Movies to Look out for in 2010

[Emperor]

I will be constantly be adding previews of movies to this as I find out about them.

 

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/robinhood/

 

Above is the trailer for a new Robin Hood directed by Ridley Scott and played by Russell Crowe.  It will also star Cate Blanchett and William Hurt.

 

I think this will be excellent.  I have also owned HSX stock in it for a year.

[Emperor]

 

trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKfZrbS79To

 

The Book of Eli

Opens: January 15th 2010

Cast: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals

Director: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes

 

Summary: The story revolves around a lone warrior (Washington) who must fight to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption. Oldman has been set to portray the despot of a small makeshift town who's determined to take possession of the book Eli's guarding.

 

Analysis: When Denzel does action, the box-office always opens well for him and a teaming with Gary Oldman makes for a film geek wet dream. Yet beyond Washington doing some kung fu antics, one wonders how many will be inclined to check out what otherwise looks like a bland retread of "Mad Max" with Biblical overtones. The Hughes Brothers previous foray into blockbuster territory, the visually striking but painfully bad adaptation of Alan Moore's "From Hell", means it'll look great either way. More exciting is that some typically rather critical reviewers of this kind of material have been shown this and have passed on word that it ain't half bad.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Q7NlAlZEA

 

Clash of the Titans

Opens: March 26th 2010

Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton

Director: Louis Leterrier

 

Summary: Based on the 1981 film of the same name, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, vengeful god of the underworld.

 

Analysis: Nearly thirty years on the cult classic original still has many fans today thanks to its great stop motion effects and delightful blend of camp with classic Greek mythology. From a brilliant acting turn by Harry Hamlin's nipples, to Maggie Smith as the bitchy goddess Thetis, 'Titans' represented the bodice-ripping sword & sandals genre at its escapist height - no deep issues of politics, slavery or religious difference, just flat out fantasy entertainment. Still, even the most loyal fans would be hard pressed to argue that it's a great film by any means.

 

On the surface Leterrier's remake at least seems to understand the appeal of the original and doesn't try a straight out remake. Instead we get a new adaptation with the emphasis moved toward a lot more action and intensity than the often leisurely paced original, while adding some new elements not seen in the previous film (e.g. Hades). It's an obvious effort to try and capture the box-office appeal of "300", but 'Clash' holds a lot more promise as it has neither the overly stylised visuals of Snyder, nor Frank Miller's right-wing politics that often made that film both ridiculous and offensive.

 

Both trailers so far have had me and quite a few people I know literally salivating - impressive reinventions of the creatures, an interesting new take on the Greek Gods (thankfully no "Troy"-esque excisions here), and most of all a sense of high adventure fun. "Terminator Salvation" was built on a brand and "Avatar" hid his face behind a blue alien for much of its runtime, thus 'Clash' marks the first real test of Aussie hunk Sam Worthington as a Hollywood action hero. Armed with a buzz cut and growl, the man looks every bit the hero even in an armored skirt that tends to lift slightly.

 

The question here is Leterrier. When it kept to the human element his 2008 take on "The Incredible Hulk" worked just fine, but once things turned computer-animated they became ridiculous and silly. Seemingly having learned his lesson, the director is very adamant about using effects only where needed here and the hope is that when he does use it he doesn't make the mistake of so many action directors who don't give their monsters any real physical weight or inertia. The MTV-style editing and music is a mild cause for concern, but hopefully that's simply the marketing.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayYiMygqlfo

 

Daybreakers

Opens: January 8th 2010

Cast: Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Vince Colosimo, Claudia Karvan

Director: Michael & Peter Spierig

 

Summary: In the year 2019, a plague has transformed most every human into vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the dominant plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a covert band of humans on a potential way to save the human race.

 

Analysis: Back in early 2003 came the first word of "Undead", a very low-budget (around $600,000 US dollars) Australian feature film about a meteor shower causing people in a small fishing community to become zombies. I was one of the first outlets to really cover the film and its twin directors Peter and Michael Spierig who really made it a labour of love and happily passed on great material from the film.

