Thursday, December 29, 2011

Movie Review: Hello Darling

Director: Manoj Tiwari
Producer: Ashok Ghai
Banner :Mukta Arts LTD- Malpix Film
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Star Cast: Celina Jaitley, Gul Panag, Eesha Koppikar, Jaaved Jaafrey, Sunny Deol, Chunky Pandey, Divya Dutta, Asawari Joshi, Mukesh Tiwari, Vrajesh Hirjee and Seema Biswas.
Rating: * star
Hello Darling reveals the conditions of three glamorous and intelligent women. These women are the victim of a lecherous boss. This is a heroine oriented film as there is no hero in the film as such. However the story is all about working women. Also what all they have to face in the office has been showcased in a light manner.
Mansi and Savitri (Celina Jaitley,Gul Panag and Easha Koppikhar] share a house. They are employed at a posh designing office in Mumbai. Hardik [Jaaved Jaffrey] plays the boss. He is a play boy, although married to a Gujarati house wife, Purvi. This play boy natured boss always addresses all the females as “Hello Darling.” What all he does to promote the females need to be watched. Asawari Joshi plays the secretary to Hardik. What happens to Hardik one night when he is kidnapped by these girls? And later how he lands in the Nari Sanghatana, a pati sudhar samiti, which is run by Seema Biswas to tame down lecherous husbands forms the crux of the story. Rocky a wannabe Elvis Presley [Chunky Pandey] who plays Celina’s boy friend appears in the film of and on.
However Director Manoj Tiwari has tried to rehash the remake of not one but many films- a tamil film”Magalir Mattum, a film which never released. Randhir Kapoor ‘s film “Ladies Only where he plays the lecherous boss . Undoubtedly the director could not mix and match plots from these films exuberantly, resulting in a messy tale. Comedy in the film does make one laugh. Gul Panag,Seema Biswas and Jaaved Jaffrey have performed up to the mark. They could not help do wonders with a badly rehashed script. Celina and Koppikhar could have toned down at a little lower pitch. Chunky Pandey’s role seemed to be like a worthless bauble. Nothing much to perform. Sunny Deol’s last minute entry is no saving grace for the film.
Music by Pritam reminds one of the yester- year tunes from the number.”Aa Jaane Ja…. Music sounds hummable and soothing enough to the ears.

Monday, December 26, 2011

About Shia LaBeouf

I usually don’t like to criticize actors, but Shia La Beouf has gotten under my skin. This young actor has been acting since he was ten years old and lately he has been in the best blockbusters ever!! Transformers 1, 2 and soon 3 (which is coming out 2011), and also Indiana Jones and The Kingdom The Crystal Skull. He’s got a great agent and may have talent, but I don’t like the guy.
Maybe my feeling is unfounded, just like with Richard Gere since American Gigolo. I have yet to see An Officer And A Gentlemen. I am just beginning to admire him now!! He starred in Eagle Eye which was a good thriller but I couldn’t get into it because he was in it!! Now he is in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps with Michael Douglas. It is getting good reviews and I think it will be fantastic as well, but I won’t be so eager to go because of Mr. La Beouf!!!
I wonder, is it just me. He is not arrogant when being interviewed, he is even humble, but there is something about him that rubs me WRONG!!! Many movie insiders he is the next BIG thing–but to me, he is just an actor who has got the best agent in the world. Or did he romance the casting director from more than one movie, to be in position to get the lead role as much as he has?
Now that Transformers 3 is on tap, Shia (sans Megan Fox this time) will have to show either in this movie or subsequent ones, that he can stand on his own as a star. I mean this in the Harrison Ford sense of, without a giant fantasy franchise movie spectacle around him, or an established star to play sidekick to, can LeBeouf ever carry a box-office smash on his lonesome? I don’t actually think so.
Honestly, I can’t pinpoint my dislike this for this actor. I didn’t go to see Shia LaBeouf and The Transformers–I went to see Transformers, with Shia LeBeouf. I want to be fair with all actors, for it is a hard job and I am sure he worked up to his superstardom, but it is difficult. I think he’s got promise, and maybe in twenty years I may like him. Now that the robot franchise is ending (or at least going on with out him in it, from here on out), time will tell.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Harry Potter Hogwarts DVD

Rowling registered his name as one of the most famous and popular authors soon after the first series of Harry Potter came out in the market. This author from the United Kingdom has now earned a special place in millions of hearts who regularly follow his publications without any measure of speculations. So far a total of seven novels based on Harry potter have came out, each one having its own specialty and originality.
Due to its immense popularity all around the globe, several movies have also made highlighting the same story one or the other way. The story in actuality revolves around an adolescent named wizard Harry Potter along with his best buddy Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at a University called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The actual story is about the main character’s quest to kill the evil dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose purpose is to capture the wizarding world and repress non-magical people as well as those who want to ruin all those who come on their way including Harry’s own parents.
Due to its immense popularity all around the globe, several movies have also made highlighting the same story one or the other way. The story in actuality revolves around an adolescent named wizard Harry Potter along with his best buddy Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at a University called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The actual story is about the main character’s quest to kill the evil dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose purpose is to capture the wizarding world and repress non-magical people as well as those who want to ruin all those who come on their way including Harry’s own parents.
This book has a record sale of over 400 million copies which is itself a big achievement without any measure of speculations. Apart from that, the story has also been translated in over sixty seven various languages which is a proof of the fact that Harry Potter has surpassed all levels of fame and success.
Thus, considering its tremendous glory and acclamation, UK prize is out with a wonderful offer for all its die heart fans. We are giving away amazing Hogwarts DVD Castle including the entire collection of Harry Potter movies. And guess what this isn’t it as we are also giving away £50 HMV vouchers for the last two films of Harry Potter franchise.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Korean Movie

Dream High took that concept, set it in an arts high school, and populated it with passionate, driven youngsters with stars in their eyes and dreams in their hearts — then upped the ante multiple times over by continually fiddling with the circumstances so that the underdog-victor dynamic was always in flux. While you may have been constantly rooting for the underdog, at any given moment that underdog might be any one of six characters.
It was a clever way to keep things evolving, ensuring that the relationships were always in development rather than sticking to a static good-evil dichotomy. The show trusted its viewership to follow the characters — even when they were dropping flowerpots on each other’s heads or calling each other third-rate. Thus it gave everyone more depth than you might expect of a fluff teen drama, as a result making it more than a fluff teen drama.
Casting is always tricky when you’re using more than one rubric of measurement. The need to balance the acting with the musical performance aspect led to a cast that was skewed more in favor of performance than I’d have liked, but there was enough solid acting to carry the show. Kim Soo Hyun became the heart of the drama with his shining sincerity, but you also had idols like Eunjung turning in solid portrayals of complicated personalities. True, not everyone was up to par, but the drama turned around those weaknesses on itself and incorporated them into the story, giving us meta-funny bits like Suzy’s hilarious Hye Mi Bot.
This drama was a case where the whole became more than a sum of its parts. While flaws could be spotted in a number of performances, together the kids had wonderful, heart-tugging chemistry. It was like feel-good magic. Who can forget Sam Dong proclaiming that Jin Gook’s underwear was shared property? Or Hye Mi figuring out how to get over her ego and learning what it meant to be a friend? Or Sam Dong crying desperately to Hye Mi to save him? Or the misfit mafia practicing dance moves in a jjimjilbang, under a hilariously eccentric Park Jin Young? The drama was full of rich development between these kids who went from being rivals to friends to emotional lifelines for each other.
Here’s where "Dream High" got it right — in the heartspace — because regardless of the flash and glitz of the musical numbers, or the big names of the producers, or the cameos by kpop stars, it didn’t use gimmicks as a crutch for content. The story, at its core, pulsed with real heart. For example, consider the show’s tackling of some touchy subjects, like the plotline involving a trainee being sexually assaulted by an agency president, who was subsequently vilified by the public as “asking for it.” The drama didn’t stop at mere mention of the issue, but used it as a launching pad for real emotional consequences as Baek Hee’s friends rallied around her and her teacher turned into a fierce mother hen in a way that still brings tears to my eyes. Speaking of whom, the teachers also displayed particular depth (and who could forget scene-stealing JYP, hilariously eccentric in his acting debut?). I love that we got misguided adults owning up to their mistakes, with Lee Yoon Ji fighting to reclaim her protégé’s integrity, whose loss she had facilitated in the first place.
Thanks to the success of "Dream High," we’ve got the upcoming "Dream High 2" to look forward to, which premieres a year after its predecessor. If it likewise proves successful, we may be looking at a lot of Dream-filled Januarys to come.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Watch Colombiana Movie

