Now, if only the three of them would actually be starring in ONE film, that’d be an even more spectacular casting news. But hey, I’m just glad that those three are getting more prominent roles and I’m particularly excited about Viola’s news because it involves one of my favorite directors!
Viola Davis & Chris Hemsworth – Michael Mann’s untitled Cyber Thriller
Now, the concept of the film itself sounds intriguing and it’s something right up Mr. Mann’s alley. He hasn’t done a feature film since Public Enemies back in 2009. That film was sadly quite disappointing, but I still very much regard him as one of my favorite directors. I’ve seen seven out of ten of his feature films, with Heat, The Last of the Mohicans and The Insider being my all time favorites.
According to the Playlist, the film “…will follow a Balkan hacker operating out of South Asia who has an American and Chinese task force on his tail.” Sounds intriguing and with this cast and filmmaker, I’m so game! Not sure which role Chris Hemsworth will play, but I’ve been reading that the Oscar nominee Viola Davis might play an FBI agent. I do hope she’s got the lead role instead of just a supporting character, she’s certainly a charismatic actress with a chameleon-ability to play just about any kind of roles. The hot and in demand Aussie Hemsworth is always watchable in my book, so yeah, I’ll be keeping an eye on this project! …
Now, I didn’t mean this to be a THOR reunion of some kind, ahah, but Hemsworth brotherly nemesis in that film is equally in demand. Btw, check out the latest Thor: The Dark World trailer on Tim’s blog.
Tom Hiddleston in The Crow and Robert Capa biopic?
Looks like Mr. Hiddleston might be clad in skinny leather pants once again, not that I’m complaining Truth be told, I wasn’t really paying attention to all the rumors about The Crow reboot, though I’m surprised it’s taken them so long to do so. Surely it’ll be tough to forget Brandon Lee in that role, who was tragically shot during filming, but the concept of The Crow is an intriguing one and with Hiddleston [possibly] on board, naturally I’m intrigued. I certainly would rather see him than Bradley Cooper as Eric Draven!
According to The Wrap,“Hiddleston recently had dinner with producers and sent them a makeup test that he did on his own in London. He will undergo a proper makeup test in the coming days, as the character’s appearance is important to fans of the franchise…”
Fingers crossed this will actually happen!
Now, this one sounds like a done deal and the concept is more grounded in reality. Hiddleston will play renowned war photographer Robert Capa in the pending biopic, with Paul Andrew Williams directing. Interesting that I had just seen the film by Williams, Unfinished Song. Whilst it’s not a bad film, I sure hope this one would be a lot more compelling.
I’m particularly intrigued by the romantic theme of the film, as the story will focus on Capa’s two-year romance with Spanish war photographer Gerda Taro, which will be played by Hayley Atwell. I really like this casting, Atwell certainly looks the part and no doubt the two would have a nice chemistry together. Funny enough, I actually saw Capa being portrayed on screen not too long ago (by Venezuelan actor Santiago Cabrera) in Hemingway & Gellhorn, and I remember thinking how his life deserved a biopic on his own, ahah.
…
Lee Pace lands the villain role in The Guardians of the Galaxy
I ‘ve mentioned some casting in this film a while back in the Five for the Fifth post. On that post, I said that I’m not exactly interested in that movie yet, but if Lee Pace ends up being cast, now that’s a different story. Well, talk about dreams come true!! I know a fellow blogger who’s just as enthused about this news.
The Playlist reported that the gorgeous Oklahoma native is indeed going to play the main villain of the Marvel superhero series. Now, I still would prefer that he plays The Flash as he’s my top casting choice and he certainly has the look and personality to pull it off, but hey, just seeing him getting prominent role is always good news to me.
Of course I’m also looking forward to more screen time of him as Thranduil the last two Hobbit films: Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again. So there’s at least two movies I’ll be looking forward to from Pace, wahoo! I’m still hoping that he’d also land a real career breakthrough in the future though, I’d love to see him lead a drama or thriller as he’s definitely got screen charisma, talent AND rugged good looks like his peers Bradley Cooper or Ryan Gosling who’ve made it big. In fact, I’d rather see Pace ten times over than those two!!
…
Well, which one of these casting news intrigue you? Feel free any other recent casting news that make you jump for joy!
James McAvoy is a bit on an action roll these days. He’s starring in two British crime thrillers out in the same month in the UK. One is Welcome to the Punch, and the other is TRANCE, directed by Danny Boyle. This is Boyle’s first film since the Oscar-nominated 127 Hours in 2010. As you know, he was busy directing the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony last year.
If you live in the Twin Cities area, register below to get your advanced screening tickets!
An art auctioneer, who has become mixed up with a group of criminals, partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.
ADVANCE SCREENING TICKETS for Twin Cities Moviegoers!
Download a pair of screening tickets on gofobo.com
Seats are first come, first served and the theater is overbooked to ensure a full house – so arrive early!
Boyle worked with Glasgow-born screenwriter John Hodge once again, their fifth collaboration after Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and The Beach (interestingly, three of them starred Ewan McGregor). This time, Boyle chose another talented Scot, with Vincent Cassel and Rosario Dawson as McAvoy’s co-star.
