Tag: Matt Damon

Watch The First Trailer For Zhang Yimou’s ‘The Great Wall’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Well this is a fantastic trailer for a film that I’d somehow never heard of until now.

Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures have just dropped the first trailer for Hero and House of Flying Daggers director Zhang Yimou’s net project, The Great Wall.

The film tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure.

It’s a insanely interesting premise that had never even crossed my mind before: what if the Great Wall of China was built to keep something out?

The film stars Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, and Andy Lau, and was actually the largest film ever to be entirely shot in China.

Take a look at the trailer below, and be sure to let us know what you think! The Great Wall hits theatres on February 17th, 2017.

Geekscape Reviews: ‘The Martian’

by Eric Francisco

The first thing you should know about Ridley Scott’s The Martian is that it’s very good, and probably very important. For the longest time I have felt that our culture devalued intelligence and education; in middle school when I was on MySpace, my classmates filled in “Favorite Books” with “fuck books.” We thought being smart was something to be ashamed of.

But a decade later and being smart isn’t just useful for life, it’s fucking cool, and Andy Weir’s The Martian is the latest in the new brainy fad (a fad I personally hope never goes away). Originally a cheap ebook on Amazon, Weir’s science-accurate novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars has been adapted into a big budget film with renowned director Ridley Scott at the helm. And yes, it’s great! It’s thrilling and suspenseful in all the ways you want it to be and funny in the ways you would n’t expect, and as a participant in the new brainy pop culture it’s going to do a lot to influence young minds to pursue science and value intelligence once again.

I just wish it were better.

The Martian Launch One Sheet

Comparisons to Weir’s novel are inevitable and I don’t think any adaptation should ever be a slave to the source material, but in The Martian‘s case I’m torn. I roll my eyes when I hear complaints like “It wasn’t as good as the book,” but this might be the rare movie where it’s worth debating. Scott cuts out a lot of Watney’s setbacks that keep him isolated from the rest of Earth, which is so crucial for the heart of The Martian. Scott cut out a solid hour that would have effectively communicated the isolation and claustrophobia of Mark Watney, which the book’s hefty 300+ pages achieved. The story Ridley Scott tells is great, but an extra hour would have made it weighted and sublime. Typical moviegoing audiences probably don’t have time for that extra hour nor did 20th Century Fox probably have the budget, but it might have gone a long way to letting The Martian rise above popcorn status.

They really couldn’t have casted this thing better, and it was probably the most important thing they could have done. With Watney on Mars, the Ares III crew ping-ponging in space, and NASA on Earth, no one was ever going to be share the same space at once, yet they all feel like real colleagues. Colleagues who tease each other and give each other shit and tell them when they’re being an ass. It’s one of the best things about The Martian and it works like gangbusters. Populating with prestige talent like Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig, Donald Glover, Jessica Chastain, Sean Bean, and Kate Mara was probably the only choice they had to make The Martian work.

But no one steals the show better than Matt Damon as Mark Watney, who had the heavy responsibility of having to act by himself for the majority of the picture. Andy Weir wrote Watney to be a smart aleck to alleviate the brutal science that takes up every other chapter in The Martian, but in the film Watney functions as an anchor, a vehicle, as all film protagonists should do. But Damon is funny and approachable, so when he talks about his scientific methods he’s not boring in the slightest. You don’t need to have aced a biology class to appreciate what Watney is doing and how he walks you through it.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight Jessica Chastain’s Commander Lewis either. She is a standout character, a leader who feels like she’s failed. Her guilt for leaving Watney behind drives her through the film and it’s awe-inspiring to watch, which is something Weir’s book didn’t explore nearly enough. But neither does the film, which despite doing more than Weir’s book it still doesn’t give Chastain the ample time she could have used to chew on it. Chastain has a gravity (no space pun intended) to her, and it’s a big mistake the film didn’t take full advantage.

In the end, The Martian is exactly what you want it to be. It’s a thrilling story about survival in space with affable heroes that any kid can aspire to be who don’t need for radioactive spiders or titanium armor to be great. But The Martian doesn’t take its time and doesn’t allow itself to breathe (the irony in that statement isn’t lost on me, I assure you). When I read Andy Weir’s novel, I couldn’t wait to be done with it, because I felt for Watney and his predicament and felt choked by his confined space. When I watched Ridley Scott’s movie, I couldn’t believe how soon it was over.

The Martian gets a 3 out of 5.

14 Of The Best Fake Bands EVER (In Movies)!

by scottevil

Music and movies are like peanut butter and jelly, they just go together (and are quite filling, wouldn’t you say?) I got thinking recently about fake bands in movies and how they have the ability to elevate a film from mediocre to outstanding. So of course I had to make a list of my favorites.

RULES:
-Must be from movies (no TV themes or appearances, sorry Zack Attack)
-No traditional musicals (sorry Hedwig)
-No real bands portraying themselves (sorry Oingo Boingo and Tenacious D)
-Must have original music written for them (sorry Lone Rangers)

Pretty straightforward, right? Let’s get started!

