As JJ Abrams makes his role in directing the sequel to his 2009 Star Trek reboot apparent it also starts to become obvious that its rumored release date in mid-year 2012 will likely not be possible. With that tight schedule and the news that Paramount has now dated another sequel for the June 29th slot once reserved for Star Trek we now have to face the realization that instead of a well produced piece of sci-fi cinema we will be seated instead with the hair-brained G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Though Star Trek may be a ways off another less heightened flyer will be taking to the skies in the meantime as the World War II era film Red Tails will finally be making its way to theaters. The film directed by Anthony Hemingway tells the story of a group of African American pilots during World War II who fight for their chance to show their worth as pilots during a time of a still heavily segregated military. Slated for January 20, 2012 the trailer for Red Tails looks to offer up a solid amount of action with not much else to look forward to.
On a more recent warfront comes news that the pair behind the Academy Award winning film The Hurt Locker are in fact working on a film that as of now is known only as "Killing Bin Laden." The film said to be a "small-budget black-ops thriller" began conception before the terrorist figurehead was killed earlier this year. Originally plotted as a failed attempt the script was later rewritten to better match the events that took place. Little is known about the project as a whole but with the pair's previous work in mind, and an October 12, 2012 release date on the table keep an eye out for another run at the Oscars by Kathryn Bigelow.
Keeping with the war-torn theme I know I could leave you with a brilliant well-written gem of a film like Battleship but this week I may have to take another route and rot your mind with a cheesy gimmick film like George Clooney's upcoming political drama The Ides of March.
What happens when you try too hard to cash in on the date night market? A messy action rom-com starring Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher. During a trip to France the desperately single Jen finds herself blindsided by a mysterious man. She falls in love, marries, and all the while knows nothing of his secret life until the day all hell breaks loose. The attempt to bring together action, romance, and comedy falls flat as the plot and characters are lost in a hail of gun fire and hand-to-hand combat that in the end feel unsatisfying and awkward at best.
Despite many production companies condemning the effectiveness of Comic-con advertising and vowing to pull out from the events, or at the least tone down their presence this weekend's San Diego Comic Con has brought once again a flurry of new film news, images, and trailers both in and out of the comic world.
This weekend's convention presented a solid offering of news for fans of Marvel comics. Among that information came news that Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish have turned in their latest draft and concept art for the Ant-Man project they are working on. Beyond this came the news the Ghost Rider sequel being helmed by the director pair responsible for the film "Crank" has actually been shaping up well. Footage presented at the panel depicted a well done mix of action and more appropriate effects for hero who will land in theaters February 17, 2012.
On the other half of the comic world comes two pieces of news that directly affect the fans of DC characters. Zack Snyder's next film endeavor slated for December of 2012 would have brought one of DC's mainstays to the screen again. Unfortunately for the "Man of Steel" and his fans that wont be happening, quite as soon as they had hoped. The release date for the next Superman based film has been pushed back six month leaving it at June 14, 2013. On the other hand the companies new film based on the Judge Dredd character simple titled "Dredd" was finally given a release date and will make its way to theaters September 21, 2012
Another panel this weekend aimed to support the upcoming computer animated film based on the French adventure comic series The Adventures of Tintin. Answering questions and presenting some footage from the film were director Steven Spielberg, and executive producer Peter Jackson. Though footage from the panel was withheld from the public a trailer for the film released this week showing before the new Captain America film and a larger piece of information leaked from the iconic director, Jurassic Park 4. Spielberg let loose that the film's story and script were currently being worked on and that he hoped to have the film ready within the next two or three years.
A huge presence in last year's convention iconic cult director Robert Rodriguez once again made his presence known with announcements for three projects he hopes to get underway soon. The first two were of no surprise. The director of 2010's campy action film Machete announced that he planned to create two more films in the series. The two films as he stated would be Machete Kills, and Machete Kills Again In Space. Not much was divulged pertaining to either film but if ticket and DVD sales can match the levels seen with Machete there is no doubt this trilogy will find its way to theaters in the coming years. The third film on Rodriguez' slate is the much anticipated Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill. According to Rodriguez writer Frank Miller has completed three stories to include in the film including the title piece "A Dame to Kill For" as well as two unnamed new pieces.
From the pile of trailers released this week comes an action espionage revenge story by the name of Haywire. Backed with a solid cast including Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Michael Douglas and Michael Angarano the trailer for Haywire promises all the action, violence, and car chases we have been brought to expect by the spy films of recent years.