Movie: Colombiana (2011)
Release Date: 26 August 2011 (USA)
Directors: Olivier Megaton
Writers: Luc Besson (screenplay), Robert Mark Kamen (screenplay)
Genres: Action | Adventure | Drama
After a night of dancing and passion, Joan suggests to Jack that they find the treasure before handing over the map. They follow the clues and find the treasure: an enormous emerald called El Corazon (�The Heart�). Unknown to Jack and Joan, their trail has been picked up by Ralph, who tries to take the emerald and taunts Joan that Jack would have done the same.
But Ralph flees without the treasure when Zolo appears, and Jack and Joan are chased into a river and go over a waterfall. Jack and Joan end up on opposite sides of the raging river; Joan has the map, but Jack has the emerald. Jack directs Joan to Cartagena, promising that he will meet her there with the emerald, but she is skeptical, owing to Ralph�s taunts.
In Cartagena, Joan contacts Ira, but cannot find Jack. She meets with Ira and Ralph at their base (an old fortress) and makes the exchange. As Joan and Elaine attempt to leave, they are stopped by Zolo and his men, who have captured Jack. Zolo demands the emerald and threatens Joan with the crocodiles that Ira keeps as pets. To save Joan, Jack surrenders the hidden emerald to Zolo, but a crocodile bites off Zolo�s hand and swallows it along with the emerald.
Watch Colombiana Movie Online
As a furious gun battle takes place between Zolo�s soldiers and Ira�s gang, Joan and Elaine dash for safety, but they are pursued by the enraged Zolo. Jack tries to stop the crocodile from escaping but lets it go when he sees that Joan is in danger. Joan knocks Zolo into the crocodile pit, and Ira and his men escape, but Ralph is left behind as the authorities arrive. After a kiss, Jack dives into the water after the crocodile, leaving Joan behind with her sister.
Some time later, Joan is back in New York, delivering a new manuscript based on her adventure, and her publisher, Gloria (Holland Taylor), loves it. Returning home, she finds Jack waiting for her in a sailboat. He caught the crocodile (which died from a fatal case of indigestion from swallowing the emerald, and had it made into a pair of boots), sold the emerald, and bought the boat he had told Joan was his dream. They go off together, planning to sail around the world.
But Ralph flees without the treasure when Zolo appears, and Jack and Joan are chased into a river and go over a waterfall. Jack and Joan end up on opposite sides of the raging river; Joan has the map, but Jack has the emerald. Jack directs Joan to Cartagena, promising that he will meet her there with the emerald, but she is skeptical, owing to Ralph�s taunts.
In Cartagena, Joan contacts Ira, but cannot find Jack. She meets with Ira and Ralph at their base (an old fortress) and makes the exchange. As Joan and Elaine attempt to leave, they are stopped by Zolo and his men, who have captured Jack. Zolo demands the emerald and threatens Joan with the crocodiles that Ira keeps as pets. To save Joan, Jack surrenders the hidden emerald to Zolo, but a crocodile bites off Zolo�s hand and swallows it along with the emerald.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Watch Positive Movies For Health

Parents understand the value of teaching their children math skills, the alphabet, tying their shoes and instilling social skills. What is less obvious is that children also need assistance in learning positive patterns of thought.
Here are five ways to teach your child the skills of positive thought.
1.) Teach an Attitude of Appreciation. Teach your child positive thought patterns of appreciation and love as they go through their day. In the animated storybook, “Goodnight Moon,” a little bunny says good night to all the items in his room before going to sleep. This attitude of appreciation will go a long way toward role-modeling for happy, healthy children.
2.) Make a Game of Finding Things to Appreciate. When you are riding in the car, upon waking, meal time or going about your day, bring up things to appreciate and have fun doing it. Use the first letter of the alphabet to find things to appreciate around you or use your imagination. Rhyming appreciations or singing them are also fun ways to learn. The animated storybook, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” uses rhymes to teach colors.
3.) Use Uplifting, Positive Words in Conversations. Examples of positive words are enjoy, love, sweet, precious, fun, smile, and wonderful. Affirmations are statements that are repeated often. Repeat positive phases throughout the day that you would like to reinforce. The encouraging book, “I Think I Can,” uses a repetitive thought pattern to reinforce a desired outcome.
4.) Watch Positive Movies and Read Positive Books, How we feel throughout the day is the direct result of what we think about or surround ourselves with. Our thoughts determine how happy we are from moment to moment. The images and words we immerse ourselves with are very important to our current moods. Teach your children to think the best thoughts they can in any situation. The Sesame Street book, “Everybody Dance,” as well as many other books and movies make life fun and interesting.
5.) Talk about Positive Outcomes, instead of things to avoid or fearful outcomes. Talk about safety, security, happiness, respect, freedom, peace of mind, clarity and health. Be more a solution thinker than a problem thinker. Thinking about negative outcomes in our mind causes stress. Thinking about positive outcomes is a major cause of hope and happiness.
Everyday, parents role-model patterns of thought to their children. Teach your child positive thought skills. Positive thought skills is something fun to learn and practice together.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Romantic Comedy


Romantic comedy is on of the hottest themes in movies and I can easily name twenty romantic comedy movies that really burned the charts and are considered some of the most sellable movies of the century. Proof? I still have to see an action star who has not ventured into being a major cast in a good romantic comedy theme which means that there is really a huge market who gets crazy when that genre is now showing. And since hundreds of romantic comedies have been made dealing with hundreds of romantic comedy angles from the dead husband not really leaving the earth yet and hovering over his still alive wife to a girl who falls into a deep sleep every now and then who meets guy and the story revolves there, coming up with a new and untapped romantic comedy approach would be a very hard task. One reason why writing a good romantic comedy is quite a challenge is because you have to come up with so many reasons and twists that keeps them apart until the story nears its end.
If you are on the drawing board and you have thought of a runaway winner as a general plot on a romantic comedy script, here are some ways to keep them apart as long as you want them to be. You can start by putting the lovers apart and placing them in different countries, so far that it would take them days before they see each other the moment they decide to and create twists along the way. Or, you can make characters that are ages apart and that would mean a truckload of differences, a scenario where arguments are aplenty. And that leads us to another hot reason to keep the characters apart and that would be miscommunication focusing on how each of the main characters misconstrued each other.
Opposing values such as lovers who belong to warring political families or business opponents or a girl who fights for the environment and a guy who works for a huge oil firm – these thick walls would really spur a good number of twists which you can extend for a good thirty minutes or more. Nevertheless, since we have thought of these angles, it is not a far-fetched idea that others have also come across the same stories and that would mean that we have to go deeper and more absurd, if I may put it that way. You can use the more prevalent issues in life like for instance people who met and fell in love via social networking or relatives of a person who have been hospitalized, sharing the same room, and that is where they met. There is still a rich cornucopia of topics that have not been used and you just have to delve deeper. Work on people’s character and create situations for it.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Singham Is A Hindi Film