14) Sex Bob-omb (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World)

Michael Cera stars as himself again and is remarkably surrounded by good-looking people and multiple love interests. While there are other bands in Scott Pilgrim, I think the pivotal one really is his own Sex Bob-omb, a mixture of The Strokes and every garage band you watched in high school. But with way more expensive guitars.

13) Infant Sorrow (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

Russel Brand’s portrayal of ex-drunk free-love rocker Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (and subsequently Get Him to the Greek) could easily have barreled into ‘obnoxious’ territory, and while Snow and his music is incredibly over-the-top, it seems to me that Brand just toes the line between being funny and being insufferable.

12) Big Fun (Heathers)

Anti-suicide PSA’s are rarely this infectious. But I mean, who didn’t accidentally pour bleach down the popular girl’s throat and make it look like a suicide in high school? It wasn’t your fault though – Christian Slater’s drugged-out stare would scramble any teen’s developing gray matter.

11) Stillwater (Almost Famous)

No list of fake bands is complete without the fictional Allman Brothers/Skynyrd pastiche of Stillwater in Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical Almost Famous. Beyond having the most perfect handlebar mustaches seen since 1979, the band had music written for them by Crowe’s then-wife Nancy Wilson. You might remember her from a little band called HEART, but if you don’t, I might go Crazy on You.

10) Josie and the Pussycats (Josie and the Pussycats)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwoZi_NFQhA
Did you expect me to gloss over Rachael Leigh Cook’s best cinematic performance? Come on now. Add in Rosario Dawson and pre-botched plastic surgery Tara Reid, terrible fake instrument playing, villainess Parker Posey and her sniveling assistant Alan Cumming, and the most 90s female singer ever (Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo), and you have this fantastically entertaining piece of crap. And to answer your question, no, I don’t know all the words to all of the songs on the soundtrack, why would you ask such a thing?

9) Steel Dragon (Rock Star)

Marky Mark living the dream as the lead singer of a heavy metal cover band, only to be skyrocketed to stardom by joining the actual heavy metal band he used to cover. How many singers in cover bands had their hopes raised and ruthlessly dashed by the hands of fate after watching Rock Star? Incalculable.

8) Lovebürger (Can’t Hardly Wait)

Breckin Meyer and Donald Faison argue about cowboy hats, frilly costumes and band shirts, and ALMOST get to play a song. I may be bending my rules a bit to shoehorn these guys in, but you gotta admit that stick count is sick and gets stuck in your head for days.

7) DuJour (Josie and the Pussycats)

Did you seriously think I wouldn’t leave a slot open for the most enduring fake boy band in cinema history? Sub-question: aren’t all boy bands fake? Breckin and Donald buried the hatchet after Lovebürger’s breakup, forming DuJour with Kenny Fisher, and the results are catchy as hell. I’m telling you, these guys are on fire.

6) Vicious Lips (Vicious Lips)

Ah, Vicious Lips. A great concept diminished by poor execution in the third (and kind of second) act. But if nothing else, it yields this fun little slab of Dayglo insanity, plus 3 other tunes that will make anyone reach for the leg warmers, Aquanet and maybe a bag of space grass.

5) Low Shoulder (Jennifer’s Body)

One of the best parts of movies featuring (but not focusing entirely on) fake bands is when their song keeps showing up to bother the main character. It doesn’t hurt when the song is fantastic, either… This one was written by a band called No Country, who also portrayed part of the band in the movie. I wouldn’t be surprised if they really were Satanists, this song is so good.

4) Lustra/Unnamed party band (Euro Trip)

Here’s another song that is presented in the first act and pops up regularly throughout the rest of the movie. “Scotty Doesn’t Know” was written for Euro Trip by an Aussie band called Lustra, fronted by neck-tattooed Matt Damon in the movie, becoming the unofficial anthem of the trip. Can you blame Scotty’s friends, though? This song is still awesome after over a decade of having it sung to me at parties.

3) Brian Slade (Velvet Goldmine)

While I would have preferred to feature Curt Wild instead of Brian Slade in this list, all of his songs are covers, and Brian had original material written for him. If you like glam rock and, in some strange universe, never watched Velvet Goldmine, go do it now. It’s a perfect time capsule back to the 90s obsession with the 60s.

2) Spinal Tap (This is Spinal Tap)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-9cFQJCCKE
The greatest and loudest fake metal band ever! It would be criminal as well as idiotic to not toss them up near the top of any list of this type. Volumes have been written about Spinal Tap, so I will let the music speak for itself, but be prepared for ROCK N ROLL.

1) The Wonders (That Thing You Do!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baWSsZRoj-M
While it’s difficult to pick a favorite fake band, I must hand the top slot over to The Wonders (pronounced Oh-need-ers, of course) due to the sheer perfection of the title track. I think that’s the big gamble you take when building a film around a fake band with a fake hit song – if the song is lackluster, no amount of cinematography or Oscar-worthy acting can save your premise. Luckily, Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) knocked it out of the park here, but what would you expect from the guy who helped write the music for Cry-Baby?