Yes that is Nicolas Cage, and no he doesn't actually have anything to do with Snyder's 'Man of Steel'
The first avenger and the final piece of the puzzle leading up to 2012's anticipated super team endeavor The Avengers, Captain America makes a solid effort with the final origin story behind the team. A scrawny military reject Steve Rogers is recruited to test a super soldier serum that will turn him into the iconic hero patriot with a purity and bravery that will help turn the tides of World War II. The all-American tale hits the mark but not without some faltering steps as the story fails to flow and instead feels more like two short films forced together.
This the week before San Diego Comic Con seems to have brought out some tastes of the geekier side of the film world to wet our appetites for the flood of news that will pour in next week.
Earlier in the week with the release of Entertainment Weekly's new issue came a slew of new set photos from The Amazing Spider Man reboot. Those low resolution images were soon replaced with clear and impressive shots that will leave those worried about the look of their favorite wall-crawler pleased. The spread includes shots of the new costume and how it fairs with the new Peter Parker played by "The Social Network's" Andrew Garfield as well as various other characters new looks including one played by the mouthy comedian and start of "Rescue Me" Dennis Leary. Does the new Spider Man suit you or did you prefer Sam Raimi's muscular interpretation of the nimble hero?
Less a piece of news, more a helpful tip. This week Amazon began offering movie cash to see the upcoming sci-fi western Cowboys & Aliens with qualifying DVD or Blu-ray purchases. With how much this film has been hyped over the past year there is no doubt that it will drive in the ticket sales so why not get something extra with that $10 movie ticket you were going to buy anyway? With choices ranging from Inglorious Basterds to Jaws there will likely be something missing from your film collection present and an opportunity to pick it up along with a free movie ticket.
An unfortunate piece of news this week that anyone who is already a customer is likely aware comes from the mail order DVD rental giant Netflix. On the heels of a price increase in the later half of 2010 Netflix has decided that it is time again for them to restructure their rental plans in a move that has shaken up and aggravated many. The change will split streaming content and mail-order plans into two separate plans allowing for those only interested in streaming to avoid higher prices. Streaming and 1 DVD out plans will each cost $7.99 causing for customers interested in both services a nearly 60% price increase and those interested in Blu-rays by mail to be hiked up to $19 a month. In an economy that is still seeing plenty of unemployment and pay cuts is this the right move for Netflix or does the raise take away from the accessibility that brought Netflix ahead of all competitors?
To break the tension of the whole Netflix debacle the same day a rumor presented itself that was uplifting though cautiously so. That of course was the rumor of the production of another film in the cult horror series The Evil Dead. As it was still a rumor and has been rumored on and off for year many were skeptics until the king himself Bruce Campbell confirmed the project through his new Twitter account. Does the 20 year old series have what it takes to make a comeback or are the evil better left dead? We will have to wait and see, but with Campbell, Raimi, and Tapert attached as producers, there is no doubt that the film will be something to keep an eye on in the coming months.
Lastly this week has been filled with plenty of new trailers. Most notable came before the weeks big release of the anticipated Warner Brothers film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Among the offerings were a teaser for Christopher Nolan's upcoming Dark Knight Rises that left much to be desired, and a look at Guy Ritchie's sequel to the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film. This year's sequel does not look to be short on offering up the action and wit of the first but may strike a low with the cross-dressing humor. How do you feel about the next stage in Holme's story?
The final piece in a series that has been ten years running Deathly Hallows part two brings about the conclusion to a story that many have held close. With the dark lord's army at his heels Harry must destroy the remaining Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort and bring peace to their world. Though Deathly Hallows provides a fine conclusion to the films, the grandeur of its action packed climax seems to falls short as key moments are passed over in a truncated rush. Overall a well acted showcase of talent, Hallows will please fans, yet find the uninitiated confused and lost.
Wait... Uhh... umm... what? Maybe not the best opening line for this post but most definitely the best example of my dumbfounded thought process after hearing that Spike Lee is reportedly in talks to helm the long rumored Hollywood remake of the South Korean cult hit "Oldboy." He may not be the most absurd choice to direct the project but it is by far not one fans would have seen coming. Then again most likely if you are a fan of the 2003 film you likely aren't too thrilled by the idea of a Hollywood remake of it to begin with.