Singham is a Hindi film directed by Rohit Shetty (the director of GOLMAAL & its sequels) which is the remake of ‘Singam’ which was a super hit Tamil film. SINGHAM is an action-drama Hindi film which released on 22nd July, 2011. This film is directed by Rohit Shetty under the banner of Reliance Big Pictures. The film mainly stars Ajay Devgan and Prakash Raj.
After a gap of nearly 7 years Ajay Devegan is once again seen in action movie Singham. Even Rohit Shetty is back with action movie after a gap of 7-8 years. Meanwhile he had been directing comedy films such as GOALMAAL & its sequel and ALL THE BEST. All these films were successful at the box office. It seems that by seeing the huge success of action films such as WANTED & DABBANG of Salman Khan, Rohit Shetty & Ajay Devgan got tempted to do an action movie. After all both of them are masters in action; Ajay Devgan’s blockbuster action film PHOOL AUR KANTE can’t be forgotten in which Rohit Shetty was an assistant director.
In the background of Shivgad which is a small village in the boundary of Goa and Maharashtra, the motion picture rotates around the story of an Inspector Bajirao Singham who is an honest, hard-working and privileged and Ajay Devgan is playing this role. He battles against unfairness and discrimination by the use of his own morals and ideology.
An unexpected strike of fate sets up Singham in opposition to the enormously powerful criminal who also happens to be a politician Jaykant Shikre (Prakash Raj), who challenges his ethics and beliefs. The powerful planning of Jaykant and force makes Singham reach into the ruling city of Jaykant Shikre, the city of ‘Goa’, where he leaves no stone unturned to construct Singham’s life a terrifying to live.
The helpful girlfriend of Singham, Kavya (Kajal Aggarwal) and his assignation with Late Mr. Rakesh Kadam’s family composes him to understand the significance to bring a transformation in the system by getting rid of the root cause Jaykant Shikre, by not going against the law of force but by being a commanding part of it.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Breaking Dawn



In so many ways, Breaking Dawn, Part One is a remake of The Deer Hunter. The first half of the movie is a seemingly endless wedding sequence and the second half is all about horrible things happening horribly to people who can barely comprehend just how badly they're screwed. That wedding is between Bella and her creepy boyfriend Edward. Those horrible things happening horribly include vampire/human sex so brutal that beds are crushed flat (bringing Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex to mind), the creation of a fast growing vampire baby whose womb kicks can break bones, a full-blown Werewolf vs. Vampire war over this vampire baby and, finally, somehow, a full-grown werewolf falling in love with said vampire baby. A surprising number of things happen in the second half of this film (after a first half that is typical for the series in that nothing much happens), but little tops the concept of a werewolf falling in love with a baby. Except for the scene where the werewolves have a group meeting and their psychic, English-language communications are dubbed over their growling. And the scene where Edward performs a cesarian section on his dying wife with his teeth. Have I mentioned that this movie is nuts?
This is the one where Bella and Edward tie the knot, but that does nothing to alleviate the rivalry between the two men in Bella's life. In fact, Jacob shows up to Bella's wedding and does his best to ruin her day because, you know, Edward is going to totally make her into a vampire and ruin her life. He's right, but crashing a woman's wedding and acting like a drama queen is just not cool, man. Like in Eclipse, Edward and Jacob are forced to team up to defend Bella, but their interactions are more hateful than usual this time around. With Bella dying thanks to his spawn totally wrecking her frail human body, Edward asks Jacob to kill him if Bella dies. Jacob refuses, not because he's a good guy, but because he'd want Edward to live with the crushing guilt. In the Twilight saga, spite is the name of the game. Glorious, painful spite. Both of these guys are awful.
Bill Condon, more than any other director involved in this series, knows exactly what kind of movie he's making here. This is not only the silliest film in the series, it's one of the silliest films I've ever seen, a collection of scenes so bizarre, off-putting and melodramatic that it has to be seen to be believed. Just direct your attention to the Hot Supernatural Action section if you don't believe me. To put it bluntly: this sh*t is nuts. Condon's direction is Douglas Sirk by way of David Cronenberg; big, shameless camp pushed through a thoroughly disgusting, morally depraved filter. Still, in true Twilight fashion, the film still plays it all as a straight, open-hearted romance. I'm glad I don't have to write a full review of this movie because I literally have no idea what to make of it. For better or for worse, Condon has crafted a film too stupid to live, too weird to ignore and too fascinating to not see and not talk about.
This was my first Twilight film seen in a theater and I cannot recommend this experience enough. The enthusiasm people have for this series is so infectious that it's easy to get swept up in it all, even though you're well aware of just how dumb all of it is. When Jacob rips off his shirt thirty seconds into the film, the (mostly female) audience erupted into cheers. When Jacob and Bella discussed the future of her child, a nearby audience member openly wept while I giggled like a sadistic madman. Never mind the increasingly creepy things going on in this series (a werewolf falling in love with a baby; Bella demanding that Edward have sex with her even though he's wrecking her body and literally destroying the bedroom). To the fans, this is bold, beautiful and epic. I've not hidden my belief that all of this is stupid, creepy and thoroughly uncinematic, but it's rare to see a film hold an audience in such a strong thrall. I'm pretty sure that watching these films alone would've been a mind-crushing experience, but seeing the first three amongst friends (with plenty of snark in the air) and seeing Breaking Dawn, Part One amongst devotees made all of this worth it. Now I have to see the last one.

Monday, November 28, 2011

'Martha Marcy May Marlene

I don't put a lot of stock in the Academy Awards. Oh sure, I love that we get a fancy awards show that spotlights movies, but the program comes with so much irritating baggage that I can't help but try and tune it out until Oscar night actually appears.
But I recently saw an excellent indie film that deserves mention for a variety of things, but most specifically for its masterful editing. The movie is called Martha Marcy May Marlene, and on the whole it is a powerfully impressive story about a young woman who escapes from a creepy cult, only to have a lot of trouble getting used to "normal life" with her estranged sister. This fantastic indie is not only one of the best films I've seen all year, and not only does it feature some truly excellent components, but it may be one of the most beautifully edited films I've ever seen.
First-time writer-director Sean Durkin and film editor Zachary Stuart-Pontier tackle this fascinating character study with an editorial approach that slips effortlessly between its two stories -- and every time the movie switches between alternating tales, the quiet, subtle, frankly brilliant editorial style offers the viewer another facet to the tragedy, another pointed comment on the drama, or another clue as to the internal struggle of our beleaguered lead character. The three leads -- Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, and John Hawkes -- deliver flawless work, and Martha Marcy May Marlene is frequently bolstered by sharp dialogue, evocative music, and a palpable sense of quiet intimacy, but it's the editing that elevates the film into something truly special.
I took to the twitter pipes to share my thoughts on the movie in general and the editing in particular, but most of the Oscar gurus I know say that Martha Marcy May Marlene has no shot at getting nominated for Best Editing. If that is true, then the Oscars are truly a farce. I beseech any and all Academy members to sit down with this excellent film and see what they think. And please do pay close attention to the editing.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Introduction Of The Film Noir Scale