EDIT: It has come to my attention that I missed 2 very important fake bands that require mentioning here:

Matt Noonan (Dead Man on Campus)

https://youtu.be/_j9BbR6bI_I?t=1m31s

And Rex Manning (Empire Records) 

What do you think? Did I miss anybody worth singing about?

New Poster For ‘The Martian’ Is Out Of This World

by Bigyanks

20th Century Fox has released a new poster for ‘The Martian’. The poster features Matt Damon as Astronaut Mark Watney peering into your soul with his dreamy big blue eyes and his “I’m fucked” face.

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I just recently read Andy Weir’s The Martian and it was easily the best book I’ve read in some time. It’s a quick read and would suggest anyone to give it a shot before the movie comes out. When the cast was announced I started to compare the actors to the books characters and based on the trailers, Matt Damon perfectly embodies the Mark Watney character. Personally, the performance I’m most looking forward to is Kristin Wiig’s take on the foul mouthed firecracker Annie Montrose.

And in case you missed it, here is the most recent trailer that was released a week ago.

‘The Martian’ invades theaters October 2, 2015.

Tommy Lee Jones Has Been Cast In ‘Bourne 5″

by Bigyanks

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Variety is reporting that Tommy Lee Jones has joined the cast for the upcoming ‘Borne’ 5 movie , stating that the role is most likely that of a superior officer at the CIA. Similar to the ones portrayed by Chris Cooper, Brian Cox, and David Strathairn in the previous ‘Bourne’ installments, meaning that Tommy Lee Jones’ character will probably be the one leading the hunt for Jason Bourne. So pretty much his character is set up for failure in this movie, since Bourne has yet to be ever caught in the film franschise. Tommy Lee Jones is not stranger to tracking down fugitives. In the role of Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 90’s hits The Fugitive and U.S. Marshals, it was his task to track down fugitives that were later to be proven to be wrongly accused and set up.

Alicia Vikander and Julia Stiles are also on board to join the next installment, with Stiles reprising her role as Nicky Parsons.

‘Bourne 5’ is set to be released on July 29, 2016.

Matt Damon Stars In ‘The Martian’, Watch The First Trailer!

by Bigyanks

Today the official trailer for The Martian hit the web. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, and it’s freaking awesome.

As someone who just finished reading the book, I feel as though this trailer may have tipped its hand regarding the plot points slightly too early. I feel like it may have been beneficial for a teaser trailer to keep the suspense going and not let the viewers discover whether or not Mark will get back home. Right away it’s revelead how the Area 3 crew sets out to go back and get him and the tough challenges they will face to do it. Something that readers don’t encounter until maybe halfway through the book.

Either way its going to be a awesome ride!

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Interstellar

by MCDave

Just as though his latest endeavor proposes, Christopher Nolan, the fearless filmmaker, has never shied away from pushing boundaries and venturing into the unknown. Love him or hate him, Nolan commands respect for the monumental standards he sets for himself and filmmakers all across the globe. And with today’s official release of the writer/director’s newest sci-fi adventure, Interstellar, Nolan has tackled his most ambitious feature yet.

Earth is dying. With corn as their last main source of food, violent dust storms sweep across the world effecting humanity’s fresh air supply and compromising their chance of future existence. Former NASA pilot turned farmer Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey) is led to the doorstep of a NASA revival facility and tasked with one very difficult decision. Either remain on Earth to wither away with his two children, Murph and Tom, or lead a team of scientists on a journey to the furthest reaches of outer space in order to find a new home for the human race.

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Running at nearly a three hour clip, Nolan does a fantastic job of maneuvering his science-fueled story in countless directions in order to keep the film engaging for audiences. At the heart of Interstellar is a wonderful father/daughter story, but equally impressive are Nolan’s suitably timed sub-plots that come and go throughout the feature. Nolan plants plenty of surprises and twists along the way that generate thought-provoking ideas of blind heroism vs. the natural human instinct of survival. In context they’re all brilliantly handled and brought to the surface by a barrage of spectacular performances from leading star Matthew McConaughey all the way down to a brief cameo from Matt Damon. Although I’m skeptical that any of these performances will garner the level of recognition that they probably deserve, Interstellar would be a far less effective film without the exceptional work of McConaughey, Anne Hatheway and many others.

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One honest downside to the film is the head-spinning scientific dialogue that runs rampant throughout the script. It’s so prevalent that I wish I had watched a few more episodes of Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman or brushed up on my Neil deGrasse Tyson reading. However, Nolan has enough self-awareness to recognize his ambitious goals and refuses to deliver a thought-less account of space travel, even if a large amount of the content will soar over the typical moviegoer’s head. But all in all, Interstellar overcomes its head-scratching immersion in science lingo to take the audience on a multi-dimensional journey, both literally and figuratively, that’s nothing short of mesmerizing.

