Tag: movies

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Rush

by MCDave

It’s hard to discredit the extensive filmography of the Academy Award Winning director Ron Howard. On the other hand, it’s impossible to ignore a noticeable decline in the filmmaker’s work of late. That’s why the release of Howard’s newest feature, Rush, was initially surrounded by an enormous amount of skepticism. Yet, after a vocal outpouring of praise following its world premier in London and a screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, the doubters have all but faded.

Formula One racing took the world by storm in the 1970s. One major reason for its success was the highly publicized rivalry between speedsters Niki Lauda (played by Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth). Very different in their approaches, Lauda being known for his methodical commitment to the sport and Hunt living up to his reckless bad-boy reputation, these legends of racing faced off in one of the greatest Formula One seasons of all time.

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After turning up my nose at its theatrical trailer and writing off Howard’s latest film as a mediocre offering in the vein of other recent works such as The Dilemma,Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, it can be humbling to admit that you should never judge a book by its cover. It’s an understatement to call Rush a gratifying resurgence for the once heralded director. Instead, I’ll give the action-packed drama a more warranted description. Make no mistake about it, Rush is one of the year’s finest films. The full-throttle racing sequences wisely take a back seat to an even more impressive story. Screenwriter Peter Morgan pens a brilliant script that develops such interesting characters. But in addition to Howard’s stellar direction and Morgan’s well-crafted screenplay, Rush benefits from a breakthrough performance from its leading man Daniel Brühl. Although Hemsworth is undoubtedly the bigger household name, Brühl completely steals the film. Thanks to a fantastic collaborative effort that even stretches as far as Hans Zimmer’s immaculate score, Ron Howard’s Rush is a clear-cut winner.

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The blemishes found in the feature are few and far between. With an ever-so-slightly bloated running time that barely surges past the two hour mark, there are a couple of lulls to be expected. However, as soon as you recognize a low-point in the film, Howard shifts gears and takes the movie in another direction. Furthermore, it’s undeniable that Niki Lauda’s character is far more intriguing and impressionable than James Hunt’s. Partially due to the fact that Brühl’s performance is superior and also because the writing and real-life story dictates as much. Consequently, it creates a small mismatch and imbalance to the film. But after really searching for criticisms and being overly picky, there’s no question that Rush‘s highs obviously outweigh its lows.

I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong, and boy was I wrong! Rush has just about everything you can ask for in a great film. The racing scenes feel a bit lengthy, but they definitely get the adrenaline pumping. And Howard’s feature delivers a knockout story with plenty of effective dramatic moments. This is an excellent sports movie that stacks up well against the competition. Rush is one picture you won’t want to miss.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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New Sci-Fi Thriller THE 5th PASSENGER: Interview

by Kari Lane

At a recent convention, I had the pleasure of interviewing the creative team behind the new sci-fi thriller The 5th Passenger. Read on to learn about this riveting indie film!

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Kari: Hi! This is Kari with Geekscape, and I am here with the creators of The 5th Passenger. Why don’t you introduce yourself?

Morgan: Hi! My name is Morgan Lariah and I’m the co-writer, co-producer and actress in The 5th Passenger.

Scott: I’m Scott Baker. Co-writer, producer and director.

K: Very cool. Now what got you started on this project? Where was the inception?

S: This was based off an idea that I had several years ago and I had been kind of kicking it around for awhile. I wrote a couple scenes for the feature just to kinda see how they felt and did a table read with some actor friends and then I met Morgan and she really fit one of the roles that I had written for it. So I asked her to take a look at the scenes and she liked the scenes, and we sat down and just over the next couple months just wrote out–.  Just went through and wrote out the whole film. Just kind of going back and forth. I would write a scene and she would read it and give me notes, and we would sit down and talk about it. Or read the scene out ourselves and see how it felt. It was just that kind of process going back and forth for several months as we developed the story.

K: Now, Morgan why don’t you give me the synopsis so everyone can know what this project is about?

M: Of course. So 5th Passenger is about four astronauts on an escape pod. The mothership has imploded and unfortunately the positioning system on the escape pod is broken, they’re off their flight path and they are running out of resources quickly. So in a last attempt to fix the positioning system, one of them goes out to fix it…which he does…but as he gets back into the escape pod an alien follows him in and chaos ensues…and that’s our story.

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K: And it is a full feature, correct?

M: That is correct.

K: What is the current status of the project?

M: We are in pre-production. We have some really great Star Trek actors attached. We have Manu Intiraymi, Tim Russ, Ethan Phillips and Scott is directing, of course–.  Various other key components–.  We have this amazing makeup special effects designer, Thomas Surprenant, who is fantastic–.  And  so we have this whole package together and we are just looking for some funding. So that’s where we are.

K: And then in regards to funding, how can people go check out what you have or help out?

M: Oh, super easy. People can go to our facebook page, www.facebook.com/5thpassenger and ‘like’ us, that would be awesome. We are also on twitter @5thpassenger and they can watch the trailer on our website 5thPassenger.com. So, just follow us and ‘like’ us and we’d love to hear from you. We love being here and talking to everyone. Everyone has been so positive about the trailer and it’s really really exciting and we really think this is a story that definitely has a place in today and that people want to see and hear.

K: And since you’re an actor in it, what can you tell us about your character?

M: Sure. Absolutely. So I play Eve Miller and she happens to be the commanding officer in this escape pod. These four assigned to this escape pod were–.  It was just a random assignment. So, they didn’t know each other before this and they find themselves in this intense situation and she just happens to be the only female and she happens to be younger than everyone else. So she is a very ambitious, to the book officer, but she up against a lot and they’re not making it and of course she is the one in charge so it’s her fault. So she has a lot of conflict going on.

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K: So kind of a reverse harem, but not quite?

M: That’s one way to look at it. (laughs) I don’t think Miller sees it that way. In fact, she–.  That’s something she’s constantly thinking about; that this could turn any minute. It’s a dangerous situation I think for any woman, especially given the circumstances. So, it’s, its–.  Me when I was working on it, it’s always at the back of my mind like this could go bad and in fact,… a little bit…I don’t want to give too much away, but a little bit of that does work itself into the story and I don’t know–.  I think–.  I think it’s interesting.

K: So with the close quarters, were there any bouts of claustrophobia?

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M: Absolutely, and it’s such a great story because it’s four people in a room and it’s about claustrophobia, and the fact the water is running out, oxygen is running out–.  How does that affect you? Food is running out. What does this do to your mental state, what does this do to your emotional state and of course these people are annoying cause you’re seeing them all the time. So how do you remain civil and try to make the best of things and each character approaches it in their own way of course, but it is society breaking down in this room.

K: And Scott, in terms of writing it and bringing this story about–.  Were there any particular stories that influenced you or were in the back of your mind when you were creating this content?

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S: Yeah, we sort of pitched the film as Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat meets Aliens. So, it has that feel of being a lifeboat in space and Ridley Scott’s Alien was definitely one of my favorite films. So there is a lot of influence there. I grew up loving the Twilight Zone and that is like a recurring theme within that is–.  Is people put in these extreme situations and seeing how they react and how society breaks down and how people’s morals and values and ethics are tested. So those are some of the things that influenced me and of course, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Moon with Sam Rockwell was another film that like, visually is an influence as we’re kind of putting the whole package together thinking about what this ship is going to look like? What are the costumes going to be? Things like that.

