The action ensemble flick "Expendables" hit the top box-office spot grossing $35 million during its opening weekend. People are calling it a big comeback for Sylvester Stallone who starred, co-wrote and directed the production which features the biggest names of the action genre, past and present.
I'm cutting this post short. On my way to see the "Expendables" right now! Catch other Hollywood stories with our clips for the day. What did you think about the movie?
Personally, I was hoping for a darker more mysterious Green Hornet. Expect a heavy dose of wit and double meanings for this version, what with Rogen and Diaz in tandem.
The Leonardo Di Caprio starrer "Inception"tops the US box office, beating the Angelina Jolie spy flick "Salt" on its opening week. With Oscar buzz and $43.5 million so far, not bad for Inception.
Have you seen the new movies? Which one do you like better? Share your review here.
The yearly Academy Awards is moving the buzz circles once again as the 2010 Oscars shines its spotlights on a total of 10 films for the best picture category, the most nominations since 1944.
This year's nominations are a curious mix of the critically acclaimed and the popular blockbusters. James Cameron's science fiction hit "Avatar" and Kathryn Bigelow's war drama "The Hurt Locker" are pitted against each other with 9 nominations including best picture and best director.
The animation "Up" is nominated for both best animation and best picture categories. Other luminaries in contention are Sandra Bullock as best actress for "The Blind Side" going up against Oscar mainstays Meryl Streep for "Julie and Julia" and Dame Helen Mirren for "The Last Station". For best actor, Morgan Freeman gets the Academy's nod for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in "Invictus", as well as George Clooney for "Up In The Air" and Jeff Bridges, who earlier won the best actor award in the Golden Globes for his role in "Crazy Heart".
The nominees for best picture are:
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air
The 82nd Academy Awards will air March 7th and will be hosted by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
Got a daemon on your back? This is just the sort of thing that the religious is dogging at the upcoming New Line Cinema presentation of the "The Golden Compass" ("Northern Lights", in the UK). Based on the critically acclaimed legerdemain-themed trilogy novels of Philip Pullman collectively known as "His Dark Materials".
"The Golden Compass" stars Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliot, Eva Green, Daniel Craig and 12-year old newcomer Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra, out to save their world from evil tyranny - and so on ,and so forth. Its a "Lord of the Rings" meets "Narnia" meets "Harry Potter" with a sci-fi/fantasy aesthetic reminiscent of Naboo in the "Star Wars" movies.
Looking at the trailer however, it doesn't look at all like a Frankenstein-stitch-job of movie elements that sold in the past. The Golden Compass may just be able to stand on its own as the next big (although unfortunately not bigger, nor biggest) magical movie franchise.
So what's up with the daemons? In the film's parallel world, people's souls are hosted within their animal-spirit companions or "daemons". Children's daemons can morph according to the child's infinite potential then gradually settles to a particular form as one ages. If you want to know what sort of daemon you might have, head over to the resource link below and play a short game of 20-questions. My daemon profile is below. In the next few days, you can twiddle with it to confirm or change whether my daemon ought to be a "Xanthia".
Quite frankly though, I don't like spiders.
Anyway, here's a sneak peak at the majestic visual style of the movie.
"The Golden Compass" has evident anti-religious overtones, toned-down however compared to the books, despite the fact that its still basically a battle between good and evil story. Pullman is known to be a self-confessed atheist and some Catholic groups have called for a boycott of the film crying foul at the perceived intent to sell "atheism for kids".
Well, that's exactly what the religious groups bellyached before about the Harry Potter series. Let's see how far this "bad" publicity is going to buoy New Line's $200 million plus gamble.
Personally, I don't think one's faith should be affected nor determined by a 2-hour plus sitting in a dark movie house. If you seek to be indoctrinated, don't watch the movie. On the other hand, if you just want to be entertained, then just enjoy the film.
There's a bit of a name game going on with this movie production. Two Ian's, McKellen and McShane (two mac's at that too), are battling it out as the voices behind the armoured polar bears in the film. Then there's Richards - I mean, how many young girl actors may sport Dakota, of all the 51 US States, as their name? What's up with that?
"The Golden Compass" premieres at a Red Carpet launch in London's Odeon Leicester Square on the 27th of November. The film opens worldwide, December 2.
It's still a long way to go but Warner Bros. much gossiped cartoon-turned-movie "Thundercats" is already snarling, err - buzzing the Web wires. It hasn't even gone into production yet but already a lot of mixed reactions are being blown around.
The 80's cult cartoon creation by Rankin/Bass Productions have been rumored to be due for a Hollywood big-screen makeover as early as the late 90's. Thundercats is about a pride of humanoid-felines tasked to combat the evil mummy wizard Mumm-ra in order to save Third Earth.
Ok so that last description didn't sound really nice. But when you're 12 years old in the 80's tuned in to Saturday afternoon cartoons, watching the Thundercats in action was a pretty nifty treat.
