2006's Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. While the trailer is funny, I was expecting a bit more. There's no doubt that this will be hilarious, but I was hoping that the first trailer would make a bit more of a splash. But there's some great moments, and if anything, this is simply like a teaser. I remember not being too thrilled when Borat was being advertised, but at the time I was also unfamiliar with Cohen and his characters. If anything I'm still happy because it seems like Brüno is a character who will not be so easily imitated by all of your stupid friends who ruin the movie for everyone else.
Anyway, check out the trailer below, but be wary, because it's Red Band and it's most assuredly NSFW at all. What do you think?
The tagline for this film is "New Model. Original Parts." First of all I don't know why anyone would want a new car with old parts, but good try with the cleverness (it's about all the wit you'll see in regards to this film). Second of all, the problem with all the "original parts" coming back (this fourth installment which a friend of mine has dubbed 4 Fast 4 Serious brings back original cast members Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster) and that's where the money went, because it's certainly not in the action sequences. But let's begin at the beginning...
So The Fast and the Furious was a fun little, adrenaline rushed, popcorn flick. No doubt. Aside from the mediocre writing and consistently terrible acting, there's some great races, chases and action, and I even enjoyed the slightly innovative techniques of using footage shot from outside of the car, then in one full move sweeping into the driver's seat of the car, swirling around, and then back out the other side of the car. It's a combination of real footage, CG and green screen work, but it was fast-paced and made for a good edit. All that goes out the window with this one.
Here's the story (and there's a spoiler here, but it has to be said because the spoiler is the inciting incident for the rest of the film): Dominic Torretto (Diesel) and Letty (Rodriguez) are teamed up with some people south of the border and are stealing gas for street races as they work to get closer to some hotshot drug dealer. Long story short, Letty is killed, and Dom is off to find out just who's responsible. Meanwhile, in pursuit of the same drug dealer we find Brian O'Conner (Walker) working for the FBI trailing this same drug dealer, and as we come to find out, Letty had been working undercover for him while in Mexico with Dom. Now in order to actually get face to face with this drug dealer, Dom and Brian, driven by revenge and duty respectively have to enter a street race to try and get a job running drugs back in Mexico. Everything stems from their previous relationship to each other, and the loyalty and strange friendship they have with each other.
The problem with this flick is it's just not as fun as the first one (which is the pinnacle of these films). The races are bland and unexciting. They couldn't even give Brandon T. Jackson (Alpa Chino from Tropic Thunder) any good one-liners during a street race. One of the "action sequences" takes place in a series of tunnels through a small mountain range on the border. It's just simple swerving and no suspense or tense moments at all. And then they revert back to these tunnels for the "climax." It's neither fast (especially in the pacing of the film) or furious.
And while dialogue was never a strong suit in these movies, it's like they're not even trying. It's the most contrived, amateur writing I've heard in a long time. And it doesn't help that Paul Walker is back (who is basically a poor version of Hayden Christensen) or that Vin Diesel still looks and talks like an ape.
There are two midly interesting tidbits about this film. Vin Diesel is working along with some Asian guy in Mexico, and apparently this guy is from Tokyo Drift, BUT when he makes reference to it, it's like he hasn't been there yet (something like "I hear there's some crazy shit going on in Tokyo"). So it looks like this film happens between the second and third movies. But my favorite tidbit is something that I created myself. There's a green Gran Torino, similar to the one in the film Gran Torino, but it's just tricked out. I'd like to think that Thao (the kid who bonds with Clint Eastwood) got caught up in the gang life and tricked out this car, and somehow or another he got killed or lost it in a race. What I'm saying is, the most fun I had in this flick was wishing other things would happen in it. Save your life and save your money, and just put this in your Netflix Queue if you really have to watch it.
In no way is this an April Fool's joke, but it's serious business. Several other sites have verified its legit, and I took a glance at it myself at a couple minutes at different points in the movie, and it's certainly a working edit of the film.