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K: Since it’s the close quarters and people, it is definitely–  It sounds like its an observation on humanity and what people would do in extreme situations?

S: Yeah, yeah definitely that is the idea. I really love that kind of story. Having these characters that maybe on first glance seem very two dimensional but really they’re sort of archetypes for the different types of people that you meet every day, and seeing how they interact with each other is really just a reflection on who we are and… sorta like our animalistic instincts. And how those things play out and how everybody deals with that on a personal level–.  Where you know that person next to you is another human being and they’re part of society with you but there’s that part of you that also sees them like as a competitor, someone that you are fighting for resources over and things like that.

K: So if you both were stuck on this little spacecraft, how do you think you would fare, if it was real life?

M: I actually have great confidence that Scott and I would be fine. Scott–.  I test Scott daily (laughs) and he is always very accommodating and he’s very clever. In fact I have thought about it, and I think if you had to pick like five people to be on a desert island, I would definitely pick Scott as one of them because like I said, he’s really hilarious and we’re always laughing and he fixes things and finds the answer to a lot of problems. So, I think we would be fine.

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K: Same feelings there towards Morgan?

S: Uh yeah, I mean I think it’s great that she trusts me because she would be there for me the whole time and then right when I need her I would be able to eat her when stuff gets going bad. So I think that’s perfect. That works out great.

K: So, it’s like Survivor: you’re keeping the ally as long as you can and then when that moment strikes?

S: Exactly, exactly. Exactly. (laughs)

K: Any other final words on the project to the listeners, and any other–.  I mean you did say where to find it, but any other parting words?

M: No. We’re just really excited about the project and thank you for listening and please check out our trailer!

S: Yeah, I would say go to 5thPassenger.com and there’s a trailer there. Like us on facebook. We’re not going to be doing like a kickstarter or indiegogo kind of funding. We’re going more traditional sources but we still need to like have that sort of fan base so that we can get into theaters and things like that. Other films like Paranormal Activity, that’s how they were able into theaters–.  Is having that fan base there. We love that we have Star Trek actors aboard the project because that has really allowed us to tap into that fan base. We have had a lot support. People come by here and they’re like, “Wow Tim Russ is in the project! I’ve been looking forward to seeing him in something else.” So to see that kind of excitement is really reassuring and it’s great to have those people come aboard–.  Message us or ‘like’ us, and get involved in what we are doing. It’s great.

K: Yeah the community makes all the difference huh?

M: Yes, it does. It really does.

K: All right. Thank you very much!

M: Thank you!

S: Thank you very much!

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Be sure to watch the trailer!

 

Disney Announces ‘Artemis Fowl’ Film Adaptation!

by Shane O'Hare

This news almost slid under the radar. The best selling childrens novel series, Artemis Fowl is going to be brought to the big screen!

Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old Artemis who is a millionaire, a genius – and above all, a criminal mastermind. But Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy (Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit) to harness her magic to save his family. These aren’t the fairies of the bedtime stories – they’re dangerous.

In the official release from Walt Disney Films, Producer Harvey Weinstein said

If you would have told me five years ago I would be producing a project with Disney I would have thought you were crazy! I feel as though everything is coming full circle considering Bob De Niro and Jane Rosenthal brought me this book while I was still at Miramax and within hours I told them I wanted the rights to the film. I am thrilled to be reunited with Alan Horn who I worked with while he was at Warner Bros. and we had tremendous success with ‘The Aviator,’ ‘Starsky and Hutch’ and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.’ It is also exciting to partner with friends Alan Bergman, Sean Bailey and of course Bob Iger who has been incredibly generous to me over the years. This is a special project for me because my children absolutely love this book. This story is for everyone and there is no one better than Disney to make a film that will excite people young and old.

Not much else was announced, Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal have also been announced as Executive producers with Michael Goldenberg ( Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix, Green Lantern) is set to do the screenplay.

 

Embrace Your Demons With The New Poster For ‘Bad Milo’

by Shane O'Hare

Earlier this year we talked about the hilarious new dark comedy Bad Milo. The film centers around a man who has been living with intense stomach pains. Turns out he actually has a demon living inside of him that he must learn to control.

Well now our friends over at Bloody Disgusting have released the poster for this crazy film.

Catch Bad Milo on VOD August 29th and in theaters October 4th!

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Raise Hell With This Redband Trailer For ‘Hell Baby’! PLUS A New Poster!

by Shane O'Hare

The crazy funny and super raunchy looking Hell Baby has been on my radar since it was first hinted about way back earlier this year. We’ve shown you the poster and the Greenband trailer before BUT NOW, we have what you all have been waiting for. The Redband trailer! And WHY NOT top it off with a new poster as well, just because I like ya!

HELL BABY, a comedy scripted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Night at The Museum, Reno 911!: Miami) marks their co-directing debut. Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) are an expectant couple that moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans — a house with a deadly demonic curse. Things soon spiral out of control for Jack and Vanessa, as well as their-not-so-helpful neighbor F’Resnel (Keegan-Michael Key), Vanessa’s friendly psychiatrist (Michael Ian Black), Vanessa’s Wiccan sister Marjorie (Riki Lindhome) and the detectives assigned to look into the rising body count (Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer). Only the Vatican’s elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) san save them — or can they?

Hell Baby stars Rob Corddry, Leslie Bibb,  Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Ian Black, Riki Lindhome, Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer and can be seen on Ultra VOD July 25th and In Theaters and on Premium VOD September 6th!

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Get Revenge With The Redband Trailer For Spike Lee’s ‘OLDBOY’

by Shane O'Hare

Way back in 2003 a small Korean film called “Oldboy” was released upon the world. Based on a Japanese Manga, it follows the tale of a man who is imprisoned in a room for over a decade without knowing why or who had captured him. Upon his release he goes on the hunt for the person responsible. Called one of the greatest “revenge” films of all time, Oldboy is a legend.

Well now we have ourselves the trailer for the US remake! The remake has been in the works since 2009, with numerous directors and studios on board at different points. Even a nice little lawsuit over the rights! Well now that everything is settled and the film is in the can, Spike Lee has given us what appears to be a faithful recreation of the Korean classic. Here is the official redband trailer.

This trailer got me so incredibly excited I hurt myself. It feels as if they captured the feel of the original film almost perfectly. And did we get a peak of the infamous hammer fight scene? I think we did!

The film is set to release this October 25th and it stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen and Sharlto Copley.

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Watch The Trailer For ‘Hell Baby’

by Derek Kraneveldt

The creators of Reno 911 are back. This time around, they’re taking on a whole new genre.

Hell Baby is a new horror-comedy that follows an expectant couple’s moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans — a house with a deadly demonic curse. Obviously, weird things start happening, including the possession of the couple’s female member… and the unborn baby inside her.

