Tag: Bruce Willis

New Theatrical Poster Released For ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D’!

by Shawn Madden

Next week we’re getting another brand new trailer for G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D, and just ahead of that Paramount has released a brand new theatrical poster for the sequel. Yo, Joe!

A follow-up to the 2009 release of G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, which grossed over $300M worldwide, Paramount Pictures, MGM and Skydance Productions, in association with Hasbro and di Bonaventura Pictures, commences production on G.I. Joe: Retaliation. In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D hits theaters March 27, 2013!

Source: Yahoo

Plot Details Revealed For ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Well it’s about time. The newest Die Hard chapter is just a few months away, and until today, we’ve really had no idea what A Good Day to Die Hard is about.

MovieHole today learned just what we’d all been wondering: what the hell is John McClane up to?

The plot, as we have all learned, featured McClane traveling to Russia to be with his son. So what’s going on with his son? What I’m being told is the son of John McClane, Jack, (played by Jai Courtney) is in fact an undercover CIA Operative. Cringe if you will, but this is slightly hinted at in the first teaser trailer released in September where Bruce Willis’ McClane says the line ” The 007 0f Plainfield, New Jersey.” This is referring to where the McClane / Gennaro family originally hail from, the city of Plainfield, NJ and McClane Jr being a secret agent, ala Bond 007.

CIA Agent Jack McClane meets his estranged father, the reluctant hero that is John McClane, in Moscow and who is apparently completely unaware how super-trained an agent his son actually is. Jack is so highly trained, that he’s deep undercover with Russian heavies who have their hands on some nukes, but once his cover is blown, both the younger and older McClanes are left with no alternative than to fend off Russian mobsters aplenty in unfamiliar territory.

So there it is! I know that so far the trailers for the film have left people feeling underwhelmed. Does this change things? In any case, are you looking forward to the film?

A Good Day to Die Hard romantically lands in theatres on February 14th, 2013.

New International Trailer Debuts For ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’

by Shawn Madden

A new action-packed trailer for Paramount’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation has made it’s way online.  Were we upset that this movie didn’t get released as planned this year? Definitely. Are we still going to be in theaters opening weekend for this one? Hell yeah.

A follow-up to the 2009 release of G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, which grossed over $300M worldwide, Paramount Pictures, MGM and Skydance Productions, in association with Hasbro and di Bonaventura Pictures, commences production on G.I. Joe: Retaliation. In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is hitting theaters March 29, 2013.

Watch The New Trailer For ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’!

by Shawn Madden

Check out a brand new teaser trailer for A Good Day To Die Hard. The trailer introduces us to John McLane’s son, Jack. Details regarding the plot are still a bit scarce but the trailer does confirm that John will be heading to Moscow to help his son out of a bit of a spot. And of course that includes a lot of people getting killed and plenty of property damage. Like father…like son?

A Good Day To Die Hard hits theaters February 14, 2013.

Source: Yahoo

Check Out The Teaser Trailer For ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Seems like just yesterday we were showing you the first still from A Good Day to Die Hard (it was yesterday actually). Now not even 24 hours later,  here’s a teaser trailer!

The trailer doesn’t really show anything in terms of plot or what the movie may be about, but it does show Bruce Willis kicking some ass, so what more can you ask for really.

Take a look at the trailer, and let us know what you think! A Good Day to Die Hard is set to hit theatres on February 14th, 2013.

An Official First Look At John McClane And Son In ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’

by Shawn Madden

Bruce Willis has been on a pretty good steak of flicks lately. He had The Expendables 2 and Looper come out this year and is currently shooting Red 2. But, shame on us…how could we forget that there’s another Die Hard on it’s way?

Well, this new photo from A Good Day To Die Hard showing Bruce Willis as John McClane with Jai Courtney as his son Jack McClane, thanks to the people over at Entertainment Weekly, will keep us from ever forgetting again.

Yipee ki-yay.

A Good Day to Die Hard hits theaters Feb. 14, 2013.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Looper

by Shawn Madden

I can honestly say that if I don’t see another movie this year after Looper, I would be fine with that. There have been few truly great movies that have done what Looper has done. Rather than giving us an adaptation of something we have already seen, writer/director Rian Johnson delivers us an original story and does it brilliantly. Trust me, when I say that you are going to be seeing Rian Johnson’s name around a lot more after this film.