But what a lot of people are pointing out, and this is something I agree with to a certain extent, that this won't exactly be the film we'll see on May 1st. Apparently this cut does not include any of the new footage that director Gavin Hood and the cast shot when there were worrying re-shoots in Vancouver months ago. Also along this note, the print also has unfinished effects including completely unfinished CG models of characters, green screen work and more.
We're not going to link to where you can find this leak or anything like that. If you really, REALLY want to find it, then I'm sure you will. But let me just say, that if you're looking to enjoy the movie, just hold off and in exactly one month, you'll get to see it on the big screen. It's not like you don't know what's going to happen anyway. Wolverine will get his claws out menacingly, be sarcastic, cut some stuff, blow some things up, and then Ryan Reynolds will make another joke. Game over.
'Back to the Future' Remake is in Spielberg's Hands
Spielberg took the time to make this announcement himself to quell any fear some of us loyal Back to the Future fans may have, and he said he will be very true to the original, besides the stuff that he decides to change. It will be updated for modern day, and so the time machine will "most likely take the form of a Hybrid of some sort. If you're going to time travel today, you're going to have to be green about it," Spielberg said in his announcement.
But the big question is who will step into the eccentric, 1.21 jiggawatt fueled shows of Dr. Emmett L. Brown? Spielberg saves that for last as he says, none other than Johnny Depp will step into the shoes once filled by Christopher Lloyd. It took some real convicing according to Spielberg, but it was the money that got him. Real pirates gold from what I'm told. And finally, one more thing, who's taking on the role of big buff meathead Biff Tannen? None other than the muscle man himself Vin Diesel. I simply cannot wait to see this come together.
The announcement video is over at Spielberg's official site. What do you guys think?
Not all details were revealed since there's still no word on how 24 plans to wrap up the terrorist plans currently on-going, but here's what is known as of now:
- Dr. Gregory House will first be called upon to attempt to cure and ailing Jack Bauer (after he recently came into contact with a biological weapon) giving House the most difficult task he's had yet: creating a cure.
- The outcome of the above is given even less time when House must diagnose a terrorist suspect when he suddenly becomes ill in typical House M.D. fashion where no one is sure what the diagnosis is.
- House's team will not be with him (as House travels to FBI headquarters to meet Jack Bauer) but they will be in contact via phone.
- The dynamic between Bauer and House will be hilarious and tense.
- Finally, this will most assuredly be in real time, so House is really working against the clock without any commercials to pass more that five minutes time.
Labels: 24, Dr. House, Fox, Gregory House, House, House M.D., Hugh Laurie, Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland
Poster Premiere: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The other posters feature Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon)looking ready to kick some ass, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) looking sly and cute at the same time, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) decked out in Quidditch garb, Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) looking disappointed like my parents, and Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) looking like a hardcore wizard James Bond.
This is one of my most anticipated films of the summer, and these posters maintain my hype. I wonder when they'll have the poster of Dumbledore kissing a dude, or Hermione at the point in her life when she starts living at Muggle truck stops giving out "favors" for "Fizzing Whizbees."
This looks like a great, chaotic comedy and may even be a sleeper hit of the summer. The film stars Ed Helms (NBC's The Office), Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers) and Zach Galifianakis (The Comedians of Comedy) as three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.
There's a mysterious baby, a missing tooth, and Mike Tyson air drumming to Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight." It's everything anyone could ask for. I've been wanting to see more of Galifianakis in films since seeing his stand-up a couple years back, and Ed Helms is always a good addition. Bradley Cooper is certainly making a name for himself, but it's hard to see him outside of his douchebag role in Wedding Crashers. It's an odd trio, and none of them are really big names, but that's what makes this even more interesting.
Anyway, this comedy looks like a blast, and I'm looking forward to seeing it when it comes out June 5. It's not everyday you get to see a trailer that depicts your future life. What do you guys think?
Well now, according to Variety, George Lopez is getting a huge chance to gain an even bigger following when he steps into the already crowded late night talk-show ring for TBS later this year. This move follows TBS recent dive into original content production after creating shows like 10 Items or Less and the comedian led Frank TV (led by the superb impressionist, but not so great comedian Frank Caliendo of Mad TV fame).