Check out the trailer:
Looks like a pretty bloody crime noir judging from the trailer! McAvoy is quoted by DigitalSpy.com about the torture scenes “[It did affect me] a little bit. The torture stuff got to me, actually. It never usually does… I’m usually fine with all that stuff, and love being covered in blood and having my face bashed in, but I felt quite bad about myself for a couple of days on this one.” He added: “It starts as an art heist like ‘Thomas Crown Affair,’ but it’s not really about that. It’s noir-ish at times. There’s an essential idea of crime, but it’s not really about money.”
Thompson on Hollywood also noted that this marks the first time Boyle’s put a woman at the center of one of his movies, which the director himself admitted that they tend to be “boyish.” The article says he likes the film noir femme fatale premise: “Wouldn’t it be scary if a woman behaved even worse than the men?”
Hmmm, I’m certainly intrigued, especially with the talents involved! I just hope it won’t be too violent as much of Boyle’s movies tend to be.
TRANCE opens in limited release in the US on April 5 (Minneapolis release date is April 12).
Well, what are your thoughts on this film? Will you be seeing it?
I’ve got another director-related post nearly ready to go, but I thought I’d share a trio of casting news I heard this week that I’m excited about, all involving three talented underrated actors I’d love to see getting more work. So here goes.
Karl Urban’s cast in JJ Abrams’ futuristic drama pilot for FOX
The idea of seeing the ultra hunky Karl Urban on the TV screen is certainly a very enticing prospect. Deadline reported that after a lengthy negotiations, the 40-year-old New Zealander has closed a deal to star opposite Michael Ealy in Fox‘s untitled J.H. Wyman/J.J. Abrams drama pilot (formerly Inhuman). As you know, Abrams directed Urban as Bones in the Star Trek movie franchise, though I wish Urban had been given more screen time this time around. Anyway, though I’m a bit tired of seeing sooo many procedural shows on TV, I quite like the sound of this one. It’s billed an action-packed buddy cop show set in the near future when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.
Apparently Urban will play a human cop John Kennex and his partner Dorian (Ealy) is an android cop. Kennex is described as a respected police officer who has shut down emotionally after a tragic mission left him critically injured. The cast of the pilot also includes Lili Taylor and Minka Kelly (meh). Urban’s played a bad ass futuristic cop before in Dredd 3D, I’m just thrilled that this time we could actually see his entire face The show’ll be produced by Warner Bros TV and Abram’s production company Bad Robot. Let’s hope this one won’t tank like Abrams’ once-promising show Alcatraz. …
Rebecca Hall joins Wally Pfister’s directorial debut Transcendence
Oh man, this film’s quickly become one of my most-anticipated for 2014!
Last week I heard that Johnny Depp nabbed the lead role in Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister’s first film, which already has Paul Bettany as well. Fans of Christopher Nolan’s films are certainly familiar with the Chicago native Pfister as he’s the cinematographer in seven of his films, including the Batman trilogy. Last year he was also nominated for his work in Moneyball. This time Nolan lends his support as an executive producer, along with his wife Emma Thomas and Aaron Ryder.
Now they’ve cast Rebecca Hall in the female lead as Depp’s wife in this sci-fi drama. Apparently she beat out Rooney Mara and Emily Blunt for the role (per Collider). Now, what’s this film about? According to IMDb, here’s the premise:
A story centered on a scientist whose brain is uploaded into his creation — a supercomputer with the potential to think for itself — after he is assassinated by anti-technology terrorists.
Hall has worked with Nolan before in The Prestige. I quite like her in that one, and also her work in The Town, Everything Must Go and Starter for 10 with James McAvoy. I personally would rather see her than the other two actresses. I like Blunt but I’m not too fond of Mara, plus those two have been getting more steady work than Hall anyways.
I have high hopes for this one, though it also has a first-time screenwriter Jack Paglen penning the script. For sure it’ll look amazing, but whether or not Wfister’s career as a director will take off or not remains to be seen. It’s set to open on April 25, 2014. ///
Alessandro Nivola joins a stellar cast for David O. Russell’s ABSCAM film
Now, last but not least. Nice to see Alessandro Nivola’s name being mentioned in this all-star cast. It’s still in the negotiation stage but I sure hope it would materialize! Per Deadline, Nivola is negotiating to join, get this, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams AND Jennifer Lawrence in the David O Russell-directed drama on the ABSCAM scandal. WOW, what a cast!! I don’t know if all of the cast are confirmed, four of them have gotten accolades (including Oscar) under Russell’s direction before. One interesting cast member is comedian Louis C.K.
Nivola will play Reggio, the federal prosecutor who tried the case in court. The Eric Singer-scripted drama is about the ’70s FBI sting operation Abscam that took down a bunch of U.S. congressmen.
The article also mentions Nivola other project he’s just wrapped that also sounds intriguing: Atom Egoyan-directed Devil’s Knot, a drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. He plays Terry Hobbs, a stepfather of one of the three murdered children, who later became a focus of suspicion though he has denied any part in the triple murder and has not been brought up on charges. Glad to see Nivola getting more work, I mean people seems to only know him as Pollux Troy in Face/Off! He’s actually quite versatile, he was very good in Laurel Canyon, Mansfield Park, Junebug, and Coco Before Chanel. Those are pretty diverse roles and he pulled off every single one convincingly. He even sang in Junebug and he has a nice voice!