Can Hollywood relive the wonder of those by-gone years? Exactly the argument of some disdained by big movie production outfits messing with what they would like to "preserve" in their childhood. Of course there are those who are just big fans of the series, eagerly awaiting the release of the film. For those unfamiliar with the Thundercats, it would be quite a novel experience. If you wish to brush up on your anthropomorphic lore, there's a wiki on the series that can serve as your reference.
If its any consolation to purists of the original cartoon show, WB reportedly dropped all plans for a live action production. So to those experimenting with the thought of Mel Gibson or Hugh Jackman sporting the red locks of Lion-O, scratch it.
The 2010 silver screen incarnation of Thundercats will be completely CGI animation ala "TMNT" (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) or the recent fantasy epic "Beowulf". And to conjure the computerized magic is seasoned video game director Jerry O'Flaherty. He's gonna need all of his Irish-descent luck to bring to life Paul Sopocy's script to a level that most, if not all, would-be Thunderians will watch and hopefully approve.
Downey is poised to again showcase his versatility as an actor in what is set to be another blockbuster movie franchise from Marvel and Paramount. Question is - can the 40-something performer and known recovering substance-abuser capture the cult following of the Iron Man aficionados and sci-fi curious moviegoers in what is expected to be a grueling summer for movies come 2008?
From Marvel's official website, President of Production at Marvel Studios Kevin Feige said of Robert Downey Jr. that he is "an ideal fit to play such a complex character as Iron Man. We could not think of another actor better suited to bring one of Marvel's crown jewels to the big screen and be the centerpiece of our first independently produced feature."
Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated at the Academy Awards for his role in the 1992 film "Chaplin" where he acted out the life-story of the iconic silent-movies star. Controversy plagued the talented thespian during the late 90's as he was incarcerated several times for drug-related offenses. Notably, he came out in a guest role in the hit television series Ally McBeal where he was nominated for an Emmy and eventually winning an award in the 2000 Golden Globes.
Downey is also a recording artist having performed alongside Sting and Elton John. You can visit robertdowneyjrmusic.com for a sampling of his 2004 album "The Futurist".
Iron Man will be pitted against some very formidable opponents on screen as well as on ticket sales. The Summer 2008 line up will also feature "The Incredible Hulk", "Kung Fu Panda", the Will Smith starrer "Tonight He Comes", "The Dark Knight" with Heath Ledger playing the Joker, and last but certainly not the least, the return of the swashbuckling archeologist in "Indiana Jones - Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".
Iron Man opens May 2, 2008 in cinemas worldwide. See the official trailer at www.ironmanmovie.com.
Young Emmy award winning actor Shia LaBeouf, who will be playing Indiana Jones' son in the movie, announced at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards the official title for the fourth sequel of the swashbuckling film franchise.
The eagerly anticipated installment to the blockbuster series will be called "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".
With Executive Producer George Lucas (alongside Kathleen Kennedy) and Steven Spielberg directing, the two famous filmmakers collaborate once more to tell the adventurous tale of one of Holywood's iconic characters. Harrison Ford, now in his senior years at 65, returns to don that old fedora hat for the role that probably made archeology a sexy career option when the first "Indy" film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" came out in 1981.
In 1984, the prequel "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" was released which featured Kate Capshaw (now Mrs. Steven Spielberg) opposite Harrison Ford.
The third Indy movie, released in 1989 as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", was probably the most memorable of the first three films as Sir Sean Connery played Henry Jones Sr., father to Indy Junior.
Eighteen years after father and son Joneses rode off into the sunset with friends, we find Indiana Jones in yet another action-packed escapade, this time as the father to his son which will be played by Shia LaBeouf (that's Sha-ya Luh-Buff).
Flop or fly, I will not miss this movie event for anything. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" opens May 22nd in 2008.
The 64th Venice International Film Festival came to another glitzy conclusion, September 8, with the film worlds' top honors awarded to some familiar illustrious names.
The envelope is open, the names are out, and the winners are:
Volpi Coppa for Best Actress - Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There", a Bob Dylan biopic by Director Todd Haynes
Volpi Coppa for Best Actor - Brad Pitt in "The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" by Director Andrew Dominik
Golden Lion for Best Film - Ang Lee for "Se, Jie (Lust, Caution)"
Silver Lion for Best Direction - Brian De Palma for "Redacted"
Eccentric American film director Tim Burton of "Edward Scissorhands", "Batman" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" fame, received the 2007 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 64th Venice Film Festival. Wednesday, September 5 was dubbed "Tim Burton Day" honoring the infamous director whose work is markedly gothic and unconventional.
Burton's Academy Award nominated "The Nightmare Before Christmas", directed by Henry Selick and considered a landmark film for bringing stop-motion animation back in fashion on the big screen, was shown at the Venice Film Festival remastered in 3D Stereoscopic Digital format - a festival first for the oldest international film event in the world. Disney Digital 3D is set to re-release the 2006 remaster of "Nightmare" by mid-October 2007.