It sounds silly, but it looks hilarious. If Reno 911 is any indication, the team behind Hell Baby knows exactly what they’re doing. Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think! Hell Baby hits iTunes on July 25th!

“Hell Baby,” a comedy scripted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Night at The Museum, Reno 911!: Miami) marks their co-directing debut. Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) are an expectant couple that moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans — a house with a deadly demonic curse. Things soon spiral out of control for Jack and Vanessa, as well as their-not-so-helpful neighbor F’Resnel (Keegan-Michael Key), Vanessa’s friendly psychiatrist (Michael Ian Black), Vanessa’s Wiccan sister Marjorie (Riki Lindhome) and the detectives assigned to look into the rising body count (Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer). Only the Vatican’s elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) san save them — or can they?

‘Frankenstein’s Army’ Get An Official Poster

by Shane O'Hare

Last month we showed you the incredibly crazy trailer for upcoming History Horror Thriller, Frankestein’s Army. Today we can show you the official poster for the film. And GOD DAMN DOES IT LOOK AWESOME!

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Set to hit theaters and On-Demand July 26th, this movie looks crazier and crazier the more I learn about it.

In the waning days of World War II, a battalion of Russian soldiers find themselves lost in enemy territory. Stumbling upon a village decimated by an unseen terror, they discover that a mad scientist (Hellboy’s Karel Roden) conducts experiments to fuse flesh and steel, creating an unstoppable army of undead soldiers. Leaderless and faced with dissention amongst their dwindling ranks, they must find the courage to face down an altogether new menace – or die trying.

 

Brick Yourself Over The Trailer For The Lego Movie

by Shane O'Hare

Hot off the presses and blowing up the internet is this brand new trailer for the upcoming Lego movie. Now you’re probably thinking to yourself ” A movie…. about Lego?”. Yeah I was thinking the same thing, then I watched the trailer. If you’ve ever played a Lego game, that genuine funny you feel when you play is perfectly captured in this trailer.

The Lego movie comes out February 7, 2014 and stars Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman.

Schwarzenegger Confirmed As The Terminator In T5 With Filming Beginning In January!

by Shane O'Hare

This JUST IN! THIS JUST IN! After rumors of Paramount finalizing everything for a fifth Terminator movie, it has come out today that Ahhhrrnold himself will reprise his role as the cybernetic organism with living tissue over metal endoskeleton AKA The Terminator.

Fresh out of the 21st Century Financial Education Summit, Arnold was quoted as saying

In fact, I’m very happy that the studios want me to be in Terminator 5 and to star AS the Terminator, which we start shooting in January and I’m also going to do King Conan – to play that role and also to do another Twins movie. So I feel very proud of that. I feel very happy and I’m looking forward to doing those films.

Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) are working on the script, while Justin Lin was lined up to direct the film at first, but wandered off and did Fast 6 instead.

It will be interesting to see how they work his age into the film. It made sense in T-3 as he was based off an already living person (Sargent Candy). They could de-age him ALA X-Men, but I think it may get a little too uncanny valley for viewers. Also, how will the events from Salvation play into this film, as that is now technically canon.

Nothing else to report, but  you can expect a boat load come San Diego Comic Con!

File In Soldier! For This Red-Band Trailer For ‘Frankenstein’s Army’

by Shane O'Hare

I love me some hyper violence, WW2 films and a little bit of sci-fi history. So when I saw this trailer for Frankenstein’s Army I flipped out.

Frankenstein’s Army stars Karel Roden, Joshua Sasse, Robert Gwilym, Alexander Mercury, Luke Newberry, Hon Ping Tang, Andrei Zayats, Mark Stevenson and you can check it out On-Demand July 26th and in select theaters.

Crowdfund This: ‘Iron Sky 2: The Coming Race’

by Shane O'Hare

YEAH BUDDY! This just came across my desk and as SOON as I saw the title I knew I was stoked for it.

The first Iron Sky was a pretty ridiculous concept to begin with. Nazi’s. From the Moon. It was bad, but bad in that good kind of way. It was a super fun, crazy cool looking Sci Fi adventure. I loved every minute of it. This time around they want to go darker and more over the top.

According to their IndieGoGo Page the production of the last film was plagued with problems. From financiers jeopardizing the story to not having complete control over distribution.

This time around they want to make the film exactly the way they want to. They have some lofty goals, and the first round of Crowd Funding starts at $150k! This will secure them a script, proper budgeting, and put together a promo reel.

So if you are interested then head over to their IndieGoGo Page and help out!

John Leguizamo Wants To Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of The Super Mario Brothers Movie With You

by Shane O'Hare

While most of us are proudly celebrating the 36th anniversary of Star Wars, or about to celebrate National BBQ day, some die hard fans of the INFAMOUS Super Mario Brothers Movie were in Los Angeles at the Nuart Theater watching the film. The film’s costar John Leguizamo filmed a nice little message for fans. Take a peak after the jump.

Now I didn’t realize this was a “bad” movie when I saw it as a kid. I didn’t really get the ability to tell if a movie was bad until my 20’s, but growing up with a MARIO BROTHERS movie was awesome. Who could have thought video games could be movies?!

If you want more information on the screening check out the official unofficial fan page HERE.

Whovians Watch Out! RiffTrax Take On ‘Doctor Who And The Daleks’!

by Shane O'Hare

The literal comedy geniuses from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy are taking on on The Doctor and some Daleks!

Released just yesterday, the guys at RiffTrax jump in front of this semi-canonical Doctor Who flick, and it looks absolutely hilarious. Here is a nice little sample for you!

From the release:

Before Matt Smith, before David Tennant, before Christopher Eccleston, before even the scarf and afro guy, there was Peter Cushing. Well, not before, exactly, because this feature-length movie isn’t a canonical part of the Doctor Who universe or storyline. So it’s sort of more adjacent, than before. It’s nearby, if nothing else. Approximate, at least. Like, Dr. Who is in it! But instead of a mysterious Timelord alien, he’s kind of just a confused human grandpa with the last name Who. But he does have a TARDIS! Of course, instead of a disguised alien craft it’s just, like, this junky thing he made with his granddaughter. Oh yeah, he hangs out with his granddaughters. Yeah. But then they travel through space and fight the most classic Dr. Who bad guys of all, the Daleks! Of course, in this imagining of Dr. Who, the Daleks are just some dopey trashcan looking guys with plungers sticking out of ‘em that talk funny — oh, that’s how they still are? Seriously?? PERFECT! IT’S CANON AFTER ALL!

So if you want this, you can get it VOD with jokes already pre synced! Check out the official page!

Check Out The Shocking Trailer For Upcoming Documentary ‘The Act Of Killing’

by Shane O'Hare

Holy shit. Holy. Shit. Watching this trailer. Jesus. Produced by Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, The Act of Killing looks at a group of death squad leaders who killed over 1,00,000 Indonesian people back in the 60’s. These executioners are praised as national heroes. This documentary shows them taking their memories of the murders they committed and recreating them in film. This results look shocking.

Be sure to check out The Act of Killing when it is released July 19th.

Christopher Nolan Approached To Direct Next James Bond Film?

by Shane O'Hare

Still only logs from the rumormill, Christopher Nolan was supposedly recently approached by Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G .Wilson to direct the next film.