Sure, time travel is nothing new in science fiction films, but Johnson brings us a fresh idea on the subject. And if you think you know what is going on in this movie based on the trailers, I am here to tell you that you don’t. This movie is definitely more cerebral and complex than you expect it to be and you’re hooked on the plot from the very beginning. This is not a date night movie by any means because Johnson intends to blow your mind here and accomplishes the feat.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Joe lives in 2042. He’s a Looper, a hired assassin for the mob (but the mob of 2072). Loopers are given contracts that tell them to be at certain places at certain times in order to perform hits sent from the future. At the exact time stated in the contract, a tied up and hooded target pops into 2042 and in an instant are killed and their bodies destroyed.

Loopers make a good living off this. A mafia that exists in both times run things and Jeff Daniels plays Abe, who is from the future and coordinates the contracts in the past. A mad man is taking over the business in 2072 and for unknown reasons is terminating the contracts of the Loopers. At the time of your contract being terminated you are to kill yourself and cash in heavily, also known as a “loop”. That’s where Willis, who plays Joe from 2072, comes into play. Willis presence in the past is no mere coincidence, but rather the start of a much larger mission to alter the future.

Not only is this movie very smart but it is also quite funny and full of action packed sequences. The shots are beautiful and the visuals are amazing. The film is crisp and quite stylish and the cgi feels very natural and quite real. It also accomplishes the feat of creating a believable future without overdoing it.

Looper is a film that is less concerned with the sci-fi elements than it is with the development of its central characters. Sure, this isn’t done perfectly but it done very well. Now, while all of the performances are great, it’s really Joseph Gordon-Levitt that shines in this film. Levitt has prosthetic attached to his face so he would look more like younger Bruce Willis, and once you get past that you know it’s there, you really get lost in how much he looks and acts like Willis.

Levitt definitely gives this film his all and it clearly shows. Willis gives a very emotional performance as future Joe and Jeff Daniels and Emily Blunt are also great in this film. But child actor Pierce Gagnon gives the most unexpected and fantastic performance in the film. I can’t tell too much about his role without revealing anything about the plot but he’s definitely one of the highlights of the film. When this loop comes full circle you will definitely not expect it.

Looper, without a doubt, is definitely one of the best films to come out this year. The story is going to throw you through a “loop” that will having you walking out of the theater and instantly begin discussing the themes of the movie with the people you saw it with.  Time travel has not yet been invented but you do have the ability to relive these two hours over again and you are going to want to.

Rating: 5/5

David Thewlis Joins The Cast Of ‘RED 2’

by Shawn Madden

Dean Parisot’s RED 2 has added yet another actor to it’s impressive ensemble cast. David Thewlis (who you probably know best as Remus Lupin from the five Harry Potter films he’s been in) has now joined the cast of the sequel as ‘The Frog’ who is said to be “an information dealer who got his name by poisoning the water supply at the Kremlin using a poisonous Amazonian frog.”

Thewlis will be joining Anthony Hopkins (Thor), Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Byung-hun Lee (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as well as the returning cast members from the first film. This instalment will see the retired C.I.A. Agents travelling across Europe to take on an all-new threat.

RED 2 hits theaters August 2nd, 2013.

Source: THR

Bruce Willis Debuts The First Footage From ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’!

by Shawn Madden

Bruce Willis appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman last night and talked about the status of the latest installment in the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day To Die Hard. Willis has confirmed that they have wrapped up filming and the movie will be hitting theaters next February. He even brought a first look for people to see!

 

Okay, so he tricked us too. It was pretty funny though.

‘Looper’: The 16-Bit Trailer!

by Shawn Madden

Who doesn’t like seeing stuff that they love reinterpreted in 8-bit and 16-bit form? Well, how about something that we don’t love yet but I am pretty sure we are going to? Take a look at what Looper would look like if it was still the 90’s and we were getting movie adaptations for our Super Nintendo. This fan made trailer for the upcoming movie is pretty damn awesome and I would totally play the hell out of this game.

In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented – but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper” – a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) – is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels. Ram Bergman and James D. Stern produce.

Looper hits theaters September 28th!

Source: Slash Film

You’re Not Prepared For Miami Connection! The Geekscapepod For August 25th, 2012!

by Jonathan

Finally! A brand new Geekscapepod! Scott Alminiana joins me to talk ‘Paranorman’, ‘Expendables 2’ and the awesomeness that is ‘Miami Connection’! We talk about attending the Miami Connection premiere and why Jean Claude Van Damme is easily the best part of Expendables 2! Superman is now banging Wonder Woman! Geekscape wants you to see ‘Sinister’ early! Who’s in Expendables 3? Who SHOULD be? We say goodbye to Nintendo Power! New Super Mario Bros 2 is the same old great game while Papo and Yo is the PSN game that every PS3 owner has to experience for themselves!