 

For its cost, the visuals were extraordinary and the direction showed great promise, something which I happily praised. Yet though technically interesting, the story was a mess (especially its last act) and the performances were generally quite terrible. Like all reviews on the site I was honest about that as well in the review, and since then I haven't heard a peep from either director - not the first or last time that situation has happened, filmmakers can be very touchy when it comes to even constructive criticism.

 

Now a little over six years later they've returned with the intriguingly premised "Daybreakers" which hopes to deliver some bite to the vampire genre that has been so defanged by the "Twilight" phenomenon. Shot on a limited budget, the pair once again have delivered a film that looks like it cost considerably more than it did. There's a strong acting pedigree as well on both American (Dafoe, Hawke) and Australian (Neill, Karvan, Michael Dorman) fronts.

 

Despite the film having screened at several festivals, I went to a local media screening which imposed an embargo so I can't post a proper review until January. I can say that it's a very gory film, especially its final act, and is delightfully gross B-cinema in spite of its high concept sci-fi leanings. Festival reviews weren't gushing but they were positive certainly as it's quite fun, but it's unlikely to reach beyond genre fans and those who want to see a vampire movie that in no way resembles "Twilight". Think "Underworld" with a lot less exposition.

 

 

[Krakalakachkn]

I snatch up anything that has Russell Crowe in it.  I LOVE HIM! 

 

That said, him and Ridley Scott together is a dream come true...add Robin Hood, and I might die and go to heaven.

 

The Book of Eli looks like an interesting premise, we'll see whether it pans out or not.

 

Super, super excited about Clash of the Titans!!

 

Daybreakers looks interesting and definitely on my watch list

[Emperor]

 

The A-Team

Opens: June 11th 2010

Cast: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, Quinton Jackson, Jessica Biel

Director: Joe Carnahan

 

Summary: A contemporary action comedy feature based on the classic 80's TV series. A group of Iraq War veterans go on the run as they look to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

 

Analysis: Looking to be one of the just plain outright fun films of the year, the somewhat corny but fan favourite 80's show looks to be getting a faithful modern translation thanks to writer/director Joe Carnahan. Despite a few initial hitches with John Singleton's departure and some early delays by the studio, things seem to have comfortably settled. The casting is spot on, reports from the set indicated things went smoothly, and the mid-June release slot is perfect timing as its a 'boys own' movie in a month likely to be dominated by "Twilight" talk.

[Emperor]

 

Alice in Wonderland

Opens: March 5th 2010

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter

Director: Tim Burton

 

Summary: A pseudo-sequel to the Lewis Carroll classic, Alice returns to the fantasy realm years after her first visit. Now aged 17 and not fitting into Victorian society and structure, she returns to a slightly haunted and overgrown Wonderland.

 

Analysis: Though his take on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" didn't prove as definitive as hoped, Burton's new version of 'Alice' seems a slightly different and more potent beast altogether. Carroll's tale has been translated many times before of course, most notably the 1951 Disney cartoon along with the 1985 & 1999 TV versions, but none have been done with a budget of this size and Burton's trademark twisted imagination.

 

Visuals from the trailers look good (especially in 3D) and while Burton regulars may balk at the very kid-friendly corny antics of Depp's silly turn as the Mad Hatter in the trailers, the stellar mostly British cast in small roles like Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Matt Lucas, etc. give one hope that adults will get some enjoyment as well.

[Emperor]

 

Inception

Opens: July 16th 2010

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard

Director: Christopher Nolan

 

Summary: "The Prestige" and "The Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan returns with the story of a CEO-type executive who finds himself becoming involved in a blackmailing scandal. The story is said to explore the architecture of the human mind.

 

Analysis: Arguably the most mysterious and top secret project of the year, story details for the first post-"Dark Knight" film for Nolan are near impossible to come by. Insiders who've seen bits and pieces call it a 'game changer', a film that is really going to surprise and push boundaries. Shot in various places around the world for a considerable budget, it's astonishing in fact how little has gotten out aside from only some very basic casting descriptions.