Skyfall director Sam Mendes recently turned down the job of directing the next film in the Bond series, and it has left the leaders of James Bond Films scrambling for the next director. This is all still speculation as Nolan has a lot on his plate with the pre-production of his next film Interstellar. Sam Mendes has said that 12 -18 months of pre production would be needed for Bond 24.

I personally think this would be a great choice. I still firmly believe that James Bond is the GREATEST superhero of all time, think I’m wrong? He is literally Batman without the leather fetish. Both are masters of martial arts, smart as a whip, great with the ladies and has a shit ton of gadgets at his fingertips. They are also both orphans and have both been raised by geriatric mentors. So getting the best Batman director to direct the next Bond film makes perfect sense.

More info as it comes out.

Shout Factory To Unleash The Bruce Lee Legacy On Blu Ray!

by Shane O'Hare

When I saw this news I flipped out. One of the greatest human beings of ALL time, Bruce Lee, is getting his greatest films released on Blu-Ray with a stack of extras. Check out the Press Release:

Featuring four of the classic Bruce Lee films that would make him one of the most important martial artists ever to grace the screen, THE BRUCE LEE LEGACY COLLECTION contains the first-ever Blu-ray™ presentation of THE BIG BOSS, FIST OF FURY, WAY OF THE DRAGON and GAME OF DEATH;
Three feature-length documentaries BRUCE LEE: THE LEGEND (and the original version BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE LEGEND), the critically acclaimed I AM BRUCE LEE and THE GRANDMASTER AND THE DRAGON: WILLIAM CHEUNG AND BRUCE LEE; a special bonus disc with hours of new bonus content exclusive to this set, and four DVDs of aforementioned action-packed classics. A fitting tribute and celebration in honor of the legend, these sumptuous offerings are collected in a deluxe book-style packaging, brimming with 68 pages of archival materials, rare and never-before-released photos, new essay on Lee’s amazing career, and much more!

Bruce Lee was and always will be a legend. His acting and his personal philosophies are so unique no other person will match him. His life was tragically cut short  and the day he died we lost a great person. So if you are a huge film buff or just a fan of Bruce himself get your hands on the Legacy Collection on August 6th!

Sony & Rovio Team Up For ‘Angry Birds’ Movie

by Shane O'Hare

I guess I’m not ENTIRELY surprised about this. Angry Birds and all it’s hubbub is like the modern day PacMan Fever. Sure some will say that the over producization ( Add THAT to your Funk & Wagnall dictionary) of Angry Birds is SLIGHTLY over zealous, and you can walk into any WalMart and find anything from shirts and hats to candy and toys. Well now the crazy popular mobile game is going to hit the big screen. Check out the EXPANSIVE Press Release below.

 

Sony Pictures Entertainment has won the exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the eagerly anticipated Angry Birds animated film, making it one of the most high-profile deals of the year. The 3D film is being developed, produced, and financed by Rovio Entertainment and will be released worldwide by Sony Pictures on July 1, 2016. Several major studios pursued the global film rights in recent weeks, with Sony Pictures Entertainment emerging as the winner.

 

Michael Lynton, Chairman & CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal, Co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio Entertainment jointly announced their partnership today. John Cohen and David Maisel – producer of Despicable Me and executive producer of Iron Man, respectively – are both on board for the new Angry Birds feature film. Cohen will serve as producer and Maisel is executive producer.

 

Commenting on the announcement, Mikael Hed said, “Sony impressed us with their great attitude, determination, and professionalism. They convinced us that we have found the right partners and team to help us market and distribute our first motion picture. Michael, Amy, Jeff Blake, Sony’s marketing and distribution head, and their teams will be the best possible collaborators as we get set to take our franchise to the next level.”

 

Lynton and Pascal said, “Every studio in town would love to add Angry Birds to their slate. There are few titles out there that bring this kind of excitement, brand awareness and built-in audience to the table. We’re thrilled to be distributing this film and we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a long relationship with Rovio as we look for ways to work on future projects together.”

 

David Maisel and John Cohen said, “We are very excited to join with Sony Pictures in presenting this movie to the world in 2016 and we will have many more announcements as we begin production in the coming months.”

 

Angry Birds is one of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises, starting in 2009 with the original mobile game that remains the number one paid app of all time. Angry Birds has expanded rapidly into entertainment, publishing, and licensing to become a beloved international brand.

 

Angry Birds has been praised for its great value and simple, casual gameplay. Players use a slingshot to launch birds at green pigs in an attempt to get their eggs back, with the game setting the model for what is possible in terms of game development and commercial success. To date, the Angry Birds and Bad Piggies games have been downloaded more than 1.7 billion times across platforms and versions.

 

The upcoming movie marks Rovio Entertainment’s first foray into feature films, although fans have already been introduced to the Angry Birds world with the weekly Angry Birds Toons animated series. Rovio launched the series in March through its Angry Birds apps as well as on select video-on-demand channel providers, Smart TVs, connected devices, and on select TV networks around the world. Paving the way for a full-length feature film, Angry Birds Toons has been a massive success for Rovio clocking in over 150 million views from the Angry Birds apps alone within the first six weeks.

 

While known for distributing world renowned motion picture franchises such as Spider-Man, Sony Pictures has been building a strong reputation in contemporary animation through its house production unit, Sony Pictures Animation, and hit films including Hotel Transylvania, The Smurfs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Surf’s Up, Open Season, and Aardman’s Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits.

I don’t know what to think just yet. Obviously this movie wasn’t meant for ME and is going to be a goofy kids movie, but I watch god damned Ponies so who am I to decide.

Check Out The Teaser Poster For Upcoming Horror Comedy ‘Hell Baby’

by Shane O'Hare

The team that brought us the hilarious Reno 911 is working on a new film. A horror comedy about an expecting couple that get themselves in a hellish situation.

HB.teaser poster

From the Press Release:

HELL BABY, a comedy scripted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Night at The Museum, Reno 911!: Miami) marks their co-directing debut. Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) are an expectant couple that moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans — a house with a deadly demonic curse. Things soon spiral out of control for Jack and Vanessa, as well as their-not-so-helpfulneighbor F’Resnel (Keegan-Michael Key), Vanessa’s friendly psychiatrist (Michael Ian Black), Vanessa’s Wiccan sister Marjorie (Riki Lindhome) and the detectives assigned to look into the rising body count (Rob Huebel and PaulScheer). Only the Vatican’s elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) san save them — or can they?

 

Be sure to check out the film on Twitter and Facebook!

Check Out The First Trailer For ‘Equestria Girls’

by Shane O'Hare

Not too long ago rumors started spreading of a new offshoot of HUB’s My Little Pony: Friendship of Magic. Titled Equestria Girls, the leaks and rumors all had the same thing to say. Humanized ponies, in High School. When I saw the first screenshots I was a little bemused by Hasbros choice of direction. Well now we have official word in the form of a trailer. Check out “Equestria Girls”.