When I, or likely most people, think of film noir, there’s no real tangibility to what is visualised. With westerns, it’s pretty easy to rattle off cowboys-n’-indians, cacti, deserts, horseback riding and gunslinging, and so as a genre it’s rather concrete. Same with period dramas; elaborate costumes, archaic language, sweeping soundtracks, constant subtextual comparisons with the modern day. Action or adventure movies don’t have as much of an absolute visual or thematic code, but there are still some fairly reliable constants, mostly involving explosions, macho-yet-flawed male protagonists (or, in clearly lampshaded subversions, sexy-yet-deadly female leads), a sense of the underdog going up against the big-bad, and any number of set-piece conflicts.
Science fiction is even harder to pin down, to the point where almost any piece of weird fiction that doesn’t readily subscribe to magic (or, in other words, pretends that its events exist in some kind of scientifically sound universe) can be placed within the genre. Finding similarities between Star Wars and Children of Men is a tricky matter, yet both are arguably science fiction; on the contrary, classifying No Country For Old Men as a revisionist western is possible not because the film strays from traditional western codes, but because it subscribes to enough of them to differentiate it from typical thrillers, etc. Westerns are obvious because their signifiers are so absolute; science fiction films are identified as such merely because they appear to be self-evidently science fiction films.
So we come to film noir, which is even harder to really pin down as a genre. Its storylines vary wildly, and usually function merely as mysteries or thrillers without the trappings that classic film noir (by classic film noir, I am generally talking about the good old black-and-whites from the forties and fifties) dresses itself within. It is these trappings, however, that make up my scale. Some of them are pretty well-defined, the most iconic of which is the femme fatale. This female character is a beautiful, promiscuous woman who seeks personal gain or advantage through the seduction and manipulation of men; the other variation on the femme fatale theme is she who the male protagonist can’t resist, yet who ultimately leads him to encounter great danger, often life-threatening. She often dies at the end, or at least suffers great physical or emotional damage as the film rolls on; within the text of the movie she gets repeatedly ‘punished’ for her transgressive behaviour. After the male lead, she is the main character, and storylines frequently revolve almost entirely around her. Think Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity for an archetypal fatale; then bounce off to Vera (Ann Savage) in Detour, Vivian Rutledge (Lauren Bacall) in The Big Sleep or, for an interesting play on the manners of seduction, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in Sunset Boulevard.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Download movies

You can download unlimited movies on our online movies store. Today as far as our technology has such a high level. It was a long time ago when we still lived recorders, video recorders to watch movies on a film not to crash, you probably move your TV notes, or little black box, and they sit.  At the 90s , people use to watch movies by a compact disc cause that was the only chance to watch the films in a small screen. Lets see what your neighbours downloads your favourite movies and what your are missing. 

Download movies. You can buy a dvd or vcd of your favourite movie but it can take a cost to provide your favourite movie dvd.  While online movies is available for you with free of cost why you need to do this, this can give you a free and more efficient feature to watch your favourite movie.  With a few click on a site and with a good and high resolution picture starts on your computer, is this not efficient than other to watch your favourite movie.

 Movie VCD and DVD prices have come down over time due to low production costs.  If you have the knowledge about economy then you can understand what happen when the costs associated with the accumulation of capital, why mass production continuous reduces. On the other hand, you will at once by a dvd and then through it in bin.  If you are using a download site this may very helpful to you with lifetime membership which gives you access unlimited movies.  You can download the movies by a movie site.

 Many persons are afraid to download. By two reasons you can understand all of this. Some spy ware and adware help you at the time of download. Download a file with illegal action makes you a victim of cyber. Both of these problems are not limited to these sites to download movies to take care of

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A Variety Of Movie Reviews

   Everyone has a viewpoint, however , you might not necessarily care about what everybody says. After       all,individuals each have their very own set of preferences. As you appreciate romantic comedies, an additionalreviewer may prefer to watch horror movies. With such opposite tastes in movie genres, how can your reviews often be good for each other?  Surprisingly, movie reviews are incredibly useful even though you have a variety of private biases involved. The key is to know how to comprehend the movie reviews you read. By taking note of what are the most of reviews say in regards to a movie, you could save your self from sitting through a pointless film that you won't appreciate. However, you might read lots of positive reviews in regards to a movie you would not usually appreciate. This might help you think about watching a film that you wouldn't usually think about. You might find a new favorite that you would have missed otherwise.
   The internet has dozens of movie news web sites that also boast movie reviews. You can find movie reviews compiled by professional movie critics who've extensive knowledge of the film business. These critiques in many cases are much more formal and therefore are written with the population as a whole in your mind, instead of any one particular demographic. You can also find the general public's reviews in forum kind web sites. While you're reading these movie reviews, attempt to consider the movie reviews as a whole. If most of the reviews say a movie is terrible, then its not likely a good film. However, if the majority says a movie is great, you probably won't regret going to view it.
    Movie news may also be helpful in your pursuit to savor the theater. You'll find out release dates for that upcoming films. If you prefer to watch movies in your own home on DVD instead of in additional costly cinemas, you can watch for DVD release dates on movie news too. You can keep tabs on your favorite actors and actresses with movie news. Numerous sites may even give you a filming schedule and website info. Movie news opens your vision to a entirely unique a part of filming. You'll begin to know very well what goes into making a movie and you will appreciate the films you see with an entirely new level.One of the most exciting parts of movie reviews is giving your own opinions in the forums. After you visit  a film, be sure you contribute your own thoughts about it by going to message boards. If you read positive reviews and thought the movie was horrible, be sure you say some thing about this on these forums! This can be a fantastic considerate thing to do for other movie goers also it can be fun to engage in discussions about why you enjoyed or hated a movie. Movie reviews could save you time and money as you grow much more selective

Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Aesthetic Brilliance of Fantasy Movies

  Fantasy movies are a fantastic way of escaping from trials and tribulations of the real world. I can remember watching The Never Ending Story when I was about four and wondering what the fur/feathers of Falkor might feel like. I am still really fascinated with the design of these worlds and how artists collaborate together; costume designers, the hair and makeup professionals, set designers, animators (computer and hand alike), to create extraordinary realms.
  There are currently several design trends afoot in the design of movies and it is my goal to recognize the changing aesthetics of this genre and attempt to relate the designs meanings to happenings in the real world.
  There are many movies I am absorbing myself in to get a feel for what trends are out there. Currently on the movie scene is Coraline, Inkheart, Land of the Lost, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Coming soon is 9, Cloudy with a Chance of Meat Balls, Alice in Wonderland, Where the Wild Things are, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Aesthetic Movie

  If you are restless and you like travelling the world.if you never seem to find the right place…then this movie by Sam Mendes might just be what the doctor ordered. With almost 2 years delay the movie is coming to Italy. A movie you could place somewhere between the aesthetic of indie movies and the big Hollywood productions.
   If American Beauty was side blow against suburban America and the bourgeoisie and Revolutionary Road about the youth that sooner or later ends in a bourgeois life then Away We Go is again about the problems between the generations but this time from a modern point of view.
    From the eyes of a couple that is looking for a place to settle down. The viewer accompanies them on their journey discovering the most incredible places in the US.It is pretty hard to forget American Beauty and all the awards this movie won then.
    Not only for Mendes as the director but also Alan Ball, the talented script writer. But life and the filmography of this brilliant director continue. Movies like Revolutionary Road, another of his celebrated movies starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio or Jarhead and Road to Perdition. This time around he went without big internationally known actors: John Krasinksi and Maya Rudolph.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Smallville’s Tom Welling Being Courted for Movie Gig at Marvel