 

A teaser trailer back in August just added to the confusion, showing a corporate action drama with a sci-fi bent - namely two guys in business suits fighting it out in the hallway while gravity kept shifting which had them falling and flying all over the place. A tagline saying 'Your mind is the scene of the crime' also raised questions. Subsequent posters and a second trailer didn't really clear up the situation, just adding more strange action from a recurring water motif to shots of cityscapes folding in on themselves.

 

A few days after the first trailer an apparent script review surfaced indicating the plot dealt with technology allowing one to enter people’s dreams and people using that tech to extract and steal information for their own purposes. It also had DiCaprio's character apparently on the run for his wife's murder. The validity of that report however has been called into question with nothing since backing up its claims, though the trailer action would fit that description. With Nolan though, whatever it is you can expect another somewhat cold but fascinating mindf*** along 'Prestige' lines.

[Emperor]

 

Jonah Hex

Opens: June 18th 2010

Cast: Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Michael Shannon, Michael Fassbender

Director: Jimmy Hayward

 

Summary: Based on the titular DC Comics character. In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter tracks down a dangerous ex-Confederate soldier trying to reignite the civil war and ensure the South will win this time.

 

Analysis: A project that's sounding more and more like a 'what could have been' style deal. "Crank" and "Gamer" writer/directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor scripted the comic book adaptation said to combine the Western genre with supernatural elements, in fact there was early talk of a voodoo practitioner and an army of undead Confederate soldiers which sounds rather unique.

 

Then the pair left the project over creative differences and the supernatural elements got ditched. Jimmy Hayward, an animator turned animation director on the likes of "Robots" and "Horton Hears a Who", came onboard and makes his live-action directorial debut. While there wasn't talk of trouble during production, lets just say several sources claim that some truly great sets and art design were essentially wasted.

 

Not helping was the footage screened at Comic Con which showed off a gritty, over saturated and high contrast pulpy western with too many modern action touches and just outright silly additions like Megan Fox as history's least convincing bar wench. So it came as no surprise when it leaked out earlier this month that "I Am Legend" and "Constantine" helmer Francis Lawrence is being brought on to consult on some reshoots for the project.

 

What footage we saw was not "Wild Wild West" insultingly bad, but considering that debacle it's no big surprise the studio is very carefully proceeding with its promotions for the film. Atlanta-based heavy metal band Mastodon are said to be providing the score which is a good call, but it'll be the first trailer that should prove a good bellwether as to whether the film will work or not.

[Emperor]

 

The Green Hornet

Opens: December 22nd 2010

Cast: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Jay Chou, Edward James Olmos, Christoph Waltz

Director: Michel Gondry

 

Summary: Britt Reid is a wealthy industrialist by day. At night though he goes out in his masked "Green Hornet" identity to fight crime as a vigilante, accompanied by his similarly masked Asian manservant Kato who drives a car equipped with advanced technology.

 

Analysis: Over the years several have tried to turn the radio, and later TV serial hero into a feature film - despite the box-office and critical failure of Russell Mulcahy's 1994 take on the similarly originating "The Shadow". Things really didn't heat up though until 2004 when Kevin Smith became attached to pen and direct a film about 'Hornet' with Jake Gyllenhaal and Jet Li possibly starring. The project however became stuck in development hell and Smith left it in 2006.

 

Two years on Sony announced a 'Hornet' film with "Knocked Up" star Rogen in the title role and Hong Kong action/comedy star Stephen Chow directing and playing Kato. Chow ultimately left the project, but his replacement came in the form of acclaimed director Michel Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Be Kind Rewind"). Taiwanese singer and actor Jay Chou became Kato, while the villain originally slated to be Nicolas Cage became "Inglourious Basterds" bad guy Christoph Waltz.

 

Originally this sounded like a good spoof of the superhero genre by scribes Rogen and Evan Goldberg who previously penned 2007's "Superbad" and 2008's "Pineapple Express", easily the best films released by Judd Apatow's production banner. The hiring of Gondry though has reset expectations even higher as he's come in with a take on the material that the writers immediately loved and the studio execs got a tad nervous about. A lot will depend on the trailers which should give us a better idea of what to expect, while a strong launch at Comic Con in July could also have a big impact.