…
Well, what do you think about any of these actors and/or projects? Any one of them appeal to you?
The discovery of a dead English monarch’s bones found in a parking lot in Leicester, England has been dominating the news lately. Just this past Monday, scientists indeed confirmed that the remains indeed belong to Richard III, the last English king to die in battle. It’s quite a fascinating story that started back in 2009 when a member of the Richard III Society, Philipa Langley, felt chill on a hot Summer day when she walked on that car park, which then led to the excavation last Fall. University of Leicester has been studying the remains for months since, including creating a 3-D reconstruction of the late king’s head and shoulders, combining computer analysis of his skull and interpretations from historical portraits (per National Geographics)
Lawrence Olivier as Richard III in the 1995 film
I’ve been sort of fascinated by British monarchy, but for some reason I have not seen any film adaptations of Richard III. There are a bazillion of them apparently. The Guardian compiled a bunch of the video clips earlier this week, featuring an array of period dramas and modern interpretation of Richard’s life. Most of the artistic adaptations are likely influenced by Shakespeare who painted Richard III as a spiteful hunchback whose unbridled ambition to become king drove him to murder his princely nephews. That was what I learned when I was at the Tower of London, though there was never a clear evidence what really happened to those boys.
This is all old news to RA’s fans, but I thought I’d share this to you readers in case you haven’t heard about it. Langley, who’s also a screenwriter, wants to change Richard’s image by bringing the ‘true’ story of Richard III to light. Apparently she already had a script treatment done and has asked one of my favorite Brits to star! (you can listen to her interview on Radio Leicester here)
You know I’m very keen on Richard Armitage and has been hoping for a breakout role for him! I dedicated a post when he was cast as Thorin in The Hobbit and would love to see him as the next James Bond. But I think this role is even more tailor-made for him. Especially since he’s named after the King himself and was born on the day he died in, guess what, Leicester!!
Who knows he might be a descendant of the King himself, it wouldn’t be too far fetched, no? In a way he resembles the King a bit, though 100 times better looking!! Just take a look at the 3D reconstruction photo below:
It’s funny that in the Radio Leicester interview, Langley brought up people’s protests that the 6’2″ actor is too tall to play the 5’8″ monarch, but she pointed out that Richard has just played a dwarf in The Hobbit, ahah! Even though the velvety-voiced is now 41 years old and the King died in his early 30s, I think he’s still perfect for the part. Heck it’s less than 10 years, make up can do wonders even for actors playing characters twice their age!
Richard has said in many interviews about his ‘connection’ to the late King and his desire to bring the Richard III movie to light. Check out this excerpt from Vulpeslibris blog:
VL: Now, you were born on August the 22nd and your given name is Richard. I believe those two facts are not completely disconnected – and that there are plans afoot for a bit of Richard III rehabilitation. Can you tell us a little more about it?
RA: I was named Richard being born on the anniversary of Richard III’s demise at Bosworth; one of my father’s favourite novels is The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman, and I read this many years ago. In recent years it has lead to a tentative interest and line of research into the rehabilitation of this story. As an actor, it’s a project I would love to achieve. I believe it is a great story, a socio-political thriller, a love story and a dynastic tragedy. My challenge is to convince commercial producers to see beyond ‘history lesson’, but I strongly suspect that this will be a long way off, probably outside of my ability to play the role, but I wouldn’t rule out playing another role, I may even be producing by the time someone wakes up and realizes the potential for this project.
It turns out this film has been his passion project for some time. He told Lorraine Kelly that he’d love to produce a film version that sort of dispel the myth of him as a monster.
…
Richard’s certainly got that brooding intensity down pat and he’s got that valiant & regal aura about him too. Given the battle scars discovered on the King’s skeletons, we can expect some pretty intense battle sequences in the film? I certainly hope this project will come to fruition… and soon, whilst the public has a great interest in the story. Even Langley herself realize, it’s now or never. She said in the radio interview that Richard Armitage is currently pitching the project to the producers in L.A. and a major distributor has expressed interest. I know this project will happen, but I sure hope they don’t just take the idea and cast some nondescript Hollywood movie star in the lead!
A new contractor at my office who just started last week made an observation the other day when he stopped by my cube. “Are you a bit of an Anglophile?” I asked him why he thought so, then he pointed out to my Skyfall poster, London desktop pics, and other British-related memorabilia all over my desk. Well, considering my penchant for British cinema and actors, I guess I’ve been suffering from a seemingly-incurable case of Anglophilia
The point of that story is that I LOVE movies set in Britain, and I’ve been waiting patiently for All Things To All Men for quite some time. I mentioned it nearly a year ago on this ensemble cast post, and for a while all I’ve got to go on is this photo:
Gabriel Byrne & Toby Stephens
Well, finally we’ve got some great news about its release date… well for my friends across the pond that is. It’s set to open nationwide across the UK on March 8, no news on the US release yet, though
Special thanks to Stella from Byrneholics for the tip, we’re both thrilled that Irish thespian Gabriel Byrne has the lead role, with two equally hunky Brits Rufus Sewell and Toby Stephens. Before we get to the synopsis, lets look at some official first pics first, shall we?