NOTE: Yes, I meant to say Mister Miracle when I instead said Mister Terrific. I’m only kind of human!

Subscribe to the show on iTunes!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:06 — 22.3MB)

Chuck Norris Won’t Be Back For ‘The Expendables 3’

by Shawn Madden

Work on a third chapter in The Expendables series is already underway. However, there will be one lone wolf not returning for a third outting of blood and carnage. There is currently no reason given for his departure, but Chuck Norris will not be back for The Expendables 3. Maybe they told him they were contacting Liam Neeson and he feared for his own life? I am fully prepared for the repercussions of that statement.

Norris told Access Hollywood (via The Playlist):

“Nope. Just number 2. This is it for me…Oh, yeah. This is very special. Just to be able to do the film with guys I’ve known for many, many years. To get a chance to get in and fight with them, it was a lot of fun. Plus getting a chance to meet Terry Crews, who I hadn’t met before. And Jason Statham, whom I hadn’t met before. It was fun just to do that.”

The team behind The Expendables series has currently got their sights set on bringing Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford and Wesley Snipes into the franchise with Nicolas Cage reported to have already signed on. But can these actors fill the void that Norrs will leave? Probably not. You know who can though? Liam Neeson. Oh, and can we get a little more Jet Li this time around? He was totally wasted again this time around. Cue the internet memes!

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Expendables 2

by Molly Mahan

With all the build up to Expendables 2, did you honestly think I wasn’t going to review it? Pssh! From the moment it was announced, I knew it would be the only movie this summer , let alone (with exception of Django Unchained) this year, that I was going to actually be excited for. The Avengers? Not a fan of Whedon. The Dark Knight Rises? Cool, I’ll happily see it, as a fan who is invested in the franchise. The Amazing Spider-Man? Another movie that exists only so a company can retain the rights, great. Expendables 2? Oh, hell yes! I knew exactly where I am going to be all weekend long: hanging out in a movie theatre watching a bunch of old men kick each other’s asses, while explosions and terrible in-jokes go off in the background. It was my first intentional midnight showing since The Dark Knight and it did not disappoint.

It’s a movie that, like Skynet, is self-aware. It knows what it is and why you have come to see it, and cuts most of the fat (“Let’s give them their money’s worth,” Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Vilain quips to no one as he and Stallone’s Barney Ross have their final show down). Like the first film, it takes the good and bad aspects of 80s action films, puts them all into a blender, and lays everything–the explosions, the terrible dialogue, the lack of plot, the misogyny, the xenophobia–on thick. The only thing it lacks is characterization (aside of caricaturization) and plot; but if you’re going to see this movie, you probably weren’t expecting those  things anyway. Lord knows I wasn’t. In fact, when little Liam Hemsworth’s Billy the Kidd tried to give us some back story on his army days and how he got involved with Sly and company, I knew it was time to turn my brain off and just ignore any other attempt at plot or cohesiveness of story.

The rest of the movie is a ride and a half. Although the best action sequences happen at the beginning of the film, there are still some solid explosions and kicks from Jean-Claude Van Damme to make the other 70 minutes of the film worth it. In fact, I realized after the movie was over, that I would watch 104 minutes of just JCVD jump kicking Stallone in the face. What’s even better about that, however, is that you know it’s him doing it. No stunt doubles, no wires; it’s all legit from the Muscles from Brussels.

JCVD kicking back at the premiere.

The cameos in this film aren’t done as seamlessly as they are in the first film: Chuck Norris’s Booker, aka “The Lone Wolf”, comes in and out of the action with no real explanation of why (“Sometimes it’s fun to run with the pack”). Likewise Schwarzenegger and Willis are there and then they’re gone, quoting each other’s own famous lines. After their early parts in the film, they are more or less superfluous (expendable, if you will), and should just let the main team do what they have to do. They should have just served their purpose to their story and head out. While it’s fun to see them doing what they did best in the 80s and 90s, they weren’t doing it any better than Lundgren, Couture, and Crews.

You know, the actual team.