[Emperor]

 

Let Me In

Opens: 2010

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas, Cara Buono

Director: Matt Reeves

 

Summary: An English-language remake of Tomas Alfredson's 2008 Swedish film "Let the Right One In". An alienated 12-year-old boy befriends a mysterious young newcomer in his small New Mexico town and discovers an unconventional path to adulthood.

 

Analysis: The quality doesn't matter because as of this moment, no other film in 2010 is being pushed in front of a firing squad quicker by geeks than this unnecessary Hollywood adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel. Why? Because Alfredson's critically acclaimed Swedish-language film adaptation has already become a cult sensation throughout much of the world.

 

A lot of the mainstream audiences still haven't caught on though to that original gem, and with the "Twilight" craze in full swing, it's no surprise Overture Films is rushing forward with their more commercial take on this unique vampire story. "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves, who is helming this, is well aware of the pressure he's under but hopes people will give the project a chance.

 

To that extent, there's already hints at some big departures from the first film with this one using more elements from the novel, including the early 80's setting, that Alfredson chose to cut. While the author is open to the project, Alfredson isn't and already delivered the pointed quote - "If one should remake a film, it's because the original is bad. And I don't think mine is." Filming is underway in New Mexico and wraps next month with a late 2010 release planned.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Machete

Opens: 2010

Cast: Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Robert De Niro, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis

 

Summary: A renegade former Mexican Federale takes an offer to assassinate a corrupt Senator. Double crossed and on the run, Machete braves the odds with the help of a saucy taco slinger, his "holy" brother, and a socialite with a penchant for guns.

 

Analysis: The second least interesting of the four faux trailers that screened with "Grindhouse" gets its own full-length feature using basically the same cast and premise setup in the preview. There's a few extra faces though, from the 'what the' casting of Robert DeNiro to the return of Steven Seagal to the big screen eight years after his last appearance in 2002's "Half Past Dead".

 

It's a decent story idea but how both it and the humor can be sustained for a feature length is a big question right now, as is relatively unknown co-director Ethan Maniquis who made his name as an editor on the likes of "Grindhouse" and "Shorts" for Rodriguez. "Grindhouse" famously flopped at the box-office, so there's no real pre-built fanbase - while the great tagline of "they f*cked with the wrong Mexican" won't likely get MPAA approval. Hopefully Rodriguez will surprise though.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

http://www.viddler.com/explore/theflickcast/videos/172/2.319/

 

The Killer Inside Me

Opens: 2010

Cast: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman

Director: Michael Winterbottom

 

Summary: Everyone figures Lou Ford, a West Texas sheriff, to be a normal kind of guy. They don't see the ruthless, sociopathic murderer underneath and as victims pile up, suspicions begin to emerge.

 

Analysis: The always interesting Winterbottom ("9 Songs," "A Mighty Heart," "24 Hour Party People") returns to Sundance in January with this new, western-meets-noir adaptation of Jim Thompson's 1952 crime novel.

 

Thompson's work has generally yielded some strong films like "The Grifters," "Paths of Glory" and the original "The Getaway", but a previous version of 'Killer' in 1976 starring Stacey Keach never really caught on. This new version has "The Painted Veil" director John Curran adapting the script, though from the look and feel it'll likely be compared to films like "No Country for Old Men" and even Showtime's "Dexter".

 

One scene where Jessica Alba, playing a prostitute, is severely beaten up by Affleck's character is brutal enough that festival organisers have already cautioned the press about it. An online trailer shows the scene (which ends with Alba's face beaten to a bloody pulp) along with another odd sequence in the film where Affleck's character repeatedly beats her ass cheeks with a belt until they are severely bruised. Of course being a Winterbottom film that 'lighter abuse' sexually excites her and some raunchy action ensues.