With Smallville hurtling towards its two-hour series finale this Friday, many are not only wondering how the show will end (will Clark indeed don the suit; how will the lives of the various characters end up, etc?) but also what will become of the cast.
And by cast, of course, we mean Tom Welling. The actor already has an office at Warner Bros and is producing the CW series Hellcats…but that’s not the only trick under his cape. According to What’s Playing, the actor is being eyed for movie work at DC rival Marvel Studios. But doing what? Read on…
What’s Playing reports that Welling is being scrutinized by Marvel for a possible role in one of their forthcoming comic book to film adaptations. In many ways it may seem unconventional that the studio is looking at Welling—given his long association with the DC franchise and relative inexperience with big screen productions (his appearance in Rupert Wainwright’s 2005 remake of John Carpenter’s The Fog as well as two appearances as Charlie Baker in the Steve Martin franchise, Cheaper by the Dozen being the notable exceptions). The actor certainly comes with a built in audience thanks to his work on Smallville, and many believed he should have played Superman instead of Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, or been cast as the Man of Steel in Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman film. Welling wasn’t considered, likely because his association with a small screen version of the character would come with all the baggage and ‘scale limitations’ people associate with television.
Moreover, Marvel has demonstrated a knack for courting and signing big name movie talent to its hero franchises in recent years — and there’s the box office draw they automatically bring — so it again begs the question: Why Welling…and for what role? As we see it, the options are essentially as follows:
A lead in one of the lesser known (we call them B-level) superhero films that Marvel is developing.
A supporting role in same.
A single member of a larger ensemble group, or a supporting role here.
Iron Fist, Ant Man, Doctor Strange, Deathlok? Still not roles we readily associate with Welling.
Or, might Welling serve as a villain of some sort in any of these other lesser known properties? Now that’s a take which almost makes more sense. Welling definitely showed his acting chops when playing the alternate Clark, or when under the influence of red kryptonite.
It’s interesting to note that according to What’s Playing, Welling was “checked out” to play opposite Kristen Stewart for the role of the Huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman, but that role has now gone to Chris Hemsworth.
We welcome your thoughts on all of this below.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Poltergeist Reboot Scares Up Cerebral Writer

It was recently revealed that MGM has been intending to re-imagine Steven Spielberg’s 1982 horror film Poltergeist.
According to Vulture, the studio has approached the Pulitzer-prize winning playwright/screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire (Oz: The Great and Powerful, Rabbit Hole) to penn a new version of the paranormal classic, possibly suggesting that a more cerebral version of the project is being sought. Back in 2008, the studio hired the Boogeyman writing team of Stiles White and Juliet Showden for the remake. Most recall that particular film as being a lackluster entry in the world of horror movies.
Lindsay-Abaire confirmed the offer to the magazine, but said he has yet to decide if he wants to tackle the project.
The original story revolves around a young family who are visited by ghosts in their home. At first the ghosts appear friendly, moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone, then they turn nasty and start to terrorize the family before “kidnapping” the youngest daughter.
Directed by Tobe Hooper, Poltergeist marked Spielberg’s first great success as a producer. Released about the same time as his film E.T., Poltergeist showed the dark side of the filmmaker’s interest in California’s modern suburban track homes. The film also became famous for launching the now-famous “Poltergeist curse”, which you can read more about here.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

As New 007 Rumors Surface, We Ask: Is Daniel Craig Irreplaceable as James Bond?

Looking back over the pantheon of James Bond films since the original Dr. No in 1962, it doesn’t take long to recognize which actors have held the franchise high upon their shoulders, and which were merely going through the motions.
Sean Connery will, perhaps, always be most closely associated with the character. After playing 007 six times over more than two decades in Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twiceand Diamonds are Forever (we won’t count 1983′s Never Say Never Again), Connery epitomized what readers had always loved about the character, even if author Ian Fleming was unconvinced about producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman’s choice of a Scotsman in the beginning.
Suave? Check. Debonair? Check. Requisite attitude and physicality? Check. Cheeky? Oh, yeah. Connery’s 007 was a man’s man, a wise-cracking chauvinist in an era of Cold War politics and innovative villains.
Then there was the incomparable Shirley Bassey singing the themes for Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever; the former still voted as the best Bond theme of all time.
To really get a sense of the influence of Connery’s Bond, and what made his original rendition of the character so memorable, listen to what Steven Spielberg had to say at the AFI’s Salue to Sean Connery a few years ago, using the embedded player directly below.
Meanwhile, the gentlemanly Roger Moore — while a fine actor who was wonderful as Simon Templar in the original ITV series The Saint — simply lacked the edge and physicality that had come to define Connery. It’s easy to see why the Bond producers saw him as the logical choice, but that didn’t necessarily make him the correct choice. The contrast in styles was too jarring after Connery had so completely defined the role.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. The right actor at the wrong time.Other actors from George Lazenby to Timothy Dalton tried to put their stamp on 007 (Dalton actually doing a reasonable job in 1987′s The Living Daylights), but something was always missing.
Meanwhile, the world was changing around Bond. No longer a product of post-WWII and Cold War espionage, 007 was quickly turning into an anachronism, even as he was on a far more perilous road to full self-parody. As geopolitics changed, so too did the direction from which threats came. By the time Pierce Brosnan arrived, it all necessitated more complicated story plotting, but, sadly, with that also came an over-reliance on unlikely gadgets and too-often silly circumstances. As good as Brosnan was (and he was good), his sort of Bond would have excelled better in the 1970s, where Moore’s was left far too flaccid.
Few believed Daniel Craig could possibly be a good choice when he was announced to play James Bond back in late 2004. He wasn’t particularly tall. He wasn’t particularly dark (quite the opposite, in fact, with his blonde hair). He didn’t seem to particularly exude stature or presence. Yet producers Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson and director Martin Campbell saw something in the then 37 year-old actor…something we would all come to see when Casino Royale opened in theaters November 17, 2006: a tough, gritty, no-nonsense 007 ready to defend Queen and country, albeit without the usual double-entendres or invisible cars. The road to self-parody had been abandoned; the franchise given a new lease on life.
Daniel Craig as James Bond, 007. Certainly the best Bond since Sean Connery, and perhaps the best Bond ever.Craig took everything that worked so well for Connery, but humanized the character more…while at the same turning him into a gritty, Bourne-crushing “blunt instrument

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

JJ Abrams Promises ‘Amazing Ideas’ for Star Trek Sequel

Back in the late ’90s when yours truly was pitching to the Star Trek franchise, I recall a conversation I had with writer/producer Rene Echevarria in his office. It stemmed from the difficulty writers had in trying to recapture the pioneering spirit of exploration that had so wonderfully characterized the original ’60s series. Episodes that began where the Enterprisesensors were picking up some unusual object, entity or anomaly were among the series’ most fascinating — and coincidentally — best. The opening teaser and first act of “The Corbomite Maneuver”, for example, perfectly captured the essence of what the show was about.
At its essence, this is what separated Star Trek from Star Wars. It’s all in the name, really. One is about a trek through the stars — and all that it entails — while the other is about a war amongst the stars.
By the time Star Trek: The Next Generation and its spinoffs arrived, it became increasingly difficult to tell stories that captured that pioneering “OMG…what is THAT on the view screen?!” type of feel. Character drama and morality plays — which admittedly had also been in abundance in the original series — were the norm…while episodes like the aforementioned “Corbomite Maneuver” were practically non-existent.JJ Abrams directs Zachary Quinto in Star Trek (2009).Echevarria, a routinely excellent writer, intimated that the original series had really put the lock on those types of exploration stories, and that it was subsequently very difficult to come up with fresh ideas and repeat the formula in any meaningful way, given the era in which the original series debuted, versus the 1990s.
But now we find ourselves in a new era, with a reborn Star Trek…under the stewardship of JJ Abrams. In a new interview with MTV, Abrams said that he will quickly move to the Star Trek sequel as soon as his responsibilities with Super 8 — the film he made with Steven Spielberg, due for release on June 10 — are complete.“Now that ‘Super 8′ is drawing to a close in terms of this post schedule, I’m looking forward to jumping in and hopefully getting that ready as soon as possible.”
But what kind of story can we expect…and it could it incorporate some of that “exploration of the unknown” element I alluded to above?Abrams confirmed that there still isn’t an officially approved script for the Star Trek sequel, but said “we’re working on it.” He also mentioned that for the sequel, Lost veteran Damon Lindelof is working with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. So far, all Abrams will promise is “amazing ideas.”
“Damon is working on the script for this one. As busy as I’ve been with ‘Super 8,’ I remember that when we did the first one, Damon was that busy with ‘Lost.’ So it’s going to be very cool to have him on board as a writer…There are some amazing ideas. These are not just great friends of mine, but they’re great writers. I’m thrilled and very optimistic that it’s going to get to where it needs to get to.”
Speculation for the new film has run from Khan…to the possibility of Gary Mitchell appearing in the story. Klingons have also been discussed.For yours truly, I would like to see the Enterprise encounter something truly epic and beyond imagination. It’s a tall order, and for a tentpole franchise both the studios and the filmmakers may want to stick with the tried-and-true action-adventure mold. But Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek was also about big ideas and exploring the unknown. I’m not suggesting that the film needs to be ponderous and overtly cerebral likeStar Trek: The Motion Picture, but some of the best scenes ever shot on film for Trek are still found in the original series. For an example of what I mean, watch the below clip from “The Corbomite Maneuver”.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Armie Hammer Officially Joins Johnny Depp in The Lone Ranger