That said, there was only one thing about the movie that truly irked me (not enough to keep me away or from squealing like a fangirl at the end), and that was addition of Nan Yu’s Maggie. First, who the hell is Nan Yu? From what I could tell, she existed solely because Jet Li didn’t want to do the movie if it was filmed outside of China. Their characters are inexplicably the same. Just as Li got mocked for his size and nationality in the first one, she received similar treatment regarding her gender and nationality, as well. Michelle Rodriguez would have been a better and more proper choice (what other woman, after all, is more Expendable than her?). And with Rodriguez, we wouldn’t have likely had that awkward moment at the end where she’s like, “I don’t have to leave, you know …” to Ross, even though there was no sexual tension whatsoever. While I am fine with having a female fighter, one who doesn’t use sex as a weapon or even seem to be aware of the fact that she could do that (in fact I prefer that), her addition to the team as a pure unknown (and not even an up-and-comer or someone with a martial arts background) was just weird.

Also, if anyone should have “got” the girl, it should have been Lundgren, damnit.

I know I’m not really giving you any new information or insight on the flick. If you’re going to see Expendables 2, you already know what you’re going for. It’s not the plot, it’s not the characters; it’s the nostalgia, the explosions, and the testosterone. And it has those things in spades. If you prefer a high body count to high culture, then you’ll be satisfied. Otherwise, this flick may just be expendable.

Expendables 2 is kicking ass in theatres NOW!

The ‘Looper’ Viral Campaign Has Begun!

by Shawn Madden

Sometime around March director Rian Johnson had announced that they were planning a viral campaign for the upcoming Looper. Well, it’s started guys and they’re inviting YOU to be a looper. All you have to do is head over to Looper Network and sign up but there’s a catch. There’s always a catch right?

There’s a stipulation in every Looper’s contract that he may someday be required to hunt down his future self, thus closing the contract, getting a huge pay-off and erasing any trace of the very illegal arrangement with his or her future employer.  This is called Closing Your Loop.  Cash out, get paid.  Live those 30 years like only a Looper can.

Well, this also reveals a little bit more about just what is happening in the movie. You guys better hurry up and sign up now because the first mission is scheduled to go down August 22nd! But you can pick up your gear now.

And a few of the propaganda images from the site:

Looper is in theaters September 28th.

Bruce Willis Replaced Sgt. Slaughter In ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’!

by Shawn Madden

This is news that is sure to disappoint fans of the 80’s cartoon series. During a recent interview with The Score’s Arda Ocal, former WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter filled us in on how a conflict between two toy companies prevented him from making a cameo in both GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra and GI Joe: Retaliation.

Skip to the 9:30 mark.

Robert Remus aka Sgt. Slaughter has the unique honor of being the first GI Joe figure that is actually based on a real life person. While the backstory is for the most part fabricated, the likeness is of the sarge. His character appeared in six episodes of the original 1980’s Sunbow cartoon, two of the Marvel comic books, and GI Joe: The Movie. I’m pretty sure him having a cameo in the movie would have definitely pleased many die-hard fans.

Source: The Score

New ‘Expendables 2’ “Payback” TV Spot!

by Shawn Madden

So, are you guys ready for The Expendables 2 yet? Lionsgate has released this explosive thirty second TV spot featuring some pretty damn funny moments from the upcoming action flick.

The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal… Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren),Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables way…


The Expendables 2 is going to kick your ass on August 17th.

‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ Posters Give A First Look At RZA As Blind Master

by Shawn Madden

Now while the movie has been pushed back it doesn’t mean they aren’t going to keep promoting it. You will most likely see these above display cases in Hasbro’s area at San Diego Comic-Con next week but we have a first glimpse at them including a first look at RZA as Blind Master.

A follow-up to the 2009 release of G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, which grossed over $300M worldwide, Paramount Pictures, MGM and Skydance Productions, in association with Hasbro and di Bonaventura Pictures, commences production on G.I. Joe: Retaliation. In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ strikes theaters March 2013.

Source: Generals Joes

Check Out The International Trailer For ‘Looper’!

by Shawn Madden

When I first saw the trailer for ‘Looper’ at WonderCon I was blown away. With an impressive cast and a great concept this is one of the movies I have been looking forward to most this year. We now have a second trailer that sheds a bit more light on the plot of the movie.

Face your past and fight your future on September 28th.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: “Moonrise Kingdom”

by Scott Alminiana

Hipster director Wes Anderson is back with “Moonrise Kingdom,” his follow up to 2009’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Anderson co-wrote the story with Roman Coppola (they previously wrote “The Darjeeling Limited), in which two 12-year-olds fall in love in 1965 and run away together into the wilderness as authorities search for them.

Newcomers  Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward play the roles of star-crossed 12-year-olds, Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop, and they give terrific performances. These aren’t regular kids, these are kids seen through a Wes Anderson filter.