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Here’s the synopsis:
When Riley (Stephens), a professional thief, is hired to pull off the ultimate sting, he is unwittingly drawn into a deadly cat and mouse game between maverick police detective Parker (Sewell) and renowned London crime lord Joseph Corso (Byrne). Parker is determined to bring down Corso and do whatever it takes to end his reign, but when the sting backfires and stakes get higher, Riley finds himself at the centre of a battle where the line between the law and crime are blurred beyond recognition.
Per Empire, the film’s written and directed by George Isaac, who’s already a successful producer with Kidulthood and Adulthood and a BAFTA nominee for short film Nits, and also stars Elsa Pataky (Chris Hemsworth’s wife), James Frain, Julian Sands and Leo Gregory.
Byrneholics site has the full press release, which states that the film is shot entirely in London. I found some pics of Rufus on the set last year:
Sorry, no larger pics available without watermark, photos are from CapitalPictures.
Man, I absolutely can’t wait for this movie! I love crime dramas and the premise sounds intriguing. The fact that this is a smaller production and set on location makes me want to see it all the more. Of course the cast is just splendid! I’ve always thought Byrne is perfect in a noir crime drama, and this role is similar to the one I cast him in this Moran’s Epilogue movie pitch as a former gangster. Sewell is a massively underrated actor, but I hope he gets a role he could really sink his teeth into. I’m not as familiar with Stephens’ work as a whole, though I adore his mum, Dame Maggie Smith. Unfortunately I’m not fond of the only two roles he did that I saw, Bond villain in Die Another Day and Rochester in 2006 BBC’s Jane Eyre, but I give him the benefit of the doubt that he’ll be good here.
Man, I hope the trailer’s going to be released soon… and more importantly, this will get a cinema release here in the US, even if it’s a limited one.
…
Well, thoughts on this movie and/or cast? Would you go and see this?
Ok, Day 3 of 2013 hasn’t left yet where I live, but I’m already anticipating a slew of movies coming out later this year. To make the list more manageable though, I’m breaking it down to two parts. Here’s 10 that’s scheduled to be released (except for one that’s TBD) between January to June.
January
Zero Dark Thirty (Jan 13)
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow Starring: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Mark Strong
…
Granted I wasn’t in love with The Hurt Locker like a lot of people did, but one thing I do appreciate is Kathryn Bigelow’s skills as a filmmaker. She’s one of the best directors out there that can direct dynamic action sequences and she’s got the cojones to tackle a controversial topic. This film reunites her with The Hurt Locker‘s screenwriter Mark Boal and boasts a great cast! I’m a fan of Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton, so yeah, I’m super curious to see this. Granted we likely won’t get a balanced viewpoint on this ripped-from-the-headlines story, but should be an intriguing piece nonetheless.
…
March
Dead Man Down (March 8)
In New York City, a crime lord’s right-hand man is seduced by one of his boss’s victims, a woman seeking retribution.
Oplev is the director of the original Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Now, even though that film is not my cup of tea, I’m quite intrigued by this story. The trailer looks pretty intense, albeit a bit too revelatory. We’ll see how violent it is though, I might just rent it if it’s too much for my nerves. I do like the cast, Rapace was impressive in Prometheus and Farrell and Cooper are two of the coolest Brit and Irish exports working today.
…
Oz: The Great and Powerful (March 8)
A stage magician is hurled into a fantasy world, and must use his wits to stay ahead of three enchantresses who have plans for him.
Director: Sam Raimi Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Bruce Campbell
…
You’re probably surprised I put this here since I actually have not seen The Wizard of Oz (yep, that’s true). But I like Sam Raimi and the female cast looks pretty darn good. The trailer promises a visual spectacle, and the story reminds me a bit of Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, though probably less surreal than the Terry Gilliam’s movie. Anyway, it would’ve been awesome to see Robert Downey Jr. or Johnny Depp who were at one time linked to this project though. But Raimi and Franco did work together before in the Spider-Man movies.
…
April
Oblivion (April 26)
One of the few remaining drone repairmen assigned to Earth, its surface devastated after decades of war with the alien Scavs, discovers a crashed spacecraft with contents that bring into question everything he believed about the war, and may even put the fate of mankind in his hands.
Director: Joseph Kosinki Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
…
Another Tom Cruise movie in which he’s playing another character named Jack?? That’s what I thought when I saw the trailer but when it’s over, I actually found it intriguing. Visually it has an epic feel to it and everything with Morgan Freeman should be good, no? It’s interesting to note that this was based on Radical Comics graphic novel that the TRON: Legacy director Kosinski himself wrote with Arvid Nelson. MTV had an interview with Kosinski on how the story came about for the graphic novel:
“I started writing this small character-driven science fiction story that was in the vein of those science fiction films of the 1970s that involved this lone survivor among the ruins of civilization, like ‘Mega Man’ or ‘Silent Running’ — it was kind of in that vein. I thought if it was going to be my first movie it would have to be something very small and contained in order to even get a chance at pulling it off. So it’s the story of a drill repair man, Jack Harper, who is one of the last human beings left on earth after a massive war, which was the result of an alien invasion. Even though humankind won the war, Earth was left in such a state that we had to look for another place to settle, and Jack is left behind to monitor and secure the resource gathering operation that’s happening where we’re gathering the last bit of energy out of the earth’s seawater in order to move onto the next step.”