While it becomes much easier to point out and criticize plot holes regarding the film’s “bootstrap paradox” than it is to create a captivating, nearly three hour, science-supported action adventure, I’d say that this round definitely goes to Nolan. Admittedly, in many ways Interstellar is a far from Nolan’s most taut or complete feature, especially with a polarizing and mind-blowing third act that’s guaranteed to summon its fair share of detractors. Yet, it can’t be denied that Interstellar is a visually immaculate ride that should be savored for a multitude of reasons. And much like the environmentally battered civilization his film introduces us to, I hope that Nolan continues to remain unafraid to “go gentle into that good night”.

GRADE: 4/5

Check out other reviews, movie lists and much more at MCDAVE’s HOST SITE

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Monuments Men

by MCDave

George Clooney is one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood. As an Academy Award winner for both acting (Syriana) and producing (Best Picture winner Argo), many believed Clooney had a strong chance at pulling off the trifecta with a potential Best Director win for his newest film, The Monuments Men. However, that was before post-production issues delayed the feature’s release until 2014. Unfortunately, we now know that The Monuments Men is light-years away from the prototypical Oscar Nominee.

Clooney stars as Frank Starks, an art historian who makes a pitch to the president of the United States during the closing months of World War II about preserving all of the various artwork spread throughout Europe and returning it to its rightful owners. After being given the green light, Starks enlists six other museum directors, curators and art historians to help him see this mission through. Yet, this group (known as “The Monuments Men”) must stare the dangers of war in the eyes and overcome countless obstacles along the way.

Matt Damon

Clooney’s latest effort has been panned by critics for a multitude of reasons. I wouldn’t be the first to address the movie’s problems with developing distinct tonal differences between comedy and drama, or even the condescending lecture-like dialogue intended to force the audience into accepting the importance of this mission, rather than making us “feel” something. There’s a huge disconnect between film and viewer, something that can never work for a project of this type. Consequently, The Monuments Men is nothing more than an elongated and mediocre fluff piece filled with a strong cast, but weak and ineffective narrative.

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Although The Monuments Men never escapes its stagnant vibe, it’s an interesting premise that remains mildly entertaining at the hands of many fine performances from stars such as Bill Murray, John Goodman, Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. However, the long list of great actors in the film are required to make the most out of thinly crafted characters. But while the film hopes to elicit suspense and emotion, The Monuments Men instead outstretches minimal plot progression to a near two-hour running time. With the superficial makings of a compelling and moving examination of an inspiring true story, even Clooney’s admirable direction fails to aid a brutally developed screenplay.

There are a few shining moments sporadically peppered throughout The Monuments Men, but they become quickly overshadowed by all of the film’s shortcomings. As a viewer you never feel transported into the story, rather just a spectator to its events. And ultimately, the truly great films know how to differentiate between the two and execute effectively. Illustrating that The Monuments Men is nothing more than an occasionally entertaining run-of-the-mill effort from mega-star George Clooney.

GRADE: 2.5/5

You can find lots of other work from Movie Critic Dave at his home site!

Matt Damon Joins Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: So Matt Damon may not be playing Jason Bourne again, and he’s definitely not Robin (apparently), but he has just joined the cast of another anticipated film.

Damon has joined Christopher Nolan’s mysterious The Dark Knight Rises follow-up, Interstellar. As with every other role in the film, it’s unknown just who Damon will portray, but he’s said to only be shooting on Interstellar for two weeks, so it’s likely a small role.

Plot details for the project are still scarce, but Interstellar is said to be “a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding”. Sounds good to me.

Are you excited for the project? How about Damon’s casting? Interstellar hits theatres on November 7th, 2014!

66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra)

Source: IndieWire

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Elysium

by MCDave

It’s widely accepted that 2009 was a “down year” for movies. However, one remarkably surprising diamond in the rough came from a then first-time director, Neill Blomkamp. Blomkamp’s debut feature, District 9, fused together riveting sci-fi and action with dramatic elements concerning social warfare. Blomkamp dazzled audiences and delivered one of the year’s biggest highlights. In 2013, the director returns with his followup blockbuster, Elysium. Being of a similar mold as its predecessor, Elysium marks a dissatisfying regression for the young filmmaker.

In 2154 Earth has become so overpopulated that the rich and privileged have abandoned their former planet and moved to a high-class and luxurious man-made space station called Elysium. Free of crime and disease, Elysium is merely a dream for the downtrodden and lowly citizens of Earth such as Max Da Costa (played by Matt Damon). But when a terrible accident leaves Da Costa with only five days to live, he’ll stop at nothing to venture to the forbidden space station and rid his body of the deadly effects.

Elysium

Four years in the making, it’s shameful to find that Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium is merely a hollow shell that attempts to recapture the poetic beauty of the director’s first feature, but misses entirely. Everything about Blomkamp’s sophomore effort holds tightly to District 9. The look, the feel and even the great social divide. In fact, committed performances from A-List stars such as Matt Damon and Jodie Foster still fail to keep Elysium afloat. Where District 9 felt realistic and believable, the director’s new release feels overblown and tacky. In addition to its mildly compelling story, Elysium suffers from a complete action overdose. Trading crafty dialogue and genuine drama for gunfire and more gunfire, this summer blockbuster culminates as nothing more than a cheap imitation of Blomkamp’s earlier work.