 

Winterbottom always likes pushing the envelope and while the story sounds solid enough, the trailer's look is oddly pedestrian and unexciting while the 148 minute runtime listed on the Sundance website, if accurate, will automatically cause many to dismiss this out of hand. Reviews out of Sundance will give a clearer idea, but I'm betting there'll be a small but loyal group of fans, others will cry out against the depiction of violence towards women, and almost everyone will complain about the length and pacing.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=100571743

 

Kick-Ass

Opens: April 16th 2010

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Director: Matthew Vaughn

 

Summary: The comic book adaptation centers on a high school dweeb named Dave Lizewski who decides to become a superhero even though he has no athletic ability or coordination. Things change when he eventually runs into real bad guys with real weapons.

 

Analysis: More than just another superhero movie, "Kick Ass" is many ways one of the bolder experiments of the year. Director Matthew Vaughn ("Stardust," "Layer Cake") took his time and assembled the film's finances in a way that let him have essentially complete control over what makes it into the film with little to no interference.

 

The result is a combination of adult-aimed pitch black comedy, hardcore violence, language, etc. and all without parental groups or nervous studio executives watering down the edgy elements to try and appeal to a wider market. In a genre that has become so familiar, glossy and safe in its own way, it's great to see something that doesn't pander and could well give it a fresh new breath of life.

 

That's said it must have more than extreme violence and little girls using the C-word going for it if it wants to stand the test of time, and story wise there hasn't been much revealed thus far. An early screening in Austin the other week played brilliantly, but that was for a film geek crowd that would very much appreciate something like this. How it goes with more regular audiences and critics will be an interesting test, for now though it looks like the pre-Summer film to beat.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

The Last Airbender

Opens: July 2nd 2010

Cast: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

 

Summary: A live-action film based on the Nickelodeon animated TV series. In a fantastic world where civilisation exists as four great empires, a reluctant young child sets out on a perilous journey to restore balance to a world torn apart by war.

 

Analysis: Its been quite the decade for M. Night Shyamalan who started it as a household name with labels of a moodern-day Hitchcock thanks to the likes of "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs". Today he's considered more of a one-trick pony and in some cases a punchline due to rampant stories of egomania run wild and a series of much derided onscreen flops like "Lady in the Water" and "The Happening".

 

Thus 'Airbender' marks a potential return to form for the helmer. An adaptation of the hit cartoon series "Avatar", the film's name was changed to avoid confusion with James Cameron's epic, the pre-existing story and formula for young adult-aimed adventure fantasy epics takes the auteur outside of his usual "Twilight Zone"-esque thriller comfort zone.

 

In fact this is a genre plagued by pedestrian visuals and often drenched in far too much exposition, so the benefits of his atmospheric shooting style and restrained use of dialogue can definitely be seen as a plus. The story sounds interesting enough, though the 'Chosen One' prophecy angle is becoming more and more tiring with each and every show and film that exploits overused Messiah mythology.

 

The film has undergone a bit of a controversy for its 'whitening up' of the multi-ethnic cast of the animated series. That story wasn't helped by the reveal that "Slumdog Millionaire" star Dev Patel was actually a replacement for the whiter-than-snow Jesse McCartney for the film's villain. As we approach the release though it's likely that criticism will die down and the debates over the film's quality will take over.

[Emperor]

 

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810127520/video/17261504

 

The Karate Kid

Opens: 2010

Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson

Director: Harald Zwart

 

Summary: A young boy named Dre moves to Beijing with his mother, where he encounters bullying at his new high school. Taking lessons from Chinese martial arts master Mr. Han, he learns to stand up for himself.

 

Analysis: The original 1984 "The Karate Kid" is not a pin-up example of great filmmaking, but it is a shining and still treasured effort of 80's coming of age movies and was very much a product of its time. On the surface, the idea of remaking it is like remaking "The Breakfast Club" or "The Goonies", it may be unknown to a younger generation but to a lot of us older folks it feels like a violation.

 

The Chinese-setting allows for some more picturesque location work and cross-cultural issues, but not helping is that scribe Michael Soccio is best known for work on "The King of Queens" while director Harald Zwart's main claims to fame are the "Agent Cody Banks" films and "The Pink Panther 2".