Coming out in theaters June 16th, Equestria Girls looks as if it is a MAJOR departure from the show. I must reserve judgement until I see it, but frankly this has ZERO appeal to me. Granted I am not the designated target market for this kind of film, but I was also not the target market for the show and I freaking love that! I just find it kind of… dis-empowering that after destroying evil a billion times, the most difficult thing Twilight Sparkle is going to face is being Prom Queen.

Serializing the Classics: Can Iconic Films Make It On The Small Screen?

by Andy Hines

As you likely know, the Psycho and Hannibal Lecter series of films have now been given the contemporary prequel treatment on the small screen. In the last 40 days, Bates Motel debuted on A&E, while Hannibal premiered on NBC during the WonderCon weekend. These two films are among the most iconic in movie history. The question is, if we already know where the series’ must end, how liberal can the television series’ that fill in the gaps really be?

HANNIBAL main cast
HANNIBAL Main Cast

The newer of the two series’, Hannibal so far seems most likely to succeed. Despite being on a network long-known for letting good shows die rather quickly (typically by canceling early), Hannibal seems to be well produced and scripted. The series stars Mads Mikkelsen (CASINO ROYALE) as the titular Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Laurence Fishburne (THE MATRIX TRILOGY) as Jack Crawford and Hugh Dancy (ADAM) as a slightly tweaked version of FBI profiler Will Graham. Fans have seen glimpses of who Will Graham was before Dr. Lecter infected his life, but now we’ll see a different side as it is stated that he likely has Asperger’s Syndrome (a much milder form of Autism). This helps explain the wild imagination and almost total empathy, while shedding light on why he insists on limited social interaction and almost no eye contact. It also fits with the “all business” personality of the character that we saw from Edward Norton in Red Dragon. What we really need to see is how the “good” doctor progresses throughout the series. At the moment, he’s played rather well by Mikkelsen, though not nearly as creepily as by Hopkins. Not yet anyway. That may occur as we get farther down the line. Most of the menace from the character is what we, as fans, infer upon it. Since we know the endgame, we read more into it than may even be there, but I get the feeling that it’s exactly what the show runners are banking on at this point. NBC isn’t skimping on the creepy/shock factor for the crimes that the team investigates, that’s for sure. There are 13 episodes ordered for the first season, and so far they’re rather good, but fans deserve and desire more, and we’re hoping the content keeps improving.

Norman and Norma Bates
Norman and Norma Bates

Bates Motel is the prequel series to Alfred Hitchcock’s most (in)famous film, Psycho. Although we never saw her alive in the film or its sequels, the first certainly gave us a brief insight into Norma Bates. The first few episodes have been very rich and filled with decent characters, but Norman doesn’t yet feel like the Bates we’ve all come to know and be scared of. There’s a creepy factor coming off of Freddie Highmore (CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY) that works for a young Norman Bates, but what I didn’t expect was for him to be a much less socially awkward version of the Norman Bates we all know and hate. Then there’s the real psychopath, his mother Norma, played wonderfully by Vera Farmiga (THE DEPARTED). While she may seem to be little more than a devoted mother, there’s clearly an underlying evil that I was surprised to see in just the first episode.  From there, every awkward moment I’ve seen appears to have the classic Psycho music in the background. Halfway throughout the ten episode first season, it’s already been a very promising start, worthy of the beloved series of horror films.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Dr. Hannibal Lecter

We should expect a second season, at least for Bates Motel, as it has already been ordered. We’ll be waiting awhile for NBC  to come to their senses and order a second season of Hannibal. As for whether they’ll do justice to the old stuff, we’ll have to take a look back after the end of these first seasons, but at present they’re working their way to becoming rather impressive. Now, I’d love to tell you it feels exactly the same, but as these characters are younger than their established selves, the fandom will have to decide.

Logo Revealed For ‘300: Rise Of An Empire’

by Derek Kraneveldt

It’s been quite some time since we’ve heard news from anyone involved with 300: Rise of an Empire. Some were even concerned that the project (first announced in 2008) had hit a brick wall, and that we wouldn’t be seeing it any time soon.

 

If you were concerned, feel free to lay those worries to rest; as far as the film’s official Facebook page is concerned, 300: Rise of an Empire will still release in 2013.

 

Late yesterday, the page revealed the logo for the film via its banner image (with a clear 2013 date underneath). It’s nothing too exciting, with the subtitle simply pasted below the old logo, but at least it’s something.

 

300: Rise of an Empire stars Eva Green, Rodrigo Santoro, Sullivan Stapleton, and more, and is currently scheduled to hit theatres on August 2nd. Check out the logo below, and let us know what you think!

 

300_banner

A Geek’s Rant: The Types Of People Who Should Not Go To Movies

by Scott Alminiana

Thursday night, I saw an early showing of the new James Bond film Skyfall, (check out my review here) and while I loved the movie I absolutely hated the audience that I watched it with. I attended a special “IMAX Experience” showing of the film as I simply couldn’t wait another day to see the new Bond movie. Since it was an IMAX screening, tickets cost a premium $5 more than a regular ticket, which in this case I was totally okay with… at least until I entered the auditorium.  I unfortunately was saddled with not just one, but three annoying members of the audience. They were just a few in a long list of people who really just need to stay the hell out of my moviegoing experience . The list includes but of course is not limited to the following people:

Tween Bitches: These are the girls who will come in as a group and have no intention or desire to actually watch the movie you’ve paid to see and will talk and giggle throughout and say really stupid shit…loudly. “I mean, like, this was the only thing playing before the next showing of Twilight starts! OMG LOL!!!”. Shouldn’t you bitches be at home watching Teen Mom on MTV? Bother me during a movie and bitches get stitches. That’s all I’m saying.

The Guy Who Doesn’t Get What’s Going On: He’s the guy who will in the loudest possible whisper, ask the person next to him, “What did he just say?” or “What just happened?” Dude, shouldn’t have drank that 64 oz. soda before the movie started or should just pay attention more. Sir, I’m sorry that the plot is too complicated for you to follow. Now please shut the fuck up.

The Douchebag: That annoying guy who’s seated in the row in front of you who before the previews even start he will make comments to himself as if there was someone else with him. Then throughout the course of the film he will laugh and clap loudly at anything he finds to be funny and/or awesome, even when it’s often not. This guy needs to shut the fuck up but won’t.  If such an individual feels the need to talk out-loud to themselves and hoot and holler at the screen go catch a showing of Expendables 2. Otherwise chill out and pipe it down.

The Sick Guy: You know him, he’s the one who’s coughing up a lung and blowing his nose during the ENTIRE movie. Yeah, that shit’s just nasty. Take your germs and get the hell out. I’ve seen the films Outbreak and Contagion. I know how badly this can end. I’d like to finish this movie without getting infected with your filth. Seriously, if you’re sick, just do the public a favor and lock yourself away until you’re either better or dead.

The Guy Who’s Drunk or High: The guy who looks like a tweaker and gets mad because you don’t want to share your red vines with him…even though you don’t know him. He is prone to shouting things at the screen such as “fuck that guy up, dawg!” He will usually pass out during the movie but will wake up towards the end and resume shouting at the screen.