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If there’s any noteworthy silver lining in Elysium, it comes in the form of Sharlto Copley’s unforgettable villainous role. Copley, who starred as the meek main man Wikus in District 9, gives a transcending 180-degree turn as one of the film’s prominent antagonists, Kruger. The truly talented actor demonstrates his immense versatility and ultimately steals the show. But outside of Copley, Elysium is otherwise filled with mediocrity and countless disappointing aspects. Everything from a thoughtless and far-fetched story (only ONE person has access to the computer coding that controls ALL of the law enforcement robots … seriously?) to an unoriginal mood and tone. Instead of breaking out from the norm like he did with his debut effort, Blomkamp lazily attempts to draw from his own work and the lack of creativity proves vital.

For as groundbreaking as District 9 managed to be, I was completely let down by the director’s latest feature. Infused with an abundance of action and mind-numbing special effects, Elysium offers nothing more than a bland and mediocre movie experience. While those elements can sometimes make for a crowd-pleaser that many will enjoy, I’d rather get lost in a thought-provoking story with a unique vibe. Unfortunately, Elysium delivers none of the above.

GRADE: 2.5/5

Don’t be a fool and check out MCDAVE’s other work at Movie Reviews By Dave

Watch A New Extended Trailer For ‘Elysium’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 follow-up, Elysium, is now less than two weeks away from theatres, and TriStar today released an extended trailer for the film.

It’s really amazing what Blomkamp managed to do with the relatively-low budget (30-million) of District 9, so tripling that with Elysium should lead to an extremely atmospheric and breathtaking world. The cast is also absolutely all-star, and includes Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, William Fichtner, Sharlto Copley, and plenty of others.

Watch the new trailer below, and let us know what you think! Elysium hits theatres on August 9th!

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Watch A New Trailer For Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 follow-up, Elysium, is now just weeks away from theatres, and TriStar has just unveiled a fantastic new trailer for it.

It’s amazing what Blomkamp managed to do with the relatively-low budget (30-million) of District 9, so tripling that with Elysium should lead to an extremely atmospheric and breathtaking world. The cast is also absolutely all-star, and includes Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, William Fichtner, Sharlto Copley, and plenty of others.

Watch the new trailer below, and let us know what you think! Elysium hits theatres on August 9th!

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Two New ‘Elysium’ Stills Feature Matt Damon & Jodie Foster

by Shawn Madden

Two new stills have been revealed from Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming sci-fi film Elysium. The stills feature two of the film’s stars Matt Damon & Jodie Foster. Check them out below.

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In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet’s crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium – but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens’ luxurious lifestyle. The only man with the chance bring equality to these worlds is Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission – one that pits him against Elysium’s Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line forces – but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well.

Elysium hits theaters August 9, 2013

Source: Dread Central

New Stills Released From Neil Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Following the release of yesterday’s phenomenal trailer, a new batch of images from Neil Blomkamp’s Elysium have made their way online. Neil Blomkamp had his feature-length directorial debut with 2009’s District 9, and was long attached to helm the now-defunt Halo film.

Elysium looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to see what Blomkamp and his team have to show us. Check out the images below, and let us know what you think. Elysium hits theatres on August 9th!

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In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Sony Debuts The Trailer For Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

by Shawn Madden

Following the release of the first poster for the film, Sony has debuted the trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium starring Matt Damon. I’ve seen over ten minutes of footage from the film directed by the District 9 director and it looks gre….you know what. Just watch the trailer below and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Elysium is set to hit theaters August 9, 2013

Source: Yahoo

Sony Releases First Poster For Neil Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

by Shawn Madden

Sony has released the first poster for Neil Blomkamp’s Elysium starring Matt Damon. The first trailer for the film from the District 9 director is set to hit tomorrow. Footage from the film was shown at a special screening earlier today and all I’m going to say is that you have every reason to be excited about this one.

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In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

 

Elysium is set to hit theaters August 9, 2013

Source: Yahoo Movies

Two New Images Released From Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

by Shawn Madden

The trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium set to hit next Tuesday and Sony have now released two new images from the upcoming film. In the film Matt Damon plays a desperate man who must reach Elysium in order to find a cure that will save his life. Check out the new images featuring Matt Damon, Alice Braga and Wagner Moura below.

elysium01-580x390

elysium02-580x386

 

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Elysium is set to hit theaters August 9, 2013

Source: Judao

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Promised Land

by MCDave

Whenever Academy Award winning screenwriter Matt Damon develops a script, there’s only one director he’s taking it to, Gus Van Sant. The pair first matched wits with the 1998 Best Picture Nominee Good Will Hunting. In 2002 the duo teamed up for a second effort, Gerry, that turned out to be an under-seen and admirable piece of work. A decade later and Damon is at it again, partnering with actor John Krasinski and penning another screenplay.  This time, the result is a highly controversial drama called Promised Land. Expecting to make his directorial debut but forced to step down, Damon went to none other than Gus Van Sant to helm the feature.