Sam is an orphaned kid, disliked by both his foster brothers and his fellow kaki scouts. Suzy is a misunderstood girl, who lives in a lighthouse with her three younger brothers and parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand). The two meet and begin writing each other, soon hatching a plan to run away together into the great unknown. Scout Master Ward (a wonderful Edward Norton) soon realizes that Sam has “flown the coup,” enlists the help of police captain Sharp (an out of character Bruce Willis, but great none the less) and forms a search party made up of the kids from the scout troop, who are out for blood. Along the way, we are treated to performances from Tilda Swinton as Social Services (no really, that’s her name in this), Jason Schwartzmen as Ben, a scheming con-artist of a camp counselor, and Harvey Keitel as Commander Pierce.

I can’t give enough credit to Wed Anderson for his work here. If you’re not a fan of his, this isn’t going to win you over. If you are a fan of his work however, like me, you will find this endearing and charming without ever being cutesy or mushy. From the opening shot to the closing credits, there is always something wildly entertaining going on in each frame, be it the subtle look on a character’s face, or the wonderful narration of Bob Balaban. There are a few parts where the pacing does drag a tad but overall the film works wonders.

If you want to a see a film that is hilariously heartfelt, where you may find yourself smiling frequently throughout, then this film is for you. If that doesn’t sound like your type of movie, go see “Battleship” instead. The choice is yours, but choose wisely.

Score: 4/5

 

The Real Story On The ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ Date Change

by Shawn Madden

So, a few days back I reported on ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ being pushed back and it looks like there’s more than meets the eye here. Wait… wrong franchise. Moving along. We were all told it was so that they could go 3D to pull in a higher international gross. But from the get go there was plenty of people not buying it. Most were positive it was due to ‘Battleship’ sinking and a fear that they would not be able to compete with ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ coming out four days later. Some speculated it was to try and pull in Joseph Gordon Levitt after realizing that once ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ hits… well he’s going to be bigger than he already is.

Well… according to Deadline you were all wrong. Apparently after test screenings Paramount realized they had made some mistakes. Primarily… killing off Channing Tatum. Yeah… they killed him off. Crying fan boys on the internet ACTUALLY got something they wanted and guess what? It turned out bad. Who would’ve thought? Tatum wasn’t a star at all when ‘GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra’ came out. But after he became a ladies favorite with ‘The Vow’ and had one of the most successful comedies of the year with ’21 Jump Street’ they realized a mistake had been made. It became even more apparent when test audiences commented that the relationship between Tatum and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was a “bright spot”.

Sources stated that Jon Chu was “shell shocked” over the release date move. As was Hollywood due to all the money spent on marketing the flick for that date being plastered all over.

Will this affect people going to see it? Probably not. Can this possibly improve the film? I think so. I actually like Channing Tatum (I’m sure now the fan boys shall unite and burn me at the stake) And Ray Park seemed very confident in this movie when I spoke with him at Wondercon. So… lets hope for the best. And look… it just means you can go see ‘Prometheus’, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ and ‘Ted’ five more times.

‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ strikes March 29, 2013

GI Joe: Retaliation Pushed Back To March 2013 To Go 3D

by Shawn Madden

So, it looks like some people are going to be let down next month.

Just one month before G.I. Joe: Retaliation was scheduled to hit theaters June 29, Paramount decided to move its release date to March 29, 2013 in order to convert the movie to 3D.

A studio exec has stated “We’re going to do a conscientious 3D job because we’ve seen how it can [do] better box office internationally. Jim Cameron did all of Titanic’s 3D in post – and look how well that movie turned out.”

The thing is…what they’re doing IS smart. 3D movies do tend to be more profitable across seas. Its also going to be hard competition for movies this summer (especially with Retaliation coming out literal days before The Amazing Spider-Man) with so many exciting films on the horizon. And as Battleship proved by sinking under the weight of The Avengers…timing may be everything with these releases.

Well…looks like they’re going to have to reprint those posters eh?

Does this decision make me want to see this movie less? No. I’m still going to be dead center geeking out to Snake Eyes and Firefly the whole time.

Eh at least on the bright side though here…this DID cause Universal to bump up Ted by two weeks?

Source: NY Daily News

The Official “Expendables 2” Trailer Is Out And It Blows Things Up!

by Jonathan

If I know one thing, it’s that the U.S. of A. is in love with two things: pro wrestling and NASCAR!