Renowned "Pirates of the Carribean" star Johnny Depp, a long-time collaborator of Burton, presented the Golden Lion to Tim Burton who is currently filming "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" which also features Depp.
The Venice Film Festival celebrates 75 years since it started in 1932. Legendary Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, known for "Little Buddha" and "Last Tango in Paris", will be receiving the 75th anniversary Golden Lion on September 8 during the closing ceremonies of the illustrious film festival.
One of Hollywood's popular actors Owen Wilson was reportedly hospitalized over the weekend in an alleged suicide attempt. Various reports indicate the 38-year old star of "Wedding Crashers", "Cars" and "Behind Enemy Lines", may have overdosed on pills and slashed his wrists.
Speculations arose as to what may have triggered the act, ranging from being upset over a fight with a "close friend", to a jealous fit regarding erstwhile girlfriend Kate Hudson. At this point, family and representatives of Owen Wilson downplayed any reference to the cause of Wilson's suicide try.
Latest reports say that Owen Wilson is in "good condition" and is recovering at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Wilson, through his publicist, requested for privacy during "this difficult time".
That's right - the "compact disc" or CD celebrates 25 years - a silver anniversary for that silvery disk the world has come to love and burn.
Philips (PHG) and Sony (SNE) were jointly credited for ushering in the age of digital optical storage on that now too-familiar plastic polycarbonate disk. The first ever CDs came out of a German Philips factory August 17, 1982 carrying the latest recording of ABBA's "The Visitor". It took a while for the format to become widely accepted due largely to the sentimental value of them old vinyl forty-fives and LPs (long playing albums) collected over the years by our elderkind.
By the time the 90's generation caught on, boosted by the computer industry's adoption of the CD format, CD use had spread like wildfire worldwide. Not only that - the CD had diversified to store not only music recordings but also, videos, photos and even text and software files.
For the past quarter century, an estimated 200 billion CDs have been sold, pressed, listened to, viewed, burned, labeled as well as scratched, dropped, chipped or otherwise obliterated in one way or another. It has spawned recent variants with DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. It has served the music and film industry, as well as the IT industry and just about every other business and household which have come across the need or want for digital storage. That there is a well-rounded performance by a circle in a square case.
By human age, the CD is now a young adult. However with the blinding-fast turnover of technology we may just be seeing the CDs farewell in the coming decades (maybe even sooner) as new devices and formats have come to challenge its dominance in the realm of digital entertainment and storage. Already, digital downloads and contraptions like the iPod and MP3/MP4 players have captured a major chunk of the music and video industry such that the CD may just become a relic as what it did to the vinyl albums and VHS movies of yesteryears.
So we bid this lowly spinning platter a salute for 25 years well served. 'Til you're next incarnation or demise, enjoy the remainder of your reign while it lasts.
Martial arts icon Jackie Chan and comic loudmouth Chris Tucker team up for the third offering of the Rush Hour movie franchise. Coincidentally, "Rush Hour 3" is set in Paris as was my earlier movie blog on "2 Days in Paris". What's up with the French nowadays I wonder?
Expect a lot of action and double the dose of side-splitting laughs as the crimebusting odd couple of LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) and Chinese Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) take on the Triad crime ring at the French capital.
Director Brett Ratner once again takes the helm as did he in the first two Rush Hour installments back in 2001 and 1998. It seems Ratner is heavily favored for pushing the limits of last-in-a-series movies of popular trilogies - case in point, his previous project in "X-men 3: The Last Stand".
Reports say that "Rush Hour 3" opened at the box-office displacing Matt Damon's "Bourne Ultimatum" at the top spot. However, do not go looking for award material here. Its an all-too-familiar formula of frenzy fist-fights, funnies and friendship. Just enjoy it with your favorite popcorn with cola fix.
She's all the buzz again these days, this French-American film artiste.
Julie Delpy, the star of the critically acclaimed 1995 indie film "Before Sunrise" and its 2004 sequel "Before Sunset" re-appears to the delight of fans sans her pet co-star Ethan Hawke for her latest production "2 Days in Paris".
Julie Delpy pulls a one-woman auteurship for "2 Days in Paris" as writer / director / editor / co-producer, and co-star alongside Adam Goldberg (appeared in "Saving Private Ryan" and "A Beautiful Mind"). The culture-clash comedy already won a Coup de Coeur Award at the Mons International Festival of Love Films in Belgium.
Ms. Delpy was captivating in "Before Sunrise" and daring in "An American Werewolf in Paris". Unfortunate though that her memorable performances seems to be typecasted to her "Before Sunrise" character.
Her talent for filmmaking has grown through the years and this particular project is bound to move her career forward towards more notable movie projects both on-screen and behind-the-scenes.
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