Well, let’s hope it won’t disappoint like TRON: Legacy did!
…
May
The Great Gatsby (May 10)
Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby’s circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.
…
I’ve covered this one extensively exactly year ago, but the release was delayed significantly. I never got around to reading the book but I’m still excited for this. It’s been a while since I’m excited for a Leo DiCaprio movie, but he looks pretty good as the mad billionaire Jay Gatsby. He seems to have a believable chemistry with the lovely Carey Mulligan, and Tobey seems perfectly cast as the Midwesterner Nick Caraway who’s inexplicably drawn into the world of glitz, glamor and madness! I’m optimistic this would be more like Moulin Rouge! than Australia.
…
Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)
After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.
Director: JJ Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana
…
It’s Sherlock terrorizing a whole star fleet, perhaps he can actually outwit Mr. Spock? Kidding aside, I think this looks awesome! Well I love the original and the charismatic cast is set to be on board again, yay! I know all the lads are all pining for the pretty blue-eyed Capt. Kirk but for me it’s all about Dr. McCoy (the gorgeous Karl Urban, natch!).
,,,
June
Much Ado About Nothing (June 7)
A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Fran Kranz
No trailer available that I could find (which is odd since the film has premiered at TIFF), but here’s a Toronto interview of Whedon with two of the major cast Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg:
…
From a band of superheroes to Shakespeare? That Josh is one versatile dude! Apparently the movie adaptation took place at Joss Whedon’s residence, in Santa Monica, and was filmed entirely in black-and-white over 12 days. It currently has a pretty high Rotten Tomatoes rating so far. Curious to hear what fellow Marvel director Kenneth Branagh (Thor) thinks of this?
… Man of Steel (June 14)
An alien infant is raised on Earth, and grows up with superhuman abilities. He sets out to use these abilities to guard his adopted world.
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne
…
If there is ONLY one movie I could see in 2013, let it be this one! When I saw this full trailer during my vacation I literally went berserk! My undying love for the Kryptonian hero dated all the way back to when I was only 3 years old. I even had the Superman suit and everything. Yes, Superman Returns was rather disappointing, but that was a different era. It’s now Superman Begins, ehm, a collaboration between the DC-savior Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder. Of course I’ve got to mention one of my Brit crushes Henry Cavill, a man so gorgeous it’s out of this world I’m glad Snyder doesn’t make him look like some pretty boy though, he sure looks pretty darn rugged in and out of that bad ass new suit.
Nolan had a lot of positive things to say about Snyder. As quoted by THR, ““Zack was the perfect man to take this on,” Nolan says. “He is unbelievably skilled at creating a coherent, cohesive world — whether it’s a very stylized world, like 300, or something that’s more challenging, more varied, like he did with Watchmen.” He also praised how Snyder handled Man of Steel itself:
“In my honest appraisal, taking on Superman and creating that world is far more difficult than creating the world of the Dark Knight. He has a lot of finishing to do on the movie — it has a very long post-production schedule because, unlike Batman, Superman flies… I try to be as supportive as I can, and I’m just amazed by what he is doing. It’s not something I would know how to do.”
Of course Mr. Nolan is being modest. I think he very well could tackle Superman but hey, having him as the consultant on the project is a very good thing. I can hardly wait for this!!
… Monsters University (June 21)
A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at the University of Fear — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends.
Director: Dan Scanlon Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi
…
Mike Wazowski is one of my all time favorite Pixar characters so surely I’m excited for this! The latest promo clip is such a hoot, man I’d go to MU for sure if I could hang out with Mike and Sully! Normally I’m not fond of sequels but I love the first movie so much and I trust that Pixar would come up with a pretty clever and fun story this time around.
…
Ok, this one hopefully would come out in the first half of the year, though kinda unlikely given how Terrence Malick likes to tinker with editing his movies Before I get to Knight of Cups, the one Malick movie that would sure hit theaters in April 12 in To The Wonder, starring Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko (who turns out to be the real lead). It premiered at TIFF and Ryan at The Matinee has the review here.
I might check that one out but I REALLY want to see this one:
Knight of Cups (TBD)
A story of a man, temptations, celebrity, and excess.
Director: Terrence Malick Starring: Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Imogen Poots, Wes Bentley, Isabel Lucas
The first time I heard about this one in 2011 when I posted about it along with another Malick’s project in the works. I read several reports recently and it sounds like this film is set against the backdrop of the movie business. I’m guessing Bale plays some sort of celebrity surrounded by beautiful women as his life spins out of control?? Of course that’s a wild guess without a real synopsis, trailer, nor even a poster! There are a boat load of on-set pics on Google though.