 

Some fears though were laid to rest with a just released trailer which looked better than expected. Despite the basic storyline being similar, the look and feel is different enough from the original that no-one will ever be confused. Smith and Chan seem a better fit than expected, Chan especially looking more relaxed in his acting than he has in a long time.

[Red2111]

 

Why Did I Get Married Too

opens: April 2, 2010

cast: Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White

writer/director: Tyler Perry

 

trailer

 

Summary:  this is a sequel to "Why Did I Get Married".  Four couples reunite for their annual vacation in order to socialize and to spend time analyzing their marriages. Their intimate week in the Bahamas is disrupted by the arrival of an ex-husband determined to win back his recently remarried wife.

 

[Red2111]

 

trailer

 

A Nightmare on Elm Street

cast: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy

director: Samuel Bayer

release date: April 30 2010

 

synopsis:  re-make from the 80's horror classic, "Nightmare on Elm Street."  A re-imagining of the horror icon Freddy Krueger, a serial-killer who wields a glove with four blades embedded in the fingers and kills people in their dreams, resulting in their real death in reality.

 

[Emperor]

 

The Other Guys

Opens: August 6th 2010

Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson

Director:

 

Summary: A pen-pushing police accountant and a trigger-happy Detective are reluctantly teamed together. When the city's top cops run into trouble, opportunity arises for this pairing to step up, but things don't quite go as planned.

 

Analysis: Buddy cop action/comedies are all about the chemistry of the pair - do well and you get a "Lethal Weapon", do badly and it's like that DeNiro/Eddie Murphy excrement "Showtime". The teaming of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg though seems inspired.

 

'Guys' marks the fourth film of director Adam McKay whose first two collaborations with Ferrell gave us "Anchorman" and "Talladega Nights". How the pair will do in this all too familiar genre though should be interesting. Supporting casting is truly great from Michael Keaton as their captain, The Rock and Samuel L. Jackson as the best cops in the city, and the likes of Steve Coogan, Anne Heche, Eva Mendes, Ray Stevenson, Damon Wayans and Craig Robinson in small roles.

 

The hope here is that we don't get another letdown of "Starsky and Hutch" calibre, a film that should've worked as a great spoof and ultimately turned out to be a disappointing and often humor-free cop action movie that just happened to star comedians. If it does work though, expect a big commercial smash hit.

[Emperor]

 

Paul

Opens: 2010

Cast: Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig

Director: Greg Mottola

 

Summary: Two British sci-fi fanatics on an American road trip find their conspiracy dreams coming true when they encounter an escaped alien near Area 51. As they try to reunite him with his mother ship, they find 'Paul' has many more opinions than your typical ET.

 

Analysis: One of the best current onscreen comedy duos, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, return to deliver a comedic tribute to geek cinema with "Paul". Sadly it doesn't involve them re-teaming with their regular brilliant directing cohort Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz"), but they've got the next best cross-Atlantic equivalent in the form of "Superbad" and "Adventureland" helmer Greg Mottola who will direct from a script Pegg and Frost penned.

 

Supporting roles are stacked here with the likes of SNL stars Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader; "Arrested Development" stars Jason Bateman and Jeffrey Tambor; and flat out movie greats like Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver and Blythe Danner. There remains some concern about the alien creature itself, but Seth Rogen easily stole the show in "Monsters vs. Aliens" as Bob the Blob's voice - given a proper script it'll be great to see what he can do.

 

Though scheduled for a worldwide release in 2010, there's no specific dates locked in as yet. However with the San Diego Comic Con featuring prominently in the plot, it's not a stretch to consider a special screening/premiere and/or publicity launch at the event in July. Pegg and Frost originally were slated to film at the convention but had to end up recreating it in New Mexico later because the actual event has become too big for a feature film shoot to take place.

[Red2111]

 

trailer

 

Iron Man 2

cast: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow

director: Jon Favreau

release date: May 7 2010

 

synopsis: With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances -- and confront powerful enemies.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Opens: May 28th 2010

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina

Director: Mike Newell

 

Summary: A fantasy adventure based on the popular video game. Set in medieval Persia, an adventurous prince teams up with a rival princess to find a time-manipulating dagger to help stop an angry vizier from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world.