You may recall that last month Armie Hammer (The Social Network) was reported to have been in talks to join Walt Disney Pictures’ big screen adaptation ofThe Lone Ranger, playing the titular lead.
More than talk, it’s now been revealed. According to Variety, Hammer has officially signed on to the production, and will star opposite Johnny Depp, who has already been attached to the role of Tonto for the past couple of years.
The film is set to go into production this fall.
While Hammer hasn’t logged a lot of movie screen time, he definitely showed enough presence and chops in David Fincher’s The Social Network as the Winklevoss twins to merit attention. He’s also racked up a lot of television credits over the past six years in series from Arrested Development to Gossip Girl. Moreover, the 6′ 5″ actor has plenty of stature and a baritone voice. Plus, he’s repped by William Morris Endeavor, so clearly movers and shakers in Hollywood are impressed by his talent.
Story: The Lone Ranger’s origin story begins with a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by the notorious Butch Cavendish. After the Rangers are ambushed by the outlaws, a Native American named Tonto stumbles on the scene and recognizes the lone survivor, Reid, as the man who has previously saved his life. After nursing Reid back to health, the two men dig six graves for Reid’s comrades, among them Reid’s brother. Reid fashions a black mask using material from his brother’s vest to conceal his identity, so that Cavendish will think there were no survivors. Even after he and Tonto bring the Cavendish gang to justice, Reid continues to fight evil under the guise of the Lone Ranger.
Directed by Gore Verbinski, The Jerry Bruckheimer production is set to arrive in theaters sometime in 2014.
Does Hammer strike you as a good choice to play The Lone Ranger? Or are you perhaps concerned that he might be upstaged by Johnny Depp’s turn as Tonto? Let us know your thoughts below.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Nazi Mutants on Hold as David O. Russell Departs Uncharted

David O. Russell, who was writing and ostensibly set to direct the adaptation of the ‘Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’ video game, is no longer involved in the project, reports Heat Vision.
The video game adaptation — which is being produced by Columbia Pictures — centers on a search for El Dorado complicated by Spanish/Nazi mutant creatures.
Insiders tell THR that one reason for the split was that Russell — hoping to reteam on the project with his Fighter star Mark Wahlberg — submitted a 200 page draft to the studio, adding new characters not present in the video game. The writing duo of Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer worked on the project before Russell signed aboard.
Columbia is now searching for new creatives to develop the project, though the Donnelly-Oppenheimer script was well-regarded and may still be used as a foundation for the film.
The premise charts the journey of protagonist Nathan Drake, supposed descendant of the explorer Sir Francis Drake, as he seeks the lost treasure of El Dorado, with the help of friend Victor “Sully” Sullivan and journalist Elena Fisher. Their journey is complicated when a rival hunter joins the fray, and is further amped up when creatures — mutated descendants of Spaniards and Nazis — begin attacking those hoping to learn the treasure’s true secrets.
Hopefully, we’re not the only ones who think this sounds like an awesome guilty pleasure

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

First Pic of Robert Pattinson in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis

oday the first photo of Robert Pattinson and Sarah Gadon from director David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis arrived online. You can check out the photo below.
The pic was snapped by Cronenberg’s daughter, Caitlin, on the set. Caitlin Cronenberg is an established photographer.
Based upon the novel of the same name by Don DeLillo, the new movie takes place in Manhattan and revolves around Eric Packer (Pattinson), a multi-millionaire who goes through his fortune in a 24-hour attempt to get a haircut.
Cosmopolis co-stars Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Durand and Jay Baruchel.
The film has yet to secure a domestic distributor.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

New Clips from JJ Abrams’ Super 8 Reveal More Story Bytes

As anticipation builds for what might just be the breakout hit of the summer, Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams’ Super 8, two new clips have arrived online; the first teases the events in connection with the now famous train sequence that sets the story in motion; the second provides an overview of the secret from beyond through a variety of scenes from the film.
You can watch both below.
Story Synopsis: In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.
Super 8 stars Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Gabriel Basson, Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills and Amanda Michalka,

Monday, October 17, 2011

New Photos and Video Reveal that the Future Was Fab in Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men First Class

20th Century Fox is not standing idly by while Marvel and DC grab the superhero limelight. Many consider the 2011 summer movie season to have kicked off with Thor, but competent as that film was, many are also hoping that Captain America: The First Avenger and Green Lantern may be even better. While there’s no way to gauge that presumption at this point, Fox is showing us ever more ‘mod’ images from X-Men: First Class—and it looks to be a stunner, certainly in aesthetics and tone, if not in story (though preliminary sneak peeks have us excited about that, too).
Though director Matthew Vaughn’s film may not offer continuity with the ‘X-Men’ films that came before, or indeed, even the property’s canon, at the end of the day, it might not matter. The film will either stand on its own, or it won’t.
And so far, early speculation is that it will…and then some. Meanwhile, a host of new photos, along with two new TV spots, have debuted online, including January Jones (Mad Men) in the familiar white bra top Hellfire Club member Emma Frost used to wear in the comics.
In our opinion Vaughn is to be commended for including touchstones from the comic, including the traditional blue and yellow outfits that Bryan Singer ditched in the original X-Men.
What Vaughn has wrought reminds us in some respects of a retro-modernistic redux of TV producer Gerry Anderson’s Fab Future, as characterized in his ’60s and ’70s Supermarionation series, and live action skeins like U.F.O. and Space 1999. The Hellfire Club’s submarine and its crew, in particular, feel like an updated take on U.F.O.‘s Skydiver 1 and its crew.
You can check out several of the images below, and also head over to CBM to see the entire collection of all 40 images, including the X-Jet and the Hellfire Club’s submarine.
In addition, two new TV spots have debuted, which you can also check out using the embedded players below.
X-Men: First Class arrives in theaters on June 3.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Vertigo Films Planning Sequel to Gareth Edwards’ Monsters

Fledgling filmmaker Gareth Edwards’Monsters was a sharp little film. With a budget of only $500K, Edwards squeezed every cent of that budget onto the screen—admirably focusing on the most important aspects of good horror: atmosphere, suspense building and characters. What one doesn’t see in a horror film is often far more terrifying than what one does see. Edwards understood this and crafted an effective little film.
Monsters grossed over $4M and was critically praised. Thus, Vertigo Films has now announced it will make a sequel to Monsters, this time with commercial directors Brent Bonacorso and Jesse Atlas at the helm.
According to Variety, Edwards will serve as executive producer along with Monsters actor Scoot McNairy.
The sequel is budgeted around $5M and will begin shooting in September, possibly in Argentina.
“We’re going to keep the same quality and intelligence of the first film and make it much more of a straight genre picture,” said producer Allan Niblo. “Monsters 2 will expand the world created in the original movie whilst upping the action ante.”
Niblo describes the tale, set in a walled city, as a story about two brothers finding each other in a world of monsters. He added that the variety of aliens will differ in the new installment.
We know what you’re thinking: Sequel; commercial directors; bigger budget—will it all equate to an overblown disappointment, like so many sequels? Given the story description above, and with Edwards still aboard as a producer — and ostensibly some creative input — we actually remain hopeful.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