Check out some behind-the-scenes pics I found of Bale with a bunch of his female co-stars:
Man, that cast is just awesome isn’t it? I’m most excited to see Bale co-starring with Blanchett. It’s been far too long since I saw her on screen besides her brief appearance in The Hobbit. The plethora of actors sounds like a Woody Allen ensemble-cast movie, the movie also stars Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Teresa Palmer, Ryan O’Neal, Jason Clarke, Joel Kinnaman and Shea Whigham. I hope this one gets a release date real soon, come on Mr. Malick, get crackin’
…
Honorable Mentions:
Welcome to The Punch
Gangster Squad
Broken City
Stoker
Olympus Has Fallen
Trance
Iron Man 3
…
Well, that’s just what I’m looking forward to in the next six months. Which one(s) are you most excited about?
Hello folks, welcome to the very last edition of 2012 Five for the Fifth!!
To those who’ve never missed a single FFtF post, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for making this my most popular blog series!
As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation/poster, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here.
1. Well, it’s only three weeks away to 2013. I think it’s been quite a year for movies, hasn’t it? I mean we’ve got major blockbusters for super lucrative franchises – The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall AND The Hobbit all in the same year! Yes, it’s a big year for Twi-hards as well but for the rest of us, aren’t you glad the franchise is [almost] over? All together now: free at last!!
Thanks to TCFF though, I’ve also got a chance to view some awesome indie movies as well, which balance things out nicely. I will do my Top 10 of 2012 at the end of the month, but I think Argo, Skyfalland The Sapphires might make my list.
So my first question is: What’s YOUR top five favorite films of the year (so far)?
…… 2.Ok, 2012 is barely over and I’m already looking forward to June 14, 2013! Yep, that’s the US release date for Man of Steel. If you’re on Twitter on Monday, most likely you’ve seen it but just in case you haven’t. Behold…
…
‘Oooh lookie here, sexy Henry in handcuffs!!’ Ehm, sorry, now that we get that out of the way. Most people were baffled as to ‘why is Supes a villain?’ and just the general logic [or lack thereof] that you can’t technically confine Supes with all his mighty powers behind bars, that is unless the prison is made of kryptonite of course. But judging from the look of Supes’ expression, looks like it’s a voluntary decision on his part to be led by the military convoy. I kind of like the departure from tradition, in fact, Chris Nolan and Zack Snyder seems to be set on defying tradition even from the costume alone. As EMPIRE mag says, “…a little originality is good for the soul.”
So what do you think of the teaser poster, folks? Thoughts about this reboot so far?
…
3.It’s been a while since I blog about Rufus Sewell, one of my favorite hunky Brits. But I want to let you know on his Sundance Channel two-part miniseries Restless he’s currently starring in, along with Hayley Atwell, Charlotte Rampling and Michael Gambon.
Adapted from William Boyd‘s spy novels that Boyd himself is adapting, it’s set during the early days of World War II and follows a Russian spy who tries to infiltrate the British Secret Service with the goal of influencing U.S. power brokers and swinging American public opinion in favor of fighting the Nazis.
Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery plays Ruth Gilmartin, who, in 1976, visits her mother Sally (Rampling), and is handed a diary recounting her colorful past. Turns out mom was actually born Eva Delectorskaya (Atwell), having emigrated from Russia to France. In the wake of her brother’s death in 1939, she’s recruited by British agent Lucas Romer (Sewell) to spy for the U.K. on the eve of World War II. (per Variety) Judging from the picture above, there’s likely some smoldering romance involved as well. Check out the awesome extended preview/featurette below with the ensemble cast:
…
The premise sounds intriguing and I like the look of this miniseries. Plus the cast is excellent! Rufus and Hayley certainly look fabulous in period costumes.
The first part of the miniseries begins this Friday at 9P E/P on the Sundance Channel. Can’t wait to see this one when it’s available to rent!
Well, what do you think of the trailer? Would you watch this one if you have the Sundance Channel? …
4. Well, one of the biggest movie of 2012 has just come out in Blu-ray. Some of you might already pre-order The Dark Knight Rises and even seen it all over again a few times by now? Well I might get a copy too but not in a hurry to do so. One thing that I find amusing lately is the emergence of these Honest Trailers by the Screen Junkies (the trailers are made by Break Media digital company. You’ve likely seen their parodies of popular movies like Hunger Games, Prometheus, Avengers and my favorite of all, Twilight on YouTube. Well, Nolan’s final Batman trilogy no exception, check out their latest work below. As you probably guess, these honest trailers do have plot spoilers on them, but really, if you haven’t seen this movie by now, you probably aren’t that interested in Nolan’s Batman movies in the first place.
…
These guys definitely don’t pull any punches on their parody, but y’know what, it addresses a lot of the questions I had with the movie I wrote in my review. No matter though, this movie is obviously flak-proof anyway as the Blu-rays are likely going off the shelves as we speak.
How many honest trailers have you seen and which one(s) do you like best?
… 5.Ok, my last question is not exactly movie-related but you are free to make it so if you like. Well, I’ll be off to my two-week vacation on Friday. I don’t usually go on vacation during the holiday season but our schedule just works out that way this year. I haven’t been in any major vacation in over a year, but I’ve been blessed with a lot of memorable one in my lifetime. I think my favorite one is a tossup between the trip to Italy and the UK a few years back. I’m more of a city girl so I love exploring the enchanting cities like Rome, Florence and London that’s so full of history and full of life.