And hallelujah, brother, because this brand new official trailer for The Expendables 2 has healthy doses of bad ass dudes beating each other up and kick ass machines making a serious mess… oh, and tons of explosions!

I honestly think that this is going to be a hilariously fun time. Will it win any awards? Yeah. From bad ass tough guys. Who else matters? This trailer has it all. Arnold. Willis. Stallone. Lundgren. Norris. Cruz. Statham. Jet Li. And the Geekscape founding father himself: Jean Claude Van Damme!

Bring it on already!

Check Out These New “Expendables 2” Character Posters! Willis! JCVD! Arnold!

by Jonathan

Last night, Dolph Lundgren posted some new Expendables 2 posters to his Facebook fan page (and you know I’m a member of that group). I hadn’t seen these anywhere, except for the Stallone and Arnold shots, so I thought I’d make up a gallery and share with you these bad ass character posters for each actor who’s part of the most kick ass action ensemble this summer!

What, you thought it was The Avengers?!? The Avengers don’t have JCVD! That enough puts The Expendables over the top! Now check these out!

 

Twentieth Century Fox Teases Fans At Cinemacon 2012

by Eric Diaz

For years, Twentieth Century Fox has been the studio fanboys love to hate; from slowly killing the Alien franchise with bad sequel after bad sequel, to their treatment of their Marvel properties, let’s just say that Fox chairman Tom Rothman has a bad reputation with the geek crowd. But last summer that started to change, when both X-Men First Class and Rise of the Planet of the Apes actually ended up being….really good. And now Prometheus looks to be a legitimate sci fi movie and not just another cheap cash in like AVP. Has Rothman seen the light? In any event, people are excited about Fox genre fare for the first time in a long time. At this year’s Cinemacon in Las Vegas, several websites got the chance to quiz Rothman on several genre movies, and here are some of the tidbits that they got:

According to MTV News, who spoke to Rothman, the sequel to X-Men: First Class will begin shooting early next year; “We’re going to start shooting January 2013 for a release date of either Christmas 2013, or Summer 2014, The script is in development now. Matt, Simon Kinberg and Jane Goldman are working on it now.” In other mutant news, The Wolverine is still set in Japan and based on the famous Chris Claremont/Frank Miller mini series from the 80’s. Studio work is going to be done in Australia, but location shooting is going to be in Japan. Rothman admits to the mistakes on the last Wolverine movie, and indicates that they’re “listening to the fans” this time.  “I can just tell you on behalf of (Hugh Jackman) his goal is to make the ultimate, bad ass, berserker rage Wolverine” Also, it looks like the rumors of Chronicle director Josh Trank taking on the Fantastic Four reboot are true, as he has been brought in to develop the new FF movie: And speaking of Chronicle, that might be getting a sequel too, although Rothman said they “won’t just make a sequel to make one; the story needs to be there, one that maintains the honesty and integrity of the original.” 

In terms of the sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Rothman said (in speaking with Collider) “That’s very much on the tracks.  We’re developing a script.  Rupert Wyatt, who directed the first one, will direct the second one.  We’re pushing forward aggressively, so the script’s being written now… but the goal for us would be summer of 2014, if that’s possible.

And finally, for those excited about the fifth Die Hard movie, A Good Day to Die Hard, here’s what Rothman  had to say about this one: “John McClane, the ultimate American hero, goes to Russia.  So talk about a fish out of water, he’s completely out of water….It’s really a father-son story, which is that John McClane’s been a great cop his whole life but he’s been a pretty lousy father.  He has a grown son who he’s not really been in much touch with, and McClane thinks the son’s a fuck up—that’s a technical term. So he goes to Russia, he thinks, to bail his son out of jail, and it turns out the son’s not a fuck up, he’s the antithesis of that.  In fact, the apple has not fallen far from the tree, the apple has not fallen from the tree, which is that the son is a badder ass John McClane than John McClane.” Sounds to me like they are setting up Willis free Die Hard 6 with Jr. McClane.

Willis! Gordon-Levitt! As The Same Guy!?! “Looper” Gets a Trailer!

by Scott Alminiana

I’ve been eagerly waiting this one for quite sometime. It’s finally here….the first teaser trailer for the new sci-fi/time-travel flick Looper! The movie is written/directed by Rian Johnson (Brick & The Brothers Bloom) and stars Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. I’d give a synopsis but I figure watching the trailer will be far more entertaining. It opens across time and in a theater near you on September 28.