 

Analysis: Disney may be targeting families with its next Bruckheimer period action/fantasy potential franchise, but no single demographic anticipates this early Summer epic more than gay men. No matter which way he tiles his teeth, star Jake Gyllenhaal is to that demo what Robert Pattinson is to teenage girls - the unmatched pin-up fantasy and one of the leading causes of non-work/sport-related carpal tunnel syndrome.

 

Armed with about 20-30 pounds of extra muscle and leather pants, the first look publicity stills and set videos revolved entirely around him being shirtless. With films so often marketed on their actresses in tight bikinis, it's good to see a major blockbuster take a more equal opportunity approach - hell it's rare to see a studio confident enough in its star that they don't force him to wax his chest.

 

Yet no matter how you cut it, Jake doesn't look even the slightest bit Middle Eastern which has already drawn a lot of controversy. Together with a haircut and British accent that really don't suit him, the worry is that the whole thing simply will not work.

 

Not helping that belief is that action movies based on video games have all been critical pariahs and commercially only modestly successful at best. The closest example to this in terms of size and style are the generally derided "Tomb Raider" films which themselves were based around a star (Angelina Jolie) who perfectly suited the role - the script and direction just never came anywhere near close enough to support her.

 

This one has a strong pedigree at the helm in the form of director Mike Newell ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") which explains why some of the visuals of the trailer looked quite promising. Ben Kingsley also seems well cast as an evil vizier.

 

Yet the script comes from two scribes whose only previous credits are "The Uninvited" and "The Great Raid", both of which were considered flops. Hopefully under Bruckheimer's guidance they've created something that works, either way Disney certainly knows how to market a property like this well. Could the doubts be disproven? I'll definitely give it a shot.

[Red2111]

 

trailer

 

Shrek Forever After

Release Date: May 21, 2010 (conventional 3D theaters and IMAX 3D)

Director: Mike Mitchell

Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Jon Hamm, Kathy Griffin, Kristin Schaal

 

 

synopsis: Shrek is feeling over-domesticated in the fourth installment. He has lost his roar. It used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches. To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. The pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom.

 

[Emperor]

 

Salt

Opens: July 23rd 2010

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director: Phillip Noyce

 

Summary: When a CIA agent is accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy, she goes on the run to clear her name. Using her years of experience as a covert operative, she must elude capture or the world's most powerful forces will erase her entire existence.

 

Analysis: Originally pegged as a Tom Cruise film, the script was rewritten for Jolie who remains one of the few household name actresses than can credibly pull off the action hero routine. The reason to get excited though is due to the involvement of Aussie helmer Phillip Noyce, his re-teaming with Jolie ten years on from their work together on "The Bone Collector", and his first film since 2006's under-rated "Catch a Fire".

 

Even if they haven't always proven a hit with audiences, Noyce's critically acclaimed thrillers from "Dead Calm" and "Patriot Games" to "Clear and Present Danger" and "The Quiet American" generally rely on smart scripts and compelling characters over gimmicks, high concepts or flashy visuals/editing. Kurt Wimmer penned the original "Salt" script which Brian Helgeland later polished, and it is said to have had quite a good reputation when it was being shopped around town.

 

Jolie's action vehicles from "Tomb Raider" to "Wanted" have generally been derided for relying too much on guns and not enough on wits, hopefully this will tip the balance back the other way. The title is great and the first trailer looked strong, but if there is a concern it's the Bourne-effect. The main plot does sound like something from Cold War spy thriller authors like Robert Ludlum or Frederick Forsythe, so the inevitable comparisons will be made to that Matt Damon-led franchise. The release is also a concern considering more comedic-toned spy thrillers starring Ashton Kutcher and Tom Cruise open only a few weeks earlier.

[Krakalakachkn]

The only problem I foresee with Salt is that it has been done in so many movies, some done well, others not so well.  I hope Noyce and Jolie can bring something to the table to make sure Salt doesn't fall by the wayside.