Matt Damon stars as Steve Butler, a fast-rising corporate salesman who visits a rural town facing a huge economic decline. Butler and his sales partner Sue Thomason (played by Frances McDormand) seek drilling rights from local farmers in order to drill for natural gas, a safe and clean energy source of the future. Promising lucrative returns to the entire town, the corporate team’s plans are threatened when an environmentalist named Dustin Noble (played by John Krasinski) shows up to educate the locals on the dangers of such drilling (AKA “fracking”).

Promised Land is an agenda-motivated drama that glimmers rather than shines. Capped off by a strong third act, director Gus Van Sant’s latest project is a rewarding piece of filmmaking no matter what debatable topic serves as its primary back-story. While Krasinski and Damon demonstrate almost no difficulty in conjuring up a collection of affable characters, the writers ride the wave of an adequate opening and barely survive a lifeless mid-section to the feature. But in typical Matt Damon-style, a closing series of personal reflection and self betterment leads to a familiar, yet never diluted, finale of redemption. Even more so than the script itself, Damon’s strongest collaborative efforts to the film come in the form of his perfectly executed acting chops. Although Damon’s only Academy Award comes from the writing side of his career, he continually delivers strong performance after strong performance to reiterate where his greatest talents truly reside. As for his sales partner in crime, they couldn’t have cast anyone better than Frances McDormand. Never overbearing or too flashy, McDormand has benefited from a lengthy career of genuine and honest portrayals. In Promised Land, she once again sticks to the game plan and gives a quietly effective performance. Beyond its talented cast and satisfying conclusion, Promised Land emerges from a weak second act with a surprising turn of events. Without this carefully calculated and imperative “twist” to the story, Promised Land would never recover from an otherwise pedestrian script.

During Gus Van Sant’s newest feature, there’s a pivotal moment where the audience is on the fringe of closing the door on Promised Land. While any truly “great” piece of filmmaking clearly avoids such crossroads, Damon’s and Krasinski’s paper-thin plot holds the movie hostage and creates a lengthy standstill that inevitably tests the patience of the audience. Caught in a downturn and desperate to go anywhere, Promised Land eventually takes a drastic 180-degree turn that sets the film on a new course and salvages the final project. Even the slightest change to this vital new direction that the feature takes could have proved fatal, but Damon and Krasinski come through when they are most needed. In addition to a mostly bland script, Promised Land becomes a combative source for political debate. While I attempt to view any film with a clean and unbiased slate, many moviegoers don’t. Therefore, movie’s centering around controversial issues such as fracking tend to polarize and turn off a wide spectrum of audiences. Hence, Promised Land is a faulty release that is undoubtedly open to a multitude of criticisms.

For as objective as Promised Land attempts to be, unfortunately the film is forced to take a side on the highly debated issue of fracking. However, by simply labeling Promised Land as “anti-fracking” propaganda, you’re missing a more prominent message. Bigger topics such as corporate foul play and personal ethics become the resonating themes throughout the picture. No matter what side of the issue you stand on, Promised Land is a film that should be savored for its character development and gratifying resolution. We should all aim to become better people by continually doing what’s right. Promised Land gives us a lead character who constantly claims “I’m not a bad guy” and, by the end of the film, he proves it. For that alone, we should all be grateful for Matt Damon, John Krasinski and Gus Van Sant’s latest collaboration, Promised Land.

Grade: 3.5/5

Check out other work from MCDave like his Top Ten Films of 2012 and frequent Oscar updates at Movie Reviews By Dave

Check Out The Trailer For Gus Van Sant’s ‘Promised Land’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Gus Vant Sant (Good Will Hunting) and Matt Damon are pairing up again for what looks to be another touching drama.

The film is called Promised Land, and will be available for your viewing pleasure on January 11th, 2013). It features a pretty stellar cast with the likes of Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt, Titus Welliver, and more.

Take a peek at the trailer, and let us know what you think! The plot synopsis is as follows:

Promised Land is the new contemporary drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate salesman who is sent along with his partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company’s expansion plans.  With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company’s offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (John Krasinski), as well as the interest of a local woman (Rosemarie DeWitt). Promised Land explores America at the crossroads where big business and the strength of small-town community converge.

The trailer is very effective, and the films looks pretty powerful from this short glimpse. It’s great to see another team up between Van Sant and Damon. Here’s hoping for another Good Will Hunting!

Awesome Alternative Posters For ‘The Bourne Legacy’!

by Shawn Madden

The Bourne Legacy hits theaters this Friday and in celebration a group of artists were commissioned to make some awesome alternative posters for the film. Check them out and let us know which one is YOUR favorite!