Top 10 Worst Actors-Turned-Musicians

by Noel Nocciolo

When I first heard Scarlett Johansson’s debut album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head”, it got me thinking about how many other actors there were out there who made records. Well, there were a lot. So, I trudged through quite a few to compile this list for you. These are the worst of the worst. The repeat offenders. These songs make you wonder what the hell is going on in the recording industry, and then realize that it’s full of a lot of people who take themselves, and their singing abilities, far too seriously. Feel free to thank me later. (Seriously, this was a painful undertaking – let’s talk musical bullets…)

#10. Milla Jovovich – She lands in spot #10 on this list because her voice isn’t terrible. In fact, at some notes it can be almost pretty. However her music for the most part is an almost comical Ukranian pop. Now, I certainly understand this given her roots; but it doesn’t make for compelling music outside of her home country. Another aspect of her musical talents that is almost comical is the music video for her lone single “Gentlemen Who Fell”. The expression she makes at some points in the video made me laugh like a mad woman…her eyes almost bulge from her face, Total Recall style. And what’s with the grim reaper character? Milla is a beautiful, talented woman…she’s just not a musician.

 

 

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eSCFAxxCO7Q 

#9. Russell Crowe – Yes, Russell Crowe is in a band, well was…errr….is? The actor’s most recent band is The Ordinary Fear of God; however back in the 90’s he was the front-man for 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. However sultry and smooth Crowe’s voice may be on screen, it doesn’t translate that well to music. He isn’t able to hit a lot of notes, and the ones he does hit he can’t actually hold for any length of time. It’s a good thing that almost nobody heard his music, otherwise it might have tainted his career!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lIwKkF50tMc&feature=related


#8. Bruce Willis – Willis released three albums during his career, the first two were in the 80’s and the latest, “Classic Bruce Willis” in 2001. For some reason, as bad as his albums were, I feel inclined to not give Willis too much hell about it. Here’s why:

He seems like a pretty stand up guy in personal matters of his life. Let’s take for example his divorce from Demi Moore. The pair never fought in public and have acted like adults and friends throughout the entire ordeal. Also, Willis’ career is the stuff that dreams are made of. And finally, he’s managed to stay alive and important in Hollywood since 1980…that is a very remarkable feat to accomplish in an extremely fickle business. Now, don’t get me wrong, the man is not a singer (please, please never buy his music) and his albums are absolutely terrible – but he didn’t sell himself out as much as let’s say… Hasselhoff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=C8mL_QM6jEU&feature=related

#7. Jennifer Love Hewitt – She broke out into the music scene around the same time that she started garnering moderate successes within her acting career…and her music is bad enough to be on this list. For some reason she made it big in Asia, so record companies let her continue to put out music; needless to say, she didn’t have too much commercial success in the US. She is talented enough to help write her own music, but it’s so damn syrupy-sweet and sugar-coated that it makes you want to gag and leaves you grasping for water. Her voice rubs me the same way. I feel as though I could get diabetes from listening to more than one song. I know a lot of people with diabetes and I don’t want to get that from a song.

And she, like the other women on this list, runs the risk of appearing to be selling not only her vocals, but her body as well. Alas, little Jenn Love’s musical pitfalls haven’t hurt her career in the least; as she continues to grace the covers of men’s magazines flaunted as a sex-symbol and has managed to stay afloat with an acting career that, while not Oscar worthy, is quite consistent.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IiNRBijQ2XU

#6. Jennifer Lopez – It is a fact that JLo can dance and sometimes she can even act; but what she cannot do is sing. The diva’s songs fall terribly short when she doesn’t have someone like Nas or P. Diddy to help her through and it seems as though she can only hit one note. Thanks to a large budget and friends in good places, her beats aren’t too awful, but the writing is ridiculous:

“I stay grounded as the amounts roll in…I’m down to Earth like this…”

I somehow think most of America might disagree. She sings these lines while wearing nothing but high heels, red lipstick and a fur coat. Her songs constantly speak of how she came from humble beginnings to finally make it big in the business, but let’s all be serious…she hasn’t been “Jenny From The Block” in a long long time, so who exactly is she trying to convince? Her music videos beg one question- what exactly is she trying to put on the market? I get the feeling that it’s not her vocal stylings….

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iyZr0xBUR_E

#5. Keanu Reeves – Given that the actor has only one look (and it’s nowhere near as good as Blue Steel) what could we really ever expect from his band? Dogstar released their first album in 1996, shortly after Reeves’ film success with Speed. The band was never really commercially successful and it’s really no surprise at all. They tried to play on the grunge/ alternative rock movement that was making waves in the 90’s…but with some odd cover songs plucked from previous decades. The vocalist cannot sing…he sounds as though he is in pain when trying to do so, and the songs are boring and bland. I realize that even movie stars need to have hobbies, but why do we have to be subjected to them?