Fussy Children: The petulant child who is cawing through-out a movie. Now I don’t fully blame this child as much as I blame their parents. First off, what the hell are you doing bringing a small child to movie that clearly isn’t for kids? Secondly, if you are a parent who absolutely, positively has to see a movie when it comes out either A) get a FUCKING babysitter, or B) have the god damn common courtesy to get up and take the kid outside if they can’t keep quiet. It’s just common sense. If people are paying $17 to see a movie, I’m guessing that they actually want to see and hear it, and don’t want to hear your out-of-place child being a little bitch.

The Phantom Phone Fucker: This guy’s phone will repeatedly go off during the course of the movie, proclaiming “message downloading”. Really, I mean, come on! I dealt with this fucker during my showing of Skyfall and actually tracked him down after it was over and called him out on his shit. Do those three ads politely asking you to “please silence your phone” prior to the flick mean nothing to you? Apparently not, you stupid Nerf Herder1 The best part is walking by this guy after the movie and finding out he had spent the duration with his phone plugged in, so as to make sure he had enough charge to download that fucking message. I hope that message contains the answer to the universe and life because otherwise your message could have waited. This guy is a plague on humanity and needs to be smothered in the germs of The Sick Guy. The Phantom Phone Fucker has a lot in common with the next guy on the list…

Timmy the Texter: Little Timmy here will feel the need to be on his phone texting during the entire movie. He can’t help it though, that photo of Selena Gomez just really needs to be reblogged on Tumblr! He’s pretty sure nobody will notice though, thanks to the awkward angle he uses to try and hide the light. Dude, it’s like the fucking hatch from LOST. It radiates light as far as wide as the eye can see. I see that light and my vision turns red. I’ve imagined on numerous occasions about grabbing the phone and chucking it at the wall and saying something witty to Timmy. This has yet to happen though, but I imagine it will happen at some point. If you someday read a news article about a guy flipping out in a theater and smashing cell phones you’ll know it was me.

Yes, all of these people do exist and yes, there’s a good chance you may run into them on your next trip to the movies. The last two on the list are probably the ones that annoy me the most, I’ve expressed my views on them previously (read about that here). Thankfully, there are theaters like Alamo Drafthouse and Arclight that take steps to remove such people from their theaters. Check out this fantastic voicemail left from Tammy the Texter after she was kicked out of the Alamo Drafthouse for texting.

 

Hopefully, more theaters will take a page out of Alamo’s play-book and keep such people out. I’d gladly make that my job if a theater wanted to hire me. If anyone out theater owners out there want to contract my services let me know. I’ve got no problem being a polite asshole to such people and kicking them out. Let’s make it happen!

So now you’ve been warned but, just remember that as horrible as these individuals are and should probably not exist, rabbit punching them in the back of the head isn’t an option…not even for me. In closing, I will leave you with the words of the great Roger Murtaugh, “I’m too old for this shit!”

The Justice League Movie: A Mostly Coherent Guide To Super Friends on the Silver Screen

by Joe Starr

A lot of ‘to do’ and ‘ruckus’ has been made over how Warner Brothers should go about making a Justice League movie. Does Batman need to show up at the end of Man of Steel? How do we introduce people to all the characters? Should there be nipples?

While Marvel has had insane success with the first phase of their movie universe by bridging multiple hero movies into a shared storyline leading to The Avengers, 99% of all other movies with an ensemble cast typically manage to give you a story and characters within the first 10 or 15 minutes. And if Avengers has taught us anything about audiences at super hero movies, you don’t need to justify crazy powers, clashing genres, or put everyone in dark black leather. The crowd just wants to be entertained.

So my advice to Warner Brothers? Regardless of how Man of Steel does, just go make a Justice League movie. People know who Superman and Batman are, a lot of people kind of remember Wonder Woman, and that’s really all you need to get on board.

In fact, to help out, I’ve graciously spent 15 minutes of my life outlining a movie for you and casting the roles. You’re welcome. Please pay me. I need to see a dentist.

JUSTICE LEAGUE!

So the first thing you need to do is give a quick nudge to where we are in the world. And how do we do that without Iron Man touch screen and holo displays? THE NEWS. Show us all 17 24 hour news channels in the DCU doing a quick blitz of President Lex Luthor, who was elected after the entire city of Gotham was held ransom by Bane and is now entering his second term with a strong anti metahuman agenda in response to Superman, explaining that in the wake of the recent death of American fighter pilot Steve Trevor, who crashed on  a mysterious Amazon Island, which recently appeared out of no where, these strange Amazon warrior tribes represents a clear and present danger to the United States and we’re gonna wipe the place out. USA! USA! USA!

Yeah that’s right, suck it Marvel! Ed Norton as Lex Luthor! I’m about to American History X a bunch of superheroes with SCIENCE! Eat a dick, Ruffalo!

We cut to chaotic footage of the D Day style invasion of the Amazon Island. It looks like a modern Saving Private Ryan but with 300 looking warrior ladies instead of Nazis.

“Victor can you believe all chicks with swords? It looks like something out of Revenge of the Titans, a great movie I saw in 3D 7 times! OH GOD ARROWS!” A young terrified marine named Victor Stone (John Boyega) saves a buddy with awesome movie taste by punching out a warrior lady but then gets nailed by a ton of friendly fire and some guy is like OH GOD MEDIC! And they cut back to Amy Adams as anchor Lois Lane at Daily Planet and she’s like ‘yeah so that was an awful thing to see. Here’s some cats in a wheelbarrow.’

Yeah I just watched Attack the Block. So what? 

We cut from the Victor Stone POV to a bunch of armored ladies forcing Princess Diana (that’s unfortunate) to evacuate because they need to make sure she’s safe and protected. Throw in some statues that look exactly like Lucy Lawless because who else would play Hippolyta in the eventual Wonder Woman movie? We get some tossed in lines about ‘that man that crashed in the iron bird…I thought he would recover! What happened?!’

Hi, I’m Katrina Law. I’m on the show Spartacus where I kick the crap out of people and am super beautiful. I’m literally the only actress on the planet currently qualified to play Wonder Woman. 

The Amazons maybe didn’t kill that pilot like the president says they did? OH SNAP SOMETHING IS ROTTEN ON THE ISLAND OF… Does it have a name? Sorry, I’ve been spending all my money on Avengers books my whole life. How stoked are you guys about Marvel Now? LOTS of really cool titles dropping and…Ok.

JUSTICE LEAGUE.

That’s where you throw the title. See? Just jump into this shit. Instead of overthinking about how to make this OK for an audience, just punch them in the face with it, show them how cool it looks to have Xena chicks beating the shit out of the cast of Blackhawk Down and have them be like ‘holy balls, what the eff word?!’ when the title drops. In addition to blowing everyone’s minds out of their buttholes, now we know Batman exists and that the Nolan Bat movies and Man of Steel are this movie’s Phanton Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and A New Hope. Welcome to Empire Strikes Back.

Wait Joe! Remember at the end of TDKR when Batman retires and the Looper guy replaces him? Well, we’ll deal with that later. Ok? Hey look, a private jet owned by Wayne Enterprises!