I still dream to go to Scotland, Australia and Eastern Europe (especially Prague), hopefully one of them would happen in the near future.
So my last question to you is, what’s your most memorable vacation you’ve ever had? I’d also love to hear about your dream vacation
…
Well, that’s it for the last 2012 edition of Five for the Fifth, folks. There’ll be more coming next year for sure!
Now, please pick a question out of the five above or better yet, do ‘em all!
Happy Friday everyone! TGIF is the word and not only because it’s the end of the workweek, but because today FlixChatter is shining the spotlight on a UK indie feature film called The Fitzroy!
I first heard about this film earlier this month when I ‘met’ producer James J. Heath via Twitter. At the time their Kickstarter project hasn’t launched yet, but I checked out the film’s website and quite like what I saw. As a graphic designer and a movie buff, I just love how well-thought out and creative this project is, I love the illustrations and the sense of whimsy of the whole project. The video, website, blog and other promotional materials seems really well put-together, so obviously the Fitzroy team has worked diligently and should be on their way to make their dream a reality! …
The Fitzroy – A black comedy feature film set in an alternative post-apocalyptic 1950s on a submarine hotel.
SYNOPSIS:
Set in an alternative post-apocalyptic 1950’s, The Fitzroy hotel, a derelict submarine beached just off Margate, is the last place for a traditional summer holiday. Bernard, the hotel’s bellboy, cook, maintenance man and general dogsbody faces a constant battle to keep the decaying hotel airtight and afloat.
But when he falls in love with Sonya, a murderous guest, he is thrown into a world of lies, backstabbing and chaos. As Bernard struggles to hide her murders from the other guests and suspicious authorities, the hotel literally begins to sink around him. As his world implodes, Bernard must choose between the woman he thinks he loves and the hotel submarine that is keeping them all alive.
…
Check out this intro video below featuring director Andrew Harmer on the Black Widow submarine they’re hoping to shoot on:
…
Meet The Fitzroy Team!
In 2011, Liam Garvo and James J. Heath formed Dresden Pictures to focus on producing feature film content with The Fitzroy being the first in a line up of several films they will be producing. Liam described the dark comedy as ‘.. a cross between Delicatessen and Fawlty Towers.’ Just in case you’re wondering, the film will be live action, with the opening titles the only thing that’s animated. James told me they’d be announcing casting info soon.
Here’s James, writer/director Andrew Harmer, and Liam at the Sci-Fi London’s Post-Apocolympic festival last weekend where they set up a stall to promote their film.
James, Andrew and Liam
You can read the detailed bios of each of them on their website (see a set of links below to find out more info)
Click the graphic to check out their Kickstarter campaign
The Fitzroy team has launched the Kickstarter campaign on November 8 and so far has made it through the 10% barrier. But they still need to raise £60,000 in order to make the film and enter it into various film festivals. There are all kinds of rewards listed there, you could even be in the movie if you choose to. The films titles will be an animated cartoon and will explain how the world of The Fitzroy came to be, so if you send ‘em a couple of photos of yourself, they will turn you into a toon featured in the title sequence!
For those of you in London, there’s a celebratory shin-dig for The Fitzroy and it’s crowd funding campaign.
Monday, November 19, 2012 • 7pm
Zigfrid von Underbelly of Hoxton
11 Hoxton Square, London
The film’s band and soundtrack producer - The Green Rock River Band will be performing a live set of ‘Doom Folk’, plus there’ll be giveaways, an exhibition, and special announcements. Oh and also a FREE BAR (not for long though, so get there early).
I wish I could attend but I live on the other side of the pond!
Now, both James and Andrew have agreed to do a special Q&A with me and FlixChatter’s readers.
So before you check out their project, do submit any question you have for the filmmaker in the comments section. Their answers will be posted here later this month!
Hello folks, welcome to another 2012 edition of Five of the Fifth!
As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation/poster, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here. So let’s get started, shall we? ….. 1.Well, despite the name, Wreck It Ralph certainly is no box office wreck. In fact, the opposite is true! The movie grossed nearly $50 mil in just three days! Seems like a lot of people affected by Hurricane Sandy were looking for some fun distraction and there were reports that many kids being out of school because of the storm also help with strong matinee business on the East Coast on Friday. Well I haven’t seen it yet but my friend Terrence gave it 4/5 stars and it does sound like a lot of fun!
According to Gold Derby, this movie is one of the 21 films that have officially been submitted for consideration for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
If you’ve seen it, what did you think? How does it rank amongst your favorite Disney movies?
…..
2. Y’all already know my undying love for Superman since a wee girl. So when my friend Michael tweeted a post by Flights, Tights and Movie Nights blog on this 11-min short called One on One, I was intrigued! I love it when filmmakers highlight the ‘human’ side of a superhero story, without making it too overly-sentimental. The subtle hints about the reporter’s identity is handled very well in this short, plus it’s so well-shot and well-acted all around.
Do check out Bubbawheat’s interview with Jake Thomas, the creator of the short film, on how he chose to focus more on a random Metropolis teenager and her interaction with Clark Kent, instead of the typical action/special effects/stunts style story.