We Pick the Ten Greatest ‘Best Picture’ Movie Posters

Nowadays, even before a movie hits the theaters, the store shelves are flooded with every manner of books, games, graphic novels, t-shirts, and toys. However, whenAlien first arrived back in 1979, the concept of movie tie-ins was still in its infancy, and the only merchandise related to the classic sci fi-horror masterpiece was a novelization, a graphic novel adaptation, a photo-novel, and an ‘art of’ book. Since then, the movie has gone on to spawn a franchise and the acid-spewing bio-mechanoid has entrenched itself firmly into pop culture. Yet, in over thirty years, a detailed account of the famous production has been sorely lacking. Although there have been articles in such film magazines as Cinefex and Cinefantastique, each merely scratched the surface on Ridley Scott’s monster hit.
Finally, somebody took on the task of chronicling the production, from script to final cut: author and executive editor of Empire Magazine Ian Nathan. In it, Nathan has collated interviews and anecdotes, and amassed a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes material that has rarely been seen before… and Voyageur Press’ Alien Vault is the result.
Well, the writing is clear, concise, and makes for an entertaining and informative read, and the pages are illustrated with a good number of never-before-seen photos, paintings and screen captures. Particularly interesting is the description of how the project came to be, from the initial inspirations to the studio green light. I especially liked the on-set accounts of the filming of key scenes, although Nathan feels the need to put it in context by recounting the film’s plot, which should be unnecessary by now.
Throughout, Nathan prefers to stick with the main players; director Scott, writer O’Bannon, and other central figures, but it seems many of the other key players only get a passing mention. For instance, the book devotes an entire chapter to actress Sigourney Weaver, yet glosses over the rest of the cast. Other crew members are also mentioned, but only fleetingly. Full in-depth interviews with special effects supervisor Brian Johnson, artists Ron Cobb, and H.R. Giger, would have been a great addition, but are sadly missing.
If I had any reservations about the book it’s that the whole package could have been designed a little better. On first glance, the publication certainly looks very impressive. However, given that many publications of this sort opt for a large format, it is surprising that the Alien Vault comes in a smaller 8 3/4″ x 9 3/4″. The slipcase, while giving the impression of a quality keepsake, is unnecessary and the book’s hardcover is of a lesser board quality than a more expensive cloth-binding.
Inside, the overall layout is functional if a bit clinical and the book’s smaller format diminishes the impact of the dazzling visuals by restricting enlargement sizes. For the easily amused, the book is also peppered with pouches for photos, mini posters, storyboards, and stickers. The most impressive of these is an orthographic drawing of the Nostromo, however, at a mere 11″ x 17″, I would have preferred a larger set of blueprints attached as a fold-out rather than the other bells and whistles that come with the book. Conspicuously missing are the blueprints for many of the other tech; the Refinery Ship, the Narcissus, weapons, as well as detailed pictures of the costumes, graphics, miniatures and props. Many of these photos exist on the internet and in other publications, so why not here? Instead, the book features quite a number stills from the movie, many that we’ve seen before.
At $35 USD, Alien Vault is relatively inexpensive; it’s a book for those interested in a good general overview of the production’s background and history, and while it certainly contains many pictures and other materials not found elsewhere, I would have gladly paid extra for a more complete compendium of all things Alien and dispensed with the gimmicky extras. For a film so visually arresting and innovative, it would have been nice for the book’s concept and design to echo that aesthetic. As it is, the layout of Alien Vault feels a bit pedestrian rather than a fitting visual tribute. While I am glad a publication such as Alien Vault exists, part of me is still waiting for the ultimate account of the making of this horror classic.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

DreamWorks Unveils International Poster for Real Steel

After already debuting the domestic poster for Real Steel, DreamWorks Pictures has today unveiled the international poster for the film (via heyyouguys.co.uk), which gives one a better look at the featured robots. You can check it out below.
Story Synopsis: A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, Real Steel stars Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.
Opening in conventional and IMAX theaters on October 7, the Shawn Levy-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Anthony Mackie and Kevin Durand.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Giant Wednesday Clip-Fest: X-Men, Green Lantern and Harry Potter

It’s the battle of the clips these days. As X-Men: First Class prepares to open in theaters at the end of this week (June 3), with Green Lantern set to debut on June 17, the studios are rolling out more and more clips for their films to entice audiences into theaters. Our own feeling is that if one were to stitch all these clips together, we’d already have a highlights reel…and then why bother seeing the film?
Twenty TV spots have been released so far for X-Men: First Class, which sort of makes the point for us.
Today you will find more clips from X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern…and the final installment of the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (opening July 15).
Together, they represent three of the summers biggest tent poles.
The clips are quite self-explanatory, so if you feel so inclined, turn up those speakers and enjoy more gifts from the studio gods…

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Costner Out, Russell In for Django Unchained

Kurt Russell, star of the theatrical Stargatemovie and John Carpenter’s The Thing, is in talks to replace Kevin Costner in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Russell will reportedly play a character named Ace who oversees a slave plantation in the American South in the 1800s. The plantation is owned by a depraved character played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film’s plot focuses on a freed slave’s search for his wife. Jamie Foxx will play that slave.
Also in Django Unchained‘s star studded cast will be Samuel L. Jackson, Laura Cayouette and Christoph Waltz. Russell and Tarantino previously worked together on Death Proof.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Stars of Sanctuary, Stargate and Smallville Line Up for Hunter Syndrome

Amanda Tapping, Colin Ferguson, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ryan Robbins and Allison Mack will be among a host of television stars attending a gala in Vancouver on September 24th to raise funds for research into Hunter Syndrome.
The condition, also known as MPS II, is a genetic disorder that affects children. It substantially reduces their lifespan and afflicts them with a variety of degenerative symptoms that increase in severity with age. Currently there is no cure for the rare syndrome, which is estimated to affect around 2000 children worldwide.
The aim of the 1st Annual Once Upon a Cure Gala is to raise funds and awareness for research into ways to reverse the disease. This research is already yielding promising new treatments and a seven-year-old boy from North Vancouver recently became the first child in Canada to be given a new medication for the condition.
Other actors and filmmakers who will be in attendance at the Gala include Elyse Levesque, Peter Kelamis and Julia Benson from Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis‘ Paul McGillion and Sanctuary actor and director Peter De Luise. In keeping with its name, which is intended to convey hope, the event has an Alice in Wonderland theme.
Tickets for the Gala can be bought from the event’s website. They cost $250 each or $1900 for eight. Information can also be obtained on the Gala’s Twitter feed @onceuponacure.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Draco Malfoy Featured in New Poster for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Warner Bros has released a new character poster for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, this time featuring Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. Over the past couple of weeks the studio has released similar posters featuring Hermione, Harry Potter, Ron, Lord Voldemort and Neville.
You can check out the new poster below.
Story Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction — the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive. Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale — the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “the Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.
Directed by David Yates, the final film in the long-running franchise stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright and Kelly Macdonald.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Making Sense of Superman’s Legal Kryptonite