Bruce Wayne is watching the news on the invasion from his private jet.

Bruce: “It’s hell over there, Alfred. A completely unprovoked act of aggression on a people we know nothing about.”

Alfred is played by Michael Caine again because that dude doesn’t turn anything down ever.

Alfred: “Well sir, perhaps you could show them what happens to acts of aggression in your city.”

Bruce: “That’s the problem, Alfred. This isn’t my city.”

Reveal of METROPOLIS! Batman is in Metropolis! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH.

Honestly? I don’t know who the hell should play Batman. But right now I’m going with Dustin Clare, because male DC heroes should never be played by American actors. ‘But a Bruce Wayne this young could never fit the Nolan timeline!’ you say? New 52 Batman banged Talia and had a 12 year old son in 5 years.

Argument invalid.

DAILY PLANET: Clark! Get in here! Yeah Perry? You’re covering the premiere of Honey Booboo The Movie tonight! But I thought I was covering President Luthor’s dinner? Are you kidding? You look awful on camera. Lane is covering the dinner! You’re covering this crap. GET ON IT.

People keep telling me I need to learn how to format scripts and I keep telling them to stop trying to hold me down. That scene was magic.

Also this movie needs to have a sense of humor about Green Lantern, where people always mention that they heard about what happened in Green Lantern and no one believes any of it because it just sounds ridiculous.

At the dinner, Luthor reinforces his stance on metahumans, that aliens like this…Superman not only spit at the law, they spit at the human spirit and the idea of human achievement. But in the spirit of human achievement, thanks to a partnership between Lexcorp and the Pentagon, the poster boy casualty of the Amazon Invasion, Victor Stone, has been saved! Project: Cyborg! Cyborg, covered in lots of cloth and gauze, waves to the cameras and asks the President when he can get back out there! Everyone claps because America. Also, Lois Lane hits on Bruce Wayne a bunch! “Hey Bruce we all thought you were dead after the Bane incident but when you ended up being fine we were all weirded out that you didn’t take your house back from those orphans and he’s like ‘Lets just say Gotham is in good hands and I’m focusing on a global scale.” See? Addressed. At some point he decided to unretire and then wink at the Grant Morrison fans with a seriously thin Batman Inc reference. It’s this movie’s unfinished Cap shield.

And then Diana from the Island busts in and is all like YOUR FAULT! ALL OF IT! Bruce Batmans up in a some kind of bad ass mobile costume suit up sequence and defends the president against her! It’s the first Batman sighting since the Gotham City siege!

Hey! Also in the room! It’s a catering guy! It’s a misplaced plane! No! It’s Superman! Still played by Henry Cavill because I really want his movie to be awesome! High powered Lexcorp soldiers led by Amanda Waller still played by Angela Basset who’s been by the President’s side in like every scene he’s in are escalating the crap out of things! The president points to the cameras and says C WE REALLY NEED 2 DO SOMETHING THESE GUYS R A MENACE K THANX. Lexcorp troops are going to kill Wonder Woman and Superman is all like woah due process and they’re ‘like suck a dong Superman’ and so he grabs Wonder Woman and Batman and flies them to THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE. Wonder Woman and Superman fight because she’s freaked out and he locks her in a cell because chill lady.

Batman and Superman take a moment to size each other up. Everyone gets boners in the audience, except for people who are wondering where Thor is. You know where he is? He’s a hot lady in a cell in the Fortress of Solitude because Wonder Woman should be DC’s Greek God based Thor and her movie should have been the Clash of the Titans remake but in present day and how hard is that to figure out?

President Luthor announces a big Skynetty computer AI defense system to track and deal with metahuman threats. He laughs and reminds everyone that people always accuse him of being a Brainiac so that’s what it’s being nicknamed. Batman tries to check out the Brainiac project by breaking into Lexcorp. In one room he sees a big global map with different areas located, squints his eyes and says ‘Atlantis…?’ and then Cyborg attacks him because these heroes have to get on the same page, am I right??

But then it turns out that Luthor built Brainiac with what he thought was Krypton tech but it turns out to be whatever it is that Brainiac actually is and I’m not exactly sure what that is because looking at his Wikipedia page gave me a migraine. But any way, Brainiac attacks and Cyborg is saving people and Batman is in the holding cell Cyborg and Amanda Waller dumped him in all like ‘let me help you’ and Wonder Woman is like ‘let me help you’ to Superman and he’s all like ‘I dunno lady I’m a boy scout and you’re dangerous’ and she’s all ‘ughhhhh you’re an idiot but also my sexy male equivalent.’

And then Brainiac hits the Fortress of Solitude and trashes it. It’s on. Superman and Wonder Woman show up in Metropolis to fight it’s AI hordes. Cyborg goes against orders and lets Batman out and the team comes together. At some point Batman picks up a bow and arrow and says WELL THIS IS JUST STUPID staring right into the camera. Eventually Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Cyborg beat Brainiac through a series of progressively escalating CG action pieces that make up most of the third act of the movie and the world forgives Warner Brothers for Batman and Robin but not for the Matrix sequels.

NEVER FORGET

Brainiac not being completely dead is teased. At the end of the movie after the good guys win, Supes salvages the fortress to begin building a new structure so that they can keep an eye over the world they’re trying to protect. You know, like an Avengers Watchtower.

And then Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern shows up and Batman is like ‘oh, you’re real?’ and in the background a wacky homeless guy who earlier bet another homeless guy that ‘there’s no way a guy ever fought a purple jizz fog because how stupid does that sound?’ just quietly hands his buddy three bucks. And Green Lantern says ‘But seriously guys, I hate to sound ridiculous, but I’m a galactic peacekeeper, and Earth is about to be invaded. By Mars.’ And then there is this crazy shot of White Martian fleets mobilizing.

HEY we’re in the sequel to rub John Carter in Disney’s face a little more!

And there you go. You get the big three anchored by a young every man people can get behind because he served his country. You get Lex Luthor as a legit bad guy that isn’t scamming real estate agents: He’s the POTUS. You get guns vs. swords and you get super heroes vs. AI robot hordes. You get a Martian Manhunter tease. You get an Aquaman nod.

Because you guys HAVE to have an Aquaman nod.

*sighs, waits for millions of dollars to roll in*

Watch The First Trailer For ‘The Collection’

by Shawn Madden

Remember that messed up movie The Collector? Well, it got a sequel titled The Collection and the first trailer has been released. The movie is written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton (Saw IV, V, VI, and 3D) and directed by Dunstan. The sequel focuses on a woman who is abducted by a psychopathic killer and taken to a hotel that he has transformed into his own private maze. The film stars Emma Fitzpatrick (The Social Network), Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises), and Christopher McDonald (Oh, its Shooter McGavin).