Check it out below:
…
I should thank my hubby who saw the tweet when I woke up this morning and we both watched it twice as we’re relaxing in bed enjoying the extra one hour from the end of Daylight Savings’ Time
Well, what do you think of the short film?
….
3. November 5 is Tilda Swinton’s 52nd Birthday! Wow, I had no idea she was already in her 50s! I first noticed the Scottish actress in the first Chronicles of Narnia movie where she played the White Queen. She appeared in Danny Boyle’s The Beach but I didn’t realize who she was then. I’ve seen her in five other films since the two I mentioned, but I think my favorite role of hers is the one in Michael Clayton. It was a well-deserved Oscar win surely.
Some trivia about miss Swinton:
Her family is one of the oldest in Scotland, but her mother is Australian. Her father is Major-General Sir John Swinton, whose ancestral home has been within the family since the 9th century. She attended West Heath Girls’ School, with Princess Diana as one of her classmates, and later Fettes College. Gave birth to twins, a daughter named Honor Byrne and a son named Xavier Byrne, in November 1997. The father of her children, John Byrne, is a Scottish artist and writer.
I’m very curious about her next film Only Lovers Left Alive, about two vampires who have been in love for centuries, co-starring Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska and John Hurt.
What’s your favorite role of Tilda Swinton? …..
4. Now, my fourth question is not exactly a new news. Tons of films have had advanced tickets selling weeks in advanced, so the fact that The Hobbittickets are going to be on sale this Wednesday online and in theaters across North America, a month ahead of its December 14 release doesn’t exactly surprise me.
Just like Nolan’s Batman movies, there’s also a scheduled marathon screenings of Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy in Extended Cut editions on Saturday, December 8th, and Sunday December 9th. Oh geez, I don’t know if I could handle seeing nine-hours worth of stuff on the big screen, though if I have the fortitude I might watch my already-purchased extended edition Blu-rays in the comfort of my own home.
Now, the only advanced screening tickets I bought about a week ahead of the film’s release was The Dark Knight Rises on IMAX.
Out of curiosity, what film(s) have you bought advanced tickets for and were they worth it? …..
5. One of the things I like about Wes Anderson’s films are the stellar ensemble cast and he seems to be doing the same thing for his upcoming feature The Grand Budapest Hotel. So far the four major stars confirmed are Wes’ regulars Bill Murrayand Jason Schwartzman, and two British thespians Ralph Fiennes and Jude Law (and reportedly Jeff Goldblum is now confirmed to join the cast as well). Fiennes will be playing the lead role as Mr. Gustave, and the film will focus on the troubles and tribulations of the hotel’s perfectly composed concierge. Well, thanks to Julian who tweeted me the news, my favorite Irish young star Saoirse Ronan has now joined the cast as the female lead! Anderson will once again work with Scott Rudin and Steve Rales who produced Moonrise Kingdom.
I know the film hasn’t opened until December 2014 but I definitely will be on the lookout for it. Here are additional info about the movie according to Filmofilia:
The Grand Budapest Hotel takes place 85 years ago in a Hungarian hotel, and is partly inspired by the witty films of Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch.
Oh, I like that premise already! And with this cast, it surely becomes one of my anticipated holiday movies of next year!
Well, my last question to you is: are you anticipating this one, too? …
Well, that’s it for the November edition of Five for the Fifth, folks. Now, please pick a question out of the five above or better yet, do ‘em all!
Things I Don't Understand is directed by David Spaltro starring MN native Molly Ryman. Violet is obsessed with what comes after death and uses that to propel her thesis but on the other side of that she struggles with finding her own path in life. We got a chance to sit down with the Director Spaltro and hear what he has to say on the film.
Thanks to director David Spaltro for sitting down with June and I at the ShowPlace ICON lounge to give us some insights about his film Things I Don't Understand (check out my review).
Truth be told, I wasn’t really paying attention to all the rumors about The Crow reboot, though I’m surprised it’s taken them so long to do so. Surely it’ll be tough to forget Brandon Lee in that role, who was tragically shot during filming, but the concept of The Crow is an intriguing one and with Hiddleston [possibly] on board, naturally I’m intrigued. I certainly would rather see him than Bradley Cooper as Eric Draven!
I ‘ve mentioned some casting in this film a while back in the Five for the Fifth post. On that post, I said that I’m not exactly interested in that movie yet, but if Lee Pace ends up being cast, now that’s a different story. Well, talk about dreams come true!! I know a fellow blogger who’s just as enthused about this news.
The idea of seeing the ultra hunky Karl Urban on the TV screen is certainly a very enticing prospect. 
The show’ll be produced by Warner Bros TV and Abram’s production company Bad Robot. Let’s hope this one won’t tank like Abrams’ once-promising show Alcatraz.
Now, last but not least. Nice to see Alessandro Nivola’s name being mentioned in this all-star cast. It’s still in the negotiation stage but I sure hope it would materialize! Per 
It’s interesting to note that this was based on Radical Comics graphic novel that the TRON: Legacy director Kosinski himself wrote with Arvid Nelson. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Thanks to director David Spaltro for sitting down with June and I at the ShowPlace ICON lounge to give us some insights about his film Things I Don't Understand (check out 