Source: Shortlist

First Look At Matt Damon In ‘Elysium’

by Shawn Madden

Neill Blomkamp (‘District 9’) will be releasing the first look at his upcoming sci-fi flick ‘Elysium’ at San Diego Comic-Con but we have the first look at Damon in the movie for you right now. Yup…Damon is bald in this movie. And what is Chemrail? I don’t know. I will be attempting to attend the panel in Hall H and fill you guys in. Key word: attempt.

Set in 2159, Damon plays a man who takes on a daunting mission in a world where the very wealthy live on the pristine, man-made space station called Elysium, and fight to keep the citizens of Earth from illegally immigrating. Political subtext!

Co-starring Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner, Alice Braga, Diego Luna and Wagner Moura, “Elyisum” opens on March 1, 2013. Take a look at bigger pic below.

 

Source: The Playlist

Geekscape Roundtable: Fictional Characters We’d Bang… PART ONE!

by GeekscapeStaff

Yeah, that’s right. Part 1. This is such an in depth topic that it’s getting a sequel.

Everyone has a fictional character they’d bang, whether it’s someone from a movie, a comic, or a car insurance company. So the Geekscape staff put together their top 5 lists, High Fidelity style. We even got The Devastator’s Geoffrey Golden in on the action!

Molly ‘Mayhem’ Mahan

Rambo: I actually poised a similar question to my mother the other day (we have that kind of relationship), only it was “Rocky or Rambo?” She went with Rocky and I couldn’t disagree more. While I do love the Italian Stallion, few things get me going more than a man who knows how to wield a bow (It’s the Dinah Lance in me). I remember watching the fourth one (yes, with Old Man Stallone) and the minute he whipped out the compound bow and started laying waste to the enemy, I melted. Additionally, he’s a soldier who disdains the government and authority, but still accepts (or at least performs) his mission, meaning he knows how to follow orders even if he thinks it’s a little weird and will go out of his way to perform. Hardly sounds expendable in the bedroom to me, amiright? And don’t tell me that guy isn’t in some serious need of sexual healing. Bow chicka bow wow.

Ares, God of War: As played by the late-great Kevin Tod Smith on Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess (did you seriously think you’d get away with me not talking about Xena?). Though a complete and utter asshole on Herc, when the God of War showed up on Xena he was still a bastard, but a lovable one at that. I watched this show during my formative years, so the heat and passion between the two was always something I wanted for
myself, and at times seemed like the ideal. And he could be as sweet as a teddy bear at times, too, so he wasn’t all bad. I watched the show religiously during my formative years, so Ares became without a doubt the embodiment of what I found (and still find) sexy.

Tyrion Lannister: All the other fangirls can have their Jon Snows and Jaime Lannisters, I’ll go with the half-man who has proven time and time again that he knows what to do with a woman. Bonus: he doesn’t feel bad about it nor have incestuous leanings. That clever
tongue of his ain’t half bad either.

Jason Todd: Pre-boot, post-resurrection, and in the Hush black leather costume, please. The man’s got daddy issues, has died and come back, and is hell bent for vengeance. Don’t even try to tell me the sex wouldn’t be crazy awesome. Also, I think that random which patch of hair he had in that costume was cool, I don’t care how little sense it made, it was a neat aesthetic. Plus, banging one of the Robins (especially the one that has been the source of such angst in Bat-lore) just feels so awesomely perverse, I can’t help it.

Saotome Ranma from Ranma 1/2: Although a dude, he can change into a girl when hit with cold water. That must be experienced. Preferably by me.

Looking back on this collection, I realize that I may have some anger issues.

Dave Biscella

Dagger: I’m one of the few that LOVE Cloak & Dagger, so I figure that will give me an in. Plus I could use the line, ‘My addiction to you is one addiction you can’t cure.’

Ariel: She’s clearly pretty confident based on the way she dresses. She’s got beautiful red hair and a nice singing voice. Also, always wet.

Harley Quinn: It’d be like hooking up with a hot Juggalette without having to listen to ICP blare in the background.

Tinkerbell: Petite. Blonde. Looks good in green. Can fly. Can’t talk. Perfect mate.

Ryan Gosling in Drive: He won’t let anybody hurt me.

Ben Dunn

Mystique: The only correct answer to the “Which Fictional Character Would You Bang” question is Mystique. I include all incarnations of this blue skinned she-devil. Movies, comics, video games. The reason being that she can fulfill any sexual fantasy you have. Want to bang Kate Upton? Scarlett Johannson? Ros from Game of Thrones? She can be all of those! You would never have to look elsewhere again.

Echo (Dollhouse): Same reason as Mystique, only she gets to keep Eliza’s amazing body.

Jess (New Girl): Not only is she hot like Zooey Deschanel, but she’s super adorkable! Plus, it seems like she is up for whatever. Definitely couldn’t take her after a few days, so this would probably have to be a one nighter.

Alishia Bailey (Misfits): Her super power seems a bit redundant really, a super hot chick who’s power is to make you want to have sex with her? It’s like a delicious cake having the power to make you want to eat it. Stupid. That being said, I don’t care if I don’t remember it afterward, would still bang.