When Elena’s (Emma Fitzpatrick) friends take her to a secret party at an undisclosed location, she never imagined she would become the latest victim of The Collector, a psychopathic killer. The Collector kidnaps and transports her to an abandoned hotel he’s transformed into his own private maze of torture and death. Upon learning of his daughter’s disappearance, Elena’s wealthy father (Christopher McDonald) hires a group of mercenaries to retrieve her from the vicious grips of The Collector. These mercenaries coerce Arkin (Josh Stewart), the only man to have escaped the wrath of this heinous monster, to lead them through the gruesome labyrinth. Now, Arkin finds himself fighting for his own life in order to save Elena. “The Collection,” directed by Marcus Dunstan and written by Dunstan and Patrick Melton, is a suspense horror film with nonstop thrills at every turn, starring Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises), Emma Fitzpatrick (The Social Network), and Christopher McDonald (Requiem for a Dream).

The Collection hits theaters November 30th.

‘300’ Prequel Gets A New Title!

by Derek Kraneveldt

You remember 300 right? The 2006 ultra bloody, ultra stylized adaptation of the classic Frank Miller adaptation of the battle of Thermopylae? The film that really put Zack Snyder (now doing Man of Steel) on the map?

 

You probably also know that a prequel has been in the works for some time. It began production in 2008, shortly after the wild success of 300. Since then, we’ve had a change of director (Snyder left to do Man of Steel, replaced by Smart People’s Noam Murro), some plot changes, and now we get a title change too!

 

300: Battle of Artemisia has become 300: Rise of an Empire. This title change seems like a great fit; the new title gives you a much better idea that the film is a prequel. We’ll be seeing just how Xerces gets his God-King status here, and as the title now describes, just how his empire came to be.

 

What do you think of the title? Are you a 300 fan?

 

Check Out A New Trailer For ‘Wreck-It Ralph’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Wreck-It Ralph hits theatres on November 2, and I couldn’t be more excited for it! It looks hilarious, obviously even more so if you’re a gamer. There’s some hilarious moments here in the trailer, hopefully the full feature can keep them coming!

Unfamiliar with the title? Disney’s synopsis has this to say about it:

Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game’s perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes… so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan — win a medal — but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph’s only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking “glitch” from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it’s “Game Over” for the entire arcade?

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Enters Production

by Derek Kraneveldt

Lionsgate announced today that the sequel to this years mega-hit The Hunger Games has now entered production.

Filming started in Atlanta today and is expecting to run until December. Francis Lawrence (Water For Elephants, I Am Legend, Constantine) is in the director’s chair, replacing Gary Ross from the first film.

From the press release:

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be released worldwide on November 22, 2013, and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright, with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.

Said Lionsgate’s President of Production Eric Feig, who is overseeing the production on behalf of the studio, “We are so excited to be embarking on this adventure with Francis Lawrence, who has already exhibited immense creative vision and resourcefulness in casting the film and planning its look and feel. The stakes are raised in every way in this second story, and we are thrilled to get the production underway in these perfect locations, with our excellent returning cast and some world class actors in new roles.”

Looks like most of the cast from the first film is unsurprisingly returning, and we’ll see some new faces as well. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set for release on November 22, 2013.

I’ve yet to see the first film, but have heard excellent things about it (conversely I’ve also heard it’s essentially a less violent Battle Royale). Did you like it? Are you looking forward to a sequel?

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Premium Rush

by Derek Kraneveldt

When email won’t cut it, Fedex is too slow, you can’t deliver it yourself, and you really, really need something delivered, a bike messenger is your only option.

These guys are crazy. Weaving in and out of traffic, through busy intersections, seemingly without a care in the world. This is what Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) lives and breathes for. The adrenaline, the split second decisions, the race against the clock and the race against himself as he speeds towards his destination.

Then someone wants to take his package away.

What a premise! I first heard about Premium Rush a few months back and immediately kept it on my radar. It looked like a ton of fun, and a fantastic, fast-paced action thriller on the streets of NYC. Our hero speeds through the city on a bike with no gears, and insanely, no brakes. Wow.

Also, Joseph Gordon-Levitt! I love this guy. Since the days of Mysterious Skin or Brick, I knew there was something special about him. He has absolutely blown up in the last few years, so I apparently wasn’t alone in that.

JGL

So we’ve got a chase through New York City, and we have Joseph Gordon-Levitt on a bike with no brakes. What could go wrong?

Apparently, a lot.

The film starts strongly. A slow motion shot of Wilee flying through the air before crashing hard into the pavement below. A crowd begins to gather. He isn’t getting up. He isn’t even moving.

A big digital clock fades into view before rewinding 90 minutes. I’m in. I’m engaged. What happened to him? Is he dead? Was he successful?

Wilee careens though busy streets, in and out of extremely dangerous situations as fast as you can blink, while explaining why he does what he does, and why he wouldn’t give it up for anything. He’s relatable, he’s likable, he’s dangerous. Everybody wins!

Then things started turning sour for me. After the first five minutes (which was essentially what I explained above) everything seemed to slow to a crawl.

The plot should be established, he should have his MacGuffin and people need to be chasing him already. He should be doing cool bike tricks. Instead we spend ten minutes witnessing his girl troubles (are they together? are they not? were they ever? why did that other bike messenger just kiss her? I don’t care!).

Wilee gets sent to pick up a package. Here we go! Back on track! Wait… he’s calling her. More girl troubles. I sigh.

We finally get back to the action. He’s got his package, and some guy wants it. What is the package? Who is this guy? Why does he want it?

It’s in the answers to these questions that Premium Rush completely loses me. In pursuit of our romantically challenged hero is Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon), an upper-level NYPD officer with money troubles and a stupid name. He’s learned that Wilee’s package is worth a sizable quantity of money. Enough to pay off his debts with some to spare.

Bobby Monday

This pursuit, this movie, is happening because an asshole cop has a gambling problem. A freaking gambling problem. Nobody could have come up with a better reason than that? The character is made further unlikable by the way that he yells “I’m a cop! You can’t touch me!” seemingly to everyone that crosses him.

The chase continues. Wilee constantly escapes (a joke is made that he can never seem to catch what he’s after a la Wile E Coyote, which has to be an allusion to the fact that he is more of a Road Runner here). Throughout all of this, it seems like Bobby Monday is never more than a moment away.

This really breaks the realism. Wilee is on a bike, weaving through traffic and squeezing through tight spaces that aren’t even on roads. Yet the man in the car seems to always know where he is, and is constantly popping up behind him.

Things pick up for the third act. The action becomes more interesting and varied. The plot actually develops further and explains the purpose of the package. Bobby Monday is defeated while yelling “I’m a cop!”. The pace really picks up here and it’s exponentially more enjoyable than the rest of the film.

Overall, I really didn’t feel the rush I had been expecting. More often than not the film falls flat with inconsistencies and uninteresting dialogue. I loved pieces of the experience (there are some great video game-esque scenes: time slows as Wilee gauges his options: what direction to go, what might the outcome be, before finally choosing the best course of action), and Gordon-Levitts performance was strong as always.

The parts I loved didn’t make it worth the price of admission for me. The oft repeated “Brakes are death” mantra however, was worth that cost, and it is now how I’ll be living my life.

If your expectations are low or you’re simply buying tickets for a movie you know nothing about, you may be pleasantly surprised. Otherwise, I wouldn’t rush into this one.

Score: 2/5

Premium Rush