Link: No one should have to look at (or listen to) Keanu any more than necessary.

#4. Scarlett Johansson – You would think that it would be enough for one person to be both Woody Allen’s “muse” and one of the most beautiful women on the planet…not for Scarlett Johansson; she had to record an album too! I really wanted to like her record, and I swear I tried to do so, but it just wasn’t going to happen. So not only did Scarlett give herself the difficult task of recording said album, she decided that the material was going to be solely Tom Waits cover songs. This is really where she went wrong. Her voice, though smoky and sexy on screen, isn’t nearly complex enough on this album…instead it falls abruptly flat. She never came close to rekindling the fire that Waits had, even though it sounds like she really tried to. The whole thing sounds like something anyone could whip up with Garage Band – this album does not sound like a major label debut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_27vvvStXI

#3. Steven Seagal – Ok, really. How the hell did Seagal get a record contract? Who is seeing his movies and listening to his music? I don’t get it. Where does someone get the idea that Seagal should even record an album in the first place? The “singer”, and I use that term very loosely here, struggles heavily through the vocals on both records released: “Mojo Priest” and “Songs From The Crystal Cave”- album titles that sound more like awful movies that he starred in. Seagal is heavily backed with decent musicians, so if you do decide to listen to his music, please don’t confuse the two. The worst part about the whole endeavor is that he seems to take himself seriously…trying to play guitar and sing…which seems to just be too big a feat for him to tackle – and this time he doesn’t have his stunt double.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7Qw5bKTBQE4

#2. Joe Pesci – Ok, Who didn’t love “My Cousin Vinny”? Really…classic movie. However, it seems that Joe Pesci just couldn’t let it go. About six years after “Vinny” premiered, Pesci recorded one of the worst albums ever, “Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just For You”, a stereotypical and cliche homage to his character in the film. For some inane reason every song on the disc is explicit (Did they really think cursing would add something to this record?). It’s hard not to laugh as Pesci basically talks his way through the entirety, spouting nonsense such as

“I’m a wiseguy…

[insert Mr. Rogers theme song melody]

lovely day in the neighborhood

lovely day in the neighborhood

for a drive by”.

Not only can Pesci not sing…nor does he really even attempt to, but I sincerely hope that whoever wrote the lyrics for this record has never worked since. This album has no redeeming qualities and it makes you sit back and wonder how hard it really is to get a record deal with Sony.

Shortened-edited version of a song…this is really all anyone should ever have to sit through. It’s so bad, you have to watch it…maybe that’s its appeal…hmmm….

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TTKGO20nxNs

#1. David Hasselhoff- Yes, Germans know beer and yes, they know cars…but what they don’t have a clue about is music – apparently. Enter David Hasselhoff – huge in Germany, ridiculed in every other western country. This guy has recorded more albums that I originally thought, and I knew he had at least a few under his belt. Hasselhoff was clearly not meant to be a singer. He shifts between a pseudo sexy whisper and a wailing cry more than KITT shifted gears. He’s mostly off key and sounds like he is taking his singing as seriously as he did his character on Baywatch. His songs all sound like they were recorded on an old Casio keyboard with crappy 90’s sound effects strewn throughout for good measure. Even more cheesy, however, are his music videos…check out “Hooked on a Feeling” for a strong belly laugh (it totally makes you understand his desire to drink). The only time I want to be watching David is when he is on his floor eating burgers and breaking promises 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJQVlVHsFF8

There are a few actors who sing and don’t actually suck. Yes, there are exceptions to the general rule. Here are some honorable mentions:

Will Smith – I don’t think he deserves a Grammy or anything, but he can sing and his songs have good rhythm. He’s very pop meets safe hip-hop, but he still deserves the airplay he got. Unarguably, Smith is a better actor than musician, but the man seems to be able to do anything with at least some charisma.

She + Him- Zoey Deschanel’s indie rock project is actually good. Everyone who saw Elf knows the girl can sing, but this album proves she’s got a little more soul than other cookie cutter groups.

30 Seconds to Mars – I think I would have less of a problem with this band if Jared Leto had less of an ego – we can wish can’t we? But, in all honesty, their songs are decent and commercially viable. And it doesn’t hurt that Leto isn’t exactly ugly. They certainly don’t deserve to be on the other part of this list…yet.