Thorn (Bone): She has curves in all the right places. Plus she hangs out with a bunch of white Smurf rip-offs, so I would probably be HUGE by comparison!

Editor’s Note: Matt Kelley has called shenanigans on Ben, citing the ‘wishing for infinite wishes’ rule for naming Mystique. This brings up a lot of ethical issues: what do you think, readers?

Eric Diaz

Will Hunting: The titular character of Gus Van Sant’s movie Good Will Hunting, and probably actor Matt Damon’s breakout role. Will Hunting is a rough around the edges, smart ass blue collar type, who is secretly hiding a genius level brain and a sensitive soul. Combined with Damon’s then baby face, floppy blonde hair and lips that look like they were put on this Earth to do one thing, it is all pretty much my own personal form of kryptonite.

Audrey Horne: For twenty years now, Sherilyn Fenn’s portrayal of Twin Peak’s black haired sex kitten in saddle shoes and pleated skirts Audrey Horne has been my go to answer for “if you had to go hetero for one night, who would it be?” My answer will always remain Audrey. Either sultrily smoking cigarettes in high school bathrooms, rolling her eyes at those around her and their small town ways, or causing trouble by going undercover in Canadian brothels, Audrey was always the very definition of sex bomb to
me. It is also possible I really just want to BE Audrey more than bang Audrey…. And that’s not a crime.

The Vampire Lestat: Possibly my favorite fictional character period, Anne Rice’s vampire protagonist is tall, blonde, and kind of a prick (all weaknesses of mine with men) but ultimately a noble soul when it counts. Ya know, except for the whole killing people thing. Instead of brooding about his vampiric condition, he mostly enjoys it and loves all the sensual new pleasures it brings him. Lestat is the prototype for vampires like Spike on Buffy and Eric Northman on True Blood. Although portrayed on screen twice-first by Tom Cruise in an admirable attempt, and later by Stuart Townsend in a movie I’d burn every reel of if I could, neither could come close to evoking the novel’s version of Lestat’s
ambiguous omni-sexual nature. It remains the novel version alone that really gets my juices flowing.

Aquaman: I’m talking classic Aquaman, with the orange shirt, clean shaven face, with the short hair and the big trident (the hippie look Aquaman was a big turn off. I hate long hair on guys most of the time). Why Aquaman? Why not? He’s muscular, super strong and rules 75% of the Earth. Also, he’s tall and blonde, and that’s been my type since I first saw Sam J. Jones in Flash Gordon as a young kid, and got excited for the first time down there. I should mention that runner up in the comic book category has gotta be Dick Grayson/Nightwing. I mean, he’s an acrobat. Do the math.

Chris Evans as Captain America: I’ve never been all that crazy about Cap in the comics, at least not enough to get turned on by him, by Chris Evans’ portrayal of the aw-shucks do gooder with a heart of gold trapped in a little guy’s scrawny body, who then gets turned into sex on a stick gets me going every damn time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve paused that Blu ray in the scene where he emerges from the super soldier transformation all shirtless and sweaty and hot and…yeah, I’d better stop now. I will
admit, this entry is 50% “omg I really want have sex with Chris Evans” so I don’t know how much of that is him being Cap or not, but I figure I’d get less flack if I posted Chris Evans as Cap and not Chris Evans as Johnny Storm. Who I would also happily have sex with.

Shane O’Hare and Joshua Jackson

Rarity.
Rarity.
Rarity.
Rarity.
Sweetie Belle.

Special Guest Geoffrey Golden: A Girlfriend Approved Sex List

Let me preface this by saying that Amanda, my girlfriend and co-founder of our comedy magazine The Devastator, is not looking over my shoulder as I write this.

The only fictional characters I want to have sex with are ones that won’t make my beautiful, amazing girlfriend jealous. For example, Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons, a robot and not even a particularly attractive one at that (like, say, Lisa from Weird Science, who I definitely never fantasized about every day of 8th grade). Another robot I’d have sex with is Dot Matrix from Spaceballs, voiced by Joan Rivers, a trailblazing comedienne whose work I greatly respect.

Other characters I’d have sex with: Princess Fiona from Shrek, but only in ogre form, because I value inner beauty over outer beauty; the Librarian Ghost from Ghostbusters, assuming the physical contact we could make would be largely unpleasant; finally, Gaia from Captain Planet, who – according to Amanda – would be like having sex with a faint breeze. You know what, I’ll take it! On a related subject, do they make Captain Planet cockrings?

Some women do not want to read the phrase “Captain Planet cockrings” on a computer monitor.

Our culturally significant world changing discussion on cartoons we’d eff continues next week! BE THERE!

Check Out The New Full-length Trailer For ‘The Bourne Legacy’

by Shawn Madden

A new full-length trailer for ‘The Bourne Legacy’ has hit the web. If that teaser didn’t get you excited enough…this for sure will.

“The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films”

The Bourne Legacy’ hits theatres August 3rd, 2012.

Source: movieclipsTRAILERS