For some while now we’ve reported about the ongoing legal woes surrounding the Superman property. Warner Bros could lose ownership rights to a significant part of the early Superman universe in a schism that would see many of the most fundamental aspects of the character’s mythology revert back to the estates of Superman creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, if a settlement cannot be reached by 2013.
And the battle is heating up as the opposing parties dig in their heels; the Siegel & Shuster estates on the one hand, and DC Comics on the other.
Even Doomsday couldn’t do a better job of tearing the Man of Steel apart.
It all began back in 2008 and 2009 when a series of rulings were handed down by U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson. Larson “ruled that Siegel’s heirs had successfully reclaimed their share of the copyright to Action Comics No. 1, which marked Superman’s 1938 debut; Action Comics No. 4; and other early depictions of the character and storyline. (Shuster’s heirs are on a separate timeline that begins in 2013). Larson was acting on a provision of the 1976 Copyright Act that allows authors to regain the copyrights to their creations after a certain period of time, subject to a series of intricate conditions.”
Like most legal battles over properties of this stature, it’s a complicated matter, but Variety has detailed the original ruling as follows:
In a recent article published in the Columbia Journal of the Law & the Arts, Anthony Cheng writes that 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner’s decision in Neil Gaiman’s suit against Todd McFarlane “could provide the rationale for both parties to continue legally exploiting” Superman. Posner determined that Gaiman’s “Medieval Spawn” was “sufficiently distinct” to justify a separate character copyright from the original Spawn.
Along this line of reasoning, one way to settle the Superman dispute would be to “split the character in two — a 1938 Superman and a Modern Superman — and allow both sides to create new works based on their versions,” Cheng writes.
Moreover, because both sides would independently be exploiting their respective versions of the Man of Steel, they wouldn’t have to go through the tricky work of accounting for each others’ profits. They’d own what they own. One downside, though, Cheng writes, is that DC would have the more valuable version of the character, given the length of time it has been transforming Man of Steel projects into popular culture.
The other, more obvious, option is that all parties come together. But that’s no easy feat. The heirs’ attorney, Marc Toberoff, is appealing Larson’s decision to the 9th Circuit to get a more definitive ruling on who owns what, while DC is proceeding with its suit against Toberoff, charging that he has poisoned their relationship with the Siegels and Shusters.
Amid all the acrimony, it’s easy to forget the original intent of the “rights termination” clause of the Copyright Act: to give authors another opportunity to share in the rewards of their creations, not to parcel them out in bits and pieces.
Larson’s point wasn’t to parcel out the rights but to compel everyone to come to the same table for potentially mutual benefit. As he wrote in one ruling, Superman is an “aggregate whole,” not “a red cape here, a particular villain there.”
What does that mean for Zack Snyder’s new Superman reboot? Shortly after the director was hired to helm Man of Steel, there was speculation that one of the main reasons he’d landed the gig was that Warner Bros believed he’d be able to complete the film so that the studio could release it with minimal turnaround time. And while this shouldn’t be a problem, the fate of future films, not to mention the character’s larger integrity, is obviously being called into question.
In 2013, DC could move forward with the Superman projects it has already made, but under the Copyright Act, the company could not create new “derivative” works based on Action Comics No. 1 and other properties held by the heirs. More sequels though, would add up to more legal roadblocks.
If it sounds messy, it is. Ironically, the whole reason for splitting the rights in the first place was to give each side critical components of the Superman mythos, and encourage both sides to work together.
Our take on all of this is that the property is simply too well-established, and too important, to be divided into multiple variations. To do so would negate decades of established history and water down Superman’s value. And by value we also mean monetary value. Fan interest would likely wane. If the heirs owned important parts of the character, but not the trademark, this would pose a significant limitation on marketing and merchandising. Moreover, their reclamation of the copyright applies only to the United States, so international rights would remain in the hands of DC.
A fragmented Superman serves no one.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Angelina Jolie Set to Return for Salt Sequel, But Does Anyone Care?

Director Phillip Noyce’s Salt certainly wasn’t an awful film. But it hardly broke any new ground or offered any pleasant surprises. In an era where films like The Bourne saga and Casino Royale show us how good espionage-thrillers can be, lesser films seem like just so much filler.
Mind you, it might be arrogant to suggest that a Salt sequel is the answer to a question no one was asking. The film did decently at the box office. On a budget of approximately $110M, it managed a respectable world wide gross of $292M. Such numbers typically lead to sequels, which is where we find ourselves today.
According to Deadline, development has begun on a second installment, with Kurt Wimmer (who wrote the original) also penning the follow-up. Moreover, Angelina Jolie is expected to return to the title role.
For those who missed it, the original film starred Jolie as CIA officer Evelyn Salt who, after being accused of being a Russian spy, goes on the run in an attempt to prove her innocence.
So to answer the question posited in our own headline, while we might not care whether Salt gets a sequel, there are clearly enough people out there — at least according to the financial arithmetic — who may care enough to see Jolie take at least one more turn as Evelyn Salt.
Meanwhile, Jolie is next expected to make her directorial debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey, a romance set against the Bosnian war, which she also wrote.
Does a sequel to Salt interest you? Let us know below.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Somali Pirates Nab Paul Greengrass

Columbia Picture’s untitled big screen adaptation of the harrowing true-life ordeal of Captain Richard Phillips at the hands of Somali pirates is moving forward.
Deadline is reporting that Paul Greengrass has been offered the directorial reigns, very likely teaming with leading man Tom Hanks. According to the report, this could well represent Greengrass’ next project.
Phillips captained the MV Maersk Alabama which, in April of 2009, was hijacked by the pirates. Phillips bravely offered himself as a hostage to protect his crew and spent three days a prisoner before being rescued by a team of U.S. Navy SEALS.
The sale of the project, based off Phillip’s memoir, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea,” was announced for development last year with producers Michael DeLuca, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti and Scott Rudin.
In March it was officially announced that Hanks would topline the film.
Greengrass seems like a logical choice for a film like this. His experience with the suspense genre — coupled with his work on
2006′s United 93 — would seem to make him uniquely qualified.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Filming is currently underway on the North Carolina

Filming is currently underway on the North Carolina set of filmmaker Gary Ross’ adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games”, and today a new set of images has arrived online courtesy of Fangirltastic. The story revolves around a dystopian future and the annual “Hunger Games”, a fight to the death staged on live television.
Todays images give us our first look at Elizabeth Banks in costume as Effie Trinket, outside the Hall of Justice where the tributes from the various districts are brought before the start of the games. Trinket is the capitol city’s somewhat ditzy liaison to District 12.
Check out the photos to the left and below, then click on the link above to see the rest, including some of Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peeta, Jennifer Lawrence and Willow Shields.
Lionsgate is scheduling a March 23, 2012 release date for The Hunger Games.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Prometheus to Take Us to the Edge of History

If you’re worried that Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien universe he kick-started will just be more of the same, belay that fear. It looks like Prometheus is going to give us much more, based on the description on the film’s official Facebook page. We got wind of the cool-sounding update below courtesy of the website io9‘s twitter feed (@io9):
Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
We say thanks to our source because that has got us pretty pumped about the new movie, which is expected in theaters on June 8, 2012. Then again, maybe we shouldn’t have had doubts given the esteemed personnel behind the film. With Scott directing, Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts writing and Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace; Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Ben Foster in the cast, how can it go wrong?
Tell us what you think. Are you excited by this new venture into the Alien mythology or should they have left it well alone, like the ship on LV426?

Friday, September 23, 2011

Daniel Craig Exhibits Some Bond Toughness in New Extended Look from Cowboys & Aliens


A new extended sneak peek from director Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens has arrived online, courtesy of Universal Pictures. It first premiered during during Friday night’s Spike Guys Choice Awards.
There’s more of Daniel Craig in this extended look, and one scene in particular makes you feel as though he’s brought some 007 along for the ride. You can check it out below.
Plot Summary: Blockbuster filmmaker Jon Favreau directs Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in an event film for summer 2011 that crosses the classic Western with the alien-invasion movie in a blazingly original way: “Cowboys & Aliens.” Joined by an arsenal of top moviemakers—Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci—he brings an all-new action thriller that will take audiences into the Old West, where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world.
1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It’s a town that lives in fear.
But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.
Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.
The film also stars Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Ana de la Reguera and Abigail Spencer.
Cowboys & Aliens opens in theaters on July 29.