While Lopez has a large niche audience in the growing Hispanic population (no that's not a dig at immigration, in fact, I myself am half-Mexican), I'm not sure if he'll be able to last very long. His late night show won't have a strong lead-in like other late night start-ups on network television, and though he's pretty much a household name after his successful sitcom run, Lopez just isn't that strong of a comedian to catch my attention. Though it can't be any worse than Jimmy Fallon's attempt, a point and time might come when TBS will have to change their slogan to "TBS...Very Funny...Well Sometimes...Mostly Not...Whatever."
The show is supposed to start airing its 34-week initial run sometime this November. Will you guys be checking it out?
First, the Facebook integration is a nice new little feature, but as of now it only pushes your ratings to your Facebook news feed. It would be nice to see integration of updates on what you've added to your queue, or when you watch something via Instant Viewing. Maybe that's just further down the road. Linking Facebook with your Netflix account is easy. All you have to do is click right here, to be taken to a page on the Netflix site where you input your Facebook login information, and just like that it's done. Obviously you must have both a Netflix account and a Facebook account for this to work.
Second, Netflix is changing the way we rate genres. The way it used to go is the same 5 Star System used to rate individual movies was used to rate genres and sub-genres. Netflix has changed this up a bit, and now allows for more specific and accurate suggestions from both your individual movie ratings and a new genre rating system called "Taste Preferences."
Originally this was just a small test (that I was somehow chosen to be a part of) but last week Netflix announced that this new feature would be rolled out to all users this week. Below is some brief information about this new feature, but if you want, head over to Hacking Netflix to read a full write-up that I sent their way about Taste Preferences. But here's the short version.
You'll be able to find this new feature under the Movies You'll Love tab.
Then from there you will be able to rate your Taste Preferences. No longer will you use the 5 Star System for rating but a new ratings system saying how often you like to see movie with certain elements, styles or storylines (Often, Sometimes, or Never).
After you rate this Taste Preferences you'll begin to see more specific and niche-oriented suggestions on your main page much like the one below.
This week, three other posters were released as well. They are all international posters, and the imagery is much cooler than this one. Two of them you can check out here and here. Both of them are similar to other blockbuster "floating head" style posters like this Iron Man poster. The final one is my favorite, and it's reminiscent of the Independence Day poster.
Anyway, it's not the posters that keep getting me excited for the movie. It's the amazing trailers. May 8 can't get here soon enough if only because this will give hardcore nerds a break from furious masturbation for a a couple hours.
[Catch-Up] 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' Trailer
The premise is simple, wacky and allows for plenty of fun. A scientist trying to solve world hunger encounters a problem of global proportions in the town of Chewandswallow, after he invents a machine that causes food to rain from the sky.
The animation style is a bit different then what we're used to seeing, and while the trailer makes the film seem somewhat childish (I know it's based on a kids book, but it can still have quality content) there's a certain charm to it. Combined with the fact that there's sure to be plenty of gags with the different kinds of food falling from the sky (in 3D no less), this looks like a very promising family film.
On top of that the cast is what has my attention. Bill Hader puts to use his commanding voice talents as goofy scientist Flint Lockwood and plays along with the voices of Andy Samberg, Tracy Morgan, Anna Faris, James Caan and even the infamous Mr. T.
You can check out the trailer below, and the recently released poster for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs right here. What do you guys think?
This period comedy follows the story of Elliot Tiber, stuck working at his parents failing motel in the Catskills in the summer of 1969. But when he finds out that some sort of hippie gathering called Woodstock needs a place to go down, he gladly offers a helping hand to help bring some tourism to his family's failing business. Based on a true story and book of the same name by Elliot Tiber himself, Ang Lee's throwing a curveball here with a movie completely unlike anything he's done before.
The trailer has all sorts of great moments, many of them involving a cast of oddballs at Woodstock including Emile Hirsch, Eugene Levy and for some reason Liev Schreiber in drag. The film looks like a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to see what Ang Lee can do with some comedic, not-so-steamy subject matter. But of course it's Woodstock so there's bound to be some sex. Trailer is below and the film comes out August 14th of this year. What do you guys think?