Another pretty big film related piece of news that popped up this week involved film advertising in television shows. If you consume any form of media you are no stranger to the use of product placement in your favorite shows, movies, songs, and books but what some observant viewers are starting to notice are in fact digitally added advertisements for new films in reruns of television shows. For anyone who plays video games this is a pretty outdated concept as advertisements on billboards, signs, and magazines throughout many games have been using this process for years but this will mark one of the first times it has ever been noticed in television. Film advertisements for the new Kevin James film "Zoo Keeper" can be found in various scenes of the show "How I Met Your Mother" and tend to be rather obvious since they almost look as though they were tossed in by a prankster using minimal knowledge of Photoshop.
For any fan of Middle Earth book or film the addition of Peter Jackson's latest work on "The Hobbit" is no doubt a cause for excitement. This only having been amplified as he continues to offer up exclusive videos, photos from the set, and character shots through Facebook as the film progresses. This week we were treated to photos of five of the band of adventuring dwarves Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin. I can't speak for other fans but these shots alone have me excited to see what Jackson has in store for There and Back Again.
Every week I try to highlight a new trailer release that showcases a promising or anticipated film. This week I am can't help but show something so horrifyingly awful looking that it leaves me clawing for an escape from just the short 2:30 trailer. Don't get me wrong, I stick wholeheartedly to my assertion that Adam Sandler is an amazingly talented actor no matter how wasted that talent may be but nothing screams "Just quit already!" more than dressing in drag to play multiple characters in your movie.
Iconic action director Michael Bay rolls out with his convoy of shape-shifting robots for the final chapter in the Transformers trilogy. This time we find our hero being spoiled from the care of his successful wealthy new girlfriend while he is left unemployed and unappreciated despite having saved the planet twice. All of this turns around quickly after the Autobots receive word of a crashed ship from their old world hidden on the moon. Possibly the most engaging of the three films DotM holds together a messy plot while keeping up with the effects laden action and sub-par acting talent.
With this weeks release of his third piece in the Transformers saga also comes word of director Michael Bay's intended next project. Anyone who takes in the yearly blockbuster summer films is likely aware of the large scale explosion ridden style of Bay's films but it may come as a bit of a surprise that his next work will dial back the action to make room for a lower budget dark comedy tone. Bay's $20 million budget would go into creating Pain & Gain; the story of a pair of body builders who get caught up in a kidnapping gone bad. It is hard to guess exactly what to expect from Bay's stray from the extravagant path but I for one am always open to seeing a director break free from their current rut and try something out of the norm for them.
Comic book fans and those who follow their big screen counterparts have likely heard the rumors over the past year of Marvel's plans to create short films with lesser known characters to accompany their main feature titles. This plan seems to have been little more than conjecture among fans despite gaining the attention of Marvel studio head Kevin Feige. That will however change with the release of this years big Marvel films Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger on DVD/Blu-ray. Each release reportedly will contain a short featurring SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson who has appeared throughout the Marvel films leading up to the upcoming Avengers film. Lirrle more is known about the shorts other than their exsistence and that they will be on DVDs but the mere idea that Marvel is embracing the short format for added content leaves many possibilities open for the future of comic book films.
This week also brings about a reworking of two of Hollywood's heavy hitting director's upcoming films. Martin Scorsese‘s current project Hugo Cabret is no longer. Do not fret it is only dead in title as the director has opted to streamline the name dropping the Cabret in favor of a more simple "Hugo." Much like Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola's Twixt Now and Sunrise will be seeing its release as the dialed back title "Twixt."
Okay maybe not so much a piece of news this week as it was an amusing look at once again director Michael Bay's use of stock footage in his films. /Films presents in their post video and photo proof of shots and sequences Bay has borrowed from other films including The Island and Pearl Harbor.
Lastly and possibly the sole reason I wait until Sunday before I write this last part of my news posts is is in case something stands out to me later like a trailer I saw alongside the screening of The Tree of Life today for the film Another Earth. Distributed by Fox Searchlight Another Earth currently has a rather vague release date of select theaters this summer, and seemingly no intent on revealing which theaters and when at this time.
Though Star Trek may be a ways off another less heightened flyer will be taking to the skies in the meantime as the World War II era film Red Tails will finally be making its way to theaters. The film directed by Anthony Hemingway tells the story of a group of African American pilots during World War II who fight for their chance to show their worth as pilots during a time of a still heavily segregated military. Slated for January 20, 2012 the trailer for Red Tails looks to offer up a solid amount of action with not much else to look forward to.
