Casting news abound for this installment of Cinema Bits:

The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2)has been added to the cast of this upcoming Disney film in the role of the villainous magician Horvath, The Hollywood Reporter announced. The film is based around the iconic animated segment of the same name from Disney's Fantasia (which seriously needs to be re-released on DVD and Blu-Ray). Molina joins Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel in this film helmed by National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub. The story centers on an average college student (Baruchel) who is reluctantly recruited to work for a sorcerer named Balthazar Blake (Cage). The man gives him a crash course in the art and science of magic to prepare him for a battle against the forces of darkness in modern Manhattan. This is perfect since Nic Cage probably thinks he is a wizard in real life anyway.

Inception - Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to take part in The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan's next project (according to Variety). Film is supposed to start production later this year and though the script has been kept under tight wraps, Warner Bros. has described the film as a "contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." That's about as helpful as saying it's "a film with a story told through various shots, dialogue and with the help of actors." And I'm sure fanboys are still crying that Nolan isn't jumping to direct a follow-up to The Dark Knight. Are they that eager to miss out on another Best Picture nomination? ZING!

Megan Fox casting - The Hollywood Reporter got the news that Transformers vixen Megan Fox has signed on to take part in two different comic book property films. The first is called Fathom which has Fox playing "a young woman named Aspen who learns she is a member of a race of aquatic humanoids who possess the ability to control water." And if you check out this illustration, she's definitely got the goods for this part. The second project is the already announced adaptation of Jonah Hex, in which she will star alongside Josh Brolin and John Malkovich. She will be portraying Leila, "a gun-wielding beauty and love interest of Hex (Brolin), a scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner (Malkovich) who wants to raise an army of undead to liberate the South." Megan Fox could get a role playing a refrigerator in an ALF movie and I'd definitely go see it, so these sound great.

Sucker Punch - With Watchmen hitting theaters in a couple days, Entertainment Weekly says director Zack Snyder has already gathered up his cast for this action fantasy film. Offers have gone out to Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) for the lead role of Baby Doll, as well as supporting roles for Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Evan Rachel Wood, and Emma Stone. Story is set in the 1950s, and follows a girl who is confined to a mental institution by her stepfather, who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. While there, she imagines an alternative reality to hide her from the pain, and in that world, she begins planning her escape, needing to steal five objects to help get her out before she is deflowered by a vile man. We can also guarantee that there will be unnecessary slow motion.

If one thing has been difficult over the past two months it's been getting excited each weekend for new releases. Between January and April is what is considered to be the off-season for films. Most of the releases during this time either aren't stand-out enough/too risky for the summer blockbuster run, or simply not awards contenders. Some of the releases may at one time have been considered for these popular spots, but either were plagued by re-shoots or bad focus group screenings and thus had a release date change.

January only brought one release that was a must-see for me (Liam Neeson's action-packed, Taken which had already seen release in Europe almost a year earlier) and it delivered the goods. February brought the enchanting Coraline (you can check out my review here) and surprised me with a fun slasher flick in Friday the 13th (review also posted).

But now I find myself struggling to remember what movies are coming out each weekend, because there's so much interminable dross out there to distract us (Thanks, Tyler Perry for this weekend's contribution to my list of Movies That Could Kill Me in your increasingly Ernest P. Worrell attempts at film with Madea Goes to Jail). Below are the major releases coming up in March and April that I will be seeing in theaters, and are really the only flicks to have any excitement about (even mild) until summer blockbuster season hits in May. Note: This doesn't include many of the indie or limited release movies since I'm not counting on them being released in our charmingly artistically declined Midwest state.

Watchmen - March 6
Based on the most praised graphic novel of all-time, this Zack Snyder directed picture turns the concept of a superhero team to a darker side for a social commentary on heroism. This one is also going to be released in IMAX and if the trailers are any indication then the visuals alone should make for good theater-going fare. But honestly, if you haven't heard of this film by now, then this movie just isn't for you.

I Love You, Man - March 20
Jason Segel and Paul Rudd team up in this bro-mantic comedy. We profiled the red-band trailer for this film a few weeks back, and it looks to join Forgetting Sarah Marshall as one of my favorite recent comedies. Surely more laughs will be brought in from supporting cast members Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live), J.K. Simmons (Juno and Spider-Man) and Jon Favreau.

Adventureland - March 27
Superbad director Greg Mottola helms this film that is probably easiest described as Waiting... set in an amusement park (it even has Ryan Reynolds in a similar role as the all-knowing long-time employee). Jesse Eisenberg (Squid and the Whale) and Kristen Stewart (of Twilight pandemonium) are in the roles of romantic leads supported by other park employees including Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Check out the trailer here.

Observe and Report - April 10
We've already highlighted the less than stellar poster, and mostly amusing red-band trailer for this upcoming comedy starring Seth Rogen. The trailer wasn't top notch, but I just have a feeling that this one is going to be along the lines of Pineapple Express in turning the action genre on its head with some great 80's nostalgic comedy and action sequences in the form of a rag tag team of mall security guards. Seth Rogen has a career that every comedian should be envious of right now.

The Soloist - April 24
This unfortunately was one of those movies that got plagued by low focus group scores and was pushed back out of awards contention. Way back. The trailer makes the film look very heartwarming and containing great performances from both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. I genuinely laugh everytime Foxx points to the sky and asks Downey, "Are you flying that plane?" And Downey says nonchalantly, "No, I'm right here." Check out the trailer here.

This is a short list, and while it could be made long with the aforementioned indie and limited release films, these are the ones that I'll be able to realistically catch, and therefore am already excited. If you're angry that I didn't put down Fast and Furious or Race to Witch Mountain then sound off below.

Here we have the final poster for Zack Snyder's Watchmen. While the trailers and other posters have all been fantastic, this one seems too conventional to be completely cool. The imagery is good, but when you look at the other posters, this one just doesn't completely measure up. Either way, I'm already sold on seeing this when it comes out March 6.